The Learning Curve

 Dearest Dylan started 9th grade today...Sigh...I love him so.

In order to  contribute to politics, I was asked to make bags to carry pamphlets for folk's door handles in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, none can be considered a masterpiece.  So many things went wrong.  I ordered the bags online as well as the detachable shoulder handles...and embelleshed them best I could.  They were delivered today.to the political folks...Alas, no one seems embarrassed by them but  me.

The shoulder straps were requested...Online again....I got them, but I had never added these loops.

Big mistake cutting the seatbelt like fabric in half to fit the rings...It frayed terribly.  UGLY!!!  Finally I found my Fray Check, but by then, the bags were made and Fray Check did not make much of a difference.  Always learning......

A big thanks to Rachel for tonight's rescue.  She picked me up through all the traffic and her far away home to take me to dinner.  In spite of my painful hip-impingement, I chose to go instead of staying home to feel sorry for self.  Great to have a friend like Rachel!!

She saved me when I needed it most!!

New readers came today.  I am absolutely obsessed with new readers....Especially online when they are such a cheap thrill.

I must have 35 pairs...all hidden and lost under fabric and such....Plus who knows what kind of day it will be....Bright yellow or red flowers....Small joys in life.

Just Living my Life...

 Dear me....August 4, 2024, Carol Lyles Shaw died at the age of 75.  I remember her speaking at our guild....and now, she too, is gone.

Making more tissues to give away to friends and sad folks around here.

My 7 7  year old neighbor had a bad fall...As a former Navy officer, I felt he would heal better with a Navy washcloth.

I sent a message...a washcloth to heal....two rice bags for the freezer and a selection of children's bandages...all military approved for the elderly retired ones....So much fun...I am sure it is helping him recover...

This is an old tool of my grandmother's....I use it at my machine to tuck fabric in and fix corners....Does anyone know what it really is for?

While being involved in political television, I started on my donation to the cause...Enhancing 4 bags for folks to canvass...pockets here for a cell phone and more...pamphlets inside...I just started tonight.  4 Ibuprofen , two glasses of wine and I can actually walk without screaming...progress..  Tomorrow...PT  yuck and cards and relaxing....reading and sewing...a very good living of the life.  Today, the weather was beautiful.!!!!!

Tears and Joy

                                                                                                                   Sad news is:  Freddy Moran died August 13, 2024 at the age of 94.  She was one of my very very favorites.

Good news is that my girl and I had a wonderful visit. She stayed 4 perfect days , She left this afternoon and is now home with her family again in Oregon.

We sewed together and watched the British Sewing Bee...She has some link to it that I could never find myself.

What have I been sewing?

I have finished making this backing for my Marcia Derse quilt.  The recipient asked for a black backing.

The chicken blocks are up on the design wall...Of course I cannot find the cream fabric with the chicken wire....Dear me, in my clutter, I  have looked everywhere....(chicken pattern is from Slice of Pi blog.)

Rather than stay at home and pout with my hip impingement, I am walking thru the pain as suggested by my physical therapist...

Nothing is working!!!

I am a failure at aging gracefully.....but I have not given up...

Not suffering in silence is more my speed.

Love, a Sunday in July

Jar Opener (Ruth fabric from Spoonflower)

A gift for a friend whose operation went awry

My mother taught me to think of others.

Japanese knot bag number two.

Refining the bag, making it twice...gifts...

Gifts that help me feel loved.

The cat pincushion Emily brought me from Thailand

The angel Betty made me for my operation last year.

Love

Hello Debbie

 Somethings have to be borne alone...but painful physical therapy can be helped with my new weighted teddy bear.

I go back on Friday and teddy will be with me.

I sewed my label on the back of his bow...so I can claim him as my own.

Today's sewing includes Japanese knot bag.

Japanese Knot bag

Sherry helped me...so I have now cut out the next fabric, I will put it into my own memory.

The good day today....quilting friends visits:  Sherry, Linda and my sister...all helping me in many ways...especially support...and laughs and fun and sewing ideas.  Quick chats and visits from friends here...Friendly texts...A small....I mean, small...bit of organizing..

