Leaving on a Jet Plane

"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...Leaving on a Jet Plane, Don't know when I'll be back again..." Well, that's not entirely true as I do know when I'll be back again. In an hour I'm leaving for the Eureka/Arcata Airport.The airport has two gates: Gate 1 is for departures and Gate 2 is for arrivals. Pretty Simple. You can still park 100 feet from the front entrance (pictured above). And this is the "NEW" (and newly remodeled) terminal. When I first came to Humboldt County they threw your luggage on the grass for you to pick-up....and remember it rains for 8 months out of the year here.
I'm on my way to Minnesota to visit these delightful grandchildren:

Shiloh is 20 months old, Mercedes (Sadies) is 3 1/2 and Jakob is 5 1/2. There will be a new baby in a week to ten days and Grammy gets to be there to play, cook and generally help out. I'm looking forward to seeing the Fall Colors and maybe even a first snow as I'm staying until November 9. Mr. Scottie Dog will only have the cats to keep him company, but we'll talk on the phone every day and skype some, I'm sure. Last night he fixed me a romantic dinner served in the dining room: Grilled Prawns & Wild Salmon. Ummm, ummm!

Sydney had a tea party yesterday afternoon. Just a couple of her "lady" friends, Mom & Grandma. I confess...after tea sandwiches (have you ever tried cucumber on raisin bread? Divine!), chocolate dipped strawberries, deviled eggs, sweet pickles, cream puffs and mini chocolate eclair's.....I ate well yesterday! I'm going to miss everyone in Eureka and Liz will take wonderful care of the store, but at this moment I'm anxious to get going. I want to meed this new member of our family. I'll try to keep in touch some. The end of October I'll meet Liz in Houston for Quilt Market, go back to Beka's house for another week and finally home. I'm sure to have lots of adventures!

The last 3 weeks.

Haven't heard much from me for the past 3 weeks......we've been on holiday! Mr. Scottie Dog and I hitched up our 30' house on wheels and took 6 days to drive from Eureka, CA to Savage, MN! We drove through cities and towns and hamlets, deserts and valleys and mountains and forests, sun and rain and snow! Yes, there was a lot of snow still on the ground in CA, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming and just a tiny bit in Nebraska. We braved the cold, the heat and thunderstorms. I'd never been to Nebraska and Iowa...both states were green and growing and the towns were so inviting...we drove mostly off-the-beaten-path kind of roads there.

We've been here in MN with the grandkids for two weeks. Little Shiloh even says Grammy now. She takes a few steps and then crawls again. Jakob rides his two-wheeler like the wind and Sadies has fun at every turn. I'm reading "A Secret Garden" to her now.

Thanks to those back home taking care of the kitties and the old home place, we appreciate you. A HUGE round of thanks to Liz holding down the fort at Redwood Sewing Center and doing a wonderful job. Photos to follow of everything.

Catching Up

It seems I need to catch up a bit on my blog....

At Quilt Market Moda had a fabulous party for everyone. Dinner, dancing, good conversation at Minute Maid Park...home of the Astro's. As it started we posed with our good friend Marie who owns Runs With Scissors Quilt Shop in Citrus Heights, CA.
Here's a close-up of us...I LOVE working with my daughter, Liz!

Back again to MN I flew after Quilt Market for another 2 1/2 week visit. We celebrated Beka's birthday at BD's Mongolian Barbecue. They made her a birthday hat!

Here's Jakob...what a handsome 4 1/2 year old!

Of course we took a trip to McDonald's while I was there. Mercedes is a toofer kind of girl!
Miss Shiloh is always checking out her surroundings.
It was a magical time while I was there....first snow! Now I know that MN has had more than it's share of snow so far this year but I so enjoyed those first 9 inches! Snowmen, sledding, snow angels and more. A beautiful winter wonderland for me.
We also paid a trip to Famous Dave's Barbecue after church one Sunday...Sadies wanted to pose by the bear.The Sunday after Thanksgiving The historical Eureka Inn invited the community to the first Christmas Tree since 2004. Hundreds and hundreds of people came and placed an ornament on it's branches.See the Scottie Dog we brought!Here's a picture of Mr. Scottie Dog and Sydney. We stood in the crush of happy celebrants for awhile and then made our way home.

More tomorrow

Counting my blessings!

Canadian Thanksgiving was Monday and since my son-in-law, Jason, is Canadian there has been a lot of talk about the subject. It got me to thinking about counting my blessings. Right now in the midst of a visit to Minnesota I think of how blessed I am with my grandchildren. Today we went to the Minnesota Zoo.
Here are Mercedes & Jakob with a welcoming scarecrow.
Here they are checking out the shark petting pond.

