Block #85 for Matt L.

Tonight’s block is dedicated to Matt L, and not just because he mentioned it was his turn on Facebook. I met Matt after an exhausting, and I mean exhausting search for a PM/BA at my last job. We interviewed so so many people, and I had never felt more relieved when we finally found a keeper. I actually remember his interview pretty well, because I think I was so frustrated by the time we got to him, that I was being extra cantankerous with the interview questions and set up. I recall we put him on the spot, gave him a scenario and told him he had 10 minutes to come up with a plan, and then we left the room. I do feel bad about that. (It’s been awhile, I could just be making all of this up) Not long after we hired him, I bailed on him and went to another job. I feel bad about that too…

Matt was recently married and I would like to send a big Congrats out to him and his new wife. Matt, this camo bird is for you!  (I was inspired by your profile pic)

Date Made: March 31st, 2015
Block #85
Days on Project: 90
Blocks Made: 85

For Matt L.

Block #84 for Justin

This block is dedicated to Justin. Can you say that you have been to an impromptu  accordion concert in a parking garage? No? Well I have! Justin is a very well rounded and talented musician. One day at work he showed us the large number of musical instruments in his car. When I stated that I hated accordion music, he decided he would try to change my mind. It didn’t work.

One weird night…

Justin plays with groups at different renaissance festivals near here and has been known to be in costume. Our other friend Erik is a traditional German dancer. One night after work a group of us were at Chili’s and I was paying attention to a different conversation when I overheard my husbands name being mentioned. They were deep in discussion on whether Justin would be more likely to get my husband to wear tights or if Erik would be more likely to get him to wear lederhosen. Yeah…

Turns out Erik would have won the bet, however, they would have had to find a way to incapacitate him and be prepared to run once he was free…

Date Made: March 30th, 2015
Block #84
Days on Project: 89
Blocks Made: 84

For Justin

Block #83 for Uncle Ken

Tonight’s bird is dedicated to my Uncle Ken, mostly because he puts up with my Aunt Wilma. I’m kidding… sort of…

My Mom and Dad are vacationing with him and Wilma this week and mom was super excited to have someone to play cards with. And I quote: “Well your Dad and Ken are going to head back early, he don’t play with us anyway, just like your daddy”. This has been a point of contention for many years; dad not playing cards. Mom is super jealous that my hubby plays cards with me. I figure it’s because I got married much younger than either of them did; you have to start training them young…

Date Made: March 29th, 2015
Block #83
Days on Project: 88
Blocks Made: 83

For Uncle Ken

Block #82 for Melissa N.

I am no longer going to point out every time I miss a night. I am averaging about 5-6 a week and that is just gonna have to be how it is. LOL

I went to dinner with some friends a few nights ago. One of my friends was talking about how “Abby” had ruined her knitting yarn. Well, Abby is the daughter of her best friend but, I have to say, a bit old for that kind of destruction. Turns out she was talking about her cat named “Abby”. “You named your cat after Abby??” Apparently one of her son’s favorite people is “Abby” or at least it was the day they got the cat. I love how kids name things after other things they love. I remember doing the exact same thing.

I have many cousins, but most of them are quite a bit younger than me. I had one set of cousins that were around my age, Missy and Scott. I loved it when Missy came to town. Some of my best memories are of her and I snapping green beans from Grandma’s garden. She was my favorite person when I was a little one and I named everything after her. I am pretty sure she doesn’t know this but I named my dolls after her and my fish after. She also had the most highest honor of having my “Pound Puppy” named after her. It was right there on it’s tags; you can’t rename a pound puppy, that is dedication.

Date Made: March 21st, 2015
Block #82
Days on Project: 87
Blocks Made: 82

For Melissa N.

Block #81 For Uncle Jesse

I have three uncles and all three of them are “Doctors”. One is a “Doctor Doctor” and the other two are PHD’s. To say that I come from a smarty pants, too smart for your own good, nerdy family is an understatement.  Luckily, it dilutes through the generations and I am pretty close to normal (yeah, right… I just committed to sewing everyday for a year…)

I grew up wanting to be just like my very popular and youngest uncle, Roland (The Doctor Doctor). But I spent my childhood being told: “You’re just like your your uncle Jesse.” I was not fond of that comment as he relentlessly teased me.  All the time… I mean, like every moment we were together. ALL THE TIME.

I recently reconnected with Jesse on Facebook. He is a prolific Facebook poster. So when he takes a quiz, I take the quiz. I figure this is a scientific way to prove if I AM “Just like my uncle, Jesse”. So far…. Well at least I can say there is one major way I am not like Jess. In addition to the fancy pants degrees, he has one more thing that I just simply do not have, A GREAT BIG BUSHY BEARD!!! (–yes, that’s a quote from Hot Fuzz)

Date Made: March 21st, 2015
Block #81
Days on Project: 85
Blocks Made: 81

For Uncle Jesse

Block #80 for Jordan

I love having co-workers who have a tangental relationship to quilting. They may not quilt themselves, but they put up with me and understand about 90% of what I drone on about. I have two such coworkers, Jordan and Tom. Tom is my bosses bosses boss and Jordan is my colleague. Which I suppose is a nice way of saying “He’s a grunt just like me”. Jordan’s mom is a quilter and she and her quilt were recently in a prominent quilting magazine which is beyond cool.

Thursdays

For many months, every Thursday we went to a specific Taco joint for lunch. Everyone at the table likes the special on Thursday so ordering isn’t too difficult. Jordan likes to have fun with it. When our food comes, the waitress will start passing it out and he always makes a point of saying “I had the Thursday”. I’m not sure why, but it’s funny pretty much every time. Before we decided to only go on Thursday, we would show up on a Wednesday and Jordan would try and get his plate switched around so he could have a Thursday on Wednesday for the same price. And that’s just wrong… It’s Wednesday, you eat the Wednesday on Wednesday not on Thursday!! That is just plain common sense.

Date Made: March 21st, 2015
Block #80
Days on Project: 84
Blocks Made: 81

For Jordan

Block #79 For Costas K.

I have worked with lots of fun characters over the years. IT people are typically a little different (myself included). One of my favorite people was Costas. Costas is a feisty Greek man who made work a lot of fun. There are two funny things he used to say when we worked together.

Not My Problem

We were working with a particularly difficult client who was having resource issues and taking it out on us. During a heated argument, Costas says “No, that is a people problem, not technical”. Throws his hand up (‘talk to the hand’ style) and says “Not My Problem”. To this day I use that, with the exact same intonation and gesturing.

The IIS, Is It Down?

Another thing he would do, quite often, is he would stand up in his cube and shout “PAAAUUUULA THE IIS, IS IT DOWN?” It often was. I went back to work at that company about 5 years later in a completely different job and one day, out of the middle of no where, one of my stressed out co-workers stands up and yells “PAAAUUUULA THE IIS, IS IT DOWN?” It stuck.

Date Made: March 23rd, 2015
Block #79
Days on Project: 83
Blocks Made: 81

For Costas K.

Block #78 For Marsha R.

Marsha R. is one of my awesome co-workers. The thing I like the most about Marsha is how much she cares about other people. After my surgery she was very sweet to check in on me and encourage me to not be stupid and come back to soon. Which is exactly what I did.

She has a kind heart and goes out of her way to make others feel special. That’s the thing about having a lot of friends with different qualities and traits, you see it in them, and it makes you want to be a better person. This little project of mine has made me stop and think about each person I dedicate one of these too. I might only write a funny story sometimes, but I do think quite a bit on them and how they have made my life better.

Date Made: March 21st, 2015
Block #78
Days on Project: 82
Blocks Made: 81

For Marsha R.