Do I hear Five?

Yes, I do.  Only 5 days left until we leave for Disney. I didn't take enough photos of the blocks, and there aren't a lot of photos you haven't seen.  Today's blocks are Cinderella, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Dopey.

We had a great Thanksgiving.  Good Food, great family and of course, I ate too much and some of the things I shouldn't have.  We ate early - 12:30, all were gone by 4:15.  But Mary's family returned in the evening for pie, and the twins came back to eat again.  That's what's so great about having family so close by.  Hope your holiday was a good one.

Mickey and Minnie and Goof, OH MY!!

Yes, today I'm starting to feel a little like Dorothy on her way to Oz.  I'm what you get when you cross excitement and fear.  So today's blocks are Mickey and Minnie.  All 50 blocks are finally finished, and have been pressed for the final time before packing.  T-shirts are done.  My rewards card has been validated. The pins I'm planning to trade have been put on my lanyard.  And this weekend, we will start to pack.  Not to difficult for me since I don't wear the same clothes each day that I'm taking to Disney.  But Rod will still need to keep out clothes for work.  And so, today, the readiness begins in earnest.  Hope your holiday is the best.

8 days to go

Oh yeah, only eight more days.  Since Disney would consider me "Pooh Shaped", I decided to show you my blocks for Tigger and Pooh.

Today I want to finish zigzag stitching the final 5 blocks, and get them ready to pack.  Also I need to start making my list of when to do what for Thanksgiving.  Rod works on Friday, so there won't be any Black Friday shopping for me.  Most of my shopping is done, just a few small items to pick up.  Have a great day.

Single Digits

Yes, today we're in single digits.  9 days to go.  I've never been on an airplane, so I'm thinking of it as my own  magic carpet ride.  I showed you the Genie block the other day, and now her's Aladdin and Jasmine, who rode on their own magic carpet.

And then there were 10

Yeah, we're almost to single digits.  I have this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it's not the flu!

And now it's 11

Yes,only 11 days to go.  I feel like I should be packing or something.  I've never been on a trip that lasted this long, and I'm so afraid I'll forget something.  Mary emailed us a list of what she recommends we bring along, and I'm planning on printing that out and checking off the items as they go into their designated bags.  If you have any suggestions for packing, please share.

And now we're down to 12

Yep, that's right.  Two weeks from now, I should be waking up in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and getting ready to head to Epcot.  Breakfast with the princesses at Akershus is the plan, along with dinner at the Biergarten and the Candlelight Processional in the evening.  I'm so looking forward to the Biergarten experience since I was a German major in college.  I love Oompah Bands, and there's one that plays at the Biergarten.

The blocks for today are Jiminy Cricket (my childhood hero), Buzz Lightyear, and the Genie from Aladdin.  Today I want to make the blocks for the main characters from the movie "Up".  Have a good day.

13 days to go

Todays blocks are the ones I made for Pinocchio and Gipetto.  I loved this movie as a child, and wanted a Jiminy Cricket of my own.  I have made a block for him, but don't have a picture of it as yet.  I hated the donkey-boys, and used to practice singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" when I was alone.  This morning I made blocks for Jesse from Toy Story, and Marie from the Aristocats.  Tomorrow, I hope get the blocks for the characters from "UP" done.  And I still want to do blocks for the White Rabbit from Alice, and Thumper from Bambi.  Rumor has it that they are now appearing and signing in some of the parks.  For sure, my blocks will be in my carry-on.  I don't want to take any chances of them being lost.  See you tomorrow.

14 days to go

These are the blocks I did with Donald and Daisy in their safari hats.  We will be having breakfast with them at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom on Saturday, December 5.  See you tomorrow.

15 Days and Counting

The two blocks I have chosen to share today are the ones for Chip and Dale.  Do you know which is which??  Chip has the black nose like a chocolate chip.  We will be having dinner with them at the Garden Grill on Thursday, Dec. 3.  These two pesky chipmunks are two of granddaughter Krissy's favorite Disney characters.  See you tomorrow.

16 Days til Disney

Yep, we're counting down, and so I've decided to post one or two of my quilt blocks each day.  These are the blocks for Beauty and the Beast.  It's two blocks, but I'm folding two blocks together each day for the photos so that I can show more to you.

