MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to one and all.  I hope you have a wonderful day.

Design Wall and More George

I have more pictures of George and my sunporch.  Some of you have seen my sunporch.  I took out two very large pieces of furniture and put them in the garage.  I am going to sell them.  I really don't have a use for them.  It has really opened up the sunporch and it will be a great place to use George.  I cannot get George into my sewing room.  I have set the tables up so that if I am using George someone else can sit at the other table and sew or visa versa.  I was looking at the porch and thought about moving my sewing room in there.  It could be done by moving the couch and probably the roll-around carts into the existing sewing room.  The only thing is I would not have design boards and there really is not a place to put them unless the windows were blocked.  I think I will leave things as they are.  It will work.   The colorful tunnel is the kitties tunnel.  They love that thing.  They run in there to hide from the dog.  Smokey loves to attack the dog from in there.  That cat is some kind of cat.  Loving one minute, a holy terror the next. 

With all the reorganization (last weeks blog) I have been rather busy and have not done a lot of sewing, but I have done a little.  This picture adds two blocks to the previous picture of this quilt.  The more blocks I add to this quilt the better I like it.  I am using Kansas Troubles fabric for it.  They have many lines out that have similar color. 

I have also been working on a back for my "figgy" quilt.  I really need to get this finished up.  I have entered the quilt in a show.  I still have another to do and that is going to be questionable.  I am quickly running out of time.  The holidays are not going to help matters for me finishing everything up. 

Hope all is well on your end............

George is Here

George has arrived.  He is still in a box.  I cannot put this "stuff" together (back problems) so thus Claudia made an attempt.  We managed to get the table up but there is some knobs in the package (no directions).  The picture shows the table with the knobs but we cannot figure out how to get them on. 

Here is a picture of the box with George inside it.  You must read the bottom.  You will have to click on the picture to make it large enough to see.   I checked this, and I had trouble reading it blown up, so here is what it says.........
Caution - Extreme Excitement Bundled Inside
Contents may cause excessive hugging, squealing, jumping and fist-pumping.  APQS has a sense of humor. 

There is things on my design wall, but you have seen them in this stage before, so I will chatter about something else.  Here are pictures of my garage.  I am in the process of cleaning up my sunporch and closets.  I have more storage boxes ordered.  I will fill up all the empty spaces.  And my sunporch is going to look terrific especially when I get George in there.  Here is hoping anyway.

I am putting everything in plastic containers with the hopes that the little critters will not nest in them.  And because of all of this fabric, fabric shops are not going to get rich on me next year.  I have just created a quilt pattern.  I had all the fabric that I needed except for the background.  I ordered that.  That is what I am going to do this year.  I am only buying what I absolutely need.  If I don't this fabric is going to be here when I "kick the bucket."  That is not good.  So between bags, pillowcases and quilts I should be able to use a lot of it up with the grace of God. 

It is getting cool.  The day started out warm and humid and rainy.  It has been getting cooler all day and by tonight it is going to be cold. 

Hope all is well on your end........

Design Wall and Etc.

It is cool in the deep south.  It is 11:00 a.m. and it is 48 degrees.  The next few days it is going to be cool and the nights are darn right cold.  I am tough though.......I am from the state of Iowa where it really gets cold.  That is one reason I don't live there anymore.  Love to visit, but ice and snow and bitter cold just is not for me.  I visit in the summer if I have a choice and actually the best time is fall.  It is beautiful with the color changes and the weather is perfect.

Now to quilting............I have several pictures to show you.  The last time I posted I was putting borders on a quilt and I had not quite decided what I was going to do.  This is my "figgy" quilt.  Those of you who follow my blog have read the story behind the "figgy" quilt.  I finally decided to add the borders that you see here.  This picture is one quarter of the quilt.  I will post one after the quilt is quilted and I can hang it somewhere.  I need help since I am short and cannot get up on ladders. 


I went to a class in Jasper, TX on Saturday.  She was teaching a quilt as you go (top quilt).  It is an easy quilt.  We had a great time.  It rained most of the day which actually was good.  East Texas and West Louisiana is in dire need of rain. 

The quilt below it, is one that I have been working on but have not had the time to finish it up.  I have lots of irons in the fire and certain quilts I must finish ahead of this one.  Below that is my house quilt, someday I will finish it.  January is coming.  Next year I am going to do a lot of unfinished quilts. 

