Chilly Sunday in Florida

 It was 23 degrees and feels like 14 in north central Florida this morning around 8AM and it won't get above freezing until 11AMish. We are similar temps  tonight as well. Thank goodness for all the quilts in the house to keep us toasty!

Last Sunday I posted my cross stitch at this stage.

I've been doing a lot of stitching this week! I need to start alternating the colors with the background white and lights of the quilt area so I can make progress there. It is just more fun to stitch the colors as you can see the patterns emerge. 

I suppose I need to go break the ice on the chicken waters. The container for Bear (the dog) on the porch was covered in ice when I let him out. 

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Sunday Stitchers.

Stay warm out there.

Saturday...

 We lost internet around 1PM yesterday. Seems it was part of an outage in NC,TN,GA,FL, etc for 23 hours. Thank goodness hubby and I grew up without internet and can cope, but it does make you think of how dependent upon it we are. A little unnerving to think 'someone' could just turn that off and how would we get any news of what is happening in the world? 

That led me to miss my last hour of work. The kids were not happy when they got home... and since the phone signal is horrible at my house (we use the wifi) we were kinda stuck. Since we could not order food for takeout.... we headed to Red Robin for dinner. It was a nice family dinner... and one week before I have my oldest turning 18! I got the mushroom burger and garlic parmesan steak fries. Very yummy. Good family conversation which we have not had in a while with the kids crazy schedules. It doesn't allow for family dinners much. I still have a DVD/VCR player and pulled out the movies The Pacifier and The Great Outdoors to watch last night. 

I was listening to a downloaded audio book while doing some cross stitch yesterday afternoon.

Then I stitched up the prepped bear paws for Aidan's graduation quilt. I really need to get back to that one! This is 3 sets of 4 paws in green.

Today I measured the blue UFO quilt and it measured 67 or 68 x 81. I figured I need about 300 inches of binding so cut 8 strips to make the binding which matches the outer border. I pulled a 3 yard cut of light blue from MSQC sale a couple of months ago and need to press it and get it pinned for quilting. 

I downloaded a few free books from audible.... just so I have something to listen to! My Libby app was not cooperating to give me titles, so the internet is still a little wonky. Emily is complaining she can't do her homework. I think I'll listen to my new book and add some floss to the cross stitch this afternoon. Maybe make some zucchini bread. I made blueberry muffins this morning and a no recipe homemade potato and ham potato casserole for lunch. Its 53 in Ocala... the high for the day before it dips into the 20's tonight.

Stay warm, wherever you are!

Friday

 Not much progress on the cross stitch. I did not get any stitching time yesterday. After walking the dog and grabbing a shower after a leisurely morning wake up and scrolling, we did our normal Thursday visit of my FIL. We headed from there to his house with a lunch date included. We waited quite a while on the window of time for the color designer to meet us, but picked colors for the house painting on the outside. That should be able to happen now on the 9th. It was to be last week on the 20th, but this appointment got delayed and when they called Greg Sunday the 18th he relayed we never picked colors.... All set to go now. 

By the time we got home it was after 5. Both kids were late... so I popped to the store to grab a couple things to make a stir fry. Mushrooms were out at my last shop and Emily used the snow peas so I needed more. I love the rice at our Japanese Habachi grill and really wanted that Saturday night. I made some Sunday but it was more a chinese fried rice version. Some research led me to this sauce, so I found it at various places and got some last night. At home, I took the top off and it smells just like the sauce they use at the grill! Yea! I had some leftover rice so gave it a shot. Added a little water - tbsp or two. Some oil in the pan heated up, then smushed the rice into one layer to cook for a minute, stirred and smushed for another minute a couple of times. Added powder ginger and garlic powder and the sauce with a chopped up scallion and a scrambled egg. OMG! I am a happy camper. I can make it at home whenever I want now! I used it for the veggies and the chicken as well and it was yummy. Must get more of this stuff =)

My little bit of progress on the cross stitch. 

I had hoped to get my blue quilt top quilted this week. No progress so far.  We have a chilly weekend on tap. Maybe I can make progress on it this weekend. Right now, my toes are cold so must go find my slippers.

Mid week of chaos in the country.

 I am appalled that the US government is murdering and using chemical warfare against it's own citizens for using their constitutional rights to protest the illegal acts of this government. There is never justification to use chemical warfare against peaceful protesters who are documenting injustices. I hear they are taking photo's of people and license plates to build a database of US citizens who are against the tactics of this regime. This is against the law and all those in power who are allowing this to happen need to be removed and tried in a court of law immediately.

Onto more positive things. A sunset this week - they cleared the trees from the lots across the road in the shot and have already poured cement for 2 houses to be built. Right on the road that will eventually (if the county ever moves it along) be a 4 lane divided highway instead of the 2 lanes it is now. On either end of this segment - it is 4 lanes with a divided highway - sidewalk on one side and multi use path on the other.

I got all four of the purple hexagons completed. They join the stack. I believe there are 24 there now, so time to make them into pairs. I do have more of the hexagons prepped so can keep working on them this week.

I added a few stitches into the cross stitch. I started some of the 1/2 stitches in blue and green. The inside of the quilt has the light colors added as well. I'll get to the colorful leaf pattern soon I think.

Must set the phone and computer down and take a deep breath and stitch something instead.

FYI - they cancelled the senior trip to NYC,PA and DC that was to leave this afternoon through Monday night. The extremely cold weather and the potential for a noreaster on Sunday to Monday (their bus ride home would be all day Monday) led to the decision. Most of the kids don't have winter coats down here, so that might have factored into the picture - as well as a bus off the road in cold temps. They are all disappointed but he is trying to reschedule. Any of the 3 dates will conflict with existing events, so we will see what happens. Honestly, with all the crazy things happening in the country, I am ok with this delay.

A ufo to a top stage.

 

This made it to a top stage yesterday.  I need to measure it but I think it is around 84x68 maybe?

The goal was to get it completed this month. We have 6 more days to the month. We will see...

Slow Sunday

I did not do much slow stitching this week. I hope to change that by setting a goal of stitching up one hexagon QAYG at lunchtime each day this week. That should help get progress on this project again. I have added a purple one the last two days.

Only a few strands have been added to the cross stitch. This is the right side of the photo I am following. The other page is more of the wagon. I did pick up the two flosses that I didn't have for this pattern, so I should be all set on floss for this one now.

After a day in the hot sun working the obstacle course for the littles at girl scout camp, I had a bit of a headache and needed lots of sleep. I guess the age thing is catching up to me!  After lots of liquids and Advil this morning, I managed to figure out meals for the week and went shopping. That leaves me the rest of the afternoon to play with the sewing machine and maybe start organizing a little of my sewing space with my new shelving. I'll plan to add some more threads to the cross stitch this evening.

Linking up with Kathy and the other Slow Sunday Stitchers.

Saturday RSC

 This guy was waiting for his boy to get home last night. He went up to Gainesville with friends for dinner.... and to either celebrate or commiserate the UF acceptance postings. There was a bit of both  - mine got in, his buddies did not. They have a back up plan, so we will see how things shake out. Mine was very happy to get in as this was his 2nd choice after Dartmouth (which was a rejection letter in December). 

The UFO progress without the dog! I hope to press and add the borders later tonight, if I'm not wiped out from volunteering at girl scout camp for a littles encampment today. Projected temps in the 80's and sunshine. Must bring my hat and sunblock!

A few more houses were added as I was piecing the border above. Six is a nice number I think.

I'm thankful to have one more Saturday in blue, as I'd like to really add a star 16 patch block or two and a chicken block or two. We will see how that goes next week.

Linking up with the RSC.