Friday, July 31, 2020

The Last Day of July

DONE...My first backpack for the CMQG outreach!!
DONE is a satisfying word!!
These backpacks are made from old jeans for strength.  We fell that a pre-school child who is homeless
might be moving around a lot.. This one has one large front pocket and a small cat pocket.
BIG Thanks to our Eve for cutting the fabric for us..

Here Goes Grandma Again....Day 9...Still exciting.
Aoife in her "I am home t-shirt"!!!!
Parents are trying for a nice birth announcement.
Aoife finds that terribly boring.

The parents keep trying...Now, Aoife questions their sanity.....Oh, my...

Ok...Grandma never gets her fill for the moment of dear Aoife....
Now I see her wearing her first bow...
I read that babies smile in the womb...It is not until 2.5 months that
the the smile means something other than reflex...still...I love it.

And little Aoife Rose...in her cute swaddle.. Rose in rose in rose.
Unfortunately for her mommy and daddy, this sleep only lasted a few minutes.
My other grandchildren are still at their mother's  house..
I am sure that once home, Lynsey will insist on her share of the pictures.
The boys do not care.!!

The Nothing but Happy Post

Our Aoife.....day 8
Such a love...
My daughter figured out her wrap thing...Now the baby can come to the sewing machine, go
for a walk and visit the garden...Emily does not just have to sit down..Sooo great!
Everything about the baby is amazing!!!  My daughter too.
No prejudice here...just the happy truth.

My morning starts happy with blueberries!!!
It is the season and Trader Joe's is on it!!!!
I love blueberries on my morning cerael.

We had a great, wonderful....Zoom meeting tonight.
We continue on our December outreach for pre-school homeless children.
I have only made quilts...
You know, lazy for figuring out something new.
Like a backpack for the pre-schoolers to carry their things in.

Easy Peasy Drawstring bag by Caroline.... edited by Diane at dckdesigns.
This is my front pocket...A big thanks to Eve for doing  the cutting for us
My bag is almost finished...Just doing the drawstrings tomorrow.

Chatting with friends makes such a big difference in my happy!
So does sewing...so does accomplishment.
And, BTW....My physical therapy is working...
Baby steps make me happy.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Beauty and the Beast and the Furious American Mother

Happy One Week Birthday Aoife
Above....a vibrating chair, Emily got on Next Door.
I think Aoife likes it...so far....
Below, she shows off her dimples...and thanks her daddy for them,
with a great big smile!!!
Some folks suggest that she has red hair....
Can you imagine!!!
Now we know who the beauty is!!

The beast!!!
Lack of affordable healthcare.

My son called back his clinic doctor;  The doctor said the referral to the Meyers Park clinic for his wrist...ortho care was made a WEEK ago.  So he called the clinic again.
The clinic gave him an appointment for September to assess him for sliding fee.
She said that if he has his wrist casted without the September appointment, he will have to pay the full amount.  September???  Covid and job losses,healthcare ...awful.

My son asked her what it he had a brain tumor.
She said that a brain tumor...also would be considered a 
PRE_EXISTING CONDITION like his wrist will be.
Now his wrist is considered a pre- existing condition..????!!

Really??? How does this build up people who want to do the right thing in order to survive.
My son's broken wrist is the tip of the problem.
The entire system is broken.

Our family is not a slacker family.  Actually, my son, in his pain and broken wrist on Tylenol,
just replaced someones car alternator..so he could earn money.
Tonight, he will come home to his mother
And, he will try to hide his wrist pain.
He will do our family laundry and take care of our animals.
Meantime, Grandma here tries to celebrate life through fabric gifts from a neighbor.
And through awesome support from friends. xo

Day after Day

Finished top for MQG December outreach
Easy Peasy print with borders.
My son will spray baste this tomorrow.
Good day today...rest...relaxation...
Tonight...yellow bowl...
And variegated thread bowl...The center is funky so I will need
to be creative...stay tuned.
My son does not want me to use his broken wrist/ meniscus tear as an example of our poor healthcare system.  He wants to take care of it himself. 
 
However, I must continue!!!!!
His situation is outrageous. 
  Yesterday he was on the line with the Meyers Park clinic for over an hour, several times...no answer. He was trying to get an appointment...Today,, he dropped by there.
 
