End of Week Ramblings

This week has been kinda busy and just went by way too quickly. I've sat down and started a blog entry no less than five times and then thought . . this is so boring, no one wants to read about my life. It isn't boring to me and every day I realize how lucky I am to be me but goodness, my life would be boring to others. Here's how my week has been. I'm not complaining about anything . . just explaining; maybe venting is a better word. Vince would say complaining, I say venting . . more of that Mars/Venus stuff.

• I've been teaching quilting for our county community ed for quite a few years and I love teaching. They let me teach at whichever school in the county I prefer, they let me set my classes, times, dates . . they give me total charge of the quilting. They pay quite good also and I've met several friends, one of whom is my best friend and partner in crime here, Becky. Anyway, the girl who runs the community ed . . well, I'm not going to say she doesn't do her job but dang, it is a mess. I had told her towards the end of the spring semester in 05 that I would not teach any longer. She begged and promised to do better so I told her I would continue. Then it was worse than ever so I said NO, I am not teaching again. It got time for the spring schedule to come out and she sent me a long e-mail promising to do better. OK, I need lessons from Vicky in saying NO, but I did send her a long e-mail explaining exactly what I expected from her. To make a long story short, things were worse than ever so I sent her a long e-mail and asked her to cancel the remainder of my classes. I feel it makes me look bad as a teacher to show up for classes and have not a clue how many students are going to be there, those trying to take the classes can't get any information . . it's just a mess. It really hurts my heart to do things like that but it was past time for me to sever that relationship and I feel relieved to have done it.
• Quilting for Customers - I had planned to do no customer quilting in 06 except for quilting for a few customers who have been with me since I started and I really don't want to lose. I have probably done more quilting in the first two months of 06 than in the first two months any year prior. As I was closing out my books for February, I told Vince how many quilts I had done in February and he was surprised. I told him that's why I'm going nuts. His most considerate response was "short trip!".
• Then, today I started getting e-mails from Virgina from people wanting me to do quilting. Once upon a time when I first started out, a girl named June from the Baltimore area had me do some quilting and one of the first quilts I did for her won a state award. I began to get a whole lot of business from Baltimore and I still have many customers in that area. But I was trying to think of why I was getting e-mails from Virginia and couldn't come up with anything. When I received a third contact within about two hours, I wrote back and said "where did you find me?" The response was and I should have remembered . . the local quilt shop is vending at a show in VA this weekend and she must be passing out my cards. I've done most of her samples and sure enough, I called her on her cell phone. Where are you? Virginia! BINGO! It's nice to have people calling wanting quilting done but . . who is going to finish this darned book??
• Quilts for the Book - I didn't meet my February goals. Oh, yes, I have two more days. There's hope! But, I have one large quilt to finish (it's barely started) and one small quilt to start and finish in order to stay on track. Not gonna happen. Who ever came up with February having only 28 days should be shot. Why can't we have just one month with 40 days . . or even 50 days? I could get my monthly goals done maybe if I had more days

There are many good things happening though. Let's see . .

• Only 26 days til I get to go home (Louisiana) but who's counting? Heck, it was 26 days this morning so it's closer to 25 days now! :) Funny how I never thought Louisiana was so great til I left. I think I'm a momma & daddy's girl and I don't like living so far away. Maybe it's not Louisiana I miss but just mom, dad and the crawfish! As it gets closer to time to go home, I can hardly wait. Today as I was quilting, I was thinking of things I need to pack and I thought about stopping and getting out my bags and then I thought . . no, there's no reason to start packing 26 days before I'm leaving!
• Memoirs of a Geisha - I got this book on tape and listened to it on the Ipod while quilting this week. I got the unabridged version and I think it has 17 or 18 hours and I listened to it all in 2 days. I thought it was a great book. I have almost all the Left Behind series books but have never read them so I downloaded the first one and I'll listen to it next.
• Computers - I was in Books-a-Million Friday and an older lady came up to me and asked if I knew anything about computers. I laughed and told her I knew she didn't want any advice from me. She had a little scrap of paper on which she had scribbled "Compaq" and some numbers. She wanted one of the "Dummy" books for that particular computer and the Books-a-Million people had not found one for her but she was so sure they must have one. I explained to her that they probably don't have the "Dummy" books for every single make and model but what she needs is just a general book. I asked her what she wants to learn to do and she said "Honey, I don't even know how to turn it on!" For a fleeting moment, I almost handed her one of my business cards and said "call me if you need help" and then I came to my senses. I did find a book for Windows XP . . getting started and recommended that for her. I also suggested she check into a computer class at the community college or maybe community education.
• And last but not least, we have beautiful sunsets in my little part of the world. From home, they're really pretty. Well, I suppose they're no less pretty here except there are roofs and roofs and more roofs in the way. At home, there are wide, open spaces and nothing to obstruct the view. Tonight as Chad and I were watching the sunset, I snapped a picture. Pretend we're not seeing 2 or 3 roofs . .

Judy