Happy New Year

My sister left this morning. I did a quick presto-change-o on the "guest" room and spent the rest of the day sewing. I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I make quilts for wounded soldiers. I also solicit them from other members of my quilt guild, and a couple times a year I take them all up to the VA hospital in Palo Alto. Last month I delivered eighty quilts. I already have another half dozen collected for the next time I go. Today I put together this quilt top. My mother-in-law made the blocks, then I sewed them together and put the border on. Later I'll machine quilt it with a nice plaid flannel on the back, and it'll go to a veteran.

I really wish my sister and I had had more time together. I was working most of the time she and her husband were here, so we really didn't get to do that much. We did end up going wine tasting on Tues at a couple vineyards up in the Santa Cruz mountains with my brother and his wife, which was fun, and then Wednesday the four of us spent the day in San Juan Bautista (where the filmed much of the movie Vertigo, btw). We toured the mission, ate Mexican food, and rummaged through a bunch of antique shops. Last night I made enchiladas and margaritas (read: Mexican food overkill) and my sister whipped my ass in scrabble. Twice. But this morning all I could think about was all the other things I wanted to do with her but didn't have time. So I invited them to spend a couple more days with us on their way back up to Washington. Crazy, huh.