KoKo and Froggie 07-01-16

KoKo is still at Camp Del - until Tuesday, I think.  I took him with me to San Diego yesterday and he was such a good dog.  I picked up a sewing table that a quilter was giving away, visited Visions Art  Museum for a few minutes to introduce KoKo to the staff, and met my friend Andrea for lunch.  We went to a restaurant where dogs are welcome on the patio.  Andrea brought her dog Sadie who met KoKo a few weeks ago.  They got along just fine.  The only rough patch was just as we were leaving the patio and someone came in with a spaniel, KoKo just went nuts, he doesn't like any strange dogs.  All I can do is pick him up and get him out of sight. 

 

Froggie is not only a toy and playmate .....

...he also serves as a pillow when my feet are not available.

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KoKo meets the Sevens 06-12-16

The art quilt group I belong to meets in San Diego, so it is always at least a two hour drive for me.  In June the hostess invites me to stay the night before the meeting with her and another member.  The other member brings her dog Sadie, so this year I took KoKo along.  He and Sadie got along very well and enjoyed the free run of the beautiful garden. 

 

Sadie is eight and has lost the puppy qualities that KoKo, at two, still exhibits. 

At breakfast KoKo took over Deb for a mutual love in.

Pictures by Andrea Bacal.

 

One of the orders for today was trying to find a new name for the group since there are nine of us now, rather then seven.   We got pretty hysterical proposing silly names.  On the more serious side we are each to propose five possible names which will be narrowed down to a list so we can vote on which name sounds best.

 

I drove home this afternoon and delivered KoKo to his mommy, so I am alone again tonight.  

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KoKo at Camp Del 05-28-16

KoKo has been with me since last Sunday and I think I will keep him for another week.  He had a bath today, which he tolerates well, but when he gets tired of it he is all legs.  Guess I learned that it has to be a speedy bath.

 

KoKo Ota with his friend Froggie. October 2015



Google takeover of Picasa 04-26-16

I'm stumped.  I cannot figure out how to use a picture from the Google Pictures page in my blog.  Perhaps someone out there is more computer literate than I and can give me a clue.  I figured out how to edit, but not resize, a picture, but there is no explanation of how to blog the picture.  Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated.   I am in the midst of doing the Surfside QGuild newsletter and am struggling with the picture problem.  It doesn't help that I was at Asilomar when the April meeting occurred and had a friend take pictures.  Now I cannot transfer her web album to my web albums, so have to do the pictures individually.  Takes forever! 

KoKo is home with his mommy and I miss him a lot.  Especially his unique way of waking me up in the morning.  He puts one of his toys on my face, very gently, and then sits on my chest and stares at me.  Nothing like waking up staring at Froggie's bottom or Ducky's feet.  I cannot help but laugh and, I assure you, it is the only time in my life I have awakened laughing.  He is getting the idea of "drop it" with the aid of tiny bites of treats, but then he snatches it up again immediately.  Gotta be fast to get it out of his reach.  We'll keep working at it when he comes to Camp Del again.

 

KoKo looking over the short wall across the backyard.  He can see the dogs running in the park.

 

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Not much happening this week 04-21-16

Keeping up with KoKo, the Yorkie, and working on the Surfside Quilters Guild newsletter is about  all I can manage.  It is a big job for May because we have a change of officers, so all the officers pictures and contact info must be updated.  I do enjoy doing the newsletter, some months more than others, because the completed issue is so satisfying in a life filled with UFOs. 

 

Meanwhile I am dreaming of a road trip this summer.  Hopefully without tornadoes! 

 But I will see:

Cliffs and Rock Formations

Clouds that look like letters of the alphabet.

 

Road construction and rain up ahead.

All kinds of cows.

Thousands of big rigs.

And a lot of flat countryside - with and without crops.

I do love a Road Trip.

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Wordless Wednesday 04-20-16

 

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KoKo visits Auntie Del 04-19-16

I attended the combined board meeting for Surfside QGuild today, followed by a delicious friendship salad and croissants.   And, of course, dessert!  There were about thirty ladies present - quite a crowd even though some officers/committee chairs will continue in their old jobs, there were a number of newcomers.  Always nice to have some younger, newer members get involved in running the guild. 