On Friday, Mary brought over all the transfers for the T-Shirts.  We had so many to make -- 6 for Rod and I and for Mary and her family, and 4 for Pat and Pam.  So I think it's 40 in all.  I spent part of the day on Friday cutting out all the transfers, and then on Saturday Mary came over and ironed all the transfers onto the shirts.  It was so nice, and we stayed out on the deck to do the ironing.  However, by the end of the 6th hour, it was starting to get a little chilly.  But the shirts are all done, and look really nice.  I'm sure you will see pictures of us in the shirts -- but will have to wait until the trip is over since Disney charges $10 per day for internet service.  Have good day.

Happy Veteran's Day

and a special thank you to all the military personnel, both past and present, who have so bravely fought to defend our country and protect our freedoms.

As a kid, Veteran's Day held a different meaning for me.  My dad was a postal worker, and in those days, he worked very long hours and on weekends during the Christmas rush.  Veteran's Day was my dad's last holiday before the rush, and so our family did their Christmas shopping on that day.  Some years we took the two widows who lived across the street from us.  These ladies were the greatest.  They were sisters-in-law, and lived  with their two cocker spaniels.  They were fairly wealthy, and had lots of collectibles in their home - Fenton Glass, Royal Doulton character mugs, dogs, and figurines. And also beautiful Hummel figurines.  Although their house had a very funny odor from the dogs, I used to love to go there.  Their Christmas trees were unlike any I had any seen.  They had beautiful glass figurine ornaments imported from Germany, the arms and legs moved and they were so shiny.  Anne's husband had been a Navy diver, and there had been a book written about him.  About once a month, when Catherine had to work late, Anne would invite me for dinner and we would use fancy china and crystal and eat lamb chops with mint jelly.  I loved those evenings.  She made me feel so special.  Anne was an excellent knitter, and each year for Christmas she would give me a baby doll for which she had crocheted clothes.  And one year, I got a set of twins.  Betty and Bobby had the most amazing knitted pants, hats and coats with beautiful pearl buttons.  My sister and I never had to wonder where our winter hats and mittens were coming from-- we knew that Anne would see that we had whatever we needed.  How I wish now that I had asked her to teach me to knit.  These two ladies sponsored me for the Rainbow Girls and had my gown special made for me by a friend of theirs.  And yes, they did still have the plastic on their furniture.  And the most amazing flower garden was just outside the back door.  I haven't thought about these two special ladies for years, but today they are on my mind, and in my heart.

Hump Day

We are only 28 days out from the trip to Disney, and I'm getting more excited.  Our travel documents arrived yesterday. I have confirmed with the airline what needs to be done to "fly" my motorized cart, and have been making a list of what needs to be packed and bought.  Our dining reservations have been made, and our flights have been changed twice (what's up with that???)

This weekend, however, is our "real" anniversary weekend.  On Monday, Rod and I will have been married 35 years.  Wow, are we really that old?  We have been through so much together, both good and bad.  We have laughed and cried; argued and made up; dreamed and dreamed and dreamed together.  It's been a great journey, and I look forward to the future with my best friend.  We have a room in Berlin, Ohio for Saturday night to celebrate.  We really love staying in Amish Country, and our room has a hot tub and a fireplace.  Hey, I did say we were going to celebrate!!!

I'm working on another sampler quilt.  Seems like sampler quilts are all I do, but I really love hand piecing the blocks, and don't get bored since there is only one of each design.  I do find, and try new patterns which makes each quilt a little different from the previous one.  Next week, I'll post pictures of the some of the completed blocks.

Bubby's bus driver has given me two huge bags of fabric, and I'm in the process of going through them and deciding what to keep and what to return to Becky.  She will donate it to a church or school.  There are some really large pieces, some as much as 5 yards.  I needed another color for the current project, and lo and behold, a suitable one was in one of the bags.

Christmas is rapidly approaching.  What are you making for gifts?  I don't know if I'm making too many gifts this year.  Depends on how much time I have left over after finishing the quilt for my mom.  Have a great day.