2009 February 26 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

Change in my Normal Day

February 26, 2009 · by JudyL

Yesterday, I awoke bright and early . . well it wasn’t so bright but it was early and thank goodness it’s not dark when I get up these days. The fridge repairman was coming at 8:00 so I had my morning planned out in my head . . get the kitchen clean, shower, laundry going and be ready to greet the repairman. He was working on the fridge downstairs . . yes, the same fridge that was repaired by a different repairman in December but he really didn’t repair it and as soon as he left — same day . . I realized it was still doing what it had been doing. Called and left a message but it was New Year’s Eve and I figured the office was closed. Never got a call back. Called again sometime in early January. Never got a call back. Vince went by and talked to them. Oh, we’ll call your wife and schedule a time when we can go by there. Never happened. I called them again and left a third message. Still didn’t get a call back so I finally called Home Warranty and said: Send us someone else!

Also yesterday, the window man was coming to change out a window for me but he thought he’d be here around 2:00 so I knew the afternoon would be interrupted and the window job was going to take a couple of hours. So, I wanted to have a good start on dinner before he got here.

And, at some point, the shower guy was coming to see why my shower doors are no longer my friend. I think I want a different kind of doors. What I really want is a shower that’s big enough that I don’t have any doors but not much I can do about that in this house.

Fridge man showed up right on time. I sat downstairs and answered email while he was here. As soon as he left, I was going to run upstairs and get lunch going, needed to pressure cook some black beans for dinner, grind wheat to make bread, start some Norm’s Rolls (or is it George . . can’t ever remember that!). Ended up that the repairman had to order a part so we talked for a few minutes and he left. Just as I was about to start stirring up rolls and put the beans in the pressure cooker (the point of no turning back), Vince called and said “Hey, it’s so pretty! Let’s go to Joplin!” Hmm . . let me call Larry and see if I can reschedule the window replacement and let me call Gary and see if I can reschedule his trip to look at the shower and I’ll be ready!

Vince needed something in Joplin that he can’t get here so he took half a day of vacation, came home got me and off we went. First stop was my favorite restaurant. Vince gave me a choice of Thai or sushi and I begged him to pick one because I love both. He chose Thai. Not sure if this restaurant is typical of a Thai restaurant because I’ve never been to another but I love it! I love everything on their menu! Mostly, I love basil! I got Basil Fried Rice with Beef:

Forgot what Vince’s dish was called but it was good too!

Then we shopped! Went only to the places on the list; got only what was on the list. That was good. We spent the entire afternoon shopping though. I don’t really dislike shopping so much when you know what you need; go in and get it and leave and don’t walk up and down ever aisle of every store along the way.

Though it seems we shouldn’t have been hungry, as we were coming home, Vince remembered that a co-worker had recommended a little hamburger joint in Lamar, MO, Eastside Station Pizza & Grill. Not the kind of place we would normally get off the road and visit. It’s a Shell Station with an added room to the side. Oh, do they have great burgers!

Pretty darned tacky of me but I’d eaten half the fries and a few bites of the burger before remembering to take a picture. That’s the kind of hamburger I’ll have dreams about! Yum!! And, their “Shake of the Month” was Cashew/Caramel so I had to have one of those. Vince tasted mine and decided he had to have one too. Who would ever have thought . . cashews and caramel! It was so good!

So, for the whole trip, other than Basil Fried Rice and a hamburger and fries, what did I buy? Sure you’re ready for this?

That’s it! Don’t worry though . . Vince did his share to bolster the economy. He was on a mission and his mission was accomplished. We’ve decided to go shopping again in September . . whether we need to or not.

· Filed Under: Family · 14 Comments

A Few More Thoughts

February 26, 2009 · by JudyL

Thank you so much to every one of you who commented and/or emailed me about the blog issues. Through the various emails, a couple of thoughts popped into my head that I pondered as I lay in bed this morning trying to decide if today was a good day to stay in bed all day or get up and get busy.

One thing is that some feel blogs are a forum for debate. Do I expect everyone to agree with me on every issue? Definitely NOT! Vince and I do not agree on every issue and I love him to death! I don’t even agree with myself 100% of the time. (That issue of getting out of bed this morning . . still not sure I made the right decision on that one.) But, I do not consider my blog as a debate forum. I’m not asking for you to agree or disagree or comment. If you choose to comment, fine . . I love comments. If you disagree, do it nicely! You’re not going to change my mind on most issues. Do not put words into my mouth. Read what I wrote and comment on what I wrote . . not on what you think I’m really thinking but didn’t say.

There are all kinds of forums that are there specifically for debate type discussions. My blog is not one of them!

