The US of A

Yep again, been AWOL but with good excuse ! Moved onto new compound, didn't have internet for 'an age' which wasn't until almost when it was time to leave for our vacation out of the searing heat of Saudi ! Anyway, when I return next week I will download loads of pics and try to get back up to date with things as soon as possible.

Back to the vacation, we spent a couple of weeks in the UK with family and doing the obligatory 'shopping' ! Then onto the Big Old USA ! I will tell more soon with pics but in short, it was fantastic !

I loved California especially Marble Mountain Ranch and Mount Shasta but I'll leave it there for now although you can have a look at the link below for a preview on The Marble Mountain Ranch:

http://www.marblemountainranch.com/

Photo's courtesy of Katie !

Absences

Sorry for the long absence, but we've been busy on hoiday to Jordan and then Egypt and then busy packing and unpacking from our move to our new 'Super Compound'. Unfortunately internet is even worse than on our old compound and we are awaiting Mobily to set up their mast so we can have access for a more permanent amount of time. At the moment I have been able to snag a 'dongle' just to do a few emergency things like checking my emails and of course to check my blog. While I have a little bit of internet time I thought I'd explain my absence and even try to get a posting published.

I might be back in a short while with an update on the holiday and the move and maybe even some pictures.

Bye for now, Sharon

Do You Know This person ?

This was my Auzzie Penpal from the 70's when I went to Arundel Court School in the UK. I lost contact and wondered if anyone recognised her seeing as its such a small world nowadays.

I can't remember her name unfortunatley but maybe someone might recognise her or her little sister (I thinks its her sister).

Second Quilt Finished !

This morning started with an early start of 6am to get the kids off to school and then onto collect Paola to go off to Zamils for some batting to back her quilt. Then onto the quilt group where I finally got the Random Rail Fence quilt finished today at the quilting group. This was only because I didn't have enough fabric to make the border on the Space quilt so luckily I did take along my unfinished quilt. I'm so pleased its finally done ! Rail fence maybe simple but its very effective and I'll make another quite soon I'm sure to use up the scraps.


Now back on with the Space quilt and a matching pillow. Ideally I'd have liked to make it larger but the souk in Dammam had ran out of the planets material but thanks to Alison for trying for me.

Bedouin Piecemakers Quilting Group

http://bedouinpiecemakers.blogspot.com/

At our last Beduoin Piecemakers quilting meeting I decided to go around and take some snap shots of the 'works in progress' on the Amish quilt that has been the last 2 months project. One of the members suggested that I might like start a blog for the group. Therefore, this is what I have been making a start on over the last couple of days along with my excercise regime and sewing the binding on my 2nd quilt. When the Amish quilts are all finished I will take some more photo's to include in the blog.

Its still very much in the early stages and have to decide on the format and content of the blog before I can go any further but that will be sorted fairly soon, I'm sure.

If anyone is in the Al Khobar area and wishes to join the group please email the group at: bedouinpiecemakers@yahoo.com

Please Ladies No Smoking

First things first...I had to return some exercise wear today as it was too big. Ladies are not allowed to try items on before buying so we have to go thru the routine of buying, trying on at home and then getting back for a refund or exchange, all to just go home and retry until we get the desired item. Well it was 2 days ago that I purchased the top and was told it had to be returned within 24 hours for a refund and therefore, I was not allowed to have a refund, I could have an exchange. I am fed up of this routine and just wanted my money back. Anyway, the salesman gave in after 10 minutes of me saying 'no, I want my money back and I don't want anything else from the store today thankyou'.

Its worth knowing that its pointless getting annoyed or angry as it gets you nowhere so you just have to be patient and sometimes it pays off as it did in this case.

I then went onto the Mall of Dharan to get some other items. Again the same routine, buy the items, (in this case) run to a toilet and try them on and run as fast back to the stall for an exchange or refund. This is fine but remember all women do this and by the time you get back to the stall the checkout is full of us all trying to do the same thing.

I HATE SHOPPING ! Well I love shopping anywhere else because I can try first.

Imagine how amazed I was at finding a changing room in one of the stores in the new part of the Mall ! I was thrilled trying on 7 items and only buying the one that fit and suited me. Got some new gym wear for my 'schwinn sessions'...horray, after about 4 months of working myself up to it.

Then I decided to go and have a Costa's and Tuna Melt Foccacia during prayer time. Everything is quiet, eating and drinking when I notice a Matawa with a policeman walking towards us in Costa. They went up to a woman whom I don't think could have been saudi as she was uncovered and with 2 men and another woman. The Matawa signed to the men to tell her to 'stop smoking'. He then went up to her and did the same thing. She waved him away which I thought would bring more trouble but he just walked on thru the Mall. The woman then made a face as he walked off. I wasn't sure what the reaction of the other people in the cafe would be as they were mostly saudi men and women, and to my surprise they were all smiling and finding it all rather amusing too.

Oh yes, the men were all smoking but this is not a problem. Only women are not allowed to smoke openly.

There you go, another interesting thing for saudi life to add to my blog.

Book Review - Anita Grossman Solomon Response

WOW ! A personal reply from the author Ms Solomon. Very impressive. I had no idea people were actually reading my blog, well apart from me and my 4 followers !

I have included the reply in this post as I think it merits a show rather than finding it thru the comments section as its a good response in answer to my limited experience of quilting reviews.

Thank you so much for your reply Anita it was much appreciated to get the personal touch.

Response:Hi,

Glad you are giving it a try. It's the same as 'regular' piecing except that you piece on one sheet of vellum. By not cutting up the subunits you won't have to pin them together. Perfect matching.

You can watch videos of it. Note the links at the bottom of my blog.

http://makeitsimpler.blogspot.com