Happy Thursday to you!  I expected to wake up to rain today, but I am thankful it is sunny and clear.  We have entered into our spring rainy season, with thunder and showers in the afternoons; it helps our yard stay nice and green and as long as we have the majority of day without the rain, I'm fine.  I don't know about you, but I always feel much better when I can be outside in the sunshine enjoying life. 
I am one who could not live in the desert though; it does have it's own beauty, but I am not attracted to it at all. 
Yesterday was a wonderful day, for the most part!  I had lunch with a newer friend and it was such a nice time; we ate at Panera's and I had a great Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. I think we could have spent the afternoon there getting to know each other, but I had sewing with two grands, so had to cut our time shorter than I would have liked.  So onto the surprise I got~several weeks ago I took four granddaughters to Joann's for fabric.  We are making pillow cases.  Each girl bought 6 fat quarters and fabric for the back of the pillowcase.  Now, I'm here to tell you that the fabric cost more than I anticipated, the fat quarters were the price of ones in a quilt store.  What ever happened to Joann's being reasonably priced?  Imagine my surprise yesterday when we went to cut the fat quarters, but they weren't really fat quarters.  For all you quilters reading this, can you tell me what dimensions you consider a fat quarter.  Thanks.  So I began measuring with the two granddaughters and sure enough the fabric wasn't the right size.  Hummmmm.  Well, we decided that we would just add a strip of fabric onto the end of the strip; it might not look like we wanted it too, but it would work.  I'm thankful my grands are 10-7 yrs of age and not too picky.  If we had saved the wrapping of the fat quarters, I might have taken them back.  As I said, the fabric for these pillow cases was very pricey; next time I'll go to Walmart.  So one girl began sewing her strips together and as we lined them up on my design wall we were pleased.  Onto the next grand; two of her squares were about 2-3" shorter than the rest of her fat quarters.  I will have to do some tweeking today to get all the strips the same length.  What I did decide though was to go back to Joanne's and complain to the manager.  Lest you think I'm being picky about the fabric, the cost ran about $70. for all the material and it wasn't even a lot of fabric.  If the fat quarters were correct in their measurements, it would be fine however it will be obvious that there is a seam where there shouldn't be.  The girls are just fine with it thankfully and I know this will be the first of several pillowcases they make.  So if any of you out there shop at Joann's for material, make sure you know that the pieces are the right size.  If I had been the one to wash and iron the fabric, I would have headed back there immediately.  Lesson learned.
Today I'm walking and then will have sewing with my other two grands.  So very thankful that we can all learn together. 
I hope you have a wonderful day!
Blessings,
Noreen