Fanciful Quilts

Where has the time gone??? Seriously - one moment it was July and now it's October already. Summer heat and now leaves crunching underfeet (or is that underfoot???). Riley & I drove up here to Oshkosh, WI on Wednesday. Actually, we spent the night at Merrillville, IL and drove the rest of the way on Thursday. My sis is with us....she is staying at mom & dad's while Riley & I stay at a hotel, barely over a mile away. The 13th of October marked dad's 80th birthday. Today we will celebrate it with lunch, maybe a few presents and good wishes. Dad isn't doing extraordinarily well. He's forgetful and has trouble lifting one leg to get the rest of the body into a car. Could be the beginning stages of Alzheimers - or dementia - or perhaps neither of the above. It may very well be time to put the house up for sale and move to a place that is senior-citizen friendly where everything needed is on one floor and it's easier to get in and out of a bathtub ...

One of the best times I've had with my sister took place last Wednesday evening. Memories of long ago Sunday afternoons with sis and mom playing bingo at the on-base club came to mind. I set off to find a bingo hall - on line. Found one - not too far from where we live. We got there a good 30 minutes earlier than the time posted. Alas, someone didn't tell the owners we were coming. It was obvious this bingo hall had not been in use for some time. Maybe years. Darn. But not all was lost. Joanns was close by and I had a need to buy some perle cotton. Out came the phone and the wonderful browser capability.....yes, there was another bingo hall not more than 15 minutes away. We found the place easily enough; parking was another matter. Who were these people that took up all these parking spaces?!?!? Finally found a spot, pulled in and hoped the business next to the bingo hall was full of loving and kind people who would not tow my car while we were inside the bingo hall. For those...

How many times have we heard "it's the little things that count..."? You give a small token of your appreciation to a friend...and think to yourself that it didn't cost a lot, and it was just a little token and besides, it's the "little things that count". You get a pat on the back for a job well done...and think to yourself - geez, that should have been worth a lot more than a pat on the back - and then think well, I guess the boss believes in the little things that count. Okay - so the last one was a little weird. You get the idea. It's the "little things" that should be observed, honored and revered. Here's what I believe. The little things are God's way of letting you know He's there - He cares - and He wants us to be His ambassador. He plants an idea in our heads to do something out of the ordinary. Send a gift for no reason. Send a card to someone to let them know you care. Enclose a note in your spouse's lunch that si...

I love Mondays. There is something magical about the 2nd day of the week (yes I count Sunday as the first day of the week - doesn't everyone??). Even before retiring, I liked going into work on Mondays. Mondays can make or break you - your choice. You may hate the job you're doing right now - but it's your choice to either leave, endure or look at the positive aspects: (A) you have a JOB - the unemployment rate is supposedly around 10% here in Dayton. (B) you have a JOB. (C) you have a JOB. (D) you have a JOB but you can be looking for another one Yes, I admit it - I have been retired from the job force now for over 2 years. I've worked since I was 19 with an 18 month break in there with child #2 came along. Did I love my jobs? Nope. Won't lie. Did I complain? Yup. Won't lie. Do I look back and regret my complaining? Yup. I believe now the gift of becoming a Christian makes all the difference in the world. So Pollyanna sunshine aside, I look back and think what...

It is almost 10:40am. I have walked from the apartment to the chess club - pulled in the little dumpster on wheels (Thursday is garbage pickup day) - walked from there to the bank (what is it about two tellers gabbing away about personal stuff and tell the other teller: "can you take care of HER?" Emphasis on the HER, yes indeed....) - and from the bank to the library. Ahhh the public library. It never fails me. The moment I walk in (regardless of the fact this public library has a metal detector....a fine statement of downtown Dayton, don't you think???), I feel that momentary sense of excitement. What book will capture my interest this time. Okay, so maybe not ALL books capture my fancy. Sadly, science fiction does not capture my interest (sorry my dearest daughter and beloved husband) nor do biographies (apologies to those who love them) or historical romances (more sex in those novels than imaginable...pick one up and tell me I'm wrong). That still leaves many ven...

