A finished Top

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I actually finished putting this top together on Saturday -- but either my satellite dish or blogger wasn't playing nice, so here it is today.  It's only 31" square.  It's a Kansas Troubles little quilt from her Summer's End line of fabric and that, coincidentally, is the name of the quilt.  I have the binding pressed and ready to go and even cut a backing for it.  I won't be firing up the longarm for a couple of weeks though.  I really like the quilt and it felt really good getting back to piecing.  Next project to piece will be Bonnie Hunter's last mystery quilt that she posted online -- I can't even remember how long ago, but I know I'm only half done with it, so I'll be pulling it out to finish up in a couple of weeks, too.

I drove Steph to her doctor's office and to physical therapy today -- her knee is coming along nicely and she's walking pretty well on it now -- she just had surgery last Friday!

I spent 3 hours in the yard yesterday afternoon -- I can see my tomatoes again, along with the peppers and beans I planted -- amazing what a little hoeing and weed pulling will do.  Also got part of one daylily bed weeded before my back and my knees gave out.  I hope to get some more done tomorrow.  This is two years worth of weeds I'm getting rid of  -- I sure didn't get anything done last summer.  I feel like I've survived the worst part of losing Bill now (although I know I will miss him for the rest of my life); I feel like I can make decisions for myself now and get some things done that I couldn't handle last year. I have to say I was blessed with a husband that was a great teacher and I actually paid attention even when I didn't think it mattered; so I learned how to do a lot of things even though I never had to do any of them when he was here.

A little advice for all you wives out there:  Pay attention.  Talk about your finances so you know what's what; learn how to mow the yard, even if you don't have to do it; learn where your electrical breaker panel is and how it works; learn how to change the furnace filter; find out where your water shut-off valves are (we have one on every toilet and faucet in the house); do you have a septic system that needs pumping?  Do you have your fireplaces cleaned regularly?  What about maintenance on your car?  Even if you can afford to have someone else do the work -- it still is important for you to know enough to tell them what to do.