Not sure why the camel spirits would be offended at being compared to a
really spiffy car, but of course you probably were not properly respectful
when you said it.
Good idea with the plastic tray. Why doesn't Tupperware or somebody make
trays for quilters? Something about 16" square and 3" deep, to hold the
fixings for a bunch of 12" blocks.
Roberta in D

"NightMist" wrote in message
...

OK, so last night I was showing a friend of DD1 how to design and
piece a double wedding ring.
We paused for supper, and then after we resumed and had just finished
sample layouts of the paper templates on the muslin background and
blocks of strip pieceing, when kiri came in with the things to make
ice cream floats for dessert. We were working in the kitchen because
of space limitations in my room, so I just set everything aside at the
end of the table. How long could it take to have a float after all?

So we are all settled down at the table, adults haveing root beer
kidlets with fruit flavors. Then it is discovered that we are short a
straw, kiri goes to get one out of the drawer and has to paw a bit
because they have rolled to the back. During the rummage she holds up
a cookie cutter and wonders aloud what it is. It was a camel, which
spawns a conversation about why camel shapes are so popular for
cookies during Christmas. DH says it is the whole manger thing, I
point out that camels were sort of the Lamborghini of those days and
it wouldn't be all that likely to find one parked at a Motel 6 in
Bethlehem. Thus the conversation went.
Meantime, Ash is sitting next to me with his grape float and being
very good with it. He carefully ate his ice cream and was useing his
straw correctly, all the best you could expect. Then he suddenly
picked up his cup and slammed it down (in an upright position) on the
table. For some reason I ended up splattered with milky grape soda
and ice cream bits while his mum on the other side of him stayed
clean. I also had a puddle in front of me. DD3 jumped up and got
some paper towels handing one to me, starting mop up in front of me
with one and dropping another on the table. Ash picked up the spare
and started trying to help clean. He managed to mop some onto my
until then dry lap and then started trying to wipe it off my lap with
his soggy bit of towel. DD immediately tried to stem the flow off of
the table. Meanwhile, a thin stream ran down the table and soaked
into my white muslin.

DH has informed me that this was all instant karma for taking the
name of camels in vain.

I have discovered today, that the staining power of cheap grape soda
when combined with Breyers creamy vanilla ice cream is really quite
impressive. I must say that I am very happy that it is muslin and not
a more premium fabric. One drop did manage to splash high and land on
top of the stack of quilting things, but it landed on my compass and
was easily cleaned off.

My new resolution is to get me a plastic box or tray that will fit
conviniently on the table when I have to work in the kitchen. All
stainable or fluid damageable etc. items will stay on it so long as
they are on that table!

NightMist
not quite sure she got all the ice cream out of her ear
--
"It's such a gamble when you get a face"
- Richard Hell