Things are starting to move pretty fast around here....
Our "real" house in Destin has been packed up and is now completely empty.....
Our icky, little, 70 year old Air Force Base house on the water that we've been living in for three years is going to be packed up this week.....
And if all goes according to plan we'll be saying goodbye to Florida on Saturday and starting the long cross country journey to California in a rented van with two dogs, two cats and hopefully enough movies, sewing projects, toys and books to keep us all sane!
As unreal as it seems, we should be at our new house in California in about ten days. TEN DAYS! And did I tell you that the new house has a laundry room??? Not a laundry closet. Not a washer and dryer in the kitchen. A real, honest to goodness laundry room. I've never had one of those before. When people ask me to tell them about the new house that's usually the first thing I mention! And I say it with pride like it's the fanciest, most luxurious thing ever! And don't even get me started on the master bathroom tonight. It's so flippin' fabulous that it get's it's very own blog post.
Hugs,
Jenny (aka - The Girl Who's Moving To A House With A Real Laundry Room)
When I found out that Daisy died I didn't have the luxury of curling up into a ball and hiding from the world for a few weeks. We were still in California and after days of searching we still hadn't found a house. So I put my pajamas on, convinced myself that I had to find a house for the sake of our other fur babies and we headed out the door to meet the realtor.
I really felt like there was no way I would like any house we saw that day. I was pretty sure I was going to hate everything I saw because I was so upset. But the moment we walked into the first house that day we knew it was THE ONE. It just felt like home. We kept walking through the house expecting to find some horrible flaw but it actually kept getting better and better. I actually had the thought fly through my head "did Daisy send this house to us?" It was perfect. We even kept joking that we weren't cool enough to live in this house!
A few days later I was looking at pictures of the house to try to cheer myself up and distract myself. And I stopped on this picture and gasped........
Do you see what I see? Look closely.....do you see it now???
There's a bouquet of daisies on the coffee table of our dream house. I'm normally not one who believes in signs.....but signs don't get anymore obvious than this, do they?
As of Friday, the dream house is now ours. And in a few short weeks we'll be living in the house where Daisy left a little sign for me to find. Pretty amazing, isn't it?
Hugs,
Jenny
And I want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments on my last post. I'm sorry I haven't been able to personally respond to all of you yet but your comments have really lifted me up and warmed my heart. It's so incredible to know that so many people would take the time to leave such kind words for someone they've never met. Big hugs to all of you!
I'm crushed. I'm broken. My heart has been shattered into a million little pieces.
While we were house hunting in California last week my precious little Daisy died unexpectedly in her sleep while boarding. She was 16 years old. She had a few health problems that were being managed with medication. But she was playing and purring and eating and snuggling and acting like a completely normal, happy, healthy cat before we left. There was not even the slightest hint that something so tragic was about to happen. It was a shocking blow to hear the news that she was gone.
I boarded her and Cassi (19 years old) at the vet because of their age and they're both on medication. I also boarded Bailey because he and Daisy are inseparable best friends and I didn't want them to have to be apart. That didn't work out so well....
And all I can do now is torture myself with questions. Was Daisy terrified the last few days of her life because she was boarding and not at home? Did the anxiety of boarding cause this to happen? Did she think her Mommy abandoned her? Was there something else we could have done for her? Some other test? Some other medication? Something that would have prevented this?
It gives me small comfort to know that she peacefully died in her sleep and that she was sharing a "condo" with her best friend but I will never get over the fact that I never got to say goodbye. I never got to see her one last time. I didn't get to hold her and tell her I love her and be the last thing she saw before she left us.
And in a bizarre twist of fate, that was the same day we found our dream house in California. So what should have been one of the happiest days ever ended up being a tie for "worst day of my life" with the day that Max died. I know life has ups and downs. And sometimes they're really big ups and downs. But wow.....have you ever had them both on the same day?
Yesterday we had her funeral. Col. Sew Fab took me to a private pet cremation service three hours away. It was almost as traumatic as the day I got the terrible news. It's just so final. Daisy doesn't exist anymore...
I am exhausted. I can't sleep. I can't think clearly. And we are moving across the country in four weeks. It's just too much to deal with all at once.
You've probably already figured out that my pets are not just pets to me. They ARE my family. They ARE my babies. I like them more than most people I know. Sorry. I know that's not an appropriate thing to say but it's true. My life revolves around my fur babies and they are spoiled and loved and treated like the earth revolves around them.
