It's taken 10 long years...

But I think I've finally found the machine I was meant to sew on.  This weekend I rescued my Great Grandmother's 1910 Singer 66-1 Red Eye in the No. 6 Singer cabinet and I feel like a new woman!  I have a great "modern" machine but we just don't really get along so I've always preferred hand piecing my quilts but my new baby has definitely introduced me to the joy of machine stitching.  I think it's that I need to feel more engaged in the process than I do with the modern sewing machine, so I prefer to hand stitch or now, work the treadle to find my pace and assemble those quilt blocks.  I'm waiting for the actual belt to arrive- After what was likely a 40+ year break in action, the belt on the machine was dry and snapped under the first bit of stress but my wonderful hubby rigged up some string to act as a belt until my new ones arrive so I can play and get a feel for the machine.  Time to go visit with my new baby.  I think she needs a name though... Any suggestions?

You know it's going to be a long day when...

You go to the bathroom and discover you put your underwear on inside out... And they were clean to start with! OY

When the shoe gods smile

Ahhh...  Today turned out to be a great shoe day.  Last night I had a minor crisis on my hands...  Well, more so on my feet...  I thought I lost one of my favorite flip flops.  Yes friends, a tragedy in the making.  I was convinced it fell out of the truck in Podunk (Kiel, WI for those who are familiar) and was lost for all eternity... I could flip but no longer flop...  So, like a good little Boy Scout, I broke out the back-up pair and resigned myself to breaking in a new favorite pair of flip flops.  

Of course, this also meant a trip to Kohl's to try to find a back up pair to the back up pair...  When you find the perfect flip, you just can't risk not finding them again cuz at some point they will neither flip nor flop and need replacing.  A bit of hunting lead me to the Nike flip flop display and I was horrified to discover no prefect brown leather flips left on the shelf.  Not wanting to believe it, I had to search the clearance rack cuz you just never know, right?  But still, no luck.  Unwilling to give up without a fight I went back to the Nike section and searched high and low...  Just as I was about to abandon all hope, there it was...  The beautiful box labeled brown leather thong and praise the shoe gods, that lone pair of flops was... Yes... You guessed it... MY SIZE!!!! OH HAPPY DAY! There is joy in Mudville tonight!  So off to the checkouts I went with my prize, parted happily with my $20 thinking all was again right with the world.  A back up pair of flips is mine. and the day could get no better.

But wait... It COULD get better.  Because as I was making dinner, Rich was unloading the reenacting stuff out of the truck and what to my wondering eyes should appear but my beloved flop! Flip and Flop have been reunited, the back up pair returned to the shelf with their companion back ups and shoe nirvana is mine! 

Things I love

Lunch inspired today's theme... Which is kinda funny actually, since I'm still not thrilled with reaching the conclusion that my Dr is right and gluten is not so much my friend- Lunch was Amy's Rice Mac n Cheese and I gotta tell you, I love this stuff! The rice noodles are absolutely not discernible from regular pasta and the cheese sauce is so creamy and cheesy, what's not to love?! After thought to that one- last night I made spaghetti using Trader Joe's Brown Rice Pasta... Again, not a lick of difference between this pasta and it's wheat-laden counterpart. So YAY! I found pasta that doesn't feel like a sacrifice or a poor substitute!

Another thing I love- fresh fruit. Summer really is the best time of year to eat. Since finding myself needing to find munchies that won't cause more heartburn, I've been buying all kinds of fresh fruit- always knew I loved it, just got away from eating it. No more! I shall eat fresh berries and watermelon until I burst!

More food- beef roast, mashed 'taters and corn. OK, probably a bit carb-heavy for today's food pyramid but you know what, I don't care. It's my version of a Happy Meal. Added bonus- virtually no cooking with the aid of my Crock Pot and Yoder's Homestyle Mashed Potatoes. Gotta love when putting dinner on the table's that easy.

So of course there are things I love that don't involve food. Like good news from a friend yesterday. Can't spill the beans on the particulars but I couldn't be more excited if it were my own news! I love having people in my life to share both the highs and lows with and it's such a great feeling to be as excited for someone else's happiness as for my own! Makes every day like Christmas.

Then there's the fun of a trip to my favorite place on earth, Ye Olde Schoolhouse. Getting to chat with Jeannie while fondling bolts of delicious fabric- hardly gets better than that!

The odd one- having a cannon and knowing how to use it! It's just such an odd life skill I can't help but love it! Though I could live without driving it through toll plazas again for a good long time. Didn't love that so much... But I proved to myself that I can do it and I do love that!

OK off to think up more things I love. Wait... No, I should probably work now.