A Splendid Day

The "Thank you" post card I made for Vickie.

She received it today....so I am showing it now.

Vickie sent me two lovely surprise gifts a few weeks back.

She is a retired math teacher and a leader of our band.

I glued the fabric to card stock and quilted that with my free motion foot.

Then I glued that to my postcard backing and did the blanket stitch around.

I used a school glue stick.

I was really excited last night to see Lynsey interested in choosing charms for a project.

Today was a different day.  Their father took them to the skateboard park.

She came home with several skinned areas and a sore ankle.  She said that the the boo-boos were worth it. The entrance to the park would have been denied unless they had helmets and knee and arm pads.

So, of course, Grandma got those. 

I am so trying to explain to both of them how sewing is safer...Forget the charms...evidently skateboarding is more fun!!!

I would love for the children to go to summer school.

They would not love it at all.  I made a deal that they would read 30 minutes every day with no mouth nor attitude.  They agreed....We will see.  We are going to start by reading this book...each of us together.

One of the wonderful karate teachers they studied with for four years wrote the book.

I bought it tonight on Amazon. 

 Go Ms Gomez, Mam!!!!  We love you so. xo

Tired of being inconvenienced by my age related issues, online I ordered two magnetized grabbers.

They fold up for my sewing cart. ( grabbers)

Cinco de Mayo is my mother's birthday.  This year she would have been 100. We have decided to celebrate by making a Mexican dinner that night. So exciting...so far..cheese enchiladas and guacamole by me.  Cheese crisps by her daddy. Salsa by Lynsey, dessert by Lynsey and hopefully someone will help Dylan make chicken and bean burritos...Maybe even Mexican rice....Wahoo.

Lynsey had better make our lists. She has been grumpy all day because she is 10 assignments behind in Social studies.  She got behind when she was at her mother's house for two weeks with Covid.  She was too tired. Now she keeps putting it off and being grumpy.  She did one tonight. She has two and a half weeks to go, but more assignments come every day. Sigh...Somehow Tik Tok is a more appealing task than making up work so she can pass her social studies.

Dylan graduates from elementary school in 3 weeks or so.  Each time this happens, the child goes out to eat just with his parents...It is a big deal. Maybe it can still happen for him outside at a place he likes.

Just heard from Emily.  Evidently Aoife got some soap in her eye and screamed for an hour.  Her daddy googled what to do.  The answer was to put a drop of breast milk in the eye.  Wow, who would have thought that.  Immediately, Aoife stopped crying.

I made my son hide my 3 pound bag of Dove chocolate. Now I cannot find it and the chocolate cravings are terrible....Grandma is trying to be a big girl.  It is so hard.

A good day today.  My hairdresser came to my driveway to cut my hair.

I finally went back to my exercises.

It was 84F today and will be 88F tomorrow..no humidity yet.

A splendid day in the Carolinas.

 

Words to Live by...

Grunge by Basic Grey

 I am sitting outside in the glow of tonight's pink moon...Dylan comes out.  Grandma why are you out here alone.  Because I am busy feeling sorry for myself..Why???  Because I miss my grandmother and my mother and my husband. Silence.  Grandma, all those people already lived their own lives. Now it is time for you to live yours.  That is the way it goes, he said.  Dylan is 11.

Lynsey has her own money from working at her mother's house.  She wanted to go to Target tonight for ear buds for her computer..I am walking with her.  Every step is painful, but on I go. She is 12.  She dances in the aisles, Tik Tok in her brain.  She picks out a skate board to buy with her own money.  She picks out a helmet to buy with her own money.  She found the earbuds she needed.  Evidently there are a million types.  She carefully reads the back of each of them, to get the right ones.  Sherry told me how to do podcasts to calm my mind.  Lynsey found the right ear pods for my phone.  She bought herself a pair of shorts and I got her a shirt to go with it.  I miss my youth, but I really love hers.