The cutie "turtle" is Shiloh who just turned 8 months yesterday. She ALWAYS has a smile on her face and I've never heard a baby giggle as much as she does.

Here's a picture of Sydney back in CA at the pumpkin patch.....I missed it this year.
On Saturday we went to Emma Krumbees Apple Orchard and Farm. What fun we had...the kids rode a little train, rode John Deere tricycles round the track, played musical instruments with Mr. Landon and his music box, rode the hay wagon out to the orchards and so much more. We picked a few apples (Sadies seemed to like to pick up the windfalls on the ground)...the weather was in the mid 80's!

I'm so very blessed that I'm able to travel to visit with my Minnesota family....blessed that my dear Mr. Scottie Dog holds down the homestead and that my daughter Liz so generously takes up my slack at our store. Many, many thanks to both of them.

I'm blessed with wonderful friends.....both those I've met in person and those I only know through the Internet. I hold you all dear.

Tomorrow afternoon I fly back to California. Mr. Scottie Dog and the kitties are waiting for me.

I'm leaving on a jet plane.....

Today after church Mr. Scottie Dog played his accordion with the Humboldt Accordionaires at the Italian-American Club's annual picnic. A four hour paid gig...not bad! The weather today was wonderful...perfect Indian Summer bright sunny day. I ate my lunch in the back garden and listened to a couple of crows squawk back and forth at each other.

I cleaned up the kitchen and did my laundry. I packed some of my clothes in my suitcase. I got the pill-a-day containers out and set up my medications for the next two and half weeks. You see, Tuesday morning I'm leaving on a jet plane to Minnesota to babysit Jakob (4 1/2) and Mercedes (2 1/2) for a few days while their Mom & Dad and baby sister Shiloh go to Canada for a family wedding. Actually, I'm leaving on a PROP plane...

To fly out of Eureka you walk up to the plane (even if it is raining!), you put your carry-on bag on the cart (on the right of the picture), climb up the stairs and find your seat. I think there are 22 seats on the plane. Usually they are all filled because it's a 6-7 hour to a larger airport! To get to Minneapolis I fly on a 1 hour flight to San Francisco. Wait about an hour and then board another plane to Denver. Once on the ground in Denver I'll run like the dickens to make my flight to Minneapolis which will probably be boarding when I get to my gate.

For two and a half weeks I'll be able to grandmother (is that really a verb?) Jakob, Sadies & Shiloh. Beka and I will shop, cook and quilt together and I may even get a chance to go to lunch with some of my Minnesota friends.

Bill will hold down the fort, take care of the cats. He's been so busy around the house...some jobs don't show: designing, trenching and installing a drainage system in the front of the house. Some jobs make a difference you can see: new fence and gates, wonderful new porch steps (they are architecturally beautiful!). He's also the one who made the new fixtures at the store.

I'll be sure to blog from MN!

We went to Minnesota

We arrived home from our trip to Minneapolis via Southern CA about an hour ago. Tired from multiple planes and a 1 1/2 day drive from Redlands, I'll just blog a tad from our trip today and finish up more tomorrow.

Our saga began on Sat. May 15 when Liz flew to Minnesota. Sunday morning early Sydney, Mr. Scottie Dog and I drove to Lost Hill, CA (North of Los Angeles) and spent the night. Sydney is a veteran traveler so it went well. She especially enjoyed the restaurant we chose that evening....she ordered mac & cheese and a bowl of red grapes. Monday it was on to Redlands to spend 3/4 of the day with Great-grandma Willie. My dear childhood friend, Maralee joined us all for dinner. Next morning we left for Ontario Airport for our Minnesota jaunt. We thought it a good omen that instead of 3 planes, United changed us to only two! Yahoo. We had enough time in Denver to get ice cream....always a good thing when you are traveling with a 5 year old. About 6:30 pm we boarded our plane to Minneapolis. We got on, prepared for take-off when the announcement came that we would be delayed for about 10 minutes due to a storm nearby. Five minutes later rain began to fall and 15 minutes later it was pelting the plane. Another announcement..."about a 20 minute delay until the storm passed by." The sky quickly darkened and over the loud speaker, "Leave everything behind and exit the plane as quickly as possible, a tornado is bearing down on the airport." We stood and waited to exit. We were about half-way back in the plane and some people were pulling their luggage out of the racks and nobody we could see had begun to move down the aisle yet. Then the flight attendants began to scream...."Get OFF the plane NOW!" "Run" "RUUNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!" The panic in their voices finally got people moving...I handed Sydney over to Mr. Scottie Dog and we first moved slowly down the aisle then we could run and we ran off the plane, down the skyway, into the terminal. People were running from all directions and uniformed workers were screaming and pointing towards the restrooms which were labeled "Tornado Shelter." As I ran down past the gates I looked at the greenish/black clouds outside saw constant lightening and the thunder boomed. Mr. Dog had gotten ahead of me with Sydney and gone into a Men's Restroom. I stood outside the Ladies' as it was full, but with the option of cramming into it if the glass began to break. A 20-something young woman stood beside me sobbing and texting on her phone. I patted her arm and told her it would be all right. I was probably telling myself the same message!

