My NewYear's Day mystery, quilted and all.It is quilted with pink thread and I just love it! The back is a pretty grey fabric that I will also use bind the quilt. It is a small lap quilt. Not sure what I will do with this one...But isn't it pretty? The other quilt they had finished for me is the chocolate hugs and kisses quilt. Since that one is on my short list to be finished by next week, I think I may have to get going on the binding. Look at how pretty it turned out...They quilted this quilt with a mustache motif and I just love the look of it! The back is a really pretty beige on beige floral design.This quilt I will bind with the same fabric as the border, the beautiful brown floral which was the inspiration fabric for the quilt.
Today I worked on the border for the last of the quilts on my short list. I stopped to mow the lawn and I do need to make a quick trip to the gym, but I should be able to make some headway on that border this evening. I still have 10 days and I may need to use each and every one of them!
Today I finished quilt top number 5, just one more quilt top to go on the short list. The rules regarding the short list have been amended. Instead of having the quilts completely finished, we now only have to have them ready to go to the quilt ladies. Once a quilt is at the long-arm quilter, we really have no control over its eventual completion. That's just the nature of "out-sourcing" work.
This is one quilt that I am really thrilled to have completed. It was started at a mystery quilt retreat in 2005, just after my father passed away. Once I got to the first border, I really lost interest in the quilt. I just didn't like the fabric I used for that, the brighter blue. That is the nature of a mystery quilt. You really do not know how each fabric will be used and sometimes you are just not thrilled!
I had completed the quilt up to Clue #7 before I put the quilt away. Clue #8 is the hour-glass blocks and Clue #9 is the border with the sawtooth star blocks. There really was not much to complete, but the final three clues were the largest due to the nature of a medallion quilt. Sawtooth star is my favorite block and I love the way it is used in Clue #9. The final border, Clue #10 is just a straight piece of fabric, 6 1/2 inches wide. I love the way it looks on the quilt. I think is is actually my favorite fabric in this project.Now to finish the backing and get this out to the quilting ladies. Right now I have two quilts already with the ladies.
The status of the projects on my short list are as follows: The 4 heart wallhanging, complete. The flannel fun quilt, complete. The chocolate hugs and kisses quilt, at the quilting ladies. The shabby chic quilt is nearly done, I just need to finish the hand sewing of the binding. The medallion mystery quilt, ready for the quilt ladies. The 30's buck-a-block, I still need to finish the twinkling star border with my favorite, sawtooth star blocks. I may possibly rock the short list by the deadline! Woohoo!
That's right, just one more sleep until summer break. Actually, it is just four more hours with students and then it is time to close the door to my classroom for at least one month.
This year they are asking us not to return to school until August 19th. I am hoping that I can get in before that so that the process allows for some real organization to happen. Not sure how that will go, but I can always hope!
This summer, in addition to working at the beach again, I am looking forward to time in the yard and a road trip to explore a couple of "must-see" places on my bucket list.
Tomorrow evening I will sit down to craft my Summer Manifesto. I first learned of creating a summer manifesto on Ali Edwards' blog. Creating last year's manifesto was an exercise that really set the tone for a spectacular summer. Although I faired better at some of the items, I really felt that the creation of the manifesto pointed me in the right direction. This year I am striving for "magical" so I had better start the summer right!
And it wasn't easy. Jackie and I have been in training mode for more than about 3 months now. We thought we would be ready for today. Boy were we surprised. We struggled a bit, although we finished in 1:47, it felt much longer.This is my transition area, all set up. Notice my good luck Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle towel right there in front? I also had the big cat good luck towel which I place over my seat so that it is easier to find my bike. Both towels belonged to my children at one point and having the towels with me just makes me think of them!Today we swam in Lake Garrison. A pretty place. The water was cold and the 1/4 mile felt much farther. I swam breaststroke the entire distance which was 3 laps around the bathing beach.
Then it was onto the bike. Twelve miles, an out and back route. I was not as prepared for the bike leg as I would have liked to have been. It felt hard. The final leg of the tri was the run. Today our run was just 2 miles, again, out and back. Jackie and I walked a good part of the way. My sore knee was bothering me and we were a bit winded after the bike. We challenged ourselves to run the entire second mile and we did.
One hour and twenty-seven minutes. Not terrible, but not great. Jackie was not impressed. The good news is, we still have 2 weeks before our next tri. The bad news, there are only 2 weeks until our next tri! I think we will need to do a couple of serious bricks over the next two weeks to build our stamina.
We are so totally happy that we joined the Mullica Hill Women's Tri Club. The "mock tri" is just one way they help women to become tri ready. It was a great event.
Tomorrow I will wake up just as early as I do on a work day. I will get dressed, just as I do on any other work day. The difference is the type of work or "workout" I will be doing.
Tomorrow is an open swim "mock tri." Meaning, in short, that it will not be timed.
Tomorrow I will swim 1/4 of a mile in Lake Garrison.
Tomorrow I will bike over 11 miles. And then,
Tomorrow I will run 2 miles. A shorter run than my first tri and a shorter distance than my next tri.
Tomorrow I will not be timed. Tomorrow I will be racing for me.
Tonight we took a quick trip to Ocean City to visit with Mark's sister and her family who are visiting from Texas. While walking the boardwalk we caught this lovely rainbow peaking through the clouds. The rain was light and the temperature mild which made the walk enjoyable despite the less than optimal conditions.
The best part of this evening, spending time with family. Mark's siblings live so far away that we get to see them so infrequently. This was a June treat!
Can you believe it? Not wanting to skip a workout because of scheduling, we showed up in good faith for our Thursday night workout on Wednesday and this is what greeted us at the gym. Look at how inviting this pool is! It is never this quiet in the evening, we have a happening pool!
Now, I do not mind getting home early this evening. There were report cards to complete and papers to grade, but I miss my swim! And it was going to be a light night anyway.
Our first tri is less than three weeks away. This Saturday Jackie and I will participate in a "mock" tri. We will swim 1/4 of a mile in the lake, bike 10 miles and run 2 miles. This is all to help prepare us for the Queen of the Hill Tri on June 29th. I think we are pretty well prepared and this Saturday will be a good opportunity to test our stamina.
So after leaving the gym we stood in the parking lot and caught up with news. We haven't seen each other since yesterday! I noticed that I parked right next to my buddy, that warranted a picture...Really, I am so very lucky to have Jackie as a partner. We are definitely the right motivators for each other and we have such fun! Well, tomorrow's another day!
The other evening I was treated to this luscious beverage. Pink Panty.Yum! It was the perfect after run beverage. And while it was extremely delicious and refreshing, it cannot be my go-to beverage for the summer.
So, I create my own, non-alcoholic, concoctions. Currently, while I am trying to wean myself off diet soda, I am enjoying iced tea/lemonade. Or, as our friend Robin likes to call it, an Arnold Palmer. The iced tea is brewed fresh with a little agave added for sweetness. Unfortunately I have a huge sweet tooth! The lemonade is from a mix that I had in the house. Once the lemonade mix is gone, I do not know what I will do. But for right now, this is working. I am down to only 24 ounces of diet soda a day. Considering I was up to over 60 ounces a day I think I am doing really well. I am hoping that I will be able to entirely wean myself of my addiction over the summer. I am also hoping that I some point I learn to enjoy drinking water. I do it, but it isn't easy for me! Baby steps.
So grateful that my wonderful hubby was able to join me on Sunday for the Fabulous Friday Night 5K. So happy that he was able to capture a video of me crossing the finish line!