Last night Dylan threw a big fit about not having access anymore to the computer that he misused.  He broke the new blinds in his room.  Tonight he filled 10 bobbins for me.  To help make up the time I had to fret over the blinds.  He owed me time...The blinds were $20.  He will work off the price of them.

At Target, I could hardly walk, every step brought pain.  My sister asked if I was still doing my PT exercises.  I said No...I was in dreamland that I no longer  had arthritis and was really 53.  It was stinkin thinkin..

I have gained so much weight this past year isolated with the Covid fear.  So, every time I wanted to eat cookies, instead, I  perused the fabric sites for deals.  Fabric prices have increased to $12 a yard.  I am a bargain hunter.  I get happy when a package comes.  Coming they are.....Yet I do not sew, just sit looking out the window contemplating life.  Lynsey said I was doing like she does with homework.  When things are not in order she gets behind.  Too much fabric does the same thing...I am flooded with goodies and cannot choose.  She is a wise one and so is Dylan.  How very lucky is this grandma.!!

The chick fabric was gifted to me for my Easter collection

Above, the only "sewing" in the entire weekend.  The cutting out of my own new mask.

Cats in scrubs in masks, from Spoonflower

Goodnight!!!

Quilting Friends Make a Happy, Happy Life

A rainy Saturday in April.  Looking out from my sewing room window.

Last night was such a gift. A two hour trunk show by my very favorite quilt artist in the world:

Rachel from Australia, Blue Mountain Daisy.  She is oh, so inspiring.

Blue Mountain Daisy...Rachel Dodd

This $10 zoom was given to us by Jen at  Jen Lee @ Red Thread Studios

There was a full house with 70 of us from all around the world.  The wonderful benefits of Zoom

Yesterday, a delightful lunch outside at Cabos.  The company was great...I am not so sure about the food. They must have needed a new chef since last year.  Restaurants in Charlotte are having a tough time getting workers back since Covid upended the world. Workers who depend on tips are not getting too many right now. 

This long forgotten piece below was probably a group challenge. Anyway, Sherry quilted it for me and gave it back with a lovely yellow bow.  A surprise!!!

 

Below: long coveted flowers by Anna Marie Horner.  "Hindsight" fat quarters from Etsy

It is almost May.  My mother's birthday, Cinco de Mayo  and her death day, May 9th.  

It is hard to wrap my mind around the fact that she was born in 1921 and now is it 2021.

Aoife, the prototype of the book:

Aoife and the Cucumber

Stay at Home Order Made my Hair All Gray

Aoife is so happy.  Today she is 9 months old, cruising the furniture and having a grand old time.

Here the Flame Azalea that my mother gave me.....to remember her by....Is already losing the leaves in spite of spring...Although we do have a freeze warning tonight...Crazy.  I was freezing at 57 degrees today...so missing Miami.

Somehow I am still getting used to my cataract operation and my glasses being gone.  Trying to figure out reading and the computer.  I had bought a pair of readers at Target for $16.  Then I found these online for $12 for FOUR pair and cases. They are great!!

I do not even remember having white Irises,,, Boy am I a mess.

Yesterday, I was a bit...OK...a lot on the crabby side.  Lynsey picked garden flowers for me.

That certainly got a smile and a thank you.

I have been beside myself trying to get AOL pictures on my I-phone to work again.

Tonight I called Verizon.  After 15 minutes she said to connect with Apple help.  I called Apple help and they said I do not have that kind of plan...talk about crabby.  In disgust, I added another AOL app and voila...big girl Grandma did it herself...so tonight I get to blog!!!

Lynsey, the creative cook has "discovered" a healthy way to drink her 7 up.

A red pepper bowl!!

As for sewing today, I cut the 3 inch squares for snowballing my Morris 10 inch blocks.

A magical friend sent me 3 pounds of chocolate...Dove, since I am not really a bird person.!!

I like my Doves from the candy aisle.

