The Complaint Department

Okay, most of y'all know that I live in Texas but maybe not exactly where in the Lone Star state. Watauga is actually a suburb of Fort Worth. My house is about 20 minutes NW of DFW airport...about 200 miles from Oklahoma City...which in Texas is just down the road apiece. We all know that summer is hotter than an oven but winter is supposed to be easy. What??? The weather guessers are predicting 1 to 3 inches of snow. The temperature is falling like a rock and I have no food in the house.....yikes! So I get myself bundled up and off to the grocery store. First complaint, why do I have to do this? Why wasn't I smart enough to do it yesterday when it was a balmy 46 F? Reason: I was in the studio working.

Second complaint: All these new ideas and so little time to do them. All of you who work by hand will appreciate that there just aren't enough hours in the day. However, I love the process in which I work, love the way the quilts look and feel, and don't plan on changing. There is a problem in this mindset. Time. I was asked to do a quilt for the Pilgrim-Roy challenge in Paducah....good cause since they are auctioned off next year to raise money for MAQS. How do you say no to that?

Finally get the design done....which, of course, sparks several new ideas....and start sewing. But is that what I want to do? Nah...I want to be working on the new designs. But there is a deadline of April something so I am being a good girl.

Third complaint: My kitchen is a pit. Two days of dirty dishes...so bad for the hands to do dishes when you are a hand sewer. None the less, they must be done...#$%! As soon as I finish complaining, I will tackle the biohazard.

Fourth Complain: I haven't taken a stitch yet today. Why? Working on other projects, no. Cleaning the house, no. It was the grocery store.....the dreaded shopping for sustanence. I am so over trying to think of what to eat, what to cook and having to buy it. Bleech!

Fifth Complaint: Tomorrow is Ronnie's birthday....yikes! I totally forgot. There is nothing to buy for the man who won't tell you what he wants. Although there are a few things I could think of for myself....but stop...it's his birthday....sorry I lost myself in a shopping fugue for a moment.
The only solution is to make him some dark chocolate almond candy. Receipe: 1 large bar Hershey's special dark chocolate, 1 bar Ghiradelli's bittersweet chocolate, 1 lb. raw almonds.
Toast almonds at 350F. for 9-11 minutes. When you can smell them you know they are ready.
Cool almonds. Melt both bars of chocolate in microwave, about 3 minutes or until soft. Pour cool almonds in chocolate; stir. Spoon onto wax paper to cool. If you are in a hurry, put them in the fridge to cool.

Sixth Complaint: Making the candy will keep from sewing until tomorrow afternoon. Why?