At last I am back to blog -- having lost a few weeks in a fever pitch at work, suddenly having to absorb half again as many patients as we already had -- approximately 6 years growth in a span of 2 weeks. The logistics, the paperwork, the computer data entry -- all of it was formidable. We have to hire 5 new staff, our medications and supplies have to be increased, even details like increased amounts of chemicals onhand to be registered with the county HazMat department, and the medical waste disposal folks. A thousand details. I did get to be a bit quilty -- the blue quilt to the left is actually just a top, and it does NOT have yellow borders! It is pinned on top of another quilt that is hanging there, so I can decide what to do for borders. The Delectable Mountains blocks are a result of a block exchange within my mini group, and having seen all the variations of settings decided I wanted something different. The vertical set with blocks down the center really appealed to me, and there isn't one on every corner. Now - what to do with those borders? This was in pieces on my design wall, and taking up most of the wall, so when I became enthralled with my next project I had to make a deal with myself. Sternly, I told me that this could not come off the wall in pieces - it must be a finished top before I could use the design wall again. It had lived there for many weeks, and the time had come. So all in one day I put it together, and I'm kind of pleased with it! But really; I did it to make room for this:

This is Chunky Churndash from Bonnie Hunters' wonderful site, Quiltville.com. At this point it is about half pieced, or half blocked, I should say. I love the scrappiness of it, AND I love the symmetry, the graphic-ness. (is that a real word???) My two favorite things. I've about tapped out the variety of my scraps, without delving into batiks or 30's or flannels, so now I'll attack the FQs - and there are hundreds of them. The last 3 quilts I have made have been entirely from stash, and of those, 2 are bedsized and scrappy! As a relatively new quilter, I'mm starting to feel like a "real" quilter......Oh what a good feeling!

More tomorrow ---

Apples in my Eyes

These perfectly adorable young ladies are my granddaughters, Madeline on the left and Meghan on the right. Madeline is 2 1/2, and Meghan is about to turn 6 in July. This picture perfectly captures their personalities! They are cousins, and as close as anyone can get - they call each other "My Friend". I call this picture the Amish girl and the Pole Dancer, because that best describes their personalities and their dress. Meghan is the quieter, more introspective child, modest in both her manner and dress. Madeline is is a ball of fire and outgoing rambuctioness, and prefers wild loud colors - she holds nothing back. Meghan is slow to let go of shyness around people but when she does she is devoted, in a quiet, sturdy way. A hug from Meghan is a very special thing. Madeline is a perfect mirror of both her mother, (my daughter) and I. My daughters birthday is September 11, and on the day of those terrible attacks she decided she would have her birthday legally changed so as to be able to enjoy her birthdays for the rest of her life. When the attacks happened she was already nearly 30, a war veteran but not yet a mother. When she became pregnant with Madeline, a brand new doctor who did not know her estimated the delivery date at Sept. 11 - and took her breath away. She decided immediately that the child would be born instead on Sept 14, which is mine and her fathers birthdays, both. Darned if it didn't turn out exacly that way! Naturally! So the wild child is born on my birthday, has my middle name as her own, and shortly after her birth spent an inordinate amount of time, at least 15 minutes, staring into my eyes, and she looked for all the world as if she was completely focused and knowing. She was totally limp and relaxed, and did not lose focus from my face for even a second. I was shattered, and cried for quite a while - she looked so wise and as if she had known me for millenium and was just renewing our aquaintenence. These two small girls are the light of my life, and I delight in their company - I can't wait to see what's ahead for us all!