Slow Week

This week there is not much new to report, at least not like last week. Now that was a busy week.

I have been very tied up with classes so if it was busy I didn't notice.

I have a few finished things I can put up-

Here is the finished BOTM from Racine. This is the Wallflower BOTM from Batiks. I tried to cut using the nifty notions half square/quarter square rulers and ran out of fabric. I don't think I will do that again.



This is the embroidery BOTM. I think the flowers are kind of weird with the three color tulips.


Here is the knitting BOTM from last month. I am a little behind on this month but I can't go to either of my BOTM's because I have a race next weekend and then we are going to Maine to see Cody graduate. I hope to do lots of knitting there!

These are the embroidery BOTM from last month that I finished the borders on. They turned out pretty cute.


Oh, and here is a wild eyed Halloweenie kind of cat.

We have some birds building a nest right outside our back door-they aren't very good at nest building-I'll try to sneak a picture next week.

What a Week

Well, I am done trying to edit the stupid blog. I was trying to get my header picture smaller and let me tell you-it was impossible to the point I had to take it out. I don't know the html codes and I can't understand where it is in the widgets.

I still can't believe I say things like that.

So the week started out with Easter, I guess, but in the swing of things I sort of forgot it was some sort of holiday. We did try to make a ham but that got started too late so we had a turkey instead. It was what it was. Blane was over though, and we went out for a walk. It was a pretty nice day

Then on to the caring warmth of Mayo. I hate dr's and appts and all that jazz. Those who love it I say more power to you. But personally I don't have a life to waste. Hated the doctors and the procedures and the wait, wait, waiting. Just once I'd like to go to a specialty at Mayo and get a doctor that is over 17. Seriously. (ok, I've only been to a three and it has only happened at two but still...)

Anyway, here I am enjoying myself at 7 PM waiting to go home but having another hour to go.

Dave enjoyed himself too, after he got the comfy chair with his feet up. After this fun time, the next day, we went back (why I just don't step on a nail and be done with the pain is beyond me) and waited another hour for the 17 year old doctor who didn't know what to do because he couldn't talk to his dad doctor because that doctor was unavailable and we never did hear from him again. Hmmmm. Oh well, big dr. was a bit of a cheesehead and baby doctor told me the wrong thing and had to call back the next day to tell me I was right.

>Can anyone spell second opinion?

Needless to say, I don't think I have to go back for a couple of years. I think. Don't really know....

Then on to the week. Thursday was running clinic here . That was fun. Did a little stretching clinic. I am bad at the stretch. I just want to sit down at the end.

Friday was another day altogether. St. Charles was big news, although we didn't make the national news. We thought we should. Northstar foods caught on fire. That was a big deal. At 2:30 or so they evacuated the town. So of course I had to come home at the usual time. They were worried about ammonia tanks exploding or something. I figure since I live up above the fray I was immune. So we stayed home like the rogues we are. Here's a link to the Post Bulletin but I am not sure how long it will stay a good link.

This is the smoke we saw when we were sneaking into the city on the back roads. It was a pretty quiet night in St Charles.

Yesterday was embroidery block of the month and software sampler. Here's a few of the blocks

These are mine-I don't have the boarders on, I put them on today and they look really cool

These are Peggy's. I wish I had better pictures.

These are Marilyns. They really came out looking good. Maybe making them bigger will help-just click on the picture-very simple.

Then we went to Northstar to check out the blaze.

What a drag. Second biggest employer in St Charles after the school district. There are about 120 workers I think. Which begs the question, how can there be more St Charles school district employees-there are only 2 schools here....

So, here's the outside, doesn't look so bad, but then get around the corner.

Oh oh, bad fire damage. Actually, the whole interior is pretty much gone.

No more poultry prep in the Charles for a while.

While we were there it started smoking again so we decided it was time to go back home.
We had to stop and get the car that Dave left at the bus stop-we were afraid of forced evacuation if we went to town to get it Friday.

And that is the week. I left out all the homework I got behind on, the indecision every day to continue this stupid program,and the daily grind of work etc etc. But it was there, just not as exciting as all the rest of the week.

TNT-I had a blast

Well, last week was TNT in Racine sponsored by Bernina and Pine Needles. I took some pictures but got way too caught up in what I was doing so I didn't get the important pictures-like of the speaker and of Marcia, owner (with Suzie) extrodinaire.

