Family Ties

Since the "flood" I use the term loosely since it was mostly sewer back ups, due to lots of rain in a really short amount of time.  DH has been working a lot of overtime.  The city DH works for is sending out their Department of Public Works crews to pick up the garbage that people have had to remove from their basements when they flooded.  Furniture, appliance, boxes, drywall, paneling, flooring, water heaters, and furnaces.

Sunday we were invited to "birthday dinner".  We call her the Bling Lady.  Kathleen is 92 years young, and her birthday is this month as well as DH, and a BIL just to name a few. Kathleen's nephew wanted to go out to dinner for her birthday at one of her favorite restaurants.  It was a lovely place on the Detroit River.

Both DH and Kathleen received creme brulee' for dessert.  DH has never had it, but he was a sweetie and shared it with me. Afterwards we accompanied Kathleen to her house so DH to look at her A/C units he installed earlier this summer for her.  Kathleen and her husband never had children and she somehow became the holder of the family photo albums.  We chatted about family while DH and her nephew were talking man stuff.  I was explaining that I have these really cute (DH says they are disturbed looking) bird pitchers that my grandmother had in her house when I was growing up and I just love them, it reminds me of home.  Kathleen said she had some things of her mother's and she did not use them anymore and she would love for me to have them.

One is a cream pitcher and the other is a sour cream holder.  I think they look super cute on top of the Hoosier.  What was really interesting is her maiden name is not really common, but I went to school with a family with the same last name in Oregon.  I think I may see if I can interest her into giving me some of her family history so that I can record it. 

I had a work meeting today, when I got home I tried to help DH by mowing before the storms came in.  I am getting faster.  I actually finished the majority of the lawn in less than 2 hours today!

I have been working on my challenge quilt.  I have the background completed.

The center portion will have an applique' portion, but I was thrilled to get this much completed.

I also managed to find enough Warm and White Batting to piece together for a quilt!

Looks like I have a ghost sitting at my table.
I have been working on making my pieced backing.  Have you ever had a day when you can't do math no matter what?  I had a couple of days like that, but this morning it all seemed so simple.

One more section to piece and I can sandwich the quilt and start the quilting.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute to finish a project.  The quilt has to be finished by September 1 so that I can enter it into the guild quilt show in October.  I always seem to wait until the last minute to get things done!  I must think I work well under pressure.