Driving the Slug Bug

We have a 1971 VW Super Beetle. We bought it at a pawn shop (not kidding). It is Manly’s daily driver and I think it is the cutest thing ever. It has been blue, green, gray and striped. Right now it is white and has oversized fenders. Obviously, this is a work in progress which may never be a “completed” project.

Most days I drive the truck and Manly takes the motorcycle. Today it was bitter cold. There is not a heater in the bug, so I told him to take the truck and I would do the fetching and delivering of the monkeys with the bug.

The little guys walk across the street to school, but Teenage Monkey needs a ride. The little bug didn’t want to start because of the cold, but we got it on the road. It was fun watching kids walking to school stop and punch each other playing the slug-a-bug game.

This afternoon, I had to run a few errands and needed to put the bug on the highway. This can be a challenge because sometimes it’s get up and go has got up and went. It did just fine today.

There is a certain way a old VW sounds, smells and feels. When I was a little girl, my dad had an old bug. It had a hole in the floorboard. We could watch the road go buy under us. I remember riding along while the hum and vibration of the thing made me sleepy. Baby Monkey road along with me today. I looked over and he was barely awake. It has the same effect on him that it had on me when I was a little girl.

Thanksgiving.

I am grateful for.

My amazing enormous family
My wonderful husband
Our house full of critters
All the plants who grow, it seems, just to make me happy
Good food
A great job
Wonderful friends both in my physical and virtual worlds
Being asked for my ID to buy beer today. Kid says, 1964, really, you don't look it. I wanted to kiss his face.

Why I am not Sewing Tonight

We interrupt this quilt to bring you entitled cat. We will be back to sewing as soon as her majesty moves her butt.

I Feel Like a Real Heal

Okay, I've been a really bad garden blogger. My feed has been messed up for months. I tried to fix it once or twice, but then gave up.

Today, I went over to Blotanical and found some messages and sweet things and I just feel terrible about it. I really do miss it, but can't figure out how to fix the problem.

Hopefully, I will figure this our OR somebody will save me.

Sorry Y'all.

Bleary Eyed in Texas

Dear Eye Glasses Guru,

I really need your help.

Last year, at this time was about the last time I worked on a quilt. Just about that time I started working at the library. With my amazing time management skills, I managed to find Facebook instead of quilting time. Durn.

This last week, I began quilting again. This is perfect timing because I have reached the level of virtual farming in which you cannot spend your entire day at said activity without starting another game. (two of my friends have signed up their dogs, not kidding). Virtual farming is a Facebook book thing in case you were wise enough to avoid that internet crack.

Anyway, so now I am quilting again. Yet, something shifted between last year and this year and it seems to be my eyesight. Last year I used reading glasses only to thread needles. This year, I kind of need them to quilt.

Here is the problem, I have awful reading glasses skills. I have seen professionals use them. They have them perched on the end of their noses looking all wise and capable. I perched them on the end of my nose, forgot to look up and smacked myself in the head with the quilting hoop when everything went blurry.

I have cleaned off my desk top several times because of crazy depth perception. A glass of water ended up in the floor - I missed just by a little.

My eyes really hurt right now, I’ve strained them pretty bad. If you have any advise on the use and maintenance of reading glasses please please pass it on.

No, I don't need them to actually read yet. Maybe I missed a step.

Sincerely ,

Bleary eyed in Texas

Garden Tour With Kiddos

This morning we had a tour of our Garden Learning Center in Kaufman. The group that visited was the Crandall Middle School Environmental Club. Yes, Middle Monkey is a member. He could barely contain himself. A lot of pictures were taken, but I cannot publish pictures of other peoples children and I really looked mean. Apparently, I take garden tours very seriously or I need a pair of sunglasses.

The kids were great. The sorted their lunch trash for recycling. They were polite and well spoken. Only one of them acted like a punk. When I pointed out his punkishness, the peer pressure to straighten up was immediate and effective. Never saw it work that way before, AWESOME.

We explained the rainwater harvesting systems, irrigation systems, rain garden and plant groupings by water requirements.

This is why I love being a master gardener.

Happy Anniversary

Here is my veteran with his quilt from the Kaufman Quilt Guild. I married him 12 years ago today. Best decision I ever made.