This and That

Disclaimer: The gorgeous photo to the left has nothing to do with this post. My son-in-law took the picture of our older granddaughter this summer and I just need to share it!

So, here are some random accomplishments, thoughts, and observations of recent time:

• I've been working diligently on the Monster blocks. These are from a now unavailable pattern by Sue Garman that I've had for at least ten years. It is a baby quilt size pattern and I'm going to interpret it as a twin size quilt for Grandchild #6 who is due to move into a big boy bed sometime in the next year. There are nine blocks and I'm hand-buttonholing them. They take time. In some cases there are several layers of bonded fabric and it hurts the fingers a bit to push the needle through. But I'm loving the results. The final project must remain a secret until it is finished, but perhaps I'll share a preview of just one block.
• I went through my Kaffe/Brandon/Philip scraps (of which there are many because I keep buying scrap bags from Glorious Color whenever she has them) and selected a bunch of green/purple/blue pieces for two sophisticated baby quilts for boys. All of the pieces for both quilts are cut. One will be a Louisiana block and the other the Mazed pattern adaptation. I started piecing the first one yesterday. 
• People have been so solicitous about The Knee. There is some improvement, but there is a long way to go. I spend a lot of time in my recliner (hence the astonishing progress on the Monsters). Yesterday Honna showed up with dinner and a balloon. We'll have her yummy chicken tonight and it has been a very long time since I've had a balloon!
• Why is it that when I remove nail polish at home it takes forever but at the salon it comes off Just Like That? Obviously they have some sort of industrial strength remover that isn't available to the rest of us. Snarl.
• I read We Are Not Ourselves recently and loved it. I had been on the library's waiting list for months and when we were going away for a weekend I broke down and bought it. Well worth the price and I'm glad I bought the real book rather than the Kindle version because it definitely  must be shared (my sister has it presently).
• I tried the crescent roll apple dumplings recipe and oh-my-gosh don't tell my Weight Watchers leader but they are delicious! No link being provided; there are a couple of versions and Google has them all. 
• I still don't have even one of my lap quilts for veterans assembled and am ashamed about that. I'm still hoping to get one done before October 7 but those Monsters are so addicting . . . . 
• I miss the autistic kids and their teachers more than I can say. 
• Oh, all right, here it is. But don't blame me if you develop a rapid addiction.