After about 20 minutes they told us we could go back and sit at the gate before boarding the plane. Whew! What excitement....give me an earthquake any time! We got into Minneapolis about 1:30 am...1 1/2 hours late.

Next morning I got to play with the grandbabies. Liz had bought a "SlippySlide" as the kids called it. They couldn't understand how to slide...but did it on their knees. Look at Jakob (4) here! (Sadies (2) in the background).

Shiloh is 3 months old now, with Mercedes and Jakob. Did I tell you it was hot while we were there? One of the things Sydney really wanted to do was hold her baby cousin. Shiloh seemed to enjoy all the attention.
I'll give a report on Quilt Market tomorrow.

Grandma's gone to Minnesota!

On Wednesday I said goodbye to Mr. Scottie Dog quite early at the Eureka/Arcata Airport and walked through security. I was questioned by the TSA concerning a bottle in my carry-on. "Oh," I said, "that's full of seeds and seasonings." "Like.....drugs?" he said. "Nooo, like....Los Bagels' Slug Slime." This is full of toasted sesame seeds, garlic, onions, coarse salt and so much more. It is the topping Los Bagels puts on it's Slugs...they're sort of straight bagels....no holes...just, well, just like slugs! Sooo good. If you have never had a Los Bagels bagel you haven't had the best! I was taking a bottle of seasoning to Beka. One of the many things you can't get in Minnesota.

My flight was pretty much uneventful. We even got in to Minneapolis 20 minutes early! On Friday Jakob and I had to make cookies....that's all he's talked about for weeks...making cookies with Grandma. I made him a special apron per his instructions. Dinosaurs on one side, trains on the other.

Grandma decided we'd make Snickerdoodles....fun to roll into balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar. We had a good time and made some cookies too!
Beka is ready to have her Baby. NOW! We went to the midwife yesterday morning and she was told that it would probably be this weekend. An induction has been scheduled for next Thursday but we're hoping for NOW! After the appointment Beka decided to try to help the baby along. 30 minutes of step exercise on the Wii. We bowled, juggled and played "chicken" on the Wii. Then Beka ran up and down their 3 level's worth of stairs for 15 minutes. She vacuumed the stairs, basement and living room. Then she mopped the kitchen. During this time the kids played outside on their deck.
Aren't my grandbabies the cutest? Jakob will turn 4 the end of March and Mercedes had her 2nd birthday last week. Jakob had hand trowels and cars out there to play in the snow. Mercedes just wanted to eat snow. Even with chattering teeth, they protested coming in.

Beka spent the evening sitting and bouncing on the big exercise ball. But no baby.

Today Beka & Jason went to the Mall of America for some power-walking. Sadies and Jakob are sleeping and Grandma is reading and smiling....after all, she's helping out with the grandbabies, hugging, kissing & spoiling them....that's what Grandama's are for!

Miss you, Mr. Scottie Dog! Miss you Sydney-girl! We got a camera today so be sure to SKYPE us!>

I'm going to Minnesota!

Can you see my happy dance? Can you hear me singing? I'm off to Minnesota in one week. It was a quick decision and I'm so happy I can hardly stand it. I've got to pack, I've got to get ready, I've got to...ah, stop and take a breath. Why am I going to Minnesota? Well the two most important reasons are below:Sadies is now 15 months old and Jakob is 3 years old. Here they are in their Easter finery. I got Sydney and Mercedes matching dresses and they both looked lovely. Jakob was a heart breaker in his sweater vest & tie. They look ready for the prom...well, not really. I don't want them to grow up too quickly.

