Muddling through the days...

and if I may say so, I'd rather be MOVED than waiting. But it's not up to me, and so I wait. I'm doing the Rainbow Scraps Challenge this year, and in addition to working with one color a month, I'm making an additional block for a dontation quilt. I chose the Shoo fly as it's quick, easy and works well with scraps. One block for each month won't do it, however, and I'm adding a 2nd and maybe 3rd as time goes by.
 I'm also playing along with Julie K's plaid quilt-a-long. Didn't realize I'm quite short of plaids! I love hers and to me it reads as warmer "fruity" kinds of colors. I'm lacking in those! But I'll muddle along and see what I can find.
 I couldn't resist jumping in when Amanda Jean, of crazy mom quilts, announced a 36 patch quilt-a-long. I had a jelly roll that I was itching to get used, not realizing you can't get the required number of 2.5" squares from one set of strips. Sooooo? What to do?, I scratched my noggin and opted for a 16 patch instead! I can make 2 of the 16 patches from one set of strips, and that will work just fine with the jelly roll. The one I'm using is Sandy Gervis's Merry and Bright, from a couple of Christmases ago. I won it in a giveaway.
 
And last of all, I want to thank you for all the lovely good wishes and happy thoughts you gave me when "the babies" arrived. Sadly, they returned to their former home and Mama cat late the next day. I knew it would be a rocky "go" with Ebby as she's so very damaged in the trust and comfidence department. I hoped she's come around to them gradually and even if she only tolerated them, it could work. Her reaction to "seeing" them in her house was quite spectacular, to say the least! I've never hear that many non-stop hisses come from one cat. She did a quantum dive under the bed, and 37 hours later she was still there. She ventured out a couple of times but the instant she saw them, it happened all over again. I tried to talk to her and reassure her, but all she could do was crouch and hiss at me. I felt certain she'd come out for water, litter box and food during the night(kittens slept in the carrier, locked in) but she didn't.
By early afternoon the next day, I knew she'd be in trouble if she didn't drink or relieve herself soon, and made the decision to return the kittens. Luckily I could do that. They were gone and things cleaned up by 4 0'clock, but it was nearly 8 that night before I looked down and saw her sitting by my chair. She was very skiddish the next 12 hours or so, and spent alot of time smelling every where they had been. By the next day, the 30th, she was gradually relaxing back into her old self. Jean and other friends who encouraged me to "give it a try" felt terrible, but I don't. I realize now that she's a unique case, and while I may not "like" what she's been stuck with, we are a couple of old ladies just "chillin'" together. If anything, she's calmer than before, and a bit more affectionate. Strangely enough, she seems to trust me more...go figure!