Busy Week of Firsts

My intention for this week (it's a "vacation" week since my company closes every year for a week for the 4th of July) was to finish the bathroom floor once I returned from Georgia. Well, since Michele was home so unexpectedly, I didn't do that (OK, maybe that's just a really convenient excuse.) I did, however, do a lot of other things, most of them firsts for me. I've mentioned wanting to open a shop on Etsy.com. Well, this week, I made the first three items I will sell in that shop (I still don't feel ready to open the shop, likely do to the fact that I am the consummate planner and procrastinator with a good dose of perfectionist thrown in there.) I also got my first commission for a quilt. The commission is from my sister, but I actually drew up a contract (another first) and consider it a professional engagement. I need to check with her to see if the person for whom the piece is meant reads this blog before I post progress pictures of it. It's really fun to work with her to design it and it's really great experience because I am confident that this will be the first of several such commissions from others (OK, I want to be confident, so I will claim confidence - Michele calls this "acting as if!") One of the biggest firsts for me this week was an impromptu road trip I took with Michele to Toledo to reunite her with the truck that her crazy ex driving partner abandoned there. Although Michele and I have taken many road trips together, I have never driven alone anywhere farther than an hour away, so the trip home from Toledo on my own was a definite first, but an enjoyable one. I can't say that I will take many solo road trips in the future, but it's nice to know that I am able and now have the experience. Another first is that I had a friend over for a ladies lunch today. I made a really yummy salad, set the table with the good napkins, and had a delightful lunch with my friend, Ann (you might remember her from a post several months ago: she lives in the country and I had to return home from her house down a long, dark, dark, dark road.) And the final first is that I received my partner's information for that quilt swap that I am nervously participating in. I can't tell you who she is - it's a mystery swap and she is to be surprised - but I will tell you that my partner is from another country. I checked her blog today to learn a bit more about her likes and had to use the Google translator. Unfortunately, it does not do a very good job of translating - or maybe it does and a lot of stuff is just lost in the translation. Either way, it was really quite fun trying to read the translated blog and discern some meaning out of it. I did discover that she likes flowers, so I feel one step closer to figuring out what I will create for her. I'll keep you updated on my progress.