This Life of Mine

Most days. this is the scene from my front yard.  A bit of country in the city.

My empty bedroom ready for the selling.

You're Going to Miss me When I am Gone

Only two years old...once!!

Ava and Lynsey enjoy each other at the beach.

The boys...now includes Tyler, age 13...

Five children, four cats, one dog, one ferret in a corn field...

These grands at the beach...a lovely two week vacation.

The hardest  part about being old is the feeling of abandonment as everyone goes on with their lives.

Even my special well loved quilting groups  have forgotten each other:  Covid changed the world as we knew it.  It adds to the isolation and sadness.

Girl Scout Song: Make New Friends, but Keep the Old 

House for sale...OMG..Home where I lived for 28 years, where I raised 2 families, where  my dear man died, where I got old and tired.

Because of the showings, I spent a day at my sister's house.

For the first time in over two years, I had help basting a quilt.  So comforting!!

My sister wins the award for the heroine this time!!!

She takes great care of her older sister.

Not only did we sew, but she made hot brownies with ice cream served on our mother's china.

My sister's stash!!

Boo and Leia at my sister's house.  Getting along just fine.  

In fact, Boo dissed me so that day.  Very unforgiving Boo Baby.

 Tonight's sewing while I Zoom for my mental health.

Men's shirts from Goodwill, cut up to make a laid back holiday quilt.

And so it goes.  Grands now, 17, 13, 12, and two.( added step ones...13 and 4) Love them all.

Me so old and weary...Please God, let me survive the selling of my dear old house.

This Old House

 

Someone Turns Two Years Old

Today is the day.  Our Aoife is two years old.  Here we are, Grandma and her Aoife saying goodbye on Facetime!!

Our Aoife's birthday surprise...Rhino cast hip brace!! See, when Emily tripped down several stairs with baby in arms, even though Aoife did not fall, evidently the leg muscle weight was heavier than her bone and her femur cracked.  The pediatric ortho said the crack is probably all the way up to the end, hidden by the muscle.  Therefore:  Her new brace.  Doc said it will be fine and heal itself, the brace is just to be sure that it does not get worse. Six weeks I think, but do not know for sure. The girl is not in pain, so all is as good as it gets TBTG

Aoife at the park with her braces and Rosie, her guard dog.!!

Why are they at the park on her birthday?? Well, it is way in the 90s in Portland and my girl and her family have no AC in their 3 story house made in 1907.  I hear that that is about to change!!!

I have been so freaking stressed this past week or so.  My house has been on the market for 5 days.

I have had 30 showings.  Not too much interest as it is not in good shape. Being an ALS widow raising children has not given me the time, nor money to keep up with things. Yet, I think the number of showings is incredible...Dear realtor wants me to do exactly as she says and I have been pushing back. Sigh.  She wants to lower the price....Yes Mam, I said finally.!!

I am so tired of being out of the house and eating PBJ for dinner, so it will not mess up the house.

Guess this is the process when a person sells a house.

I am, once again, exhausted.

Above is friend of the century:  Quilting friend of 20 years, Sherry!!!

I must have done something right. I could not have done this without her. Many days, I would have just given up.

The other day, there were 10 showings at my house..OMG I had to be gone all day.  I went to  my new place pool and then watched the construction workers put in my patio door.  I met a man at the pool who said his wife is learning to quilt.  They live in my building...This is not to be finished until the end of August...seems so far away.  As I wait for my house to sell, I ponder, where on the patio wall will I put my quilt barn star from Oregon.

It was so  nice to have a place to rest while my house was being shown. I had lunch with friends, and just relaxed.

Things were rough this week too as my bruises from my falls two weeks ago finally surfaced...getting better slowly with daily swimming in the pool. Pain is depressing and makes everything look worse than it is.

This is what I did with scraps while Zooming and fretting.  Only a quilter would understand the beautiful relaxation that comes from putting together scraps. And, as I am moving and found 10 boxes of scraps...making something now of them..is encouraging. Loving showcasing some of my grandmother's old embroidery in my patches

With the help of friends, I am realizing, once again, that the darkest cloud eventually runs out of rain.

PBS News Hour, Gees Bend Quilts 

Waiting now for birthday cake pictures.

Posting, Just Because

 

Good but scary day today

I am frightened I will fall again, so I minded my friends and used my walkers. I cannot wait  until this old house is sold and I am safely nestled in my new apartment.

Today, the roofer came.  Insurance will not pay for the leak, but will pay for the inside damage. He was sooo nice and helpful.  I met someone whose husband died of ALS two years ago. Was  happy to hook her up to our online support group that has saved my life and has given me lovely new friends all over the country.

I am blessed with special friends with different talents to  help me...So lucky to have smart and capable ones...so grateful.  A few at home fixes, then back to lunch for the fifth day in a row to Le Peeps, eating with the same friend and eating the same choices.  Such comfort in consistency, right now, especially. A nice nap after and zoom meetings on my Ipad...because my computer has sound but no video.. I have little flying flour bugs all over the house.  There is nothing in my pantry...jeeze louise.  The exterminator came with spray yesterday...but there are still a few bugs left, probably laying more eggs...UGH.

Just want you to know that being friends with a quilter, has strings attached!!

After my nap, I must have talked with 5 friends.. Such comfort.  News...one friend had a bad car accident.  Aoife and Emily had a fall down the stairs and now Aoife is in ER to see if she has anything  broken...

