The Party's Over, Hooray! (Part II) and Other Bits and Pieces Updates

These didn't make enough for a full post, until I stitched them together.

The Brick:  He's doing much better, thank you. I can tell because he's back to some of his favorite activities:  tinkering, lists, vitamins (in various combinations), spending hours on the computer reading/listening to political opinions, trends and agendas.  And talking to me -- whoo hoo!
     Before, he was in pain, taking heavy meds, doing a lot of sleeping and staring listlessly at the tv...but not really seeing it. I'll take his normal behavior anytime.

The party's over:  Cousin Joy sent me photos of the balloon aftermath from The Mama's birthday surprise. What goes up must come down...

Buoyant...

...and not.

A big difference from her birthday last year.  At least she's cheerful about it.

Trailer house:  It's not happening anytime soon. The trailer's support legs aren't lowering properly, which means we won't be going anywhere until the Brick figures out how to fix them. That may mean that our annual trip to Palisade for peaches is out... not sure yet.
    Complicating matters are the facts that the peach crop was early, not that bountiful, anyways -- and I have to start traveling for work again in about a week.
     Maybe we'll make a quick trip, but stay at a hotel. Which means Charley and Ruby have to stay home. At least we don't have to worry about the chickens anymore.

     P.S. We decided to stay home, after all. Maybe not the fun thing to do -- but the right one.

Or a handful of Tostitos...

House party:  I've done some toward packing the trailer and un-packing the house...but need to do more.  A number of appraisals need to be finished up first, though... before I'm back on the road.
     And the Brick feels completely well.
     And we have the time to put toward it.
     And some other important developments don't take precedence.
    Sometimes this feels like a vicious circle.

On the plus side, some of our piles are gone -- put away. The dishes are done, clothes washed and clean sheets are on the bed. All good things.

Hooray! (Part II):  Christian Dior not only has one Crazy-patched skirt, but an entire group of patchwork clothing pieces. Some look modern-pieced from recent fabrics...which I don't mind so much. Clothing from pieced yardage has been happening for decades... sadly, clothing from finished quilts has been done regularly, too.
     A Facebook reader suggested that the skirt in question was printed fabric, rather than the real thing. I wrote Christian Dior's customer service to ask, but after a week, haven't heard a word back. That says -- at least to me -- that most probably, an antique quilt gave up its life to parade around on a model's backside.
     Sigh.

Charley Bear and the limp: Somehow, while we were gone for the day, Sir Charles managed to twist his hind leg. Although he doesn't yipe when I rub it (a good sign nothing's broken), he definitely favors it when moving around. The daily competition for the back door means that Ruby not only wins -- she deliberately crashes into him, just to show who's boss.
     I still have trouble with one knee. That happened because Charley decided to leap onto it, lap puppy-style. So now he limps, too... ironic, huh?
     He does seem to be getting slowly better, but it's difficult. After all, he has to use that leg to go out and do his business. I am hoping it doesn't develop into the hip problems large breeds are prone to.
     Thank God allergies seem to be easing up around here. Charley, the Brick and yours truly have been just miserable, dealing with them. 

P.S. Woke up to misery -- the allergies, combined with smoke in the air from wildfires, are extra-bad. Oh goody. I just need to wait it out.

Charley and Rubes (she hates photos)

These coming weeks will be busy ones... just not yet. Not too bad, anyways. Coming soon, I'll be at the:

Heartland Quilters Guild   North Platte, NE   Sept. 6 Lecture: "Good, Better, Best"   
     (a lecture on how to recognize quality -- and make your good quilt even better!)

Silver Threads 8th Quilt Guild Show  Creede, CO  Sept. 14-16 -- 
    The only show on the continent held in a real underground mine! 
     (I'll be judging on the 13th, but my colleague Donna Skvarla will be offering appraisals during that period. E-mail her at bearspaw@cox.net for info.)

Higher Ground Fair and Quilt Show  Laramie, WY  Sept. 22-23 -- 
    I'll be judging on the 21st, but teaching 'Crazy Painting' and available for appraisals, as well -- info is on the show site, or contact me at the Brickworks website.

Life goes on...God is good. All the time.