is my child the only weird one in the world?

He's playing video games in a laundry bucket.  Is this normal?

Broken quilting machines

I stopped by Carla's today to drop off my empty dog food bags.  She is going to make reusable shopping bags out of them.  I also had to return the lavendar fabric she let me use for the baby quilt I made for my friend's grand daughter.  It had been sitting here forever, waiting patiently to be returned.

Carla was telling me about her troubles with her quilting machine.  Seems she just wore it out!  After 350 quilts in 6 months the poor thing just gave up.  Burned out, got tired.  My quilting machine did about the same thing.  Problem is, hers can be fixed with just a new motor.  Mine can't be fixed as easily.  You see, mine runs on shoulder power.  Hers on a robotic brain.  My shoulder still kills me every time I try to do anything with it.  Grade papers, work on the computer, push a shopping cart, cut the rose bushes.  I wish my quilting troubles were as easy to fix as Carla's.

But, I can tell you she is just as frustrated as I am.  Why do these machines (or body parts) break down when we have the time to be quilting?  She has some time off this week and is raring to go!  She has piles of quilt tops stacked neatly near her machine, just waiting to be quilted and ready for a child to love.  My troubles started at the beginning of summer, when I had lots of time to quilt.  I've been resting for months, hoping that rest and time would heal.  Neither of us is a happy camper right now, but in time, things will get better.

But, Carla has been sneaky.  She has been going down to the local quilt shop and giving demonstrations on their quilting machine.  It is the same machine that she has at home and so while her machine is taking a much needed vacation, Carla is still able to get a little quilting time in.  And she is getting the lady at the quilt shop hooked on quitling too!  We always laugh at how addicting quilting can be.  We often compare outselves to drug dealers.  The first lesson/bit of fabric/quilt will be free, but then you will come back for more and more and soon, you just can't stop thinking about your next quilt and you will be hooked.  But, quilting brings you the best friends too.

Could you vote for my friend?

She is in a contest for some free toys for her girls.  She was the preschool teacher for my younger daughter (who is now 16).  The best thing about the picture is she actually got her husband to wear the silly hat!  He is in the military and serves our country proudly.  I can only imagine the teasing he will be getting from his fellow service members when they find out about this picture :).

It just takes a second if you are already a member of Facebook to like her picture.  Voting ends on Thanksgiving and is another way to say Thanks to our troops (well, sort of anyways).

Here's the link to vote Just click on it, find this picture and click on that and then 'like' the picture.  Simple.  You must be logged into Facebook in order to vote.  Thanks friends!

Call for quilts

My blogging friend Alycia is calling for quilts for our wounded soldiers.  If you have any quilts that are about twin size and can send them to her pretty quickly, she could really use the help.  They don't need to be patriotic colors, she can use pretty much anything to give to the soldiers to say thanks for their service.  Take a look at her blog and see if you have something you've made that fits the need.  I know the feeling.  So many people, so little time!

the bucket is empty...almost

Yesterday, I took the last of the quilts to church to have my friend Wendy take to the kids at CPS.  Or, at least I thought they were the last of the quilts.  When I got home, I found 3 more quilts hiding.  I can never seem to get rid of all of the quilts at one time.  Oh, well, the buckets are almost empty.  Time to fill them up again!  Good thing we are having a few work days during the month of November and I have quite a few quilt tops waiting for me once I finish grading lab books.  That is a never ending process around here :)

motivation

I just gave away about 100 quilts.  There is another lady in my city that is making blankets for the various homeless shelters and kid programs and the local newspaper did an article on her about a month ago.  I tried to contact her, but couldn't figure out how to get ahold of her.  Then, my friend Carla got in touch with her.  I knew Carla would figure out a way.  Turns out, she used to teach at the middle school that feeds into my high school.  What is it about teachers and quilting and charity giving?  Is it a genetic thing?

Well, she is retired now and has the time to make deliveries for me!  Woo Hoo!  We just loaded up her car and I still have more quilts here in case anyone calls and says they need some or an emergency comes up, but I have my living room back :)

Now, I feel motivated to get back to quilting again.  I just hope my shoulder cooperates!  She says she has shoulder troubles too and thinks it is from writing on the board and grading papers.  Hmmm, maybe I should give up those activities!  Sounds like a good plan to me.

