Treading Water

This is the pool in my subdivision where I do my "treading"

I am down in Georgia this week, returning for to Milwaukee on July 4 for my last few weeks of work. Then I will be down here for good! Whew!



Every evening since I've been here I have gone to the pool. It is a large saltwater pool and in the early evening hours not crowded at all. The water is warm, but refreshing. I realize just how out of shape I am! I was always a strong swimmer, but I found myself huffing and puffing after 10 strokes!



I was raised on water, or so it seems. My parents always rented cottages "up north" in Wisconsin. I remember taking swimming lessons at a local high school when I was young, but it was my father who really taught me (and my sisters) how to swim. My mom wasn't much of a water gal, but my dad just loved swimming and water activities. He learned to water ski at age 60! As kids my friend, Bethy and I spent hours in her small swimming pool located in her backyard and both our parents took us to local lakes for swimming and picnics. The hours Bethy and I spent in the water when we were young! It is amazing we didn't grow fins (as my mother said we would)! My parents eventually purchased lake property in northern Wisconsin, built a house and retired there. Oh - the fun my family had at that lake house!


One of my favorite things to do in the water is to tread water. When I was younger I really could do it for hours. Basically staying in one place, arms and legs moving, watching the clouds, the shoreline, the birds and insects, I just loved it.

So now, in a swimming pool in Georgia, I find myself in the deepest area of the pool (5 feet) treading water. While I still try to do laps - and I am noticing a difference in my stamina every day - I realize that treading water probably gives me the same amount of exercise - all my body parts are moving and I can enjoy both the people and nature all around me.


Last evening, alone in the pool except for one other lone swimmer, I was enjoying the big, puffy white clouds when it occurred to me that not only was I treading water in the pool, but in real life, too. Caught between still working full time and retirement in less than a month, I have no need where to go anywhere in particular, but need to keep paddling and my head above the water.

The future is wide open to me now. I will need to find a part-time job this fall, but I can take my time. I can swim a little and tread water. Or, I can keep treading water for a while and just rest. There are so many things I want to do and experience. Now I have all the time in the world.


I don't want to tread water forever. Good exercise as it is, I need to work my mind, push myself to do a few more strokes, swim from one end to the other and keep going, get my body and mind in better shape.



But, for now it is okay to stop, tread the water, watch the clouds, talk to a neighbor, follow the path of a dragonfly. As long as my head is above the water!

Now You See Me, Now You Don't

I need window treatments for my kitchen window and glass door in my new home. Yes, it looks out to the green belt - full of trees, but this city girl is use to closing the house up at night.


My first night in my new home I sat down for a very late supper at my kitchen table and noticed my reflection in the window. I realized any one could look in and see me. I realized there was probably no one out there to look in and see me. I realized that being a woman who lived in the city all her life (single a great percentage of it) I always closed all curtains, blinds, drapes - whatever it was covering my windows as soon as it got dark. It is called self protection. In my 20s I took a women's self defence class offered by the Milwaukee Police Department. One piece of advice - close window treatments at dusk. I took it seriously.


So, sitting there eating dinner was freaking me out. I have nice blinds on every single window in my home (provided by the builder) and am slowly adding additional window treatments to these windows, but the builder seems to have forgotten the kitchen window and door. I hadn't noticed this before and since I had enough fabric from my last home to make valences for these two windows, that was my plan. Valences won't work now. They won't cover the whole window pane when darkness falls.

What to do? I settled on Romans shades. They don't take up much room or sunlight during the day, but would add the color needed in the room. Pulled down at night they would give my paranoid mind peace!

I've been pouring over catalogs and drapery internet sites and came up with nothing I liked. Nada. I googled a pattern to make my own, but it is a little beyond my capabilities. My sister Suzanne knows of an excellent seamstress in her area who can and will make them for me. Perfect. Now, to find material. I poured over internet options, visited local fabric shops. Nada. I knew just exactly what I wanted, but why isn't it out there?

Finally I found this fabric at Calico Corners (sounds like a quilt shop but it is not). It is as close to what I had pictured as possible and will go well with my china and other kitchen decor. As an old friend would say, "It is very Julie Ann-ish." And, it is. So, I will order the fabric, get it down to Georgia and in 2-3 months I should have my shades.

