Re: Roll Call

Once again I missed the original post - but I'm still here.

I am 50-something ex-Air Force (RAAF) living with a floating population of feline QIs in the SE corner of the Great Land Downunder. Yep, that's right - the quintessential "crazy ol' woman with cats" rofl.

The "official" QIs are - Boofhead -

- newcomer Rasputin - are a number of neighbourhood cats that qualify as "wannabe's" lol

I started my first quilt in a state of glorious ignorance over 30years ago and it is still not finished (but that's another story). Since "retiring" I have taught from home on a non-professional basis (as opposed to the teaching I did in various shops around the country before this as I got posted here, there and everywhere) and that has escalated to the point where I get very little of my own sewing done now. I always found quilting was a great way to meet new people when I had to move, and now it keeps me in touch with others in my "new" home in a rural area.

Failing eyesight will eventually curtail my sewing (my favourite is hand applique) but with luck I have maybe one more BIG project in me before I have to give up completely. In preparation for that time I have recently resumed knitting - mostly socks. But as fast as I knit them someone wants them and they disappear lol.

Cheryl, your posts always give me a boost! I have to tell you that when I lived in Ogilvie, Minnesota (a very small town indeed!) an ad in the local paper began, "Crabby old woman and ornery old cat looking for a place to rent.........." When Dora and I get crabby and ornery, I think that is the ad we will place in papers all over Arizona.

Hi, I'm late adding my bit, but here goes:

I'm married and have two sons, 17 and 20. We live in Washington State, across the mountains from Seattle. I never sewed at all before a few years ago. We moved here in late 1999 and two years later my mom bought me a quilting class. A couple years after that she bought me a Janome 5700 sewing machine. I was a newspaper reporter most of my career -- although I stayed home with my boys when they were young. I was working freelance after we moved here and loving it. But I developed an autoimmune disease and have become quite ill. I am completely "disabled" now -- although you wouldn't know to look at me. I'm one of those that people grumble at and say "she doesn't look disabled, probably doesn't have a sick bone in her body and just cheats the system.....grumble, grumble". Well, the fact is I am quite ill and have problems that unless you really want to hear about I won't explain.

Anyway, I got back into quilting about 4 years ago after I got sick and then, as it became apparent taht I couldn't work anymore, got really serious about quilting about two years ago. I haven't done a lot. I'm slow and often begin somethingthat doesn't get finished. I have longish periods where the only thing I can do is toddle down to my sewing room and handle my fabric. I am a total fabriholic. I love fabric. I live for fabric. LOL

Right now I'm working on several projects. A bed-sized quilt for my mom, a gift for my son's high school counselor, and something for the local quilt guild show.

My goal is to make something that I will be proud to enter in the show. That's my goal for this year, but I doubt it will be r ecognized. It's getting late and I'm still just picking up pieces. LOL. Ok, my goal is to make something that I will be proud to enter in NEXT YEAR's guild show.

I have two QI's, Angus who is a 15-year-old Rat Terrier, and JoJo who is a 6-year-old chow/spitz mix. Yes, he is just too much. They're good doggies and test out my fabric and quilt pieces all the time. Bless their hearts.

Here is where you can find photos of my work:

Good Quilting!

Sunny

This was written by DH who understands RC gliders - I just admire from afar!

My son Richard is also a RC glider enthusiast. He came top of the UK league for F3K (handlaunched) gliders last year and is hoping to repeat this year - he has already won the first comp of 2007. F3K has just been approved as an international class and Richard wants to represent the UK at the first World Champs in Czech Repub. in 2008. He came 3rd (out of 88) in the German Champs (effectively the European champs) last year, flying in a team with Phil Barnes and Bruce Davidson from the US.

Richard and his partner Hayley run the UK Flyquiet Forum

where you can see some photos of him. This year he is also competing in the large glider class F3J. He came 8th out of 38 in the first big competition of the year.

This is Donna in Idaho, also retired and loving it! DH and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary this month (2nd marriage for both of us). I have 3 kids (he had none before he married me!) and we have 12 grandkids, 2 step grandkids, 1 great grand kid (the monster child - he is a terror) and another great grand on the way.

I started sewing when I was 9 - the usual 4-H stuff - hem a dish towel by hand, make an apron. Used to make almost all of my clothes - now the only garment sewing I do is an occasional jacket. First quilt I made was for my oldest granddaughter who will be 25 in September. With the new great grand on the way, I guess I'd better start thinking of another quilt. But, before that I need to get busy on the place mats and matching napkins I'm going to make for our step grandson's wedding in July. Also, need to get busy on the challenge quilt for our Project Linus conference in June. And, I want to make a Summer Tote that was discussed in another thread (that will need to be done before conference, too).

Last 15 years of my working life before retiring was a part-time job running the office for a hop/onion/wine grape/row crop farm - secretary, legal research, bookkeeper, payroll - you name it, I did it! My DH and I both retired February 1999.

I've been coordinator for our local Project Linus chapter for 9 years. I kept track of my hours for awhile this winter - I spend more hours per week on Project Linus than I did working for the farm. I love every minute of it! Besides the good feeling of helping comfort kids who need a hug, I have made many, many friends since I've been PL coordinator that I would have never met otherwise.

Also, have enjoyed meeting quite a few rctq'ers over the years.

Hi, I'm Judy from coastal Maine (US) - and I'm a fabriholic! DH and I've been married for 38 yrs, we have six kids 3 his and 3 ours (all now grown and living in ME, VA, & WY). We also have a QI named Gus - a rescue beagle who loves to roll on my quilts! We have six grandkids and one great-grand daughter.

