Travel Advice

I love my life as Mrs. DillyDally...dillydallying helps me maintain my mental health (notice...I didn't say what kind of mental health...hee-hee) and brings balance (okay...I know that is a matter of opinion...geeesh) to my life.  In "real" life, I'm a high school teacher and I love that part of my life as well.  I am very actively involved at the state level of a professional teaching organization...which I also love.  How great is this...my life is filled with all that love!  But occasionally...my loves come in conflict with one another.

This is a picture of sunrise over the Chugach mountain range from my hotel room in Anchorage, Alaska.  I took it Wednesday morning at about 4:30 am.  I've been here all week for a professional conference.  It is a great conference...I'm loving it...but while here I have a lot of responsibilities (why else would I be up at 4:30 taking photos?)...it is under these circumstances that dillydallying is no longer an alter ego...it becomes a necessity.

You see...when the very things I love are in conflict with one another...my life loses balance.  After nearly 53 years of living this life...I've learned what throws it off balance...what I'll need to regain that balance...and how to pack for it!  The "Mrs. DillyDally Survival Kit" is always packed for any trip I might be taking.  It doesn't matter what kind of trip it is...business, pleasure, long or short...if I'm leaving home...I leave with a survival kit.  The Mrs. DillyDally Survival Kit must include the following:

A major project that can be worked on in the early morning or late evening hours.  This is the cardigan that I'm knitting for Sister DillyDally.  Major projects require more concentration which allows me to escape the reality that may be causing me stress.

A second major project that requires a different skill...because I might get tired of the first major project...especially if it is a trip that lasts a week or more.  This is that hand applique block for my Cobblestone Lane BOM...gosh...I need to do a ton of travel in order to get these done... ;-)

The third project must be one that requires little or no concentration...is small and light...and is easily carried in my purse.  This is the second of a pair of socks.  I always have socks on needles for all the reasons listed above...plus, a person can never have too many hand knit socks...your feet are in heaven when wearing them.  

And finally...no survival kit is complete with out chocolate...must have both dark and milk chocolate!  And it must be good quality chocolate...I love the subliminal message of this brand of chocolate...GO DIVA.  A dillydallyer should always feel like a diva when traveling...don't ya think?

There you have it...there are no secrets...this is how I survive when I travel.  Not only does it allow me to survive, but most importantly, it enables me to continue loving the many aspects of my life.  Happy travels!    

Covert Dillydally Missions Continue!

OMGosh...I really wouldn't make a very good spy...working undercover is very isolating...I find it very difficult to keep secrets...and I always forget who is supposed to know what and who isn't allowed to know anything.  Life has a way of being complicated anyway...covert actions multiply the complication factor by at least 100! Graduations are a month away...births are two to three months away...that is a long time for me to be secretive...I guess time will tell whether I'm successful or not!  Stay posted!

James Bond has "M" to supervise his covert missions...Teacup / "T" supervises all of my dillydally missions, covert or not.  She is much more successful at being sneaky than I can ever hope to be.  She communicates her approval of the mission by rolling over the entire surface.

"T" communicates that the mission is progressing  appropriately when she washes her face while I work towards accomplishing the covert project.  My gosh...I've been dillydallying for more years than I care to count...you would think I could manage with a little less supervision...but than again, James Bond has been spying even longer and he still has supervision... ;-)

On Wednesday of this week, we had snow and hail.  Winter is having trouble letting go here in our corner of the planet.  Thursday was clear and beautiful...so Kysa and I drove around Eyak Lake.  Most of the ice is gone, but some remains.

This is the Heney Range from the city side...lots of fresh snow up top...the heli-skiers are staying later this year...they love it!

Mt Eccles with fresh snow...

It was a beautiful day, but still chilly.  This is the sunset on Thursday...taken from the front deck...the tide was on its way out. 

I hope you enjoyed a week of dillydally...and were able to share it with the world!  The name is DillyDally.  Mrs. DillyDally.  ;-)

Dillydallying...007 Style!

The DillyDally men are huge 007 fans...like most men...they secretly wish they were Bond. James Bond. ;-)  When Brother DillyDally was little, he and Mr. DillyDally would watch the movies together...it was too darn cute!  Yes...we originally collected the video tapes...next we collected the DVDs...it never mattered to them how corny the old movies were...or how silly the special effects seemed...they loved them.  Brother DillyDally took his spying somewhat seriously...fortunately he usually targeted his sister!

Recently, like James Bond I've gone undercover...I find myself dillydallying in secret...babies arriving this summer...graduation around the corner...lots of secret quilting and knitting going on in this household.  I've been at it for a few weeks...but am far from finished...so have a lot ahead of me.  Let's just say that it's nice that as a teacher, I have the summer off!

Yesterday I went to a baby shower for a couple that are having their first baby, so I am able to unveil one of the projects I've been working on.  They have chosen not to find out in advance what sex the baby is...so when trying to decide the color/design of a baby quilt, I just couldn't get excited about the traditional yellow...green...etc.  It took me a while to decide what to do...and then it hit me!  The baby is due on the 4th of July!  Of course...a patriotic quilt!  Now we all know that babies rarely arrive on their due date...but at least this child will find it hard to forget what their due date was! ;-)

I call it "Stars and Stripes" and chose fabrics that were diverse in their print...lots to stimulate that little baby's mind as it tries to hold its head up!  I can already see it trying to pick up the shapes that are printed on the fabric!

