Well, we did it.  I finally bit the bullet and gave Dick the go-ahead to update my pc to Windows 7.......that meant all those pictures I've been sorting, tagging, labeling & transferring out to photoshop risked being poof, gone.  Again.  Well, not the photos themselves, gone, but all the structure & tags surrounding them gone.  That and the data that I promised to give Fran (but didn't yet)....risked gone.  Well, heck, "do it" I say, do it.  So, he DID.  He used the wizard that came with the software, and my new, little bitty, 60 GB hard drive (where I've been storing all my embroidery designs of late), and POOF!!  Six hours later, what do I have in my hot little hands, but a FULLY-FUNCTIONING, WINDOWS 7 pc, WITH all my pictures & data intact.  Even my FAVORITES (and God knows there are hundreds!!) and passwords have been moved back over.  WHOOOOOOHOOOO!  And, with a bit of luck, I'll be able to get security updates & patches and NOT GET BLUE SCREENED TO DEATH every time!  HOW EXCITING IS THAT!

Ok, so that was a couple of days ago.  And for those of you that have been hiding under a rock, you should know that in the meantime, I have opened up a shop on Etsy.com.  That's a community of people that sell handcrafted or vintage items or supplies to be used in the making of handcrafted items.  You'll find me at http://sewwritecreations.etsy.com.  'Nuff said - go there if ya want something unique & handmade.  I hope to be getting lots more stuff out there soon, including (pay attention Chuck - I have your cottages in mind here) some "stained-glass" quilts.  That's wall-hanging art quilts that are made of fabric, but in the stained-glass style.  Can't wait!

So, today is Saturday, due to the forecast t-storms & tornados on Friday night, we missed our date night.  Friday has been date night at our house for ages.  Long as I can remember, just about.  Well, we got the lightning & thunder, oh, my, big time, but  not the tornado they promised (and I do thank God for that bit of good fortune, since we ARE on top of a hill and all), nor the hail.  Now, Bandera, about 10 miles away & Kerrvill, about 30 miles away did get golf-ball sized hail, but we woke up to sunny skies & cool weather.  We kicked around activity options and decided we'd pass on the Ranch Day celebration at the local state park (neither of us is big on driving 40 miles round trip just to watch kids be kids).  We've pretty much done Bandera, with all the geocaching we did the other day....soooooo...let's saddle up & just head out to see what's on the other side of the mountain.  Yup, that's just what we did, but when we got to the sign that suggested a truck route due to steep grades, we decided sometimes the better route is not the direct route & we took the detour.  We didn't have the camper with us, but just the same.....

It really was a very pretty ride out thru the Hill Country - lots of exotic African savannah-type animals, some buffalo, lots of bluebonnets & wildflowers, and then we were in Kerrville, going over the Guadalupe River.  That just has to be one of the prettiest rivers in the country, with its bluegreen water & all.  And, then, why, what is all that?  Heck, there's a CRAFT FAIR     (or somekind of festival) going on right in the middle of town!  RRRRRK! (that's our wheels squealing as we pull into the parking lot)  I don't recall ever passing up a craft fair, and Dick, God love him, is kind enough to find a parking spot just across the street!

They had barbeque (smelled great, but we were holding out for fancy cowboy dinner), veggies, woodwork, stained glass, plants, PUPPIES, more plants, more woodwork, metalwork, & of course, some sewing stuff.  One of the ladies with sewing stuff had some really itneresting fabric, so I asked if there were any local fabric stores.  Oh, did she ever let me in on a good one.  Just 1 block over and 3 blocks down, was a quilt shop.  Of COURSE I had to go!  We finished up the market, which we found out was only a once a month deal (how lucky was that?) and headed over to the quilt store.  Found it with NO problem.  About   TWO HOURS later & $56 lighter, we were able to leave.  Some people are addicted to drugs, some alcohol.  My downfall is pretty fabric, what can I say?

After that, of course, we had to head over to the Super-Walmart, as they, too, had fabric.  You'd think Walmarts all over would carry exactly the same stuff, but they don't.  Nope, they really don't.  So, every fabric dept is different.  And, yup, I got some more! So, here we are, stuck in the middle of nowhere, with most of my stash all packed away, and I am still stockpiling fabrics & notions.  All I can say is, I am one lucky lady to have the tolerant hubby I do!  After all that fabric shopping, we went on to the Home Depot & Lowes, trying to locate & decide on a window tint.

We're trying to cut down some of the heat & light coming into the camper, provide privacy, and not make it too awfully dark in the process.  We ended up with a roll of titanium heat blocking film & I guess Jose's gonna put it up & see how we like it.  If it's good, we'll get more & do all the windows.  After all that, we found a decent Chinese buffet and pigged out.  MMMMMM.  Very good.  Not good cowboy chowdown, but still good.

Came home & spent the evening with our new friends & neighbors, Rita & Henry.  They're from Switzerland, but have been in the USA for 19 years & have become citizens (yaaay for them!!).  They had one of those little portable propane firepits, and we cozied up to it as they shared stories fo the road & wurst & wine/beer with us.  Very fun. 

And now, it's that time again.  Time to clean up & turn in for the night.  I hope all our friends & family are and will be safe from the tornadoes that are travelling east.  For those that are on the road - drive safe & stay put if you need to.  Y'all take care & know that we miss you!