We had a lovely anniversary party on Sunday.

The giant sushi is actually a cake. Timothy and Rosa are the only ones who actually eat the stuff but the cake was good and Ambrosina had her opportunity to be creative.

There was more food than the sixteen of us could actually eat, but I enjoy eating the leftovers during the week for lunches and snacks. A good time was had by all.

Who could imagine that bacon wrapped around dill pickles and put under the broiler would be so good?

I finished this quilt this morning. It was really hard to get it quilted, but it wasn't the quilt is was the machine. It took forever because the thread kept breaking. I am talking about it breaking on every line that went from left to right, and also on any of the thicker part. I am talking about at least half a dozen times, if not more, on each 8 inch block. I though I would never get done. I took fully three times longer than it should have and Julia Juki has to go back into the shop when I can afford it. I did every thing: Changing needles, adjusting tension, changing the kind of the needle, rethreading, the list goes on and on. Finally I just gritted my teeth and kept going. I think I know what is wrong with her but I don't have the money right now.

And the back. One of my scrappy pieced.

Wheel bearings are out on the front of the van. The tool to fix them with costs twice as much as the part, we are going to try to rent one, or borrow one. We need a car and it's a year before we can afford one so we have to baby poor Doris along until we can replace her. We've had her for 8+ years and she has been in an accident. We are going to try to get a car that was born in this century when we buy. Doris is a '95. I consider she has done very good for us.

Second time dyeing, it is actually a deeper blue than is shown. For some reason my camera isn't working very good today. I intend to get some more blue dye payday.

For the rest of the week I am thinking that I will work on Dear Jane. For our anniversary Phillip and Malachi got me a big bundle of fat eighths and fat quarters. Some of it is yellow, all is pretty and very special. Sammy got me a necklace with a pink stone. I think they had a lot of guidance from their mother this year, but I always love what they get me. Even though I didn't spend a lot of money on what I got them they were excited and like what they got. They are sweet boys.

So for me this afternoon, I am seriously thinking of a nap. We had a terrific storm last night. he basementHailstones the size of golf balls and I am not kidding. We seldom hear anything down here in the basement but last night it sounded like some machinery going off in our bedroom. The loudest I ever heard and it really woke us up. Scared the daylights out of me--I didn't know what was going on at first. So, a nap sounds really good.