For my lovely furry friend......

who finally gave in to old age and joined his mother, Maggie, and his human father, John and is united with them both in my closet.  It may seem strange to some that I keep the cremains of them all on the closet shelf, but my aunt started this tradition and now it seems to me as if they are all together and it is a good place for them - I know they are there and they are always in my thoughts.

When I got back Bandit was so glad to see me and I was so glad to be home, with my visa and five more years to come up with a plan.  On Tuesday afternoon last week I picked up Caper from the kennel - she has been there for at least a year as one of the dogs that we keep for the Heartworm Project (www.heartwormprogect.org) - please check them out and consider adopting a pet from them if you are looking to add a furry friend to your family. 

So Bandit knew that I had a furry friend to look after me before he passed on and he lived until last Saturday evening and I was holding his paw when he took his last breath.  There were four of us that crossed the pond to be here in the USA (me, John, Maggie and Bandit) and now there is just me - the last of the four musketeers.  And although sometimes it seems strange to make plans on my own I have to move on without them and take my life in the direction that I want to go - and that is the challenge.  Where do I want to go and what do I want to do? 

I do know that quilting is my absolute passion, as well as teaching what I know to anyone that will listen.  So I will focus on that for a while and try to put as much into the blog as I can in the near future.  And to that end, I have to recommend Sally Collins to you - she has a number of books that I have loved and a DVD that has some of the most amazing tips for precision piecing that I have ever seen.  Check her out and watch and learn.  My J.P. doing piecing took up one of the tips on the DVD and has produced one of the most masterful quilts in terms of the pressing that I have ever seen - trust me I have seen all of the spectrum of piecing and pressing! - anyone who pieces needs to see this pressing and cooling technique. 

OK - I am drawing up a new schedule that should have me blogging more often and with a plan!  I have the next new fabulous craze that I want to introduce in the next week or so and a lot of other things that I want to do - more quilting but also more other hand work and skills. 

Thank you J.P. - the quilting one - for prompting me to blog.

I need to thank all the kennel staff and the studio staff for the wonderful work that they have done to help me out, keep me going and keep the businesses ticking over. 

Tomorrow is a haircut!!

 

So here is Caper - black dogs are so hard to photograph!

 

And here is the Hoffman Challenge that actually made it on time and will be judged - I should know by the end of July if it has won anything or will travel.  This time I have hopes for a win or at least a travel......the last one bombed but this one should do well!

 

Goodnight all - does anyone in the USA or UK remember the Magic Roundabout and Zebadee - 'time for bed'?