I am so glad I've always been someone who drops what they're doing if one of their pets wants attention. I've always known that I never wanted to look back and say "why did I ignore a fur baby who was begging for attention because I was busy folding laundry or paying bills or doing some other mundane task?" The trivial tasks will always be there. But your loved ones won't.
So give your fur babies some extra attention today. Even if you are overwhelmed with tons of other stuff to do you will NEVER regret taking some extra time out of your day to take your dog out to play or snuggle with your purring cat.
Hugs,
Jenny
Now that I've had a week to digest the news that we're moving across the country to California, the shock has worn off and we're now going Full. Speed. Ahead.
The funny thing is that a few hours before we got the big news I had just been thinking to myself that I really, REALLY needed a Staycation and I was trying to figure out the perfect time to take a few days off. Ha, ha! What's that saying.....Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans!
So for now my Staycation plans have obviously been put on hold. And we're heading out to California this weekend to look for a place to live. But in a few months....once we've moved....and unpacked.....and settled in.....don't be surprised if you find me hiding my face in a pile of stuff with Emma for a few days. I think she has the right idea for how to deal with life!
Hugs,
Jenny
P.S. Thank you so much for all of the sweet and supportive and helpful comments on my last post! I haven't had a chance to reply to everyone yet but I read every word you wrote and love your comments!!!
We're moving to California.
Those are words that I never thought would come out of my mouth.
Col. Sew Fab applied for his dream job which just happened to be in Fresno, California and he got the job. He's going to be the guy in charge of an F-15 squadron AND he'll get to start flying again!
Sooooo.....that means we'll be packing up 2 houses (our house on the military base and our "real" house in Destin).....one quilt shop.....and heading off for a 4 day cross country road trip sometime at the end of June or beginning of July with 5 pets. We're leaving the beach and heading to the desert. Sounds like quite an adventure, doesn't it?!
Now that I've had a few days to adjust to this news and the shock is starting to wear off and the room is no longer spinning I'm starting to have all sorts of random thoughts and questions popping up in my head......
-There aren't Waffle Houses in California, are there?
-We'll be living in the Pacific Time Zone.
-There won't be hurricanes in Fresno.
-What the heck is Trader Joes? I hear about this magical, wonderful place from people on Twitter and Facebook but I have no idea what it is. But everyone seems to love it.
-Will people look at me funny if I say "y'all" in California?
-There's a marathon in Fresno in November. I think I'll sign up.
-I just bought a large jar of mayonnaise last week. Will we be able to finish it before we move?
-Oooohhhhh......we'll be near wine country!
-Uh oh......we have about 6 months worth of work to do in 2 months.
And the rest of the time my mind is like one of those fuzzy screens you see on your t.v. when the cable goes out.
But wait! I forgot to tell you the BEST part! I'm going to get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy! So who cares that we have to pick up our lives on short notice and move to the other side of the country because I'm going to get a puppy!!! That was the deal - if he gets the job, I get a mini-Emma to love and hug and kiss and squeeze and hopefully Emma will teach it everything she knows about how to be EMMA!
Soooooo......if you know anything about central California please tell me! We'll be heading off to Fresno this weekend to look for a place to live and it will be my first time there. It's kind of crazy that I'm about to move to a city that I've NEVER even been to! So tell me all about it if you know something!
Hugs,
Jenny
P.S. As you can imagine the shop will be closed for a couple of weeks this summer as we move. And it will also be closed at the end of this week and for most of next week as we travel to Cali to look for a place to live.
Progress has been made!
The borders are now on the Going Coastal Granny Square Quilt.
And as soon as I get this quilt sandwiched and pinned and ready for hand ties I think I'm going to start work on my Swoon quilt. Because once one quilt has moved out of the "piecing" stage and into the "quilting" stage you're allowed to start piecing another quilt, right? It makes perfect sense to me!
Happy Sewing,
Jenny
Little by little progress is being made....
More than half of the ties on the pink and black Little Lady quilt are done....
The borders for the Going Coastal Granny Square Quilt have been cut and pieced together.....
My foot has healed to the point where I'm able to run again....
The laundry pile continues to grow at an astronomical rate but you can't win 'em all, right?!
