What a great feeling!

I turned off the light in the sewing room tonight with a great feeling of accomplishment. The CC borders are attached and another UFT is completed. What a great feeling to cross this off the list! I love the way it turned out. This is my first "Bonnie Quilt" - the first of many I'm sure. I want to do this one again - this time big enough for our bed.

I also spent time cleaning the longarm room, and cleaning and oiling Gandalf himself. There is a Plexiglas cover over his workings on the front of the machine head, which gets a bit splattered with excess oil during use. I took it off and cleaned it, and replaced the felt pads around the bottom of the machine workings. They were saturated with oil, which tells me I'm probably oiling the machine too much. I figure better too much than too little! Then I gave him a good cleaning and oiling while all his innards were so easily accessible. His table got a good wipe down and his wheels got extra attention. I've been needing to do this for several months - I tend to put it off. Not sure why - it doesn't take all that long.

I've reloaded the quilt that is partially done - an old Thimbleberries Christmas quilt. I had to take it off to turn it - makes it much easier to do fancy borders - so I fit in the customer quilt while it was off. I should be able to finish quilting it tomorrow, and hope to have the binding machine stitched by this time tomorrow night.

The only true remaining UFO unfinished tops are the various collections of friendship blocks that I've accumulated over the years. I'm going to start attacking those next. Some will go together very easily. Others - the oldest - present one or more problems that must be dealt with. I'll start with the easier ones - that's four of the seven that are listed.

I'm also eager to get back to projects I've put aside for awhile - particularly Dear Jane and the Civil War Diaries quilts. Is anyone out in Blogland still working on their Civil War Diaries blocks? I've not seen any posted for quite awhile. I'll also be plugging away at long term projects - appliquéing Heirloom Stitches borders and making blocks for the various classes I'm taking with Eileen.

When I think back to those days when I worked it seems like another lifetime. I really loved my job at the credit union, and I really love retirement. I can't imagine ever wanting to go back to work. My life is certainly full just as it is.

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Gratitudes:
1. Loving children and grandchildren
2. A loving husband
3. Good friends
4. Great books to read and projects to sew
5. A comfortable bed to sleep in each night