I guess this is about the middle...

of summer vacation and the middle of my 6" quilt challenge. I think this is number 26 in my petunias by the front door. It's been a while since I blogged because I haven't anything artwise to really talk about. I'm planning and making, but I don't have anything else I can show you today. This little Q has the reverse applique circles like the purse I showed you last time. I have been playing in the dirt just about every day. Some years I don't do any flowers, others I do tons; this year is an in-between year. It's manageable.

I am finding it very difficult to focus on the positive lately. This started a couple of weeks ago when a particular thing I had been looking forward to for a long time turned out to be somewhat disappointing. I don't think it was anybody's fault. So there's that, plus the overwhelming feeling that my girls are leaving me, and soon; Whitley Taylor starts Driver's Ed Tuesday. She has her permit and everything. Courtney is growing like a weed - she passed her big sister - and she got Heidi Klum Season 4 Finale Bangs cut this week. Between them, they put in 60 hours on the soccer field in a week's time. They ran a 5k yesterday. Court won the women's race with a fast 21:57 and Whit was second with a 22:33. That's Whit in the green. Okay - so that's positive. Court has on the brite yellow. Her Heidis are pulled back. The girls are always a positive.

The big thing that has me distracted is that the Crane Household is in need of a total Heating and Air Conditioning System replacement. I have had a parade of estimates, ranging from 48 to 68 hunnerd bucks. It's so stressful trying to make the right choice and pick a reputable company who will service the thing and not cheat us. I go back and forth from panic attacks to nightmares. YES, you're right, I should be thankful that we can afford to do this.

I had a minor Bad Thing happen on Friday. If the disappointment scale is:

1 - A shoulder shrug and an "oh well"

10 - Complete heartbreak and tears for a week -

this thing was about a 2. I got my contributors copies of the 50 Nifty Beaded Cards pictured above and MY NAME IS MISSPELLED EVERY SINGLE TIME - 4 - IT APPEARS IN THE BOOK. I DON'T HAVE AN E ON THE END. EVERY BIT OF COMMUNICATION I HAD WITH LARK WAS SPELLED D E B B I ! EVERY SET OF INSTRUCTIONS I SENT THEM SAID: DESIGNED BY DEBBI CRANE.

How did this happen? Yes, I know, shut up Debbi. Lots of people would be happy to be published at all.