Hello Again!

A six week break should be enough to re-new the old blogging mojo.  I'm not sure if it was, but the guilt of not updating has drawn me back here.

The short version of the events of the past few months.

 1.  The week after Thanksgiving we took our little RV to Florida for a few days.  We stayed at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and loved the place. (The sunset photo in my blog header was taken on the beach there) But we had been thinking that we would like more space, so....

 2.  We traded for a  new to us (and much bigger!) RV on the way home!  We've only had a couple nights in it but are looking forward to taking a trip sometime soon.  A guided tour will follow!

 3.  Christmas was very nice.  Our son and his little boys from St. Louis, our daughter from Chicago and D's dad and step mom from Arkansas all visited over the holidays.  Of course our other daughter, son-in-law and grandson that live nearby helped to entertain everyone too!

 4.  I had been fighting a cold since before Thanksgiving that chose Christmas week to explode into bronchitis.  Then D came down with a sinus infection at the same time.  Bad timing, but we eventually recovered.

 5.  The little gym where I've been going to Pilates closed.  So I joined a new one where I've been trying to go regularly to a "Group Power" class.  Some days it makes me feel really OLD but since several of my friends from the old gym are there too, it's not so bad.  But I wish someone would explain why exercising to keep relatively fit seems like such a "job"?

 6.  I made my first purchase from The Home Shopping Network, the Singer 160th Anniversary Edition Sewing Machine!  If we ever take an extended trip in the RV, I thought this machine might be a good one to take along. I haven't used it much yet so can't give a true review.  It definitely doesn't compare to my Viking Designer II but I think it will serve the purpose.  It does look pretty though!

 7.  I've been working on several different sewing and crafting projects.  Since the three grandsons are growing up and are moving up to big boy beds, I decided this year I would try to get three twin size quilts done in time for Christmas 2012.  One is pieced and at the quilter already - unfortunately I forgot to take a photo first.   There's been a couple other little sewing projects and I've been crocheting quite a bit too.  After some time spent re-organizing my too small craft closet, I've decided I am entirely "too" crafty!  I've got too many hobbies that involve thread, yarn, fabric, beads, paper and all the books and magazines that try to teach me what to do with those things!

 8.  I thank (blame?) daughter B for getting me back in the mood to read "real" books.  The kindle app on my iPad is wonderful, but there's something about holding a book in your hands that feels so right.  She loaned me her Hunger Games series books and I read them all within a week.  Now I'm looking forward to the movie when it comes out next month!

9.  Even though I've been ignoring this blog, I still manage to keep up with several others.  One of my favorites is From The Strawberry Patch by Mrs. Goodneedle.   She recently hosted a "giveaway" as many bloggers do.  And guess what?  I WON!  I never win anything so this was a wonderful surprise.  My prize was the new Elm Creek Quilts Novel by Jennifer Chiavernini, Sonoma Rose. Thank you so very much Mrs. G!  I'm looking forward to turning that first page!

10. Now I have covered most everything I should have been blogging about these past few weeks, it wasn't really that hard. Thank you for your patience and I hope you will be back again for the next post!