Texas Catch-Up

Hello friends! And a very big thank you to the 70 people who entered my blog giveaway! When I asked for comments, I wasn't fishing for compliments about my project, but you certainly did just that. Thank you so much for liking the block I designed, and my hand quilting. You-all know how to make a quilter feel good!

The giveaway winner is Debbie M. from South Carolina. She let me know that she's already planning to make a Quilts of Valor quilt, so hopefully those patriotic solids will be put to good use soon!

Because of needing to write the block pattern, make and finish the block, and host the giveaway, I haven't been able to share where I was from June 16-27. Seems like a long time ago now, but we had a great time visiting our son and family in Austin, Texas.

We always spend one overnight at a LaQuinta Inn (they accept pets) on the way there, and the way home. The LaQuinta in Orange, Texas offered this morning waffle shape.

On Father's Day, all six of us ate at The Salt Lick, in Driftwood. It's our most-favorite Texas barbecue spot. At least 300 other people thought of the same thing - a Father's Day meal at Salt Lick - so we had to wait...  and that was at 11:10 am! Yes, it's that good! A quarter pound of pulled pork and blackberry cobbler is what I always order. And I eat every bit of it.

I was happy to get this three-generation photo, in spite of the photo turning out with a glare.

Austin and me at Salt Lick.

One hot day we took a short trail walk near Dripping Springs to find this abandoned house.

We imagined how it looked when it was inhabited. And there probably wasn't air-conditioning.

Me and my DIL, Lyn

I spent a couple hours with the grandies while they played at one of those bouncy-jump places. By now, I'd guess I've been to at least a half dozen different ones! They're a good place for little boys to burn up energy.

This one had make-believe rooms along the perimeter. Though we spent a little time in the school house, Luke and Austin liked the diner best. A little girl was happily waiting on them! It was pretty cute.

We left Hogan at our son's place while we went to Boerne for three days. We stayed with our formerly-from-Iowa friends. One evening the four of us went to Pearl in San Antonio, a refurbished area that includes the Pearl Brewery that's been turned into Hotel Emma. It was named after the woman who became CEO of the brewery following the death of her husband. She managed to keep the brewery going through prohibition, until 1933.

The interior has so much character!

We couldn't find information about what a night's stay might cost.

Must mention that after our stroll in the area, we had dinner at the NAO Culinary Institute of America where we ate a fabulous meal with wine-pairings. Dan really liked his grilled octopus, and lobster risotto. I could have eaten both his and my creme brûlées!

Though our friends live in the city, they have vegetated land that's frequented by deer.

Patty saves scrap food for them, and they seemed to particularly relish watermelon rind. Of all things. 

I attempted to teach Patty to crochet a dishcloth. Unfortunately, I picked a pattern that was a little too challenging. But since I left, she's persevered to learn through YouTube and has now completed a couple of dishcloths.

It's pretty amazing that our fellas have known each other since high school, and Patty and I met right after high school. These are the kinds of friendships to prize. 

Though I've been in my sewing room, I've been disappointed to not be able to quilt because of a repetitive motion injury. Believe it or not, it started because I overdid playing the ukulele! Then, I compounded the problem by hand-quilting while traveling. I didn't use a hoop, but gathered and clamped the quilt with my left hand. And then I crocheted, using my left hand to wrap and feed the yarn onto the hook. All of those activities hurt, and took their toll.

I was at the doctor's office last week anyway, for a routine check, so I showed her my wrist. She noted the swelling, asked me to hold my hands together in a prayer position and twist my hands outward and inward, and then diagnosed the repetitive motion condition.

No ukulele-playing. Wear the brace. Take ibuprofen three times a day. Put ice on it. Since last Wednesday, I haven't done anything that makes my wrist hurt (uke, crochet, handwork) and I've worn the brace, taken the drug, and iced.

It's getting a little better - no more sharp stabs of burning pain along the outside of my wrist - but I'm going stir-crazy. I don't do UNPRODUCTIVE!

So I sewed yesterday. Very carefully. This Lecien Jelly Beads Zipper and pattern is from one of the vendors at the Daytona Beach AQS show that Di and I attend in March.

It's a 10-1/2" X 12" bag that's open at the top (I used yellow Grunge lining), and has this front inside section too. It was fun to sew... not that I really need another tote. Sewing and quilting are mental therapy.

I need to get this wrist back to normal soon. There's FMQ to be done! Linda
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