Goals for 2007

Put Christmas decorations away today and the house looks back to normal again. Tetsu spent a couple of hours out in the yard too.
Ok. About goals for 2007.

1. Hand quilt the Autumn Blossom quilt
2. Machine piece and machine quilt the Star of David quilt
3. Hand piece one feathered star block a month
4. Machine piece one Prayer and Square quilt top a month

The above are all in some sort of limbo as being half made or cut etc.

1. Machine piece Tonya's word quilt with batks
2. Machine piece a Gratitude quilt of one of Judy's hour a month quilts
3. Of course, head the Bazaar Quilt for this year's kindergarten bazaar. (I've got to get some ideas going for that.)

Ok. That's a short list. I'm sure I'll add to it as I go along. How do I put a list in the sidebar?

Goals for 2007

Put Christmas decorations away today and the house looks back to normal again. Tetsu spent a couple of hours out in the yard too.
Ok. About goals for 2007.

1. Hand quilt the Autumn Blossom quilt
2. Machine piece and machine quilt the Star of David quilt
3. Hand piece one feathered star block a month
4. Machine piece one Prayer and Square quilt top a month

The above are all in some sort of limbo as being half made or cut etc.

1. Machine piece Tonya's word quilt with batks
2. Machine piece a Gratitude quilt of one of Judy's hour a month quilts
3. Of course, head the Bazaar Quilt for this year's kindergarten bazaar. (I've got to get some ideas going for that.)

Ok. That's a short list. I'm sure I'll add to it as I go along. How do I put a list in the sidebar?

Houdini

I think we're going to have to rename Choco to "Houdini". After yesterday morning's chase I put her in the kennel and then went to Kanseki to buy a HARNESS. I figured that would keep her at home. I was surprised to see how tight the harness was on her and even contemplated buying a larger one. Tight or not, I put it on her and went about my afternoon. An hour or so later she is dragging the harness around and she is only attached by the chain collar that I'd also connected her lead to. "How did you get out of the harness?!" I put it on her again and a few minutes later I found she had gotten one leg free. I tightened the harness even more and felt sorry for her.

This morning I was explaining the escapades to Tetsu and after our walk put her back in the harness plus the chain collar and we went in to breakfast. When Tetsu was leaving for work.... NO CHOCO!! She'd slipped her harness again and this time had gotten out of the choke chain collar too. Off Tetsu and I went looking for her, he in the car, me running through the forest again. He found her first and tricked her into getting into the car. From there, back she went into the kennel. A little later I took her to Yabe-sensei feeling very foolish. Why ask a vet what you can do about a dog that escapes from its collar and harness? Not much advice he could give me except to build her a fenced in enclosure. She's in the house for now...

I spent about an hour on the Star of David quilt and got most of the star done and some of the log cabin diamonds. I will try to work on it an hour a day and see how much I can do. Besides the fact that I get mixed up on what colors I planned to use where, it is going pretty well.

And here is a picture of the bag that Marlene gave me this summer with all our pictures in it.

Tomorrow I will sit down and think about my goals for next year.

Houdini

I think we're going to have to rename Choco to "Houdini". After yesterday morning's chase I put her in the kennel and then went to Kanseki to buy a HARNESS. I figured that would keep her at home. I was surprised to see how tight the harness was on her and even contemplated buying a larger one. Tight or not, I put it on her and went about my afternoon. An hour or so later she is dragging the harness around and she is only attached by the chain collar that I'd also connected her lead to. "How did you get out of the harness?!" I put it on her again and a few minutes later I found she had gotten one leg free. I tightened the harness even more and felt sorry for her.

This morning I was explaining the escapades to Tetsu and after our walk put her back in the harness plus the chain collar and we went in to breakfast. When Tetsu was leaving for work.... NO CHOCO!! She'd slipped her harness again and this time had gotten out of the choke chain collar too. Off Tetsu and I went looking for her, he in the car, me running through the forest again. He found her first and tricked her into getting into the car. From there, back she went into the kennel. A little later I took her to Yabe-sensei feeling very foolish. Why ask a vet what you can do about a dog that escapes from its collar and harness? Not much advice he could give me except to build her a fenced in enclosure. She's in the house for now...

