today's giggle

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Album for an Anniversary

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that my local paper arts store hosts a monthly challenge where they give you a starting piece and you bring it back on the 1st Wednesday of the month completed and you get the next month's project free.

Our June project started with 2 red "bracket" covers:My SIL and BIL have been heavy on my mind lately so I decided to make this album for them.

My SIL has been in ICU since the end of May. She's getting better, but it's a very slow and long road. They were suppose to come to California this month to celebrate their 2rd anniversary. They got married on 7/07/07 at 7pm. It was a beautiful wedding and Jimmy and I were honored to attend. If you wouldn't mind adding a little prayer in your daily routine for her, I'd greatly appreciate it. And go ahead and give your loved ones an extra kissy-kissy while you're at it, too. <3
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Front Bedroom update

The front bedroom remodel is nearly done! We're excited and happy with how it turned out. Please ignore the carpet, we're putting new carpet throughout the bottom floor once all the construction work is done. So it'll have to look like this for several more months. But as you'll see, once we put the beds in there, it'll barely be noticeable.

It wasn't that long ago, so you probably remember that before destruction, it looked like this:

and during the process, it looked like this:
It used to be our bedroom. But it'll be the new guest bedroom.Removing the closets made room for the 2 queen beds. The walls have been textured and primered, but we still need to paint. That's why the beds are in the middle of the room. You can't see the texture in the photos, but we're happy with how it turned out. We went with B since it was the one we both liked.

We're heading up again this weekend, hoping to meet with the engineer regarding permits for the deck. That's the next project on the list.

I'm sure we'll be able to get a bit of riding in, too. :)
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Jimmy got a new toy

and by Jimmy, i really kinda mean we. Because I'll enjoy the heck out of it just as much as he will.
Here's Jimmy backing it off the trailer for the 1st time. We headed up the mountain for our first ride, near Eagle Meadow. We've been up there before in the car and knew the dirt road would be more suitable in the Rhino.


Our 1st water crossing at Long Valley Creek. and my fist youtube vid.

A stop to enjoy the view of Three Chimneys in the far background.

He went out again on Monday with the neighbors. I wasn't feeling well, so I decided to sit this one out.The cool thing is that one of the neighbors is a retired Forest Service employee so he knows the forest like the back of his hand. He took them by a grove of pine trees that he had planted over 40 years ago when the area was burned in a forest fire in the early 60s. They also rode on a trail that was covered with wild lilacs.
I hope Jimmy can remember how to get back there so he can show me, too.
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I Made My 1st Quilt!

Last fall, I was browsing in a quilt store near our hideaway and saw a super cute baby quilt made of flannel. I asked about it and they said it was a rag edge quilt.

I was intimidated because all I'd even sewn were a couple of pillow cases and some pot holders. But I have a friend who is an advanced quilter extraordinaire and I asked her about it.

Turns out that she's known for her hand-dyed rag edge quilts, (JB, sorry if i got all the terminology wrong, newbie sewer/quilter here bound to make major faux pas). In fact, several years ago she had made a quilt for a mutual friend at the time, but I had no idea it was a rag edge quilt. I'm oblivious like that till I become obsessed with the craft myself. Kinda like wall texture.

Anyhoo, in January or February I told JB that I'd try a rag edge quilt in the spring. I thought that if I said it out loud and someone was listening, I might actually keep my resolution. I donno why I thought this because it's never worked in the past. But this time it did! She helped me every step of the way and I got so excited about it, I finished it within 2 nights. I just need to wash it so the rag edges become more raggy and not look so stiff.

The finished size is for a baby's blanket. Here it is on our king sized bed.

This is the back of the quilt. No rag edges. For those not familiar with rag edge quilts, the rags are just on one side.

I'm officially obsessed. I'll be making a lot more of these. I just need occasions to make them.
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A Better View

So after watching the sunset at the San Leandro Marina, Jimmy surprised me by actually going into the city. We got ice cream at Ghirardelli Square, got it to-go and watched the cable cars line up at Hyde Street, listened to the street performer play Pearl Jam and Pink Floyd songs and watched the people enjoying their drinks at the Buena Vista. Then we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to Fort Baker get this cool view of one of the most photographed structures in the world.
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How 'bout now?

Maybe that other photo was too dark...can you find the Golden Gate Bridge in this one?
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Flying off into the sunset

Tonight for dinner, I made some sandwiches and we headed to the San Leandro Marina to watch the sunset. Stunning views of the San Francisco Bay, planes leaving Oakland airport, and the San Francisco skyline.

Can you spot the Golden Gate Bridge?
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I needed this day!

Zonkers! What a great day today was. Needed uplifting and I couldn't have asked for a better day. I love my family and friends.This morning I went to the Chancey Twins year-end kindergarten performance. I love these things. I'm like this crazy stalker Auntie. Now now, don't get all freaked that I'm showing up uninvited to random events, camera in tow...I am invited! So stalker probably doesn't apply. And wow, if you saw how many cameras and video recorders there were, I certainly did not look out of place with my stalker camera around my neck. It was a lot of fun and I can't believe they are going into the 1st grade.

I left a little early because I had to buy some fresh eggs for some zucchini bread I meant to bake the night before. But when I pulled the carton of eggs out of the fridge, the date on it was April 10th. I'm taking a poll...the date is a "sell by date". Would you have used them?

My mom was famous (as famous as you can get in that hick desert town) for her zucchini bread. And my cousin from Washington arrived today for a long weekend visit! So I wanted to make some for her and her family. I remembered the vanilla this time.

While I was baking, my brother-in-law Eric, who just moved back to Southern California from NYC, came over for a few minutes after having lunch with Jimmy. We chatted for just a few minutes before he had to hit the road to Morro Bay to have dinner w/ his and Jimmy's sister. Whirlwind.

Cousin and family are staying in a hotel about 1/2 a hour away. So after Eric left and Jimmy wrapped up some stuff for work, we hit the road, warm zucchini bread in hand, and headed up the peninsula to meet them for dinner. I'm just thrilled that I get to see them again and so soon since I just visited them in Seattle 5 weeks ago.

Today just filled my heart. I'm so blessed to have wonderful people who surround me. There's still big concerns gnawing at us, so it makes me that much more grateful for today's events w/ my friends and family.
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Wall Texture?

Have any of you spent 2 seconds thinking about the texture on your walls? I haven't till recently. Take a look at your walls...do you like the texture?

We're in San Jose now and yes, I like the texture of the walls in our duplex. But that doesn't help us, because it isn't one of our 4 choices.
Which would you chose?

Jimmy likes B or C.
I like A or B.

We would greatly appreciate your opinion. Please, even lurking friends or family?
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