I am preparing things for retreat so that I do not have to rush next weekend. I am taking things that seem to never get completed, like string blocks, using scrap strips etc. I hope to make a huge dent in them over the 4 day retreat. I am so looking forward to retreat. Work has been so busy this year that I just need the break.

A fairly quiet day here. No family able to come home for ham and beans, so we will invite our widower neighbour and share our basement reconstruction stories. And yes the sun is shining here, Alleluia!

Theresa

Linda, I hope you feel better soon!

Jackie, have fun on the retreat!

Yesterday I made a wallet (posted in a separate thread) and did chores around the house. Today I'm planning to make a pair of pillow cases. I have window washing on my list for this weekend, but yesterday was gray and gloomy all day (finally rained a bit around 5pm) and so far today is the same. If the weather improves I may do the windows this afternoon.

We leave on our cruise next Saturday! (Squeal!!) I was looking for a project to take and ended up starting two crochet projects. :) I have a bin full of small balls of yarn and decided to use them up. I'm using a pattern for a four-color block that looks like a flower, and once pieces get too small for that I have a granny square variation. Just the center round is made in the different colors, then they are made into strips with a neutral color surrounding. The round takes about 2 yards of yarn. I figure any piece of yarn too short to make one round can go in the garbage. :)

Donna

We leave for cold, snowy Minnesota on Tuesday, so I'm starting to pack things up. We rent out our condo when we're not here, so we have to pack up all "our" things. This is my least favorite part of our winters here on Maui, but it's a small price to pay for escaping the cold and snow for three months. I'm really getting excited to get back to quilting. The forecast for Minneapolis is still cold and snowy for the next couple of weeks, so spring gardening will not be tempting me when I get home. My first task is to finish quilting baptist fans on a quilt I've promised to my sister-in-law. She's so anxious to get it. I've got about six other tops to quilt too. Yikes! I'd better get going.

Well, dang it, the sun came out! So windows are washed inside and out. And it rained the evening.

I also made two pillowcases and fixed two rag rugs that were coming apart.

Lois, have a safe trip home!

Donna

Donna, some people put smaller pieces of yarn out in a tree for the birds to take to make a nest.

Linda, I hope you are feeling back to normal soon.

I've been cutting out a new quilt for Africa. It's going to be a rainbow quilt...a bad choice for someone who is a bit of a perfectionist and who struggles with color selection. Of course, it can't just be a blue square, but just the blues in the rainbow, which doesn't include a light blue. I told myself to get a grip. The kids don't care if it is accurate! I also finished piecing a strip quilt for Africa.

Happy Easter! We had a quiet day but did go out to have Chinese roasted duck.

JLT, those are cute! They could be added to a wall hanging.

Thank you JLT. I was worried about the contrast that is injected into my arm. The last time I had an MRI they blew out my vein but It went very well this morning.