The Journey

 A big thanks to patient Mary Jerz for quilting my latest flimsy: I am calling it, "The Journey".  African fabric scrap strips in the Railway pattern...bold blue, my sister's idea...perfect.!!!

Next:

I am almost finished with  my Hour Glass plaid scrap top...then off to Mary again...

Today, I walked for exercise and read: The Women,  by Kristen Hannah.  I could not put it down.

Great historical novel...bringing back cursory memories of  my Vietnam travel.

I was a flight attendant for Pan Am, based in NYC.  I volunteered to fly in and out of Vietnam during the war, bringing soldiers to  Hong Kong or Bangkok for R and R...(rest and recuperation)  The airline gave us dog tags and told us that if we were captured by the enemy, we were to tell them that we were American and they would send us home.  I was 22 and believed every word.  I have my dog tags hanging on my apartment wall. The bombs went off as we took off and landed, but naive me was not scared.  Young GIs took us on a little tour of their barracks....a  tent with a stick Christmas tree., two  cots on the ground.  I worked those flights for months, going through Saigon and Danang.

Last year I told a grocery store manager here in Charlotte that I was parking that day in the veteran parking spot because I had been to Saigon and Danang.  He asked, "Where is that"?

This brings back even more memories. A few years later,   I was based in Los Angeles , working on a big 747 filled with bi-racial babies and toddlers coming from Vietnam to America to be adopted.  Each baby had someone with it....most children were vomiting because of the food difference and the travel. It was a long, long flight from Asia to LA.

I have not thought of this for years,  until now, reading this book.  I must say it is one of the best books I have ever read.

This Quilty Day

All day today with quilty friends at a sit and sew at Quilt Patch Fabrics in Stallings.

I  have completed 12 wonky stars in repro fabric....(pattern from Blue Elephant Stitches) 

I so love these blocks so will keep on making more.

From the boxes of neglect came my Hour Glass plaid and striped blocks..

So motivated now to sew these together after years as little pieces in a bag..

Big thanks to Susie for helping me today...Big thanks to God for bringing friends into my life!!

Big thanks to Brachs for making classic Easter jelly beans. and big thanks to Amazon for delivering them.

Big thanks to a couple at sewing today who celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary with a huge yummy cake...my favorite kind.

We all had some for  breakfast and for late afternoon snack.

Big thanks to God for helping me survive all the grief of life.

St Paddy's Day and More

Happy St Paddy's Day

Aoife and her dog Rosie...all ready for the parade in Portland

Spring garden here in Charlotte..., so happy!!

Underplanting bulbs in the fall was incredibly worth it. Thank you Dylan!!

My friend, Susan, brought this treasure to me...a present from the museum in Paducah!!

Top done....already with our fine longarmer, Mary Jerz.

The latest group of potholders:

My Marshall's bargain, now with the iron on star Applique...

 

St Paddy's Day is always tough for  me without my dear Irish man.  Nine years gone...sigh..

I  tried to post a few nights ago.  It was all finished when the computer ate it...saved and all.

In disgust, I just went to bed.

Here is what I remember of it...posting quick before it is devoured once again.

The Half Full Glass

Who could not smile when seeing this picture of adorable Aoife.

My daughter came in for a visit Thursday morning on the red eye from Oregon.

She is sick. No cold, no whatever, just in the bed exhausted with chills.

The half-full glass tells me how grateful I am for just  her warming presence.. We are talking and napping in the comfort of  each other.

Aoife and her daddy dropped her off at the airport in Portland Wednesday night.  On the way home, Aoife asked if they could please go back and get her...so cute.

All the blocks for this Railroad scrap quilt have been made now..Just left, the easy sew together.

My last, for awhile, African fabric potholder...moving on to something else.

All my African fabric scraps now hanging in an African fabric bag on my wall.

The bag itself should remind me where they are!!

Here are two links from folks who went to QuiltCon 2024.

Since I could not go, I enjoyed watching these:

Christa Watson Quilt Con 2024 pictures

Cary's Quilt Con Review 

A cold grey day awaits me outside.  I am going to put a jacket over my jammies and go for a walk anyway. That  should wake me up! And, it should keep my good attitude in check.!!

When I was a Child, I Loved to Swing, Now, Not so Much

 The eyes have it, Lynsey, age 15; Grandma, age 76.

The visit:

.Well, anyway, Friday and Saturday a visit from Lynsey gave me a great lift.  Just one or two spats when she dressed for a  nice dinner in a tight orange top, ending just below her breasts, revealing a sparkly navel rhinestone piercing....Oh, dear.  I asked her to change, she changed alright.....into a volcano of resentment toward this old grandma from the 80's????   hmmm, I wish......Other than that, we had a lovely visit...Great talks, great food, she helped me so much....BUT, she did win the canasta game.. Lynsey took both these pix above of the Christmas Amaryllis from Trader Joe's.  She  liked them both, so I am showing them both.  I had three plants...only one performed this well.

We have a terrific bus driver here, Tony.  He helps me so much...When I go out, I am made by PT to use a walker...It annoys me no end. 

My poor ego is shattered....I mean really????  !!!

Tony tells me that I am still OK and should not fall, etc. He is an avid golfer...thus the new potholder I made for him last night to say "Thank You".  Above is the front; Below, the backing.

More potholders:

A perfect backing for the ladies above....

Too many projects....Below the wonky stars....two the wrong size and one the right size.

And how in the world did that happen?????  I must be losing it....

Maybe losing it, but still having quilty fun xo

PS

(Lynsey changed her shirt)

(Grandma uses a pretty cane when no one is looking.)