The Best Day in a Very Long Time!

 It is almost midnight as I remember to blog about my great day.  My sister  and two friends joined me today for lunch and laughter. I almost felt "normal"..although I surely know that "normal" does not exist.

I made bowl cozies in order to give the potholders a rest.

Here are the three I made, both sides.

A stunning day today of 77 degrees F.  Bright sun and Carolina blue skies.

Pansies blooming in my grandmother's antique  bowl.

Hyacynths Linda planted in the late fall.

I am sitting here eating a slab of Port Salud cheese, a few pretzels and a glass of Shiraz.  My brain is bursting with memories of our fine day.

Meantime, in Portland, it is snowing.

Teaching her young, Aoife clears the road for her car!!

They are all ready to leave at 5 am tomorrow for vacation...IF the airport does not close.

At today's end, I enjoyed cutting with my new Shamrock template.  I just love to be able to make "Thank you's" for the kind anf generous new friends and staff here at my new retirement village.

The lovely today ended with dinner with friends at our Bistro while Carol's Yadi cleaned my apartment.

I came home from dinner with a clean place, fresh sheets and joy in my heart.

So very grateful!!

Who Knows the Outcome?

 Here at my new apartment I have these for arm strenthening.

Here we also have this for lunch or dinner or both.

Dear me, I certainly will never be 40 again with all this temptation

Who knows the outcome???  I  think I do, but I do not care.  My movie star days are over!!

Happy Valentine's Day.....this is my last heart potholder for this year.

Nice to find birds of a feather in my new place....

And in that awesome package from Anna...came this little button that I wish was much bigger as it so tells the truth!!

Now I am off to finish the last binding on my last entry to the Charlotte quilt show.

The bag label is made and ironed on the bag.

I just have to turn the binding and sew it on top.

I am in the home stretch.

Tomorrow I get to go to PT again to try to regain the strength I lost when I fell a few weeks ago.

The good day today was exercise in the pool and a trip by myself to the library.  Wow, Mrs. O'Quilts, you are such a big girl.  Although, I do say that I left my eyeglasses in the car and could not see the titles.   And, I lost my library app which the help desk lady had to find for me on my phone.  Still, it all encouraged me on...

After a miserable few days, today was another sunny day in the Carolinas.

Cute  labels:  below a label Emily put in a shirt she just finished.

This is my label for the last quilt.  Did not put on the binding...lazy me

This fabric was white from IKEA  God knows when, but I dyed it yellow.

It is for my son whenever I find him.  For now, I love this quilt.

 Here you go Joye!!!Charlotte Quilter's Guild Quilt Show

Life on the Slow Track

After my pool exercising. I found an awesome package by my door.

It was a welcoming to  my new home present, but then changed to a birthday present, a Christmas present and a New Year present.  Now it is a valentine present and full of love and encouragement.

SIX yards of stunning African fabric...Oh, my...I am breathless with excitement.

Other treats are in the box too.....but I just could not stop gazing at the wealth of joy in this fabric.

Thank you Anna!!!!

Joining my Valentine potholder on my front door, is a hand painted one from Linda Swanekamp

Sewn and stuffed.  Linda shares with me her artistry.  I am so blessed.

Come in closer to admire Linda's work.

Today I stayed in bed until noon.  That extra rest enabled me to catch up on laundry, kitchen work and some organizing. I was able to attach labels on the three quilts to go into the show and clean the lint from the small design walls.that Linda D. made for me.  I am all ready for the Accuquilt presentation, I will share on Monday.  My things are all  on a cart, ready for the organizer to wheel down to our art room.  Love my red cart.

I have been under so much stress during my transition, that I did not realize I have not been getting blogposts from others in  quite awhile...months.....OMG   I am still on Bloglovin and probably should change, but am  terribly weak on computers.  Dear me....What to do??  I do not even know how to get the posts from Bloglovin again.

 This upcoming week, I will turn in 3 quilts for the March show in Monroe....Charlotte Quilter's Guild....and, Monday I will show the tiny quilt group at my place, the electric Accuquilt...with some of my examples and dies to try.  It is nice to be back with some of my peeps and my sewing friends.  I think I am getting better!!!

A Spring Day in February

The Valentine art decorations in our art room.

Above quilt is mine, c.1999  Charlotte

My second quiltlet has been renamed:  "Tree of  Love" to suit the season.

In December it was a Christmas tree.  Top gifted and made by Marie Hartman

Hand Quilted by me, c.1994  Charlotte

Using my awesome electric Accuquilt and the snowflake die...Voila two winter potholders.

Tremendous pounding in my apartment today as they prepare the third floor apt for renovation.

OMG

Lucky, lucky me is five minutes from the pool.

Lucky, lucky me had a brilliantly beautiful February day  here...at 68 degrees F and Carolina Blue..sun.

Instead of being crabby with the construction noise, old lady basked and napped in the sun.

 Oh, Happy Day

Night!!

 

Sunshine on my Shoulders

Honestly, stress is just everywhere!!  And, I know I am not alone.  Thank God, I have potholders to make and give...  And still I have lessons to learn in expectations...Sigh!

One of these is on my apt door, others are to be gifted.

My husband and my grandmother were my rocks in life.  I miss them so much.

This quilt. I made for my son.  I am keeping it for now,  It is made with sorrow and with love.

I named it, "Sunshine on my Shoulders". The fabrics are so wonderful in person.

Up close....backing is grey flannel.

My daughter, the musician has found her niche:  It is in the Celtic Women's band.

My girl plays a mean tin whistle, Irish style.  Her daddy must be so proud.

I spoke with Aoife tonight.  They have to bribe her with a piece of chocolate to talk with Grandma...sad!!!  They put one piece in  my old Irish teapost.  When we finish a nice chat, she gets her chocolate, from Grandma....Jeeze Louize...Guess this is part of being 2 and a half.

Thank you Rachel for the lovely visit today.  Thank  you Betty for the visit to your stain glass studio.

Thank you my sister for the help yesterday.  Thank you Sherry for the pictures you sent.  Thank you Sunny for the great talks.  

Yet still the ocean's rocky and scary.  With a sense of deja vue, I carry on.

There is a cafeteria worker who hugs me every day, telling to be grateful that I get to be 75.  He says, my big jobs are done, I have to leave all the rest up to God.  Sometimes I feel so deserted, then I see that I do indeed have friends. GUS is there...Great Universal Spirit!!

Looking forward to sewing with Linda tomorrow. 

And, I have two new friends who live here who deserve an "I care" potholder from me.

Tonight is a chilly night in the Carolinas.  Perfect to cuddle in bed under my quilts and be grateful.  xo