They would not let him in without an appointment.  He asked for the proper number to call for the appointment.  The clerk said, SHE DID NOT KNOW!!!  OMG

He was then told to go home and wait for a referral from his doctor. 
Now it is week 3 or maybe 4 with a broken wrist.
I am sorry Eamon, I just have to share this awful American healthcare system with the world.
I just have to be on my soapbox... 

Guess what?????
My hairdresser came to my front walkway and cut my hair...
FUN and EXCITEMENT 
She cut Linda's too...
We are absolutely new women...Amazing what a hair cut will do..
especially after 6 months!!!  There was a lot of grey hair on the sidewalk.
I think it was Linda's
Thank you Sherrie for going above and beyond and for the nice visit!!
Tomorrow is physical therapy...
Gotta try hard to get the old body into some sort of shape!!!

Aoife had her first pediatrician visit today
She was pronounced beautiful and perfect!!
No wonder my daughter loved the doctor.
They are all too tired for a picture today.
Poor Grandma!!!!
I can always hope for tomorrow. xo

Monday, July 27, 2020

My Attitude Adjustment

Dearest Ellen cheers my heart!!!
These are anti-Pearl pills!!!!
Tomorrow my wonderful hairdresser of 20 years is coming to my driveway to cut my hair, outside.
My short hair is now in a raggedy pony tail.
How nice is that??  Here are a few hairdresser masks I have made for her.
A small bowl with purple batik...relaxing...hummmm

This is all the sewing I have done today.
PT in the morning and two naps!!

Now, the attitude adjustment...
If my friends can lift me up.
It is probably time for me to lift up myself!!
Starting tonight...I only watched 30 min of news.
That was enough...For me, watching the news is like watching a football game.
I scream and yell and call them names...Very relaxing hmmmm

Tonight I am re-framing.
Instead of I wasted my day.
It is, how nice to have the time for two naps,
How nice to have my belly full with a yummy ham sandwich.
Ham found on my porch this morning...xoxoxo friend. MS

Instead of crying that I am not 42, I am quoting my mother when she would
tell me, be glad you lasted this long!!
So, just for today...I have an attitude adjustment.

My son is cleaning the kitchen.
I have gratitude in my heart.
As for baby pictures....the ones I got today, were of feedings and diaper changes..
This grandmother can wait for more darling photos tomorrow.!!!

Adrienne...I cannot find your email address to send you a note. 


Sunday, July 26, 2020

I Get By With a Little Help From my Friends..

Aoife Rose....four days old
I have never seen my daughter so happy
Emily said that all the crazy pain and infection was so worth it.
Aoife's father refinished this old cradle from Next Door.
They have it by the sofa.
The baby is such a miracle.
She brings me such joy as I batten the doors for the storm.
The storm rages, and Pearl bangs to get it.
My son has driven up to another town to co-parent with Evan's mother.
Evan is 15, You know the rest. 
TBTG the parents are on it.

Before he left, he changed my bed sheets and put away my stack of quilts.
All with his wrist and knee hurting. I was amazed when he told me what he had done for me!!
.
A bit after he left, my widow group came with tons of food..
When the children come home next week..I will not have to cook all week....
This with the food Ellen and Linda brought...I had better just enjoy my life 
with feet up and my book or sewing machine.
Friends have sent encouraging emails and brought by gifts that astound me.
One of the hardest things about having the children during home schooling and quarantine is
feeding them.  They are hungry all the time....I mean....all the time.
And I am exhausted all the time.

My friends have given me such strength in the past few days, that when Pearl went to the back door
to try to break in....I was stronger...She gave up!!!

The comparison between the two is fascinating.

This grandmother must say....Aoife Rose  is a DOLL

Welcome Home to Aoife Rose....and More

Bye bye hospital...I am in the car going home.  I am three days old. xo
And, my features are just like my daddy's!!!!!!!  But, I have my mother's Italian like skin.
The co-sleeper her daddy made..hmmmm   She no like.
I do believe , however, that her screams are in perfect pitch like her mother .
She wants to be held and sleep in her mother's arms.  I do not blame her.
She has been through a lot too.
Rosie, the dog, meets Aoife.
Grandma here is unfocused and befuddled....must be Aoife's fault...Love, you know!!.
 Tonight I had a great cul-de-sac get together with my widow group.
Thank you Pat and friends!!!
So nice to be out and safe and laughing.