By that time I will probably be use to seeing my reflection in the window at night and realize there are no bogymen out there!

Long Drives/Good Books

I have been listening to audio books in my car for years. I just love it. Not only am I able to "read" more books, but it makes driving so much more pleasant. Audio books opened up a whole new world of books for me.


Some "readers" (the people who read the book on the CD, usually professional actors) I like better than others. I have reserved audio books from the public library based on the reader - again, leading me to books I probably never would have picked up and read.


Last month I drove to Canton, GA with my doggie girls to spend time settling into my new home. Thank goodness I had two audio books to listen to during the 13 1/2 hour drive down and then back. Listening to books made the long drive go by faster. On the way home, the last couple of hours I finished up the 2nd book I took for the trip. Luckily, I was able to listen to NPR the rest of the trip, but it wasn't the same.



In a week I will be making the long drive again. This time I am bringing 3 books on the trip. Over 30 hours of "reading" time. It is still a 13 1/2 drive for me and audio books or not, I'm still exhausted when I arrive and tired the next day. But, the drive time goes faster, I feel I stay more alert, and it's fun.


Try it. You'll like it!

P.S. All said and done - nothing will ever replace snuggling down in a comfy chair and just reading a good book. As much as I love my Kindle, which is also great for travel (although not while driving LOL), I still love turning the pages and losing my self in the magic of words.

Little Sewing Machine

I have been hauling this little "toy" sewing machine around for years. I think it might have been mine as a child, but I don't remember it. It is in mint condition and still works. In fact, when I pulled it out of its original box there was still a scrap of material on it.

Can anyone tell me something about it?

Welcome Home Pictures

Here are some pictures of my new home in Georgia. My house is a work in progress so it isn't 100% (& probably never will be!). I didn't include pictures of the dining room because it is still full of boxes and misc. moving things. Also, I only included one picture of my master bedroom because that room will be decorated after I make a quilt for the bed this winter. The room will be decorated around the quilt. But, this is it so far. I just love it! (You may double click on most pictures to get a better look.)

It may seem like a funny place to start, but these are some of the

beautiful shelves in the garage built by Marlon, my wonderful brother-in-law

Welcome to my front porch. I've already had my morning coffee there

many times. Humming birds come to the feeder, too.

Front door greeting

Front door

I love these curtains in my living room from Country Curtains

"Hall way" table

I love the fireplace and will decorate the mantel per the seasons

Living room, looking from dining room

Looking into kitchen from the dining room

One side of kitchen - I forgot to take a picture of the sink side

New kitchen set - looking into porch

Kitchen back door

Screened porch off kitchen

View over the back fence - green belt area

Love this view

Back fence

Master bedroom with Friendship Star quilt

Quilting room closet with wonderful shelves built by the

best brother-in-law in the world

Quilting room window with window valence I made out

of one of my mom's old table clothes

Guest bedroom corner

Guest bedroom wall - thank you Suzanne, Barbara & Jennifer

Guest bathroom with my "glowing" head.

Yes, I sure am!

Grocery Shopping

Yesterday I went into my local Publix grocery store. I have been in the store several times and am always impressed at how helpful the employees are.

Twice I had employees approach me asking if they could help me. Each time I laughed and stated that I was new to the area and was slowly finding my way around not only Publix, but the whole Canton, GA area. Both times the employees smiled and welcomed me to Georgia.

When I couldn't find the exact type of cheese I wanted an employee walked me over to the area it was located, laughing that he didn't understand why they kept this particular cheese in this area, away from the other cheeses. HE WALKED ME OVER TO THE CHEESE.

Now, in Milwaukee at the Pick 'n Saves I shop in it is hard to even find an employee for assistance, let alone have them walk me to an item I am searching for. Usually it is a point of the finger and a general aisle area.

When I checked out the lady who bagged my groceries - yes, BAGGED MY GROCERIES, offered to WALK THEM TO MY CAR! This nice lady probably had 25 years on me! Of course, I declined and thanked her for offering.

