Long-Awaited Toy is Set Up

Just before we moved here to FL, I bought a Mega Quilter and frame to be able to do some serious machine quilting. It has lived in our portable garage (the plastic shed we put up when we moved here a year ago!) and I have looked longingly at it, watched the dvd and video and waited; something I am better at doing than I thought! Practice does make perfect!

Yesterday, Mom and I did some major rearranging in the guest room; I did some major reorganizing and we made room for it, finally------it is large 10' long and 40" wide! This morning we put on the finishing touches and revved it up---->It is lovely! Now to practice so I can finish up a nice pile of quilt tops waiting to be birthed!

Here is a surprise in the box we unpacked-little surprises on the Florida scale-this guy is only

1 1/2" long but the screams exceeded 90 decibels! Bill rescued us with timely tap to its head, preserving its body's integrity so I could photograph it. ("Kill first and photo second" is a lesson I learned almost the hard way with a 'cute' little copperhead snake. )

Who says I am not teachable!?

Here are some yard beauties.....an aloe plant in bloom:

He was a gift from a friend and is doing well after his transplant.

The dogwood tree (20') is in bloom-he lives in the shadow of the towering magnolia tree so there is no lawn under him.........

And Bill's weather station is up (Christmas present from his kids)

It transmits info to our computer and will give weather alerts if the need arises-pretty nifty for a member of the Wayne Mahar wannabe club.........

And finally, a farewell to our four-footed, faithful friend, Fifi who has livened our household for the past 13yrs........truly an end to an era.