Lovely Civil War Repros...Make me want to sew again.
The children left today for a week with their mother.
The sound of silence is so comforting. I want to stay up all night and sew!!
For some reason...I want to make civil war quilts..
However, instead,I will soon be looking for sheep and chicken patterns 
in Anna Marie and Denise Schmidt's fabric styles. 

Interesting post!

Just thinking and being happy for my daughter.
Aoife is just lovely.
My daughter has great health insurance.  Her husband works for an Irish company, but he lives in Portland.
This birth came with a private nurse and a suite so the daddy could sleep in his own bed.

Meantime, My son went to the low-fee clinic yesterday after waiting a week for his appt.
They told him that it was a $50 co-pay.  He said that he did not have it and that is why he was at that clinic.  They told him that they would not see him without the $50.
He begged them..His wrist hurt very badly.  It is now 2 weeks since his accident.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out $3.  The clerk said OK...We will take it.
He saw his doctor who then said...Oh, we do not do casts here...we have to send you to low-fee clinic number two...downtown.  They will call you for an appointment in the next two weeks.
He was so disgusted at being rejected at clinic number two that last night he headed downtown to the main hospital.  They took the $40 I had given him.  Then, the doctor told him that emergency rooms do not put casts on...  He is still in pain with no  help.
Now my son is a great worker.  He has  two years of college in automotives.
He is a car mechanic.  He cannot work with a broken wrist and meniscus tear.

On the way out of the clinic, he saw two older women being escorted out by security guards.
They were crying.  Evidently the clinic had screened everyone for Covid and given them a yellow sticker for clearance.
The women had stepped outside for a minute...and were not allowed back in because they had been outside.
Now their Covid testing stickers were no good.  These women did not understand the process.  
There was no one kind to explain it. 
 They, too had to go home without healthcare.  
Escorted away by security guards????!!!!!  Really??

I am becoming radicalized...(again)
A country like ours without healthcare is a sin.
  Now, so many more are without insurance...due to losing jobs with the virus.
Thank you for listening to my rant.

We cannot be the only family whose finances have been ravaged by catastrophic disease
Healthcare for ALS stole our money
Healthcare for Parkinsons stole my mother's money
And so it went....and so it goes..

Interesting here:

Trouble here...so annoying.  I had this vintage green from the 30's that I had purchased from an estate sale.  I think the color is distorted on this picture...I also had a pack of 30's reproduction fabric cut
 5x10 inches.  Brilliant me sewed along all of them to make an elongated triangle...OOOOPPPS
I drew the line diagonally like I do for HSTs   WRONG!!!!!
I have now wasted my precious fabric...What to do now???  OMG How did I do this??


Thank you all for the nice welcomes on my blog for the arrival of Aoife.
I certainly plan to keep boring you all with her progress and her beauty!!
After all, that is what a grandma does!
xo

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Aoife

Family O'Quilts with joy, welcomes our Aoife...


Last night at 10:44 pm pst, July 22, 2020, 7 lbs, 2 oz. 19 inches

via C-section

 My new granddaughter is an Oregon girl.

Look how small she is on day one of her life as her Irish daddy holds her.

Aoife

Meaning of the Irish name Aoife. 

MEANING: “beautiful, radiant, joyful." Known as the greatest woman warrior in the world, Aoife was the mother of Cuchulainn’s (read the legend) only son, Connlach. Aoife Dearg (“Red Aoife") was a daughter of a king of Connacht who had her marriage arranged by St. Patrick himself. In 2003 Aoife was the third most popular Irish girls name for babies in Ireland.

GENDER: Girl | Female

IRISH NAME: Aoife

PRONUNCIATION: ee + fa"

Aoife Clancy, A Mantle of Green

Aoife Clancy, Spain in My Heart

Aoife Clancy at the Tosco Music Party in Charlotte.

My husband hosted an Irish youth band when Emily was in high school. 
They opened for Cherish the Ladies when they performed in Charlotte.
 My daughter is an Irish musician as was her father..
New little Aoife is already auditioning...crying, on key!!!   
'Our family is blessed...
My girl loves Irish sheep and Oregon chickens...
I can now, relieved..start making fun things like that for Aoife. 

After my husband died, I could not bear to listen to Irish music.

It was a trigger for me...when he was not on stage playing.

Today, that turned around. 

 A new life, a new chance...new hope..

Welcome Aoife.

