Sewing Expo

I spent the entire day at the Puyallup Fairgrounds attending the Sewing Expo. It's an annual event and quite a big deal. My sister and I bought tickets well in advance and signed up for nine seminar classes over the two days.

Well it turns out that my sister's grandbaby (who was due last week) had a schedule of her own and as of this writing she hasn't appeared yet, so my sister sits in anticipation, waiting to meet the new baby girl. My sister picked out the seminar classes and she did a good job. I really enjoyed them today.

The Sewing Expo (http://www.sewexpo.com/) is for quilters, seamstresses, knitters and more. There is so much to see. And every year I am amazed that they can still be coming up with new stuff. This year the new to me thing is called "Angelina" heat bondable fibers. When I get playing with it I'll post pictures. The only way I can explain them is that they are bundles of fibers that when heated bond together and you use it like appliques. Here is the website: http://www.embellishmentvillage.com/.

I learned more about machine quilting and I think I'm brave enough now to try a little bit more of it. And of course I had to buy another table runner pattern, it seems I just collect the patterns, I have yet to make a table runner.

It's fun to see how many people there are with this same interest and the people are all so nice. It was a fun day. I'll return again tomorrow for more classes (and hopefully less shopping).

Trudy vs. James Street Hill - February

Trudy 2 - James Hill 0

Feb. 21 - 40 minutes (temperature about 58 degrees)
Jan. 31 - 39 minutes

The goal is to walk up the hill starting at the Chevron on Central Ave. up to the pedestrian walk-way at the grade school and back down the hill, a minimum of once a month this year.

Pay it Forward

A friend of mine is doing this and I feel like I need to be more giving but its hard for me to know what to do and who to give to. So... This is my opportunity to serve I guess!!!

The Rules

1. Be one of the first Three (3) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.

2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

I will need your address if you are one of the first three bloggers. This should be fun to see who wants to play along.

A Good Day

I was just cleaning up the kitchen thinking that today was a "good" day and it made me wonder what exactly constitutes a "good" day.

My good day included:

Eating breakfast out with my husband

Getting my first orchid for Valentine's Day

Buying individual pieces of chocolates at See's Candies

Sunshine (even though it was cold)

Finding the perfect little thing to share with

my sisters when I see them in April

Only having to work a few hours today

and being able to pick when I would do it

Getting to go work out

Being home right when the boss needed to

reach me at the end of the work day

Having it be the day before Saturday and my laundry is almost done

Hearing that my friend's cancer is in remission

Pie and ice cream for dessert

My sadness of the day was hearing that my cousin was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

Trudy vs. James Street Hill - January

I made myself a goal to walk James Street Hill at least once a month this year. Here is it January 31st and can I just say it's been really cold this month? So today it hit the mid 40s and the sun was shining.

This afternoon I parked at the bottom of the hill behind the Chevron and walked up the hill and back down. My time today was 39 minutes. That includes the few minutes I spent dancing across the pedestrian walk way above the street near the grade school. I measured the walk to be just over 2 miles round trip. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and a very invigorating walk.

Developing Good Habits

Yesterday when I went to work out at Curves, the computer told me I was on my 300th workout. Hurray! That's very exciting. I joined Curves two years ago. My goal was to go three times a week. The first two months I had to make an effort to keep that commitment. Once it became a part of my routine and I saw the benefits, I kept it up.

Sure there are weeks for various reasons I don't make the three times, but I try. I realize now that exercise is not just a passing hobby but a necessary part of my life. I love going to Curves, I love the work-out and the friends I have met there.

Sure there are less expensive clubs that offer more amenities, but I have found something that works for me. It's 1 1/2 miles from my house, and I can leave home and be back in under one hour. In the summertime I have ridden my bike there.

Other good habits I have developed are to eat more fruit. I eat an apple every morning before breakfast. And I snack on fruit during the day.

When the weather gets better I hope to do more walking outdoors.

If you have something you want to do consistently, you have to make it a priority and concentrate on it until it becomes ingrained in your life. Then it becomes second nature.

