Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain

The Rose is Blue

I finished this tonight...better pictures tomorrow.

It is one am and I want to stay up all night and sew to the beat of  red wine and Willie Nelson.

Peace and time alone....Wow...

Today's exercise.walking up and down my man's old wheelchair ramp.

OK, mostly reading in my chair, supervised by Stitch.

Aoife flirting with her daddy....My , Oh, my...Daddy's girl already.

Lynsey's appetizer plate. And her Acorn squash.

What is left of her baked Parmesan chicken

Uncle Brian and Aunt Emily gave Lynsey 3 days of "Just Fresh" for her

birthday last year.  Lynsey LOVED that and saved the recipes. 

 Last night at Trader Joe's, she planned dinner

and chose the ingredients...AND insisted on expensive cheeses.  I let her get them because I was so proud of her,  Kudos to our Dylan who cleaned the entire kitchen after dinner...Himself!!

Three and a half months...my heart beats with love

I should go to bed because remote learning is in the am,

Ah, well...my son will do it.

 Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain

Silly me listening to Willie Nelson while I sew.  It reminds me of my father.  He was from Greenville, Alabama and always played old fashioned country western music, the minute we got in the car.  We all grew up loving this kind of music.  This song reminds me of loss...and love and yesterday.  Acceptance that nothing lasts forever. I think that is part of aging...realizing that you will never again see the heartfelt people of your good memories. 

Crazy and Crazier....

 Here is our Aoife...showing a different side.

No one was sure that our Aoife ever cried...Proof has just arrived.!!

Oh, Aoife...here you are enjoying your new jumping toy.

Irish eyes are inquisitive!!

My son put my black pants...all of them, in the dryer.  Lots of shrinkage going on.

I was so mad at him....Then Lynsey put her hands on her little hips and said, "Grandma,

we all know what made your pants too tight....Not the dryer...but all the Halloween candy you ate."

OMG, I am enormous....blaming my son, blaming Corona virus, blaming the election.

Then, I say...I am old, I can do what I want...and in pops another piece of chocolate....

Dylan is already back to school two days a week.  He is a bit nervous that he may get the virus.

We talked about it all and how we all do the best we can and have faith.

These are Lynsey's masks...fabrics are her choice and so is the pattern.

I have made four masks for her and four for Dylan.  Hoping to have 6 made for school.

Two will be in baggies in their back packs..and one on their face.

 The next day, there will be a second set so I can wash the first.  

Good thing I did that last Thursday, as the little bead holding the elastic came off in school.  He had two spares with him...When Dylan comes home, he puts his masks in the bathroom sink to be washed, washes his hands and changes his shirt.

The masks below are Dylan's  Fabrics are his choice. 

Sew Can She Olson Facemask Tutorial is our new favorite.

There is room for a filter. I do my elastic differently, sewing on these gliders that my daughter sent me.

I used to find these so difficult, but now, I am on it!!!

All the crazy is wearing me down. 

I miss my daughter so much.  Wish she and Aoife could come visit...but

Covid says....Do not risk it.!!!

I lost my temper last week in the middle of the pharmacy at the grocery store...OMG

It was just the last straw.

Now I am going to take Dylan there, to role model for him how we handle our own poor behavior.

We apologize.

If anyone else out there hanging on a thread...let me know...Isolation is a lonely sort of thing.

Remote learning tomorrow for the grands.... Please God, let me survive. xo

Crazy

The Old and the New

Our new Aoife, on old, antique, Snow Crystals 

Love!!

Who is afraid of the big bad wolf???

Not our Boo!!!!

Happy Birthday to my dear Fintan xo

 

May our country find peace. 

 

Braving the Storms

It has been a long time, it seems, since I have finished a quilt.

Stress made me do it....I needed a Covid/ Election hug..I needed solace,

I got that here...finishing this quilt..

Stitch approves.

Backing is happy too!!

( a Jeni Baker pattern)

Go Aoife, Go...

Good thing her Mommy is there..as Aoife is rolling over!!

Look how proud she is!!  Tickled pink...3 and a half months..on a roll!!!

The despair for our country, I know is not mine alone.

Covid makes it worse...Friends and family who do not take the disease seriously make it worse too.This old lady with asthma is hugely at risk..

 Dylan went to school today.

