How can 23 degrees feel warm?

We have had so many storms followed by severe cold that school was out for an entire week.  My children were so glad when they went outside this morning and found it warm.  So I too had to go outside and see.  Sure enough it did in fact feel warm.  I was most surprised when I checked on the weather and discovered it was in only 23 degrees outside.  I am telling you it really felt quite warm.  Anyway there will be school tomorrow.  The children are excited.  They love learning and love school. 

I have been getting ready for my upcoming surgery.  Making sure there are meals to be frozen, and that the household is in order.  The most difficult of these preparations is the care of my mother-in-law Ethel who lives with us.  She has a form of dementia that is called Sundowners, which basically means that when the sun is out Ethel is fine, when it is not she is vastly confused by everything.  She as an assortment of other health issues, and can't be left alone anymore.  So getting a sitter for her has been a priority.  Since she tends to get a bit testy for the sitter (think 2 year old and temper tantrums) I have been working my brain to figure out how to keep her pleasant.  Ethel likes to quilt--she is an amazing quilter, but there are things she can no longer do--like piece the quilt together or put it on the frames.  So I asked a friend of mine, Marcia Chapman to come over and help me piece together a wall hanging for her to quilt.  It will go in my living room when finished.  We started with a piece that was made by my Great Aunt LaVera, before she died some years ago.  It has beautiful turned applique and embroidery on it.

We then added rose pink, light sage green and a tapestry print as borders, adding pinwheel quilt blocks in the corners.  The idea of the pinwheels was to  mirror the movement of the windmill blades.  Also I hate just plain borders.  Anyway here it is on the frames to be quilted.  This picture doesn't really do it justice.  It is 47 inches square.  I have 2 baby quilts in reserve in case she quilts this fast.  Five years ago she would have had it done in an afternoon.  The last baby quilt took her 2 1/2 months of daily quilting, so we will see.  Hopefully a busy Ethel will be a happy Ethel.

During most of this past week my mom was in the hospital for a most horrible headache.  She had a ton of tests and we are thankful that she didn't have a stroke, or tumor, or heart attack or even that spinal meningitis.  The current thinking is that she has temporal arteritis, we are waiting for the biopsy to come back.  The meds are making her feel out of it.  We have been praying and praying for her as we have made many phone calls.   We are thankful that she is now at home.  We all love you here in Missouri and will keep on praying for you Mom.