As, you may know, I have bought a George.  It is not here yet.  I assume that it might be here by the end of the week.  I am not ready for it as yet so that is okay.  Last week, a quilting friend and I went to the Barewood Store in Lake Charles.  I found this table (54x54).  It has 36 inch legs.  It was a floor sample that they were selling so it was at a reduced cost.  I want it to sandwich quilts on.  It is going to stay in my garage.  I have a guy who is going to put polyurethane on it and wheels that lock. 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Beth asked me to come to her house if I had not made plans.  She only had an elderly aunt and uncle, her husband and me.  Beth owned restaurants in the past and she is a super cook.  She could feed me everyday except I would weigh 500 pounds.  After dinner her husband, aunt and uncle retired for their naps.  Beth and I moved to her sewing room where we chatted and sewed.  What a wonderful way to spend a holiday. 

Hope all is well on your end..................

Design Wall and etc.............

Fig Tree Fabrics has just come out with their 20th line of fabric.  I purchased some of it for a pieced border on a quilt that I had started earlier in the year.  The quilt has at least one piece of fabric from every line that Fig Tree has designed.  This is a scrappy quilt but controlled scrappy.  I just cannot do a scrappy quilt.  It drives me crazy, putting fabric next to something that I don't think works.  That is a wrong way to think because scrappy quilts always turn out beautiful.  But, in the meantime, I would be changing this fabric for that fabric and I would never get it done.  I have this border on the design board but it is not sewn in.  I have to make a side border before I actually decide exactly what I am going to do.  Come back next week, I should have it finished.  I am thinking of adding another border under the red border. 



George

 I went to the Houston International Quilt Festival on the 4th and 5th.  I had a great time.  I thought sometimes I was a bit nutty for being there.  I am still wearing a brace and my walking is not the best but I managed to do okay.  I sat down often.  The quilts were outstanding.  The breast-cancer exhibit was fun.  I spent my money and then some.  I bought a George.  I had been thinking about this for at least a year.  I debated about a long arm stand-up machine or a long arm sit-down machine.  If I bought a stand-up, I would have do some remodeling, minor, but I would have to make changes.  And there is the problem with my neck and my back.  I was afraid that it might cause me a problem.  If I bought a sit-down machine, I would have to move some furniture around, but I would not necessarily have to make costly changes.  I asked a friend, she has both.  She does a lot of quilting.  I asked her if she was to buy a machine today, which would she buy.  She said the sit-down.  I followed her advice, and thus I will have George.  He has not arrived yet.  So while I am waiting for him, I am cleaning out.  I have two large cabinets in my sunroom.  They are going to the garage.  I am buying a large table for sandwiching, that will also be in the garage.  George is going to be in my sunroom.  This is the plans for today.  I am going to buy something to heat and cool the garage to keep it comfortable when I am in there. 

My house has a double garage and two carports.  I park in a carport.  It is easier for me to get in.  The garage is attached so it will be handy day or night for my quilting use.  Sounds like a plan. 

Hope all of you who attended the Houston Festival had a good time and found something exciting.  Besides George, I found a big stack of Luna Notte fabric by Moda.  I had wanted this fabric because it is so gorgeous and never got around to buying it.  It is almost impossible to find it now.  You can find a piece here and a piece there but that is about it.  I am thrilled.  I have no idea what I will do with it, but I will use it next year. 

Hope all is well on your end.

Design Wall and the End of October

I have been busy, busy working on quilts.  Most of them have been entered in the quilt show at Beaumont, TX.  The show will be held in February 2012.  And then there are the quilts that I just make to make.  I have lots of fabric that I am trying to use up.  I am trying to be wiser about what I purchase.  I no longer buy fabric just to put in my stash, actually that statement depends on how you look at stash.  I do buy fabric that I have no idea what I am going to do with it but I really don't consider that my stash.  When I buy for stash, I buy one piece usually at a time.  If I buy fabric for a project, even when I don't have one in mind,  I will buy fabrics that coordinate with each other and probably several.  Then I will go to my stash and fill in (if I can) for any added fabrics that I might need for that project.  This quilt (above)started with a line (Wrapped in Paisley).  The line just doesn't have enough of the colors that I need so thus I have dug around and found several pieces that will go with it.

