Time keeps on flying by at record speed

 It looks like it has been 3 years since I have been on my blog, again. It is so weird how you move across the country and everything in your life changes. I used to sew and blog all the time. Now it seems I don't have time for either. Since my last post, we have had Covid that lasted quite some time. I changed offices where I work. Helped my youngest daughter move from Maryland, to Florida, then from Florida to California. She will be moving again sometime within the next year. Almost a year ago Oct 10th, 21 I ended up in the emergency room, I never knew buying shoes would save my life. While in the ER I had a CT scan that showed 2 huge masses in my abdomen. I had surgery on Nov 4th, 21 to have them removed and a full hysteroctomy at the same time. My uterus was 10 times the size it should have been and my right ovary was 200 times the size it should have been. The ovary was also filled with cancer, but it wasn't ovarian cancer. Mucinous Carcinoma with gastro/colon markers. I had just had a colonoscopy and it was clean so then I had an upper scope, but nothing. Then I had to swallow a camera to check out the small intestine, but nothing. Went and had a PET scan done, but it showed nothing. Then when the results came back from John Hopkins off to have another surgery on Jan 11th, 22 because they said that a lot of times this cancer starts from the appendix. Doc went in and everything looked good on the outside, he checked everything. So I just had my appendix out. They deemed me cancer free. I said for now. They didn't know where the cancer was coming from, and they took out the place it was going to. So fast forward to my 6-month checkup with blood work and another CT scan. I had another tumor already the size of an apple. less than 4 weeks later on Sep 22, 22 I had surgery to remove that tumor and it had grown almost 50% in size in less than 4 weeks. Also, my entire abdomen is littered with cancer, doc said it looks like someone threw a handful of rice in there and it stuck to every single thing in there. I have now been referred to Huntsman Cancer Institute. I am now waiting to hear from them for an appt to meet with yet another doctor to find out my next course of action. Most likely surgery, again. HIPEC chemo is way less evasive. Maybe normal Chemo, which I do NOT want to do. My husband and daughter (who is an RN) tell me I have to do it. Urgh............ I won't stress to much on that at this point since I haven't even talked to the doctor yet about what she suggests I do. She specializes in Mucinous Carcinoma. There are only 11 places nationwide that do the HIPEC procedure and I am lucky enough to live less than an hour away from one of them. Everything happens for a reason, and as my daughter reminded me, this is why we are still stuck in UTAH, so I can take care of this. Then everything will land in place to get back to the east coast. I am due to retire in 2.5 years. I have almost 1 year's worth of leave, so hopefully, I will be able to work the other 1.5 between all this medical crap I have going on. If you read this send a prayer my way. In the meantime, I am going to try and get back to what I loved doing before I moved. I haven't turned a sewing machine on in years. The garden is about done for this year, and it is getting pretty cool outside already. Well, I am off to get myself a protein-filled breakfast since that is what the doctor has ordered. Then try to meal plan today using tons of veggies and little to no carbs or sugar. Trying to starve off the cancer cells. Wish me luck.

Where has the time gone???

Almost 4 years since I have posted to my blog!   Well, the last time I was here I was in the process of moving from Florida to Utah. Work, Work, Work!!! It is all I have to say. I did finish the quilt top that I was working on 4 years ago. Not too much other sewing has gotten done. A few little spurts here and there. I have tried to get on my blog a few times since I moved with no success and no time to deal with it either. Finally got it figured out, yippee. It is that time of the year again that Bonnie puts out her free mystery quilt.  I did start and get the top done for 2016, I started 2017, was only able to download the clues for 2018 though. I will try and dig those out and post pics later on. The quilt top pile to be quilted is growing. I need to find time for me and the long arm to hang out.

I normally change up the colors that Bonnie picks, either because I don't care for them, or I just don't want my quilt to look like 10,000 other quilts.  But since blue is my favorite color and I have a TON of it in my stash, I might have to stick with her colors. I have been trying to use only what is in my stash now for quite some time. I think I have only bought fabric 3 times in the past 4 years, mainly backgrounds when they are on a good sale. We will see what colors I choose. Sorry, no pics at this time. I will now need to see if I can access my Picasso account too. Urgh.The joys of moving, new computer, new cell phones. Somethings it is nice, but others drive me crazy.

