Whew – what an expensive week! First it was emergency dental work because of a cracked molar. Usually I get all my dental work done for free at my office. But both the docs are pediatrics and don’t do adult crowns, so I had to go next door to what one of our teen-aged patients refers to as a “real” dentist. I have the temp on now and it feels a lot better. Then, the day after, our water heater died! Actually, we had kind of been expecting this and, to tell the truth, were not all that disappointed. We’ve been wanting to switch from electric to gas and this was just the incentive we needed. Fortunately we were able to get it done the next day so were without hot water only about 24 hours. Enough to reinforce that we really, really enjoy it!! And also fortunately we had a reserve fund for just such occasions, but now it is low and will need to be replenished. So, if I wasn’t on a yarn diet before, I certainly am now. Thank goodness I still have a gift certificate to the Kirkland yarn shop given to me by my parents for Christmas so I’ll be able to get at least one yarn fix this year.

When not running to doctor’s and dentist’s appointments or dealing with plumbers (actually, my husband did most of that), I sewed and sewed. I completed my mother-in-law’s quilt:

This was my first major machine quilting project and I think it’s not half bad. I’m certainly not as accomplished at machine quilting as hand quilting, but I think is acceptable. At least it’s done! I decided to go ahead and give it to her so hubby and I went over today and presented it to her. She was very pleased. She didn’t remember that she had pieced the star, but I assured her that she had and even put a label on the back showing that she pieced it and I quilted it. I think all of the other ladies were quite impressed. It’s now on her bed. But it sure looked nice on my guest room bed, didn’t it?

I received this picture from Abby:

It’s Izzy in her Miss USA dress. Don’t you love that petulant expression? Maybe Mom had just told her that her position as baby of the family is going to be usurped. And the hat! That goes to an outfit I made her last summer. She has absolutely refused to wear any hats I’ve made for her. If you put them on she just rips them off immediately. But Abby said all of sudden she’s been putting them on and wearing them. Hmmm – does she realize her hat doesn’t match her purse? Oh well, if I made one to match she probably would refuse to wear that one. She certainly does have a mind of her own!

In knitting news, I’ve not made any progress on the Forest Path Stole. I picked up Abby’s Debbie Bliss sweater and was enjoying it so much I’ve just kept going. The back is done and I’ve started on the front. No pictures because I’m too lazy to get up out of my recliner and take one. But . . . . I really need to study too. The new sewing machine is providing a definite distraction! So I was good and studied for a couple of hours today.