Hello All I haven't been too much into Christmas year. I may have sent some of you this before but it always make me giggle. Merry Christmas Just clock on the red dot to start and you have to put a name in

Free Myspace flash at Magicthoughts.com

Well we have it all sorted out it looks like. I did not get everything arranged quite as I would like but I couldn't stand the idea of waiting 2 months to lay him to rest
The service will be January 4th in Denver, if any of you need more info, just drop a message in the comments section at the end

Thank you to all of you who have sent condolences. It does make things a bit easier

I am just thankful his pain is over and he can be with my Mom where he wanted to be all along
Thank you
Lauri

Venting

Hello All

Warning!!! If you don't want to hear some venting turn back now

I usually try not to post too many personal things going on in my life. Other than some pics of the kiddies. However I have a major.....................complaint? dilemma? I don't know just something that ticks me off

My Father passed away on Sunday. We were expecting it, just not so soon. I did get to go see him the Saturday before. So we were okay and have don't have any major regrets. ( Don't you always have some shoulda, coulda, wouldas when someone dies?)

When my Mother died my Father was in bad financial straits and I was in absolutely no position to help and neither was my sister. It took Dad 5 years to pay off her very modest funeral

So he made sure when he passed that he had insurance and at least some plans in place, which we were so grateful for.

Now for the part that ticks me off. My sister found out at 7:40 pm that he had passed, she called me 5 minutes later.

The funeral home that picked him up, and will only be holding him until he is cremated, called her at 8:25 and wanted to know how she was going to pay for this and had to have an answer right away. My sister finally grew a backbone and told them where to go. They would get paid when his insurance came through

Ok fine, got that sorted out kinda

Dad is in Missouri , we are in Colorado so he is coming back here to be laid to rest with Mom.

The VA will now only pay $600 towards his burial costs at the National Cemetery here. WTF?

His ashes will be sent by US Mail, for God's sake . Another WTF?

If he goes directly to Ft Logan, by law they must inter him the next day. And they can't say for sure what day they will get him. I can't possibly get to Denver with 2 hours notice. So I guess he will either have to come to me, my sister or a Funeral home

All the funeral home needs to do is receive his ashes. We would then need to rent a room for the memorial , have those little cards with his info and a guest book. That plus a VERY simple urn.

The cost?Around $2000.........................?...................... Okay I guess. Dad has an insurance policy that will more than pay for these things plus the Funeral home in Missouri , cremation and the price of mailing ( again WTF?). Not sure on the cost for this

Now the part that just kicks me in the a$$ . They refuse to wait for the insurance money, even if we can get the insurance to tell them personally that it is coming. They want $2000 up front. I do not have this, between a 5 day trip to go back to see Dad before he died and Christmas for my kids ( albeit a much smaller Christmas than planned, but I only have presents for 1 child so far and I refuse to ignore the rest, plus my dad would kick my butt if I didn't give my kids a Christmas) I don't have that money and my sister most definitely doesn't

SO.................... they want to run a credit check, then they will allow us to wait to pay until the insurance money comes in..........in about 6 weeks if we are lucky

The problem? My sister and I have about the lowest credit scores on the face of the earth. So that won't work

My question is how the hell do people afford a funeral? I hope to God no one I love and must pay for the funeral dies soon.
How many people have great credit and at least $7000 lying around waiting for this? Isn't that what insurance is for?

I mean he tried very hard to be sure we would have the money, and we wouldn't have a hardship. But for what?

We will probably have to wait until almost 2 months after his death for his interment and memorial

This just isn't right

If I ever get my hands on Eric Chamberlain in Rockport. Missouri. The funeral director with no tact and huge love of money. I will personally wring his lilly white mortician neck.
This a$$ and his family have been burying my family for over 35 years and they get worse everytime. His family is the only cause of cursing I ever heard from my Mennonite Grandma

My hubby must have the right idea. He wants to be cremated than have a huge Irish style wake ( even if he Swedish) than some ashes dropped somewhere in Disneyland. The rest of his ashes he wants put into a replica Viking ship, set on a lake and blown up. No muss no fuss. I must say I am thinking this way

IF I had $10,000 setting around just waiting in case someone dies, then I would have $10, 000 setting around to pay off everything on my bad credit and still have money left over.


I am sorry. I just had to vent

Later
Lauri

Remember This?

Hello All

Do you remember this?

It is the Color Study Crazy quilt I made for the Mesa County Fair. I won a blue ribbon and a Judge's choice ribbon

Last Friday I took it to be appraised by Cindy Brick. She has written several quilt books. If you are a Crazy Quilter I am sure you have heard of her.

This quilt is only 30 inches across, so it is fairly small. She did seem impressed by the quilt. At least I think she was LOL

I am very happy to report that it was appraised at $795 . Not bad at all. I was going to be happy with $ 500

I was also encouraged to enter it into some big quilt shows. So I am looking onto that

Cindy also looked at my unfinished Under The Sea quilt top and gave me a lot of hints and suggestions, I am hoping to get that one done after the new year

If you want to follow the saga of the Color Study Crazy quilt, you can follow the archive link in the bottom right hand column of this blog. Go to 2008 , about half way down. I think the first few posts around February sometime

I have been having alot going on in my family life lately. so yo may not hear a lot from me for awhile. I will try to post some of my RR work I have been doing soon

Later
Lauri

Mehhh

Hello All


This is about all the CQin I have been doing. Above are my Nekkid Flower Fairy blocks for a DYOB RR

And this is my Lady of the Lake for Amber's Camelot block for the Fantasy Landscape RR



That's about it. I've been crocheting lately. Which is a nice change of pace. But now I remember how much it hurts my elbows and shoulder
Oh Well

Later,
Lauri

My Birthday Babies

Hello All

No CQing going on here! Not in the mood

But here are pics of my October babies. Son#2 and daughter #2. They are 9 years and 2 days apart. 21 and 12

In the 3rd pic is Daughter#2 and Son#1's girlfriend who is also an October baby

Aren't they cute?!
Later,
Lauri

It's Back!