Tonight during zoom, I used my awesome and trusty electric Accuquilter to cut triangles...Tomorrow I will use the 2.5 inch die to cut the rest of the small scraps into usable bits...I so love that  cutter!!

Sisters Quilt Show 2022

If we cannot go, it sure is nice to have a friend like Suzette to share the link xoxoxoxo 

The comfort of knowing we are amongst the stars.

Helps me feel like I am part of the universe and it is not all about me.

Humbling...Thank you Sherry xoxoox

ps Charlotte, Thank you for your encouragement.  I lost your email xoxo

 

 

 

Mrs. O'Quilts Checks In

The lastest disaster is my laundry room leak due to loaded gutters, and a horrid rain storm

This has delayed my home's listing  until next Monday.

Who are the heros of the month??

David and Heather..who came to the rescue with their friends, fixing my rotten deck boards and facilitating the ceiling leak from getting worse.  They came right over to save my day.

Hearts of gold and smart as a whip.

Only a quilter would pack all 15 of her rotary cutters so she did not have one to use before her move.???.

Then ordered two more online to use now. 

Meantime in Oregon, Covid cured, the family went cherry picking on a fine day.

Aoife took a bite out of many cherries, then put them back to taste another!!

In 9 days, Aoife will be two years old.  Amazing.

The North Carolina grands..:  Lynsey and her sister , Ava.

When my awesome SIL was going through the attic to clear it out, he came down with one of my grandmother's boxes of  pigs.  OMG.  Grandma was born in 1896 and died in 1996.  She said that caring for the family pigs in Sweden as a young child taught her how smart the pig is.

Another find:  A prayer card for Alice, the Patron Saint of Paralysis.

Who would have known as my mother died as a result of a Parkinson's fall.

Glad my mother  never knew about the "Saint" part...We would never have heard the end of it.

Today, I fell again, the second time in two weeks.  I was even on the cane.  TBTG Sherry was here to care for me. I am sooooo lucky.for good friends. Tomorrow I will have many bruises but no broken bones...And Sherry found my walker....UGH , an old lady walker for young and spry me!!

No sewing is enough to stress anyone!!

Today, I have hope....TBTG and TBT friends. xo

I am sooooo grateful for all the notes of encouragement and love from throughout the land.

xoxo

Receiving the Love

Calming the soul by finishing some bowls:

Love the backings too!  Color cheers my day.

Receiving is tough.  So much easier and more fulfilling to give. 

I need so much help for my move.  I have always had great orgainizational weakness.  Monday,  the cleaners come.  Wednesday, the photographer comes, Friday, the house is listed.  The lovely home we have had for 28 years, our family home is going.

My house has been neglected for 10 years due to raising grandchildren and my husband's ALS and death.The house is being sold as is.  I want a million dollars for my house and a great appreciation for Great Aunt Carl's huge Gardenia bush that I grew from a slip from Greenville, Alabama. 

 My realtor is not impressed.

I am indeed grateful for my friends who have gathered round to help me.  I just might live through this as others have done.  My room reservation at Broughton may have to be cancelled which would be a very good thing. Guess this too will pass.  I know I posted about this  yesterday , but I guess I  just have to post it again!!

Aoife brightens. Our girl in the box...really getting into the packing!! She does not like her picture being taken.

And so it goes. The midnight hour approaches. xo

De-Stressing 101

I am moving to an apartment in a senior living facility.  I so am very ready to care for myself and get myself out of my exhausted black hole. I already have four friends there waiting for me.

Lynsey painted this birdhouse for my new garden...with lovely words on the bottom.

Knowing how much my grands care, makes it all worthwhile.

Taking big colored popsicle sticks and writing sayings on them to encourage me on...is my next de-

stressor.

I can grab one a day to help me remember what is important.

Sad me, leaving my new and awesome sewing room.  It is now empty and ready for a new life. Bookcases made by my dear love.

In 8 days my house goes on the market, no sign, just online.

Empty yellow room, or living room...All rooms, freshly painted from my flood last year.

Dear friend, Michael emptied some shelves in the garage.

My sister and my friends have saved me from myself in this endeavor.

Seventeen year old Evan.

Evan's best friends, Jake and Miles

Missing my Aoife.  Here she is in my closet, reading books with Bunny xo

They have been home in Portland, Oregon for about 10 days. now.

Unfortunately, the gift of Covid came to all three from the airport or airplane.

Poor little Aoife with  her splotchy face and low grade fever.  They are a bit better now, but still test positive for Covid.

A very sad thing happened a few days ago. Both of my televisions were stolen from my garage. It is not that I watch TV that often, it is just one more thing to add to my stress level and broken heart.

I  have not been able to sew for 10 days, busy packing and resting and freaking out...OMG

Tonight I was able to just do some random scrap sewing...very relaxing.

This block was sized by the computer as...in my overwhelmed state, I realize I have packed my rotary cutters and only God knows where....Jeeze Louize!!!

I will be living in my empty house for many weeks...sigh...living just in my sewing room!!

Of course a little vino helps ...Sad that I am out...but chocolate , I found.

Today I was under the weather all day...all stress....ALL!  Our family have lived in this house for 28 years. Memories of my man, my mother, my health, my dog and cats...sigh...

Did I mention how stressed I am...

 I must remember to write on my popsicle sticks a saying I heard:

"Every cloud eventually runs out of rain"

xoxoox