Happy Valentines Day!

Today at the store, a guy was looking at diamond and sapphire earrings. He asked me if I thought that his girlfriend would like them. I said "Of course!" He said, "Pretty nice present, huh?" I said, "Yes." Then I asked him if he would like to know the best Valentines present I ever got and he said, "Sure." So here it goes.

Several years ago, Scott called me to say that he had gotten me a Valentines Day present and it would be delivered a few days early, so not to be surprised. I said "What is it?" (You have to realize that most years he doesn't even think about getting me a present which is weird, since he is in retail--duh)
"I traded diamond earrings for it."
"What is it?"
"You keep saying you what it."
"What is it?!"
"Well....it's a semi load of manure for your garden." (real bored tone)
Scott has always disliked my garden, maybe even hated it, so I was very surprised. When he ordered it at the garden center and said it was for his wife for Valentine's Day, he heard the receptionist at the counter mumble, under her breath, "You %#$@*&."
We get a great laugh every time we tell this story. It still is the very best gift he has ever given me. Some girls like jewels and others like crap.
He has given me some pretty sweet tools over the years as well. I think my favorite tool is my band saw. It's a Delta, 14" floor model. I love it and have used it for over 20 years. It still seams like it is brand new. That was a Mother's Day gift I had asked for, for a couple years.
Hope you all get what you really want for Valentine's.
This year I'm getting dangle earrings that I picked out. They are about 2" long. Maybe manure again another year.

Golfing With Chuck

Today Scott was saying how he needs to go golf. He is going stir crazy. Then he said, "Remember when I took Herschel golfing and we ended up going with Chuck?"

Here is the story.

Herschel was 6 years old and Scott took him to the Alpine Country Club late in the afternoon. There was a guy wanting to golf and asked if he could join. Scott said, "Sure, but I'm with my kid." The guy said, "No problem." About the 5th hole, Herschel spied two cans in the guys cart.

"Are those Bud Lights Chuck?"

"Yeh."

"You're goin' to hell."

Chuck laughed and Scott just shrugged like 'you've been warned.

Around the 11th hole Chuck lit up a cigarette. Hersh said, "Chuck, you mean you smoke too?"

Chuck laughed and said, "Yeh. I'm not a very good guy."

A few holes later, Hersh looked at Chuck with his squinty eyes in the sun and asked, "Chuck, do you go to church?"

"No."

"Well, you better think about going, you need help."

Chuck lost it and Scott just shrugged again. When they finished, Scott tried to apologize for the blunt questions. Chuck smiled and said, "I don't know when I've enjoyed a better round of golf." and left chuckling.

Bread

Two years ago in May I had a minor heart surgery. I had been having problems for 6 months before I ended up in the ER. I had a bad circuit that they zapped.

I had to wait 5 months to get into see the Eloctronic Cardiologist, so I came up with my Heart Healthy Bread.

Here is the recipe:

6 cups hot water 1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/3 cup oil 2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup gluten 1 TBS dough enhancer

3/4 cup honey 2 TBS salt

Put all of this in your Bosch or other mixer and stir for 10 secs. Then let moosh while you grind 7 cups whole wheat in your mill. (It makes about 13 cups flour) Add 1/3 of the flour and mix well. Add 1/3 flour and 3 TBS yeast and mix well. Add remaining flour and let the machine knead for 15 minutes. This gives the gluten time to activate. Turn out onto oiled counter and form into 5 loaves. Place loaves in oiled pans, spray top with oil and cover to raise. When loaves are 1" above top of pan turn oven to 350. When heated bake for 30-35 min. Turn out on cooling racks and rub top with butter or shortening.

This bread is very soft and most people think it doesn't tast like whole grain bread. It is more the consistancy of regular white bread and Scott who won't eat wheat likes this. You get an even lighter color and texture if you use white wheat. That is all I have been buying for my storage lately. I have 600 lbs. now, but I still have 1200 lbs. or the red wheat. It is still yummy.

Quilt Update

This is a quilt I did a few years ago. I told my sister Sheryl, who is also a quilt Natzi that you can never have too many quilts and every bedroom should have 4 quilts. One for each season.

This of course is the Spring quilt. This is on the bed in the quest room.

This quilt was one I pieced together for Lynette. It was for Christmas of 2008. I finally got it quilted in Jan. of 2009.

