Throw Back Thursday

I recently surprised my Dad and my step-mother, Pat, by driving out to Altoona, Iowa, for a family brunch.  I didn't tell anyone I was coming because each year I seem to catch some bug.  Many of our friends have been sick and I didn't want to disappoint my dad by telling him I was sick again this holiday.  The look on everyone's face when they answered the door was a Kodak moment.

 

Above Dad and Pat are watching the great-grandchildren and grandchildren open gifts.

 

Thanks Eby for taking our picture!

 

I did have a little excitement just before arriving at the brunch.  I stopped at a McDonald's to use the restroom and to put Eby's address in the Garmin.  It was 48 degrees when I left home at 6:30am but it was 27 degrees when I arrived at McDonald's.  I stepped out of the car to run into the restaurant, not grabbing a coat, and proceeded to across the driveway falling flat out on my right side.  Glad no one saw this graceful move.  Its not the fall that hurts but that sudden stop that gets you.  I got up and grabbed my purse while looking around to see if anyone was looking.  I went into the restroom and looking into the mirror, I realized I was wet from my right knee up to my waist.  I used the hand dryer to dry my right side off, standing like stork to get the side of my leg up closer to the dryer.  Drying out took 10-15 minutes.  My hands had some road rash and my knee was skinned up.  It took about a week to get over the soreness. 

The puppies were having fun.  On the left is Ella, the seven week old Airedale, and Roscoe, 2 year old Yorkie.  I got my Yorkie fix, holding and loving Roscoe.  I lost my Yorkie, Rascal, in October and I am broken hearted over the loss.  Rascal was my quilting buddy.

 

During my visit with my Dad, he showed me this picture on his cell phone.  This is a picture of me probably about five or six years old standing by my dad's Scout.  We lived on a dead end street with a circle at the end.  Dad would pull all the neighborhood kids in a big train of sleds, up and down our quiet street.  Dad would create a big snow pile at the end of the street so we could sled and play outside in the winter.  I had two buddies growing up, Lex and Tracy.  We still stay in touch and love to reminisce about the things we did growing up.

 

Hope you are all staying warm.  When I went to do horse chores yesterday afternoon it was -5 degrees.  I had two stalls to clean and had to sit in the car inbetween stalls to warm up.  Taking the wheelbarrow out for dumping was frigid and hard on the bare skin.  I am happy I don't have a whole barn of horses to maintain.  Below, Skye curled on my pile of laundry to take a warm nap.

 I even did some pressing of my Bonnie Hunter mystery units in the kitchen because its warmer there.

 

Last but not least, I have uncovered one longarm and working on this cute polka dot quilt.  My goal is to finish it today for a Friday Finish picture.

 

Today I am linking up with Kelly at My Needle Infatuation.  Also, check out this blog by Diana about organizing with baskets.

 

Yours in quilting,

Terry