The Stuff We are Made Of.....

Pender County, North Carolina... 2 days ago...water continues to rise.

Houses gone, power gone, no access to food or fresh water,

no access period.  Florence is still a nightmare.

Meantime, Lynsey prepares for a curly head tomorrow.

Thank you Ms Eithne, for the very cool head bands.

I have finally quilted, from 3 year ago...a favorite from

the brilliant work of   Sujata Shah

 Stitch loves it too.

 Because Ms Stephanie and Lynsey folded some of my fabric,

I found this for the binding.

My son starts a new job tomorrow...A miracle.

He is a bit anxious...I tell him 50 miles into the woods  means

50 mile out..and he is going in the right direction

Tonight he took his children on a long bike ride,

I am so grateful. He blew leaves off the deck, organized the garage,

did the dishes and the laundry and gave me a hug.!!.

He and I have the same temperament, we catch each other's angst and joy..

I have started in with Anne Lamont's encouragement...say..Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, every single day (Tender Mercies..my new favorite book).

 I do not remember where I saw this...but I have all the fabric..I am so making it.

 ALS is the dragon...we insist we will slay it...no matter how long it takes.

 My man and Evan..happy memories.

 At Emily's wedding.

 My mother..showing off.

 My grands enjoying Santa...especially Lynsey.

 Staying all night with my mother as she headed to her next great adventure.

In memory of life's great adventures and great loves.

From my mother:

Then it Happened

The moon rolled over

turned out the light

covered itself with

a blanket of night.

O'Quilts and a New Quilting Group

My widow group has formed a new sewing group.
We are working on a name.
Today was the second meeting and boy did we get a lot done.

 Starr put these blocks together at home
and I quilted it tonight.

We used one of my favorite batiks on the back.
ONLY because I have finally realized that there is no
trailer hitch on the hearse for my fabric...

We have mixed skills here...ironing, pinning, basting, cutting and more.
But at the end of the day,
I assure you that all will be great accomplished quilters.
who know how to quilt and have fun too.
Originally the deal was for Hospice, but now with
North Carolina so desperate, I am wondering if anyone has
set up a distribution place for quilts for those affected by that nasty Florence.
Let me know

Latest dim news...
3.4 million poultry birds are dead.
Every day, a new statistic.
I support sewing for a cause.
My mother always said that the way to get out of
your own funk, is to do things for others.
xo  I miss  you Mom

Cry for Me North Carolina...

This past week was scary...so...why not Halloween?.
Planning includes two more..and I am done...
No more Halloween quilts for the rest of my life.
There will be enough for each bed this October 31!!.

Now that we are safe and the children are back at school.
Grandma O'Quilts is sewing.
Four Patch Halloween quilt
To find  this pattern, I went on Missouri Star U-tube tutorials.
I looked and I looked...There must be millions or trillions of
tutorials there....Our Jenny Doan gives us no excuse at all not to sew.

Rain has stopped.

Wind has stopped.

Flooding is unimaginable.

Roads, creeks, yards, ponds

Yet, I am relieved.

We are safe and we have no damage. TBTG

The North Carolina Governor has asked the world
to please stay out of the state of North Carolina.
Major freeways are rushing rivers.
Dams are breaking.
People are cut off, there is no gas, no food.
In the flood waters are snakes, hog waste, fire ant colonies
among other things.
1.7 million chickens died, trapped in their cages.
and more and more and more.
Send love and hope and prayers to North Carolina.
The rivers have not yet crested...awful.
Cry Me a River

Looking for more on the cry theme..Of course..I found
Don't Cry for Me Argentins
It doesn't fit here..but I got carried away listening.
I loved it...so I just  linked it anyway.
Never realized it was Madonna.
Once again...Thank you all for your emails and comments of hope for us.
xo

Go Flo, Go

Saturday night update

All rain and wind here...to continue tomorrow

Voila..our downstairs camp out last night.

Three children thrilled, grandma snuck up to her own bed.

 The two little darlings...enjoying their scooters at night.

We had parked up on the street to avoid trees with the cars.

That left a lovely wet downhill driveway

This morning was the same.  Some folks love hurricanes

We made the best of it because we are inland and not on the coast.

Dylan is a smart one...After learning about cleaning out storm gutters.

This morning, he noticed they needed cleaning again.

He just did it....smart boy.

