Just Thoughts

Life is good.

Lynsey made dinner tonight

She refused help

Lynsey went into the library with my library card.

She went to the reserved books, got my books and checked them out.

Lynsey is nuts about her dolls...she looked for newborn boy clothes on sale...

none found.

Lunch out with a friend today...very nice

More reading, outside in my gorgeous  yard...delightful.

On, pondering the meaning of life....

From poet, Mizuta Masahide

"Barns burnt down.

now

I can see the moon."

The grand boys cleaned up the kitchen.

Crown on my tooth tomorrow.

3 weeks until my new knee replacement surgery

Humming relaxes me.

 I am way behind on my quilting...soo many babies..

So much adult pain....I cannot keep up.

" Rock us in your arms, O Wind

Caress with your warmth, O Sun

Wash us with your tears, O Rain

That we may begin to live again."

                    Poet, Alice Franzen Clemons Burt

"Rain on the roof is different now,

Sunset lacks its rosy hue.

Evening stars flicker and fade

Yet the wind still wails for you."

                      Poet, Alice Franzen Clemons Burt

Good night xo

Family O'Quilts Etc..

I cannot focus to sew...I read outside all weekend...absorbing spring after

winter, winter, winter....

Sew...here are two of my favorite quilts..I made forever ago.

The kids played in the sprinkler and small pools.

The O'Quilt family new pet...Tree Frog

Grandma got a brand new reclining chair for her bedroom
Old grandma needs some peace and quiet..especially with that new knee
surgery coming...ugh...

Sometimes Grandma needs to be alone..!!!
OH...dear....OH...NO!!!
Company already!!

Grandma O'Quilts also bought herself some earphones...to drown out noise..
Noise?...just in case there is any...with three children and their father and two cats and a dog.
Next, Grandma gets a TV for the news and Netflix
I already have a sewing room...but it is downstairs and often becomes Grand Central Station.


The new extended family..My XDIL's new husband's dad..
They call him Pa.
Seems like he was the only able bodied one around to run with
Lynsey in the big 5K Girls on the Run final race.
.Angels are everywhere.

Here they are in their running shirts and numbers.
Lynsey even spent the night with Wayne and his wife and dogs.


My girl on her two week vacation to Ireland.xoxo

Miss her way too much
She is calm in the storm

Spring...finally dear Spring...
Granddaddy's roses are blooming
My dear man's love shines through in so many places.

Grandma O'Quilts Gets a Vacation

The finished vintage feedsack on my wonderful bed.

Vacation for me is five days off with no one here..
Peace and quiet...doing anything I want..
Yesterday, I had lunch with pool friends.
Today I went to a guild Sit and Sew...All day....laughing with friends...sewing of course
I snipped the threads on this  quilt...all done..will snuggle with it tonight.
Top bought from Ellen Guerrant xo

Here is our Linda making her sister a birthday apron.
Such a surprise this morning to find a present from Linda

A package of hand made dishcloths with ginger cookies inside..xo

A snippet of batik with Salmon running...Alaska

Today I made yellow pinwheels for the next baby quilt...

from Marie...a British cookie tin...I love tins..

 My favorite vacation is a stay-cation with no one at home but me..
Children with their mother and her husband's family for Easter,  my son off with friends, no extended family drama,
Sewing and lunches with friends...reading and napping...
No cooking or cleaning.

Since I have been exercising in the pool, my new hip is no longer painful.
Another miracle in the O'Quilt's household.

Easter is about hope.
Today, Life is good.
May you have peace and hope at Easter and Passover..
xo

A Big Welcome to Genevieve

We love adoption...Welcome Genevieve to our Irish clan.

The matching dolly quilt front

Dolly quilt back

Genevieve's quilt front
It looks to me like St Brigid's cross...

and the backing from IKEA

Wednesday night...Carol made cherry pound cake

My front yard suggests that spring is somewhere.

So grateful for all the cards and emails and texts and messages and calls of encouragement as I survived the 4 th year anniversary.of my dear man's death..
  Grateful for my husband's family remembering me as well.