And, on my way out I stopped by the customer service desk and asked for the manager. When she approached with a worried look on her face I thanked her for her store and the great employees she has. We had a pleasant, short conversation where I told her my good experiences in this store would never happen in Milwaukee.

I'm liking it here!

Still Here, There and Everywhere (or so it seems)

The move went very well. The new house in Georgia is everything I could have hoped for and more. I am about 85% unpacked. Boy, unpacking is sure easier and much less stressful than packing!

I'm back in Milwaukee for now, but return to Georgia for next week for a stay. My project for that visit will be to unpack my quilting room, set it up and START TO SEW AGAIN! YAHOO!

My first project will be to make a curtain for the quilting room window out of an old table cloth my Mom used. It is funky - old, a little stained and a few small holes in it, but I think it will look OK. Maybe with today's new laundry technology (stain removers) I can get it looking a little better, but I don't really care. It will be fine.

I will post pictures of my new house once I am down there again. And, two months from now I should be in Georgia permanently!

Nocturnal Wanderings

I'm not sleeping well. Getting ready for my move to Georgia, thinking about finances, wondering when the movers are coming, wondering when they will deliver my stuff in Georgia, moving into my sub-leased apartment - it is keeping me awake.

Most nights between 2:30am and 3:00am my eyes open and I'm awake. Lately, after about 20 minutes I just get up and go down and try to read or make lists or get on the computer for a while. My doggie girls, Gracie and Lucy Lou stay in the bedroom sound asleep. They are so use to these wanderings they don't even look up anymore. Smart dogs. Sometime around 4:30ish I return to bed and fall into a deep sleep only to be awakened by the alarm clock less than an hour later. I feel like a zombie.

I'm emotionally strung out, stressed out and ready to have a major meltdown at any time or place.

People keep asking if I am excited about the move. No. I am not. I want it to be over and done with. My house is so full of boxes I can hardly move around. I can't clean because of the boxes so there are dust bunnies every where (Lucy Lou is shedding like a crazy dog). Thank goodness for Amy and David, good friends who have helped me stay focused and came to help pack. I now think I have a pretty good grip on the packing. My nephew, Patrick, is doing some touch up painting on the porch that the buyer's needed to have completed for their loan to go through. Thank goodness for Patrick (and my great-nephew, Aaron). I also had my chimney replaced per the inspection report.

I am moving most of my temporary things into the apartment May 2. The movers are coming May 6 or 7 with closing on the Milwaukee house on May 7. I will pre-sign all of the paperwork and I have until 6pm to be out of the house. I fly to Georgia May 8. Closing on the Canton, GA house is Monday, May 10. Movers will be there sometime between May 11-13. I fly home on May 17.

I've been busy calling utilities, insurance agents, cable companies. I'm making lists that are a mile long.

Please please, please let this be over. Please, please, please let me sleep.

You know when I will be excited? I am driving down May 27 - June 5. This trip I am looking forward to. While I will be unpacking boxes and organizing the new house, I can relax and do it at my own pace. I can sit by the community swimming pool. I can go to the mountains. I can explore my neighborhood and introduce myself to my neighbors. Life will be good.

In the meantime, I'm a zombie!

New Home Sweet Home

My friend, Nancy, read somewhere of the most stressful times of a persons life. Like those surveys that list the top ten most stressful jobs. So, not surprising to me, right up there on the top three most stressful times of a persons life is selling and buying a house. Duh! I am proof of that.


After a whirlwind week of looking at houses, putting an offer on one, pulling out of that offer due to a bad realtor and being jerked around on what was an easy deal and extremely strong offer and literally sealing the deal on the way to the airport on another house, I bought a home in Canton, GA! Whew!


And, while it was more than I really wanted to pay, with the help of my realtor in Georgia, Robert Doyle, I got a wonderful deal on a brand new home. Yes - a brand new home, as in I am the first owner after the builder!