Good thing I sent him with three masks, as the bead holding the elastic on one of them broke off.

He said that there were 4 children on the bus and 6 in his class. When he came home, he washed his hands, and put on a clean shirt.  I washed  his masks for him.  He did his homework on the bus. His report was that it was hard to wear a mask all day, but so good to be at school.

Lynsey was home alone with me.  She is pretty responsible.  When I look at her beauty and her confidence, it takes my breathe away. When she sasses  her grandmother...her mouth also takes my breathe away.  Those words and horrid attitude from that beautiful girl...OMG  She will be 12 years old in 3 months.  The elementary school bus driver this morning asked my son where Lynsey was....She could not believe that time had flown and Lynsey was now in middle school.

As the nastiness continues on TV,  Fauci's quote rings in my mind.

"I do not know how to tell you, that we have to take care of each other."

Tomorrow I may just take a drive...to see a different view, before the rains come in from the latest hurricane.

Below, a healing potholder!!

 Forgetting to listen to the words of my husband puts me in peril

"Just go sew"...When I did that tonight...my mood so improved.

Thank God for Sewing.

Thank God for a mother who taught me to do for others.

Thank God for my husband's love..

Spoonflower Until Friday, another 50% off sale for fat quarters!!!

Election Night

 

We are celebrating today, the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote.

For the first time in her life, my DIL voted..!!!

I am so proud of her.

Now everyone in my family voted!!!

I have a cup of orange tea in one hand, and the TV remote in the other..

Quite.ready for a night being part of American history.

A political junkie this evening.

So, What if I do not want to be calm...I want to be revved up!!

I 

Quite outspoken on my political views.   However, after tonight, I will, hopefully

try to carry on with kindness and love for our dear broken country.

Do what is in my control to do small things with great love.

Change does not happen overnight...as we saw with the rights of women to vote.

Praying for no drama...

Celebrating Aoife's first sewing lesson:

Developing a love for fabric!!

Go Aoife!!  Go!!

A Day or so After and a Day or so Before....

Late, but how could I resist....Rosie plays the wolf.

And our Aoife plays Red Riding Hood.

My heart beats with love.

Today's big event was making binding...I hate to make binding!!

Hate as I may, I did it anyway.  I am binding the necks of sweatshirts for my winter stay at home wardrobe... I just cut off the original, and add my own..

Sometimes I do the sleeves too

The sweatshirts are so much more comfy this way.

Today was a no do day.. I am so lucky that stress puts me to sleep and not the other way around.

Doing little things like cleaning the kitchen, filling out paperwork, preparing for Dylan to go to school on Thursday.  Soon the day is over.. No laughs and no friends. Peace and quiet can be good too

Sewing and taking care of minutia...helps me feel a bit of control, a little bit.

I am trying to steel myself for survival in case we have civil unrest the next few days.

Our dear America is now unrecognizable...Hopefully a Phoenix will arise someday from the dust.

I got the feeling from Laurie in Minnesota  that 59 degrees was not "freezing"!!!Today the low was 38F...OMG... That is probably closer...I just could not leave the house.

Interesting article..Refuge in Grief 

An uplifting story from my friend in Oregon..Kashka the cat

I have an appointment in a few weeks to check my eyes for cataracts.  Way too scary.  I looked up the doctor..  He looks like he is 12 years old.  Not to be one to judge on being just 12...I read more about him.  He has been an eye doctor since 2005.  This is 2020.

As I age, my entire viewpoint on life has swung up and down and all around.

Bracing for drama the next few days..Praying for none. xo

Happy Halloween 2020

Aoife and Rosie send Halloween wishes from Portland, Oregon!!

Little Red Riding Hood, on her first Halloween.

Aoife doe not look too sure????  My daughter made her girl the costume!!

Emily insists this is an illusion...However, my guess is that no one wanted any more pictures taken.

The Big Bad Wolf is off-script!!

Ava...cries, please Mommy, I do not want to be a princess...take off my dress!!!

Poor Mommy,,,,

Uncle Eamon cheers the princess, now in street clothes

She agreed to wear her sparkly shoes to go Trick or Treating!!

For some reason the older grands were not that interested in pictures tonight.

They dressed up, but I guess they must be growing up.!

They did not even want to carve their pumpkins...a first!!

