We finished unloading our U-Haul truck literally minutes before Tropical Storm Debby began. Link to move-in day. It rained and rained and rained, for three days. Nonstop. We were sure we were facing flooding as we did in Des Moines in 1993. However, we quickly learned that sandy ground (Florida) behaves much differently than clay soil (Iowa). Water here soaks through the sand, and once the sun comes out to dry up the streets, within minutes you won't see a puddle anywhere.
We've adapted to Florida. We're not too smug to recognize that we've been "woosified." When the temperature drops to 70, we think it's "turned cool."
Since March 2015 we've been driving our second golf cart. Today we noted we've put 18,037 miles on it. That's a lot of seat time! But we don't think about it much when it's a pretty drive going nearly anywhere at any time of year.
This is our show-stopping Bismarck palm in the front yard. It's the view from my sewing room bay window, and I love it. Apparently it will get quite large.
Sewing room action has been a little slow this week due to the usual activities, a dentist appointment, and going twice to Amazing Grace Lutheran Church's Early Learning Center. In August, this brand new facility for 60 children ages infant to four years will open.
As we have been attending Amazing Grace since last October, we're volunteering to help get the ELC set up. Dan and I build a toy grocery store stand, and hung wire baskets on walls. I will make valances for nine windows in the building, starting with the director's office, front office, and staff meeting room. I've ordered fabric and will buy materials to assemble the valances and get them hung. And I'm making several patchwork kites to hang on the wall in the vestibule. No doubt I will share pictures.
Until fabric arrives, I've been working on the improv quilt based on grandson Austin's artwork.
I'm making the quilt top with these 5-1/2" high by 6-1/2" wide blocks. All of them are improv-pieced with four to six different solids in each one. 
This is the final layout of the 120 blocks. The top should measure 60" X 70".
Before settling on this layout I turned the above picture into black and white so I could see the balance of values. I am satisfied with this.
So this is the state of of the top. I'm in the midst of "webbing it." Link to tutorial here.
The top will be completed today, and then I'll begin to audition bias tape to replicate the shapes Austin drew horizontally across his art. It remains to be seen whether the various bias tape shapes and colors will make the quilt entirely too busy.
For those of you who know that I quit taking the breast cancer drug (Arimidex) on May 21, and may be interested... I'm still having 4 to 6 hot flashes a day. The frequency has slowed down a tiche, from 7 to 8 a day I had been having. Honestly, I hoped they'd be gone by now. I've also been seriously dieting for seven weeks and have lost eight pounds. I'm getting back into clothes I haven't worn for a couple years, but I'm finding it's taking a lot more persistence to get rid of.
Where's the chocolate?! 😭
It took more than a month, but most bloggers are happy that Blogger will again cooperate with comment emails. I've followed the step-by-step instructions provided on the Blogger forum to erase, save, reset, and resave my email address so as to receive comment notifications. As much as I'm looking forward to this return to normal, I am also cognizant that I will continue to not receive comments from anyone using a Yahoo email address in their Google profile. Google doesn't play nice with Yahoo, and hasn't for at least seven years.
I hope I hear from you! 🙏 Linda
Congrats on your six year anniversary in your beautiful home, and also on losing those pounds! Been trying (unsuccessfully) to lose 8-10 myself. Maybe this is the new normal. It appears that google doesn't play nice with aol either, since I also don't see comments from aol users in my mailbox. But thankful most are coming through just fine now. Enjoy your anniversary weekend!
ReplyDeleteSix years, doesn't time fly! It must have been such a big decision to move so far across the country. Hope the comments are now going to your in box, we will be trying this idea too.
ReplyDeleteSo nice that you do volunteer work!!! That is wonderful...my friend was on that same drug for 5 years and she stopped as well! She was reluctant to stop but did.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am also glad Blogger has corrected the issue with us receiving comments...although, I have aol email and Mary Stori has never been able to get my comments via email! Go figure! Maybe now she will! HA
Lovely to read all your news Linda! And I’m wondering why your comments work now and mine don’t. Back to Wordpress for me, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteTime sure flies, Linda! Just love how you’ve interpreted your grandsons artwork. This is going to be one gorgeous piece!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice anniversary to look back on. Austin's quilt is looking really good! Oh and bummer about those hot flashes! Hoping they'll become fewer and fewer!
ReplyDeleteYour home is beautiful and your quilt is coming along so well. I've been enjoying seeing the progress. Have a lovely weekend :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 6 years!
ReplyDeleteAre you actually getting comments emailed to you again? I've done the workaround and it's not yet happening here...
Wait! I tried it again and now I actually got the email to subscribe to comments! First time it didn't work. Whoot!
ReplyDeleteIm so impressed with your big move. Congrats on 6 years. Justin and I talk about where we might like to go but then realize we love Colorado. Your improv curved quilt is coming along very nicely. Can't wait to see the next step with the bias tape.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the anniversary. We hope to move to someplace warmer in the coming years. New York is not the place we want to be for the rest of our lives.
ReplyDelete18 K on the golf cart? That's a hoot- but they sure are handy for getting around and avoiding traffic crush. I like that palm- impressive.
ReplyDeleteGosh--I remember when you moved in and had that horrific storm! Time flies, and apparently so do miles on golf carts (18 K!?!). It's been fun to see you make that home your own.
ReplyDeleteI am loving that quilt you are creating--so fun to see it take shape!
Linda I love your improv quilt based on your grandson's art! How absolutely fun! My local quilt group currently has a challenge to create a quilt inspired by a piece of art. I've not been too into participating because I time is such a limited commodity in my current day to day, however you've at least caused me to mull over the possibilities :o)
ReplyDeleteHow fun that you are helping to set up the ELC at church! The local church is so important in the lives of believers, and investing in our littlest members is always time well spent.
I also love the improv quilt. It's a wonderful gift to Austin. It is hard to believe that it's been 6 years since you moved to Florida. Time goes by way too fast.
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