She loves black and neutrals. She got black and golds. This has been a fun quilt pattern to do. I think I have done 4 different ones. Still not one for me. Maybe some year.

This tapestry fabric was Lynette's favorite. I don't think I would ever put it in a quilt again. It is very thick and hard to quilt on. You can't get the stitches small enough on it. I love the strip border. They are 2" strips sewn together and then cut 5"wide and then joined again.

Snow

The first of October, I sort of moved to St. George to open the new store. The average temperature for October is 68 in the day time. When Novenber came and it was low 60's I was thinking that it was pretty crumby. It didn't feel Holiday-ish. In Dec. when Las Vegas got 7" of snow, the airport was closed and St. George got 2", I had to laugh because all of Washington county closed their schools for a "Snowday." What whimps I thought. (Leeds did get 13", so they're off the whimp list)

As the days got cooler and I actually had to wear a jacket to work, I still missed the snow and cold. The Christmas lights just didn't seem the same without the reflection on all the snow. "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas."

I have to say that when I came home on Christmas Eve, the snow was lovely and it was a joy to see it softly falling on the ground. As it got thicker, I just smiled. On Christmas morning about 8:00 AM, Scott and I went out and started to shovel. There were 8". Our drive way is 75' x 40' plus we have the cicular drive in the front. There is ALOT of snow to push. I normally do the sidewalk and the edges of the drive so Scott can see where to push with his little tractor(the John Deer). After 3 hours of snow removal and the snow 2" deep where we had already cleared, we took a break. We had 3 snow removal sessions that day and I was thinking how much I missed the mild and temperate St. George weather.

On Jan. 7, I called Scott at work and told him he could either give me instructions on how to use the tractor or I was going to shovel the whole drive by hand. I got the instructions and had loads of fun. Now, I know why he only likes to do it. There is a great sense of power to push 8" of snow 60 feet back at 20 MPH. Great fun!

I can't say if I am wishing for more snow....guess not. It's time to think about the garden. I am planning on learning to drive the big tractor. I think it could be more fun using a 5' wide tiller to smooth out 1/3 acre garden plot. Yippee-Ki-Ayh!

Scott's is just like this, but Holland Blue. His bush hogger is exactly like the one on this tractor. "She sure is a perrty girl."

MERCY!

Today at work, I was sitting in Scott's big office chair spinning around. I said, "What does this remind you of?" He started laughing.

When Jessica was 16, she went to work at Christmas-time to help out since it is so busy. There was a stool like in a doctors office that could spin around. She layed across it on her stomach and started spinning. Everyone else was helping customers and both phone lines were ringing. Scott snapped at her "Jessica, could you stop spinning and answer the phone" "OH, I'm so dizzy, I don't think I can talk."

Then a little while later (everyone was busy again) another customer walked in and Scott said, "Jess, help this lady." She looked up, saw the lady and exclaimed "Mercy!" and then ducked behind the counter until the lady left. Needless to say, that was her last day at Kelly Jewelers.

She thought she was there to wrap presents and clean glass. Heaven forbid she should have to talk to customers and actually help someone. We have all had great laughs over this along with Jess. "Mercy!"

New CIA Legal Torture

Everyone has heard that "Gitmo" is going to be closed and that Waterboarding has been outlawed. The problem is: how can they use a non-lethal and humane inducement to get the bad guys to talk?
Scott has solved the problem. After all the newest high-tec and latest psycological methods have been exhausted, the new "SECRET WEAPON" is called on "THE CRICKET."
'We gave you a chance and tried to be nice, now you'll have to endure The Cricket. You can't last for more than 5 minutes, so you better talk or you'll go in that little room where the cricket will be unleashed."
For such a cute little guy, he sure has a great set of lungs. He lets us know when he isn't happy and it is a very high pitched and loud cry. Love you Kael

Latest Reading Binge

In the past few months I have re-read a favorite author of mine from when I was in High School. Clare Darcy writes romance novels set in Regency Enland. They have been a delight. They are easy reading. I usually finish in an afternoon.

I have found hardback copies of her books from betterworld.com, Amazon, and Abesbooks. They have been so fun that I have now bought every book she has written.

I got Jessica hooked and am glad to say that she seems to enjoy them as much as I do. We are still debating on which is our favorite. I had only read 4 in High School and my favorite was Lydia. Now that I have read 10 of her books, I think I am leaning to Elyza, but there are several in close running.

