Showing posts with label Raleigh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raleigh. Show all posts

Friday, May 30, 2014

So Much Has Been Happening

I'm not sure where to even begin. 
 I think I will just start where I left off. 
 I went to Raleigh last week to visit my daughter. 
 We had a amazing week together.  
I always miss her so much when I come back. 
 I flew down on Monday and we drove to Atlantic Beach in NC. 
 We stayed for three nights and drove back to her place on Thursday.

This was the view out our balcony door.  
Looking to the left you can see the hot tub and to it's left was the actual swimming pool.


To the right were the cabana beds and a smaller pool, just for looks though I think


This is looking straight out from our room.  
Every morning they set up umbrellas and chairs for everyone.  
This is the Atlantic Ocean.


The area we were in was called the Crystal Coast. 
 I kept wondering if it was from all the amazing quartz I kept finding on the beach.  
And yes, much to my husband's dismay I brought them all home with me!
  Kelsey kept the shells.


We had some great food too.  Best nacho's ever were at the Ruddy Duck. 
 I found this really cool fossil of some coral too.


Nothing beats sunshine and the beach!!


We had a great time just hanging out together.


We stopped in New Bern on the way home from the beach.  
That is where Kelsey works right now, on the Neuse river.  
(I asked how to spell it and she said, "like the noose you put around your neck") and I laughed.  

We stopped in at the Sting Ray Cafe where she goes all the time when she is there.


The owner was fabulous and even brought us out some scallops 
he had just caught that were enormous!  
He grilled them and put crab all around, topped with cheese and drizzled butter.  
YUM!


There were some beautiful homes in that town too.  We drove around oogling all of them.

On Friday I took the car and drove myself to some quilt shops in the morning. 
 I went to Cary Quilting and found this pattern.


I also went to Wish Upon a Quilt and scored a little Bonnie and Cammile love.


I also went to Elegant Stitches and found a few things.


I had to be home after lunch so we could go to the outlet mall and go shopping. 
 I didn't take any photos of the things we got but we got some pretty good stuff there too.  

Unfortunately on Friday I got a call that my dad was acting really crazy and 
I knew that meant he had another infection. 
 I was gone, the owners of the home were gone and hubby was not going to be there until the evening.  So, bless his heart, he got home and took my dad to the ER, and it was my hubby's birthday!  
My dad ended up being admitted and by Sat night was so agitated they had to sedate him. 
 It was pretty nerve wracking to be so far away and not able to help at all. 
 I will go into this more another time though as this is already so long!  

On my way to another adventure I stopped at Thimble Pleasures.  I found some of this!


I put it on IG and ended up selling quite a few yards for them!  LOL 
 I also bought some other fabric for myself.  
I shared the mice and the dragonflies with some friends though.  


My adventure took me to Pitsboro to meet up with a blogging friend that I have not met IRL. 
 I got to see her studio and we went out for lunch and to a neat little shop.  
Many of you probably know her but it was Bea Lee, from Bea Quilter
 I did find out, for anyone interested that you say her name like BEE-A  not just BEE.  
Enquiring minds want to know.  
We had a great time. 
 It felt like we were long lost friends!!  


All in all the trip was great.  
I was anxious to get home to my dad.  
Seems like every time he goes into the hospital he comes out with a little less mental acuity. 
 I had the difficult decision to engage Hospice for him.  
His dementia has worsened and I really want to keep him out of any more hospital visits.  
They can treat his frequent UTI's from home now.  
So far he is holding his own.  

Oh how I miss this girlie!


So that was my last week and this week has been pretty much dad duty 
(he was not discharged from the hosptial until Tuesday night) and trying to catch up at home. 

 How was your week.  I missed you guys!

~XOP~


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Not Off To Market

I am so sad that I am not able to go to market this year!  
It looks like everyone is having so much fun!
Instead I am planning a trip to Raleigh, NC to visit my amazing daughter.  
We have a trip to the beach planned again this year but a different beach.  
We had a lot of fun last time!


