Summer Means Fun

I hadn't talked to my sister for a couple of weeks and when I called her yesterday she said: "Oh good, I was hoping nothing was wrong--you haven't updated your blog in a week!" No, it's just that summer's here and our power was out for awhile after the storms in the Chicago area last Friday. Also, my son came home from college for the summer last week and there's been a flurry of activity around here ever since.

Good flurry, but nonetheless . . . He brought a few people with him to stay with us for a few days last week and then there's the catching up with friends he hasn't seen all year. So the noise level has increased as well. A constant buzz of music and laughing, World Cup Soccer on TV . . .

(Everyone here loves soccer, everyone.)

 . . . and video games, lots of video games to relax.

He's worked hard at school to get excellent grades and is just getting over Strep throat, so I'm  trying to ignore some of the chaos and, instead of yelling, remind myself that he deserves a little time off until his summer job begins this week. Plus, this may very well be his last summer at home. He tells me constantly that in 10 yrs he does NOT want to be that 30 yr-old guy living in his parent's basement. So things are looking good for some decent empty-nesting quilting time soon  . . . . Think I still have a few more dogs and kids to get rid of before I get my life back and the chaos diminishes though. . . Wait, they ARE my life. How could I forget? You guys with kids know what I mean.

So yes, after a cold Midwest winter and spring, summer around here always means fun, taking it easy, kicking off our shoes, playing with friends, digging in the dirt, having some fun--

 

Maybe just cruising 'round with the Beach Boys blaring in the background . . . 

(At my age, though, usually I'm just cruising around for bargains, or looking for a good place for the dog to pee, LOL.)

Last summer I was working on the book and was cranky much of the time because I had so much to do and it was hard to concentrate and my husband was doing a lot of travelling for his job so I had to juggle things at home a little bit more than usual. This summer I'm taking it a little slower. The book is finished and now I'm just waiting for the page proofs to come in next month. I'm drinking my tea iced instead of hot and catching up on magazines and past seasons of "Mad Men". 

Of course I do still have the American Schoolgirl Club --working on making the quilts and writing the patterns and getting the designs printed up and that surely will keep me busy every month. You'll be happy to know I finished the second quilt--Martha Washington's Star for Maddie--yesterday (patriotic for July in the U.S.--red and blue of course). Just need to quilt it. I don't work very fast. Even the small simple quilts seem to take me a lot of time, picking through my scraps, looking for just the right fabrics, setting the blocks, planning. This is what I used to make the quilt if you're looking for a head start.

  

I'm deliberately not showing the patterns, not to tease all of you, but because I decided it's more fun this way--almost like a "Mystery Quilt" of the month. Everyone in the club is kept in the dark and will be surprised when they get their little doll quilt pattern in the mail around the middle of the month. This one is very cute if I say so myself. Especially if you like red and blue.

But I'm also planning on having some fun. So excuse me if I'm not frantically making lots and lots of quilts or projects to show off. I worked really hard this past year too--so pass the iced tea and the video game controller, please. I promise I'll stay in touch.