It is in the newer subdivision on the north side of Canton. It is a "cottage" style home - 3 bedrooms, master bedroom has huge walk in closet and wonderful bath (yes, I got a spa tub!), it has a living room and dining room combination with a beautiful fireplace. Attached garage! Laundry area and office nook! Nice kitchen with small breakfast area, granite counter tops and pretty backsplash. Off the kitchen is a screened in porch that opens to a small, fenced in backyard that borders a greenbelt (can never be developed). Cute front porch just perfect for rocking chairs. While the 2 other bedrooms are small, one will be a perfect guest bedroom and the other will be my quilting room. It is steps away from the office nook where I will keep my sewing machine and large enough for my ironing board and cutting table. Lots of closet space in the home, too. And, the best thing - it is a ranch, not step! NO STEPS!


My annual HOA fees include a huge, beautiful pool, a kiddie pool, tennis courts, a basketball courts, club house, etc. The area is relatively flat so it will be good for walking the doggie girls.

the house was almost at the top end of my price range, so I will be getting a part-time job later in the fall, but I feel I got a great deal and I know it is a good fit for me. Jen asked if I would work in a quilt store! Ha! I am afraid I would spend all of my money on fabric! But, who knows? My first thought is to work for a temp agency like ManPower so I can pick when I want to work and for how long at a stretch.

So, now the packing continues. The closings are in the 2nd week in May so while I have time, that will go fast. I also will need to move enough of my things over to my friends place for the next 3 1/2 months until I can actually retire. But, things are falling into place.

Home is where the heart is and I know this new house will quickly become my home. It will be difficult to leave my current home, but a young couple is buying it and will make changes and maybe even start a family here. My new home is less than an hour from my sister and 20 minutes from my nephew. I am already planning to host Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It's all good.

Happy Easter

I love springtime in the South. I'm in Georgia for a weekend spending time with family and looking at houses. This year the Japanese cherry trees are spectacular. All of the flowering trees are pretty. Flowers are blooming - it a lovely.

Spring is the time for rebirth - in all ways. The earth is shedding its cold blanket and flowers are pushing their way through the dirt towards the sun and leaves are budding on the trees and plants.

For me it is the time of change. My house is sold and I will close on it May 11. I am here now looking for a new place to call home in the Canton, GA area. But, since I can't retire until August 23, I will be temporarily moving into a friends upper duplex for 3 1/2 months in Milwaukee. Luckily, it is basically furnished so I only have to move in what I the very basics of what I will need for both myself and my doggie girls - no furniture, dishes - nada!. Hopefully, all of my belongings will be safe and sound in my new home in Georgia.

So, metaphorically, it is now a rebirth of myself, too. I will no longer be a "working" person, but a "retired" person, although I plan to get a part-time job after the holidays this year. I will be living in a whole new region of the United States - new state and new city. I will be making new friends, joining new groups and trying new activities. I know I will be busy and happy.

I am letting go of an old life and building a new one. Like the little flowers in my yard, I am pushing my way up towards the sun, feeling it warm me and pull me towards it.

Life is good and it will continue to be so. Hectic and crazy for the next few months, but good. It's time, it is my season of change and I intend to embrace this time for all it is worth!

SOLD!

Yikes! The young couple loved my house, it passed the inspector's careful eyes (I have to do some repair work on the chimney, but that is OK) and the closing is scheduled for May 11th. My house sold in 11 days. Amazing.

I leave today for Georgia where I will be actively looking for a new home in the Canton area.

Yikes, is right!

Anyone want to help me pack?

House For Sale

My house if officially on the market. The first weekend (last weekend) I have 5 showings! That was exciting. Unfortunately, no offers. I had a showing last night and the couple like it so much they are returning tonight to see it one more time. No other scheduled showings for the weekend.

Sigh.

Keeping a house clean 24/7 is harder than I thought. it has made me realize just how much I leave laying round and I am a very neat and tidy person. I can't imagine how people with children do it when trying to sell a home. I did drag out my quilting things long enough to cut and sew binding and machine sew it to the top a quilt so I can start the hand stitching process.

And, since I don't have any showings this weekend I plan to work once again on my Underground Railroad quilt. I have 1 1/2 blocks left to go and then I can start the lattice and posts. Every other quilting project is on hold.

Please, please someone buy my house. I need to start quilting again!

A Few Words on Quilting - or My Lack of It.

I haven't quilted in weeks. Packing and organizing have consumed me (well, a couple of other issues, too, but I digress).

