Grandma O'Quilts Plays Hide and Seek

This summer spread is on my bed now.  I bought it years ago when visiting a barn shop in Greenville, Alabama.  There is no quilting, it is backed with muslin.  This quilt is from the 1800's and it cost me $25.  That is what is going to happen to our quilts as time goes on...I do not care, because I make quilts for happy now..

Remember my excitement the other day when I got 24 seam rippers for $7 ?? They brought me joy...now I see that I already had that joy in February...the same seam ripper special....lost in my sewing room..OR, put in a special place...that I cannot find.!! I am indeed a sad case here... 

Aoife being held in one of her daddy's big hands...Amazingly wonderful.  Emily says that if she was born on July 22, then she is not one month until August 22....Her mother, here..thinks it goes by weeks....It is only with a tiny baby that we would squabble about something so ridiculous..

Ha ha....can you imagine a grown up, or even an older child thinking about that...? Aoife in her father's one big hand and his one big arm at one month....My heart....

Blue chickens still on my design wall...After auditioning 55 years worth of blue fabric, there is not one match in hue...not one.....annoying..Colors change throughout the years...still....

I decided to just forget it all and make a baby quilt for outreach...

Then I said...NO!!!...You are being lazy...You know that color challenges are your favorite part of quilting.. So...Here it stays while I work on something else.  The giraffes are OK..but I love my giraffe fabric and want to keep it for my burial...ha ha ha.

Stay tuned because now, Sandee has sent me to just the right place!!!

I had been in an annoyed snit all morning...lunch and a nap and Vickie...and voila!!! Blues and reds in order.  I cannot fold easily...I hate to, but when I am mad....wow...I can do it!!!

See what I found...no, not pink...no not purple  YELLOW!!!

And...Coronavirus fabric!!

My dear man is watching me...We are both wondering who is going to organize the black fabric...hmm

And when......

So it goes...Grateful to be able to take naps...

Did I mention how much I love my fabric??

Going now to make a kitchen bag holder for a friend.

Maybe...

I must have shown this potholder a million times on this blog.  Again...here we are..A T-shirt for my 6 month old son..made into a potholder...I practiced free-motion quilting circles on this potholder.

My son is now 35 years old and the potholder, well used, is in great shape. I really still love it.

Maybe you understand and maybe you do not.

An entire day gone....with nothing much to show for it.

A shower???

Physical therapy??

A nap??

Watching a few sewing tutorials?

Tonight, I am making up for lost time!!

I am going to make a bag for my new granddaughter.

Found the perfect fabric...Oh, there is not enough!

Going to make a little pouch for my eye doctor with glasses fabric.

Hmmm I know I have some Japanese print in purple or pink...Or I had a pink with black glasses.

Cannot find it...Well, here is some in beige and black that I had forgotten I had.

What to make with it?  How to jazz it up.

Remembered that I could give it for Christmas, not next week when I pick up my glasses. Whew..

Watching Tula on U-tube, I remembered that I really liked that fabric line she made//

Tabby Road.  I know I have a half a yard of the cat food cans and I had thought, I 

had a half a yard of the kitty cats in blue.

I will make myself something with a Tula cat on it......

Cannot find it.

Today (at PT) I realized that I am on the backside of the hill. ,

To cheer myself, I thought I might buy a bit of Tabby Road for the lovely cat picture..

It is $40 a fat quarter on Etsy because now it is rare...Rare?? Did it not just come out yesterday?

 I was always so pleased with my memory.  I have little focus, so I got through life on my memory.

Now what????  Memory is going just like my joints. AND, I cannot have memory replacement.

Stitch always has to sleep on my rotary mat...good thing I am not completely brain dead...as you can see,

Stitch still has his tail.

I want to add an extra 2.5 inches to both ends of this piece.  Auditioning fabric here as

I am out of chickens...Neither seems to work for me...ugh... My sewing room is a mess.

My new friend, Vickie, just organized hers....jealous here.. I need Vickie..

