When I last posted about my lollipop project, I was enthusiastically starting block #3, hoping...nay, planning... that this eventual nine block quilt would be hanging in my newly painted kitchen this summer. I took this photo this morning. *Delusional* comes to mind. My enthusiasm hasn't waned but it had to be put aside, owing to another big project and...confession...a need for some new glasses. (Those little stitches!) I'm considering fabrics again for the current block so, how does Christmas sound?
Things have been buzzing around here. Among all of the myriad lists and home improvement schedules, I've been holed up for weeks in the sewing room, choosing and switching, cutting and stitching. I've burned out an iron! Replaced a cutting board! And finally I can breathe a little. But, alas...don't you hate it when bloggers do this...I can't share it yet. I've taken lots of pictures and notes through the process, so just hang on a bit more. Like 6 weeks, 2 days, 21 hours, 55 minutes and 57 seconds (Tokyo time), according to Molly's wedding website just now.
I only even mention it to let you know that yes, this still is a mostly quilting blog and things will get back to normal eventually. Most probably the day after the wedding, otherwise known as *the first day of the rest of my life*. I've missed writing here, but haven't had much stitchy news to share. Or, frankly, the focus to write about other things. I generally ignore the stats, but I took a peek the other day to see how many of you had drifted off, only to find subscribers up. So you prefer fewer posts?
In other news...and believe me, this is BIG news, in our family anyhow...ding dong, the couch is dead. Well, not dead, but wrestled down to the basement family room by M and myself in a comical...if we had been watching someone else do it...trip down an enclosed staircase with a tight turn at the bottom. (Where are the kids when you need them? Oh yeah, Tokyo and Shanghai.) Although it looks in great condition here, it has given many years of faithful service. I was looking through some old family photos last week and came across this one...
Molly and K, sitting on that same couch, 28 years ago. Can you believe this has been our family couch that long? I was a stern taskmaster...No food in there!! I've wanted to replace it for many years...the family joke...but it was always something. So sure was I of its imminent demise that when the kids and partners visited Chicago for Christmas, 2010, we staged a ceremonial, last photo on the white couch.
And then we found out we were moving again! And it took until now to finally replace it. Sorry, no shot of the new furniture. The painter's here this week working on the hallways and kitchen. We assembled some Ikea pieces on the weekend which are waiting to be moved to bedrooms. A sleeper couch was delivered on Saturday for a spare bedroom and the displaced childhood bookcases (and bed) have resulted in stacks of books and extra linens that are waiting for a new destination. The dining room table is covered with folders marked *church*, *reception*, *bakery*, *florist*, *music* and *flight itineraries* and incoming reply cards. In short, the house is in a fruit-basket-upset state. M shakes his head and comments that things look more unsettled than ever and I reassure him that everything will start falling into place soon.
At least in 5 weeks, 2 days, 21 hours..... when those flights start arriving. I hope.