Now we, in Charlotte, are waiting for the remains of  Debbie.  Hopefully, we will have just rain and not much flooding or wind.  In precaution, we took down the blue bottles on my bottle tree.

I am looking forward to a sleep in , with the sound of the rain on my window...all safe and cozy. xo

Thank God for Friends and Family

My family in Portland:  Our four year old with her mommy, checking out the chickens.  Will they get cats or chickens/???

With the awesome oil cloth fabric Eithne bought me in Ireland forever ago, I have made two cat pouches with Velcro.

These can  hold playing cards, little toys, anything actually and I love them so much.  Look at the little tabs I bought on sale a while back.  So cute!!

My girl took a flower/fabric class with her friend the other day...

Pressing flowers from  her own garden onto pre-treated fabric.

Potholders continue to fly out the door as everyone is so very nice here...Just finished these 6:

So much fun to incorporate the saved selvedges.

I swear being old is like being in the amusement park or the circus!!!!!  Everyday, something new.

This morning PT on my  painful adductor muscles that hurt when I walk.  Torture.

The PT told me that their favorite saying is:

Is it better to negotiate with a terrorist or a therapist???

The answer of course is a terrorist is more forgiving..

Spent the night in pain; spent the morning in massage and heat and electrodes at PT.

I felt so much better that tonight I decided to sweep the kitchen floor for my friends tomorrow.

I know that they say they come to visit me, not my apartment....However....

This is the last time I  try that, as the broom and pan are on the floor still.

  I lost my balance without the cane and fell.

Lucky me caught myself on the kitchen sink, not on the floor.  I am sore but graterful...

The reality of being ancient is becoming more present in my mind...and all the new challenges every day.

My kitchen floor is still dirty; I have nothing broken on my body.

The days are going so fast...The summer is almost over...Unbelievable.  Every day I sit outside on my patio and read.  Today, I finished a great book called, HORSE.  

Tomorrow, I start a new , overdue library book...one of Hazel Gaynor's, I think.

My daughter comes to visit me next week for a few days.  Grateful...Very...She always lifts my spirits and she loves to sew.

She is just a terrific 

daughter.

An August Day for Grandma O'Quilts.

Today's bargain from "Goods to Go", our little in-house store here.

I am crazy about baskets!!

Aoife cloned!!!  My girl figured out  how to do this kind of photo...so clever!!

Aoife, age 4.

Lynsey....so missing my grandgirl  in pigtails from kindergarten...Alas, here she is, first day of 10th grade...age 15 and a half.

Grandma O'Quilts had a brilliant idea.  I ordered stick-on magnets on Amazon, as a way to keep my earrings in order.

Oh, my.....

Not so smart, Grandma....look at the ones which will not connect to a magnet...Who would have known???

Guess I need to go on Pinterest to see more ideas for storing earrings... Organization is so not my skill.

 

Today's fun...exercise in the pool, long lunch with friends, some sewing...and reading...guess it is the life of the retired one.

I am getting adjusted to this new life.

However, in the late hours of the night, I miss my son so much.  Last time I heard from him was Mother's Day.  He was not doing so well.at that time...Oh, a mother's broken heart...xoxoxoxoxo

Self Care

That mind -body connection tells me that I must take care of myself.  This pinched nerve in my hip area is killing me as I struggle to walk pain-free.  Thinking today to let go of all my commitments in order to relax.

Today, that meant for me....go to the pool and exercise the joints..... Sit in the Bistro here, with a glass of water....joined by friends of the same political pursuasion as I am.....a chat for two hours.

 Sitting outside on this lovely, breezy day finishing this important historical book.

Sewing is my favorite meditation...especially scrap potholders...Here are some tops I made.for gifting when finished.

Adjusting a shirt I had in the wings waiting for the fix......  All with the door wide open, protected by the screen...Enjoyiing the the breeze and Placido Domingo on Alexa.

I have left all the sorting and mundane to Monday.  Tomorrow will be a day of rest as well...after my friend's birthday breakfast.

