Traveling with Sadie

July 11, 2026

Sadie and I embarked on a long anticipated getaway this week. We visited a place that’s been on my personal travel wish list. I also wanted to see how well Sadie handled traveling for a few days to an unfamiliar location. We spent three days at the Laura Walker State Park in Waycross, Georgia. I rented one of the pet-friendly cottages, complete with a lake view. An unexpected, but very welcome bonus, was the really nice, shaded dog park adjacent to the visitor center.

My plan was to hike the park trails, explore the surrounding area (3 quilt shops within a 1 hour drive) and have a mini-quilt retreat. I know South Georgia is hot and muggy in the summertime. That said, the extreme, brutal heat of the past few days was not expected, nor was the smoke from burning debris leftover from logging activities in the vicinity. This meant outdoor activities were limited to short walks and frequent visits to the dog park instead of hiking park trails. We explored pet friendly businesses in the area, but mostly stayed inside our cool, air-conditioned cottage.

Overall, Big Girl handled the trip well. She made herself right at home in the cottage once she saw her water bowl, food bowl, bed and a non-skid throw rug laid out. She was not a fan of the laminate and tile floors in the cottage, however. We have carpet and hardwood floors at home, with scatter rugs strategically placed on the hardwood for traction. I had to buy a second non-skid rug to place in front of her bed, so she could easily find her footing when she got up. The beach towel wasn’t cutting it.

I’d definitely like to visit again in the early spring or late fall – when the weather is cooler – to take advantage of the trails and to be able to drink my tea from the screened porch each morning as I look out over the lake (without sweating at 6:30 a.m. and without the smoky smell).

Sadie, now a BARK ranger!

Letting go of things that no longer serve you

July 5, 2026

A significant price increase notice from Adobe started me down the “subscriptions” rabbit hole. As a teacher, I received a substantial educator discount from Adobe, which continued into retirement. I’ve consistently used some of the applications, but not InDesign and Illustrator – the two primary reasons I continued to pay the fee each month. My rate would double at the September renewal. I canceled. For how I use the applications, the juice was simply no longer worth the squeeze. Other, more affordable, options are available.

Next, I addressed the other item bothering me – our dental insurance (not!). After 15 months of dental and vision insurance through my alumni association, I canceled the dental coverage, but kept the vision plan. Why? I view optional individual insurance like this as a prepaid plan for services. My expectation is that premiums paid in and benefits paid out should be about the same at the end of the year. The math didn’t math. Our dental plan paid out in benefits about 25% of the premium amount received, whereas the vision plan actually paid for itself.

I didn’t cancel everything. I actually switched my Cricut Design Space subscription to an annual one to take advantage of a 30% discount. It made “cents” as I frequently use the service.

Lastly, I set my Craft Industry Alliance membership to non-renew at the end of the current term. While not expensive, I don’t really do anything other than read the email newsletters (which are free). I can always rejoin, if FOMO strikes.

The unexpected surprise? I let my Spotify premium membership (which I’d had for YEARS) return to the free plan when my annual subscription ended in April. Why? They allowed ads in the podcasts, which weren’t removable, even with a paid plan. I primarily use Spotify to listen to podcasts. Why would I pay to listen to ads? Know what? All is well. Absolutely zero FOMO.

Happy 250th Birthday America!

July 3, 2026
Celebrating the 4th by sewing patriotic themed blocks on my American-made Singer 301A!

The pattern is Star Salute, which was part the 2026 Liberty Box from Fat Quarter Shop. Fabric used is the FQ bundle that came in the box and the white-on-white background came from another quilter downsizing her stash. Binding will be a denim blue cotton from my inventory. The pattern includes an pieced backing option which consists of a large center star made from leftover HSTs and white yardage, plus some light gray fabric I already have. In case you’re interested, the finished size meets the QOV guidelines. This particular quilt will most likely be donated to my guild’s Quilts for Cops partnership.

My 301A was made in Anderson, South Carolina in 1957. She came to me via the Florida Panhandle, where my niece found her at a yard sale for $125.00. She was farm fresh, but still had the original bobbin case, set of presser feet and foot controller in the trapezoid carry case. There’s no telling how long this sewing machine had been in someone’s shed or attic. Outside of a spa day, the most useful updates Miss Carmella’s received have been the acrylic extension table, stick on thread cutter, walking foot, and FW Shop seam square/seam guide duo.

After much experimentation this past week, I’ve learned how to compensate for the lack of an adjustable needle position to achieve a scant 1/4″ seam. The original presser foot in tandem with the seam guide consistently works the best for me. The secret for me is pinning on the left side instead of the right. It does feel awkward at first, but careful pinning means my seams match and no points on HSTs and FG are cut off.

FYI – the acrylic extension table is from Taylor Made Tables and the stick on bee thread cutter is from Lori Holt. Besides an LED light bulb, the only addition was a set of matching crocheted spool pin doilies from a local maker.

Miss Carmella is ready to complete our quilt top over this July 4th weekend!

Enjoy the fireworks, food and fellowship while you stay cool in the heat!