Rain, rain, come again!

We are having lovely thunder showers this afternoon, with some fairly strong bursts of rain. I love it! The louder the thunder, the better I like it. So---bring it on!! Growing up in the mountains of western Montana I was used to lots of summer thunder storms. Since my grandmother (Nana) spent many summers with us, she had a great influence on my life. She loved thunder and lightning, and would glory in the storms. "Come and watch!" she'd say. "Oh, listen to that thunder!" she would clasp her hands and exclaim. I loved the storms in Tucson, where they really do have real thunderstorms with spectacular lightning, and really miss them.

Joel came over this afternoon so he could have a bath in my big tub. Maddy got to have one the other night, and he was very disappointed that his parents came for him before his turn. We also went to WalMart and got a few action figures and some Legos for kids to play with. I'm really trying to find things that will entertain them when they come over. So far the Netflix movies don't hold their interest except when they have sleepovers.

I am ready to quilt Marina's lap quilt. I bought the backing yesterday and am really excited to finish it. I have it on the frame downstairs where I can watch movies while I quilt. There is a problem, however. David's big rear projection TV is going out. It has yellow and blue stripes on the picture. Jenny says it is probably at least 15 years old, which is about what I imagined. So I guess I'll get rid of it. If Andy and Amanda move in with me I won't need my own downstairs, so I'll just wait and see. I really don't want to have to buy a new TV, and just might have to move my quilting frame and mess upstairs! Oh, my!! Don't I have big problems in my life, though!?

On the other hand, I could get a new TV for down there and if Andy and Amanda move in, I could put it in my bedroom...And they won't stay forever, so I'll need a second one eventually...But I'm trying to save $$ for a trip in the fall, and the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland has reminded me that unforeseen events can quickly decimate carefully made plans...

A new "pain reliever" is going around our (retirement) community. It's called AMized Fusion Technology and it seems to have miraculously helped several people who were literally debilitated by pain. I searched the Internet, and pretty much the only information out there is from the company that makes the "wand." It sounds to me like a "magnet" thing. My Dad was so into that. But whatever works for somebody, hey, good for them.

I'd rather be in England, but...

I love England in the spring, with the daffodils sprinkled on the hills (how did they get there, anyway??) and the tulips that come shortly after. (Although my best tulip memories are of the tulips in Munich--I haven't spent that much time in Holland!) So every year at this time I long to be there...

But Leah has some beautiful daffodils, and she had a lovely little bouquet in my room. (I think I may be allergic to them, but that's another story.)





I didn't have the energy or interest to plant any bulbs last year, and apparently whatever David had planted were pulled up sometime. But since daffodils and tulips and pansies are my three favorite flowers, I think I'd better make sure I have some for next year.

It's nice to be home, but I did have a wonderful time with Leah. I'm spending today catching up on errands and just debriefing myself!

2 Quilts Finished at Leah's in Richland

I arrived at (sister-in-law)Leah's on March 25 with the quilt previously pictured and Libby's quilt that she machine quilted. Leah (Peterson Baird) immediately put up the frame in her living room and we went to work, wondering if we could get them both done before I went home. Well, I knew we could! We had both quilts done before Saturday afternoon session of Conference was finished! Leah's portions can be recognized by her small, regular, close stitches. My parts can be recognized by their not small, nor regular, nor close stitiches. But at least this time I did more than one square! The first quilt I did with her (last year) she did 11 squares while I did 1! See, I'm getting better!

I won't write much. I'll be going home in the morning. It has been a wonderful time with Leah and we have talked and laughed and quilted and read and watched TV and Netflix movies and eaten (and eaten and laughed and talked and eaten!) and it has been great. I really appreciate her help with these quilts. She is the Quilt Queen, as far as I am concerned. She doesn't know quite how to introduce me. I am her sister-in-law, yes, but my last name--Shadoan? Peterson? Stuart?--which one to use--is a bit confusing. Since she's no longer Peterson, and neither am I, the relationship isn't obvious by our names!

I hope I remember to take photos of her daffodils and tulips tomorrow morning before I leave. I'll post them when I get home. But this has been a fun few days with her and I feel very refreshed and rejuvenated.

She and I are thinking of taking another trip together. It will depend totally on my financial situation. If I can teach several sections at UVU this summer and fall, or get a little extra from someplace else, I might just make it. You all know that somehow I will try to squeeze out money for travel even if I'm down to my last $$. It's such a pity they won't take either my blood or my plasma, or my savings would be growing already...