These are the beautiful roses that my Valentine of 48 years, surprised me with for Valentine's Day. They smell good, too.

We are getting ready for our Utah trip to see friends & family. I can't wait to see my new great-grandson, Stryker, and my new grand-nephew, Gamble. Names are quite different, huh? Oh well--the new generation. I am also excited to see my sweet grandson, Christian, and my three youngest kids (who aren't really kids, but I still think of them that way). But most of all, I can't wait to be "home" for a while. I miss my beautiful Wasatch Mountains, and my familiar stomping grounds. I kind of have a little problem, though. I don't have any winter clothes! That sucks, huh. I hope I don't freeze my buns off! I do have a tartan plaid wool poncho that Toni brought me from Scotland, so I guess that will keep me warm enough---I don't think I will be doing any hiking or skiing---so not to worry. I didn't do any of that while I lived there. We all know that!

I will, of course, be buying fabric from all the wonderful fabric shops that are in Salt Lake City. I'm hoping Elizabeth and I will be able to go "junking" a little while I'm there. Fun time!

I want my Mommy! I have been sick for about 5 days now, & I could sure use my mother. Even though Harv has been really attentive, he is not my mother. I need to feel her soft hands on my forehead, have her bring me 7-up in a glass with ice & a straw. I want her to buy me movie magazines to read & fix me something to eat. I want to hear her hustling & bustling around our old house, cleaning up or folding laundry. She always turned the radio on & harmonized with Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett in her soft voice. Then she would peek in my room to see if I needed anything else, how I was feeling, & plump up my pillows, & fix my covers. "I'm sorry you're sick, honey, do you need anything else?", she would say. It was so comforting. I don't care how many grandkids or great-grandkids I have, or if I'm 70, 80, 90, or even 100 years old---when I get sick, I STILL WANT MY MOMMY!!!!!

This is me at the "Phoenix Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival", on Saturday. Toni took my picture at the art doll booth. I love these weird looking dolls. They are sculpted with a needle and then dressed in strange looking outfits. There is even a mermaid doll that I would love to make. I have looked at the directions on the patterns for these dolls, and believe me, they are hard to make. Maybe some day I will venture to make one. Toni thinks these dolls are beyond strange & they give her the "whim whams". They bring out my inner freak, while they scare her. We had such a good time. My poor knee was killing me, so I brought my cane & then I tripped over it about 3 times. I am so graceful! I could have spent lots of money there, but I was a good little girl & only spent a little. I bought a couple of redwork embroidery patterns. One is of guardian angels to hang on a tree or on a wreath, & the other is for a quilt with Victorian ladies heads. I think I'm going to do the Victorian heads separately & hang them on my wall. There was some beautiful quilts & quilt kits, but they looked like they would take a long time to make, & ya know, I'm pushing 70 & don't want to spend the rest of my life on a quilt! I want fast & easy projects. HaHa. I will take pictures of my patterns & post them later. Anyway, we had a nice lunch after the festival. We laughed at our own funny remarks & picked on everybody at the restaurant--it was fun. By the way, the shirt I have on is the same one I have on in my facebook picture---I swear I do have other shirts. I'm a Leo, & we like to find an outfit we like & wear it to death! We hate change!