Trying to understand

I teach high school.  This year has really been kicking my butt.  I've got the same number of students as last year and teach the same subjects, relatively.  I teach 4 periods of freshmen Earth science and 1 period of honors sophomore science.  I have a different schedule where I go in later and teach later in the day.  That way I can take my youngest to school in the morning.  He really likes this.  He goes home with a friend after school.  Soon, tennis season will be over and my daughter can pick him up after school.  He will love being able to come home after school to relax and hang out and play video games or whatever.

But what I don't understand is why this year is so much harder than every other year I've ever taught.  Or, at least it seems to be that way.

I'm always bringing home work to grade.  Part of that is because I can't read without my glasses anymore.  And, I refuse to wear my glasses in public.  Because I can't see, I can't grade at school.  I used to be able to grade while the kids were working, but now I can't see to read.  One day, I will just have to break out the glasses and admit I'm old.  But not today.

The other thing I'm just not understanding is the parenting.  I have kids who are failing my classes.  These parents call and want a parent conference.  The parents call, they make an appointment, they come to the school and because I have a late class to teach, I don't get done until 3:11.  I have had so many parents this year who will not wait for me to finish teaching.  Yesterday, the parent left at 3:10.  Her child told her I was coming over to talk to her and she said she couldn't wait for me.  Today I had another conference and the parent left right before I got there.  This has happened about 10 times this year.  I have never had this happen to me and I've taught the late class before.  I just don't understand.  I've had parents not show up for conferences before, but to show up and then not have the time to wait 5 minutes?  I just don't understand.

Are we all in such a hurry these days that we don't have time for our kids?  I'm just worn out from the stress of trying to figure all of this out.

I think I will just take a break, make a quilt and then take a nap.  My daughter comes home for a few days on Sunday.  I can't wait to see her!

wow, really?

I have been doing some quilting, even though I have been so busy with school and grading.  I come home every day so tired from all of the work at school, but somehow managed to find time to get these quilts done this week.  I even surprised myself when I looked on the camera.  Cool!  I am still alive :)  I even have pictures to prove it!

This one was quilted for the Quilt guild to be given to the local crisis center.  Feels good to be able to contribute to the guild.  I'm so busy that I haven't been to many meetings since joining.

Binky Sunday

Today was Binky Sunday and although I forgot the camera at home, I did manage to snap a picture on my phone.  The ladies played with my Go! fabric cutter and sewed together these drunkard's path blocks.  One lady took them home to sew together with the rest of the blocks that were cut out and will bring them back next time when the top is all sewn together.  We were just messing around with the layout so who knows what the final quilt will look like.  I just love love love this block and the many design patterns you can come up with. And Karen had so much fun sewing the pieces together.  The first thing she asked was, who has a pin?  I showed her how easy it was to sew it together without pins because of the little notches in the block.  She has the Go! cutter on her Christmas list :)

no quilting, just grading and Binky Sunday today

It's been almost 2 weeks since I posted and no quilting has been going on.  Very sad :(  I've been very busy at work, grading and grading and grading.  I don't like it when I have to give up quilting for working.  There are just some times of the year when school takes over my life and I have to work on the weekends.  Teaching is a great career and there are a lot of times when you have time off, but then there are times when you work 16 hours on the weekend just to catch up to get further behind.  I wouldn't trade my job for any other, except maybe a zoo keeper.  I always wanted to be a zoo keeper or animal trainer.  I never could get my dog to fetch, so I'm not sure how well I would do at that, but I always thought that would be fun to work with wild animals.

Today is Binky Sunday and we will be at A Quilted Heart in Vacaville if anyone wants to stop by.  Carla will be demonstrating the robotic quilting machine they have in the shop for anyone who wants to stop by and see these fantastic machines.  Carla has a robotic machine and can really crank out the quilts!  I'm trying to get my son to make my quilting machine into a robot since he is in the robotics class at his high school this year.  He says by the time he graduates he will have figured out how to do it for me :)  Happy dancing!

I will be bringing my Go! cutter if anyone wants to try it out.  I know that once you get to play with it yourself, you will be hooked.  It cuts a quilt in just minutes and then you are ready for the really fun stuff--sewing and quilting.

I hope to remember to take some pictures today.  Usually I have too much fun and eventhough I bring my camera, forget to pull it out.  I'm looking forward to the break this afternoon from all of the grading and getting to spend some time with my Binky Buddies.