Nothing Much

It's just hard to believe I haven't written anything for two weeks. I guess life has been busy. Still waiting for the part to fix the stove top. In the meantime I've learned a lot about microwave cooking.

Seattle area has been very foggy for awhile and I'm getting kind of tired of it. Looking forward to the sunshine, even if it'll still only be in the 30's.

I've been having internet connection problems at home which have been interesting since I work from home. It drops sometimes in the late afternoon. They are promising me a new line but it hasn't happened yet.

Work is going good for me. I love being able to work from home. In the morning I use that extra time from not having to commute to sleep a little longer.

Wally spends his days in his shop where he is currently building a set of drawers for the bedroom. Some days it's too cold to be out there, but most days work out okay.

Wayne had a great trip to San Juan de Cabo on the Baja in Mexico where he got to go surfing. Still waiting to see the pictures.

The Biggest Loser

This season has me hooked in already. To use the nice words the TV show uses, this is the heaviest group of people they've ever had on a show together, including the largest woman and man and the oldest and youngest contestants. I'm already anticipating the finale to see all of them come back and how they look.

Unbelievable to see someone lose 30 pounds in one week! Just goes to show you how your body adjusts to physical activity and healthy eating. It's common knowledge that men generally lose weight quicker than women. And also that when you change your diet and lifestyle the weight drops off quicker the first few weeks because it includes excess water weight.

Can you imagine the emotions they go through when they see a loss on the scale after only one week, when for years they haven't been able to lose weight?

The concept of walking away from your normal life for a period of time and focusing on nothing but getting healthy is like receiving a huge gift. Even those that only stay on the ranch for a couple of weeks learn so much and usually go home and keep working hard at it.

Stay tuned, it's just the beginning. Should be interesting to see how many get to return after the 30 days are up.
Tuesday nights, NBC.
http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/

January 2009

2009 sounds so odd. What happened to the 90's? Yesterday I went with my friend Glenda to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was a very good movie. It was a sweet love story as well as the story of his life. From the beginning, you kind of knew how it would end and the end was sad.

It is loosely based on a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1921. Reading about the original short story, I would have to say the artistic liberties they took in the movie greatly enhanced the story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Case_of_Benjamin_Button

Saying Good Bye to 2008!

Today we attended our fifth and final funeral for 2008. Wally lost three family members this year and we also lost two friends. Today's funeral was very sweet. The Bishop summed it up in his concluding talk when he said something about "attending a funeral and walking away from it wanting to be a better person." And it was so true of this one.

Eunice was a special lady and to hear her family talk about the wonderful person she was and to have known her smile and her humor, it really does make you want to be more like her; more optimistic, more joyful, more compassionate, and more thankful.

I think we are truly blessed in our lives by the many people who cross our paths through out the years. People that leave an impression on our very souls.

As we sat in the chapel today I was reminded that we do not always get a chance to say good bye to these people. Sometimes the situation is simply unavoidable. Knowing this we need to always make the most of the moments we have together.

At the end of another year, (where does the time go?), I want to wish all of you the very best for the new year ahead of us.

In 2009

May your hearts be happy and your burdens light.

May you always know that you are never alone.

May you find joy each day.

May you understand that it's about people not things.

May you really look and see the sun rise,

the flowers bloom,

the snow fall, the rain drop,

and the smiles that are all around you.

Christmas Eve

Twas the night before Christmas and here I am on the computer. I was getting sleepy watching a rerun of Bones and then I remembered I needed to get the stockings stuffers ready. That's how I end up on the computer.

I checked on my husband's gift that I ordered on December 15th. It was shipped Fed Ex (ground I think) from NY. It's been in Portland, Oregon since December 20th. Oh well, I'm printing him a photo of his gift and the gift will be here anyday now. Of course that's what we say everyday about the garbage trucks also. And we haven't seen them yet either.

The snow has been challenging. The way it just lingers and doesn't go away. It's so pretty when I wake in the mornings and look out the window and see the white blanket of snow. We'll enjoy our white Christmas and it'll be one we remember for a long time.

Merry Christmas to all!