in all seriousness...

if you had been around me this past week during my eye injury, treatment and snail's pace recuperation, you would have heard plenty of jokes about getting a service dog, signing up for braille quilting and the like.  all kidding aside, i was more than a tiny bit frightened about this problem.  when i could not use my eye or open it even, i quickly realized how limited my life was.  i spent a few days just listening to radio and TV, not being able to do any visual things in my normal routine.  it made me even more in awe of one of my heroes, helen keller.  though she had never really known sight or hearing, it must have been like living in a dark, silent cave.  without my normal bilateral vision, i felt like i was in a dark cave, shunned, ostracized, cut off from the normal seeing world.  i'm still not quite back to my usual seeing tasks (last sunday's paper is still waiting), but i can't imagine i'll take any of them for granted.....not ever....and i am more mindful of protecting my eyes in potentially harmful situations i'd have otherwise ignored. 

plenty left

in maine or coming soon?  rest assured there is still plenty of lobster around for delicious eating.  this summer of lobster glut, many lobstermen were selling direct to the public to get the most money from their catch.  we are fortunate to have many of these independent sellers locally so the price doesn't fluctuate as much.  since our last purchase, our seller has only increased 30 cents per pound, still far below many retailers.  this particular batch cost less than 2 pounds of sirloin tips.  **** no sewing at all to report, still chained to the eyedrops every hour on the hour, and well worth it too i say...much improvement since one week ago.  still, itchin' to be stitchin'.....

PA packing

even with only 1 good eye, i can fondle fabric!  the big project for the upcoming retreat is the civil war diary quilt.  i think i have 3 of the 121 blocks done...that's it.  so, plenty more to do.  i've printed the foundations, packed them up along with the book and CD.  next task was to choose the fabrics i wanted to take for this task.  sure, i could have bought more but i really didn't need to.  so, i've narrowed it down to these 2 totes of repro fabrics; the one on the right is all jo morton fabrics.  this should be enough and will hopefully make a serious dent in both the stash AND the blocks needed to complete this quilt.  it's a big one, unusual for me, but i am, of course (no surprise) late coming to the civil war diary quilt party.  *****  and welcome back to the quilty part of this blog.  i've more eye appointments tomorrow but (keeping fingers crossed) so far so good.

the culprit?

not sure but likely could be.  just to the front right is my sewing machine, and just to the front left is the TV and in front of that is laptop.  possibly some debris blew in from the parking lot and got lodged in my eye.  at today's MD visit, 6th in 6 days, am finally making progress toward healing.  not back to full use yet, but maybe by weekend.  slept thru night for the first time since thursday.  kudos to my mom for bearing the total cooking, cleaning, errand tasks, not to mention banking and mailing chores for me and chauffeuring to and from medical appointments.  and because we live in a cramped apartment, when i don't sleep well, often it wakes her as well.  for a couple of sleep deprived zombies, we're doing ok!  i confess, i was frightened but now see that all will be well in time.  with my vacation a mere 5+ weeks away, it was scary, but back to making my lists and checking 'em twice!

just call me jackie...

as in jackie sparrow OR....finding yet another way to use up the solid stash!  please ignore the hair disarray, you don't see jack sparrow running around with brush and mousse either.  seriously, to give comfort to my ailing sinister eye, the pupil has been chemically dilated.  it is imperative to cover that eye unless one enjoys losing lunch the unpleasant way.  i am in near visual drydock, unable to do much of anything that requires 2 good, equally focused eyes.  i can't type for very long either, so this is a short post.  this is a lemons to lemonade moment and one of those days that takes a bit of fortitude to enjoy.  even so, i am thankful it isn't worse, is fixable and that i have access to medical care, all too aware that many cannot say the same, even in this great country. 

forced hiatus

a nagging,obstinate, dragging-its-foot eye problem has me temporarily disabled.  i fear the worst, of course, who wouldn't, but counting on modern medicine to save the day.  all swaps, sewing, work, TV, blogging, etc on hold...makes for interesting clothing combinations!  until later....

they're heeeeere!

they arrived yesterday, my little stash of jo morton's "leesburg" fabrics.  i know, doesn't seem like much but i restrained myself.  my tote of jo's fabrics is already full and i have no more room to add another tote.  the shelves are full of shoeboxes filled with fabric and UFOs.  course, when i see the whole line in person, i might be tempted to pick up a few more.  seeing them online gives me a good idea but seeing them up close is always better. i know, i did say i wasn't fond of green but these will fit right into the stash.   also with the "leesburg" were 4 indigo FQs for my scrappy as i didn't have quite enough for my project.  **** spent most of yesterday working on my ocean wave units.  although i seem to have plenty of solids, my blue solids are woefully scant.  before adding more, though, i'll cut up what i can.  i really need to thin out the drawer.  it is a tease to fondle the fabric, though, because i dreamed up a couple more small projects using the solids that i want to start.  they'll get jotted down in the notebook for future reference.  *** another gorgeous early september day here in coastal maine.  these late summer/pre autumn days can't be beat. 

up for sale

whoops!  ended up with 2 of these companion angle rulers and am offering the extra for sale.  it's used, so are there any takers for $4 including first class shipping from south portland, maine?  i'll pack it well and you can e-mail me if interested.  ****  a nice summer day here, yes it's still summer for now.  working on my ocean waves flimsy in the sunny and cool air.  **** many other bloggers read, as do i, and can recommend a recent finish...."defending jacob," a real contemporary thriller without too much gore or violence.  it's similar to another i can recommend, "the end of everything."  so grateful to my mom who raised a family of readers, now seeing the next generation of library groupies.  and thank you, andrew carnegie, for investing in libraries, certainly money well spent!

2 for 2

rather than keep a separate calendar to document quilting time, i'm just using the one i currently have.  i've marked 2 days with an "X" to indicate that i've quilted at least 1 hour each of those days.  and does it really say September?  even if it didn't, the cooler air would give it away.  ****  rain is due here but no drops yet.  a few housekeeping tasks and then....who knows?

i'm in!

bonnie has thrown down the gauntlet for a quilting challenge and i am definitely in!  i would like to get this quilt done before the end of the month; it's over half done at this point.  i'll certainly give it a serious try.  **** just back from a delish breakfast in boothbay harbor.  up early and out the door for a scenic drive and breakfast overlooking the harbor.  we go a few times during the summer just for a brief visit to this picturesque village.  **** i've a paid holiday today and it feels soooo rich!  i'll get my hour of quilting in no problem, and not sure what else either.  yesterday i cut out the remaining little baskets to hand piece, and i've finished 2 more of the red applique squares as well.  **** count down is now 6 weeks and 6 days....maps have been ordered, projects are packed, last minute shopping list is started, and the taste of fall in the air today has me eager to go.  hard to believe this was booked in february and the time is nearly here.