There are days when I wonder why quilting. Of all the hobbies there are to choose from, why this particular one..... Taking perfectly good fabric (you've heard this one before), cutting it up and resewing the pieces back together....and this is a hobby? No, not for most of us who quilt. It's a passion. The possibilities of what can be done with fabric are endless. Squares, triangles, appliques, portraits, landscapes, strips, circles...and the list goes on and on. It evokes memories. It brings comfort and warmth to the recipients. It brings smiles to those who need a smile. It doesn't matter if it took you two hours to put it together - or two years. It's a labor of love. Oh, to be able to see the smiles and tears when the package is opened and there lays the quilt - just for them. And it's okay if you can't see the smiles and tears if the quilt is mailed off. You see the smiles and tears through the email or letter of thanks. I mailed a quilt to Riley when he wa...

Today marks the end of our trip to Shreveport, Louisiana. We fly out tomorrow and will soon settle in to a routine in Dayton late at night. It's been a roller coaster ride, coming back. Some disappointments- the greasy spoon where we ate on most Saturdays is no more - the Polynesian restaurant where Riley worked as a waiter is now a Mexican restaurant - and now there are cloverleaf interchanges along I-20. Some delights - the first house we lived in is still standing - the first "real" home we had, a garage apartment, is still standing - and has been improved tremendously with siding - Pancho's Mexican restaurant is still Pancho's and Marshall Texas courthouse is still standing. The biggest delight was driving to Marshall .... finding the courthouse .... and then actually seeing our names in "the book". A s soon as we went through the metal detector, we made our way to the records department. We asked a young lady if it was possible for her to look up...

We arrived in Shreveport, Louisiana this morning. Vacation #2. Shreveport is where it began - the life of Riley & Sharon as one. We met here, eloped to Marshall, Texas on the 27th of July 1971, informed my parents that evening we had gotten married and 38 years later we are back. A few side notes before the story. First - eloping may seem very romantic and I suppose at that time it was. I have been a parent for many years now - and I can imagine what my parents went through that night. Second - Riley & I did renew our vows - in church - the full wedding bit - 25 years later. Dad got to walk a daughter down the aisle for the very first time. Third - I recommend number 2 all in all. A marriage is an event to be shared with family and friends. It's a celebration of love, commitment and proclaiming to the world - this is it. Coming back evokes quite a few feelings. One of which startles me - I remember so little. We took a drive to Barksdale Air Force Base. At the tender age of...

Today is the 24th of Christmas....better known as Christmas Eve....even better known as the day before Happy Birthday, Jesus. You know how you get a small little niggle in the back of your mind that just stays there quietly until it's time to be recognized? I know your answer is yes....so I will share my little niggle. For years, it would upset me when a simple "thanks" was not received in response to giving a gift. Horrifyingly (isn't that a lovely word!), it was just "upset" - it was full blown anger. Thoughts would ramble through my head that went something like this.... "what does it take to pick up the phone to say thank you...." or "for gosh sakes, all it takes is a piece of paper and pen and an envelope and stamp to simply write in block letters THANK YOU".... or..... on second thought, the 3rd rambling is to be kept private. I'm even ashamed of that particular rambling thought. Now on to the niggle. Why buy anyone anything? Wh...

Writers get writer's block....quilters sometimes face the same stumbling block. The inspiration isn't there - the motivation has fled - the sewing mchine is deadly quiet for the most part. This quilter not only has hit a stumbling block but dead on to a brick wall. No reasonable explanation. 75% of one pieced top is on the design wall and has been there for quite some time. Sashing to go between the blocks was ordered, delivered, washed and yet - not ironed. And still the 75% pieced top still remains on the design wall. No reasonable explanation. Every journey starts with one step - but what does one do when one doesn't feel like putting that foot in front of the other to continue on the journey? Perhaps every journey isn't meant to be finished within a specific timeframe. Ecclesiastes 3:1 advises "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven". For now, the pieced top will remain on the design wall until such time it...