Folks are sick of my grief posts, I am sure.

However, I found these two items to be interesting.

I have decided that grief is so huge and intense, that no friend could possibly win with it.

Whatever we say will be wrong, because nothing fixes it..Listening is the best.

Exploring Kindness and Disability

Now, Anne Lamont and Brene Brown are wonderful reads...also TED talks...

I am ending with this picture...as it is definitely time for bed.  Must be nice to be one month old.

Craving Easter jelly beans., and of course, M&Ms..guess I will just go to bed.

 

Covid Crazy....and More Crazy...

 Aoife creeping for the first time....3 and a half weeks old.

Grandma got to watch it on Whats APP!!!

Aoife was put on her stomach in the middle of  her co-sleeper to see what she would do.  What she did shocked us all...She crept from her co-sleeper all the way onto the bed until she reached her mother.

Some of us are ditsy and can find nothing, nothing at all..

Today came, via prime...24 seam rippers for $7.  

My time is worth more than 7$ an hour...whew..

Here they are in a plastic pouch on my door.

Also had to note in my phone notes:  "Finding Things"  Age is upon me, you know.

I still have not found my new box of 100 sewing machine needles.

Tonight I ran away from home to Trader Joe's.  I got honey and blueberries and avocados.

Most importantly, I got out of the house and out of myself.

No sewing today

Remote schooling carried on without me as my son told me to sleep in and he would take care of it all.

Struggling to find hope, I see joy with,Aoife creeping...A neighbor leaves cheese on my porch, A friend brings Oreos, A friend sends daily texts, A friend listens without judgment, instead of telling me to be grateful or that everything will be OK!

Hope comes in the shape of blogging friends.

It comes thru the physical therapists at KCP who encourage me on.

I find a step at a time leads to miles. (not on my terms, of course!!)

As I work on today, yesterday comes from funny  places.

The times when I had  more energy.

Look:  I found my old Russian visa from when I worked with the airlines.

This was 50 years ago. Crazy that I kept it...crazy that I keep almost everything.

Crazy that life goes so fast. Crazy that I am no longer that age.

Just look at Aoife, crawling to her mother, and she is less than 4 weeks old.

I read today, that mental health during Covid is coming to grips with grief and with powerlessness.

The article suggested that we learn to accept these things as it looks like Covid will be here for quite awhile.  Thanks to Pat for another scheduled widow group driveway get together..

Thanks for quilting Zooms.

Thanks for one more day.

Grandma O'Quilts Has an Unnecessary Fit

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

First classes went wonderfully...now I see that NCEDCloud  is down across the entire state.

That is OK...it will take awhile for all his to pan out.  I can imagine the stress on the system.

Trying to relax here..soooo hard. 

This gift that meant soooo much!!

Cousin Ann made this for our little Aoife...How lovely!!!

Speaking of Aoife...Last night I did a Facetime with my girl who looks exhausted.

She said that Aoife will not sleep. She fusses and they are all exhausted.

This is the rip stop I ordered for my bowl covers...I am disappointed that the yellow is so garish.

Oh, well...on the inside of a bowl cover, I guess it does not matter.

And so Grandma O'Quilts threw a fit for nothing over remote learning.

First of all, even though I did not know all the logins and sites, they did.

They know so much technology.  My son finally told me to go to bed.

He made them eggs for breakfast...all is well.

I am now going outside to read and breathe and calm myself.

There is Always an O'Quilt Story, or Two...

Cutest homemade socks..., Linda made.  I have not  heard from Aoife today.  Rumor has it that she will not sleep unless she is in the arms of her mother...lol..

Lynsey's masks...That girl ordered 3 dot com masks...She said those will be her favorite..she jumped up and down excited...OMG...excitement over masks?? I was surprised she wanted black and white...for

going back to school whenever that will be.  She picked the reproduction feedsack too. Under duress, she allowed me to make the batik star one, just in case someday......she may want to wear it.