However, all is not lost because I did get pictures of a few other of my fave people in the world-

Here is Darwin, the lone guy in a world of Pine Needles women. If it weren't for him our machines would never get serviced. He is quite knowledgeable about the innards of a Bernina.

This is the Bernina 830 doing some reverse applique for me. It really does run smoothly and threads itself. Marcia sold quite a few during the day-congratulations.

I am still loving my 730 and holding out for the long arm-which Marcia promises to sell me as soon as she gets set up in her new shop in Decorah.
Here's Suzie and me playing dueling cameras. I had to sneak Connie in the picture-she would not consent to an actual picture of herself-I should have snuck one in when she wasn't looking....

Here's our Suzie again-standing in front of the Bernina award for being the best Bernina dealer in a 5 state area. Whew.
Lastly, Suzie is giving me a wink-bacause she knows something I don't-like what I'll be buying next! It was a really fun day and I am glad I got to go. Check out more pictures on the Pine Needles Blog.

I think they probably have pictures of Kevin, who was our fearless leader of the day.

On another note-here is Elvin, aka Yeltsin, aka Bodey (I don't know where she got to be Bodey), just because......

Look-she matches the cow!

Oh, and Happy Easter.

Dave and I are now Twittering although we don't really get it. Maybe if we get more than one follower it'll be more fun.....

Slow enough to place

31st Annual Fools Five 2009 Race Results

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54

1 Shelly Skaden 53 LewistonMN 41:02
2 Nina Bren 51 ChatfieldMN 42:17
3 Sarah Melde 50 St. CharlesMN 44:40

Get out! Slowest 5 mile race ever-I am the youngest AND the slowest. I still blame the wind.
Oh and for those who donated-

Fools Five race has 2,004 participants, raises $102,000 for cancer research

Thanks sisters!

A Busy Week

This week I had lots of fun, I think.

On Monday I went to Sit and Sew-when I walked in look at what the girls were up to-
That Marcia on the left, then Chris then Suzie in the yellow. They were eating pizza! I made myself right at home and told them not to get up-but they did anyway because they can't help themselves.

Suzie is our Sit and Sew leader These are my squares from last month's Thimbleberries Club

And these are this month's



Here's a finished scrap quilt-not mine. It is from another member of our Thimbleberries club (I want to say Nancy-I hope that is right) Anyway, she did a beautiful job

Those are all scraps from other quilts and projects. I too will finish mine someday.........
While I was there I bought this:
Can you stand it??? I cannot wait to use it. I haven't even been able to play with it since Monday because I have too much stupid homework. But next week is TNT at Pine Needles
and then I should be really drooling over what I can do with it. I can also do all the software sampler projects.

I fininshed the embroidery block #2 but did not photograph. That comes next week.

On Thursday I went back to PN and did Block of the Month. Saturday I did BOTM at Kristen's. We had quite the session. It was Barb and me. So we sat and had lots of fun. I started a new block twice. Then the crazy lady came in and the unfriendly knitter lady. At least I thought so. Most knitters like to chat about their projects and what thye are doing or going to do or whatever. Not that customer. She did buy some beauteous yarn. The crazy lady just talked about her crazy life. Barb and I decided we are magnets of some sort and left it at that. Can't wait for next month.

I cast on for the Flow tank with Bamboo. I hope it turns out. So all those things are in the queue for bloggage next week.

Today I ran the Fool's Five in Lewiston. 4-6 inches of snow predicted but didn't materialize-Thank God. I was very slow. Well, not too slow unitil mile 3.5 to 4.5. It was totally into a strong head wind, and I was already nearing the end. Last year I ran it in 43:31 but not sure how I did this year. I don't remember it being so windy last year.

Anyway, here I am at the start with the other 1999 runners.

And here I am finishing-nice hair.

And here, with even better hair, is me with Dr. Ferris, whom I used to work with all the time and I see every year at this race-without fail.

I didn't see running man though. I've known him for years yet do not know his name, I only know him as running man and I was sad not to be able to blog him. Maybe next race.

And that, along with work, papers, life-oh and getting my hair done on Saturday too-is a day and a week in the life.