While I sit here at Basics Cafe in Oshkosh WI (free wireless, folks!), I am wonder just why this trip to Oshkosh. Granted - this is where my parents live. Granted - they are now getting to the age where it makes sense to downsize from their large home to perhaps a condo in a senior citizens community. Granted - it's been awhile since I last visited for more than 2 days. Granted - sis is still on vacation until Monday and it made sense to drive up now. But still - what did I hope to accomplish? First - just a visit. The folks just aren't into the idea of flying....and driving is out of the question...not even as passengers. So - if the mountain won't come to....you get the idea. Second - still just a visit. Perhaps it is time to put the house on the market. Perhaps it is time to them both to live where life is more manageable. I don't know. I am not my parents. I don't know if I would resent either one of my children visiting with ulterior motives. Getting old - what...

Today is the 30th of August. Today marks our son's 29th birthday. Twenty nine years old. Married. They have one son, age 4. Twenty nine. It would be redundant at this point to write 29 one more time...or write 'how could that be'. I think it's pretty obvious I marvel at how quickly time passes. Yesterday, son & father and grandson took a walk around our old neighborhood. The neighborhood where we raised both our children. It was a good place .... parts of it not so good now. Time has a way of changing neighborhoods. This walk was a gift for hubby on Father's Day...a walk. I got glimpses of what it meant to Riley to walk with son & grandson and it warmed my heart tremendously. Good talks about what it meant to roam around the neighborhood wthout fear....good memories all in all. I do believe the walk was a present that will live in Riley's heart for ever. It got me to think about "best presents". I asked a group of friends what they thought to b...

Monday the 27th of July marked our 38th wedding anniversary. Thirty-Eight Years. Lots of changes in those 38 years - some of them good - some of them I used to wish for a do over. But if I'm to believe that God is really in charge, the changes were and still are for the best. We learn from change. Sometimes it's overnight. Sometimes it takes months. Sometimes it's a question I hope God will answer. My list of questions are getting shorter each day. Now that is a very good thing. On our anniversary, we opted to go to Red Lobster. Actually, I got to choose. Change didn't happen for the choosing of the restaurant (grin). It's a standard safe restaurant for me. However, that morning we did some major furniture rearranging in the bedroom and in the living room. Okay, so it's not earth shaking change - but a pleasant one just the same. What I really thought about most was the fact that we are not guaranteed anything. We're fortunate enough to have one grown child ...

On the 3rd of July, Riley, my sister Carol & I flew to Oshkosh, WI. Several hours later, we were joined by our daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter , son, daughter-in-law and grandson.... all to wish our parents a Happy 60 th Anniversary. Sixty years. Six decades. What can one possibly do to commemorate sixty years of marriage? The only thing we thought of was to make sure my parents got to meet their great grandkids from Ohio and that they did. Nothing beats a hug from a child. The world could be falling around me - and a hug from grand daughter or grand son and nothing else matters. It was a whirlwind trip - flew in Friday evening, flew back home on Sunday. No matter Riley, sis & I flew back on Monday, it was still a whirlwind trip. Learned much this weekend. It's wonderful to visit while staying at a hotel. It's better when the hotel has a pool and whirlpool and free breakfast. Not to say that parents aren't great hosts though. It's wonderful...

Another case of left knee swelling for Riley....which now makes episode #3. If one were to ask me why my thoughts about bilateral total knee replacements, I would have to think twice before giving an answer....and perhaps in a month or two, I could so do. Don't know what the answer would be...but lots of thought would have gone into it before speaking. Episode #1 left knee swelling - a trip to the hospital via ambulance and a very long wait in a well designed (she writes with sarcasm) ER room. Swelling decreased with elevation, ice & happy juice pain medication. Sent home shortly thereafter. Episode #2 left knee swelling - after a long weekend chess tournament. Elevation, ice & compression relieved swelling. Amazing what one can learn by visiting the ER for a bit. Episode #3 left knee swelling - today. Okay, I think right about now: enough is enough. The theory is this: adhesions & scar tissue is plaguing the left knee. Blood thinner is causing the adhesions & scar ...