A few little ditties....I found on I Need Fabric.com

   Grunge on sale. 

Below, a favorite of mine.

How could I not end my post with another picture of Aoife at her nine month check up.

xo

That Ride Called Life

Cover Me with Sunshine

from Vickie...who wants me to follow my dream.

She has sent me an XXXXL version of this 6 year old's tutu.

It is in purple, because When I Am Old I Shall Wear Purple

When I told Lynsey about it, she said that her daddy would have to get me a helmet. HA!!

I really , really want to "borrow" a grocery cart from the store, spray paint it purple, tie quilting fabric as bows and wheel it down the street in my tutu.  I just need the cart.  I so refuse a walker. And, I am too old to steal it.  Wonder who would visit me in jail??????

Vicki has tempted my creativity.  I am thinking!!!

It came today from Amazon.  I know, I will ask for the grocery cart for Mother's Day!!!

Above is my skirt...purple tulle...and projects to work on.

How do I choose.???  No wonder I have 367 unfinished quilting projects. I sat here watching a stupid movie instead and drinking wine. Just guess I will now cut out the blocks for a new project.

I love my fabric collection.

A friend said I was going to die some day.  I do not want to leave any fabric behind.  I know there is not a trailer hitch for the hearse, but I am not giving up on it.

Yesterday, the CMQG had a get together at the parking lot at St Gabes.  Fully masked, we still had a good time.  Look what Ellen was wearing...Mola sandles .  I know Molas are from Panama. Ellen bought these in Mexico!

Heather bought a new house....Look at the quilty floor she installed!!

I am reading , Eleanor in the Village 

I like this much better than the long and winded Eleanor

Her quotes:

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you will be criticized anyway".

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror  I can take the next thing that comes along."

Evan came to stay the weekend with us for the first time since Covid.  It has been delightful.  He is now well spoken and expresses an affinity for Civics and weight lifting.  At almost 16, I will take that with pleasure.

I am having a hard time uploading my pictures to AOL...Ugh.

Tomorrow is my second cataract surgery.  I will be grateful when it is over.

Today, I had the calming pleasure of reading outside, under my tree, on a beautiful day.

 

Spring and Sun and Hope

Happy Birthday Stitch!!!

My girl made this top for her girl...My heart.

This bonnet too.

I so want our Lynsey to love sewing like we do.

Alas, she loves cooking.  She made a fresh blueberry pie for her mother tonight.  Or, maybe it was cherry.  Lynsey sent me this picture..

What to do about the boys.  They have lost interest in their sewing machines.

I think they may have forgotten all but how to wind bobbins for Grandma and how to make scrambled eggs.

I saw this on someone's blog as a perfect solution for the Accucutter and dies...OMG

It is like $225, so of course I do not have it.  Just thinking if my man were here, he would make it...

Of course, he would have to make room for it too...Like a sewing room addition??

Dizzy Quilter's Sewing room table for Accucutter, etc

Spring is in the Carolinas.  Our Irises are out.

Usually they come out on my mother's birthday, May 5th.

I am glad they are early to brighten our days.

Today was outside lunch with Jackie...then I walked, pushing a grocery cart around Publix.

I kept dropping things for my co-shoppers to pick up for me.

My bagger was from Venezuela.  Both of us reminisced about Caracas, etc before Venezuela became like Cuba....

Life is hard...Everyday I ask why.  Now I am just going to try to go with the flow and enjoy the day.  My darlings come home tomorrow, Evan too.  My son has put his work aside for the weekend.

I am grateful.

 

Six Years is the Same as Forever

                                        

                           When I Go                     

  

As the storm clouds gather they darken the sky.

My friends tell me to will the sun to shine. 

I am not that powerful.

 I cannot see glory when the tidal wave engulfs me.

Submerged, even hope eludes me.

My heart touches yours. 

 Without judgment, I will always listen to your pain.

Always!

