I had a novel idea yesterday. Turn off the computer and work on quilts. I feel like know I spend a lot of time on the computer, and one great blog or news article often leads to another and another... Or I'll sit down to check my bank balance or the status of an order and manage to get sidetracked before I even make it to where I was headed (much like this post, eh?).

I had several quilts in mind to work on yesterday, but only worked on this one and, other than a nap, worked on it the whole day. I ran into or created all kinds of issues when putting this together . It's in rows now; a little further along than the picture. Thought about making five more blocks to make it a bit longer, but we'll see (this is actually a sideways view).

And for your enjoyment, here's me making deals with myself all weekend to get to this point:

Friday Me: I want to call in sick and stay home and quilt.

My Conscience: Another unpaid day? After an unpaid holiday and another day off watching GMan while O.P. had surgery? Not today.

Saturday Me: I want to quilt.

My Conscience: Noooooo... The house is a mess. If you clean first, then you can quilt. And while you're at it, the fridge is empty and we are out of silly little stuff like TP & body wash & shampoo.

Sunday Me: I want to cut out a new hexagon quilt.

My Conscience: Noooooooo! You already have that Stack 'n' Whack from umpteen years ago that you haven't finished; when you finish that, you can cut out a new quilt.

Sunday evening Me: I want to work on my other sock.

My Conscience: NO! You can get the binding done on all those quilts over there long before you'll finish that sock.

Day of Service & I have HEAT

What else can a quilter do on a national Day of Service but work on quilts?

Having had no heat for four days and nights brought home in so many ways how what we do matters. Regardless of how many layers of clothes I had to wear, or the number of quilts that kept me warm, I was thankful every day that I had those means of keeping warmer and a home to be shielded from the elements.

We take so much for granted, and one of my Action goals for the year is to find something to be grateful for in every negative situation. That does not include "adding the word positive to a negative sentence," like my co-worker Mary says when I tell her to be positive. LOL

Although I had to work most of the day, then scooted out early to meet the furnace repairman. I finished the binding on one quilt while watching TV in the evening and then moved on to creating more red-centered blocks to supplement those previously sent for assembly into Heartstrings quilts.

Tonight is a CPR class after work and then home to bake an apple pie for the boss's birthday lunch tomorrow.

Do you have a ‘word’ for 2009?

I am a huge fan of Christine Kane’s blog, which I’ve been reading since probably Dec07.  She shares things learned from her own life about how to resolve internal issues and how to guide our lives with intention.  

Each December Christine encourages her readers to choose a word that will guide his/her life through the coming year.  I’ve struggled with a word this year… I mean, it’s already January 14^th!  I considered Passion…  Encouragement...  Gratitude… Calmness…  Positivity, and a slew of others.  But as I considered each one, I felt limited--felt that I hadn’t yet discovered how to incorporate it into some areas of my life, and I didn't want to do this half-way.

Yesterday I finally settled on Action as my word for the year.  Action from me for me that will benefit me emotionally, physically, and spiritually AND will allow good things to radiate to others.   I firmly believe that if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we cannot give 100% to anything else we do.  I've already spent too much of my life thinking about how I want life and not doing anything about it.    In 2009 I will act.

More later…. It’s a Brrrrr-y 8deg here this morning and I must get moving Act.