Aren’t Computers Fun?

I'm finally getting my computer set back up again, but it’s going slowly.  More slowly than usual!

I got the hard drive late last week but the installation of Windows went wonky and I couldn't get it to reinstall until I used a Linux distro to repartition the hard drive....4 times!  Yeah, that's right, 4 times!

That's because I haven't used the partioning tools in Linux before and it took me awhile before I actually looked up the directions.  I usually don’t read the directions first, that’s for wimps!

What’s really amazing is realizing how much software I rely on for everyday tasks.  For instance, I need to scan a photo.  I will have to install the photo editing software as well as the printer/scanner software.

I’ve already installed 2 additional browsers so now I have IE, Chrome and Firefox.  The reason I have more than one is so I can test my website in the major Windows browsers, and I’ve learned to separate tasks into specific browsers at home, just like I do at work.

I’m so thankful I had a good backup of my data before the old hard drive went bad.  So…when’s the last time YOU backed up?

Don’t Buy Progressive Insurance

I finally got by car back, but boy, am I unhappy with Progressive Insurance.  To put it politely.

I don’t normally bad mouth products or companies, I simply vote with my wallet.  This time, though, I’m not the actual customer, since it wasn’t my policy that the claim was being made against, and I am so angry, frustrated, and simply dumbfounded at the arrogance and attitude I’ve experienced over the past twenty, yes, twenty, days that it’s taken for me to get my car back.

The Progressive insurance adjuster never once initiated a conversation with me.  No status updates, no going over the estimate, no contact about when my car might be finished.  All of my conversations happened with the auto body shop.  I’d asked for original Toyota parts, but  I never got a chance to decide if I wanted to pay the difference for them vs. the after market parts.

To top it off, well, I’m just being unreasonable to ask that the corresponding tire on the affected axle be replaced, so that the tread and mileage match, keeping my car in warranty and preventing any possible damage to the transmission, tie rods, or any other affected parts.  There’s almost 33,000 miles on this 65,000 mile tire.

No matter that I don’t have a factory paint job, and I now don’t have a clean Car Fax report,  I’d be “ahead” if they replaced the other tire.  All because there isn’t a written recommendation by Toyota on how and when the tires should be replaced in pairs.  Which is an industry standard practice.  Oh, but that’s just the tire and car dealers wanting to sell more product.

I’m unhappy about that Toyota couldn’t bother to write this into the manual, and a letter to them will ensue.  Maybe I can save someone else this hassle if they decide to update their policy.  I called Toyota and got their call center where they only suggested I talk to the dealer, who had already been contacted, and whom Progressive ignored, because they contacted a dealer, not MY dealer, who gave them conflicting advice from my dealer.

And the Progressive supervisor came back with, “well, I checked into this further and your adjuster gave you 100% coverage on your damaged tire.  But, in Idaho, we only have to cover the depreciated value of any wearing part, which tires are, so we didn’t have to cover that tire completely”.

He proceeded to go through the calculation for the remaining tread on both tires vs. the amount they paid to put a new replacement tire on the car and said AS A CUSTOMER COURTESY they aren’t going to change the amount they would reimburse for the new tire because I’ve clearly come out with more money than I should have.  Because, you know, I can drive the car with half a tire.

So, I paid to have that tire replaced myself, because that’s the responsible thing to do.

Unlike Progressive Insurance.

Pass The Bag

You’d think I’d learn, right?

I don’t need another project and I certainly don’t need another commitment (does anyone?)  So what did I do?  I signed up to participate in a Pass The Bag project with my small group from work!

It just looked so simple and like so much fun!  We narrowed down our choices between a Disappearing Nine Patch and a Bento Box pattern.  Both are really easy to make, and the base blocks are great blocks for new quilters, and we have a new quilter in our midst.  What better way to get started?

Have you seen either one of these patterns?  The Disappearing Nine patch uses a nine patch and the Bento Box uses a center square surrounded by 2 additional strips.  The Bento Block is typically made in pairs, with each block using the colors in the reverse areas of the other block.  For instance the dark center is surrounded by light, followed by the dark color on the outside.  The light color is used in the center on the next block, surrounded by dark, followed by light again.  Both blocks are then made by cutting the block into quarters and swapping two corners with the corners of another block.

I created a Bento Box board and a Disappearing Nine Patch board on Pinterest with examples that I really like, check them out if my description isn’t making sense!

You know how the makeover shows all promote blue and green as spa-like and calming?  Well, I decided to go with teal blue and green, inspiration from the calm colors in the ocean we saw during our trip.  I’m planning to make it into a king sized quilt, so DH and I had to agree on colors.  The photos of my blocks don’t quite reflect their true colors, so I’ll post additional blocks as I make them and hopefully I’ll have a better representation.

I’ve gotten the blocks made for the first bag and purchased fabric for the additional blocks I’ll need to make this quilt bigger.  Let’s get this party started!

I Need a Break!

