On Thursday, last week, I took a class called, "Fine Finishes."  It was an all-day class and it was wonderful!  Here is our teacher, Vaune Pierce, doing a demonstration and explaining something -

                                            

                                           

Here you can see many of the ladies gathered around for demonstrations -

                                         

                                          

And sewing -

                                           

And this was our table -my machine is on the left - with the section with the presser feet opened up because I had to keep switching the presser foot to one that would do each different technique.

                                              

We learned so many things about dress construction, and in particular, all those ways of finishing a yoke-style smocked dress that were so helpful to me as I finish up a dress for Megan.  We learned and practiced making nice French seams, putting on piping, making a Peter Pan collar, making plackets, and lots of things.  She was so interesting and energetic and fun, and gave us lots of tips.

Jessie and I took that class, and Debbie took a class on advanced embroidery and she showed me a sample of it at lunch that day -

                                         

Here are Jessie and Debbie at lunch -

                                         

After the classes were over, we met up with another friend and the four of us went out for dinner to another place that Debbie knew of, called the Baker's Crust -

                                         

This is the only picture I got with Rhoda with us - sorry about that!

                                         

The next day was only a half day of classes, and Jessie and I took a class on using silk ribbon embroidery to both embroider and smock.  This is a sample of the teacher's work that I took some pictures of (with her permission) to be able to look at the picture and try to make mine look like that!

                                         

                                         

But in three hours, I only got as far as getting the bow made and partially sewn on!  Another unfinished project!  This one is going to the bottom of my list, because, much as I think I will enjoy it, I have other projects that need my attention first!  Our teacher was Kathy Awender, and here she is giving us some demonstrations -

                                         

                                         

                                         

                                         

After that class, Jessie and Rhoda and I ate lunch (it was included in our registration for the days we took classes) and then we went to the very nice mall which was only 2 blocks away and did a very fast 30 minute walk!  Then we did some shopping, met up with Debbie again, and the four of us ate at Chili's at the mall.

Tomorrow - random pictures of Norfolk.

                                         

This past week I went to the SAGA convention - Smocking Arts Guild of America.  It was in Norfolk, VA.  It was a great opportunity to attend classes, learn new skills and techniques, and see wonderful dresses and projects all related to smocking, embroidery, and heirloom sewing.

I went with my friend Jessie, and we left home on Tuesday and arrived in Norfolk late Tuesday afternoon.  We got all registered and had dinner, and sat in our room and did some sewing.  Wednesday morning, we did not have a class that we were taking, so we took that day to walk around the area and see some sights.   I took pictures of the waterfront area, but I don't seem to be able to find them, so that might be in tomorrow's post!

One of the highlights of the trip for me was to see my high school best friend, Debbie, who lives near there, and who also signed up to take a class last week.  But on Wednesday evening, she came to the hotel to get registered for her class and we all went out for dinner.  We went to a restaurant called Freemason Abbey, where Debbie's son is one of the chefs!

                                        

                                        

Here is Debbie -

                                        

We did some walking around with Debbie before dinner while it was still light out. 

                                        

                                        

                                        

Here is Jessie -

                                        

                                        

Tomorrow - our class with this wonderful teacher -

                                        

                                  

I finished piecing the top of Megan's quilt!  This will be the quilt for her big-girl bed when she gets out of her crib in time for the new baby to arrive.  Amanda picked this adorable pattern and colors -

                                         

                                         

                                         

There is enough of some of that fabric left over for a couple of pillowcases. 

Last week, we had some ladies come to re-organize our church library.  They entered all of the books into the computer, and some of us learned how to do that.  Then we spent most of the week labeling and shelving books.  I was there a LOT!  Here are some pictures of the work being done - it was all brought into the Fellowship Hall so that there would be lots of table space -  oh, and there is Alan, and it is his wife (sitting at the table behind him) who re-organizes libraries.  They were at dinner at our house the week before.

                                          

There she is - that's Beverly.

