Spring Has Sprung

Our Japanese Maple is getting leaves!

Our apricot tree has been pruned and now it is budding. 

Bailey needs a window so she doesn't have to look under the gate!

Surprise Afternoon Off

All my patients cancelled for this afternoon.  This is the first time in seven years that has happened!  I am enjoying the time at home but it will hurt on the next paycheck!  I weeded the side yard.  It was a jungle from all the rain (thank you, Lord).  Now I will catch up on blogs and then I will sew.  Tonight is church.

More when I have another picture or two.

Date Night

Thursday nights are date night at our house.  I cook every night and work full time so by the time I get to Thursday I am pooped.  I am ready for a night off.  We usually go to very reasonably priced restaurants and we share.  It is an opportunity to just focus on each other and I really appreciate being waited on.  Tonight was Italian.  We tried a new place and it was very good.  We take turns picking the place.  We could never afford this when the kids lived at home.

Here is a picture of my dad and my sister and me.  I am on my dad's right.  I am 14 months older than my sister.  I think we are about 3 and 4 years old.

?Wearable Muslin?

I started sewing again about a year and a half ago.  I used to make all my dresses and my girls dresses for church.  The girls grew up, life changed, sewing fell by the wayside.  Many changes have occured during my sewing hiatus.  I've gained weight and body parts have moved (in the wrong direction).  Fabric stores have closed and the ones that have remained open tend to lean towards crafts and quilting.  Not much fashion fabric to choose from.  I feel like I am learning to sew all over again.  I definately am having to relearn how to fit my new (but not improved) body.  That being said, here is a picture of my second attempt at a dress for church.  The fabric is 100% polyester in "army blanket green".  The bodice is lined.  I made the bodice longer but wish I hadn't.  There is black gimp at the neckline and wrist.  I like the pleats in the front but I am seriously thinking I need breast reduction surgery!  It is soft and warm which is good because I am always cold in church.

I am working on another dress in 100% wool suiting.  It is a mauve and plum tiny check.  It is a jumper style that is probably to young for me (I keep forgetting I'm over 50!) but I liked the picture and the pattern was on sale.  I am fitting it to wear over a turtleneck for winter.  Of course, I don't own a turtleneck that matches and there are none in stores right now.  It won't be finished for a couple of weeks.  I still have to cut out the lining and contruct that part of it.  I didn't want to waste the lining fabric if the dress didn't fit.  I did not do a muslin.

More rain this weekend which is good because we need as much as we can get.

Have a great week!

Better Late Than Never-Poppyseed Muffins

This is the post that should have been posted last week.  I have been trying different poppyseed muffins.  I love the poppyseed muffins from Costco.  So yummy.  This last batch was pretty good but nothing I tried came close enough to replace Costco's.  I love to bake but I will continue to buy Costco's muffins.

Happy Valentine's Day

And

Happy Birthday to my Dad

More Sickness

No pictures today.  You'll thank me later.

DSH is sick.  I mean really sick.  He was up all night with both kinds of trouble.  We don't know what caused it.  We ate the same things and I was fine.  No sleep last night, no church today.  We slept in to get he rest we desperately needed.  I cleaned house a bit and cut out a skirt.  I fed him dry toast and 7-up.  Tonight he is feeling better.  Poor guy.

Aren't you glad there are no pictures?

You're welcome.

Not Up To Snuff

Not feeling great today.  Dear Sweet Step-Daughter gave me her cold.  Sore throat and stuffed up nose.  No more details needed ;)  I stayed home from church since I woke up every hour last night and felt cruddy when I woke up.  Part of the day I worked on a dress for church and I rested a bit too. 

We have had a lot of rain this past week so we have dog towels at the front and back door for wiping off wet paws.  Bailey helps herself to the towels, drags them around the house, giving it a good shake and then rips the tag off (if there is one).  We are running out of towels that still have tags.