Technical Difficulties

Saturday was, as they say, “character building” due to multiple technical difficulties. First thing, my computer wouldn’t boot up. After six or seven tries of turning it off and on at the surge protector, I finally managed to run the diagnostics. The hard drive was bad, it said; so sad. It was serious, too. I couldn’t get past the logon screen.

So I used hubby’s computer. It worked, until I tried to turn it off. It had updates to take care of, it told me, just go on ahead about your business and it will turn itself off when finished.

Liar.

I went to the grocery store and left it running. It was still updating when I returned. I left it on while I went to a fabric postcard class at Honey Bee Quilt Store . . . where my sewing machine became finicky. Lots of “nests” in the bobbin when I was trying to do some satin zig-zagging on the edge of the postcard. Afterwards, I dropped by Sew Much More they looked at my sewing machine. It worked perfectly fine for them on every single stitch they tried. Fine. I left it there for a check up anyway.

I got home after all that and hubby’s computer was still “updating.” I turned it off and on at the surge protector. I was quite relieved when it booted up properly.

Later, I managed to turn on the TV without it exploding. Things are looking up.

End of an Era

Yesterday the space shuttle Endeavour flew to California to be retired; the end of an era. It flew over Austin, Texas around 7:45 a.m. I was fortunate enough to be outside waiting for it. It was quite impressive.

You reached the stars
Taking our dreams with you.
Your last landing is bittersweet.
In our memory, you will live forever.

I waved good-bye.

Space shuttle Endeavour flying past the Texas Capitol dome

Gone, but not forgotten.

Best of Show 2012

Winning quilt, "Ruffled Roses" by Mary Clendennen

Best in Show, AAQG Quilt Fest 2012

Here is the winning quilt for the Austin Area Quilt Guild’s 2012 quilt fest:  Ruffled Roses by Mary Clendennen.  Congratulations, Mary!  The quilt won multiple awards at the AAQG 2012 show and this photo does not do it justice.

Update: Angela Steiner did the needle-turned hand appliqué, Angela McCorckle did the hand-guided machine quilting and Mary Clendennen did the piecing. Congratulations to all!

A fabric postcard, crazy quilt with a dragonfly in the center

Dragonfly postcard

 

While Mary and crew were slaving over the king-sized quilt for hundreds and hundreds of hours, I made a 4″x 6″ fabric postcard. Everyone has their place in the (quilting) food chain, right? Right?