Yesterday, after a week of purging and cleaning, our Realtor arrived with his house staging expert, Francine. OMG! I hardly recognize my own home. We have relocated several pieces of furniture to the garage which will go into a storage unit. Much of our art work has been relocated or banished. She really like most of my quilts, but some I have been asked to take down and possibly display in the studio.  Here is what is gone: a lovely game table and four chairs from the living room, three bar stools from the kitchen/breakfast room, the desk in the hallway, a side table in the bedroom and she wanted us to remove the credenza in the breakfast room, but we balked at that. It is very heavy and very functional – I really need it. We have to remove all of our personal family photos. She says "We want it to look like a model home and it will pay off in several thousands of dollars!" So we have to accomplish all of the transformations by late next week so that they can film for the virtual tour which will be available on line or on a free cd that prospects can pick up at our house.

Now, here is the kicker. Today the Realtor called and said that he has a weekly breakfast meeting with other Realtors and they exchange listings and try to match up with buyers. He thinks he has a buyer for our house at full price. I am so hoping that this works out. He worked out a deal like this for our assoc. priest at church.

Anyway, I have some quilting work to do. So tonight, I messed things up in my studio a little. I talked my art quilt into making a raffle art quilt for the guild; there will also be a traditional quilt. We decided to do Postcards from Sonoma County with viticulture, vineyards and wineries as our subjects. We will make postcards that measure 12 inches by 18 inches and choose a few to be collaged on a background. So I feel vested in this and want to get mine done by next week. I started mine in Sue Benner’s class. I felt it needed a focal point so I added a building in the background and a hot air balloon. The balloon is not fused down and does not have the basket yet. But here is a photo of what I have done tonight. It has no quilting done. It is still just fused.

I’m off to bed. Have to get up early and clean up my mess and get ready for the preview. Wish us luck!

Thirty-eight years ago today, I was very large with child – slighty past the due date!!  We lived in Schenectady. NY, and the temps had been hovering around 20 below for days. The weather changed and we experienced a thaw. We knew right then that we were having a brilliant child who knew enough to wait for decent weather to be born. Elisabeth Ann came bursting into the world with a smile on her face and was dubbed the most beautiful baby by the nurses who did not want to let her go home. She had a temperment to match. Lisa, as we would call her, became the family cheer leader and organizer and was always ready for a good time. But, oh, that smile. As you will see in this photo montage, her smile is radiant.

Lisa is a champion master swimmer and competes in meets throughout the country. Here she is having one of her early swims. (Check out the babe giving her swim lessons!!)

She was always an animal lover:

Here she is ready for the ballet, pretty in pink.

Lisa (in the center) dancing to her own music. (That would be Lisa!)

What was she thinking, but she still is smiling!!

She loved to take part in school and church plays.

Lisa, the pianist.

Still smiling:

Is that the same red bathing suit?

Here she is with her bigger little sister, Stephanie:

Lisa as college graduate with her cool big brother, Mark.

Now for your enjoyment – the Lisa smile times 3!!

Happy birthday, Lili!! Dad and I love you very much.

Oh, and look at the amaryllis!!