2020 Our downstairs handicapped bathroom...built for my man with ALS...Now helps with COVID. We wash masks when we wash our hands and hang them to dry.  Easy to grab again on the way out.

Remote schooling starts Monday.

Last night Dylan dictated an email to his reading teacher.

It said...."Already 5th grade has ruined my life.  My sister said it is a lot of work with

a lot of reading.  I hate to read.  I hate chapter books.  I do not want to sit in front of a screen.

That is frustrating. and I am embarrassed that I cannot read well."

After he OK'ed it I sent it off

This morning...Saturday morning, mind you....The reading teacher sent two emails back on how she  loves Dylan and he will be OK and she will help him.  Then came an email from the school counselor with an encouraging note...Then an email from the principal with another lovely note, Then came a phone call from his teacher....Amazing support...all on a Saturday.

 Not only did Dylan smile, but so did his grandmother...

I had been going down that black Covid hole. 

The core problem is always grief.  That lonely wail of grief

Then I saw Michele's post....It gave me some tools to lean on.

 Light, Love and Healing, from our Michele

Another story.....Lynsey has an infection on her elbow, which has spread to two other circles of infection on her arm.  My son took her to our pharmacist last night who said it was an infection inside the skin which needed antibiotic.  It looks nasty, so he took her to the children's urgent care near Cotswold. The man at the desk looked at Lynsey and Eamon.

He said...we have several possible cases of Covid at this clinic now.  Are you comfortable with that???They left...OMG.....By this time it was 11pm, They had to leave their shoes outside our house , take showers, disinfect the keys and the driving wheel and cell phones...Oh, my what a life in 2020.

The good news is that the pediatrician's office has a new online system.  I sent her a note on My Chart and found a place where I could include a picture of the infection...

Wahoo. Now maybe we will not have to go in.

When school is starting and a kid cannot see his bestie..a $10 trip to the fish store cheers the day.

Stitch thinks that is a grand idea.. Fish already named:  Bug Eye, Calico, etc...

Grandma, Grandma, Grandma

Aoife, day 19 xo

Look what came in the mail today:  Grandma's very own copy of Aoife's birth feet prints.

 

Today, I got back my lab results from my physical last week.

Everything is in order:  no high blood pressure, no diabetes, no cholesterol issues, heart and lungs sound good...and blah blah blah. (for now)

Why then am I tired all the time.

Stress...OMG, and arthritis...Oh, well...we will carry on.

Especially since I seemed to have become exactly like my stressed out mother!!

I just finished the prep for drawstring bag number 8...the strings match the lining.

This is very interesting 2020, the year we will never forget!!!

Pandemic Art Quilts

Grandma showing off Aoife  again...!!!!

Aoife had her three week check up today...all is well.

Look at her daddy's big hands and her little feet.

Her daddy goes back to work tomorrow after his paternity leave.

Good day today, Zoomed the Melody Miller interview.

Zoomed Sit and chat with Charlotte MQG

Finished and snipped two baby quilts.

I visited with my girl and her girl.

She said today was her first day walking to the grocery store alone.

With the dog and the baby in the stroller.

Today was a great day!!

Made two masks...my son seems to think his friends want them...we will see.

Covid Good, Covid Bad

My 10 bowl covers are all done...so pleased!  Lined with Rip-stop, ready to be gifted.

Here they are in their new place...pix taken and noted in my phone in case I  forget where I put them.

My physical was Friday. I had been feeling down in the mouth and yucky.

Once home, I found Lynsey and her daddy playing canasta...My son asked for the doctor's verdict.

Without looking up from her cards, Lynsey said...."It's Covid Brain"....How do you know that Lynsey??

"Just looking at you", she said...in her wise 11 year old voice..OMG

Well....our Lynsey was right...My doctor said to get out of the  house with mask and hands washed and distancing,  If I stay home  isolated, I will die of something else..

So motivated today after my outing to my friend's driveway yesterday. that

I checked out another UFO..

Jeni Baker Drawstring bag tutorial 

Finding a box where some were cut out already, I finished all the cutting and did some sewing.