I have packed up a lot of my quilting paraphernalia. Six huge boxes. This includes material and patterns for future quilts and completed quits and well as other miscellaneous quilting items. I kept out several kits and projects, both on-going and waiting to complete.

I currently have 4 quilts that need to be bound and I will get 2 more back from the quilter tomorrow. So, hopefully this weekend I can get a few of them machine bound.

Jeannie's BOM quilt is still in progress as is my Underground Railroad quilt. Hopefully, within the next few weeks the Underground Railroad quilt will be sent to the quilters. My dreams of starting the Wisconsin Barn quilt that Jen is offering will probably wait until after I retire. Sigh. I really wanted to start it, but I have my nephew's Double Irish Chain quilt to start ASAP (Ha - that's funny!)

In the midst of this I have to keep my house neat and tidy for possible showings. Ha! That's funny, too!

I kept out my two rolling carts full of scraps and fat quarters for Jeannie's BOM and other small projects. The carts can be tucked into a small closet each night. Both my sewing baskets are still out, but one really should be packed up as it is not used that often. All of the rulers are hang nicely from hooks in a closet.

I've been quilting less than 2 years! Where did all of this come from?

Of all of the things I have packed, I miss my quilting stuff the most. I like having it spread all over the house. I like finding tiny pieces of snipped fabric. I like my threads on the floor. Am I nuts? I crave my rotary cutter and miss the hum of the sewing machine.

Next week I start quilting again!

Getting Ready for Retirement

Funny things start to happen when you tell people you are going to retire.

First, I went to a work offered retirement seminar last November. It was great - well organized and very informative. I was given lots of brochures and pamphlets to read, which I have done. There are just over 200 of us City workers that fall into a group that are eligible to retire if we use the incentives they are offering. Truthfully, we would be crazy not to grab the deal and run, which is exactly what I am doing! However, all at once I started to receive mail from the Employees Retirement System - pension estimators, benefit plans, etc. Yikes! This is really going to happen!

Co-workers approch me. "Hey," they say, "I hear you're retiring!" Or, "How much longer do you have?" Or "What will you be doing once you go?" This is all fun stuff, although my immediate co-workers must be getting tired of hearing my answers all of the time. Several co-workers insist on getting together after work as my "time" approaches. I'm looking forward to that!

The most asked question is, "How many more days?" Well, as of today I have 5 months and 14 days. Exact days? I'm not sure. Well under 100. I got vacation time to use and it will all be spent house hunting in Georgia and moving down there.

This is all good stuff. Fun stuff. I thought it would be much different, but recently life has a way of kicking me in the butt and directing me down paths I really didn't want to go. But, it is all good (at least that is what I am telling myself over and over). It is all a learning experience. It is a new path, a new part of my life - so very different than what I am use to.

If I survive what I am going through now, if I survive selling my house, buying a new home and a move to a whole new state without losing my mind, if I make it to August 23, 2010 - a whole new life will begin.

Bring it on!

Packing it Up!

Last week my wonderful sister, Suzanne, flew up and we spent 3 1/2 days packing and organizing my basement as well as other areas in preparation for the sale of my house.

Now, I am not a wuss and I can pack, but I was stuck in a rut and needed Suzanne to give me that swift kick in the butt to get going. She is good at that!

We got a lot accomplished and 72 boxes and bins are sealed, neatly labeled and ready to go. And, more boxes to pack. SEVENTY-TWO with more to come. Jeez - where did all this stuff come from? And, now I have 4 large boxes in my dining room full of quilts and quilt stuff. More of that, too. This doesn't include every day things that I will need until my house actually sells like pots and pans, dishes, etc.

Every night more "stuff" gets sorted through and packed or put into boxes for Goodwill. Friends and family are welcome to things they admired and would like for their own so a lot is leaving via the front door. My desk and curio cabinet are claimed and waiting to be moved (please come get them). I would much rather give things to friends and family than sell them on Craig's List. This way people will have a remembrance of me and something they like. Pictures/art work are bubble wrapped and not much is left on the walls. My home is becoming more and more depersonalized. Sigh.

