Peace out of Chaos, Thanks to Dreamer.

Welcome to 2 new gang members, Fearless Life ( I would love to know the reason behind that title) and Claire from Thriftwood who like me is rather fond of Afternoon Tea. When Fran is home we do a proper tea, Royal Albert china, scones, jam and clotted cream, little sandwiches, the full monty. I do use my china every day but if I ate tea daily I would have to be wheeled around in a barrow.

An Announcement. 
The second quilt top for donating is finished.

I used a stronger range of colour and pattern in this one, making it more suitable for a boy, although it would be fine for a girl.

2 down, 2 to go, I have masses of strips of various length and width ready cut but will use a different layout for the next 2.

I asked my butcher for a bone for stock, just look at it. That pan is 20" across, I got lots of lovely stock and Ben looked at the bone, then looked at me with a dazed expression. He did however take every scrap of meat and tissue off it and slurped just about all the marrow out, I scooped the remainder out with a long spoon handle for him.

I read Dreamer.s blog and when she first started this off I did not really take it in.




Then after reading how others had taken it up I decided to have a go. That was one of my better choices, I have drawn up a list, BTW I love me a list. The first 3 were simple carry on with decluttering,
1, The built in sitting room cupboards, DONE. 
2, My wardrobes, DONE.
3, Take at least 2 boxes of "stuff" to the CS. DONE.
This week, number 4 is to finish putting Fran's bedroom to rights, it should have been simple and done this morning.....................but I am quite clumsy and while moving things around I managed to stand on the overhead light shade. It broke and I spent 5 minutes picking up bits of coloured glass with one of those sticky roller doodads. I will be visiting said CS on Monday to look for another, possibly a material covered one that I can revamp with one of the fabrics in her quilt.
Number 5 is to empty the little conservatory and give it a birthday, it tends to get used as a "mud room" in the winter. I know that winter is not over but I have to let my eyes go out of focus when I go in there it is in such a sorry state.
I digress, drawing up the list has galvanized me into action, I knew these things needed doing and writing them down was just the shove that I needed. So far I have got 25 listed, when I am nearly there I will look again and finish the list. 
A few things that were going to require money being spent have been put on hold. 
Wonderful news, Francesca has been accepted to sit the New York Bar and it will start with a course in early March at a cost of £How Bloody Much!!!, Then in April the exam fees have to be paid, More of the same, Then she has to go to New York for 2 weeks, the exam is in 2 parts and they are 2 weeks apart.So flights, hotel etc. etc. and there's more gone.
She has her student loan and her LPC loan to pay off and is ploughing through those. I do not want her to cut back on those and another loan would be a stupid way to proceed. Her Dad and I discussed it and we will each lend her half the total. It must be a loan, albeit interest free and payment will be organised by monthly transfer from her bank.
Obviously she will need spending money and probably definitely some new clothes, she is going to New York after all. That will be covered by early Birthday and Christmas money.
We all thought that it would be next year before this happened but really the sooner the better, just think by mid August (fingers crossed) she will be fully qualified.
Reasons to be grateful.

1. A wet, wet wet day. What doesn't come down as rain could come down as snow.

2. Fran's wonderful news.

3. The fact that the money is there for her.

4. Being half way through my destash quilt project.

5. Finding enough quilting fabric in my wardrobe to back at least 3 of the quilts without joining bits together.

I have a reasonable sized piece of Minky and will use that for 1 quilt, the last time I tried it was very hard work, I have read a tutorial about this and picked up lots of tips so I feel quietly confident. The wadding is ready to use, I buy it by the box as I use so much and it gives a saving, thanks to the lovely Ladies from Button Up and Stitch. Oops that reminds me I have signed up to do a class in Foundation piecing and can not remember when it is, must pop in and check.

Sausage casserole Ding for dinner with some cabbage I think.
My pills seem to have done the job, no more pain and running up stairs every 10 minutes, phew. 1 more to take today and that is it.
I only took 2 books from the library Friday, because I have some from Christmas to read, and found that I had read 1 and could not get into the second. More time for sewing then.

Ben is huffing and puffing around my feet so I better find our coats and go take the air.
         TTFN                                                          Pam