I'm officially retired - worked for 8+ years at TSWLTH - and did I ever lay in a stash!! (I can say that now that I'm back from VA).

I'm originally from Oregon - DH is from Missouri -- we met and married in Japan (he was in the Navy & I was a school teacher for the overseas dependent school on base.) We have kids b. in Puerto Rico, VA, and Maine. [Join the Navy and see the world!!]

Made my first quilt back in the 60s in college (simple four patch). Didn't get back into quilting for another 25 + years, till the Grandbabies started coming along, and then I was hooked.

Chocolate: Dark! (and snickers bars). ME-Judy

/Hops into the room, yelling, "Surprise!" (er... sorry, been emoting too long...)

Jumping in here, or hopping, I guess, to say hello. A major update would take too long, but... I've been busy, and am currently enjoying 15 minutes of fame as a podcaster.

Hi, to all the people who haven't met me yet. I'm Wendy (or frood) in NC. Been quilting since DD#2 was born (Miss Fussy Rose, who is also famous right now - big fan club). It kinda went on the back burner a few months ago... ok, maybe a year... anyway, I'm active in my Quilt Guild, and in a Bee group, so I keep my hand in.

Five kids, one husband, 2 dogs - yes, Mungo has a new little brother - Zippy. We just got him from the pound. He's a sweetie, but no manners at all! A real shame, since he's a smart dog. Well, we have him now, and he is learning.

Whew! Ok, I can't possibly catch up on everything at once, but... I'm here (and looking into going to Houston! O.o )

Wendy

Susan Torrens wrote:

Welcome back. Kay Fl

Sheeeeeeee's baaaaaaacccckkkkkkkk!!!! Welcome back. We've missed you. Even had someone post a bit back wondering if you were planning any kind of Halloween swap.

Good to see you and hope you are able to pop in a bit more often. And keep us in the know on Houston plans.

Pati, in Phx

frood wrote:

Great to see you Wendy. We do miss you. Lost none of your spirit, I'm glad to see! Please give Giles (my honorary niece) a big hug from across the pond. Hello Zippy. . In message , frood writes

Welcome back Wendy. .

Are you reading all the posts you missed - I started this thread way way back at the beginning of the summer, so you have lots more to read!

You missed Pirates Day, too, but back in time for Halloween.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

frood wrote:

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEE'S BBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Butterfly (you MISSED sharing Talk Like a Pirate Day with us)

Hi Frood,

I met you at Houston in 2002 I think. I've been hiding out a bit also.

I live in New Westminster B.C. Canada. Took my first quilting class in 1988 and then did nothing for about 3 or 4 years.

This year I'm Fraser Valley Quilter's Guild President. Was evening chair for 2 years and decided why not.

Enjoy travelling and quilting and visiting with folks on the newsgroup. Although this trip down to San Diego I didn't meet up with anyone.

Howdy everyone!

Well, I'll be doggone Frood...... I thought you had abandoned us! SO nice to see a post from you!! Welcome "home"!!

Patti in Seattle

My little family and I are Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.- West Plains to be exact- home of the Gammill Quilting Machines. And no, I do not have one..... yet. The HairyButt Gang consists of my precious Missy, silly Simon, sweet Daisy and the young'un Hoover who has been accused of acting like he's permanently stoned- but he's a cuddly sweetie so I'm gonna keep him! VBG They all hold the honorary title of Official Sofa Ornament. And there's Buttercup, The Calico Outdoor Cat.... due to my allergies. All five are rescues and all are neutered or spayed... I strongly and vocally support both pet adoptions/rescues and surgical altering. I have two adult sons, one DDIL and 4 granddarlings- two of each flavor.

I am a self-taught quilter since 1988 and accidentally fell into teaching quilting for about 7 years until our very small town's only fabric store closed down 9 years ago. I'm crazy about my Janome 6600- what a machine! I do all machine work due to arthritis- but I miss doing hand applique. I make quickie speed pieced bed quilts since they are washed to death courtesy of my dogs and wallhangings that tattle on me for being a wanna be art quilter. I am crazy about batiks and have a stash of fabric and thread that's just a little bit of waaayyyy too much. I give away almost everything I make- I'd rather give it to a loved one or a worthy cause than try to store or sell them.

Going thru a minor rough spell right now- recovering from a very extensive hip replacement, my beloved Missy girl has terminal cancer and it's not going well, just split with my hubby a few months ago, working on getting up the courage to get a tattoo, trying to get my extensive flower beds whipped into shape after neglecting them for the three months I spent housebound after the surgery, getting my house fixed up and ready to sell so I can build another one, just turned 57 (ugh!) and trying to figger out how to let my hair go to it's natural gray/brown color (LOL see our loonnnngggg thread 'bout that!). Things are starting to look better and move forward but don't be surprised if I'm not posting much for a while!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, you have helped carry the thunderous force known to those foolish enough to stand in it's way as The Horde! to a devastating victory over the alliance, the undead, and those wimpy tree elves?

Ar! We missed you piratical emotin' in 'ere on th' Day.

I defended your title as Queen of Halloween when somebody new (who shall remain nameless (G)) tried to pass it to me.

Speaking of which, tis the season:

Did I already give you that one?

and just for inspiration: Don't get so busy you forget to come back!

NightMist

PS DD moved to Creedmore and will be returning The Antichist shortly