Saturday, September 24, 2022

Dancing in September

Do you remember
The 21st night of September?
Love was changin' the minds of pretenders
While chasin' the clouds away
Our hearts were ringin'
In the key that our souls were singin'
As we danced in the night, remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh, yeah
Hey, hey, hey
Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember
Ba-dee-ya, dancin' in September?
Ba-dee-ya, never was a cloudy day

Ok, so I’ve never stopped loving Earth, Wind & Fire, or their song “Dancing in September”. And thanks to some physical therapy and regular (twice daily) exercises this week, I can not only move mostly pain-free (from sciatica), but have actually done some Dancing in September. But as my audience - our cats Darla and Alfie - will tell you, it’s not a pretty sight. Do I care? Not one whit. (Truth in posting: it still hurts a lot in the morning until I do my exercises and the pain meds kick in).




Speaking of Alfie and Darla, they had their dentist visits this week. Alfie had a cleaning and was rated Two Paws Up for his healthy mouth. But poor Darla. Her teeth were cleaned, too, but she had to have nine - yes, NINE - teeth removed. She’d had three teeth removed a few years ago, so out of 30 teeth, Darla has only 18 remaining. All but one on her left side (right, as you’re looking at her) are gone. She and Alfie are littermates and eat the same food. Go figure - sometimes genetics are cruel.

Darla would NOT let us give her medicine. We tried pills, liquids, putting them in some soft food, and begging. OK, so she suffered the pain for a couple days. Once she started chasing her toys and Alfie around on Friday, though, we knew she was going to be fine. 




As for sewing, I can do that comfortably now. As always, I am mindful about not sitting too long at a stretch. I get up regularly to press, work at the design board, do laundry or go upstairs. I’ve even been spreading out my household chores by alternating them with sewing. One of the chores I’ve had to do a lot of standing for is vegetable prep from the garden. I have to say here that I never knew that roasting tomatoes (with some onions, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt/pepper) could bring out such a rich taste in tomatoes. I’m putting up lots of pasta sauce!

As far as sewing went this week, I made some progress, especially once I felt better. I finished up my Rainbow Scrap Challenge light and bright blue blocks for September.


Four 6” Bear Paws (above) and nine 4” Bow Ties (below)


I also finished up one placemat, so I’m linking to Joy’s Table Scraps party for September. I only made one placemat this month because last time we did blue, I made three. The blue solid fabric looks more gray here than in real life - I just couldn’t adjust it to look true.


Finally this month I have my first quilt finish. It’s about time!  This Bullseye Courthouse Steps RSC top has been waiting patiently for a couple weeks at least. Finally this week it got some simple stipple quilting. 


It measures 42x56”. The backing is an old Amy Butler print with a green strip down the center to widen it enough. Naturally, it’s going to Quilts for Kids. Our September meeting is later today! 


Next on deck for quilting is one of the quilts sent to me by McGill in SC. I didn’t want to tackle it until I was feeling better in order to do justice to her beautiful quilts (the second of which will be basted next week).  You’ll see that one next week.

But I did get the top webbed and then sewn together for this scrappy checkerboard top that uses up the last of that light blue denim-look chambray. And lots of dark reds and blues. The pieces were cut (some in squares, some in strips depending on the scraps) and the blocks sewn while I was having the sciatic pain. I can tell. Maybe you can, too, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. It looks fine from a galloping horse, LOL. 


The blocks finish at 8” each, so this quilt will measure 48x56, a nice size for a boy. To add a bit of interest, these blue squares with the white drawings are from a couple fabric strips that depict plans and schematics to make an AT-AT. That’s an All Terrain Armored Transport for those of you who aren’t up on your Star Wars lingo, LOL. Anyway, I hope to quilt this one, too, in the next week. 


That’s it for now, friends. You’re invited to come over and help me pick some garden veggies. I’ll give you some tomatoes and carrots, ‘kay? Better yet, how about some grapes? That’s what we (and the neighbors and Cousin Kim) will be picking this weekend. I’m so glad autumn is here!