Even at my age, I am still quite silly.  I LOVE this turquoise and white polka dot.

I did not want to cut into it....I wanted to save it....save it for the trailer hitch on the hearse.???But, I got brave....I am making these bags partway ...so when I come back to them, it will be so easy and fulfilling to finish them up..I have eight ready in the box for another day. 

Very relaxing to do a project half way...no pressure at all to finish...

Now an update on my son's broken wrist.

He wants to be independent and not have  his mother  use him as an example of our lousy healthcare system on her blog.....Ok...I get it...He is 35.. He has now been gifted the co-pay for his visit.

However, he chooses to wait for his appointment to determine his sliding fee at the clinic...  He was told by that clinic, that if he chose to have his wrist repaired before this appointment in SEPTEMBER!!,They would consider it a PRE-EXISTING condition and not cover it at all.

Just sayin'

Ok...I am getting fired up again....For those of you (none of my friends, of course) who believe with all your heart that healthcare is not a human right, that you have to work for it....My son is working as usual, fixing friends and neighbor cars....and no they do not give him health insurance

When I took these pictures, he told me that it was a bit hard getting the alternator out of this car using only one arm, taking so much longer

Here we have this state of affairs at the O'Quilt's household while my boy has his broken wrist.Really, I do  not care.  Covid has given me clearer insight.into what is important and what is not.

Below...friends to the rescue...a salad all made and ready...Thank you Linda....sooo good.

And so it goes...Son off to Autozone again tonight for another part for this job.  I swear he likes auto stores, just like I love fabric stores.No pictures of dear Aoife today.. Sad, but true.

More grueling PT for me tomorrow.

Did I mention how I dislike this new blogger which will not let me single space.and changes color on me without my permission...distorts the formatting, etc...And, my pictures are so big.

School starts August 17. 

One grandchild in elementary school  One grandchild in middle school

 One grandchild in high school With material pick ups all on the same day for remote learning.

Thanks to both wonderful parents for helping out, working together as a team.

As we know, it takes a village

Bragging Rights and Gifts

 

Our Dylan above, age 10, filled 10 bobbins for me!!!!!  Thank you Dylan!!This afternoon I am going to a friend's house to sit and sew in the driveway under a tree.I will be putting elastic in these..while we visit.   https://allysonhill.typepad.com/photos/eco_lid/index.htmleco friendly potluck bowl covers.  Of course our party days are over without Mr. O'Quilts and with Covid.....I used to love to bring these on a potluck dish and leave them as a gift.N  We use bowl covers all the time.

 AOIFE showing off her dimples on day 15!!

Once again.... Aoife...just hanging out!!

Guess she is too young for her first sewing lesson.

I will be patient!!

A big thank you to all the folks who reach out to help us.

I am humbled to see it...humbled to receive..

A big shout out to Michelle Obama who was brave enough

to share with us that she, too, suffers from dysthymia due to these Covid and scary times.

That helps the rest of us feel not so out of whack...

Crazy and Crazier...but Really Lovely..

Aoife...Happy birthday ....2 weeks old today.!!

The new, under the old.

Below...Why is it more fun to mess around with the parts departmentthan it is to finishe off 35 unfinished projects.??I have done nothing today.  I cannot even figure out how to get rid of blue ink or  the underlining.Or yellow print.Or the double spacing  OMG   Guess it is too late..guess. I am unfocused...Below I have been making sponges...Now the family says that these with 3 layers of batting are too weak   I must use 4 layers even though it is harder to sew through.Honestly, this is my COVID life...blue with underlining!!!!!

Here we go...all uncentered ..but still delightful.....Our 14 day old Aoife...Loving to be held.Oh, I miss my computer help...my man, my daughter, my son in law...How in the world am I going to  help with remote learning???????  I do not know how to add a button short cut to my screen, nor add labels in the new format...Ok...no more thinking...only loving...We are lucky in the important things. xo I love this picture of Aoife xo