Your grandma loves you.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

My Faith in Others gets a Boost

This is the sweetest grand girl ever..
Grand girl competition coming soon.
I found this taped on my computer screen this morning.
I guess that I have been showing more stress than I had realized!!
That Lynsey is so great!
Ava came home this afternoon from the hospital.
Big brother soo happy to see her.
The rest of us are relieved too.'
The scar on her skull is about 3 inches, but Dr. Lynsey here, reflects that the neurologist
sutured the scar much better than the first two times...OMG
Ava's father's family is so kind and supportive.
My blogging friends and local friends have been amazing too.

It takes special friend to remember that one of your grandchildren's favorite foods are
 brussels sprouts  These came with a yummy mustard dipping sauce..
My one sided son has gone to the grocery store for us.
We needed eggs...and of course the kids suggested something sweet.
I wonder how he puts his mask on with only one hand. He is just home now
reporting that a 20 minute shopping took over an hour due to his broken knee and wrist.
God love my son!!!

Meantime my daughter in Portland has been struggling with early labor for 9 hours
She is on some birthing ball at home...
I would not know about that....because my kids are adopted.
She is due on Thursday...as usual, babies have their own mind.
I bossed her anyway and told her to go to the hospital!!!

I had planned to try a new kind of mask tonight...maybe I should just read.
More fun to peruse batik scraps for mask potential.
Fabric!!!   Way better than Valium.....

Monday, July 20, 2020

Them Mountains High...Grandma Finds her Joy Anyway!!

See how easy it is for me to relax!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!!!
Above, the front of the sponges.
Above, the back of the sponges with orange webbing from the sweet potato bag.
I did make an adjustment. First of all, I made one to see if it worked...and YES!! It did.
Then, I did follow the directions this time....adding the half inch stitching inside the edging.
I also did a zig-zag around the edge.  The tute says cut scrap batting one to four layers.
I found four was too much for my sewing machine, but three was just fine.
I love these...Now, I am collecting fruit webbing...ha!!!
Hey...If it brings me joy...I go for it.!!
Just like my dear man used to say, "Just go Sew!!".

Next on the agenda, my son and Lynsey all want to pick out their fabric for more masks.
That way, they can just throw them in the wash when they come home.
And, I need to cut more to pass out to people I see with no masks.
And, to try new patterns..My Super Dog mask with the visor was fun, but not usable.

Seems like my life has a lot of ups and downs lately.
Just when I get all excited about recycling avocado net, more stuff happens,

Little Ava ended up staying an extra night tonight in the hospital for another MRI.
My son spent hours at Ortho Carolina today.
The ER had sent him there to set his wrist and knee from last week.
Ortho would not see him without $250 co-pay.  And they insisted on two appointments. one for each break, that equals $500. He said he cannot work and he has no insurance.
He was almost in tears when he came home...then of course I was too.
He was in such pain.

I know people who work three jobs to support their families and NONE of those jobs carry insurance.
I do not think even making more sponges will help tonight...well...maybe something else...like a bowl.
Now once my son is able to find a low fee ortho person,
 they will have to re-break his arm to set it properly...

OK...I am now taking charge of myself...settling on folding my solids...but guess what...??
They have to be washed because Stitch has done a bit of cat hair shedding!!!!!!!
When things seem grim...I have to remember folks who have done so much for me lately.
Linda for bringing meals....Carol for helping my son search for a healthcare path,
My wonderful doctor who told me to please go have my hair cut and my eyes checked and go to Aldi.
That mental health is very important..Just wear my mask and wash my hands.
And, my physical therapists who go the second and third mile for me.
My sister for the coffee ice cream.
I am searching for my new T-shirt..
"Tough As Nails"
ox

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Something Hit the Fan Here....Wonder What it Was??

Today, two year old Ava, just had her 3rd brain surgery in two years.
Her shunt collapsed again.
A little brain bleed, but she is now recovering  TBTG
The children are now back with me, so their mother can stay in the hospital with Ava.
Coronavirus be damned...Have to once again, turn my fear into faith.
Here is little Ava after her successful brain surgery. today.
And...there is a little action in Portland today..Someone I know is one cm dialated...
I am hoping the baby will come on 7-20-2020  Wouldn't that be fun!!?

My new Covid mask enhances..the old beauty I have become!!!!
As lovely as it makes me look, it is impossible to wear glasses or breathe.with it...Oh, well.
Why comb my hair any more??
See Super Dog on the mask...She is there to give me courage.
Falls, accidents, babies and operations...Tough as Nails is the O'Quilts family.

