Yesterday while everyone was gone I finished my Christmas challenge for July, which was a table runner.  It ended up two yards long which is much longer than I was counting on but I can give it to someone with a long table since my antique dining table is not long enough.   I just had a bright idea.  One of my friends at church has our Bible study group luncheon at her house in December every year and she always gives everyone of us a little present.  I can give the table runner to her for I know that she has a rather long table.  I have been wanting to do something for her and now I have something already made and ready for Christmas.

I did not have a good place to put the table runner to get a photograph so I had Scott and Brian each grab an end and hold it for me.  The wind was blowing so they had to grab the top and bottom to hold it still and the wind blowing against the center makes it look somewhat like a sail.  Even though they are about the same height, Brian managed to hold his end of the table runner a little higher than Scott so the picture looks a little crooked, but it does not matter for at least the whole runner is visible.

Scott asked why the sections were not the same width and I told him that I had cut each to show off the poinsettias to the best advantage.  The only quilting is on the black sashing and borders.  I was going to put black on the back but decided that it would probably never be used except with the flowers up so I put an ecru colored back on it and saved the black fabric for another use.

I remember when the flag looked like this one, but most of my life the flag has had fifty stars.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I am taking part in Amanda’s Christmas Challenge that was set up by a friend in Australia.  The challenge for June was a Christmas ornament and this afternoon I finally finished the ornament.  I bought hexagon shapes just for making this ornament and had plans to make several as gifts.  That idea has been scratched since it took so long and was so tedious to make just one.  The pattern called for sewing but I did no sewing and instead used Wonder-Under, fusible batting, and glue.  I could not make the points at the edge of the hexagon look the same as the pattern picture but finally solved the problem with glue.  At least the star looks like a star but does not show up very well because there is not enough contrast between the two fabrics.  I will have to make at least one more with more contrast in the fabrics and will solve the problem of the points on the hexagon edges.  The beads that I used on the bottom are all pink but do not show up too well in the photo.  I guess all in all I am happy with the end results but there will be some changes made if I should change my mind and decide to make several.

I obediently went back across the room and gave the paperwork to the lady at the desk.  Very shortly she came over and said that they could not do the ultrasound then and not sure they could even do it today.  When she said that she would go see if they could work me in I told her I would greatly appreciate that for I would prefer not to come back another day.  She went back to the lab and then came out and told me that they could do the X-ray at two o’clock.  She also told me that I could also wait until then to have the second vial of blood drawn.  She told me to just come back a few minutes early for the blood work.

By this time it was ten o’clock so I went to the library to get a book to read since I had finished the one I was reading while waiting for the doctor.  I went to large print and found all three books of a series that is on my list of books to read.  Checked out the books and then drove to Fox’s Pizza to have lunch and kill some time reading.  After lunch I went back to the library to spend time on the computer waiting for one thirty to roll around.

Last week I finished the first three books in a series of ten that are all recorded on CD.  Monday the library called to tell me volumes four through six were available and then today I checked the CD shelves and much to my surprise volumes seven through nine were available.  They have volume ten on CD also but someone has it checked out so will have to get my name on a request list.  The series is about the Civil War and I am thoroughly enjoying the books.

I was back at the lab shortly after one thirty and was called for the blood work in just a few minutes.  However, it was ten minutes before three before I was finally called for the ultrasound.  Then I learned that I was down for two thirty and not two.  I was nice though and did not go back to the desk and mention it to the lady who had told me I was scheduled for two o’clock.  After all they did work me in so that I would not have to come another day.

When I left Green Clinic I decided to go to Green Clinic Surgical Hospital to see if I could get an estimate on what a knee replacement would cost after Medicare paid their part.  Was not as bad as I expected so maybe next year I will think about having it done.  Would save a lot of money to have both done at the same time but will have to talk with the orthopedic surgeon about that.