I spent about an hour on the Star of David quilt and got most of the star done and some of the log cabin diamonds. I will try to work on it an hour a day and see how much I can do. Besides the fact that I get mixed up on what colors I planned to use where, it is going pretty well.

And here is a picture of the bag that Marlene gave me this summer with all our pictures in it.

Tomorrow I will sit down and think about my goals for next year.

Catching Choco

Well, extra exercise today although thankfully not for any great length of time. Choco slipped her collar again and one of the neighbors noticed her in the forest. Off I went with collar and leash in hand running through the forest calling her. I finally spotter her racing down the road from the rabbit farm. Oh gosh! I'd better go check and see if she did any harm there! She was back near the neighborhood when I finally caught up with her but she wasn't about to come to me when I called her! Off she raced down the street so I got the car and started looking for her in the neighborhood. After two times around I finally found her and she warily came and got in the car after circling it a few times. What a morning! I am definitely going to go buy a harness for her today!

As for handwork, I finally finished the dumb socks I was working on. What a long project and I really didn't have such a great time doing it. I don't think I'll try socks again for awhile. I'm not even too happy with them and numerous times I was considering throwing the project in the garbage. I don't like to half finish things though, so even though it was a waste of time, I spent hours on them yesterday and they are done! Will I ever wear them? Who knows.

Catching Choco

Well, extra exercise today although thankfully not for any great length of time. Choco slipped her collar again and one of the neighbors noticed her in the forest. Off I went with collar and leash in hand running through the forest calling her. I finally spotter her racing down the road from the rabbit farm. Oh gosh! I'd better go check and see if she did any harm there! She was back near the neighborhood when I finally caught up with her but she wasn't about to come to me when I called her! Off she raced down the street so I got the car and started looking for her in the neighborhood. After two times around I finally found her and she warily came and got in the car after circling it a few times. What a morning! I am definitely going to go buy a harness for her today!

As for handwork, I finally finished the dumb socks I was working on. What a long project and I really didn't have such a great time doing it. I don't think I'll try socks again for awhile. I'm not even too happy with them and numerous times I was considering throwing the project in the garbage. I don't like to half finish things though, so even though it was a waste of time, I spent hours on them yesterday and they are done! Will I ever wear them? Who knows.

Day with the Yamadas

Had a great day with Marlene and family despite the rain and my having to make two trips over there. I went at lunchtime and chatted, hurried back home only to realize that I'd left my coat. She's going back to Tokyo so I knew I had to get that coat that day but I had to teach and then had to go to the dentist. Around 5:30 I called but she wasn't in and finally around 6:30 I contacted her and said I was coming back over. She invited me to stay for dinner so there I was again. Great time talking with Erika and Eugene too and even had a little time to chat with Kohei after he came back. Too bad Tetsu wasn't able to come over too. No cooking for me yesterday!

Day with the Yamadas

Had a great day with Marlene and family despite the rain and my having to make two trips over there. I went at lunchtime and chatted, hurried back home only to realize that I'd left my coat. She's going back to Tokyo so I knew I had to get that coat that day but I had to teach and then had to go to the dentist. Around 5:30 I called but she wasn't in and finally around 6:30 I contacted her and said I was coming back over. She invited me to stay for dinner so there I was again. Great time talking with Erika and Eugene too and even had a little time to chat with Kohei after he came back. Too bad Tetsu wasn't able to come over too. No cooking for me yesterday!

Christmas present

Look at the great blanket that Marcy sent me for Christmas! It's enough to make me want to give up quilting! It's so warm and soft and of course the print sent me into ecstasy! I absolutely love it! I'm going to have to get Marcy to teach me how she makes it when I see her next summer. Happy me!!!

From Tetsu I got a lovely new Patchwork book. A man who knows my heart! Now maybe since Christmas is over I'll get the present of time to do some of the handwork I want to do!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas present

Look at the great blanket that Marcy sent me for Christmas! It's enough to make me want to give up quilting! It's so warm and soft and of course the print sent me into ecstasy! I absolutely love it! I'm going to have to get Marcy to teach me how she makes it when I see her next summer. Happy me!!!

From Tetsu I got a lovely new Patchwork book. A man who knows my heart! Now maybe since Christmas is over I'll get the present of time to do some of the handwork I want to do!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas...