It is the end of October.  We went from hot at the beginning of the month to chilly on the last day of the month.  I love October.  It is probably the best month of the year.  The leaves are turning.  The big maple in the front yard is very pretty with its shades of red.  For the most part the changing of the colors this far south just are not very attractive.  Most of the trees are an ugly brown. 

When October comes, I always give my little speech.  And that is, all of you ladies that have not made your appointment or had your mammogram this year, need to do that.  One in 7 women will get breast cancer.  For those of you who are in guild, how many women are in the guild and then do the math.  I belong to a bee.  There are 21 of us in the bee.  Three of us have had breast cancer and we have been lucky we are all long term survivors.  Notice, I said long term.  Breast cancer needs to be found early, so don't put off that mammogram.  And for the men in everyone's life, I have known three men with breast cancer.  It does happen.  Men do need to do a breast exam and if they find something, don't think it will go away, get it checked.

Hope all is well on your end.

Design Wall Oct 10 and etc.

I have lots on my design wall but the quilts are not far enough along for me to show since I have showed them before.  Possibly next week I will have a top finished and I will show that.  It is peeking through in the attached picture.   In the meantime, I do have a hand project that I had started some time ago and am now working on it.  It is a hexie quilt with stars.  This is the third hexie that I have made.  A picture of one is in the right column.  The second one, the top is finished and I am going to hand quilt it.  That will take awhile.  I have a long way to go on the third as you can see, although I do have a lot of pieces made. 

This past weekend I went to retreat.  It was held at Stone Creek Lodge between Silsbee and Kountz, TX.  We had 22 attendees.  Great fun and great food was enjoyed by all.  The following is pictures from the retreat.  I am going to put the pictures in smaller, you can click on the pictures to make them larger. 

Judy went to sleep, Lynn painted her face....

                     







In the kitchen



Hope all is well on your end......

My Design Wall and Etc...........

The group that I quilt with decided to make this tote bag to carry to the Houston Show in November.  They are all different in choice of fabric and all wonderful.  It goes together rather quickly.  The pattern is from a "McCall's Quilting" 2009 magazine.  It is made from a charm pak.  The pattern calls for this size but we cut the squares to 4 1/2 inches unfinished.  The fabric I used was from the Aviary line by Moda.  The button is from my button box.  I have been collecting buttons for roughly 40 years or more.  I made the straps a bit wider than the pattern called for and I think I would narrow them by about 1/2 inch, they would still be larger in width than the pattern calls for.  I also made them a couple of inches longer.  It depends on if you want to wear it over a shoulder.  I also added a strap holder (for the top of the shoulder).  I hate two strap anything.  Usually one strap is on the shoulder and the other is drooping.  The strap holder keeps them together. 



Beaumont, TX 2010

I entered a quilt in the Des Moines, Iowa AQS show.  It was accepted and hung at this past weekends show.  I did not win a ribbon but I was excited that it had been chosen for the show.  They had 270 quilts from 41 states and 7 countries. 

The picture was taken at the Beaumont show in 2010 where it did win ribbons. 

The weather is super.  Don't move here.  I like it here because we are not over populated.  Of course if you are a quilter, I will make an exception and you can move here.  You can be my neighbor.  There is a lovely house for sale next door.  Fall is the best time of the year.  The leaves are turning and the night time temps are in the low 50's.  I stepped outside yesterday and wondered why I was inside.  It was about as perfect as perfect can get. 

Hope all is well on your end.

Design Wall Monday & etc

Today is my Victor's birthday. The time sure goes.  It is bad enough for me to have birthdays but then my kids have birthdays and the grandchildren keep getting older.  How could I possibly be this old.  Happy Birthday Vic and may you have many more (me too).

I have quilts on my design board but I have shown them before so am waiting to show them again when they get farther along.  In the meantime...... yesterday I made pillowcases for my grandchildren.  I sent them in the mail today.  Click on the picture and you can see it in a larger size.  The spider webs with big eyeballs is so cute. 


I went to lunch today.  I had catfish.  That probably doesn't surprise anybody.  I always eat catfish.  That is one thing about living here, most any restaurant has catfish. Some are better than others but it is rare that it is not good.  I also had a baked sweet potato, loaded.  So many calories, but oh so good.  Since I have been tied up with this back problem I have not been out a lot.  I actually went to Wal-mart today and walked all around it and did good.  I am on the mend.  Life is going to get back to normal.  Hooray!!!!!

