Hey April Birthdays -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL! I hope you are enjoying your month. And best of all, the month isn't over and at least one of us still needs to get some out yet! That would be me :) Alwaysagarden, could you drop me an email with addresses? Or someone. I remember getting an email that said to save it and um, well, I failed. I have kinda been a bit lost. I've been working full time for 3 months now and job will probably last another 2 months at least. I'm not used to full time. It puts a big cramp in my old routine! I love part time where there was actually time for email, internet, hobbies! And now garden time is approaching FAST! I recently found a fantastic variety of commercial seeds which surprized me -- at a local feed store! I can't wait to get back there! And I really feel a deep NEED to spend some time at the nurseries in town!!! And this job is depriving me of my addiction! Actually I'm just kidding. So glad to have the job to have the money to spend. Anyway, I haven't posted much but you April birthdays are on my mind and will do what i can soon.

Hahaha............My computer was acting up (or my high-speed internet was in SLO-MO, I'm not sure), and I didn't realize that any of my post had appeared. I gave up trying to post and figured I would just check back later and try again. Tikanas - I can't wait to hear about your DS's reaction to his party. Have fun. Raeanne - You were close about the umbrella!! Here is the rest of my original post: and I didn't have the towel, umbrella or roll of paper towels that I usually keep in the trunk. I dried myself off with some napkins. I had to laugh though, cause I was really, really wet and I looked really, really funny!! LOL We had a fairly uneventful trip to take DD to school. I have talked to her every day and she seems to be settling in nicely. She is complaining about having to walk everywhere, but she'll get used to it. Her roommates are both really nice and they have already met some cute guys who live in their building. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing!! LOL (((Besh))) - I hope you are finding the strength to get through this weekend. NHSuzanne - Be careful with those bales of hay. Isn't this the time of year that you got sick after handling all that hay?? I will be thinking about you. Gotta run and get out of these wet clothes, but I wanted to check in while DS was busy elsewhere. Hello to everyone! Marci PS - I never did get out my wet clothes. I got busy and just air dried. DH looked at me strangely when he got home (from helping a friend move) until I looked in a mirror and realized how bedraggled I still looked. Oh well, after 27 years of marriage, he has definitely seen me at my best and my worst. LOL

We are starting nine days of vacation today. Yippee! In doing my maternal genealogy DH & I have located about a dozen graves of my ancestors from the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries throughout New England. Many served in various military capacities. For the past 15+ years we have used Memorial Day as a time to visit the graves & do maintenance. Many are in very rural areas but located on private property. Others are in rural cemeteries that have virtually been lost to time. We cut back encroaching forest growth, straighten the stones, & plant a daylily. The oldest military grave dates to 1687. It took us 5 years to find the site. The headstone was buried halfway...we knew it HAD to be the right grave so DH started digging. We were able to get a tracing of the stone's engraving for verification. It's quite a hike off the road to reach the grave site. We notified the historical society of the location back in the early 90's so Samuel's grave now has a permanent Veteran's placque & flag. Buried near Samuel we located the graves of his second wife & 2 of their children who died in infancy. Other graves are in more prominent cemeteries & we visit just to pay our respects & leave one rose. We'll start our trip before dawn on Monday & won't be home until well after dark. All we can reach in one day are those graves in MA & NH. The rest we visit periodically to keep them maintained. Today & tomorrow we'll do some garden work & BBQ. Next week, we'll take the ferry to Orient Point & spend the day garden center hopping. Then, we'll toss a suitcase in the car & take off for a few days...location unknown as of yet. Have a safe & great long weekend, everybody! /tricia

Thank you to all of you!!! What a great day I am having :) Prairy Flower Blocks Left to right Top row: Eileen, Dee, Jackie, Kristene Row 2: Cathleen, Paula, Dee, Jackie, Kristene Row 3: Jayne FQ, Jayne, Kitty, Jackie, Kristene Row 4: Melissa, Kitty, CindyK, Tara - this is going to be a great quilt! A special thanks to Jayne for the purple fat quarter, Eileen for the needle grabber, Dee for 2 blocks, Cindy K for the glow in the dark bobber light :), Jackie for 3 blocks, Kitty for 2 blocks, Kristene for 3 blocks and Tara for the post card of the 1845 Turlip quilt. thanks so much again! Marie