Here,  we have express delivery:  Only took 4 months!
Elastic
 I ordered this in March. It came today, July 19th.
Now I really, really understand the concept...slow boat from China!!!!
I had thought it had been just one more scam
Above...batting...40 yards.
In my crazy, I got a whiff that with the manufacturing delays around the world,
quilters would be stuck for batting...How can we have a fluffy quilt without batting.??
We cannot have folks cold and not cozy.
This hoarder got right on it.  Warm and Natural bolt from Amazon...came in two days!!!
I will share with  my friends if things get tougher.

My very, very favorite quilt artist...Very...Shows her wonderful exhibit in France...
Since my traveling days are over, I am so delighted with her blog posts..  This one was stunning.
I hope you enjoy it like I did. 

I slept all yesterday and woke up better...no bruises, etc.
Soooo grateful that I survived last night's fall...as did my sewing machine.
First thing up..I made a rope bowl to check it all out..
My machine was a bit mad at me...but she forgave.
Amazing Grace.
Polka dots in batik.

And friendship love came in the form of dinner last night and tonight.
A stunning veggie lasagna and super duper chicken.
Thank you !  Thank you ! Thank you! ..Linda

Friday, July 17, 2020

Thar She Blows...or Goes??

The grandchildren come back from their Florida beach vacation tomorrow.
They will stay at their mother's house for awhile to be sure they are not sick.
They had the best time ever..They even went to Disney for a few hours.!!!!
Here we have our 10  year old Dylan with a fish he caught.

Below, my DIL sent me a pix of them all wearing masks!!!
So relieved.!!!!!

Tonight my son wanted me to teach him how to make a rope bowl for a friend who has helped him soooo much after his motorbike accident Tuesday night. Really, I felt it would be
better for me to just make it..because teaching someone with a broken wrist seemed a bit much to me.
The bowl is smaller than it looks and took me 20 minutes to make.  Eamon was delighted.
My son left tonight for his meeting, howling in pain. 
His broken bones...still unset because he has no health insurance....
We had a nasty thunderstorm, so I unplugged my sewing machine.
When the storm  was over.  I tried to plug it back in...Leaning over, my chair went out from under me, I grabbed the table and fell with my wonderful 8900 sewing machine on top of me.  The table too...the pin cushions and needles and the whole kit and kaboodle.. 

Thank God, I keep my phone in my bra.  
Thank God, I have CPI security where I can unlock the back door with my phone.
Thank God I have good neighbors who came right over and not only righted me, but also my machine.
Thank God, my machine still works...
Once more, I was lucky that my substantial bottom...bounced instead of broke.
So worth all the cookies and red wine.

Right now Grandma O'Quilts is looking at life through grey colored glasses.
Maybe it is the Covid moon?

Thank you Linda for this link....It was very nice.
Nice to watch a few quilt shows for some joy!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

The Beat Goes on...Until it Doesn't

My son is a great worker...I had asked him not to work because I was afraid of Covid 19
Finally, I gave in...and said...Fine...go work!
Last night he fixed a friend's motorbike.  When he took it for a test drive,
the back tire blew...tossing my son and the bike in the air into somersaults.
He drove himself to the ER and came home with a broken wrist and kneecap.
He is soon off to the ortho person for casts.
This is all I have the energy to write.
xoxo

There is happy:

Monday, July 13, 2020

Shopping my Stash

Shopping my stash today, I found these exciting fabrics..
This one a bonded knit from a friend in Miami 30 years ago.
 A few yards of red toile!!
Solids re-visited.
Wondered where Stitch had gone.... I did not know he favored solids!!
Bulldog fabric...for mask making??  Or, for political use??
Newly folded shelves....browns, plaids, Australian and African fabrics.
What to sew???  Plaid bow-tie??
Australian large snowball?
African fabric for project bags?
By the time I have organized it, I no longer feel like sewing..ugh.
Organizing makes such a big mess...in my house anyway.

Here I am...Stay tuned to my progress....or not!!

Tonight I decided not to be held hostage to the virus.
To be prudent but not frozen in fear.
I am going to the grocery store more often.
Only at 7 ish at night.
We are at war.  If I hear the siren, I will duck...otherwise
I will Keep Calm and Carry On
I think!!  I hope!!
Also having a sewing friend over tomorrow..mask and 6 ft distance.
I cannot wait!!