Doing all the moving of boxes and furniture yesterday did a number on my knees.  I decided to rest my knees as much as possible today and do clearing out that I could do seated or standing for a short time.  No walking through three rooms pushing a dolly loaded with heavy boxes.  And no moving of furniture either which I also did yesterday.  My back also needed a rest.  However, when I finally got home this afternoon I was so tired and sleepy that I took a short nap and then headed to the grocery store.  I was sitting in the driveway when Brian called and asked what was for dinner and I must have sounded very tired for he asked if I would like for him to bring something home.  I told him I would be delighted and drove back onto the carport.  Since he only works a half-day on Fridays, I do not have to get up early tomorrow morning to prepare a lunch.  No alarm and I can sleep until I wake up.

I have am appointment with my doctor tomorrow morning at nine.  I must remember to not eat or drink after midnight but I am planning to be sound asleep by then.  It is nine thirty and I am off to bed.

Tonight was commencement for Vacation Bible School.  I thought about not going since I was so tired and sleepy but I wanted to see how all my photographs looked on the big screen this year for I did not crop and resize as I have done in previous years.  I really would not have missed for I wanted to see all the kids perform, especially Bryce my little surrogate grandson.  When I was making photos this past week I made sure to get a photo of Brody and Bryce without other kids in the picture.  Going to send a copy to Mignon their grandmother.

Brody                                                                              Bryce

About one o’clock I was sitting at the computer working on the photographs of VBS when I realized that I had been up for several hours and it was the time I usually get out of bed.  That is a first for me in quite some time.  Going to continue to take the Melatonin and hopefully I will get my sleeping schedule back on the right track.  I don’t mind going to bed late and sleeping late, it is the not being able to go to sleep when I do go to bed that is about to drive me crazy.

During the summer months, Brian and his coworkers go to work at seven thirty and then leave work at noon on Friday.  Brian nearly always stays later and when he finally got home at three today he had a sandwich and then drove down to see Christy.  Since he was not here for dinner I decided to go to Wendy’s and have the Mandarin Chicken Salad that I have been wanting for a while.  I don’t know if my taste has changed in the past few months but the salad was not as good as I remembered.  Will not be going back to Wendy’s for I don’t care for their burgers and now I don’t like the salad.

Since I was not at the church the past three mornings, everyone wanted to know if I had been sick.  I explained to them that I had not had enough sleep and just could not function.  I had two people recommend Melatonin as a sleep aid so when I left the church I drove to Wal-Mart and bought a bottle.  The directions say to take one tablet just before bedtime or within thirty minutes of going to bed.  As soon as I post this I am going to take a pill and crawl in bed.  Oh I hope the little white pill puts me to sleep so soundly that I will not wake until eight o’clock tomorrow morning.  The last time I slept for eight straight hours was the night after I spent six hours driving to Scott’s for his graduation from seminary.

My friend Amanda who lives in Australia is having a Christmas in July Challenge and I have decided to take part since I have nothing else to quilt or sew.  Don’t I wish I had no quilts waiting to be made?  In all honesty I decided to take the challenge for I do not have anything that I have quilted or sewn over the years.  The challenge is June through November and that will give me five items that I will make just for ME.  I sat here when I first learned of the challenge and made a list of what I want to make but I have changed my mind three times I think.  What I need to do before I make a final decision on what to make is to pull out the fabric that I am thinking of using.  Even after I have made five items, I will still have more Christmas fabric than anyone needs.

Check out Amanda’s blog to get all the information and then come join us for a sewing good time.

http://amanda-lotshappening.blogspot.com/2010/06/christmas-in-julywell-sort-of.html     

I did make it to Sunday school this morning but felt so out of it that when it was over I just came home and crawled in bed.  I missed homecoming but I knew that I would never make it through church and a meal.  I have been in bed all afternoon but only slept for about two hours.  Brian had to go to his office this evening so he brought home dinner from Fox’s Pizza.  Did not eat until nine and since I get sleepy after I eat maybe I can now go to sleep and sleep for the next ten hours.

Tomorrow is the start of Vacation Bible School and since I am the photographer, I need to be there no later than about ten.  If I am wide awake when I get up at seven to prepare Brian’s lunch, then I think I will stay up and be at VBS when it starts at eight thirty.  That way I can make my pictures for the day and get home earlier.  Have many things that need to be done.