Below is my house and our Covid ready treats.

Candy is in the nurse gloves stored in our garage.

Clothes pins always come in handy.

Tonight was sooo crazy...Five children going out.

Noise and commotion galore,

After the treating, they all went home with their mother...and I,...

I am enjoying the beautiful sound of silence..

A great big thanks to my Naranon support group, My ALS support group,

My widow support group..safe places with no judgment

I love you all.

Happy Halloween

Oh, dear...here is more...A kind friend just got her green card after 25 years in the USA.

The American dream

She brought me flowers to celebrate!!

Freezing cold in Charlotte....um...Well...OK, it is 59 degrees..

Brrrr , hunkered down in my chair with the blanket I bought in Guatemala some 40 years ago.

The End of October...Wow.

 

Just a Friday of Sorts

Aoife...starts the day with a beautiful smile.

Yesterday was so much fun.  The first sewing retreat since Covid lockdown.

Virtual...The Good Vibes Quilting Group..  Friends from Oregon, from Minnesota and Charlotte.

We all sewed and laughed and got to know each other.  We have been talking online since March.

Yesterday we met via Google Meet!!  Thank you Suzette!!!!

During Amazon Prime, I ordered a camera for my computer......sooo  I was able to put everyone on my big computer screen while I sewed.

I finished all ten of my bags.  They are strung and ready for gifting.

Below are the masks I made yesterday...

I always get more sewing done when I am hanging with friends.

Here comes Halloween....strict rules in our neighborhood...no door to door treats.

I have put the candy into gloves . A table will be set up by the mail box with pumpkins, candy, etc.

Here is an example:  The nursing gloves each have three pieces of candy

with a fabric tie...I wanted to blow up the gloves, but decided that would not pass

the health test!

Talking with a few friends tonight.  We are all stressed..

Covid, the election, remote learning, isolation.

Then. I found this:

Terry Waite, 1763 days as a hostage in appalling conditions.

He just told us all to stop complaining!

Change your mindset he said, you're not STUCK at home, you're SAFE at home

#TerryWaite

His advice:

*Keep your own dignity - get out of your PJs!

*Form a structure for the day

*Be grateful for what you have - shelter, home, possessions

*Read and be creative

Me and my Friends

Linda's latest masterpiece...random orphaned four patches with grey.

Below is Kathylynn's first rope bowl..

Zoe sorting scraps....Fabric loving is a family affair.

Graduation for me!!!

...From pink...(1 lb) to my new lime green ones, (3 lbs)

PT at home...They say weights help build a core...of which I have none.

Is this not a lovely place for my weights...outside on the screened in porch on my alternate cutting table!!!

I have wasted my day being irritated at my sewing room invasion, and

the kitchen mess, and the fatigue of  reminding folks of the rules and chores..that are already quite well known in this  house!!

I did do a school drive by, picking up quarter two, fifth grade supplies for Dylan.  He goes back to school in 8 days.

Rules...a COVID signed paper by me, before he gets on the bus, temperature check at school, no visitors at school at all, lunch and specials in the room, everyone wears masks.  Dylan will only go in person, for two days a week..the rest will be remote. It is kind of exciting.  If there are 30 children in his class..only 15 will be coming on his days.  And, some of those parents will have decided their children will have full time remote...so not even 15 will be there....

As we all know, Lynsey has chosen not to work remotely in her bedroom on her very own desk.  Instead, she has sectioned off a corner of the living room with a desk, chair, screen divider, chrome book, drink, hand lotion, hair brush, electric heater, garbage can...you get the idea??? 

 I am just putting it out there...Does anyone have any idea WHY she is now sitting in my sewing room, at my sewing machine table with her Chromebook doing her school work???????????

I am constantly trying to refine my mask making.  This one is an Olson mask made for children ages 3 to 5....but Dylan wanted to try it.  I have put a nose sealer in the top part.

This is the back of the mask.  The Olson mask has a place to slide a filter if you want.

A fun zoom time tonight with our  IQ quilters.  Just look who is in the season!!

Our Aoife, showing off her dimples...

Our Aoife....enjoying the wonder of it all.

A good day today,

Tomorrow an all day Zoom with my Good Vibe quilters..

Hurricane Zeta is coming through Charlotte tonight.