Checking In

I was going to put aside the scrappy string rings and work on the Iron Work quilt over the weekend, but I'm this close to having all the string rings done.  So I just kept on creating the string strata, cutting wedges, and sewing them together.  It has been my happy place this past week.

Having mounds of strings all over is a good kind of mess.  It reminds me of playing in a pile of leaves.  You know you've got to rake them up eventually, but you're having too much fun to stop just yet.

Other than that, it's been life as usual lately.  That doesn't make for riveting blog fodder, but here are a few snippets of randomness, in no particular order.

Tonight's rainbow over the neighborhood.

I spotted a bumper sticker the other day on a Ford Windstar which read, "Vans are tangible evidence of evil."  That had me smiling for blocks.  I like a driver with a sense of humor.

Anybody watching Dancing With The Stars?  There is some great competition this year, but I have to give props to Donald Driver.  And not just because I'm a Packer fan, but the guy is really doing well! 

I enjoyed all the threesomes last night (wait, that sounds bad).  Well, what did they call them?  Dance trios or something.  Anyway, Driver's three-way jive was truly "fun, fun, fun," as judge Len put it.  Now give the man a 10 already, would you?

I had a great conversation with a 93-year-old man while waiting for Norm at physical therapy.  He was a World War II veteran, having served at Okinawa.  He had some interesting stories and related them like it was yesterday.  Sharp guy.  Said he was only one of two surviving members of his unit.  I never did get his name, but it was a pleasure to spend a few minutes talking  to a member of the "Greatest Generation."

In a moment of radio roulette the other night, I spun the dial until I landed on something completely different—the polka station!  You cannot listen to polka music and feel bad.  It's like a natural law or something.  Corny jokes and oompa music was a welcome change of pace—for about a half hour, anyway.

"All the signs of a bleeding heart" (No Way Down, The Shins)

I'm also enjoying the music of Tab Benoit, thanks to a tip from Sandi at Piecemeal Quilts.  Good call! 

And I think it's safe to say that I am fairly obsessed with The Shins new album, Port of Morrow.  Here's this week's favorite song.