I'm going to bake cookies, teach Beka to sew curves... the pattern on the left is called "Eureka!" (how appropriate she was born and raised in Eureka, CA) and she is going to make it up in Asian fabrics for her stairwell/entryway. I think it will be stunning!

I'm going to experience Spring for the first time in the Midwest, teach Sadies and Jakob new songs, read stories to the grandbabies (over and over and over again) maybe go to the state capitol, take walks, perhaps picnic....just hang out. I'm going to miss Mr. Scottie Dog, but I know he'll be waiting at home when I come back. 2 1/2 weeks....so long and yet not enough time. Sydney says to tell Jakob that the hugs belong to her.....I tell her that I have enough hugs for everyone.

Meanwhile I'm working in the store, sewing up a storm on a secret project of mine for the Cruise to Alaska (and don't bother to ask me what it is...I'm NOT telling, no, no, nowhere, no how).

It's COLD in Minnesota!

Mr. Scottie Dog and I have arrived in Minnesota.....just in time for the temperatures to drop so low that our HIGH today was colder than the LOW in Fairbanks, Alaska! You know it's cold when the locals complain about how cold it is. Usually they, "Oh, ya know, it's not so cold out today. Ya, you betcha."

We arrived by plane last night after the plane had to circle the airport for about 20 minutes.....the runway had to be cleared of snow. Then the flight attendant announced, " We are beginning our landing. In the event of an emergency be sure to leave all personal belongings behind and proceed quickly and calmly to the nearest exit." We all looked at each other and wondered if we should worry.

First thing this morning we went to Target just down the street.....Grandpa found a sled for Jakob. We came home and ate lunch. Then the two of them spent a fun hour outside in the cold. I think it took Beka a good 10 minutes to get all the snow gear on Jakob....she asked what she was going to do when she has a houseful of kids and they all want to go outside to play. I told her maybe the older ones would help out. The snow is really dry but in the pile left by the plow there were a few icy pieces so they built a little snowman. The grandpa took a shovel to the snowplow's piled up snow....soon there was a Jakob sized sled run. The best part was that the icy road (Beka & Jason live on a cul-de-sac so they didn't' have to worry about traffic) was at the end of the run so the sled slid farther at the end. Then Grandpa pulled Jakob around the block. Grandma and Beka had hot cocoa ready (of course with tiny marshmallows) when they came in.

After nap time Jakob and I baked cookies...cars, boots, scottie dogs (of course!), stars & Christmas tree cookies. He wants to make more tomorrow......but I think we're going to try to go to Rogers, MN. My good friend Mary owns a quilt shop there called Quilted Treasures and not too far away is Cabellas, a mega outdoor store which Mr. Scottie Dog would love to check out.
Stay warm,

End of the Visit

Sorry, no pictures today. I'll post those after I get home. Today is our last morning in Minnesota. The kids and grandbabies are out doing their regular Sat. morning job. They'll be back in about an hour and we'll load up the car, stop by a friends' and then to the airport. I've packed, washed our sheets (try to be a good guest!), made sure our breakfast dishes are in the dishwasher. Bill is doing last minute puttering.
While we've been here I've had a chance to hug and kiss on the grandbabies, sew with Beka, gone shopping (yesterday we went to Abdullah's Candy factory to get "imperfect" candies. They make giant peanut butter cups (the size of muffins!) and got some for my CA Son-in-law---ok, Mr. Scottie Dog and my Minn. son-in-law too! We got a 1 lbs. box of assorted imperfects too. We shared that last night and will leave the rest here. Beka and I got a chance to visit "Before You Quilt" her local Savage Quilt Shop. They had moved a few doors down into a larger space. They are now about the same size as Scottie Dog Quilt Shop and have about 1/2 the fabric we have. Nice ladies, nice samples. We'll go again next time I'm in town.
I've also had some time babysitting, doing a craft project with Jakob, reading to him, laughing and taking walks to the mailbox. Jakob has more energy than most 2 1/2 year old boys. If I lay down on the couch he loves to jump on me and say, "BIG hug" and squeeze me really tight. Then he yells, "little hug" and barely a squeeze. Then, "BIG hug" and so on. He knows all his letters. Right smart boy--must take after Grandpa. Mercedes, on the other hand is mostly always smiling, laughing. She loves it when I sing. She was barely crawling when we got here and now she wants to walk! On Thursday she was crawling on the ground and suddenly let out a scream! I went to her and she had a tiny red dot on her lower lip and had a dead wasp in her fist. I guess she'd picked it up and tried to eat it. Beka took her to the doctor as her lip began to swell. Looked like a collagen job gone bad...only bottom lip. They dosed her with Benedryl, she didn't have any other reaction but Beka got an Eppi kit anyway.
Grandpa's legacy from this trip is pretty substantial. A new bathroom, painted and done. New lighting system in the basement, a new hallway with doors & lighting installed and in the laundry room shelves and a hanging rod for hangers!
So in a little bit we'll be flying back to Eureka. It will take nearly 12 hours with a long layover in Chicago. Grandma always cries when it is time to go. But hoping we'll be back soon.
Pictures to follow!