I was thinking about this analogy about the magazine issue. Suppose we pay Joe to cut our grass and Joe requires us to pay for the entire summer before May 1 in order to have a spot on his grass cutting schedule. My neighbor is married to Joe’s wife’s brother’s neighbor’s cousin and she hears that Joe is maybe going out of business . . maybe not but rumor has it that he isn’t going to be cutting grass this summer but he’s still asking people to pay for the entire summer. Does my neighbor mention to me what she’s heard or does she mind her own business and not say a word? Suppose she says nothing and I pay Joe for the entire summer and he never shows up the first time to cut my grass. Then she says to me “wellllll, I heard he might not be cutting grass this summer but didn’t feel I should mention it to you because I didn’t know for sure!” Or, suppose she mentions it and I say to Joe “You know, Joe! I heard you might be going out of business and I’d love to have you continue cutting my lawn but for this summer, it’s going to be pay as you go. You cut the grass, I’ll have cash for you when you finish each day.”

Yes, some of you would just pay Joe and hope for the best. Some of you would not. Knowledge is power. I had known about the magazine company for weeks but until it was actually in writing on the internet on what appeared to be a reputable site, I didn’t mention it here.

Second thing is comments. I assume that every comment left on my blog is left to what I’ve written. Please do not leave comments to comments! I am in the “business” of quilting. What someone reads on my blog could affect me or those I represent. If I were talking about great quilt teachers from whom I’ve taken classes and someone leaves a comment that Suzie Quilter is the WORST teacher she’s ever had and then 10 more leave comments about what a rotten teacher Suzie Quilter is . . you know what people remember? Judy Laquidara said Suzie Quilter was a rotten teacher, which is not what I said! I can’t be on the blog 24/7. Yes, you think I am and Vince thinks I am but I am not. I can’t always nip problems in the bud but if there’s a problem comment or a controversial comment, I’ll deal with it when I see it. Please do not perpetuate a problem! And, if you see a problem comment, or a comment you perceive as a problem, you’re welcome to email me. There have been a few times when I read comments and thought . . that was kinda snippy but I just let it go. Then I’d get a dozen or so emails from people wondering if the comment had hurt my feelings . . . then I may respond on the blog, I may delete the comment or I may just let it go. You are always welcome to write me privately to discuss issues or state your vehement disagreement with me. I’m not much of a debater. I think about my positions and much of what I believe is what my parents and their parents believed. Chad has most of the same beliefs we hold. Our beliefs have “evolved” through the years but some of our basic principles have not. Most of the time, you’re not going to change my mind and I’m not going to change your mind. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Time will tell. We’ll probably all leave this earth thinking we were right. Who cares at that point?

Third thing is “no comments”. On the few occasions that I write a post and set it to where no comments can be left, that means I do not want comments! You’re welcome to write me privately but please do not go off to a totally irrelevant post and leave a comment. The reason I use no comments is that I do not want a raging debate on the blog and when I see a post may be a potential for those type comments, I invoke the “no comments” option. It isn’t because I can’t take anyone disagreeing with me or because I think I’m always right, it’s simply that I don’t want to see arguing and bickering between comments on my blog.

Thank you very much for respecting my right to write what I wish on my blog and for accepting that you have the power to move on; my views are not being imposed upon anyone . . you read it because you have chosen to do so.

· Filed Under: Family · 23 Comments

The Husband & The Chickens

February 26, 2009 · by JudyL

No, the husband is NOT a chicken but we’re spending a lot of time these days discussing my chickens, a chicken tractor and chicken coup.

No, silly! Not that kind of chicken . . this kind of chicken:

And, for the record, because I know there are some out there just waiting to peck my eyeballs out . . I’m not going to eat my chickens. Not ever! My chickens will be happy chickens and they can live with me as long as they wish and if ever I can’t keep them any longer, I’ll find a good home for them. OK . . got that out of the way!

Last night Vince was sitting in his chair looking at a chicken magazine. I’m sitting across the room doing work .. yes, real work on the computer. His laptop is sitting right next to him, turned on, warmed up and ready to go.

Vince: Go to this website. (Me going to the website to look at something he wants me to look at is kinda like me calling the car mechanic with Vince standing behind me telling me what to say and then the car mechanic telling me something and I have to relay it back to Vince and then he tells me what to say to the mechanic and I’m thinking why don’t YOU talk to the mechanic?)
Me: YOU go to the website. I don’t know what you want me to look up.
Vince: What kind of chickens they recommend.
I do as I’m told. Good Judy!
Me: (now on website) Do you want “standard breed baby chicks” or “Bantam baby chicks”? (Knowing that whatever he says first, then he’ll send me back to the other one and still wondering why he isn’t looking them up himself and knowing he eventually will.)
Vince: Standard
Me: OK . . they have Heavy Breeds, White Egg Layers, Meat Breads, Crested Breads, Cochins . . (and I’m talking very fast) What kind would you like for me to look at?
Vince: THE KIND THAT DOESN’T TALK!
Mission Accomplished . . he then goes to the website himself.
About the chicken coop. I want something I can paint . . lime green and purple and happy. There are several really neat coops here:

Not exactly what Vince was thinking. I believe he’s wanting to have something a little more basic . . like ugly. Oh well . . at least he’s looking at it with me. We’ll find common ground and soon we’ll order our chickens and soon we’ll be out visiting with the chickens for our evening entertainment. How many years have I wanted chickens? At least 20 . . probably more. I can’t believe it’s about to happen. Guess I’d better not count my chickens before they hatch though! We don’t have them yet!