With God's help, somehow along the way, I came to this:  

A Better Man

xoxox Meg

My Meditation

Playing along with fabric...my meditation..Kaffe and Andy's hand dye.

My seven pound weights came the other day.

Now I can do 30 reps with these on bicep curls.

That is supposed to help my balance. Fingers crossed.

This is what Eithne did.  I am now ready to do it too.  She gave away love in memory of her son.

This year, again...folks are choosing a word to live by.

The word that comes to mind is Grit.

I want to have  grit.

 

Cover Me In Sunshine

With a lovely Zoom Sit and Sew with my Good Vibes Quilters today...I was energized!! I

 finished....flimsy finished for my son's quilt.  Nothing like DONE.  It is so long I do not know how I will baste it with no friends to help.  It is probably too big for outside spray basting...I cannot wait until we can all get back together again. .Hopefully life will get better with our shots!!

Our Aoife having a great time at the park!!

News:  I found out that Connecting Threads sent me that blue fabric by mistake and sent someone else my solids...Will wait for their reply..

My grands have been cleared by the health department to go back to school Wednesday.  TBTG

And, my girl and her man got their first Pfizer shots today....Grateful!!!

Just in case you did not know me before I got so old and on my cane.

This is who I really am.!!  Inside anyway....

Cover Me In Sunshine

 

Midnight Musings

Covid is making this extrovert a bit anxious.  Tonight I treated myself to a bit of reproduction fabric.

When it came, I was thrilled...so much cheaper than therapy.

Look what my girl made for her Aoife.  Be still my heart that my Emily can sew.

Praying that Lynsey and the boys will pick it up too.

I am auditioning the border for my son's quilt.

Should have the top done tomorrow during our Good Vibes Sit and Sew

It is on my UFO list...a long time coming.

 I have several yards of blue fabric I did not order that came to me with no invoice.  I do not know if it was a mistake or a gift.  I do not know whether I have to keep them in the UPS bag or if I should take them out, wash them and put them in my stash. Maybe I should call the neighbors to see if I got theirs by mistake? I have emailed the people at the return address...no answer.  So the lovelies just keep sitting on the dining room table with a big question mark on them....???

What to do , what to do.???  Will I have to return them??

Tonight I am eating brownies.  God help me. My friends will soon call me Hippo.

The roofer gave me a $7000 estimate for the roof leaking repair.

The vet bill is awful as Zoe has kidney failure and Stitch has an eye tumor.

Guess I have to cut it out on the fabric spending.

Cruising Etsy is probably not the best bet for me now.

Staying in the day, saying a prayer and being so grateful for my friends xoxo

Missing my grands.

Peekaboo Star Top Done

 Peekaboo Star top done from stash and scraps..

Linda's 15 minutes of help...my clean cutting board. (sorry Jean Piaget)

First time a friend has been in my house in a year...windows all open.

Every night my son's home from working on cars.

Get out of my sewing room...OMG!!!

My father used to be an airplane mechanic.

Today, my goodness, was a Clematis family reunion!!

Below is one of my favorite batiks.  I have cut it with great humility for the back of the Peekaboo quilt.

My first instinct was to save it, as I love it so...Ha Ha Ha...I almost forgot how old I am.

So it goes...My vacation is extended for another 10 days.

The children will be staying  with remote learning at their mother's house.

Too bad since in-person school starts on Monday and they were really looking forward to that.

I guess a bit of isolation is not the end of the world. No one will forget 2020-2021!!

Next up on the design wall, is my son's quilt.  It was started 2 years ago as a surprise for Christmas, then for his January birthday, etc...same thing this past year.  Now, I have put it on my UFO list to finish!

He wants wool batting and flannel backing. OK, then...I have both already, no excuses!!

The borders and sizing the width is next.

I am now reading, Eleanor in the Village. 

I will not start something new....Well, maybe those 4 inch 4 patch scraps!!!