Hope all is well on your end...........

On My Design Wall...........and etc.

I sew with 6 other women during the week in the evening.  One of them has a huge game room.  She has converted it to a quilting room for us.  We decided to make this little 12 inch quilt.  Each of us are making one and the decision is up in the air about what we will do with them.  This is not one of my designs, it is from the Quiltmaker magazine (My Easter Dress). 

Look at this little guy.  Isn't he cute?  I took his picture then I poured water on him.  It has been dry, I thought he might like a drink.  He was just outside my back door.  We have a creek that runs near by and we do get turtles every now and then.  I guess we had an alligator once also.  He followed the creek and some how ended up in the parking lot of the nearby grocery store.  They called the alligator people and they took him away.  I certainly would not want to open my front door and see an alligator smiling at me. 


Next week I am off to the dr.  I should get rid of my brace.  It will be so nice to get life back to normal.  It has been a long summer. 

Hope all is well on your end...............

Surgery is done and I am ready to quilt.................

copyright Sharie Paulson

It will be 3 weeks tomorrow since I had back surgery.  I am ready to get on with life.  I have been quilting a bit.  It helps to make the time go by.  I have to wear a brace, cannot bend, twist, stoop and etc.  I have 3 weeks of this to go.  In the meantime, I can run a sewing machine.  I am not suppose to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time.  I have a kitchen timer that I set and when it goes off I get up and walk around a bit.  Since I cannot stretch, I cannot put blocks together from off of my design board, so I am in the process of making blocks.  That I can do.  I created another pattern and have thus been working on that.  The colors in this picture have much to be desired, but you get the idea. 




I am still working on another log cabin and have nearly all of the blocks made for this quilt.  I would like to get the rows together but I would really have to stretch to get to the blocks and that is a no-no. 



copyright Sharie Paulson

Smokey is my sewing buddy.  Most of the time when I am sewing, Smokey is near by.  So is Jack, the dog.  



We survived tropical storm Lee.  We did have a lot of rain and it did blow a bit.  The rain was not a problem in Lake Charles as far as I know.  We have had drought conditions, so a lot of the rain soaked in.  I am sure that there were probably areas and streets that accumulated water.  It is blowing today, but the sun is shining brightly.  And the temps are wonderful.  It is 84 degrees at the moment (2:45 p.m.).  You could not ask for much better.  The next few nights it is going to be cool (temps in the 50's).  Fall is coming and I can't wait.  One thing nice about cooler days and much cooler nights is that the gulf will cool off.  If the gulf cools off, if we do get a hurricane in the gulf, chances are it won't be as severe when it lands.  Lets hope so anyway. 

I hope to post more often now.  Do come back soon...............Hope all is well on your end.........

I HAVE NOT DROPPED OFF THE EDGE OF THE EARTH...............

I am still around.  I have surgery in two weeks.  My son is coming from California for a week.  Life has been a drag.  Nothing exciting...............so thus no blog.  It is still boring but thought I would post a couple of pictures. 

This is my new clock.  I made it.  I embroidered the roosters and it has acrylic for the top and back.  It is a little quilt.  When you make these things, I was thinking of the quilt.  So thus thought these color combinations would be great.  I did not think of the hands of the clock being black.  So thus the second hand and the minute hand ends do not always show up.  Next time, I will think about it. 

This is Jack the dog.  If you follow my blog you know I have a cat named JAC.  Jack the dog was my son's.  He moved to California.  He had another dog, Fred, and two parrots, Roscoe and Hubert.  His girl friend has a dog.  They are living in a condo and could only have 2 dogs.  So thus he needed to find a home for Jack.  I was fearful that he would not find a good home, so now I have Jack the dog and JAC the cat.  It is interesting around here.                                 

The quilt blocks are a project that I started a while back.  It has 205 blocks in it.  I hope to get the blocks finished before I have surgery.  It probably won't happen.

The weather is hot.........Not as hot as in most parts of the country.  At present it is 90 degrees (cool for Louisiana at noon).  It is the humidity, so it probably feels like a 100 degrees.  I am looking forward to fall although I hate to wish my life away. 

Hope all is well on your end...........

