Yesterday was the first day in a long long time that I didn't have to work at all. No Ellis Piano, no little students, no singing for the Catholics. It's not that I don't like working because I love all my jobs, but for the first time since the teaching semester ended I felt like I actually am having a vacation after all.
I started off my day by going to the Birmingham Quilter's Guild. I've never been able to attend before because of my hectic work schedule and it was such a blessing to be there. I know that quilting is only a hobby of mine and nothing more, not like a lifestyle choice or a forever job or something hugely important. But when I was there with all these other people who love the same thing that I love I felt like it was so right. Everywhere I looked people were doing things that I loved to do. They all had quilted name tags and as nerdy in it's own right that seems I thought it was wonderful and I day dreamed about what my name tag would look like if I could be a regular member of the guild. There were booths set up with information about workshops and drawings for fat quarters, even a donation table for scraps and old magazines. They also had tons and tons of food. Delicious food! When I was in line another woman looked down at the deserts and said to me "I'm going to just fill my plate up when I get there". I thought.. me too!

Yesterday was a testament to meeting friends on the Internet in real life and them not turning into crazy old men stalkers. Many of you know that I have a very active forum on www.caloriecount.com we often talk about meeting up and going on a cruise together. My husband quakes at the thought I know (bless him!). But yesterday I met a friend in real life that I met through the Internet. Judy (who I accidentally called Julia.. but Judy you had Julia on your blog so how was I to know?!) met me in Vestavia and took me to the Bham Quilters Guild meeting. It was such an honor to meet her and spend my morning with her. I could not imagine hooking up with a more knowledgeable and joyful woman. She introduced me to so many people I can't even remember names! She also walked me through the room and explained everything to me in great detail. I really felt like I belonged there and a great part of that was due to her wonderful hospitality. So, thanks a ton Judy! I really do hope that I get to join up with you and the other ladies more often.

I also got to meet Susan who I know through blog-land. I love to read Susan's blog and she updates it so often she makes me feel like I'm computer illiterate! Thanks Susan for taking pictures and for having such a wonderful blog, it was wonderful to meet you in real life and as I always I can't wait to see your quilting creations! These two pictures are from her blog. The first is of me and the quilted wall hanging I made for Jaime for our 2 year wedding anniversary. See, if people just knew me by this picture they would think I had a funny pointy chin and a limp arm... do I have a funny pointy chin? The second picture is one that I just had to paste here because I never ever want to forget what it looks like. This is what makes me want to keep quilting. I want to some day be able to make that, and to have the know-how to get the colors right.


It is so strange to meet people in person who you've only seen pictures of. It's amazing how your brain will fill in tiny details that may or may not be true of the person you know! As I met people I had only seen pictures of I realized that they might be thinking the same thing about me. Perhaps I look completely different in pictures than I do in real life. It makes me wonder about my calorie count friends, we've been friends for two years now.. two years is a long time to make up voices in your head, or pick out eye colors or hand movements. Rennai made a youtube video that I've seen and that helped me figure out more about her and Ingrid (bet you didn't know this Ingrid!) had a video on her blog about her baby and I heard her talking in the background. I remember being shocked and thinking... I didn't think Ingrid sounded like that, she sounds so different than what I imagined! What a shocker huh? That things aren't always as I imagine them to be.

Oh and Rennai, it's Whippy Cake that I'm wearing in the picture with the quilt, I love that necklace.

In other news I got some Christmas shopping done yesterday afternoon. I even went to the doctor and had my thyroid tested. I needed no reminders and really would have appreciated a gold star or something for being so 'with it' about blood work. I also got grocery shopping done. Hopefully it will be enough to feed us this week and next week since we'll be in SC Friday through Monday/Tuesday-ish. Sometimes it seems that no matter how diligent I am with the grocery shopping, that more of it needs to be done. This week I had a super secret tactic which was to buy some junk food dinners, like, hamburger helper. That way I knew that I would eat it rather than go out to eat, because let's face it, Moe's has like half of our eating out money for the month alone. Oh Moe's. Yesterday to hammer in the feeling of a holiday my friend Lauren and I went to Moe's and then to see New Moon. Does it matter that she's seen it three times and I have seen it twice? The theater was almost completely vacant which meant that we could talk through the whole thing! It's so good to just go out and feel like a girl and do girly things sometimes. I mean... seriously.

Shameless plug portion of this blog is to announce that I will be singing a solo with Sadie on Friday at EWTN. I found out this morning that he wants me to sing the libretto portion before the Alto solo of 'He Shall Feed His Flock' from the Messiah. I've never sung libretto, heck I've never even had a voice lesson before. So, needless to say, I'm a little bit nervous. I asked Sadie for all sorts of advice because I have no clue what I'm doing, it just sounds good... which is good I guess. I'm always floored by Sadie. Her voice is so natural and so simple sounding. She makes F's and G's above high C sound like the easiest thing in the world. I'm so glad that even though I sing soprano at EWTN I have the alto part. I'm very excited, pretty nervous, but also very excited :) Did I mention excited? EWTN, 7am Friday morning Central Time. Very excited. I don't think I'll ever get tired of singing for them. This picture is actually of the All Saints service I think, which is when I last sang with Sadie, Pie Jesu - Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'm picture directly to Greg's left with half a head :)