I am pain free while sitting...such a relief...Seems like age is upon me and each day a new ailment...

Joy is living here in the lap of luxury

Joy is accepting life on life's terms.

Yesterday out of the blue a friend handed me these flowers to spread joy .

It worked...

(PS...I also ate some cookie-dough)  Do not tell my grands as they think I am way too old for that  vice!!!

A Day Named Tuesday

Happy 4th birthday to our Aoife in Oregon..

Enjoying the rainbow cake her mommy made her.

Dylan, age 14, showing off the muscles he has earned working construction with his stepfather.

A treat for Grandma...A tiny sewing machine with a clip on the top.  Perfect for holding checks for the cleaning lady or memos for myself.

Someone is sewing!!  Done last night are 3 string bags for gifts.. easy peasy and fun to make.

The recepient of my Marse Derse quilt has requested a black backing...

I cannot do boring;  gotta do fun.

Messed up here with a pinched nerve in my adductor muscle.  PT made me cry again as they manipulated the space to try to stretch out the muscles.  I have not been able to walk without pain all day.  Finally, two Tylenol, three glasses wine, a nap and deep breathing...I feel better...a bit.  A visit from my sister with tons of help, made it better too...TLC

My sister's 37 year old autistic daughter with ovarian cancer is in remission...Thank God!!

Thunder and lightening tonight was bright and loud.  I, however felt safe and cozy in my apartment with my flashlight and my fabric.

Life is indeed crazy.  With all the things in the world to go wrong....a pinched nerve has me down.

Tomorrow, for sure, a better day.

A Thankful Sunday

Nine years after the loss of my love, I found some plaid snippets of his shirts.   My own new potholder, in process...missing my man.

Tonight I made some bags from yesterday's tute....After making the pattern and trying out one, the others go by in a snap.

Last time Emily visited me, we made matching ironing hams...Using the fox ham below, I pressed my bags.

Today started out delightfully....I excercised in our awesome pool for an hour, made my  bed, took a shower and was on my way to lunch when I fell... Jeeze Louize!!!  How and why, I have no clue.  One minute I was happily walking...and using the durn walker, when I found myself on the floor with the walker on top of me.. TBTG I wear that wrist button...and in minutes 3 good looking young men were here to lift up the old lady. They helped me to my chair, put ice on my knees, gave me water....So kind and so safe were they..I gave them all potholders!!!!!

.Big gratitude here...I broke nothing, just some knee bruising.  What I did not like was that they called my daughter in Portland to share the news of my fall...Jeeze I am in an  independent apartment...How insulting to bother my girl.  To save her is why I moved here...so she could have a life of her own without worrying about dear ol' Ma.

A friend brought me lunch. and before I knew it my Lynsey was here for her visit after work. She is such a good girl....not easy, but wonderful none the less. She made cookies tonight.  I sewed and she did TikTok...Great company she is.

Two friends dropped by.and I chatted with my midnight caller..All is well...grateful, very...very grateful.

 

Fun Sewing

Tonight's sewing: Drawstring bag..

A card playing friend of mine wanted a bag for her Rummikub tiles.  She asked for her politically favorite fabric...

I decided to fine tune a pattern so I could whip up more if asked.  reversible string bag

This was my choice...I loved this tute..

Politics????  Voila!!!  So glad I had this fabric...

Her favorite team:

The way the strings go in is genius...easy peasy...I cannot wait to make more.

There is a new member of our complex who used to own a bead shop.  She has donated tons of beads.  Tomorrow, I will go to see her collection.  I would love some cute beads for the strings..

Look at the flowers from Trader Joe's that lasted longest:  Impatiens.

As a woman of excess, I am proud to show you my new colors for rope bowls...arrived today!!

Some folks just LOVE their dogs....Here we have Aoife celebrating her dog, Rosie's 6th birthday...

Great day...pool swim, lunch with friends, apartment cleaning lady came, my hairdresser came to my patio to cut my hair...

sewing, reading outside.  I am so glad I have my lovely sewing apartment

A chat with my midnight friend...

Soon climbing into clean sheets...sigh...Life can be good....really good!!