Hello All

By popular request, I have put back up the pic of me in 4th grade, in te sidebar. It is the last good picture of me.
One of my senior pics and one of my wedding photos were ok.
Let's just say the photographers for the senior pic and my wedding were happy when I left!!

Later
Lauri

Think About It

HelloAll

Gives you something to think about hmmmmm?

http://www.slate.com/id/2231002/?gt1=38002

Not opening this one to comments, cuz I don't want any fighting.
Just think first before you use this term

Later
Lauri

Off to the Retreat

Hello All

I am off to our Crazy Quilt Retreat in Breckenridge . If I can get a wifi signal I will try to post some pics. I might even get brave and set up the webcam so you can see some of our CQ friends. Though you won't be seeing me. Taking pics of me is not allowed. LOL

Later
Lauri

Old Friend

Hello All

Here's an old friend?....... enemy? Both?

I haven't touched old Orca here for about 3 weeks. I got tired of seeing it.

I am taking it to the retreat for the other ladies to see. I am not sure if I will work on it there. It would take over the whole table.

Trying to get a clear photo of this is proving to be a bear. You can click on the pics above to get a bigger and better view

Later,
Lauri

Thank You

Hello All

Thank you so much for your advice and good wishes.
I do feel better, just writing my rant helped a lot.

You are right I should just ignore the nasty person. I know that in my head, but as I said I lead with my heart.
Plus I just can't stand to give in, it makes me feel like they win. I have a hard time letting someone get the better of me

Believe it or not I handled this situation better than I would have 10 years ago

Thank you so much for your support

Onto other things. I think one reason I have been in a funk is my clothes. I know very superficial. I don't mean they are old or I don't have enough. I mean they are BLAAAAAhh. Blue jeans and some sort of knit top. Boring!!!
I like COLOR and unusual . Back 5 years ago when I was skinnier and worked in the fabric store, I wore overalls and not just any overalls. I had some with aliens, mummies, Mickey Mouse, candy and a whole bunch of other things. In fact I had over 30 pairs I had made. But I 've gained 20lbs so they don't fit.
I am planning a whole new wardrobe of fun clothes. Maybe you ladies at the retreat will get a sneak preview

Off to fondle fabric

Lauri

Progress

Hello All
Contrary to evidence before your eyes. I have not disappeared. I have been working on this quilt. My old digital camera decided to start acting all funky. The dial would say it was off, then the lens would come out and it would be ready to take a picture even though it says off. HMMM?

Then I could not find the correct of 2 cables for my hubby's. I'd find one when I needed the other.

All 9 blocks are now sewn together. I just cannot manage to get a good pic of it. So here are some pics of what I have done.
The treasure chest is not done. I am still waiting for some crown charms. There will also be a skeleton


I have figured out I made a miscalculation on my finished size. Each side now is 36 inches. But the diagonal is 48 inches . So to make it round I have to add at least 12 inches to it/ I am good at math just not geometry. Oh Well!!
Good thing I did not have the frame made before I finished. I was afraid something like this would happen

Enjoy the pics

Later,
Lauri

Recent Additions

Hello All
Here are a few closeups of my recent additions to the Under The Sea Quilt
Enjoy!!

Later,

Lauri

Yo!!! Retreat Ladies

Hello All

As some of you may know I am going again to Crazy Quilt Retreat. This year in Breckenridge. Hubby and I and the girls took a detour thru Breckenridge on the way to Denver this afternoon. to check it out. Hubby likes me to know where I am going so I get familiar with an area before I drive there by myself. It really does forestall a lot of problems.Such as me loosing my temper when I get lost. Not that I do that very often ( yea right:)

So above is a pic of the house most of the ladies will be staying at


And to whet your appetites for the mountains . Here are a few pics to get you started

There is quite a bit of touristy shopping there which is always fun. Also a few bead stores and a brand new Christmas Shoppe. I love Christmas Shoppes!!!

I think it might be fun if we went on a picnic one afternoon to Lake Dillion which is about 20 minutes away. It is a crime to come to Colorado and not see the Mountains and do a little bit of sight seeing

Hope to see LOTS of you there. We are up to 17 so far

Later
Lauri

Ain't Gonna Happen

Hello All



Just some pics to get you up to date. It ain't gonna happen. This quilt will not be done by the 17th. I could have rushed it and got it done. But I have put so much time, effort and money into this that I don't want to rush it just to get it done,
I'd say the embellishments are about 80% done at this point. Then I need to put the 9 blocks together and do MORE embellishing.
Then I need to add some pieces to the sides so this will be round
The act of actually putting this quilt together with its false back and the quilting, then the real back and the binding will take at least 10 days

So this will be for next year. Stay tuned though I plan to keep working on this to have it done for the Retreat in September

Later
Lauri

This and That

I Have Been Working

Hello All

See? I have been working. Just not blogging it
These next 2 blocks are not complete yet. I have been just adding beading, laces and trims. Later all the other gee gaws will be added

Later,

Lauri