                                          

More volunteers -

                                          

                                          

                                          

And Betsy came too -

                                          

And there are Megan and Charlie!  They didn't actually come to help with books, although Megan did her share of pulling down books and giving them to people.  On Wed of last week, Amanda had a doctor's appt, so she brought the kids to me at the church, which is actually very close to her doctor's office.

                                          

                                          

There is Amber, our church secretary who played with Megan a little -

                                          

                                          

                                          

And then the next day, Amber and I spent a lot of the day shelving books.  What a job!

                                          

It was a very busy week!  Then I spent a lot of the weekend sewing, and getting ready for this week - Smocking Convention!!!  I am not taking my computer but when I come back I hope to have lots of pictures AND lots of new skills about all kinds of heirloom sewing.

Last night we had 15 of us together for dinner - it was such a wonderful time!  Our church has some missionaries in town these two weeks - Tom and Jan - who have been associated with our church for about 35 years ( long before we moved here) - it is their home church.  So, they are in the area, and going to be visiting and speaking in several places. 

                                

They are staying with Bud and Jessie while they are here -

                                

So, last night, we had all of them, as well as our pastor, John - standing here with Jim -

                                

John's wife, Martha, who is sitting with another visiting pastor - his name is Alan -

                                

Alan and Beverly are here for the week doing some teaching and working.  Here is Beverly, chatting with Betsy.  We were just showing her some pictures of CCCD Jamaica, where she has also been to visit and work at the Deaf school in Kingston -

                                 

This couple, Linda and Gerhard, are on our missions committee, and came with two of their daughters -

                                 

                                 

                                 

Here are a few more random shots -

                                

                                

                                

                                

                                

I had so much help in the kitchen!  Betsy helped a lot, Jim did the grilling, and some of the men helped serve dessert and load the dishwasher.  Then Jessie finished up all of the dishes for me!

                                

One of the important topics of the evening was football!  There were several "important" games going on!  VA Tech was beaten by JMU, and then in South Carolina, Clemson beat Presbyterian College.  Our pastor went to Clemson, and my friend Pam (she and her husband head up our missions committee) is a grad of Presbyterian College.  And Pam and Steve had gone to the game!  So, she kept us all up-to-date via texting and facebook pictures about the game!  Then Alan asked if he could use my computer to check e-mail and things, and sure enough, he was checking football scores!

                               

What fun we had!  I was delighted to see everyone relaxed and happily moving around and chatting with each other!  I forgot to take pictures of the food!  But my menu was London Broil on the grill, baked beans in the crock pot, a pasta/cucumber salad, green beans from Amanda's garden, sliced tomatoes, also from Amanda's garden, fruit salad, and rolls.  Oh, and I had veggies and dip and cheese and crackers when they arrived.  And for dessert, I made an apple cake with apples from our local orchard!  Served with ice cream. 

Nobody ever did give me a report on my own alma mater's football team. . . Temple.  I don't even know who they played!

After we played with the kids in the driveway, we walked around to the front of the house.  Charlie was looking for acorns, and so then Megan had to look for acorns!  Cute, cute!

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

We recently had some landscaping started in our yard.  One of the first things was to replace the stairs that were here - these new ones look great and are a lot safer than the old ones!

                                      

                                      

Then we had this dry bed put in - lots of stones and rocks.  It looks great too!

                                      

I'll have to take a picture of that so you can see right where it is - another time.  We had some flower beds re-done, and we'll be having a few more things done this fall.

Here is Minuette watching  - she wanted to play too!

                                      

                                      

Thought I'd start putting on here the pictures I took on Labor Day and continue tomorrow when I'm not quite so tired!

Sam and Amanda wanted to go out on Labor Day morning and asked if we could babysit for a little while.  Of course we could!  And Jim was thrilled that he was home to play with Charlie and Megan!

Megan came with the cutest barrette in her hair!  She finally has enough hair to wear one, and it stayed in the whole time!