Lucky me, there is comfort in  the shelter of each other.

Some interesting links:

Mary Fons

Gwen Marston  RIP Gwen...We will miss our idol so..

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun


PS  My finished MQG block of the month.

Four years ago today, I lost my love to ALS

FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY, THE LIGHT WENT OUT OF MY LIFE.
Occasionally the sun surprises the sky with a burst of energy..Mostly, still cloudy.

My love, I miss you so xoxox

As the Week Rolls.

Heather's improv from Sherri Lynn Wood's workshops.

Look at our Ellen showing off...NO one I know, at our age can squat like Ellen!!!!!!

Country Threads Book List

Recycled Shoe bird feeder

First canasta lesson for Dylan and Lynsey

They did sooo well....we just played for learning.

My new ironing board cover and my new mister..from the art section.

Last weekend my son brought a homeless friend home to take a shower.
.Eamon knew that would be fine since the children were not here.

My son takes his car mechanic tools to fix this kid's van for free.

Twenty four years old.... He grew up in foster care and group homes. 

 He had been good in school and wants to make something of himself.now

But, he has drug felonies that hold him back.

Foster care in America is a sad state of affairs when the child at 18 gets the boot.

No more funding...Homeless in the woods. No family support system

I am proud of my son...giving back and proud to meet a new young addict in recovery.

Saved by Needle and Thread....again...

Our Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild 

is doing the below exercise, Block of the month

We all chipped in to buy the patterns.

We are starting on this one

Now, I have plenty of "shoulds"...My New Year resolutions...
Baby quilts with urgency
Thank you cards to make
Sewing room organization to do.
I felt like playing...so playing I am doing..
Can finish my block tomorrow at Bee.
Sewing for fun saves me.

A marvelous gift from Eithne...a million, trillion saved zippers...
Thank you Eithne.

Tonight I am breathing on my asthma machine....jeeze...

My knee replacement surgery is scheduled for May 20.  Even though this will be my fourth replacement in three years, I am nervous...Oh, well..
I would take a pass...but I cannot walk without pain now.
I have been in the ortho surgeon's office so many times, that the nurses all gave me hugs
and told me stories..  friends in good places.

I seem to have a big box of worries....Going to put them all in a box and take them out one by one, giving them back to the one's who own them...

Sherri Lynn Wood workshop, and more chatter

Sherri Lynn Wood and our Heather....(photo from Ellen Guerrant)
Last weekend..I went to the Sherri Lynn Wood workshop here in Charlotte.
https://sherrilynnwood.com/

Our improv designs on the floor for review.

Me, having fun.  Even more fun going out to dinner with her.

Sherri Lynn doing the lecture improv with audience help

Our famous Ellen, getting with the program...She tried:)

DIane #2 and her adorable Hot Dog quilt

Our Stitch showing off my purple scrap quilt

Really???   My son has , once again, invaded my sewing room
with inappropriate behavior...polishing shoes on my sewing table???


Someone at a Guild Sit and Sew suggested this:

We put our names on the back of our machines so others

can remember our names..Brilliant idea!!!

Kudos to Jo for sharing her life's struggles and joys..
Jo's Country Junction

Now, the real deal.  I just loved meeting Sherri Lynn Wood.  I loved hearing about how she found all these sewing machines in perfect condition and fabric and yarn...etc on her junk hunt in the dump.
I struggled with paying $80 for each day.  I decided it was worth it...and it was.
Unfortunately the absolute joy I had on day one...plus my joint pain and two canes...left me absolutely too exhausted to go back to the workshop the next day.
I had underestimated how much determination and will could fix my pain.
My son went to get my things helped by my great friends..
No regrets...I loved my weekend.

More...on life...yesterday I signed my will...I cried..why, who knows...My friends came to witness and organize and scan and carry and hug.
Then we went out to lunch.
I felt lifted up by friendship.
Thank you xoxo