UPDATE ON HEALTH PROBLEMS

As most of you know from previous posts, I have been having a problem with a leg.  The problems have gotten worse.  I had an MRI and am going to have surgery - fusion L4-5 on my back probably in August.  I am currently walking with  a walker after taking a very bad fall last week.  Most of my sewing is on hold.  I am watching a lot of tv of which I normally would not do.  So thus I am working on my pretzel quilt (hand project).  I ordered a new walker today after spilling my lunch all over the floor.  I bought one of those new fangled things with the basket and bigger wheels.  A little costly but it will provide me with more safety.  It is hard to hang onto a walker with two hands and carry something at the same time.

Hope all is well on your end. 

ON MY DESIGN WALL & ETC

I am still having problems with my leg.  I am sure it is sciatica.  I went to the dr. and she has given me meds and I seem to be on the mend.  There is not a lot I can do.  It is hard to hobble around with a cane.  I am still working on my hand project.  As you can see, I have made progress.  Click on the picture and see if you can pick up the pattern of colors. 

I just bought this.  It is a See and Sew.  It has two lights one on the side and one in the back.  Handy storage for all of those little things that seem to get lost especially when you need them.  The sewing machine sits in front of it. 




Look at this little gem.  I found it in San Diego.  It is in almost perfect condition.  Apparently a lady had bought it in 1955.  She sewed on it, some, she moved and the movers put it in the attic.  She thought it was lost.  It was in the attic until she passed and her son was going through her things and found it. 



1955

It is unbelievably hot in Louisiana.  We may get rain today.  I will not hold my breath.  The grass is turning brown.  Louisiana is suppose to be tropical, hot and humid.  Yesterday is was 102 degrees but the humidity was 22 %.  Very unusual for here.  I suppose I should not complain at least the humidity was low, but hot is hot and believe me it was hot. 

Hope all is well on your end...............

BLOGSPOT PROBLEMS..................

I have tried to answer comments through blogspot to no avail.  Apparently they have a problem and they are working on it.  It has been several days.  I don't understand that, a day maybe but this has been going on over a week.  It sounds like their staff needs to go to school. 

If there is anyone that is looking for an answer to a question send me an email.  I have tried to make comments to a couple of blogs without success.  Sorry............

ON MY DESIGN WALL - THE PRETZEL

Last Monday, I went to Curves.  As you know I have been going to Curves since about the first of the year.  I really enjoy it and feel that it is good for my health.  I don't know what I did but I messed up my leg really, really bad.  I have been in severe pain since Monday.  I have used ice, heat and Tylenol to no avail.  Finally yesterday, I went to the Clinic.  I needed something for pain.  They didn't really say what I did but they gave me a shot (anti-inflammatory) and two prescriptions one a heavy duty Motrin and the other is Hydrocodon.  I am still in severe pain, but maybe a teeny bit better.  They say at the Clinic that my dr. might want to do an MRI.  I see her on Thursday. 

I am not one to watch TV very much.  I have been glued to it.  I do not have the energy or the ability to get up and down to do my machine sewing so have been doing a lot of hand sewing.  I have been working on my hexagon - English Paper Piecing - project.  You have seen this in its beginning stages.  I am coming to the end of adding pretzels. 

Ignore the background pieces.  That is another quilt that I will be finishing up soon.  Actually you can see two quilts in the background. 

You need to click on this picture so you can see a larger version.  There is a pattern  - can you see it? 

The next time you see this it may be finished, that is the top.

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day and many thanks to all past and present military people and their families for all your many sacrifices that you have given to this country.  Many probably don't realize that without your sacrifices we would not have a country.  Again Thank you, thank you, thank you.......

APRICOT AND FIG CHUTNEY AND AN ALLIGATOR STORY

copyright Sharie Paulson

I am making progress on my Fig Tree Quilt.  Fig Tree is coming out with a new line of fabric in October.  It is called "Buttercream and Roses."  It is gorgeous as all Fig Tree fabric is.  Since my intentions with this quilt is to have at least one piece of fabric from each line since the beginning (2004) to the end of 2011, I will finish the center of the quilt and save the borders for the new Fig Tree Fabric in Oct.  I will make the back so it will be done and I should be able to finish up shortly after I can get the fabric. 


