YMCA . . . Havin' fun at the Y M C A

On Wednesday of this week Dave and I drove into the Fallbrook YMCA, which we can reach from our house in 30 minutes. For $5.00 (since we are seniors!) we got a day pass and used the swimming pools. Dave swam laps and I attended the Water Fit class. My right knee complains bitterly after I go to a Jazzercise class, and Dave really enjoys swimming, so we decided to go check it out. There is lots more to do besides swim, but that is what we are interested in doing right now. We have also talked about going to the Community Center in York and trying that pool, but I think the Fallbrook Y is such a great facility that we would have a tough time finding something we like better. We did the math, and if we both go 2 times per week we will buy a membership.

Baking Cookies

It has been ages since I baked any cookies, or anything at all for that matter. Dave has been hungry for peanut butter cookies and bought extra peanut butter, so this morning I baked! This is the recipe I used:

Peanut Butter Round Up Cookies
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. shortening
(Note: I do not have margarine or shortening, so I used 1 cup unsalted butter)
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 c. chunky peanut butter
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. quick Quaker oats (I have regular--worked fine)
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars. Add peanut butter and eggs; beat well. Add flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Shape into balls and flatten with a flour dipped fork. Bake at 350 degrees fro 8 to 10 minutes.

Note: I found I had to bake longer than 10 minutes, and that I had to let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes so they wouldn't fall apart when I tried to take them off.

The cookies are good!

I found this recipe in The CLS Cookbook 2000. My mom must have had this book when she moved to Seward in 2000. It is from Central Lutheran School in Saint Paul, MN, the school I attended for Kindergarten through grade 8. The recipe was contributed by Suzanne Koppe.

BVQG newsletter

I wrote a short article for the Blue Valley Quilt Guild October newsletter, so I decided to get a little more mileage from it and post it here:

        What Inspires You?

I like to ask myself that question now and then. The answers vary widely depending on my circumstances. A cup of coffee at 7:00 a.m. is very inspirational! Not so much at 10:00 p.m. I am writing this on a day that follows several days of inspirational fall weather. It has been absolutely beautiful outside—the colors and the temperature combining to make glorious days.

What inspires you to create a quilt? Seeing beautiful quilts displayed gives me lots and lots of ideas about things I would like to try myself. Threads Across Nebraska offered an opportunity to do that earlier this month. While there I purchased fabric (on sale—this is often inspirational for me!) and a book. I watched a vendor demonstrate a process I am anxious to try. I was inspired! At our meetings we get inspired by speakers who let us in on their sources of inspiration and their particular ways of getting the results they are looking for. One of my favorite parts of our BVQG meetings is “Show and Tell” where you show what you have been working on and we can see the results of your inspiration.

A deadline can also be the inspiration that pushes me to finish a quilt. What about you?  We have a deadline looking us in the eyes right now: Our “Bits & Pieces” Quilt Show is literally just around the corner. Could this deadline be the inspiration you need to finish a quilt or make something for our boutique? I know our quilt show will be an inspiration for everyone who comes to see it.

Working with friends is also inspirational for me.  I will miss working with outgoing president Diane Swartzlander and newsletter editor Katy Coleman. Thanks ladies for being an inspiration in so many ways for our guild. I am anxious to see what you will do next!  I look forward to being inspired by incoming vice-president Becky Wallroff and newsletter editor Mary Robbins.