Here’s hoping you Dance in September! xo

15 comments:

  1. I enjoy seeing your RSC blocks/quilts!!! I especially like your scrappy bear paw!

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  2. I'm glad to hear you have your sciatica pain mostly controlled. It comes and goes over several months for me and sometimes goes away for a year or more.
    I have lots of tomatoes too. The cool spell we are having should slow the ripening for a week or so. If we luck out and don't have an early freeze I should have tomatoes for another month. What is the end of your tomato season?

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  3. An RSC finish, blocks, AND an entry for the September 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge? All while suffering from sciatica? You are amazing, Cathy!!! I'm glad to hear that the sciatica pain is much improved.

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  4. Poor Darla! Coincidentally I was just telling our granddaughter how difficult giving medicine to our now long deceased cat Koshka was. We used to swaddle him like a baby in an old towel. John held him and tried to apply the antibiotic cream to his eyelids or ram a pill down his mouth. He struggled like crazy and one day burst through the towel like a circus animal through a paper hoop! Well done on doing the exercises and beginning to reap the dividends. Glad you’ve done some sewing - and a lot more it sounds. Love the finished quilt, blocks and placemat. So, forward into next week’s work, and do keep dancing!

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  5. Happy to hear you are Dancin' away there;))
    and..I know what you mean about early mornings--off-dah for sure. Thanks heavens your sciatica is gone--I keep worrying that mine will come back.. but, .so far so good. I am walking up to 1/4 mile now and doing a few little short hills, too. A lot of resting is going on here--but I can do my hand sewing on my little lap desk..;)))

    I see your sewing is back on track too--how wonderful!! I just love those Bear Paws..and all your projects in this "blue" month...take care and stay well hugs, Julierose

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  6. I'm glad you're feeling better and able to tackle some quilting and garden produce harvesting. After two days in the 50's, we have sunshine and 62 and I'm getting some stuff done outside (on a short break right now). Good thing, too, because it's suppose to rain all next week. Of course, a painter was supposed to come this week and finish painting outdoor window trim. Alas, not sure it will happen this year.
    Pat

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  7. Cathy, thanks for rescue Dancing in September / Earth Wind and Fire. I am so glad to hear you are feeling better each new day. Oh, poor Darla! Our pets are like family, and we suffer with them.
    Your quilts, blocks and placemat are beautiful, you did great use of your time.
    If we live close, sure you could coount on me, I will pick some veggies and grapes with you. Have a great weekend .

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  8. So glad you're feeling better, but poor Darla! Sounds like she made it through, though. Your Bulls Eye quilt turned out beautifully, and love the placemat made with selvages! That's a great idea!

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  9. I'm pleased to read that you are starting to feel better, being in continual pain must be very wearying. And poor pussy cat, having all those teeth taken out. You have a lot to show this week, as usual, always so nice to see your stitching.

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  10. Oh my goodness you are so productive! I love the selvage placemat!

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  11. No Dancing in September for me, but I'm so glad you are doing better. I'm having some sort of issue with my right leg. I haven't been to the doctor ( I hate to go) but may have to put on my big girl pants on and just do it.
    I think I've been driving the sewing machine too hard this week!
    The Bullseye Courthouse Steps quilt is wonderful. Love the scrappy checkerboard one too! We are our own worst critic, are we? Take continued care of yourself and your DH and kitties.

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  12. I bet your kitchen smelled amazing when you were roasting those tomatoes! Your light blues are beautiful. Love the finish, too!

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  13. Glad to hear - better than seeing? ;-) - you're dancing in September! Now I'll have that song in my head all morning! Your homemade tomato sauce sounds yummy. Our tomatoes were pretty much no-shows this year, but maybe I could try making roasted tomatoes with store-bought produce.

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  14. Dance on and shake off that sciatica pinch! The AT-AT blocks add a spark to the checkerboards.

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  15. Glad to hear you're feeling better. Now, just be a good girl and don't try to do too much!!
    Roasted tomatoes sound wonderful - too bad our tomatoes are at an end, although I suppose we could always buy some more.
    Please give Darla some special get-well skritches from me (although I'm late at this point).

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