Goodbyes...... Well, the top picture isn't a goodbye, but I just had to share one of my newest pictures of the baby. I can't believe he's 6 months old already. He sure loves this bouncer. When his mama was a baby, we had one that hung from the door frame and she loved it, too. He's just getting to be such a sweetie. Always has a smile for anyone who just looks at him kindly! Being a grandma is the best thing that's happened to me since I became a mommy!

Well, I said goodbye to my coworkers of the past year yesterday. It was hard because there are a few of them that I'd become really close to. But as I told them, even though I love them, I don't love them enough to give up the new job at the Post Office! Better money and better benefits and I'm sure better working conditions(AIR CONDITIONING!!). I will be going back to visit them every once in a while. The 2nd picture I posted, with the puppy, is a scan of the front of the card the girls gave me along with a really nice going away gift: a sleeveless top, a $25 gift card to Chili's(one of our favorite restaurants), and a $10 gift card to TGIFridays...(another favorite restaurant). They all wrote really nice things about how much they will miss me inside. I'd scan and share that, but they all signed thier last names, and I don't want to publish that. They said I didn't give them enough warning to do more than that, but I thought those were wonderful gifts. I had told them a couple of weeks ago I was leaving, but didn't get the actual start date til I came home from work on Tuesday and found a letter in the mail telling me I start this coming Monday. I had kind of wanted to take a week off between jobs, but since we really can't afford it, I guess this was a blessing! Now I'm anxious to start the next chapter in my life!

Vacation time... We took a little mini vacation and drove down to visit some friends who live in Clarksville, Arkansas. He is my husbands best friend from high school and moved down there when he married Penny back in 2001(I think that was the year..I lose track of time lol) We got there on July 4th and that evening, he bbq'd and we enjoyed watching thier little boy(age 4) get excited over the fireworks. I miss having little ones around sometimes. Really looking forward to Caleb getting excited over the holidays. Anyway, on Thursday, Penny had to work, so Karl took us on a backroads tour of the mountains. He took us to this swinging bridge that none of us were brave enough to walk across, but did walk out on.(See the new picture in my profile). Then he took us to this really cool old house. It is literally out in the middle of nowhere. Ya know the old saying "Over the river and thru the woods"? Well, that's where we had to go to get to this house. It is open for touring, with a note on the walls saying please don't steal. It is really neat. Amazing that it has been untouched by graffitti or theives, but I guess it takes to much effort to get there for that kind of riff raff. I took a few pictures there. The top picture is one of me taken at the bottom of the VERY STEEP stairs.

Then we went on to a place Karl called Strawberry Bluff. The bottom picture is one he took of hubby and I standing on the bluff with the gorgeous view behind us. I tried to add a few more pictures, but blogger isn't cooperating....hopefully I can later.

Back to work for me tomorrow. Hopefully for only 3 more weeks, then I start my new job.....keep your fingers crossed for me! It all just depends on how fast the PO(not the local one, but the big one in KC) gets my paperwork processed. It's all a waiting game........so I wait.........lol

Lookie Lookie! I finished a whole quilt from start to finish in 3 days! I went into the sewing room at 8:00 Thursday night to gather stuff for a class I was taking on Friday(I know, nothing like the last minute...I'm just that kind of girl). Gathered stuff I thought would look ok together and sewed 12 4 patch blocks and cut sashing and borders according to the pre class instructions. Then, Friday, went to class and took a "Quilt as You Piece" class. I got my quilt completely assembled and trimmed. The only thing I had left to do was a little quilting in the ditch and the binding, which I finished this afternoon! I'm a little upset with myself that there is a small pucker on the back, but it was to late to fix it by the time I found it without doing some major redo and I just decided to close my eyes when I look at that corner! This quilt will be donated to Hospice along with several others our guild has made this past year.

I also finished a blouse for myself this morning. AND canned 7 quarts of green beans and have pickles soaking to make later. Been a very productive day.

Also, I've had some really big news that I've been afraid to share yet. I've been offered a job at the Post Office!!! I have been keeping it kinda quiet because I had some vacation and holiday pay coming from my job and you know how big companies are, if they can screw you out of something, they will. So I waited til it's to late, now I'll tell them when we go back to work on July 9th.(If the PO doesn't want me to come to work that week). It was really hard keeping it a secret from a few of my co workers. I finally told them on Thursday a little bit before we got off work. They are all sad to see me go, but happy for me. They also all agreed that I did the right thing by not saying anything to the company til we go back. Only a select few know. I'll be glad to get it out when we go back. No more dirty little secrets! lol Don Henleys song "Dirty Laundry" has been playing over and over and over in my head the last couple of weeks....especially the part about "dirty little secrets, dirty little lies"...hehe....

Anyway, that's my latest news. Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July Holiday.