                                        

                                        

She was a little tired at first - and she thinks it always helps to have the blanket Mommy knitted for her to bring along!

                                        

                                        

It was a beautiful day and cooler than it had been, so we spent a lot of time outside -

                                        

                                        

                                        

There is a basketball hoop up over the garage door that you can't see in these pictures.

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

Look for more pictures next time!

Sorry, I don't have pictures, but today, I went with Betsy and Luna to the courthouse.  Betsy is scheduled for jury duty for a 3-month time span, but she was able to fill out a form to request off for the days she already has plans to be out of town or whatever.  They suggested that the easiest thing to do is go there and fill out the form.

When Betsy has to go for her actual jury duty, the court will supply an interpreter, and they already know that.  But for today, since she just had to walk in and fill out a form, we decided that she could just do it with me.  And Luna!  She will be taking Luna with her if she has jury duty, so this was a good day to start!

It all went great.  We did have to instruct the guard at the door, when he asked that I hold Luna so that Betsy would go through the metal detector without the dog, that Betsy and Luna can't be separated like that.  But he was agreeable once he understood.

The test was ok - I came away feeling good about some parts and not so good about others.  And of course, thinking about the ways I should have signed some things or voiced some things differently.  And the many, many things I need to be working on!

Jim drove and we went to Richmond to the offices of the Virginia Dept of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, where they give the test.  My test time was 12:30 and I had to be there at 12:15.  We stopped for lunch around 11:15 when we arrived in Richmond, and I was very careful, as I knew I needed to be, and I ate just a few chicken nuggets and a couple of swallows of diet coke - mostly to make sure I had just a little food and to settle my stomach.  We went over to the test place and arrived before noon, so they let me start early.  It is a 30-min prep time, then 30 mins of the first 3-parts of the practical exam (all done via TV, DVD, and a video camera), then you get a break, then another 30-min prep time, 30 mins of the test, and you are finished.  And exhausted.

Jim and I decided to stop at Natural Bridge on the way home, mostly because Doris and Cerwin had stopped there on their trip to VA, and were talking about it.  They had been there on a Friday night for the seafood buffet.  On Saturday nights they have a barbeque buffet there,  We enjoyed that, and then came home.

I won't get my test results until the middle of January - maybe sooner, but they don't guarantee that.

I knitted during the entire car ride and made a dishcloth to contribute to the basket that will be raffled from our smocking guild at the SAGA convention in a few weeks.   So it was quite a productive day!

I won!!  I won a book by Barbara Cline called Star Stuck Quilts by taking a blog tour and making comments on the sites!  I am so excited!

Sometimes God gives you perks in your life, and this was one in mine!  What a blessing on a day that I am just a little nervous and distracted about that test tomorrow!

That, and that I lost another pound, which doesn't sound like much, but I have been stuck at 15 and hadn't been able to get past that!

VQAS - Virginia Quality Assurance Screening - that is the name of the test that VA gives for the certification of sign language interpreters.  There is a written portion, and then once you pass that, you move into the next phase, which is the practical portion.  That includes signing as you hear something (a story, lecture, whatever) and voicing as you watch a Deaf person signing.  It is all done with a TV moniter and a camera, and a tape is made, and sent to be rated by both Deaf and Hearing raters.

Two years ago I took the practical test for the first time, and achieved a Level 1 (of four levels) which gave me 3 years to try again before I would have to re-take the written and start all over again.  Tomorrow I am taking the test again.  You need a Level 3 to do any major interpreting.  If I keep my Level 1 or improve, I will get 3 more years to try again!

So, I have been practicing, watching lots of sign language DVDs, going to some workshops ( there is very little offered in this area, but that ASL weekend in Florida in June is always so helpful), meeting with interpreter friends and Deaf friends, and doing whatever I can to improve my skills.  Most people start this journey at an age waaaay younger than this!  But, I am doing my best, and tomorrow I will go and do the best I can!

Meanwhile, today I am going to sew on my quilt for Megan!