Great beginning to our time in Sta. Rosa

We arrived in Sta. Rosa in time for lunch with friends who stayed at the house over the weekend. Their oldest son is training to become a chef and he made a fabulous sauce for the fresh ravioli. So good! I hadn't met our friends' children before (the daughter is a lawyer). Anyway, while it was wonderful to see Juan & Mirta again, it was hard to see how crippled Juan's hands have become. He has developed a disorder that causes his hands to curl shut to the point that he has to use one hand to pry open the other. There is no treatment for it. Very sad when you consider he's an artist who can no longer draw or paint. But his attitude is to simply be grateful for what he can do, and to do it for the glory of God.

They not only served lunch but had also swept and straightened up the whole house -- the first time we've ever come out that I haven't had to start cleaning as soon as we arrived. That was very, Very nice!

We really enjoyed our time with them and, for me, the chance to meet and get to know two of their adult children.

They left after lunch and we quickly unloaded the car and trailer, put food away and made up the bed. Then I sat down to check e-mail and see if I could post. Two hours later... My hopes that we'd have better internet service during the week have been dashed. While the 3G thingy is showing two (out of five) bars of service, the actual download speed (or whatever it is called) has been zero until now.

Today is incredibly beautiful. I think the temperature rose into the 70s! We opened all the windows to let some of that wonderful warm air inside since it was probably 10-15 degrees warmer outside than in. I think we actually had nicer weather here over the weekend (and today) than some of y'all did.

I am totally excited to start sewing tomorrow! I brought three projects along, including one for here. Hopefully I can manage to make decent new cushion covers for the living room chairs. Not being the most competent seamstress, my goals are low. LOL If I can manage to make them so their wonkiness isn't too obvious, I'll be happy. The thing I love about quilting is that precision isn't absolutely critical (with my kind of quilting, anyway). Unfortunately with clothing and most home decor projects, accuracy is more important. So we will see. If they turn out I'll take photos; if not, I won't.

I also brought along a new book received in the mail this week. It's the newest Jane Whitefield book by Thomas Perry. It was in the third package our daughter sent. We have received packages #1 and #3 but #2 is still MIA. We're afraid we'll never see it. It had a book or two also. Oh well. Such is life. I was afraid package #2 included a book I won in a giveaway on Sue's blog a while back but was relieved to learn the daughter is reading it so she hasn't sent it yet.

The daughter doesn't remember what exactly was in package #2. We know of two things and while I am sad that I may never see them, I can deal with it. I would be much sadder if it had contained any of the cute fabric I have bought of late on ebay. But it didn't so I am not as sad. Package #3 was the first package to contain bits of the fabric and I am quite happy with it. A pack of 40-4" squares in bright primary colors and cute tractor and car prints will make an adorable baby quilt if ever a friend has a baby boy. I won that ebay auction for 99 cents. I love me a bargain! Also appropriate for a boy's quilt is the way-too-cute-for-words fabric of little boys playing soccer. Soccer (or futbol) is THE national sport in Argentina so what could be more perfect?!

In looking through my fabric stash this week I came across fabric envelopes I created several years ago while making another baby quilt. Got a wee bit carried away in the making of those fabric envelopes -- which is to my benefit now. The extras will make a very nice quilt for the little girl born last month. One of my goals for this week is to sew the top together. With the envelopes ready to use, that simply means sewing them together with sashing (also already cut to size) and then adding borders.

I think Project 365 might have a preponderance of sewing photos this week.

And country shots. If the weather holds, we'll be taking lots of walks. I hear it is supposed to get colder but as long as it doesn't rain, we will be out and about. Looking forward to a wonderful -- and productive -- week!