There and Back Again
August 12, 2012 In case you couldn't tell by the lack of postings here lately, I was on holidays. We went to visit my sister & brother-in-law in Iowa. (I know. Even the US Border Patrol guy wondered about that. If my sister wasn't so totally awesome - I'd trade her in for one who lives in like Paris or Rome. Or maybe even Africa!)
And by "went" I mean "drove" ... as in about 5,000 miles there and back. Whoever invented Nintendo DS and portable DVD players deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Seriously. Seven (very long) days of nothing but the license plate game would make even the Dalai Lama go completely mental!
Anyhow, we caught a little "Old Faithful" action in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
This was pretty cool, getting up close and personal with a bison - also in Yellowstone.
That's my pink elbow in the rearview mirror.
Apparently I was talking all soft & gentle-like to this guy when I was taking his picture. I was too busy hoping he wouldn't go psycho on our van to notice what I was saying. My kids thought it was hilarious.
And then said hi to these guys in South Dakota ...
As is appropriate for most children, mine were thoroughly unimpressed. I cut them some slack 'cause we're Canadian - or as my 9 year old said, "We're not United Statians, Mom!" But I know they'll thank us when they're older for the experience.
Ok. No more holiday photos. Promise. ;)
So now I'm home and totally overwhelmed with laundry and all the other stuff that piles up while one is away. I also need to spend some time with my girls - my sister sort of hogged them - (ok, that's not entirely true ... it's more a case of she's the amazingly fun aunt who takes them to the water park and has spa day and bakes apple pie for breakfast, and I'm just the boring mom who makes them empty the dishwasher and brush their teeth.)
Oh. And there is the small thing of me having some really big news to share with you VERY SOON!
So I'm here. Just not sure what the next few weeks look like - exactly. But I'll keep you posted (pun intended, tee hee).
And if I'm lucky I'll even get to work on her.
Now that she's all pinned, I can hardly wait to FMQ her.
I'm thinking pale pink thread.
Go figure.
(Ok, ok. Back to the 3rd of 957 loads of laundry. Whoever invented holiday laundry should be condemned to 20 years of listening to me sing!)
Reader Comments (22)
Welcome home! ;oD Love the pink thread for the quilting! Cannot wait to see how you quilt it and see it all finished! You have me so intrigued - never heard of the low volume quilts before! Be sure and grab a cup of tea in the midst of all the catching up! :O)
Tell your daughters that most of us United Statians love Canadians. Except of course for the French Canadian that I ran into in London in May. I was a good tourist and didn't bitch slap the boy. He was the only rude person we met on our whole travels in England and Ireland! But oh do we also love all the wild and wonderful places in Canada. It is no hardship to do 5,000 miles of road travel within your borders (given appropriate weather). Someday they will look back on the trip and remember more than Nintendo and movies.
Can't wait for your exciting news and I am already in the long line of folks to celebrate, congratulate, rejoice, etc.
Your quilt is looking gorgeous - have fun with the FMQ (in between filling/emptying the washer!). I can't wait to find out what your news is!!
You know, I'm still in holidays. Right now on Samos, Greece, after I left Turkey this morning. Sounds better than Iowa to me;-)
About the BIG NEWS ... I think I know something and I'm glad you finally spelling the beans;-) Hildy
Ah, yes. The holiday laundry pile. It seems to NEVER end! Glad you had a good trip! And I cannot wait for your Big News!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Oh, and I love you for making a hobbit reference. :)
sounds like a great trip! Can't vwait for the big news-yipee! We'll have to get caught up when the kids are back in school-and you're done your laundry =)
What do you want to go to Paris for?? That was an amazing trip!!!
Pink thread ~ really, so unlike you. ;)
V x
So glad to see you surface! I so look forward to your posts. I'm anxiously awaiting your big news. How long will you tease us?!! Can't wait to see your pink quilt! Welcome home from the great USA. I do hexagons on car rides. Amazing what I can accomplish. Anyhow, this Texan living in Kansas is glad you are back!!
definitely pink thread!! welcome back! ;p next time, offer to fly your sister to canada to avoid that loooong road trip. ;p
I've missed your daily posts! Glad you had a great trip...sounds fun, except for the lllllooooong drive. Can't wait to hear your news! The quilt will look wonderful with pink thread since there's so much pink in your whites - all pretty, btw. What kind of quilt machine do you have? I'm sure you've posted about it, but it's been a while and I forget. Wish I had one.
My mom had a friend who would just take all the holiday laundry to a laundromat and wash it all at once. Since leaving my house again always seems too much work I've never tried it, but perhaps my piles of laundry have just not been large enough. We got to go to Yellowstone this summer too. Did you hike the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone? That was our favorite!
I just discovered your blog and love it! I also love everything shabby! One question, are all of your quilts sewn by hand as your title suggests.?
Kathyk
I just love you ... just damn love you ... thank you for putting smile after smilie after smile on my face ... from the bottom of my heart - thank you! xoxoxoxo
Those bison pics are awesome!
Well, thank you for that mini vacation! Gosh the blue skies are gorgeous. Glad you're back safe and sound. So anxious to se HOW you will FMQ that gorgeous quilt.
Love your update on the quilt... can't believe you drove 5,000 miles and called it "vacation"!
I love the pink thread idea... are you gonna stitch in the ditch or free arm it? Such a nice quilt to quilt!
So happy you are back among us! 5,000 miles would do me in! Loved your pictures though. Did you think about your quilt at all? Loving that pink thread!!! What a good idea,take all the laundry to the laundromat all at once!!! Once and Done!
Did you visit any quilt shops?
Welcome back. Can't wait to see the finished quilt. Love the pink thread. Don't tease us too long with the news. And don't you wonder where all that laundry comes from? I mean after all, you weren't home. right?
The bison doesn't look that happy.. Glad you had a goood holiday. Looking forward to seeing you in the Pink again.
So pleased you have surfaced, was getting really concerned at the absence, and now that The Games are over was wondering what I was going to do without the (almost) daily fix of your lovely meanderings!! Can't wait for the big reveal, wonder what??? Have been inspired to make my own scrappy quilt but mine is all in 2.5 squares and no theme on colours just all mixed up of fabrics from the past 12 years, hope it works, not a lot of difference to the stash of leftovers though still looks as daunting as ever!
Glad you had a good holiday and I'm sure your daughters will appreciate having seen all those sights when they're older. I, too, was on holiday and visited what I think is the best part of Alberta - Calgary and Banff!
Ooooh....Road Trip! My idea of a great time -- and you went to some of my favorite places. Sounds like you had a great time. Good Luck with the laundry!!!