Here is the Mom-to-Be opening it!  She and her husband are going to be terrific parents!  What a lucky child!  Yes...I confess...I finished the binding two hours before the shower!  Geeeesh...you guys don't give me any slack! ;-)

Other news this week...two things to get excited about...first a huge quilting event that will take place in our small corner of the world this fall.  Our neighbor community, Valdez, is holding their bi-annual Quilt Festival!  Some QBees and I went in 2008 for the first time...gosh...it was overwhelmingly wonderful!  I took classes from Judy Neimeyer and Jackie Robinson!  We also participated in a mystery quilt class one evening with 100 other quilters!  It was fun and informative in every way imaginable! 

This is a picture of us QBees from Cordova with the "Quilt Rock Stars" after our cruise around Prince William Sound!  We were pretty thrilled about rubbing elbows with celebrities...what a hoot!  Check out the details about the Valdez Quilt Festival here.  More Rock Stars will be teaching...another mystery quilt...many of us here in Cordova have already picked out our class schedule and will be faxing in our registration early on the morning of May 1st.  Think about joining us...those quilters in Valdez know how to put on a festival...lots to look forward to!  What fun!!!!

The other important event this week took place on April 15th!  No!  The DillyDally's did not get a tax refund...it was Teacup DillyDally's 16th birthday!  Here is a picture of her being naughty...kitties are not supposed to be on the table or near a plate of food!

Here she is sunbathing...our sun may be in short supply...but she knows how to make the best of it!

This is a favorite spot both she and I share...right next to "Her Majesty" the sewing machine!

Teacup has taken very good care of her DillyDally family over the past 16 years...we consider her a blessing...most of the time!  I hope you can dillydally in the light of day this week...Teacup and I are both going back under cover...later!  The name is DillyDally.  Mrs. DillyDally. ;-)

Hunter's Star is a Hit!

Today we explored the Hunter's Star pattern with Peggy.  Once again she took all the fear out of the eight pointed star...taught us several tricks...and made it easy.  Gosh...it was fun!  Here she is showing us how to square up a quadrant of the block.  See how everyone is focused on what she is saying and doing?  Some were standing on chairs to get a better view...I love it!

Those of us who had taken the Montana Cartwheel were glad we had scheduled that class first.  The Hunter's Star was less demanding in terms of fabric choices...level of difficulty...and...amount of concentration. 

Pictures are worth a thousand words...it is obvious that everyone is relaxed and enjoying themselves.  Everyone that was...but me.  UGH!  Let me explain...two years ago I took this class from another instructor...in a different community.  My misery was and is absolutely no ones responsibility but my own...it certainly was not the fault of that instructor.  I took the class on very short notice...had limited fabric resources available to me...during that class I only completed one block...and enjoyed the pattern, but not the fabric combination.  I returned home...unpacked...and never looked at that quilt project again.  

Last week I pulled it out to prepare for today...yep...you guessed it...two years later I didn't like it any better.  The truth is I really like the floral fabric, but not the one I had paired it with.  But my "Lutheran guilt" got the best of me and I told myself that I needed to "buck up" and use it.  QBee Diane told me today that I need to listen to my inner voice...she is right, of course...but the Viking blood that travels through my veins can make me very stubborn.  Soooo...I forged forward...knowing all along that I wouldn't like it...but telling myself that it might surprise me...well it didn't.  I finished a block...not only did I not care for it...I hated it. 

QBee Valerie could tell immediately that I was upset.  She started seeking solutions right away, gosh I could have hugged her!  Together we decided that I should enter in a third color...cranberry red.  I know my stash, so I rushed home to get some.  When I returned, Valerie suggested that I make the entire eight pointed star red...I completely agreed...consulted with Peggy..and I was back in business.  Here are the results...

The blue block on the left is the original one I tried to make work...obviously it was hopeless.  The one on the right is the solution...and not only do I love it...but I'll actually complete it!  With the assistance of caring friends and an excellent instructor we were able to "turn a lemon into lemonade"!  Life was good again and I plan to be a better listener when it comes to my inner voice. ;-)

It was great to see everyone's blocks...they were all inspiring...take a look!

QBee Valerie offered to hand applique the cranberry fabric over the star points on my first block...I really do have the most wonderful friends...but I declined.  I think I will hang it up in my sewing room...as a reminder.  I need to be reminded to listen to my heart...to toss that stubborn attitude aside...to treasure the friends I have...and...to find hope when things look hopeless.  It was a good lesson in humility.

What a wonderful weekend...lots of learning...lots of dillydallying...QBees everywhere!  I hope yours was the same!

 

Montana Cartwheel Turns at Full Speed!

We began the second day of Montana Cartwheel around 10:00 am with renewed energy and enthusiasm!  Peggy taught us how to construct the primary block...

...and then the "wheels" really started spinning!  Take a look!

Soon it was time to begin placing the blocks on the design board...it was exciting to see how they will look once sewn together!

While the wheels were turning in the cartwheel class, others were creating treasures in the "Loose Ends" session.  These QBees were very productive...take a look!

Well...I have to run...Peggy will be teaching the Hunter's Star class today!  Of course I waited until this morning to finish cutting it out!  I'm looking forward to another day of learning new skills...surrounded by QBees...dillydallying to our hearts content.  Gosh...life is good!  More later...