Almost finished and a trip

We have spent the last week in California. Just before we left last Saturday, I finished quilting Having a Ball. I love the way it looks!

Here is all of the hand quilting from the back.

I need to make the binding for this. It will be a scrappy binding using all of the colorful fabrics in the ball.

Let me tell you the odyssey of our flight from JFK to San Diego. Our daughter drove from Boston to Long Island with our granddaughter on the last Friday of February. We were scheduled to take a late morning flight to CA on Saturday. A car service took us to JFK airport. We had all of our luggage as well as our granddaughter's car seat and umbrella stroller. Kudos to my daughter for carrying the 23 pound carseat in a backpack throughout the airport. I know that I couldn't do so. 

So we board our flight and take off on time around 11 am. There was some commotion caused by a passenger emergency at the front of the plane a few minutes after take off, but we kept flying. About 1.5 hours into the 6 hour flight it was announced that we would be returning to New York. The plane turned around and back we went. We had experienced a 3 hour flight to nowhere. Emergency crews came and removed the ill passenger. We were allowed to get off the plane, but only if we took all of our items with us. Hubby and I stayed on the plane, while our daughter and 3 year old granddaughter exited the plane to stretch their legs and buy us sandwiches for dinner as we would not be arriving in CA in time to eat dinner as originally planned. After an hour or so, a new flight crew was installed and the emergency equipment and other supplies that had been used were replaced on board. The passengers who deboarded were allowed back on the plane and we were once again on our way. We arrived in CA, tired from the long day, much later than planned and started our week long vacation.

Our son-in-law had found a wonderful vacation home in Carlsbad, CA near our son and walking distance to the beach and a local park. 

Our son in law with his nephew and daughter.

Our grandson enjoying the park.

There was a piano at the house that our oldest granddaughter enjoyed.

Our youngest granddaugter enjoyed looking out at the patio.

The house was perfect for us. This was a sunset view over the ocean from the second floor.

On our first day, we celebrated our youngest granddaughter's first birthday. The celebration was a week early as that was when we were there. The next day our daughter and SIL took their daughter and our grandson strawberry picking while hubby and I watched our youngest granddaughter. 

On Tuesday, all 9 of us went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The grandchildren enjoyed seeing all of the animals. 

There was an adorable baby giraffe...

some kangaroos,

and more.

 

Wednesday was another beach and park day. We also all had dinner together every night at the house we had rented. Thankfully, the flight home on Thursday was uneventful. Our daughter left our home on today. It is quiet here now. Time to get back to working on some crafts.

I will be joining Frederique at the Quilting Patch on Saturday and Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Take some time to relax with a cup of tea or coffee and pop on over to their sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!