Today my day is not starting with sunshine; it's a bit blue. My trip is coming and while very excited, I am not ready. 'Ready' is a relative term and in my case might be better if changed to 'ready enough.' I am tired, and I am worried. Have I covered everything? What might happen while I'm gone that I can 'pre-fix?' Stress can be a good motivator sometimes, and while I am much more organized than usual, it is making me too anxious. Since ironing, which still needs to be done, is probably not going to help, maybe a short walk with my dog is the best solution.

"Happiness can be as easy as opening your eyes and heart." This is what I have had engraved on a few things to remind me to look around and notice: nature, people, art, color, feelings, smells, (everything) and then see them again in my heart, with a new viewpoint. Sometimes it works.

Maybe I should take the camera on that short walk.

Oh my! Just a few days until my trip to Japan!! We were told to make or buy something small pertinent to us to give as special thank you gifts, so I made 5 little 4"x5" pouches from this St. Louis fabric to give away. They turned out really nice! The other pouch is cute with a small pocket on the outside and I like it a lot, but it has nothing special to do with my area. So that was fun to do & easy!

This trip will be very interesting and I will learn so much, but these next few days are going to be hectic getting things in order at the house. I am packed - lightly so there's room to bring back the fun things I know I will buy! - so that's not a problem. I've arranged for my dog to go play at a friend's house so my husband won't have to worry if an out-of-town business meeting comes up. Laundry will be done and house reasonably clean because I know he's not going to do much of either of those things. Two meetings are lined up to take care of business and one volunteer session I wish I could get out of, but no matter. The tasting for the reception is the day before I leave which will help get decisions made early, and that's good. What am I forgetting?!?

I want to take a few minutes to learn some basic Japanese phrases, so I hope somewhere on the internet there will be a uTube lesson! Plus I have my book to read for the long plane ride and some handwork to do. The main thing is to finish the baby quilt I want to send to Mike and Karly as an early surprise - and it has a way to go. So I need to stop writing here and go sew!

Happy April Fool's Day!!

It is such a beautiful day but beware, the weatherman says we are on our way to setting a record of heat - possibly getting as high as 90 degrees today!

So I thought I'd better take a few pictures before more of the Spring flowers are wilted by the heat. These azaleas are full of blossoms this morning. Little stars of color!

And right next to them is the dogwood tree with its delicate blossoms. I wish Spring coolness would stay longer so the flowers would last!

I am packing and getting ready for my trip to Japan, which is so exciting and really something I'd never, ever thought would be happening. But more on that later. The only thing about leaving in a few days is that I'm going to miss most of my garden's flowers! Oh well, really I should not complain and I will take photos of the beautiful cherry blossoms that will be in full bloom while I am visiting Japan!

So last Friday March 30 I went with my daughter Amanda and her fiancé Ryan to a 'tasting' for the rehearsal dinner. Oh my, such good food! We did have fun, but are trying to make things more casual - like an at home Italian dinner not a plated fancy dinner (which is more for the reception anyway.) We will start with beer, wine and sodas on the patio with a bruschetta bar until everyone arrives and gets to say their hellos.

Then we go inside for dinner with served salads, but the rest of the food we will pass around. We will have platters of spaghetti with marinara sauce, and people can add meatballs or eggplant parmesan as they choose. There will be fresh bread too, of course. Dessert is planned to be out on the patio again with a gelato cart and cannelloni. Plus more time to sit, talk, have wine or coffee and chill for a bit.

How does that sound to you? I'm hoping it is fun & relaxing!