Random and Irrelevant Thoughts

This post is nothing but a random collection of thoughts. How unlike me. (*grin*) I want to begin by thanking my rheumatologist. She worked hard to bring relief to the agony I was living. I thank heaven every day for her. She gave me back my life.



This is the quilt I gave to my Rheumatologist
for giving me my life back.

The next thought that comes to mind is my Rogue's Gallery. I love family pictures. Keeping them in an album doesn't really suit me, because i never see them. So, i keep most of them tucked away, but i have many on display. The stairs between my main floor and second floor are circular, so as you come up the stairs, there are three walls which make a perfect display place for the pictures that I love. There are individual shots, family shots, pet pictures, group pictures, and even some collages. There is no order, none at all. I just whack them up wherever they fit. Frame color or size doesn't matter, neither does subject. Funny thing is, it works for me, and it makes me smile.

Left Hand Wall

Right Hand Wall

Center Wall
Bulletin boards for pictures sent by friends and rellies.

I do love my pictures, and have them all over the house.

The only thing worse than that are my books. I have stacks and piles of books in every room. No you can't borrow them, and no I'm not going to trade them in or sell them. The very idea! I AM shocked!

Okay, there may be something worse than pictures and books. Quilts and fabric, but that is an entirely different kettle of fish and I refuse to get into that.

Hugs
Cath

Check Out These Buns!



Bwa ha ha. Check out the ancient burner
 cover in the background. LOL.
It covers the hole because the burner
shorts out. Sigh!

Yesterday, I had this sudden irresistible urge for steaming hot, fresh out of the oven, homemade buns with delicious butter melting on them. You know the urge was strong, because I am not a baker as a general rule and I actually gave in and made them. Even though it was hot as blazes outside, I whipped up a small batch of buns.

And let me tell you this, they were stupendous.

I have to admit that I mix the dough in my bread maker because I have a bum wrist. But I never bake anything in it; I shape the buns or loaves and let them rise before baking. It gives lighter fluffier buns. And we all want light-fluffy buns.

Delectable Buns

1 1/3 cups       Milk

2 Tbsp             Olive Oil (or butter or margarine)
1 ½ tsp             Salt (Don’t skip any of this or your bread will be grainy)
4 cups              All-purpose flour
2 tsp                Sugar
2 tsp                Quick rise yeast

Measure and mix the liquid ingredients in a large bowl. (Or the break maker pan)

Measure and add the dry ingredients.
Make a well in the flour and add the yeast.
Turn the break maker on to the dough setting: or mix and knead well until you have a nice ball.
Wet dough needs a sprinkle of extra flour. Dry dough needs a dribble of water or milk.
Cover and let rise 1.5- 2 hours. (Or run through the dough cycle.)
Shape into rolls and place in a lightly greased pan.
I like to make clover leaf buns by putting three small balls of dough into a muffin tin.
Let rise until double in size.
Bake at 325-350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
I like to rub a small amount of butter on the top of them when they first come out of the oven to make them soft.

They are best still screaming hot out of the oven with a bit of butter and some cheese.

Time for some new yeast. These did rise, but not
as much as they usually do.

Enjoy!

Hugs
Cath

Rocking Out The Studio

Okay, so I have talked a bit about getting back in the saddle. (Gratuitous Stampede reference.) But have yet to actually do so. Until today.

Party!

Oh yeah!

Woot woot!

Go me and boo yah!

I finally got off my butt and and went into the studio. This time, I actually did something. My last few trips have been in a supervisory capacity only. I sat on my stool and told the Spawn how to quilt her baby quilts. I did nothing but watch.

But today, that all changed. I headed into the studio, cranked up the stereo, loaded a quilt and quilted the entire thing. Man, let me tell you, I was rocking out the studio today. Hopefully nobody was watching me through the window, because I was so happy to be working that I was dancing around like some kind of mad fool. (No snide comments please.)

Working on a sailboat quilt. It belongs to a friend.
I think I have had it for ten months.
Note that I haven't changed the winter quilt to spring yet.

I have to confess that I had completely and totally forgotten how much I love quilting. If I didn't need to rest the bum knee, I would still be in there. Next up ... hmm. Should I do another client quilt or perhaps one of my own, or maybe a baby quilt, or a friend's quilt. (Friend's don't count as clients, because they don't get a choice as to when I will do their quilt, what thread I will use, or how it will be quilted. I'm a bit of a control freak some times.)