My work life has been extremely challenging lately, and of course that stress spreads to everything else.  It’s been so bad I haven’t even wanted to sew or knit, and I’ve been so tired I haven’t been able to get up in the morning to work out before work.  Now, that’s stress!

So, just as I was thinking that I was turning the corner, getting everything under control….. a teenager with a new learner's permit hit my new-to-me car in the parking lot while I was inside the local yarn shop.  No injuries to either the driver or her mother, who was visibly shaken and who came and found me in the shop to make sure I got all of their insurance information.

So now the car that needs to be fixed and insurance needs to be dealt with.

And I only just made the first car payment....

Where Did January Go?

I’ve always had a special relationship with January.  Not only is January the beginning of the new year, when almost everyone is making New Year’s resolutions, it’s my birthday month.

This year we went on a 5 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean to celebrate!  We had two ports of call, Progreso, Yucatan and Cozumel, Mexico.

We got to see the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltún, white sandy beaches at Cozumel, watched an early morning sunrise from the deck of the ship, danced The Macarena on the catamaran back from the beach, watched the Seahawks beat New Orleans amidst a whole ship full of New Orleans Saints fans (that was exciting!), walked through the City Park in New Orleans, and ate way too much food!

We had a wonderful time and without being at home, where I have too many tasks and projects to work on, it gave me time to think.

I’ve always been a little reflective around my birthday.  Rather than making New Year’s resolutions, I start thinking of what I’ve done in the past year that I like, and what do I want to do differently, so I can grow as a person.  That doesn’t sound much different than most people’s motivation for making New Year’s resolutions, but for me it’s the birthday and not the time of year.  I’ll never truly know, since I can’t change my birthday!

 

1. Work on becoming more mindful
2. Take better care of my health
3. Take more family time
4. Take one weekend a month for “me” time!
   That means sewing on personal projects as well as knitting and spinning.
5. De-clutter!!
   This goes without saying, but all the stuff I’ve accumulated needs to be evaluated for its value in adding, or taking away, from the joy it brings to my life.  Too much stuff clutters up my brain!

Now that I’m back home, and back to reality, I need to deal with my computer crash, my messy sewing room, desk and dining room table.  It’s also a time to spend with friends and be mindful of how I spend my time.

It’s going to be a great year!

White Chocolate Quilt

Now that the holiday fervor has passed, I’m finally posting the photos of the quilt I delivered the day after Christmas.

The moment I saw this quilt top I fell in love with it!  It is SO calming, warm and welcoming and I immediately knew it needed something special.

My customer, Evelyn, made this top, called McCall's Quilting Magazine, August 2007 (Volume 14, Number 4) for herself to go with the new décor of her recently remodeled bedroom.  The pattern itself calls for all neutrals, but she chose to spice it up with some warm tones that matched her headboard, and I think it couldn’t be lovelier.

Evelyn chose Superior Threads King Tut Sands of Time, a variegated oatmeal colored thread which worked pretty well with all of the different colors of the top.

I used So Fine thread in the bobbin that matched the backing and I love the secondary design it created.

Because we wanted some”poof” to show off the quilting I chose Legacy washable wool batting.

I didn’t get quite as much “poof” as I thought I would because it’s so heavily quilted, but when we laid it out on her bed the light from her window showed off all of the texture and I was really pleased to see it.

I used a matching thread color for the feathered border.

I have to say, I think this is my favorite quilt that I’ve done so far.  It’s certainly in the top 5, anyway!

If you’d like to buy the back issue from Amazon and help support my blog, use the provided link to purchase your copy.

New Year’s Day!

What are you doing this New Year’s Day?  Me, I’m spending it with a group of fiber people!

You know, I never gave that description any thought when I started hanging out with spinners and knitters because of the company I was in when I said it, but outside of that community I’ve had lots of funny looks from people and then I realized they thought I meant “fiber” as in dietary fiber!

Today I’m taking not only my spinning wheel and new jumbo flyer so I can finish up the roving I’ve been working on, but I also made the bodies of 3 hats on my Singer HK-100 bulky knitting machine yesterday so now they just need to be sewn up to finish them.  That's the part I dislike the most, but I'll be able to finish them up in no time because I’m going to concentrate on them today, and someone there might even have an easier way to sew them up than I've been able to figure out so far, too.

I'm also going to take those over sized Fuzzy Feet slippers I made with me so I can finish the toes and then get them into the wash to felt them.  I have to say, I’m quite pleased with how they’ve turned out and I’ll be taking a toe-up sock pattern with me today so I can start learning how to do those, too.

I’m also taking a Coca Cola Chocolate Cake.  I’ve never tried it, or made it, before but I’ve never made socks before, either.

So, today it sounds like a lot of "finishing" going on!  That sounds fabulous to me, because they say that whatever you do on New Years Day is what you'll do the rest of the year.   And by "they" I mean the gals I'm getting together with, and who knows who they got it from! :-) 

I’ve really been  looking forward to our get together, I seem to come back calm and centered after spending a day with them.  There’s food, laughter, conversation and lots of creativity and support..

Next weekend, I’ll quilt.

Happy New Year!