 

Afterward I picked up KoKo to stay with me a for a few days.  He has just been groomed and doesn't look so much like a puppy now.  He is two years old this month.

 

On Sunday I went to a panel discussion at Visions Art Museum.  There were three artists who have served on the juries for the Visions biennial over the years  - Liz Axford, Sue Benner, and Judith Content. 

They talked a bit about their own work and then discussed the process of jurying, at Visions and other exhibits around the country.  I found it very interesting and was sorry more artists weren't there to educate themselves about something so important. 

In the picture above the quilts are by Patty Hawkins.  The current exhibit "The Jury is In" features the current work of seven former jurors: Liz Axford, Sue Benner, Judith Content, Patty Hawkins, Patricia Malarcher, Jan Myers-Newbury and Kent Williams. Also on display are works by Cas Holmes (England), Gay Lasher and "Geometrics", a Visions Member Challenge. These exhibits all run through July 3rd.

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Friday Feet 04-01-16

 

These shoes look so comfortable and the sox are pretty.  Not sure I would wear them together, but they looked great on the lady who did. 

 

KoKo went home today.  Gosh, I really miss him!  And Froggie!

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Wordless Wednesday 03-30-16

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A Recuperation Day 02-11-16

I haven't even unpacked by workshop box - it will wait until tomorrow.  I have KoKo for a few days and he was willing to sleep most of the day away.  It was hot again, probably in the 90s, but we went outside several times and the breeze helped.  Here he is sitting on my feet while I am on the computer - so I can't get away without him knowing!. 

I have been rethinking my scrap quilt and think I might be changing to a coordinated scrap, which means I will have more cutting to do.  I'll make a few blocks and see what it looks like before I take on another cutting project. 

 

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A wet week 01-08-16

We finally had rain.  Some places more than others.  No flooding or landslides in my area.  Just on and off  again rain.  It is lovely.  More is promised for next week.  Heavy snow in the mountains, especially the Sierra from whence a lot of our water comes.  Of course, the weeds are coming back faster than the lawns. 

I have had KoKo, that cute little Yorkshire Terrier, all week.  He is great company, but can also be a pain in the...  His proclivity for chewing up any paper is annoying.  Especially when he quickly runs under the table where I can't reach him unless I get down on my knees and then I can't get up!  We have played so much and, apparently, so roughly that I had to do another surgery on poor Froggie.  He developed a hole in his back and KoKo was pulling out little bits of stuffing.  I guess he ate them as I don't see them on the floor anywhere.  Hope he doesn't get stuffed up!

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Friday Feet or maybe Friday Fido!

I have a houseguest for Christmas!   KoKo is staying with me while his mommy and family all go cruising to Mexico.  I hope they have a great time, I know KoKo and I will.

 

 

 

Thanksiving 11-26-15

Hope you all had lovely Thanksgivings.  KoKo and I had a quiet time and even enjoyed a little rain this afternoon.  I have not had a bronchial spasm at all today - maybe it is over, at last.

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Still Sickly 11-25-15

I don't have much to say because about all I do is cough and rest.  However, I am doing better and the coughing is no longer the brochial spasms I have been having.  I am feeling better - hurrah!

 

KoKo is with  me for Thanksgiving.  He is tired out after playing with Nancy's grandchildren (so is Nancy) who are off school this week.  When he came in the house he looked casually around, crawled in his carrier and went to sleep for over two hours.  After walkies and dinner he returned to his spot.  So, I took a nap also!  I am working on the Surfside Quilters Guild newsletter which should post on Friday sometime.  Maybe I'll do some sewing this weekend.   Next week I hope to show at least one new quilt in the Collection. 

 

Thanks for the kind comments and e-mails, they help!

 

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Friday Feet 11-13-15

I may be well, or almost; still coughing some, especially at night.  These sleeping feet are much younger than mine and not so horny and weird.  But they represent my three weeks of sickness - hope it is over.  I was out to dinner last evening and returned KoKo to his mommy.  He was glad to see her.  I had him in the doggy stroller and he was a very good boy.  This is only his third time in the stroller, so he doesn't have it down pat.  He jumped out twice, but he had his lease on and I held it tightly all the time.  So, no harm done and he will continue to learn.  We are still working on "Drop it"!