Last night was delightful sleeping with my window cracked to hear the rain

and enjoy the wind.

This afternoon, I read on the screened in porch until I heard branches

cracking in my yard and a huge boom and thud as 

a neighbor's tree came crashing down.

Smart Grandma decided that it would be safer inside.

We live in the woods, after all.

Tonight and tomorrow is supposed to be the worst part for us.

Too bad cuz I already ate the candy corn

While I was napping the two littles...8 and 9 drank the jar of pickle juice.

On a dare from each other..

Me think it might have been giggle juice as they could not stop laughing.

We all deal in different ways.

My son is with us.

He has already chopped up today's downed branches.

Thank you for all the emails of encouragement and courage.

Wow  the wind is blowing now...so tempted to go back outside on the porch to read.

Wind is my favorite.  Charlotte does not get wind that much.

My young heart says..just go ahead..

My old brain...says, no...

xo

And They Called the Wind....Florence

How Grandma O'Quilts practices  "self care"!!

A $4 bunch of Stock...I was going to get my favorite Sunflowers,

But this reminded me of my childhood in Phoenix

when we would all take a ride to Baseline road to

view acres of Stock.

Thank you, Trader Joe's.

In my grandmother's aluminum coffee pot vase.

When children sneak their I-pads under the covers to watch
U-tube in the night, the next day, the I-Pad fairy snatches them.
Lynsey's was lost for a month...Found this morning when I
went to look for scraps for potholders.
You know, it was not my fault...
The dog ate my homework.

The Queen Bee met Monday at my house.
Here is Linda's super fun quilt.

The backing from Kathy Doughty's new collection.

Potholders...saving grace for my anxiety.

ALS is a dragon to be dealt with.

My way is to poke him with a needle in revenge..

And burn him with a pot...as in potholder...stay tuned.

Just so you know....
The real reason I am a substantial woman.
It is how I was born.
Here I am...all fluffy at 4 months!!!!

Ok Ok Ok
There are other reasons too
Cuz...
At the end of the day...with no control in sight...
The old grandma with her grands slay Florence with candy corn.

Our dear Ms Florence is headed smack dab toward Charlotte
and my house in the woods with my dear darlings and two cats and a dog
and...me, old Grandma
We are planning a downstairs family sleepover...
TBTG my son is with us....it is supposed to be quite a ride.

THIS IS WHY I SO NEED A TREADLE MACHINE

My Mother's Gift to Me...Cotton and Steel

I am big on the name, Cotton and Steel...a fabric line.

It denotes to me..strength and softness..

This potholder may not be that adorable.

Making it gave me strength

 I am uplifted by the same spirituality that connects us all in life.

Poems from my mother's poetry books keep me solid

 CHOICE

In a niche in a rock carved by the sea lies a

cradle of comfort, a haven for me.

Threatening tides roar with their spume of

salt spray while seductive waves rise only 

two feet away.

Danger abound on this high windy place as

the lure of forever kisses my face.

Alone in a circle of stone, protected yet

wildly free, will I cling to the solid 

rock...or yield to the tempting sea?

 RUNNING

Death whispers in my ear

"Over here, over here."

His smile beguiles me,

"Over here, over here"

I will run; so will he.

We will race against reality.

COLLISION

Wailing of the sirens

calling after me

I can hear them screaming

"EMERGENCY"

Ageless, weightless, spirit, I,

like a snowflake in the sky,

soaring, floating, dreaming, I,

transient like a butterfly!!

My mother's feelings were hurt when I told her that I thought her poems were sad.

At the time, I did not know that it was her way of finding strength in her place in her 

stage of life.

Now, the very same poems..give me strength too..

I love you Mom

Willie Nelson

It's a Family Affair

Lynsey age 9. with her little sister, Ava 5 months

Including jealous Zoe...of course.

 
Marines landed their helicopters on downtown parking lots this morning in Charlotte...

Wished I had been there in person with my grands.

Their motto:

Honor, courage and commitment

Thinking here that that motto is really a universal one..of dignity and values

no matter the political party..
Dear to my  heart as...

I was raised in a military family.

Air Force here....

