784

Number of blocks = 169

Number of partial blocks in the border = 52

Total number of half square triangles = 784

Finished size = 96' x 96" 

Yup, that my friends is my completed (flimsy) red & white snowball quilt. Quilting will have to wait as there are some other priorities ahead of this one. What a nice feeling to have the piecing completed on that one. It was a good, mindless project to work on while keeping me from obsessing about the rest of our life the last couple months.

On the job front, the Bearded One has been offered a position back at Boeing with one of the contractors. Even though this is probably not the ideal job, going back to work at Boeing, he has accepted the offer. Meanwhile, he's started some heavy duty studying for some certifications which will help in the ongoing job search.

It's been an interesting, stressful few months. But it's also been a good time to reflect on where we are and what we really want. We've done some serious research about other areas of the country where we might want to live. We've come to realize that there are some other areas of the country that are high on our list where the cost of living is much more reasonable than here in the Seattle area. So, here we are, about to start down a new path. A path for which we don't know what direction it will eventually lead us.....

As far as this one is cares, as long as the dog treats and kibble keep appearing, he's not too concerned.....

Spring.....

........a time for rebirth....

 

...A time of growth, renewal, of new life.....

  

and also "the term is also used more generally as a metaphor for the start of better times"....

All I can say is "I certainly hope so." Yesterday we were dealt a tough blow. After 19.5 years with Boeing the Bearded One, along with 1023 other fellow employees were given their 60 day layoff  notices. At least 500 of these IT people are all from the Puget Sound area.  A lot of these people have many more years with the company than the Bearded One has....some close to 30 years. Others just a couple years from retirement. 

And, on a quilty note, I have actually finished something. 

 

As you can see from the VW bus, actually a Syncro (AWD), this is for a fellow VW friend who is facing some tough times health wise. All of the fabrics came from my stash. And, even tho, 3 years ago, I swore that I would NEVER, EVER quilt another quilt with meandering pine boughs, I just had to for this quilt. A lot of the green fabrics are pine bough prints (this IS the evergreen state afterall.)

The pattern is from Mary Johnson's website, Double 4-Patch. 

The Bearded One had some very specific input on this quilt. He said it must contain the VW bus and it needed to be climbing some rocks or a hill. He also was quite adamant that the block was NOT centered. He specifically wanted it off center and down towards the bottom. Whew! All that presented a few challenges to my stressed brain as the Double 4-Patch blocks are 8" and the bus block was 12". Easy, right, getting the correct placement of the partial lit and dark 4-patches was more than my stressed out brain could handle.....but, the 3rd time seemed to be the charm. 

So, let's hope that this truly is the start of better times, and hopefully SOONER rather than later.