Sorority Quilts/Blankets

I volunteered to make t-shirt quilts/blankets for the seniors in the sorority again this year. Here are my tools: cutting mat, 12-1/2" square template, and a rotary cutter.
Lining up the design with the template.
The block to be used on the quilt.

Lining up another one. So far I've cut out about 80 squares. It's a breeze with my template and rotary cutter. The only problem is if the girl hasn't told me which side of the t-shirt she wants the design cut from. Usually the t-shirt just has a big design on the back (like the one below), but sometimes there is a design on front too. I usually grab Kaitlyn and ask her which one she would want and go with it. Next up: sewing the blocks together in rows.

Interesting Facts about Oklahoma

Here Are Some Little Known,

But Very Interesting Facts about Oklahoma

1. The bread twist tie was invented in Maysville.

2. The shopping cart was invented in Ardmore in 1936.

3. The nation's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City in 1935.

4. The first Girl Scout Cookie was sold in Muskogee in 1917.

5. Cimarron County, located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, is the only county in the U.S. bordered by 4 separate states... Texas, New Mexico, Colorado & Kansas.

6. The Oklahoma State Capital is the only capital in the U.S. with working oil wells on its grounds..

7. Boise City, Oklahoma was the only city in the United States to be bombed during World War II. On Monday night, July 5, 1943, at 12:30 am, a B-17 Bomber based at Dalhart Army Air Base, Texas dropped six practice bombs on the sleeping town, mistaking the city lights as target lights.

8. WKY Radio in Oklahoma City was the first radio station transmitting west of the Mississippi River.

9. The nation's first 'Tornado Warning' was issued on March 25, 1948 in Oklahoma City minutes before a devastating tornado. Because of the warning, no lives were lost.

10. Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any state in the U.S. It also has 234 different Indian Tribes.

11. The name 'Oklahoma' comes from two Choctaw words Okla meaning 'people' and humma meaning 'red'. So the name means, 'Red People. The name was approved in 1890.

12. Oklahoma produced more astronauts than any other state.

13. Oklahoma has more man made lakes than any other state.

14. During the 'Land Rush', Oklahoma City went from a vast, open prairie to a city of over 10,000 in a single day.

15. The nation's first traffic 'Yield' sign was erected in Tulsa on a trial basis.

16. Pensacola Dam is the longest multi-arched dam in the world at 6,565 feet.

17.. The 'Port of Catoosa' (just north of Tulsa) is the largest inland port in America.

18. The aerosol can was invented in Bartlesville.

19. Per square mile, Oklahoma has more tornadoes than any other place in the world.

20. The highest wind speed ever recorded on earth was in Moore, Oklahoma on May 3rd. 1999 during the Oklahoma City F-5 tornado. Wind speed was clocked at 318 mph.

21. The 'Will Rogers World Airport' and the 'Wiley Post Airport' are both named after two famous Okies; both killed in an airplane crash!!!

22. Cushing, Oklahoma is the "Pipeline Crossroads of the World. "And has the largest storage of oil in the world.

(If we have those kind of oil reserves; why are we buying oil from the Middle East; our crazy government at work again).

MORE NEAT STUFF BELOW

Why Travel To Other Cities? Oklahoma Has Them All!
Cleveland, Oklahoma
Orlando, Oklahoma
Miami, Oklahoma
Pittsburgh, Oklahoma
Santa Fe, Oklahoma
St. Louis, Oklahoma
Chattanooga, Oklahoma
Peoria, Oklahoma
Burbank, Oklahoma
Fargo, Oklahoma

Don't Forget The Wildlife!
Wolfe, Oklahoma
Eagle, Oklahoma
Buffalo, Oklahoma
Fox, Oklahoma
Bison, Oklahoma
Deer Creek, Oklahoma
Elk City, Oklahoma

We Have A Town Named After A Number - Forty-One, Oklahoma

A Town Who's Letter's Don't Spell Anything - IXL, Oklahoma

We Even Have A City Named After Earth's Only Satellite - Moon, Oklahoma

And A City Named After Our State - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Like To Read About The Presidents?
Adams, Oklahoma
Taylor, Oklahoma
Fillmore, Oklahoma
Grant, Oklahoma
Taft, Oklahoma
Johnson, Oklahoma
Lincoln, Oklahoma
Jefferson, Oklahoma
Reagan, Oklahoma
Wilson, Oklahoma
Roosevelt, Oklahoma
Carter, Oklahoma
Clinton, Oklahoma
Washington, Oklahoma

Other City Names In Oklahoma To Make You Smile
Frogville, Oklahoma
Loco, Oklahoma
Bushyhead, Oklahoma
Bugtussle, Oklahoma
Hooker, Oklahoma
Slaughterville, Oklahoma
Bowlegs, Oklahoma
Slapout, Oklahoma

More Trivia

Oklahoma is the only State to have its Capital stolen and moved in the middle of the night from Guthrie to Oklahoma City. Also, Guthrie has an original Carnegie Library and the Largest Masonic Temple in the World.

Watonga has more rattle snakes than people.

"Lagoon" Prayer Shawl

I just completed another prayer shawl. I bought some Lion Brand Homespun "Lagoon" several months ago because I was going to make a shawl from a pattern for the first time. I had to start over about six times. One of the ladies in my circle even tried to get me started but I kept having to rip it out and start over. The same day I tried to start it, we had a yarn swap at our monthly circle meeting where everyone brought yarn they no longer wanted or scraps from leftover projects, etc. I found so many varying colors of greens and blues that I decided that God wanted me to make another striped one from all my favorite colors. Those are the ones I like doing best (without a pattern). I think this one is my most favorite of all the ones I've done. I'm bittersweet about giving it up because it is so beautiful, but I know someone, somewhere needs it more than me.