Christmas Day and I feel a bit of a Scrooge. The Eve service went ok except that I bombed out completely. I couldn't hold a tune worth a penny and made a complete fool of myself. I suppose God wanted to remind me that I have no talent whatsoever and whenever I do sing and manage to sing well it is all because of Him. I would prefer to forget last nights horrid performance.

We had cold store chicken for dinner since I didn't cook dinner. I'm not sure why. I had time, it was just that we lazed around the house all afternoon not doing a thing. Tetsu watching stupid TV. Me reading a good buy depressing book. I never thought about dinner. In the back of my mind I had thought we might go out for late ramen after the service, but it was cold chicken straight from the pack.

Tetsu started watching TV after the skimpy meal and by 10:30 I just went to bed. No opening Christmas presents which there were only a few anyway. I knitted Tetsu a sweater but he's seen it and it's been hanging on the door for a month. Besides that I only bought him trunks and socks so there was nothing for him to get excited about anyway and nothing that I felt good about giving him. He had wanted to go buy me shoes somewhere but it was too much bother to go out looking and it would have irritated him if I'd looked and then didn't decide on something. I'd rather shop myself. So much for Christmas....

Christmas...

Christmas Day and I feel a bit of a Scrooge. The Eve service went ok except that I bombed out completely. I couldn't hold a tune worth a penny and made a complete fool of myself. I suppose God wanted to remind me that I have no talent whatsoever and whenever I do sing and manage to sing well it is all because of Him. I would prefer to forget last nights horrid performance.

We had cold store chicken for dinner since I didn't cook dinner. I'm not sure why. I had time, it was just that we lazed around the house all afternoon not doing a thing. Tetsu watching stupid TV. Me reading a good buy depressing book. I never thought about dinner. In the back of my mind I had thought we might go out for late ramen after the service, but it was cold chicken straight from the pack.

Tetsu started watching TV after the skimpy meal and by 10:30 I just went to bed. No opening Christmas presents which there were only a few anyway. I knitted Tetsu a sweater but he's seen it and it's been hanging on the door for a month. Besides that I only bought him trunks and socks so there was nothing for him to get excited about anyway and nothing that I felt good about giving him. He had wanted to go buy me shoes somewhere but it was too much bother to go out looking and it would have irritated him if I'd looked and then didn't decide on something. I'd rather shop myself. So much for Christmas....

Who would've thought it!

What a surprise last night to find that my two jr. high third year boys wanted to try their hand at sewing! I had put away all the decoration materials that I had used the two classes before (interestingly, the 4th grade girls found the project very boring and narry a peep out of all four of them practically the whole hour) and when the boys came I hesitantly asked if they wanted to go ahead with regular English study or if they wanted to sew. They opted for sewing so out came the materials again and did they go to town! Much more creative than any of my other classes and they really seemed to have a good time! Not too many mishaps (it took a couple of tries before they got the hang of holding onto the thread as well as the needle) and they seemed quite proud of themselves. "Maybe I'll hang this from my book bag. No one will believe I made it myself." Felt good about the evening and while they sewed I read them a book we had been reading together and did the translation myself instead of asking them to do it. Well, sort of an English evening. I gave sewing instructions in English.

Who would've thought it!

What a surprise last night to find that my two jr. high third year boys wanted to try their hand at sewing! I had put away all the decoration materials that I had used the two classes before (interestingly, the 4th grade girls found the project very boring and narry a peep out of all four of them practically the whole hour) and when the boys came I hesitantly asked if they wanted to go ahead with regular English study or if they wanted to sew. They opted for sewing so out came the materials again and did they go to town! Much more creative than any of my other classes and they really seemed to have a good time! Not too many mishaps (it took a couple of tries before they got the hang of holding onto the thread as well as the needle) and they seemed quite proud of themselves. "Maybe I'll hang this from my book bag. No one will believe I made it myself." Felt good about the evening and while they sewed I read them a book we had been reading together and did the translation myself instead of asking them to do it. Well, sort of an English evening. I gave sewing instructions in English.