I think there are 14 books that she has written. The last 4 are on there way. Allegra, Rolande, Lady Pamela, and Caroline & Julia. I hope they are as enjoyable as the previous ones. The best part is that most of them only cost $2-3 and I can re-read them every now and then.

I have also read other books. I'm not just a romance junkie.

Christmas in Dixie

Hey everyone, I had a lot of fun doing this Nativity set. I saw one at a freinds house last year and bought the patterns. I ended up making 6 complete sets and a Mary and baby, Joseph and donkey. As an after thought I decided that I needed some trees. Being that I have been living in St. George for 3 months getting the store up and running, I have had a lot of life size models to look at. I made the pattern up one Sat. and have had fun putting them together. I always save my patterns, so I can do them for those of you who want to add them to your set.

This picture only shows 3 trees, but I actually did 5. I finished the other 2 at work today. One is 2 inches taller than the tallest in the picture. The new one is 23 inches tall. The other is a mini tree just 12 inches tall. (The tall wise guy is 16 inches tall.)

Someone asked if I was taking orders for next year. Not as yet, but we did figure cost and time. They would have to go for at least $350, so most likely not.

Here are some pictures of Hersh when he was a little guy. He wanted a picture of his left ear before they did surgery on it and pinned it back a bit. We miss these cute ears but he wanted it done at the time. I sort of think that he missed them a little.

Red & Black Quilt

I made this quilt for Jess and Rhett last fall.
I sent it to them for Christmas. I did an earlier version for Heather. Each square had 6 strips and I quilted every line. It was during this quilting that I thought of doing this version with solid squares and quilting in each square.
Way less quilting and I like the more simple look. I have done 3 since. I gave Nett's to her for Christmas, but haven't quilted it yet. Hers is in shades of brown and gold with black.

Star Quilts

Here are a couple of quilts I did
recently. Last year when I went to see Jessica in Mo, we went to Amish town and had a look in the quilt shop. I loved a star placemat they had, so decided to make a quilt.
The first one I did was for me and was a king. Then I did the red for Jess and the blue for Heather.
I quilted them on my sewing machine.
Each time I do one, I change the design a little. I think I am done with the star in star now.

To quilt on a machine, I start with the large center star panel, add the batting and back, pin together every 6" and use the darning foot. You have to remember to drop the feed dogs. Then just go slowly and smoothly to avoid larger running stitches.

I stop about 2-3" from the edge so that when I add the next section I can quilt over the seam.

Center star panel, top row, second row, bottom row (small squares), side panel, side panel, bottom panel(with corners)

I finish with self bias cut 2 1/2" wide and sew it in a 5/8" seam to the back. Then miter the corners and top stitch on the front.

Grandsons

Here I am with my 3 grandsons. Katie was grouchy and wouldn't be in the picture so that I could have all 4 kidlettes. They sure are a lot of fun to have around. Dace is the oldest on the left, then his little brother Kael who is 3 months and then RJ who is 5 months. Dace just got a mohawk hair cut like James and Herschel used to get in the summers. Kael is "the cricket" and RJ is "the little bulldog" or "the Delta Rabbit."

Summertime

We have had a busy summer. Kael was born the first part of June, Herschel had the National Goalball Tournament in June, Nett got married in July, Rhett's dad had bi-pass surgery in August and we have been building a new store in St. George.

Herschel went off to college, Nett and Drew went on tour for 4 months, Rhett and Jess came home for the next couple of years while they finish Med. school, Heather and Dallan are adjusting to having 3 kidos around, James started a new band in addition to a job promotion, I have been trying to finish a quilt that I promised Heather last year and Scott has been stressed about the new store and all of those details.

In addition to this, we had been doing a lot of canning. I had to buy 4 more cases of jars and haven't even done the grape juice yet.

Scott had a reunion of kids from Lakewood, Co that all grew up together. It was great to see them all and unique to see how much they all still have so much fun together.

Baby Boys

Here are my to newest grandsons. R.J. on the left is 4 months old. Scott calls him "The bulldog." Kael on the right is 2 1/2 months old. Scott calls him "The cricket."

They almost don't look like cousins. R.J. looks a lot like Kael's big brother Dace. They are a lot of fun to have around. It is interesting to see the body traits each has from their dads.

R.J. is definately a Crapo and
Kael is surely a Bangerter.