  

Don't forget the Alliance for American Quilts auction, now underway.  In two parts, the first section ends on Monday, November 16 at  6pm Pacific Time,  They are all animal quilts, 16 inches square, and there are some real beauties.  Auction price starts at $65.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/quiltalliance/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

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Here's that KoKo again. 11-10-15

Can you stand one more doggy picture?  Probably not the last ever.  Today was November Fest at Surfside Quilters Guild, our big fund raiser for the guild.  We did pretty good on the live auction and on the 72 raffle baskets.  I was afraid we would be there calling numbers until evening, but the organizers and the number caller did a good job and it moved along quickly.  Liz went with me and she won two baskets to my one, but we are happy with our treasures.   When we got home to my house we dumped everything out and chose what we wanted, leaving me with a box of goodies to donate to another fund raiser - for SQG or some other guild.  Of course we had fabric in our baskets, but lots of other treasures, including marking pencils, seam ripper (with a flat handle!), books, patterns, threads, stickers, and candy.  There is much more, but it is late and KoKo wants to go to bed.

 

He is here for just two more nights while Nancy is doing a program for a guild and then a workshop the next day. As his participation in the treasures he ran off with this bouquet of silk flowers that adorned one of the baskets.  I forced him to give it back, flowers of any kind are not for doggies.

 

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Here is the caregiver again! 11-06-15

I have been so fortunate to have this little guy while I have been sick.  Sickness is so isolating, but KoKo has kept me company and kept me from feeling sorry for myself.  He can be a little devil, but mostly he is a sweet, loving little fellow.  Here he is comforting Froggie.

 

Doctor says to stay on the inhaler, drink plenty of fluids, rest in bed.....  the same old, same old.

And since I very much want to attend the Surfside Quilters Guild November Fest on Tuesday, so I will be a good girl and listen to the doctor.

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Getting well slowly 11-04-15

A big day - appointment with doctor and out to dinner at my favorite "Fish in a Bottle" in Placentia.  I am really scrapping bottom in my freezer and will have to get to the market soon.  So, I enjoyed the sushi and the company.  I feel like I've been stranded on a deserted island!  I also had to stop at the hardware store for a new flapper for my guest toilet - it has been flushing itself for several days.  I couldn't stand to call a plumber to install a new flapper and I couldn't get the cutoff valve to move, so I suppose the next water bill will be out of sight.  Things happen!. 

KoKo needs a bath before his mommy comes home on Saturday.  May do it myself or take him to Petco, maybe.  What a sweet little guy he is.  Now, if we only spoke the same language so I would know what he wants at different times.  I will miss him.

What a boring post.  I'll get back on track soon.

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Lots of clouds - no rain

We thought surely it would rain with the black clouds we had most of the day.  But none in my neighborhood.  But it is cold for the first time in months.  Low was 50F and High was 70F.  We actually had to find sweaters to wear! 

I'm still coughing a bit, but seem to be almost well.   I know from past experience that I will need to  go slow for another couple weeks so I don't relapse.   Antibiotics finish on Friday.

KoKo is still with me and he has been a great comfort while I have been feeling so bad.  What a loving little dog he is - always ready to snuggle up.  Guess tonight is a one dog night!

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In San Diego for the weekend 09-17-15

I'm missing the KoKo dog even though I am not home, but in a motel in SDiego.  I returned the little guy to his mommy on the way down I-5.  He seemed happy to be home.  I had thrown Ducky in a nylon bag and stuck him in the washer with my clothes and the same thing happened that happened last weekend.  The washer just filled with water and nothing happened.  I had to open the door so more water on the garage floor, but it managed to miss my shoes this time.  I fished out the bag with Ducky, rinsed him off and squeezed out all the water I could, but I had to put him in a baggie and return him to Nancy to deal with.  Poor KoKo, deprived of his Ducky, he is very unhappy.  

I was late for my meeting at Visions Art Museum, but didn't miss much.  Afterward Beth  and I had dinner at our  favorite place,  Ikiru.  Such good food and a pleasant atmosphere.   Afterward I checked into the motel and have been trying to go to bed ever since, but there are things that need to be done and computer work.

This is a very atypical painting by Emily Carr done early in her career in 1911 when she was in Brittany, France.  It is one of my favorite paintings -  I think it is the colors that attract me and the slight resemblance to my mother's house in Oregon. 

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