I Like Thursday: Back Up and Running

I'm so happy to be able to share with Lee Anna's I Like Thursday this week.  I am typing this on my new laptop, which arrived two days earlier than promised.  Huzzah.  Spending a week limping by on a tablet and a 14 year old under-powered laptop wasn't fun.  (Doing my taxes took forever - but yay!  they're done too!)  

Sewing!  Totally missed my February OMG.  But lots of quilting done and I'm working on this week's Project Quilting challenge.  I'm hoping to wrap it up tonight.  I didn't want to change out my free motion setup, so I pulled out my little 99 to piece together the circle of geese.  My sewing room is so chaotic right now.

I Like Thursday: Finally, Some Traction

My first and biggest like: a working smartphone.  I can't even tell you how happy I am.  See this photo?  I took this while jumping up and down, texting my my sister just after I got the phone connected.  It sent.  Immediately. 

Why is that exciting? 

Because since we moved, I'd be lucky if a two-word text came or went from home (and only if the phone was next to the front door).  Sometimes it was days between a text being sent and being received (which caused a few confused conversations).  Photos or phone calls?  LOL  Dream on.  Ah... life in a dead zone.

The fix required a new phone <sigh> and new carrier.  Luckily the new phone is very much like the old one.  Added bonus - monthly bill is slashed in half.  The new phone will pay for itself in less than a year.  YES!

I Like Thursday: A Week of Interruptions

Things have gone right, things have gone very wrong.  Very little has gone to plan.  So let's highlight some of the good stuff.

Having coped, we hung the second picture railing hung on Friday (two days later than I intended).  I am so happy!  I now have something other than a blank wall behind me when I zoom.  I'd show you the coped corner, but it's nothing interesting.  Came out pretty good!

Fairy Lights

A neighbor down the street has a glass jug on a stump at the end of the driveway.  Rob thought it would be a perfect place for fairy lights.  It would look like fireflies in the jug.  He found a set of solar powered ones and we set them up last week.  We haven't gotten a chance to walk by since (it's been a crazy week). 

I hope they've gotten to see them lit up in the evening.  Think they were amused?

I Like Thursday: Smartphones and Sewing

Missed last week's I Like Thursday.  Too many distractions (and not enough photos).  I pulled myself together this week.  I enjoy writing these posts and it's nice to be back.
 

The new house has no cell service.  So I bit the bullet and moved from a dumb phone to a smartphone (so it will work at the house through the WiFi).  Spent hours on the phone with tech support:  between the age of the phone, the limits of my old plan (I don't think they even offer it any more), the spotty connection I have at my place, it took us three days of attempts before the phone number was successfully switched over.  I was pleasantly surprised with the three tech support people I dealt with for knowledge and patience.  (Although it would have been nice to know that the spotty connection would cause so much trouble - I'd have tried activating closer to a cell tower.)  Spent another day with setup and understanding how it all works.  My brain is full.  But it's done!  I'm officially in the 21st century.

I Like Thursday: Birds, Toys, Dancing and Sewing

I glanced at the feeder on Tuesday and thought the goldfinch was looking a little green and grey.  I know their summer colors are still coming in, but this one didn't look right.  Then he sang.  Ha - not a goldfinch, but a pine warbler!  I discovered they're the only warbler that visits feeders.  I've never seen one here before.  He's been back several times every day.

A titmouse visiting last spring had one back feather that stuck straight up off his back.  Very odd.  Tuesday I caught glimpse of titmouse that had a feather shaft sticking out in the same spot.  Same bird, I'm guessing?  I had thought it was the bird equivalent of bed-head, but I guess it's really stuck like that?  (I wanted a photo, but he was too shy.)

I Like Thursday: Some Time Off

Time to share some likes with Not Afraid of Color's I Like Thursday.  I always take some time off in December to enjoy myself and get things done.  Sometimes we travel - this year we did day trips.

I like that we spent a gray, rainy afternoon enjoying lunch while catching up with some friends.  It has probably been a year since the last time we got together.

I like White's Bakery.  We swung by on our way home Tuesday afternoon to pick up a slice of German chocolate cake and slice of peanut butter chocolate mouse cake (which didn't last long enough to photograph).  Yum!

I like fixed stuff.  Rob has been busy with his time off:  he wrapped the AC as well as fixed two light fixtures.  Let there be light!

I like that the holiday cards are all done and in the mail.  Always an accomplishment.  I have to admit I cheated this year - we didn't have a holiday pig shoot.  I used the lovely single shots of Wedgwood from last year as this year's card photos.  I'm happy to use them! although I'm sad for the reason.

I Like Thursday: Seasonal Good Stuff

It's Thursday and time again for Not Afraid of Color to host things we like.  I ran into a lot of little likes this week.

The best part of making all those cookies is giving them away.  Well, not entirely - I like eating them, too.  But I really enjoy the looks on people's faces when I drop off cookies:  oohs and aahs and smiles and hugs.  I simply left the box for my vet with her receptionist, not wanting to interrupt her day (Thursday is surgery day).  Before I even pulled out of the parking space, she burst through the front door to say thanks.  Yeah - that made both of our days!

I am amused by Miss Havisham's insulting tea cups (scroll down to For the lady who speaks her mind...).