Links to cheer you:
Faith Ringgold
and
Brilliant memory quilt

Lynsey practicing her recorder for music at school
She is a diligent student,....she plays with gusto...and so off tune💜

Last week my XDIL had 10 teeth pulled and was given dentures for her upper jaw.
She is 33.
Yesterday, my son had 7 teeth pulled.
He is 33.
In our country dental care is too expensive as is dental insurance
Neither had the money for root canals nor crowns.nor dental cleanings.
Even pulling the teeth was $100 a tooth.

Yesterday, I had a break through...a good day.  I joined the neighborhood book club.
I offered my home for the next meeting.
I had lunch today out and instead of coming home to nap,
I went to a store for earrings because I have lost half of every pair.
I went to Aldi for ice cream for my poor toothless son..
BTW chocolate ice cream at Aldi is just as tasty as Breyers at half the price.
Good to know.

It is potholder time.  I have 17 made....my goal is 40 for the holidays.
I am sick of the Tula blocks...
Jean brought all  60 of hers last night encased in a folder.
So impressive.

My sister's Bento Box for a neighbor with Lupus.

Carol showed us a friend's butterfly summer spread

We were pondering how to best repair a rip.

Best of all...a new born baby deer...in our yard all wobbly and trusting.

 The children were in awe.

Good night my friends.

Warm Fuzzies in my Heart.

My dear and wonderful son, recovered my ironing board tonight.
The wood is heavy so it was wonderful to have help

I like a deco weight on here...Isn't it pretty...IKEA

Planning for a good week....
Starting the chicken soup...it is fall now, after all.

 And potholder heaven....I think I have 10 here, ready for self-binding.

Today was a day of reflection.
A day of reading under my tree with my Stitch and Zoe
A day of wondering if I was doing good enough.
And, deciding I was doing my best.
Thrilled that there was a merry little breeze for comfort.
I am rested now...I am relaxed...

Reading two books at once...of course...
Both so well written..

Eamon got a job for tomorrow TBTG
There are warm fuzzies in my heart.!!

Grandma O'Quilts is working on her bravery

Just look who keeps  me going!!!
First day of fourth grade, eighth grade and third grade.

Yesterday, my son and I went to a funeral which was very sad...A Heroin overdose..
I have a funeral outfit...It makes it easy to get ready.
At my age, it seems to get a lot of wear and tear.
I knew the mother, my son knew the son.
I have a number of finished quilts in my closet that talk to me, .
when they know who should have them in their forever home.
Today this one chose my friend, Cathy grieving for her son.
.  The rose is from a class by Mary Lou Wiedeman.
The rest is my own improv.

This week I was able to find homes for two of my quilts.
So grateful, so glad..

Just  FYI, Luke Haynes
Check out quilting like you have never seen before.
the video of the quilt of Obama...so amazing

Thursday, I went to my ortho surgeon.

He told me that I had two to 6 months before my knee pain would be so bad that I will have to have my second knee replaced.  I do not think I can bear another surgery.
I am back on my cane, wobbling around like an old woman.
My doc said...always on the cane...I am so disgusted.
My illusions of youth....so gone.

Voila, the finishing touches for my hot iron holder
Velcro with a cute vintage button...I love it.

Ugh...lazy cat BOO...sleeps in my bed all day.
If he is not in there, he scratches the carpet all up.so ruined.by the door.
The other day we noticed that both my sheet sets were ripped.
Lazy Boo...and his claws.
These were expensive sheets I had bought for my husband with his ALS
I was hoping that the fine thread would be softer on his skin
I am not replacing them for Boo to keep ripping.
Instead...my awesome Wonder-under and random scraps
Patched to save the day...At the bottom of my bed...no one cares.

My son  is doing quite well for the moment.
He is eager to make up for lost time with his family.

The nanny now..is jealous...she says that my son is doing all her work

Now ,  she wants to quit.😡😡😡

They have the same OCD, high strung personality.

It is way too hard for me to handle this stress.
My stress is at its absolute max with no relief in sight.
At least I have a sewing room with doors that shut.
They can fight without me on who is going to cook dinner and sweep the floor.
Then he will get work, and be out of her hair.

I feel so stale in my sewing.  I need other creative people around me for stimulation.
I am getting a bit on the depressed side...Jeeze Louize
Everyone has left for the weekend...TBTG...the sound of silence for respite
All my friends are sick and tired of my grief...
They want me to paste a fake smile on my face and be done with it...
I wish I could....but, not so fast.
How to help a grieving friend, Megan Devine