This is me saying, so long for now and thank god I'm quilting again. It is soothing the restless, creative beast inside me. Sometimes, writing just isn't enough, I need hands on therapy.

Hugs
Cath

She Waited Eight Months for Her Quilter!

Greetings

I've been sitting and thinking a lot lately. About life, the universe and the meaning of being alive.

Ha, caught ya! You actually believed that didn't you?

Okay, I have been thinking, but mostly I have been thinking about all the things I would like to do in my studio this coming week. Yes, I actually have permission to enter the studio for short periods. I have about a thousand projects I would like to get started on, but I'll have to go slowly. With my gimpy foot and leg being on my  'driving' foot, I won't be able to piece for long without cramping it up. But hey, I'll take what I can get. I'm excited here!

I don't think I can stand long enough to do an entire quilt at once. But I can load it and come back later and quilt on it for about 15 minutes at a time. So, while I'm not ready for customer quilts, I can get started on baby quilts for the new grandbaby, coming in September.

I have decided to make a few panel quilts and wall hangings. I have a whack of quilter friends all promising pieced quilts to this baby, so I'll go panels, and make something special for when she (we have been told the baby is a girl) moves into her first big-girl bed.

I've also bought the stuff to make some jazzy, adjustable diaper pants. I am gonna be one busy chick in the coming months. I've got baby stuff to make, a wedding quilt to quilt, customers who are waiting very patiently for their quilt. (I appreciate the patience Colleen, eight months is a long time to wait on a quilter.) So to all my waiting clients I have to say, "Thanks for your patience. Your quilt WILL get done. Soon!"

In my off time, I'll be busy with my writing and trying to get the next book published. And let us not forget writing blog posts for two blogs. And I want to go visit my folks for a few days, and go to Newfoundland again for a lacrosse tourny in August. (Cross your fingers and hope for that one.) Love those Newfies!

So, I'm off to watch lacrosse and then home to clean the studio so I can get to work next week. Celebrate with me folks, I'm on the mend and ready to rock and roll. (Or quilt and write as it were.)

Hugs
Cath

Best Danged Dad In the Universe

             Dad, on this special day, I just wanted to take a few minutes to let you know how much you mean to me.
            There are a lot of fathers out there and after close examination of all of them; I have decided that you are without a doubt the best father in the country. Perhaps even on earth. Hell, you’re the best father in the universe. Bar none.
            You held my hand through life’s ups and downs, hugged me when I needed it, and when I didn’t.  You disciplined me when I deserved it and skipped many times that you should have. You gave me money, values, dreams and ideals.
             You taught me many things, and I could never list them all. So here is a small sampling of them:

• Always give 110%.
• Go hard or go home.
• Eat what’s put in front of you.
• Eat your veggies. (Okay, I still don’t eat ‘em.)
• Never give up.
• Hold onto your dreams and fight for them.
• Stand up for those you love.
• Help a friend.
• Help a stranger.
• Be kind to kids, dogs and old people.
• Hug your kids and praise them.
• Support your family and friends.
• Listen to your mother, she the smartest woman I know. (And she is.)
• Find your values and stay true to them.
• Fight for what you believe in.
• Celebrate the joys in your life, embrace the sorrows.
• Honesty and integrity make the man.
• Manners are free.
• Stand up and fight for your country.
• Life isn’t easy, suck it up and get on with it.
• Sometimes you have to hold your tongue. (I have yet to master this.)
• Read a book.
• Work hard.
• Play hard.
• Love hard. 

            Because you have such a great way of wording things and such a creative mind, I want to share a few of my favorite, classic advice quotes.

• “Shit or get off the pot.”
• “Get your damned ass out of bed and do something useful.”
• “Life isn’t easy, suck it up and get on with it.”
• “I don’t care what career you choose, dig ditches for all I care. But you better be the best damned ditch digger there is.”
• And my personal favorite, “Fuck, fight or hold the light. Just do something to help.”

             There aren’t enough words to tell you how much I love you and how much I appreciate all the things you have done for me, all the times you have been there for me. Hell, I even appreciate all the times you reprimanded and disciplined me. I especially appreciate all the creative ways you taught me to curse. You made me who I am today, and for that I am grateful.
            With all the love the one person can possibly give. This is your favorite daughter saying thanks dad. I love you, I’m proud of you and I wouldn’t trade you for anything.

Hugs

Cath