I was talking to a very good friend this week about 
what would happen if there were an EMP (electro magnetic pulse) in the US. 
 (I saw something about it on FB).
Info here and here and here.
I'm sure there are more too.
All things that need electricity would stop functioning. 
 We had quite a discussion and which things we had prepared and which things we needed to work on.  It just popped into my head and I said to her, 
"I need to buy a treadle sewing machine so I can still sew!" 
 LOL she proceeded to tell me that I was the only person on the planet that would worry about THAT!  haha.  
She is so wrong, but I love her anyway.

Seriously though it got me to thinking and I decided to start looking for a treadle machine.  
Interestingly enough another good friend was trying to get rid of hers!  
Coincidence?  
I think NOT!

So look at what is going to be coming to my house when I get back!  
A Singer Red Eye!!!!


She even has it all cleaned up, repaired and running like a champ!!


The cabinet is just beautiful too.



She even has attachments and the original owners manual.  It is a Singer 66 Model.


I haven't actually broken this to my husband yet.  
This will make my 7th sewing machine!!!   
YIKES!  
Maybe it is time to find homes for two of the cabinet machines.  
Anyone out there interested in vintage machines? 
 I can take some photos if so.

I hope you are having a good week so far too!!!

~XOP~


Monday, April 07, 2014

I'm Going On A Trip And I'm Taking...


Do you remember that game?

I just booked a flight to go to Raleigh to visit my daughter.  

Are there any of my NC peeps that want to meet up??

Looks like I have May 23-24 open for fun!!

Please email me and we can make arrangements.  

My email is mamaspark@gmail.com

Shop hop?

Lunch or dinner?

Whatever, I up for some fun somewhere warmer than Michigan!!!

~XOP~



Sunday, June 09, 2013

My Trip to Raleigh Part One The Beach

I know I have been pretty quiet lately but I have been to visit my DD2 in Raleigh. 
 I arrived on Friday. 
 We met up with her friend Dan and his wife and his MIL. 
 We all went to a nice place for small plates and wine and
 then back to their place for steaks on the grill and more wine!! 
 HAHA it was a very nice evening,

We got up and packed to leave for Wilmington where we were staying. 
 We were going to go to Wrightsville Beach for a few days too. 
 I. LOVE. the.beach!! 
 We spent 6 hours at the beach both days.
 Kelsey's friend Adrienne came with us and on the second day her friend Sam met up with us too.



This beach had amazingly gigantic waves, beautiful beach umbrellas and lots of SUN!






We could not have asked for better days at the beach!

We went out for dinner in Wilmington at the Pilot House. 
 We walked around the water front too.



On the drive to downtown Wilmington we spied this fountain in the middle of the street!


We saw this awesome ship too. 
 My hubby tells me it is The North Carolina.  
I love how this photo came out!


It was a wonderful fun filled 2 days. 
 We drove back to  Raleigh on Monday.

  Kelsey's old car was making weird noises. 
 REALLY bad noises.  
Like "it will cost you more to fix me than I'm worth" noises. 
 I knew this day was coming and was hoping to eek out a little more time but these things can't be helped.  Her little Saturn has been a great car but it was time to look for a replacement.  


While she was unpacking and starting the laundry I went online looking at used cars.  
She told me the one she was interested so I emailed a couple of dealerships. 
 The first one that got back to us was the one we would go to and so 
off we went to Fayetteville (an hour and a half away).  
We looked at a LOT of cars, drove a few and finally had it narrowed down. 
 They had a 2013 Mazda 3i HB that had been a courtesy car. 
 It had 1800 miles on it and they were selling it as used.  
This meant we got quite a good price on it but because it had not been titled we got new car financing. 
 So after 6 hours this is her new baby!


I'm not sure I have recovered from that day just yet, LOL!  

I am going to stop for now.  
The next installment will be about my meet up with my blogging friends and
 my shopping adventures so stay tuned!

~XOP~