Friday!!

I had hoped to get more blocks done today but I did get 6 more made so I now have 12. If I get 6 more done tomorrow, I'll have all 18 of these blocks done. There's actually two blocks done in each color although they look very similar in the picture. I'll add some more variety of pink and orange tomorrow and then re-arrange them and there's always the alternating block between the so they won't look so blendy .. I hope. I always pay attention to the comments you all leave and I think a lot about what you all say. Evelyn, a couple of days a week, when I feel really sleepy, I will take a 30 minute nap in the afternoons. I set the alarm (cell phone) or I'd sleep all afternoon. In fact, today I hit the snooze button twice! Laurie, Laurie, Laurie . . How can you lose your quilting motivation? Come see me, I have enough to share with you. I never get tired of quilting. Laurie Ann, I play games and little challenges with myself. I feel like if I get up early, I've beat the day but if I sleep late, the day has beat me. I love getting up early. I always feel like I'm racing to get things done in the mornings. The whole day is a head of me and I don't want to waste a minute. By evening, I'm trying to finish the things I had planned to do and didn't get done and I hate going to bed before I finish the things I planned to do. To those of you who posted about color, I really thought about that today too. I probably have the worst taste in color of all quilters! I really don't stress about the colors but I don't stress about a whole lot of anything. I think I enjoy the process of choosing the fabric, the design, cutting the fabric, sewing the fabric way more than actually having a finished quilt. So, I guess the real pleasure for me is the actual "doing" and once the quilt is finished, well, for the most part -- it's just another quilt and the fun part is over for me. I made bread this morning. I'm always trying new recipes but this is the one I love best. It's kind of a packy, heavy bread (not terribly light and fluffy) and it is a tad sweet. It reminds me of the bread the cafeteria ladies made when I was in elementary school. Here's the recipe if anyone wants to try it: Old Fashioned White Bread 2-1/2 cups milk, scalded 3 T. shortening 1 T. salt 4 T. sugar 1 package dry yeast 1/4 c. warm water 7 cups all purpose flour, divided Melted butter or margarine Combine scalded milk, sugar, salt and shortening. Stir until shortening melts. Cool to 105 - 115 degrees. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in milk mixture and four cups flour. Beat two minutes at medium speed of electric mixer or until smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 45 minutes. Punch dough down, gradually stir in approximately two cups of flour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead in remaining one cup flour. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts for about 20 minutes. Knead dough in bowl two minutes. Turn dough over and let rise 20 minutes. Repeat kneading and rising procedure. Punch dough down, turn onto a lightly floured surface. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place in two greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans. Cover and let rise, free from drafts, for approximately 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove loaves from pans. Brush with melted butter and cool on wire racks. Last but not least . . Chad and I got a hankering for lobster for dinner so we ran to Wal-Mart (the only place around here to get live lobster). We cooked everything on the side burner in the grill so that's why it's all sitting on the grill. Yummmmm . . .