Now the alligator story...........
My son, Vic, last week, was driving down highway 90.  It is a two lane road.  From a distance he could see that there was something in the road.  But as he said, he sees things in the road all the time.  There are a lot of wild animals that are not too smart about staying off the roadways.  He is traveling roughly about 60miles per hour.  Coming towards him is a semi truck.  He realizes he cannot swerve and about the same time he realizes that there is a 7 foot alligator across his lane of traffic. He did not have any choice except to run over it.  He does not know if he killed it.  If he missed the head and only ran over the tail it may have survived.  They are tough. 

Hope all is well on your end...........

On my Design Wall and etc...........

copyright Sharie Paulson

I have a lot of Fig Tree Fabric.  I designed this quilt just to use that fabric.  Fig Tree has been designing fabric since 2004.  I have at least one piece of Fig Tree from every line that they have designed, that is 19 lines of fabric.  This quilt will have at least one design from every line they have created.  I am sending them an email to see if they are going to release any other designs between now and Dec. 31.  When I make the label I want to tell the story of the quilt and I want include anything up until the end of the year. 

I need to buy a new camera.  This picture is not true in color.  It is not what you see is what you get.  It is a Canon, thinking that it would be a good point and shoot camera, but it really does not do the job.  Any suggestions?

The right drain pipe

Across the yard to the end of the hedge - turn left - up the side of the house

I have had a busy day.  I took the cat to the vet for her yearly checkup and shots.  All was well with him.  Then Roto Rooter came to clean out the drain pipe for my mechanical system.  To me it makes good sense that this pipe would go in a straight line to the ditch.  So Vic (my son) Judy L.'s dad and I found a pipe (which was not easy since it is underground) going straight from the mechanical system to the ditch it made sense that we had the right pipe.  We rented an electric snake.  After many hours we found mud but not the other end of the pipe.  We gave up and so this morning I called Roto Rooter.  There is two methods that they use, one a snake and two water.  Since Vic and I had tried the snake I decided to use the water.  Besides the Roto Rooter man told me it was the safest way to go (no broken pipes).  So they sent their hose up the pipe and it kept going to no end.  They could not understand that.  So they decided to walk the ditch.  At my driveway they could hear water.  They took a shovel dug out a little ways, removed some leaves and there is a pipe.  Who would have ever thought that the pipe would cross my yard and go up the side of the house.  The other pipe we have no idea what that is for unless it is a drain for the former swimming pool, but I had the understanding that the pool drain pipe went behind the house.  Who knows..........

Then this afternoon I spent it sewing at a friends with other friends.  Of course we had good things to eat and had a lovely afternoon.

Hope all is well on your end............

On my Design Wall and etc.........

I am rested up from my trip to Paducah.  It was an experience trying to get in and out of the van.  We did not have a running board.  We needed a stool, and thought seriously of stealing one we saw at a museum.  We could not bring ourselves to steal that stool.  We went to Sam's they didn't have one.  So we struggled, and believe me it was a struggle.   Thankfully, I was not the only one in fact it was nearly everyone.  My big problem is having short legs.  I really think it wore me out.  Since returning home, the hotel we stayed in flooded.  If that quilt show had been one week later, I am not sure they would have had it.  They evacuated the entire town of Metropolis.  That is where our hotel was.  Then of course we had to cross the bridge into Paducah.  You can read more about my trip to Paducah in the previous posting.

Off the Grid

I finished up "Off the Grid" top yesterday.  Hooray!!!!!  I have two quilts at the quilters.  I designed a new quilt top last night.  I am going to use up some of this fabric.  Hopefully it will go together quickly.  That is the idea.  Make some quilts that will finish up within a short period of time.  I am also working on my English Paper Piecing project at night while I watch tv.  You all saw it in it's beginning stages.  I will post it when I get the top finished.  I would really like to finish it up.  I have another sitting in a project box, but I am trying my best not to start it.  Temptations..................

There is not a lot going on here.  It is starting to get hot and muggy.  The best place to be is in the house, so thus I stay in and quilt a lot.  I do have some projects I would like to get done this year starting with having a whole house generator put in.  Hurricane season is just around the corner.  My big fear is that I would not have power for many days, weeks or possibly a month in this unbelievable heat.  So this week, I am going to call and see what I need and have one installed.  Boring things in life, but they must be done.  Wish I could say I was doing something really exciting, like a trip somewhere.  I do plan a trip to Iowa later in the year.  Iowa, has anyone thought of Iowa as a distination?

Hope all is well..........