Is this the end of my blog posts?

 Perhaps someone can offer suggestions ... 

My camera has reached the end of life - purchased in 1998 solely to support Blog posts and my quilting projects, plus personal photos,  it was a wonderful Kodak with video capabilities, but  now, no longer fixable,  and even its irritating quirks won't cooperate.  I've used  for Blog posts since I first started a blog about 25 years ago.   Today I am unable to get my Blog post or photos uploaded, the little disc is unreadable, camera keeps turning on and off, battery is charged but ..... so on, so on, etc.   Totally undependable any longer.  Are old fashioned cameras still available?   I'm still quilting and have  expanded my quilting life with occasional Trunk Shows and displays, and my Blog Posts have proven a valuable tool for interested attendees.

 I DO have a cell phone, which I keep for "emergencies".   I've used it for ONE emergency only.  8-)))    I learned how to make calls and take a few pictures, but I only force myself to keep it, barely understanding it's capabilities.  The cell phone usually remains "OFF" at the bottom of my purse and only keep it so friends and family won't worry about me, living alone. 8-)))  One of you bloggers suggested I switch over to my cell phone for photos, but I don't know how to start that learning process.  

I prefer to keep up my blog post, even occasional posts are better than none,.   I jes'  don't know where to start.  If I find a camera,  will it interface with the computer friendly gallery niceties?  I sure have a lot of photos now all lined up in a clever program that I think is some app, somewhere within my computer.  I don't even know the questions to ask?  My cell is plain-jane variety - do I need a higher grade cell phone?  

Any suggestions would help me clarify what I should think about.  I am not familiar with Facebook.   Perhaps a stop at Walmart Camera Dept. would help, if they even have cameras any more.  I am so far behind "the times."  

Trouble corrected. How many triangles can you count?

Yesterday, Blogger was misbehaving and I lost all patience - was ready to throw this computer out the window and give up on Blogging pleasures.  My Kodak camera is also near the end of it's life and I'm afraid to change to another unknown camera device.  The "gallery" where my camera downloads to the computer was unattainable - something about "apps" .  I grumbled, left unkind messages, struggled to find HELP, but gave up, emotionally exhausted and disheartened.  However, this morning, voila --apparently something was getting changed.  Ugh.

Here is my latest quilt.  Most fabric was new although bits and pieces.  Triangles are 6 inch Peaky/Spike.  I only purchased the outer blue denim-looking border, plus 6 yds for a backing.  Binding includes a faux flange. Quilting is allover meandering, with circles here and there to break up the sameness, and some echoing for long unfussy areas.   I did a little ruler work in the borders.  It's in the car,  ready to deliver to an adult g'son.   It's about 78" x 90".  This  project counts against my Guild PhD planned completions.  (Projects Half Done).   This was assembled in rows across, unexpectedly simple.

NO comments show, and Widow's Chit-Chat.

 I clicked something following the comments that were NOT published, which seems to have changed back to "Allow Reader Comments".  Yep they are now visible.  Thank you for not giving up on me!   It's wonderful to see warm comments again!

OK, next part.  Widow's  Chit-Chat.  I'm in my 5th year of being a widow and as other widow's  say ... "You never get used to it, you learn to live with it."   My style is to stay busy which means I drive myself bonkers with too many things that "must be done".  That plan sometimes works, but the result it that sleep doesn't happen.  I counter that probem with caffeine products, resulting in more problems, and have learned to turn on YouTube in the middle of the night and sleep in a Lazy Boy.  More of  "not good."  Yes, a foolish circle.   Any port in the storm of "I don't want to think."  However, on the plus side, I've helped to teach an Adult ED class , am occasionally mentoring a young lady learning to sew and quilt, have finished 9 PhDs (Projects Half Done) in the last year for a Guild self-motivation project, and planned a Trunk Show and another Workshop, took a pleasent driving trip , and recently purchased a new Janome sewing machine.  Unfortunately, over the holidays I was shocked to get caught up in what appeared to be a financial scam related to my mortgage, but finally it fell all on me to discover it was not exactly a scam but the fact was I had not been informed when my Home Owner's Insurance had tripled!!! and they had not informed me, nor did my mortgage firm inform me, resulting in all sorts of heartache and worry when I was informed my mortgage was "underfunded. "  HOW DID THAT HAPPEN???  All of that may have been the result of  Covid, and insurrance employees and morgage firm employees being sent home to work causing great disarray, until no one knew who was doing what!  I only finally accidently discovered the issue in late January after MORE nightmares, sleeplessness, worry, and great dread and fear.   I take pride in being prompt and reliable in my finances - this was an absolute insult!  Not one person in this horrendous chain of workers informed me - all were downright pleasant, until I lost patience and hollered, "don't any of you speak to one another?" after  my umteenth call!   Apparently they did NOT speak to one another!  Those were 3 months I do NOT want to relive!   ADVICE:  LEARN TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR ESCROW WORKS!  And I still don't understand "who" is supposed to "do what"!  ... and the timetables and deadlines of insurance, taxes and principal are impossible to understand!  My mortgage had been sold many years ago,  to this out-of-state firm eliminating "friendly" and "helpful" when we purchased the home.  Because of this recent incident, I've changed insurance firms who provided information and support to counter the disturbance to my near-normal steady sad life.  

So, other than eternal grief from not having my counterpart to help, the above paragraph is the only big issue I've had, being a widow.  My efforts these days are finishing up all UFOs, but when I do, I feel positive and start another new one!  I still am eternally "down" but just get busy - sadness doesn't go away.   

Thanks for listening.   

Enjoying spring days

 

A few new pots of posies, didn't hurt this pretty day.  

Preps for a Trunk Show, and a Workshop. Also, a New Quilt Project

Here are approximately 20 quilts of various styles that I'm hauling, in prep for a Trunk Show still in the planning stage. The biggest decision is how many will fit in my small car !  8-)))   Just give me a chance to talk, and then, watch out!   The next day I'll be teaching a Workshop - again, more "stuff" added into my small car.  Wish I had a larger vehicle!    

Here is my stack of Workshop materials and samples.  Hope I remembered everything.  

New subjec -- new quilt project that is beginning to take shape.  This is for an adult grandson. My goal is to make it LOOK totally random yet in reality, it must be planned, resulting in many trips back and forth from my "design floor" back and forth to the studio.  These triangles are from the Peaky & Spike duo templates, not the same as the 60 degree equilateral.  I purchased only a few blue fat quarters, but also am planning a border, so additional blue fabric was purchased for that part.  I have a lot of the smaller half-size triangles, but cut back using them, thinking it was looking a little "fussy".  Perhaps they will look better somewhere in the border. -- we'll see what the quilt wants.  They are all fitting together well, with no issues from bias.

Kaleidoscope Sample Blocks

 I am working on another Kaleidoscope quilt and have been obsessed with exchanging wedges between 2 slightly related blocks.  While the blocks appears difficult, it is one of the first I learned, and is not  difficult at all and the blocks are a perfect choice for using leftover WOF strips.  The corner have not yet been selected.  There is NO effort at matching wedge seams - your eye does the "matching".      

I was getting mixed up - these 2 were NOT made of related fabrics.  (Obsessed for a while!)