Savage, Minnesota

We're here! No pictures today because I need a cord for my camera, but I thought I'd post anyway. Jakob is happily sleeping with his new quilt from Grandma! Sadie happily puts her arms up for me to pick her up. Grandpa is busy with the new bathroom. Demolition is complete and almost all of the supplies are purchased. OOPS! No one thought to measure the door first, but, WHEW! the one piece tub/shower unit will fit through the doorway. Today Mr. Scottie Dog is doing the plumbing and Grandma and Beka might go shopping or visiting.

Jakob and I baked Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies this morning....like Sydney he loves to crack the eggs. I think that Grandmas have more patience when it comes to cooking with the little ones. I don't remember doing it with my own so young. He is sooo very proud of the cookies he made and can't wait for Daddy to come home to try them.

Beka had said the weather was still warm....so I brought mostly Capri pants and short sleeves. Hmmm...weather is more like Eureka, but I'm comfortable. Fall is coming quickly to Minn. I'm hoping to get some sightings of colorful Fall Leaves.

Technology is a funny thing. We are almost ready to debut our new website (don't worry....same address: www.ScottieDogQuilts.com) and Beka (in Minn.) has done most of the prep work. Liz (in Eureka, CA) has been busy the past few days loading in stock (books, patterns, etc.) and I've had the job of writing the staff biographies and other text while I've been here in Minn. Amazing that the three of us can be working on the same thing (often at the same time). The phones have been burning up the airwaves back and forth too.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll have the pictures up. Having a ball with the grandbabies!

What's a Grandma to do?

Saturday Mr. Scottie Dog and I will fly off to the Land of 10,000 Lakes [although anyone who lives in Minnesota will be quick to point out that there are lots and lots more than 10,000 lakes in the state. I guess they settled on 10,000 because it sounded good, kind of like Heinz 57 slogan was picked out of a hat and Wonder Bread "builds strong bodies 12 ways." White, spongy Wonder Bread is a high sugar & carb nightmare. South Beach Diet says you are better off eating a cup of ice cream once in a while than eating white sandwich bread!]. Back to flying off to the Land of 10,000 Lakes....on Saturday morning for 3 weeks with the Minnesota kids and GRANDBABIES! This means Sydney has been trying to sort out the trip.

GRANDMA: "I'll be at Jakob & Sadie's house for awhile, but you can talk to me on the computer."
SYDNEY: "But why can't you talk to THEM on the computer at YOUR house?
G: "Because I have to do that now. When I go visit them I can hug them on my lap and kiss them."
S: "But I want you to be with me."
G: "I love to be with you and take you to the zoo and read you stories, but Jakob lives far away and I need to go to his house to see him for awhile."
S: "Why don't you take me to the zoo?"

So today we went to the zoo after I picked her up from Pre-School. I'm busy trying to tie up all the loose ends before I go. We went for ice cream after the zoo---after all, I need to leave her with special memories for while I'm gone. Tomorrow we will do a craft project at the store (I will be making the same Fall Leaf Window Clings with Jakob next week) and on Saturday when Liz and Sydney drive us to the airport I'll give her a little Hello Kitty tote bag with some fun goodies (new socks, hair clips, glitter pens, magnets, etc) for her to have while I'm gone.

When Daddy came to pick up Syd at the store to take her nap she hugged me and said, "Fanks for the ice cream Gwamma. You got me ice cream because you love me!" Yes, Sydney, I love you.

What's a Grandma to do when she has grandbabies in two so very far apart cities? She splits her time. I'll probably cry when we take off, saying good bye to Sydney....but Jakob is waiting for Grandma and Grandpa. Sadie doesn't know much about it all yet, but when I see her in the WebCam, she smiles and lights up when she sees me. I can't wait to snuggle with this 9 month old...I'll even be glad to change some diapers. Jakob and I will walk to one of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota just 1 1/2 blocks away from home, we'll go to the zoo and we'll probably even go out for ice cream....These are the things Grandmas do.