An almost perfect week

Before I get too far into this year, I need to start with the end of last year first!  And don't forget, you can always double click any photo to enlarge it if you'd like.

Ibby, Shirlee, Quiltgranny, Carol and Vicky (seated) 
Christmas-2012

Yes, the gal pals are still together after all these years, and we had a rollicking good time with food, games and gifts at Carol's home for the holidays.  We just got together again at my house this past weekend to test out the new stewdio space.  As always, it was a lot of fun with laughs and lunch and a lot of sewing.  We've decided to take a break from our birthday quilts this year and work on our own projects instead.  Watch out longarmers in the KC area!  Lots of UFOs are going to be coming your way!

Hard at work!

Even Mayo is looking for her UFO!

We had a scare the other day with Clyde, our 13 year old cat, brother to Bonnie. He is generally a mellow, happy go lucky guy and doesn't get into much trouble. Around bedtime, he started crying and wailing. It went on all night, and all he wanted was to be held. It was a LONG night! After an afternoon long visit to our vet, we discovered he has kidney stones. Not unheard of for a cat, but not as common as bladder stones. Nothing to be done for him except a change in diet, lots of fluid (how do you get a cat to do anything he doesn't want to do?) and some pain meds for the next 10 days.

This is Himself just 12 hours after beginning his pain meds. 

But of course, there was a wool/leather combo he just had to check out! All 13 lbs of him!

I don't have any pictures of what everyone was working on, but I do have some show and tell that they brought.  The first one is Carol's umpteenth rendition of a baby quilt for her soon-to-arrive second grandchild, Claire.  We all agreed that we love this one!

Claire's Zigzags

Shirlee shared her birds with us for the first time.  She had a tough year last year with chemo and radiation treatments, but her applique kept her busy.  She also worked on some Kim McLean flowers that are just out of this world, too, but I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE want to steal these birds!  They are from a Barbara Brackman pattern (which is traditionally more civil war era colors), but Shirlee sure knows how to choose the fabrics to make them sing, doesn't she!

I worked on a swap that I am doing with some new/old friends.  The Japanese X block is quite fun to make, especially with using my scraps that I just recently sorted.    Five blocks down, 100s a few to go......

When everyone left, and it was such a beautiful day here, I decided there was no time like the present to give my Christmas present from Hubby an inaugural ride.  Isn't it great?

Look both ways!

My new ladybug helmet

The last trip I made down our street was with Mayo, the Wonder Dog in the basket. I wasn't too sure how this would work out since she usually likes to charge bicycle wheels instead of riding over them, but she just sat ever so quietly and rode. I need to get a quilted basket liner made, a handlebar basket made, and find Mayo's harness so she ride safely in the back. I wouldn't want to risk her jumping out right in the lanes of traffic!

Mayo the Wonder Dog and Quiltgranny, rockin' and rollin'!

It's supposed to get really cold again for the next few days/weeks.  I'm so glad we got to go out and play.  As a matter of fact, I'm so happy I got to play ALL day with my friends and my toys!  See you next week!