Baby steps. They may be small steps forward but at least I'm heading in the right direction!
Happy Sewing,
Jenny
P.S. Check the upper right section of the blog for our new feature, the "Sale Of The Week." We'll announce a new sale every Monday. This week Lush Running Stitch Fat Quarter Bundles are 25% off.
I've been a very bad quilter lately. Yet again, I have absolutely no progress to show you on any of my Works In Progress. But I have found the time to plan ANOTHER possible quilt. Remember the other day when I said I thought that the Old New 30s Collection would look perfect in a Swoon quilt. Well....I ran with that idea and I picked my 9 favorite fabrics from Old New 30s and paired them with 9 dots, ginghams and solids from my stash and this is what I came up with.
Just picture these.....
Turned into something like this.....
Hmmmm.....that would be pretty darn cute, right? I think the number of projects on my "Must Make" list just went up. What do you think? I HAVE to make it, don't I?
Happy Sewing,
Jenny
It's been slow going around here during the last week.
I went from being the half marathon running Hare to being the slow poke Tortoise with tendonitis in my foot pretty fast.
It's taking twice as long to get anything done and I'm trying to keep my foot elevated and iced as often as possible so that hasn't left me with much time or energy for fun projects. My only big accomplishments over the weekend were planning a new quilt and finally making perfect homemade focaccia bread and doing some online shopping for running clothes. Because yes.....it's oddly comforting to buy new running clothes when you're unable to run. I know I'll be back out there on the track soon!
And oh yeah....the new quilt idea. I've been in love with the Swoon Quilt pattern since it first came out and I was starting to feel like the only person in the world who hadn't made one.
I think I was just waiting for the perfect fabric collection to come along. And I think Old New 30s just might be that collection along with a few dots and ginghams from my stash.
What do you think? Can you picture it? Is it a match made in heaven? Wouldn't it be the perfect picnic blanket? Have you made a Swoon yet? Or what's your idea of the perfect Swoon?
I'm gonna try and hobble back on over to the cutting table now and cut the binding for my Going Coastal Granny Square Quilt. The sooner I get it done the sooner I can start on my next quilt!!!
Happy Sewing,
Jenny
P.S. The recipe for the perfect and VERY easy focaccia bread is in the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day. I can't recommend this book enough! The bread is super easy to make. Incredibly delicious. And no matter how many times I mess up or forget a step I still end up with fabulous bread!
I did it! I finally did it!!! I ran a half marathon for the first time ever!!!
It was my very own race which I named the 1st Annual Run Bunny Run Half Marathon. And since I was the only contestant in my half marathon I guess that means I came in first place, right?! Well.....Col. Sew Fab ran for half of the time with me. So he was the winner of the Half of The Run Bunny Run Half Marathon.
It was tough. And exhilarating. And exhausting. And I was kind of sorry when it was all over. Seriously! And it made me realize how far I've come since I took up running a year and a half ago.
The most interesting thing I realized was that what used to be a LONG run to me is now considered a short run. And what used to be an impossible length run to me is now quite doable. When I was at the 7.1 mile point and I thought to myself....."only 5 more miles to go, no biggie.....wait a minute.....since when did it become appropriate to put the word ONLY behind the words 5 miles?".....well.....that's when I realized that things have really changed and I have really made some progress.
When I got home Col. Sew Fab was waiting at the front door for me with a towel soaked in a bowl of ice water. And this was on the front door.....
And then I found this taped to my computer......
After I settled in (and cleaned up!) he made blueberry pancakes and bacon and mimosas. And then I spent the rest of the day in bed or on the sofa. I had all sorts of big plans of how I was going to spend my Sunday afternoon. Sewing. Dollhousing. Printing fabric for the dollhouse since we finally figured out how to print fabric using my new printer!!! But noooooo! None of that happened. I knew I was going to be tired after the half marathon. But I didn't realize I was going to be THAT tired. Too tired to sew. Too tired to read. Too tired to think.
I'm feeling great today and I'm gearing up for my next big challenge. After I take about 2 weeks of semi-rest I'm going to start training for the 1st Annual Run Bunny Run FULL Marathon. I've already taped my full marathon training plan to the side of the refrigerator where the half marathon training plan used to be. It should be fun to do marathon training during summer in Florida, right?! I can't wait to get started!
Hugs,
Jenny
