Wow Carolyn!!!  I haven't been here for a week so I'm just reading your great news about you ear healing on its own.  That is wonderful.  Now you will be able to hear us talking about you from across the room at the retreat...

Only how much we LOVE our princess though!

Your Kyphoplasty surgery sounds like a great solution for you.  I trust all goes as planned.

Thanks for sharing the holiday motifs quilting motifs links by Lori Kennedy you shared.   One thing Shelley keeps reminding me, and is SO right, is that I have to practice, practice, doodle on paper and/or whiteboard and practice some more.  My brain can see a pattern and understand how simple the design is but the muscles don'e understand the same thing.  it take time to make that connection.

Hi all!  

I've been offline and busier that a one legged gal in a but* kicking contest!  We have been in Ft. Collins CO since flying in Weds 10/21.  First thing DH made sure we did Weds PM after we checked in to our hotel was to get me a super warm coat and boots.  Goal accomplished!!  I will keep those items here so I will always have them at the ready. 

We finalized details, interviewed a potential architect on Th and then did the final walk through and final live signing of papers on the property we purchased firs thing Friday morning the 23rd.  The 16.8 acres basically is in the middle of farmland.  It has a 2500sf single story house that we will use as a very livable home away from home (think beach head) as we develop the plan and the property over the next 2-3 years as we transition from CA to CO.  Then Friday afternoon began a 1 1/2 day shopping marathon!!  Oh my!!  Nope NO fabric stops.  We shopped quickly for essential furniture (basically chairs to sit on) as we only had a cold, hard brick hearth to sit on or the floor.  Of course, none of the items we needed were at the local warehouse 8 minutes away but all available at the warehouse 1/2 hour away.  SO...  our plan...  DH and DS would need to make to make 2-3 trip for the items (depending on if in boxes etc) and I needed to do shopping for bedding, kitchen needs and food to hunker down as we stay put as the snow begins and snows all day Sunday and possibly Monday.  So they dropped me at a dropped me off at a large super store and I began and they too off down the Interstate.  DJ and I stayed in touch via text and I filled two shopping carts in 3 hours!!!  I was exhausted and my feet were killing me!!   DH had to give me a boost to get me up into the big SUV we had rented in anticipation of all we were going to have to carry in it throughout our stay!

This weekend has been a great introduction for this born and raised CA girl as we began shopping for household items and basic furniture Friday afternoon through Saturday night before the snow was to begin falling a midnight. Undoing all he boxes and bags of stuff and putting furniture together etc we've had Styrofoam, plastic bags, packing materials and cardboard everywhere!!  But by finally by last evening I got all the bags and boxes off the counters off the counters and after dinner I could turn off the lights and look around and realize it was the first time it was all neat and clean.  Ahhhh...

This morning David finished opening the last of what we picked up yesterday and took all the boxes and plastic out to the garage to get rid of!  The general living area and the bedrooms and office area are all looking quite put together and functional.  So I think when we leave tomorrow we can be satisfied and walk in on a comfortable home when we return next time.  With a sewing machine too!!  

Wow Judy sounds like you got a lot done. You also got to experience the crazy Front Range weather first hand. The snow was much appreciated in helping with the Colorado fires.

Judy:  I am really excited for you and the family.  I can hear the excitement in your post and it's very contagious!  Hopefully the house has a fire place and you can look forward to many a cozy evening.

Yes. We will return to home to CA tomorrow (Weds) slightly exhausted as we've rested a little on these last couple of snowy, cold days inside.  We've gotten stuff put away and cleaned up.  So all we have to do tomorrow is pack, vacuum and straighten up and walk out.  Then it will be ready for us to just walk back into next time we come.  Gotta get a washer and dryer though...

Thanks so much Yetta!  We are excited.  DJ likes being able to have a bedroom and a separate "office" area he can use to focus on school work while inside.  It seems to help him feel like he does as he is on campus and goes to specific areas away from his dorm to study.  We do chuckle when he walks into the kitchen or listens to a lecture and goes into the kitchen and makes a sandwich or is in his small group team and discussing their small group project and he wanders throughout the empty living room.  We wouldn't be surprised if he decides to do next semester from CO virtually instead of CA! 

uuuhhh....  It's too late.  I've only been at it for a month and I'm hooked and obsessed.  I may not stay up that late at night, but my housework and quilting is being neglected.  How dare DH expect dinner to be on the table when he gets home?  I haven't found much on my mom's side.  Both her parents came over from Austria/Hungary just before WWI.  But my dad's side is a treasure trove of info.  Fortunately several folks have done lots of research and submitted it to Ancestry.com so I'm finding all sorts of interesting things.  One of my greats sold horses to General Braddock  under George Washington.  I'm also surprised I'm from a long line of Quakers and they were good about documenting just about everything.  I have a long way to go!  I did find a first cousin that I used to play with, but they moved to AZ When I was 7 and haven't heard from since.  It was so fun to contact her.  Sadly, we are the last two on that side of my family.  I sure wish I would have asked my parents or grandparents more about our family history.  I have been printing off tons of stuff (wow--the price of ink cartridges has gone up!) so I can sit and go over.  It takes me forever to scroll and click and I also know that if the computer crashes, I'm safe.  I understand your passion!

Wow, Judy! Culture shock! Sounds like you were busy!!! "busier than a one legged gall in a butt kicking contest" I had to LOL! :P <3

Can hear the excitement of the adventure in your writing.  

FYI regarding warm boots, most of them don't have good arch support and some don't have much support at all.

Jo