Miserable allergy day (AGAIN), but progress on OTR successful

The day started with DH leaving early to get to work, which meant I was off my typical "allergy-season" schedule. Ya see, whether it's just "in my head" or whether it really works, I have a routine I typically do during allergy season.
As soon as I wake up, I take my allergy medicine and then take a nice warm shower to "steam out" any allergens in my system. (*chuckle*.....gosh, I hope a doctor isn't reading this, because s/he'll think I'm a looney!)
BUT-----it seems to work! By the time I'm out of the shower, hair done and dressed, I'm usually doing great---very little sneezing, eyes having very little itch, and minimal congestion and runny nose.
Hmpf------and today just goes to SUPPORT my crazy routine, because.....I DID NOT FOLLOW IT! Sure, I took my allergy medicine, but I didn't shower....and the result.......MISERABLE, MISERABLE, MISERABLE! I seriously used up an entire box of Puff's Plus w/lotion kleenexes. (which is the ONLY brand I'll buy----they are softer than any other tissue I've used, and my nose appreciates it during this time of the year.) My eyes didn't itch at all, but I was contemplating calling a plumber to come and fix my leaky nose! UGH!!!! And for some WACKY reason, by 4:00 (FINALLY), my nose stopped running. Golly---I would THINK so---I was getting almost dehydrated from how much "fluid" I was losing.....*crinkling nose*.....ewwwwwww That was a bit gross to think about, huh????

Anyway....regardless, I had ONE goal today-----THE OTR!


By 8:00, I was downstairs piecing away the millions of pinwheels crazy-minded Bonnie requested in part 2 of the OTR! I was motivated (ummm...for about the first two hours), and then, the pinwheels were starting to turn my mind crazy! My goodness!!!!!!!!!! There were soooooooooo many of them.

BUT----by about 10:30....success! The last pinwheel was put together. I headed upstairs for a morning snack with the girls, printed out step 3, and was back downstairs a bit after 11:00. Step 3 was going together FAST----MUCH faster than 2! Whew.....it was a nice change of pace. However, at 12:00, I was back upstairs to make up some lunch (pizza). DH arrived home about 12:30, I tucked Candace into bed by 1:00 for a nap, and by 1:15 I was downstairs again. All of step 3 was complete by 2:00----yup----it was a fast one!

So...what next? DUH! Step 4, or course. I had already pulled SOME fabrics when Bonnie first posted the Original Information, but wasn't really sure if I wanted to use THEM or to use more plaids for the 3.5x6.5 bricks. After a few tryouts of the plaids, I decided----it was TOO MUCH PLAID! So, I started throwing more and more darks, rusts, blacks, greens, etc into the scrap pile and started cutting away.

This and that, this and that.....some time later (maybe an hour????), I was ready for the layout. I've been reading many emails stating that many ladies have now called this one their favorite, EVEN over the CC AND OC...... well, when I saw Bonnie's layout on part 4, (I hate to admit), but my mind said....."eh.....not my fav, but I've done this much work already, I might as well finish it."

I started laying out a few diagonals at a time......getting a bit lost due to the large-eventually-to-be-cut-off bricks, and the fact that SOMEHOW SOMEWHERE I didn't have enough half-4-square blocks????? I still need to look back and figure out what happened there. But.......well.....golly......by the time I had the entire quilt laid out..........sheesh.........it actually started GROWING on me! And I can only imagine that once I piece it all together, it most likely will join the "oh yeah I like this one!" list.

I am most likely going to make this for my brother, and I only want a snuggler for him. BUT.....I peeked ahead to part 5, and I agree with many emails......WOW! The flying geese borders POLISH it off! So.......he'll be getting a LARGE snuggler! :0)

I came upstairs at 4:30 after laying out the blocks, and I haven't been back down. I'm tired! I didn't get to bed until after midnight last night-------duhhhhh! After blogging, I flipped thru the channels and came across "A Few Good Men" which I haven't seen in a long time and I hadn't remembered a lot of the plot....soooo..........ya, ya.
It's just a bit after 10:00 right now, so I am going to wrap this up and get to bed! I know it's only Saturday night and it's still "early," but I NEED to get out running by 7:00 tomorrow so that DH can get to work by 12:00. I am planning for a nice-n-easy 16 miler, which will take a "strong" 3 hours.

Happy sewing!