2011 December 05 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

What’s for Dinner?

December 5, 2011 · by JudyL

Remember when I used to cook and we ate dinner at home every night? I barely remember those days.

Last night I was so hungry for meatloaf and I always have scalloped potatoes with meatloaf. We also had zucchini with onions.

It was good and that’s a good thing because we kinda had the same thing tonight! I’ve been bringing food over from the freezer at the rental and the label fell off at least one container. I thought it was gumbo and I took it out to thaw for tonight. I made rice, got the pot out to heat up the gumbo, opened it and . . it was cornbread dressing! Hmmm . . the rice was cooked, it was almost time for dinner and we had no dinner. Leftover meatloaf to the rescue. We had meatloaf and cornbread dressing and turned the rice into rice pudding. That was tasty . . on a cold winter’s night.

· Filed Under: Cooking · 3 Comments

A Real Sewing Machine Set Up

December 5, 2011 · by JudyL

The Featherweight served its purpose but having to move the sewing machine and move the cutting mat and move all the pieces of my sewing every time we ate was getting old. I’m not complaining . . I’m at the house where I want to be but when we went back yesterday, Vince’s mail goal was to get the desktop computer, his craft table, the big tv and his blow dryer. We took the pickup and the CRV. I said “Do you think we could bring back a 301 and a cabinet?” Sure!

How do you like the computer table? The sewing machine is set up in an extra bedroom. Right now, there’s a full size blowup bed in there and plenty of room but the bed going into this room is a queen size bed and then there will be a chest, a couple of nightstands and a bookcase so we’ll have to see if there’s room for a sewing machine in there. The ironing board was moved in there but the cutting mat will still stay on the kitchen table. It’s so nice to have a sewing machine in a cabinet to use and not be sewing on the kitchen table. Progress . . slow but sure!

· Filed Under: Quilting · 10 Comments

Our First Fire

December 5, 2011 · by JudyL

Last night it was cold enough that we built our first fire. Darn it . . I forgot to get marshmallows to roast. The gas lighter was still on but I was ready to sit down and enjoy the fire myself so I took a picture before the fire really got going. Notice it’s dark outside and all our blinds are open! I knew we’d never close them here. The TV is not staying there so don’t even think it is!

Four more days til our sofa and beds get moved over here. You can imagine how happy I will be to have a real bed and have a dresser and a comfy place to sit while I knit.

Yesterday just at dusk, I was cooking and Vince was doing something and Speck started barking and barking. I looked up and there was a car way down the driveway but Speck was sitting in the chair looking out the window and I guess he’s already gotten used to the solitude. It was the guy we bought the place from and he still owns the big ranch house that’s for sale. He had come over to put the covers on the outside water faucets at the big house. They are the nicest people! I had talked to his daughter about getting a deer stand for Vince for Christmas and she had mentioned it to her dad. He has a nice stand that he left in our implement shed and he called me aside and asked if I had bought a deer stand yet. I told him no and he said “Come see this one!” He took me back there and we looked at it. He showed me how it all works and said he’d give it to Vince and I could get Vince something else for Christmas. How nice is that? The guy has a foundation for needy children where they give scholarships for college and they give a lot of food baskets at Thanksgiving. In the spring they have a big golf tournament and an auction to raise money for the foundation and I told him I would donate a quilt in exchange for the deer blind .. though I know the quilt will not start to bring in anywhere near as much as the deer blind cost.

We took him out and showed him what we had done in the shop. He liked it but he kept shaking his head and saying “You took HALF the shop!” You never know what someone thinks .. even though it’s no longer HIS shop . . he built it and had big plans about what he was going to do out there. I remember how aggravated I was when the folks in Lake Charles painted my purple house a different color. So, he’s seen it and I’m sure he went and told his wife “You won’t believe what they did to the shop!” and I’m betting she comes by this afternoon or tomorrow to look at it.

Back to my sewing . . I have packages to finish, you know!

· Filed Under: Home & Garden · 20 Comments

Design Wall – December 5, 2011

December 5, 2011 · by JudyL

Today and the rest of this week, I’m going to work on my Christmas packages. Looking at the ecru in the picture, it might be too white or maybe the carpet is too tan. No doubt, there’s a suitable substitute lurking the stash somewhere. The red will be the sashing squares and I have some green of the same line of fabric (Holly Jolly) that might work for a border. Haven’t thought that far out yet.