Random Stuff

I got my hair cut today. I went to a new girl to try her out. I liked her! She's a little more expensive but I don't have to listen to the drama my old person constantly had going on. A side view.

A front view.
Joe had the woodwork painted on the house the other day. It looks like we're preparing for the radiation from Japan.

A picture of my church I took the other day when I was going to my prayer shawl circle. I just love my church; I like that I was married here too. We're getting a new minister -- a woman! Our currently minister is retiring in May.
I took this picture in the bathroom of the house in Elk City where we went to the Mardi Gras party. That house had mirrors EVERYWHERE. I'm looking at the ceiling here.

My mask I bought in New Orleans last summer to use for the party.

Spoke too soon and old feet

Well I guess I spoke too soon. Kaitlyn's been eating okay, but she made the mistake of taking one of the hydrocodone pills last night before she went to bed without any food. She got up this morning about 5 throwing up. Then we couldn't get her to keep anything down so I had to have nausea medicine called in for her. Hopefully she'll be better this afternoon. Because now she hurts like hell, but has to take the pain meds with food. Meanwhile, I went to the doctor this morning about my left foot hurting. I thought I may have stress fractures in my foot but after x-rays, the doctor told me I have osteo-arthritis in my feet. Not the crippling, debilitating kind, just the old-age kind. I also had him look at my bunion (thanks, Granny). He gave me orthotics to put in my shoes. My concern was I might have to wear "ugly" shoes. He laughed and said, "no, not yet." He didn't say I couldn't do zumba anymore, but did mention if I wasn't a jogger, I definitely shouldn't be running on concrete!

Wisdom Teeth - Round 2

Kaitlyn had her wisdom teeth out yesterday. She is doing MUCH better than Kristen did. A couple of different factors - 1) she has a bigger mouth than Kristen to begin with; 2) she has a higher level of pain tolerance (she tried out for varsity cheer her freshman year in high school, tearing her hamstring in the process but finished the try-out, dragging her leg behind her and crying all the way - but she made the varsity squad!!) - plus at the level she skated, her falls were more often and from more difficult jumps, and from playing soccer against some MUCH bigger girls when she was in 5-6-7th grade. She may have cried but she got up and kicked some ass later; 3) bigger girl (larger bones, weighs more, taller, etc.); 4) two of her wisdom teeth had already come thru - they just had to be pulled; 5) the whole process for her was quicker. She also didn't have chipmunk cheeks like Kristen did, either. She hasn't taken much of her hard-core pain medicine. Kristen had practically downed all the prescription by the end of the 4th day. Glad they are both done now!

Mardi Gras 2011

This year we were again invited to Elk City, OK to participate in a Mardi Gras party. The pre-party is held at the home of Mrs. Billy Ray Gowdy (who was somehow famous before he died but I don't know what for - they own a lot of land in OK). Her son from a previous marriage is a friend of Joe's (that's the connection). The 7000 sq ft home is a party pad built for entertaining on several levels (lots of sunken areas) with lots of mirrors, windows, spiral staircases, waterfalls, greenery, oppulent mother-of-pearl inlaid stuff from the Far East, etc. The picture above was made in the living room area of the house. And the food is to die for. Jonathon (Joe's hunting buddy) and his wife, Rita, cook everything- authentic New Orleans food, shrimp etouffee, gumbo, bread, salad, and the cocktails, wine, and champagne are flowing freely. Here's Joe at the actual Mardi Gras party at the Catholic Church.

The Mardi Gras party itself is held as a fundraiser for the Catholic Church. They have a great dance band and everyone brings their own alcohol. It is a black tie event and you have to wear your mask to get in. Joe and I at the party. He was holding the camera out so he isn't smiling, he was concentrating.

He always borrow this mask from Mrs. Gowdy. He LOVES this mask. He looks like some Zulu King! hahahaha

This morning we went back over to the house and had brunch - bloody mary's, mimosas (I just had orange juice), quiche, bread pudding, fresh cut up fruit, toasted english muffins with jalepeno raspberry jam on top. Yum Yum! Of course, now my stomach is paying for this. And it definitely was not on the Weight Watchers Plan!

Wisdom Teeth and Spring fun on the Computer

Yesterday I had to make some gift bags for Jann to use in her University Women Association Board Meeting. So I made these name tags to go on bags Jann had purchased. I then tied them with some different colored ribbon I had. Jerome like them because they had flowers on them.

This morning I took Kristen to get her wisdom teeth out. She was very nervous (just like I was at her age) and concerned about the I.V. I kept telling her that the I.V. was the easy part! I think now that she's felt the pain for a couple of hours she's probably ready to agree with me. Anyway, she came through the surgery fine. When I went back to get her in the recovery area, she looked dopey and not very happy. Of course she had gauze in her mouth but I could tell she wasn't her usually smiley self. I get to gear up and do this again in two weeks with Kaitlyn. She's having hers out over Spring Break. I think Joe may take Kaitlyn since I laid some guilt on him. I told him it wasn't fair. I always had to take the girls to do the "bad" stuff like shots and doctors visits and he always got to do the "fun" stuff like take them skiing, and the beach, and Six Flags. He laughed and agreed with me but said, "when they're sick, tho, they only want you." Ah, the joys of motherhood!