Tonight I went out with a group of friends for drinks. They all have a usual Monday night thing after tennis. I don't play tennis at all, but it was still a nice time out. One of my running partners invited me out to celebrate my birthday. She reads my blog, so I have to say, "Thanks for the girls night out." It was nice to get out of the house AND to spend time socializing.
This is the osprey that we watched devour a fish last night during our cookout. I saw the white head and thought for a minute it was an eagle. There are a couple that nest new the back of the neighborhood. After I took the picture, I zoomed in and got a good look at his head. Definitely an osprey. I really do need to get my eyes checked.
I put together a few of the leaders and enders blocks yesterday to see how I like them. I think in general it's pretty good, I'll have to watch the contrast and make sure I don't get too many lights in the outside rim. It is certainly an easier pattern than the Irish chain to keep track of.
I kept working on the OC quilt today, and got all of step 4 done, along with a big chunk of step 5. I didn't get any pictures taken yet, but I'll be sure to get the camera out tomorrow. It was a nice relaxing day, and I alternated between quilting an laundry. Not much of an alternation I guess since those are such similar things, but I caught up on my recorded shows for the week while I was at it. I've been DVRing all of the crime scene shows as preparation for my forensic science class next year. Tomorrow is still a work day, even if it is post planning, so I should call it a night.
We had a nice visit with Mom. She's in Orlando at meetings for the next couple of days and then we'll take Anna over to spend a few days with her. Of course it's hard to accomplish any projects with company in the house. The guest room is my usual sewing place, or the dining room table which I clear off when the house is supposed to be clean. I did get a stack of leaders and enders ironed and put away as well as sorting and laying out a new batch. 
After I get a new batch of leaders and enders laid out, I tend to just power through and sew through them all. I'm not always the most patient of people I guess. Mom wanted to watch the season finale of The Bachelorette, so I also got some more cutting done on the Dad's plaids quilts. While I was at it, I cut 12 blocky stars blocks out the same fabric. They both use 2.5 inch strips, so I thought I might as well. I needed to be social and sit with mom, but I haven't been watching the show, so I needed something to occupy my mind. The show was 3 HOURS long, so I had plenty of time to sit and cut. 
Last night we celebrated Ryan's birthday. His big day is two months after the girls and I have ours, so we are always a little hung over with birthday party fun by the time his comes around. He chose lasagna for his birthday dinner. Actually he chose leftovers or lunchables first, and I talked him out of it. We've had three birthday parties in the last week, so I'm a little done with cake by now. Ryan chose white Funfetti with white Funfetti frosting. Maybe I'll freeze half for later. With Jamaica coming up in a few weeks I'm trying to avoid too much birthday cake.