I have contacted a couple of realtor's and one will be chosen this weekend. My house will be ready in a couple of weeks. I have a cleaning service coming in to do a heavy spring cleaning before any perspective buyers come in to view it. I am keeping my nephew busy with fixing broken light switches, moving things around and general "PLEASE COME OVER AND HELP ME DO XXXXX"

Yup. This is all happening. I am retiring and moving to Georgia. The Canton area of Georgia, close to the Blue Ridge and within a quick drive from Suzanne and my nephews.

It is exciting, fun and stressful.

And, I am scared to death!

Raffle Quilt for the Wisconsin Burn Camp

The handsome gentleman with me is my boss, Deputy Chief Michael Payne.

Every summer for one week children from Wisconsin who have suffered from burns are able to attend what we (members of the Milwaukee Fire Department) call Burn Camp. This wonderful camp is sponsored by fire departments throughout Wisconsin. Many MFD members dedicate several days of their own time each year volunteering at the camp. It is a wonderful week for these children and their families.

At the Wisconsin Fire Chief Association convention, held every June, a quilt is raffled off with the proceeds given to the Burn Camp. This year the Ladies Friendship group from Ye Olde Schoolhouse quickly agreed to my suggestion that we piece the quilt to be raffled this year. Each double star block was made by a different lady - some making more than one! The colors are burgundy, black and off white/tan. I think these ladies did a fabulous job. After the blocks were done, my friend, Terri and I arranged them and I added the lattice and corner stones. The quilt came together beautifully. Today I purchased the batting and backing and hopefully by next week it will be at the quilters. I will bind it with the same material as the lattice.

I'm retiring in August. This morning in our conference room at the Fire Academy, we were having coffee and the guys were discussing the sports of the world (typical morning conversation), one of the guys asked me what great legacy I would leave the Milwaukee Fire Department - what stories about me would be told over and over. After 32+ years with the City of Milwaukee I am sure there are tons of "Julie Ann" stories! LOL. However, I hope this quilt will be my legacy. I am very proud of it and especially of the ladies who so quickly volunteered to go through their stash of material and make a block.

Besides, I'm telling all of the MFD chiefs who attend the conference this June: they better purchase lots of raffle tickets and if they win, give the quilt to me as a retirement present!! (Just kidding - kind of).

Little Quilt Girl

Isn't she lovely?

She is designed by Karen over at http://www.sewprimitive.blogspot.com/. Karen sells these great designs under http://www.folkartchildren.com/ This one is entitled Quilt Album 1870.

Check Karen's site out. She has great designs that are quick and easy to follow. And, although they call for hand turned applique, I did the blanket stitch. Slightly bulky around the face (I will use different thread next time), but it turned out fine. She was quilted by Meandering Mary, who once again did a great job. I love this wall hanging.

And, when I was in Atlanta over the Christmas holidays, Karen and I (along with my sister, Suzanne) met for lunch. We also visited a quilt store in Marietta. It was so much fun to meet her in person after becoming blogging buddies. Hopefully, we will connect again when I am down there over Easter.

She also designed, as you may remember, this little girl, entitled Portrait in Silhouette No.1. What I love about both of these is that they have a 3-D effect. Although you can't really tell from the picture above, the little girl's quilt is not sewn on, but glued to card board to give the illusion that she is holding it up while hand quilting it. It really doesn't show up this way on the pictures, but is adorable on the wall.

On this picture you can see the curtain/drapery that hangs on the side.

Now, I am waiting for a little boy to go with this girl. Karen????? After all, she is called #1? Where is #2? LOL

I just purchased Karen's Berks County 1850 girl, but it may be a long time before I start her! Got the material, too!

I need to retire soon so I have more time to quilt.

Help Regarding Flying Geese (quilt blocks, that is)

I have Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day flying geese rulers, which I find to be a God send. However, I have the instructions for 4" x 8" and 2" x 4" size, but I can't find the instructions for the 3"x 6" and 1 1/2" x 3" flying geese. I just need to know what sizes to cut the two squares for each size.

Can anyone out there help me?

Thanks! Me and my flock greatly appreciate it!

Happy Valentine's Day

Don't eat too much chocolate!

 

HELP

HOW DO I GET THESE STUPID PHOTO BUCKET ADS OFF MY BLOG?