On the 9th of July, my parents will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Imagine....sixty years. Riley & I will celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary on the 27th of July...and I think that's one long length of time (a good length of time, Riley - honest). I thought it would be a wonderful gift to my parents to bring our two kids & their family to WI to help celebrate their 60th....a tad early since we'd be coming in on the weekend of the 4th of July. I examined driving....500 miles in a 12 passenger van with 7 adults and 2 kids under the age of 5. Well, room for 12 did seem like a lot of room until you figure in car seats for the tykes. Scratch that. Thought about renting 2 mini vans and doing the caravan bit for 500 miles. I wonder why I felt tired just at the thought. Driving 500 miles on Friday....driving 500 miles back on Sunday. Scratch that. Flying. Yes, that's the way to go. No fuss, no muss. Fly in, rent a couple of cars to get around, snag 3 hotel ro...

As earlier written, Riley had both knees replaced on the 13th of May. He was home on the 22nd of May and all was well....until..... Friday, the 26th of May I came home after 5 hours away (womens' group studying a Beth Moore lesson @ church; a trip to the quilt store and to JoAnns) and the dear man's left knee was swollen. Mind you, not overly swollen. He couldn't get comfortable and within 45 minutes or less, the left knee now resembled an overripe cantaloupe and he was in a lot of pain. Horrors. Could get him down by elevator to the lobby (curses on living on the 6th floor of a high rise apartment - at least temporary curses) but he could go no further. A 911 call was made (thank you Deanne and Jason of our leasing office!) and within minutes, an ambulance was getting him on the gurney.Despair does not begin to describe my state of mind. Long story short - adhesions & scar tissue had torn away from the knee and while good for the knee to bend properly, it was c...

Today, dear husband Riley will be discharged from the hospital after having a bilateral knee replacement. The now-bionic man decided to have both knees replaced. Surgery took place on the 13th of May and today is the 22nd of May. A miracle, indeed, to be discharged this early. One of the items on the to-do list was to drive to the medical supply place and pick up a few items to make life easier. As I packed the shower bench and apparatus that fits over the toilet (is there a real word for that contraption???), I realized that we are no longer in the spring season of our lives. Just fact, nothing more. We have lots of adventures to still look forward to....including the vacation we didn't take in February of this year when Riley came home from Iraq earlier than expected. Oh yes, dear husband - it's in writing now so the vacation was merely postponed (smile). I so look forward to having him home once again. Never knew hospital visits could be tiring - though not so tiring as to t...

Whatever happened to the small stuff in life....such as expressing gratitude or thanks for receiving something....or opening the door for someone when they have both hands full....or saying something nice to someone in the elevator....or even electronically posting a 'I've missed you' ...... I am becoming more & more disenchanted with not seeing or hearing the small stuff in life. Ahhhh - but the story is not over yet!!! Today I took a long walk. First, to the post office. Now keep in mind, most trips to the post office takes an attitude of patience and kindness. Okay, maybe not for you but the post office I frequent may have very well been the basis for the phrase "going postal". So with the idea of 'what ever happened to the small stuff' in my head, I mentally geared myself for the trip across the street to the post office. Oh yes, that's a blessing in itself....we live across the street from the post office. I was greeted with "hey, there y...

Today our 4 yr old grandson had his tonsils removed. Mom & dad are doing fine....Grandparents are breathing easier and E (for Ethan - or so his parents say - I think it stands for 'excess' - as in an overabundance of energy!) is probably running around as if nothing had happened. Has to be youth. What a charmer this kid is... Dear husband took a few photos of E before the surgery. You'd never know what was awaiting this brave little man. He was given medicine to help calm .... I have got to get some of that stuff. That's the most laid back I have ever seen Ethan. Nope, there was the time we had finished my errands & he was in the car seat just moments away from dream land. Not exactly what I had envisioned. The nap was meant to be taken at home so I could join him in dreamland. But I digress. He sure was cute wearing that cloth elasticized cap the nurses wear in surgery. After much coffee and free wireless (surgical centers now have wireless - does that tell you...