Project time!

We have been busy working at the apartments since we left Shipshewana last Wednesday. Terry has been doing some maintenance that popped up and I have been working on cleaning out the last vestiges of our former life which have been stored in the basement at the storage condo. Every year we whittle away at it and I about have it completed. A few years ago I had cleaned out all the closets, etc., and now it is time to start going back through all of that once again. But once I have this room cleared out and usable again I will probably leave the other for another year. No need to spend every waking hour on it. We have been meeting with contractors as we have some more work we want to get done on the apartments. With the winters they have been having here (what's that about global WARMING?), we wanted to replace some windows that were leaky and a couple sliding glass doors that were leaking so badly they couldn't be fixed. The fuel bills last winter were high for our tenants and since we want them all to stay, we are doing what we can to help make their apartments more energy efficient. We have great renters and they like us as well. We will try to get this work done within the next two weeks.

The weather has been very unusual for northern Indiana. I believe they said last month was the coldest July and only 2 days at 90* or above. Today was cool and then later the wind started blowing and it got up in the 90*'s. Now the wind is still blowing but it is cooler, down to 81*.

We are in the Elkhart Campground now and WOW! What a difference a year makes. Last year there were a lot of people through here, but it appears they fill up about every night this year. And that is a lot of campers. There are numerous camping clubs here. We have an end site (Bob takes care of us) and a lot of people stop by to chat while we are outside. Bill Adams (http://www.internetanywhere.us/) was parked just across the road from us last night. We asked if he had time to come and tweak our Datastosrm system and he came over this morning. He made some changes in the way it was set up and it is really running fine now. Anyone who needs any help with that should hook up with Bill sometime at a rally or elsewhere. He makes his living doing this now and he is extremely knowledgeable and very nice to deal with.

Last winter I started a project. It was a rag quilt for the bed. A rag quilt is sewn with the seams on the outside on the one side. There are various versions, but they are very simple. The biggest job is clipping the edges so it will ravel. They are very pretty when they are done and very durable. I have the quilt half done, having decided to make two sections, get them all washed and ravelled, then put them together. Otherwise it is too big for any washing machine I have handy. So the bottom half was done except for the clipping. I clipped and clipped. I tried to do at least two rows a night, but my hand would get sore and then I would have to wait a week before going back to it. I tried the spring loaded snippers, but they were too small to be effective. Last week while I was clipping, my shears broke, so I was off to Jo-Ann's to get another pair. I decided to get good ones this time, perhaps they would work easier. Then I saw THEM! Fiskars "rag quilt snippers!" Wow! Custom made for snipping thick seams. Large enough to do some serious snipping. So I bought them. . . three short sessions later I WAS DONE! Love those snippers. Here is the finished product. . . keep in mind, it is only half finished. The top half will be custom shaped to fit the motorhome bed. With two nightstands, it will be easier if I make the quilt narrower there and then I am going to make it longer to fold it back OVER the pillows instead of the customary tuck. It is a patriotic theme and the white panel you see has the Pledge of Allegiance on it. I even made corners at the foot of the quilt to fit the bed. In a motorhome, you just have no place for a lot of extra fabric to be hanging off the end. Now I just have the top to do.

Oh, if you feel compelled to tackle such a project. . . I cut out all the blocks with a rotary cutter which is must faster than scissors. And then get the proper snippers and it will go easier on your hands. BUT, my sister found a quilt shop in Warsaw, Indiana. For ONE DOLLAR a yard, they die cut the fabric for you and the die also cuts the fringe! WOW! So when we were staying at the fairgrounds down there two weeks ago, I bought fabric for a "camping quilt" for Ronan and had it all cut! We'll see how it goes. I found flannel fabrics that were novelty with camping pictures on them. The girls at the store thought it was going to be really cute. I'm going to give it to him for Christmas.

Tomorrow is a lazy day as we will watch the race. Will my favorite win? I have so many favorites now, one is bound to win. Hah!

Till next time. . .

Dale