Happy Birthday to me!

Soooo Yesterday morning at 0315 my husband woke me up and told me we had to go. He had warned me the night before that it would be an early morning for us. As I was getting dressed my wonderful friend, Erica, drove up to hang out at the house while the kiddos slept.

We drove off to meet a bus that took us off into the bush. There we met up with our hot air balloon. Stu and I were one of two "Young and agile" couples out there so it was our job to jump in the balloon basket as it was being inflated. Did you know that Hot air balloons start out on their sides? And as the balloon fills with hot air it rises? Well, it does so now you know. The Basket tiped right side up and the Balloon driver (the guy up there between Stu and I) started shouting in heavy dutch accented English "Climb Aboard! Climb Aboard!" and all the French tourists began scrambeling up and over the sides.

We took of in pretty heavy winds and had a very nice ride. The flight took place over a more ugly part of the desert....but I guess in a balloon you can't be that choosy.

Here I am after the flight getting ready to help pack up the balloon. I must say that balloon fabric is pretty cool and I should have asked where they keep their scraps. Maybe i should try to get an old parachuit from Ebay. That would make an awesome bag, huh? I will try that when we go to Bragg. Yes...I do think it is Bragg for us. Kinda sad because we could have set up one heck of a sweat shop at Campbell! All we would have needed is a great fabric store and sewing would take over the post like a virus! But maybe I can ignight an outbreak in North Carolina. I know lots of ladies make bags in FT Bragg...but I have a plan. I am not going to get too into it now, but I think it is going to be pretty awesome. Sufice it to say that I am going to be doing things a bit differently when I get back to the States, since I will be home schooling Emma, I won't have quite as much time to sew like a woman possessed.

This is a pretty good sunrise shot. The desert has gotten a ton of rain lately so it is very green and there are even water holes scattered around.

OK, I gotta go back to my sewing machine. I have had to break out the old girl (165) since I messed up my needle position mechanism on the 640. Thank goodness the Bernina man comes next week! I have worked them very hard of the last 18 months and they need a nice trip to the sewing machine spa.

XO,

Tia