Boo!!

Here is my little Halloween quilt. I finished it in record time because 1) I wanted it done before October 1st 2) I wanted to put away the sewing cabinet and the supplies 3) I didn't want any UFO (unfinished objects) around that might languish and never be completed.

This is the front:
The back:
And the pretty purple binding:

Except for the binding, it was all done on the machine. The squares were pieced in long strips and sewn to the batting and backing all at the same time, and the sashing sewn on, then cut into 9 3/4" squares. The horizontal sashing was also done front and back as I sewed the squares together. When I was done sewing the blocks together, all I had left to do was apply the binding, as the sashing and quilting were done. It's not perfect, but I'm really happy with it.

Explain this to me. Please.

My girls have about 28-30 pairs of socks amongst the three of them. [Say this in your best David Letterman voice] Here in my left hand I hold . . . TWENTY single socks. Yes, twenty. If my girls would find the other twenty singles, they would have a boatload of socks instead of scratching to find any to wear, let alone ones that sort of go with what they are wearing.

I don't tend to lose little things like that, so it's hard for me to understand. Ahem, unless it is a set of knitting needles and a ball of cotton yarn
still in the JoAnn bag that I bought so my friend could teach me to knit and I have no idea what happened to it.

My meager harvest

Butternut squash was my big producer this year, and except for great basil, just about the ONLY thing I got. I haven't figured out how to grow in Arizona yet.

The odd thing is that when I micro-cook my butternuts I always notice a waxy coating that seems to melt once the squash gets hot. I assumed it was a protective wax coating put on by the processing place. NOT! The squash straight from the garden have it too! Aren't butternut squash smart to coat themselves with that?

Thses are 3 of the 5 I got from a few seeds I planted from a squash we ate around planting time.

I thought I'd have lots of fresh fruit to cut up for a party we're having this afternoon (last pool party for the year as the pool is already starting to cool off) as today is Bountiful Baskets pick up day. As I was pulling on my clothes at 4:50 this morning to go help with the distribution, I realized I didn't receive a confirmation email after putting in my order. Then I remembered that when I clicked on the "order now" button, I got a funny message, but still thought it was processing. They have emphasized over and over to click the "order now" button only once, or I will be charged for and will own more than one basket of produce. I did all that as I was heading out the door and didn't remember to check back when I got home.

I checked my account and sure enough, no order for today. Boo hoo. Now I'll have to go to the store and pay three times the price.

Early Halloween Party

Today the girls created a Halloween party in their room. I love it when they do that kind of thing!

First came Mummy Jaguar. That's "mummy" as in ancient Egypt, not "mummy" as in Australia or England.

Next came "Gost Bear," as the sign clearly reads. That's S's extremely favorite bear Cubbie dressed in a white undershirt and two white socks.

Traveling clockwise around the room we come to the Fortune Teller. I think the "crystal ball" and snake add a nice touch, don't you? That's Mummy Dog there on the right. I did have my fortune told and riches are predicted for my future.

Last, we visited Spiderman Lifeguard. Two years ago the girls went to Build A Bear Workshop and while C and S chose fluffy little dresses for their bears, E snagged a Spiderman costume for hers and could not be dissuaded. So her pretty pink bear wears a Spiderman outfit when she get dressed up.

I'm sure the burning question here is: What precipitated all this interest in Halloween on September 16th? Here is a teaser: