On her way Home (and a SURPRISE!)

4 Season Swap - (Spring) is all done and on her way to her new home......and there's another one being born even as I write. I couldn't let her go, you know? I just had to make another one to keep. I had a blast with the quilting on this - in lots of colors and lots of glitter.

And lot's of headaches!!! What is it about working on something for someone else, specifically (not in the abstract) that makes me crazy? I had a ton of problems on this - constant thread breakage then a horrible stretch of needle breakage!

I broke 4 needles in about 30 minutes! Gaack!! I finally took the needle plate off and could see where the needle was hitting it. When I put it back on I scooched it as far forward as the screws would allow and that seemed to fix it. What a pain! - But, I'm tickled with how it turned out.

At long last The Commish was delivered and the check nestled into my bank account and now I can forget about it, right? WRONG!!!!! I sent it with DH to work because The Guy works with Hunny and I didn't particularly need to see him. I folded it carefully and safety pinned a note to the outside explaining quilt care and hanging and washing instructions. I also wrote a little note to The Guy saying that I had folded the quilt in an exact way so there wouldn't be any fold lines going thru any of the picture transfers. So this evening over the Greek/Italian chopped salad with olives, goat cheese and creamy balsamic dressing I asked DH if The Guy had ever said anything about liking the quilt or not? Anything? Nope - get this - HE NEVER EVEN LOOKED AT IT!!!!! huh??? really?? are you kiddin me??!!! The Guy simply put it into a box and wrapped it up!!! As I was choking on my macadamian nut crusted halibut with lemongrass sauce, Hunny said "He was afraid he wouldn't be able to fold it back the right way" Holy cow - can you imagine??? I nearly dropped my sauteed baby bok choys into the grilled polenta. I had to take a huge swig of my mango-lime martini before I could breathe again. Oh well.......to each his own I guess. At least I enjoyed my dinner!!!!
On the job front, word has gotten around. Some of the newer, younger staff were told that I am retiring and it's no big deal to them. Our Medical Director was very sad - I worked with him in his private practice years and years ago so we've been together almost 20 years. Last week we had our new Regional Director and new Vice President visiting and neither of them said a single word, but the next day I was adjusting something in one of the staffs' timesheets and I happened to notice that I magically got a big fat raise. Hmmmm...... and without a word - how ODD, ya think? This morning I received an invitation to a luncheon in my honor to be held in Old Sacramento 2 days before I'm done. Old Sac is only about 4 hours from here!!!! I have to laugh, why not? Heck, I told my work buddy she has to come too, and we'll hit some quilt shops in the Big City while we're wasting a day. Kim? Any ideas? What's in Old Sac?
Also today I got a call from the director of a rival dialysis corporation 50 miles south of us, a lady I knew way back when, when I was in the private practice and she was in my position at the local dialysis clinic. She visited a bit then asked if I would be interested in coming to work for them -- LOL!!! I thanked her politely and said what a compliment, blah blah blah, and inside my head was screaming - "O hell no!!!!" Nice to be asked tho, huh?
And so my final duty to wrap up now is gather up all the Guild membership stuff and hand that over this weekend then I'm almost a free agent. I feel 10 years younger already. At this rate, by this time next month I should be about, oh, 25!!! ROFL!

PS - I almost forgot!!! I hit post number 200! You know what that means, right? A giveaway! Yaaa!!! Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a name on May 10th, for these cuties:

Good Luck!