Going back to Houston!

After Betty and I drove to Houston, I spent a few days with Barbara and her family.  The countdown is on!!!  She has one more chemo treatment and six weeks of radiation and then she is DONE!!!!   Barbara's family is coming to Nashville sometime in late summer.  One of the main side affects of the chemo is extreme fatigue, so I volunteered to drive Barb to work in the morning.  While she worked, I ran errands, etc. - and ate:)

Becki and I

My car had the oil changed and a professional wash job.  My income tax return was filed for the first time as a "single" person in 35 years.  A couple of new patterns were added to the stash from the Joanne's pattern sale. I went bike shopping.  My hair was cut by my favorite hairdresser.  And, I ate!!

Jackie & I 

One morning I met my friend Jackie for a four hour breakfast!  We have been friends since our girls were in kindergarten but she nows lives in Florida.  Since we would both be in Houston at the same time, we planned a meeting.   Next I met my sewing friend, Becki, for lunch at a Greek restaurant near her office.  We both had on garments we had made.  Fellow sewers always have plenty to talk about.  That night Barbara and Jim took me out for a Tex-Mex fix so I was well fed that day.

Biker Babe

Not me!!

It was fun!!!

Sunday I met my sister, Ardell, for lunch and to look at bicycles.  We then went to Maynard's house to see his new "bike"- a Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited.  Not in the same league as the one I am planning to buy:)  Ardell and I decided we needed a test ride so we "geared up".   Maynard's usual companions are obviously a size or two smaller than his sisters.  I had to suck it up to get the jacket zipped. When he asked if the helmet fit, my answer was "if I take my earrings off".  I am not kidding!!!!  But, please note the stool in the picture was not for me.

Monday morning I packed up to go, met some friends for lunch and then headed back to TN with an overnight stop near Lufkin at Diana and Jim's.   Tuesday's drive back home was a tough one - super windy as well as a couple of accidents on the interstate.  I knew a big storm was a few hours behind me and it hit Franklin a couple of hours after I got home.

Elizabeth and Jan (taken with my iPhone)

Cathy and Kathy watched Sissy for me while I was gone.  She is totally spoiled and is waiting for me to leave again.  Thanks!

Another B&B Booking!

My friend, Betty, made a booking at the B&B and came for a visit.  Even though her husband is from Knoxville and she has been through Nashville many times, she has never played "tourist".  We solved that and went to The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's Home) and The Grand Ole Opry one day.  Great fun!   Trace Adkins was the "star" the night we went.    And, yes, Little Jimmie Dickens performed at the age of 90.  The next day we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and then on to eat bbq and check out the Ryman.  I am quite proud of myself that I could find all of these places.  Definitely learning my way around.  We got to the Ryman just as they closed but at least Betty got to see the outside.

TN BBQ

Coconut pie at Dotson's

Janet came over Sunday and we all went out to lunch at Dotson's.   I had not been there before but it was highly recommended by Kay & Kathy so we checked it out. It was so good we went back a couple days later:)  Other things on the tour list were walking around Franklin, Merridee's, The Puffy Muffin, The Quilting Squares, etc.  Betty spent lots of time working on my computer while I did embroidery.

We were planning to leave on Monday and take our time driving to Houston but the weather did not cooperate.  Instead we stayed in Franklin and did it all in one day on Tuesday - long day.  We took turns driving so it wasn't too bad.  Besides that extra day in Franklin gave Betty time to set up my TV so I can stream from Nexflix now.  Love it!!!

Do you notice a theme when I have visitors?  Lots of great places to eat in this area!!!

Janet and Betty

Sewing/Embroidery Update

For Janet & Nick's Aliner

For my sewing friends - I haven't done any garment sewing but did get a couple of things crossed off the ever-growing "to do/make list".    Janet and Nick asked me to make them a couple of pillows for them to use in their camper with matching pillowcases.  The idea is to put the pillowcases on at night and limit the amount of stuff in their little Aliner.  The two pillows and pillowcases are done as well as a few kitchen essentials.  The cute camper fabric came from The Quilting Squares.


My friend, Betty,  has been visiting from Richmond/Rosenberg, TX.   Her daughter (a close friend of Janet's) is expecting a baby girl, Emma, in early May.  While she was here,  she worked on my computer and I embroidered things for her granddaughters.  My computer is in great shape and I can now watch Netflix on my TV!  Emma is pretty well fixed up, too.

Quilting Squares - Grand Opening

Kay, Jodi Barrows, Kathy

The Quilting Squares moved into a new location right before I started working.  The new location is quilt shop perfection - bigger and brighter with lots of free parking, etc. not to mention the great fabric.  This past weekend was the Grand Opening celebration.  Jodi Barrows, founder of the "Square in a Square" technique presented a program and inspired us all.  It was great fun!

Jodi showing her new "Pony Express Quilt"

Kay and Kathy who own The Quilting Squares are both certified teachers.  Monday morning I took my first class to learn this technique.  As Jodi refers to it, I caught the "quilt pox virus".   It's going to be fun learning these new to me techniques.

Class time.

In other news, following an absolutely gorgeous weekend we are faced with this today.  Honestly, I left hurricane country for this????  Scary stuff as it moves in and I am just waiting for the tornado sirens to go off.  When that happens you are supposed to get in your "safe spot".  Right  -  like my townhouse has one:):)   And off they go!!!!  Sissy and I hid in the downstairs bathroom until the sirens went off.   Scarier than a hurricane because you don't have much warning.  Fortunately, it passed through quickly but it left lots of damage in the Middle TN area.