While I am standing in the kitchen, guarding the chicken strips while they finish defrosting, so I can put them in the marinade for chicken jerky, (Just published the recipe) maybe I will go read some blogs. I haven't done that in almost 4 years either!

Parts 2 and 3 of Allietare

Working at the Post Office during the month of December is physically exhausting. Add in the fact I am trying to get my house ready to be put on the market for sale and get rid of all the stuff left here for a yard sale, it is very exhausting. I look forward to sitting down at any given moment to give my poor legs and feet a break. So this mystery is my go to right now for solitude and to keep my sanity too. A few moments here and there and I am keeping up with no problem this year. That could also have to do with Bonnie is taking it really easy on us this year too. I forgot, or should I say got too busy to write a blog post last week, so this week I am including both parts 2 & 3.

Here are my decapitated geese, or Santa hats in a different color scheme.

Here are my easy peasy 4 patches too.

Now my little basket is full with clues 1, 2 and 3.

Today is only Saturday, I have a whole week to wait till the next clue comes out. That is ok, I have plenty of other things to do while I wait.

Bonnie's 2015 mystery

Wow I haven't blogged since doing last years mystery, and never even put up the finished quilt either.  Life has been very busy and crazy. Sewing right now though, gets me off my feet and legs and helps me to relax. So I am done with clue 1, extras to spare as usual. I have changed up this years colors a bit. I am using gold as my constant color, and greys as my neutrals. So don't freak out when you look at the pic, thinking I screwed it all up. Later when we get to them, I will be using Turquoise and Purple instead of the red and gold. Haven't decided which will be which, will decide when we get there. Then I found the perfect backing to match it all together. The pic does NOT do it justice. I will try to get a better one another day. Then here is my pic of 300 finished 2 inch HST's. Ready for clue 2.

I am linking up to Bonnie's Monday Linky Party here.

Catching up on the mystery

I am grand dog sitting right now so I am actually getting a lot of sewing done each night while we go hang out in the sewing room so dear hubby can bring our 4 dogs inside and keep them downstairs. We have one with a mean streak so they can't all be together. What a chore this is turning into. So me and Apollo get a lot of sewing done. My sewing table is counter height and he jumps on top just like a cat. So I have a piece of fabric up there for him to lay on, and he usually takes a nap after a couple minutes of catch the bear that I found, and pushing all my pieces onto the floor. Isn't he a cutie.

 I did manage to get a lot of HSTs done for clue one,

 lots of strip sets for clue three, and bunches of blocks too.

 now working on making the blocks for clue one.

Haven't even started on clue two yet, will get to that soon I am sure. Daughter came back today for three days, then she is gone again for another week

I am linking up over at QUILTVILLE so come on over and link up too!

Grand Illusion Mystery

Well it is that time of the year again when Bonnie Hunter puts out her free mystery quilt a long. So far 2 clues have been posted with clue three coming out in the morning. I finally decided to go with Bonnie's colors, after I changed my mind about 20 different times. I started the HST's on Tuesday and cut and sewed till I realized I stitched about 20 with an empty bobbin, then I called it a night. Wednesday I went and finished all those up.

Cut out the squares to go with them.

Then stitched out 2 sample units for the heck of it. Still wondering if I should have went with the original colors of switching out the pink for purple, and the yellow for gray. Oh well, there is always the next quilt.

It is sooooooooooo nice to finally be back in the sewing room after such a long hiatus.

Panama City Quilt Show 2014 part 2

Here is the continuation of the picks from our quilt guild annual quilt show today, and it will be tomorrow also.You can see Part 1 HERE. I hope you enjoy all the eye candy. The pictures and then the credits...............
This first one, was my favorite FUN quilt I think. I just LOVED all the funky chickens!!!!!

 The quilting is EGGS!!!!

This one was interesting as it was a family tree. I love family trees done differently.

T

I should have taken some upclose pics of this next quilt below. It was gorgeous and lots of work too.

I LOVED the Panto used to quilt this flower basket one

Here is an upclose, see all the flowers!!!!

This is our Opportunity Quilt this year, well part of it that you can see. It is drop dead gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I hope you enjoyed all the wonderful pics, wish you all could have been here.