A TOUR

We went to see where our grandson is working

 and to meet his co-workers.

How wonderful to see how much he has learned about the big equipment he repairs!  We are very proud of him!

 

LITTLE AND LOTTA BITS

Ahhhh, a pair of socks on the needles finally!  It has been way too long.  I haven't had too much time for knitting but it sure was wonderful to get the toe done.

The Lotta Bit has been keeping up with these two! lol 

 We had glorious weather and they knew right where they wanted to be!  And I have been savoring each minute with them!

 

SUNSHINE!

The Heliopsis is in bloom again and has many buds ready to continue the beauty for most of the summer!

But I had to reach quite high to get a picture

 because this plant is 8' tall already! 

 (This is a special plant to me because it came from my Dad in NY several years ago and adapted well to its very different clime!)

This is on my schedule for the weekend!!!  

There are GrandBoys on deck!!!!!

 

SLIPPING BACK TO LIFE

So even impaired, a grandma answers the call to babysit!  Dad and oldest son were off to a school field trip so Bill and I went to spend the night to be there for younger son.  Unfortunately, he spiked a fever and couldn't even go to school let alone get up from the couch and play!  So we had movie and story adventures right on the couch -- just being together all day!  Once Dad got home, we hugged all, listened to their adventures and then said our goodbyes!

Look what was in glorious bloom when we pulled in the driveway!  

Such beauty!

And the cardi did get done up the the armhole separation;  I've started on the left front!  It's been a very good knit and I look forward to getting the first front done and trying to match the color strip on each of the other front and back!!!! lol

(the kitties sure were glad to see me--they didn't think much of us disappearing again!)

A DAY IN DECEMBER

I sewed the last two flannel 'frames' of the NICU blankets

 and pinned the layers together before I had to quit for the day...

I blocked the latest 'snowflake' and this one is denser and larger.

  I think I like the more delicate ones better.

The reason for the partial day at home--a grandson's birthday!

 

GET WELL WISHES...

 Is there any better thought than to know you are loved?! 

 These guys came to help me feel better;

we spent a lot of time here yesterday bc it was very hot out 

and the pool is delicious!

  It's the only way to handle a heat wave!

ROYALTY VISITS!

We picked up our Amelia Island grand and having him here by himself is such a delight!  He thinks it's pretty cool to have his grandparents at his every beck and call, too!

On Monday, I pieced the backing, lined up the top to match the back inset exactly and began quilting it! 

 I'm hoping the plan works out!

I even went to our local quilting group on Monday--

I trimmed up all of the monkey block centers

 and sewed all of the HST's for the star points. 

 I will enjoy piecing a block every time Bill and Eli head out on a golf cart ride!  It feels good to use a rotary cutter again to do the blocks!

 

PREPARING

We have the privilege to have these two grandsons for the weekend!  Dad is out of town so we get to spend some intense togetherness time; we have a ton of fun planned!

 

WELDING FOR QUILTING

David got the new welder out this morning and got it

all set up...

...then he tested it on some scrap metal and adjusted it until it was running how he wanted it to.

                                         

Here he is mid-job today, showing the work-in-progress

and the welder.

By the end of today, the newly-sized frame was back in the studio and ready for us girls to add the finishing touches soon. I started out the day with more energy but faded rather fast in the afternoon, and my warden nurse wanted me to rest more instead of doing more.

         The guys celebrated a job well done by taking a nighttime swim!

MORE LOVE

A few days ago, I finished the lizard dishcloth--it's a bit hard to see unless you are really looking for it but I know it is there~

It's been too long but  we finally are all feeling wells enough to visit again!  The boys built 'sailboats' out of thick styrofoam and added mast, sail and crew and off we launched them!

The windward side of the pond was pretty clear but soon...

the end of trip ended in the dreaded slime! 

 We had fun with each trip.

He's proud of the sail he and Grandpa built!  

The boys  headed to the pool to swim and cool off

 but the slimy boats were not invited!   

CRAFTING

After church, dinner, swimming, golf cart rides and bike riding we took some time to paint the pumpkins we bought earlier.  We had a lot of laughs and enjoyed talking about what we were trying to paint.  This picture was when the boys had to go-they were all clean and 'jamma-ed for the ride home. 

 No school today so they were looking forward to some down time. 

 Today, I am looking forward to loading my king-sized quilt on the frame--I have the backing pieced at least!  

 

BOY STUFF

We played in the pool for a long time but they still couldn't wait until it was fire pit time!

They like building a little fire in the sandy depression they build--they found that the fire demands a lot of fuel (leaves, twigs and dried grasses they find with their flashlights!)

The prompt was PRESSURE.  This was my rendering of Bill's mower tire yesterday!  He had bent the tire stem by getting too close to a tree and had a bit of a time getting things straightened up so that it would take and maintain pressure again!  
 

LINEN INTERRUPTED

I laid the two layers of linen wrong sides together with plenty of pins-all around the 16' perimeter!

Be sure and change your thread from the wash-a-way to regular sewing thread!

Once sewn, trim your corners and turn right side out.

Taking my time, pressing the edge...

and pinning the inner points as I work my way around the runner.

Here is how it looks right now.

I turned my attention to these two delightful grands!  Who were to enjoy some Hot Wheel moves in between thunder storms!

They sure caught on to the moves to turn 180* and keep on speeding away!  Impressive.

And once they are truly sweaty, we head to the pool to cool down!  What a wonderful visit thing it is to be a grandma!

 

Close Your Eyes and Smile

 I did a bit of knitting, well several hours after the boys left for home.

What a great time I had with them!

But now one sock in the Hermione pattern is finished.

This sock turned out differently than the last pair I made in this pattern

 and it is because I must've goofed the first time.  

I am getting used to this one but I really liked the first one better!

I will have to write that one down and try it on the next pair of socks! lol

We spent a LOT of time here....look at those precious faces!

"Watch, Grandma!"  "I'm watching, boys!"

The Fruits of Our Labors

 Unbolt all of the seats, rip off all of the layers of old vinyl so

 that you could cover the seats with new bright blue vinyl,

 and end up with clean new seats....

 for the golf cart!

 So we could take rides and find beautiful wild life like this box turtle,

who held still for our photos.

 Even the gopher tortoise peeked out at us!

 The sandhills were looking for frogs.

And we tried to count the bananas on the trees!

Yup, the golf cart is an essential vehicle for our numerous adventures each day!