The Super Bowl cometh*

I got up this morning determined to finish those curtains. I evened up the bottom seams first so that the pattern would line up. Plus since that was the easy part, I figured it would raise my morale for finishing up the tops. Since I had ripped the fabric on one, I had to take the top of the other one apart to do them both the same way. I got the first one all fixed, then realized I had turned the seam allowance the wrong way and had to take it all out. In the process ripped the fabric again. The fabric is a fairly thin synthetic and just wasn't getting along with the seam ripper. That meant I had to increase the seam allowance on it to hide the tears. That is OK, but since I had no idea how long the window was, I was trying to keep them as long as possible. I ended up using about an extra 4" of fabric to hide my mistakes. With the usual 2" seam allowance, and doubled, that means I lost 12" of fabric, which I was upset about. But there was nothing to be done.

Then I laid them side by side to compare, and realized that the pattern wasn't matching. I had to run an extra fold in the second curtain so it would match the first when it was done. It took me about three hours to finish them up, and man was I glad to run that last seam!! Which of course promptly puckered. So I had to pick out half of it to fix the pucker, since it was going to be right at the top, at eye level. All that remained was to decide how long to make the valances. I decided I just wasn't going to guestimate it (as I had been told to do) and have the length turn out looking weird. They are too pretty, and I've worked too hard on them. I called James and told him I couldn't finish until he sent me the measurements on the window.

That done, I folded them up and put them aside. I had a lot of stuff to do to get ready for the week since I had been sewing all weekend. A friend called, and came by for a visit, but I had a lot to do, and eventually I had to send him home. I ran errands, straightened up the house a bit, and did laundry. In the process, I had not eaten anything but a pack of Pop-Tarts and a glass of water, so my blood sugar got screwed up. By the time I got home from the grocery store and ate something, I felt pretty bad. But I had to get up for the game.

The playoff game was tonight - the last one, and the one that would determine whether or not the Steelers would go to the Bowl. I decided to take the copycat buffalo (fake) chicken pizzas I make. I took a 5-Hour Energy and headed on out. I stopped by the home on the way and took some chocolate covered cherries to BB. The nurse there was like "Whose jersey do you have on? You better be rooting for the Steelers!" I explained that I had on a Chicago Bears jersey because that was the only football jersey I owned, and that of course I was rooting for the Steelers. Her beaming smile followed me out the door.

The pizzas went over very well. Pretty much everyone ate some, despite the fact that they were all on Atkins for the New Year's diet. Donnie took a bite and hit me, they were so good. And Rick declared them the best pizza he had ever eaten. You can't ask for better than that.

The game was good despite a lot of fumbles, some pretty questionable ref calls, and one guy getting hurt. You never like to see that happen. But the final touch-down by the Steelers was sweet, and they won the game. Kimbley and Laura were suitably jubilant. And it will be an awesome Super Bowl this year since they are so invested in the game.