Socks are not going well.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show. Still running around. Still have lots of plans in my head but not many get done. I wonder if I should figure out how to make a list along side of this blog so I can mark things off as they get started etc. I found a neat Star of David quilt on Calico Cats blog so I've printed it out but I don't know if or when I'll get it started.
Yesterday evening I spent about an hour trying to put a heel into a sock that I was working on. I put it in three times only to find a miscount so I'd rip out and start over. Do it again, the same miscount so rip again. Do it a third time and the same thing so I gave up. I wonder what I'm doing wrong. I was trying to watch TV at the same time so maybe I just got confused. Should I be so brazen as to suggest that the directions are off? I'll try it again today when I can concentrate a bit.

Socks are not going well.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to show. Still running around. Still have lots of plans in my head but not many get done. I wonder if I should figure out how to make a list along side of this blog so I can mark things off as they get started etc. I found a neat Star of David quilt on Calico Cats blog so I've printed it out but I don't know if or when I'll get it started.
Yesterday evening I spent about an hour trying to put a heel into a sock that I was working on. I put it in three times only to find a miscount so I'd rip out and start over. Do it again, the same miscount so rip again. Do it a third time and the same thing so I gave up. I wonder what I'm doing wrong. I was trying to watch TV at the same time so maybe I just got confused. Should I be so brazen as to suggest that the directions are off? I'll try it again today when I can concentrate a bit.

More Decorations

Christmas decoration making has been going well, but I don't have any more pictures since basically the little hearts all turn out the same. But the kids have been doing a great job of sewing sequins and beads and generally making their hear unique. As a surprise, I offered two ladies classes the choice of studying or making the ornament and they chose the ornament! So... I gave them free rein and they all sewed to their hearts' content. Yesterday I had to cut more felt because I hadn't expected the ladies to be so enthusiastic. Tomorrow I have 8 kids to provide materials for and then I think I am done with Christmas decoration making this year.
As for myself. I'm trying to make leg warmers. The yarn is leftover stuff that isn't a bit interesting. I could have been more inspiring and bought myself some fun yarn but I need to use this up anyway and who knows if the things are going to be wearable. Anyway, no pictures of that project just because it is boring. Maybe if and when I finish.

Decorations going well.

Hey! My Christmas decoration class went reall well! The 3rd graders didn't really understand how to weave the hearts so that was pretty much a bunch of private work but they did a great job of sewing beads on. I had cut out all the felt pieces and just had ribbon and beads and needle and thread ready for them. Only Yasuaki was interested in doing it in Christmas colors but they all turned out well. Did it again last night with Shiori-chan my high school student who played along but I'm not sure she enjoyed herself. Oh well, give her a taste of Christmas tradition.

Christmas party

Christmas party at church was fun. I wrapped up the coasters I had made that morning and that was my gift exchange. I don't know if the person who got them will ever use them or even thinks they were so great but I am glad I got them done.

Kaoru-san gave me the cutest little mobile yesterday and I've hung it from the dining room light though maybe the cats are going to find it and play with it there. I can't get a good picture of it because of all the stuff on the walls but you get an idea. I think Kaoru-san said that she sent the same thing to Leiya.

Went to the Yano-san's Obaachan's wake last night with Tetsu. As wakes go it was quite nice though I don't like all the chanting and gonging done by the buddhist priest. (It's not my funeral so I guess they can do what they want...) Obaachan was 87 so except for Kyoko-san not too many people were sad.

Today I've got to get the Christmas decoration preparation done for the 4:00 class. That may be a disaster since they can't even cut on lines (At third grade!). Little felt hearts are the plan for today with them sewing beads for decorations. This may be a woeful blog tomorrow!

Grief and Customs

No quilting or sewing or anything though I think I had wanted to make some more coasters tonight. That may not happen. Last night Yano-san called to say her mother had died so I went over to pay my condolences. Mrs. Yano has had her mother at home for the past two months and was "force" feeding her just to keep her alive. Obaachan hasn't really been in this world for a year now. Things were going along well and the whole reason Obaachan came home was so she could die surrounded by her family. Still... Kyoko-san was very upset and wishing she could have done more. Obaachan was laid out on the floor in the room where she had had her hospital bed and there was an altar behind her and a smaller altar for burning insense. The family was having some argument about how there should be a mountain of rice dumplings on the altar instead of the measly 6 that the funeral people brought. They determined it didn't really matter. They also didn't like the plywood altar the funeral people had brought but what can they do about it now. Another argument about the flower rings will be displayed and whose name should be printed. All these things that I don't understand even though I've lived here 30 years.