Journal: Life's Frailties, and Quilting Oops

Last week, Hannah sent pictures of the children doing their schoolwork at home.  They are done with their year’s work now.  Joanna, in particular, is glad to have finished math, science, and chemistry; figuring out chemistry, especially, was a bit tricky without her teacher on premises.

Nathanael will be 14 next month, Levi is 10, and Joanna is 17.  Joanna now works at the school, helping her Uncle Stephen Wright, our principal, in getting programming put into computer systems.

These are the kiddos that have Grand Debates – using multi-syllable words we common folk have never heard before.

Since we had some Ukrainian and Russian missionaries come visiting a few years ago, several of them have been teaching themselves Russian.

Nathanael’s voice has been dropping, dropping, dropping.  I told him a couple of nights ago, “Nathanael, from now on when you start talking to me, I want you to say at least the first two or three words in a high-pitched voice, so I will know who you are!” 

He obliged – in a high, quavery falsetto.  😂

Tuesday night, I got the fifth row of the Starry Shadows quilt done and started on the sixth and final row.  More pictures here.

Several have asked where I got this pattern.  It’s from the book Scraps, by Judy Martin.  Judy’s name for her quilt is ‘Hollywood Boulevard’.  The book is out of print now, and people are selling it on Amazon for $50-$65.  (As Larry says, “They’re mighty proud of their book!”)  However, the eBook can be downloaded from Judy Martin’s website for $14.95, same price the book was when it first came out:  http://www.judymartinebooks.com/scraps.html  I don’t think there’s a single quilt in that book that I don’t like. 

Wednesday, I spent a little part of the morning working in the flower gardens.  Three large flowerbeds are all tidied up, leaving nine large beds to go, and a few smaller areas.  Why did I plant a dozen big flower gardens?!!!

Answer:  Because I was only 43 when I did it, that time of life when one is prone to think, “All days hereafter shall be like unto all days hitherto.” 

Alternate answer:  Because I love flowers.  Lots of ’em.

Look, look, there are Teensy and Tiger outside with me – and for once, they’re not sleeping!  They like it when I’m working outside, even if they don’t seem to be paying me much attention.

“I finally see them in action!” wrote a quilting friend from Brazil. 

“Yes,” I agreed, “The majority of my photos show them snoozing away! 😂”

I talk to my cats, and they do seem to understand the king’s English fairly well; but they’re awfully rude.  Why, they’re liable to go strutting right out the pet door smack-dab in the middle of one of my perceptive and insightful dialogues!

After getting all squeaky clean again, fixing my hair all up cute (there was a midweek church service that night, after all), and eating some breakfast, I was ready to get back to the quilting.

One of my two-year-old great-great-nephews said to his Mama about three weeks ago, brow furrowed sadly, “Mama, remember church?” 

His four-year-old brother, upon learning we could go to church again (starting a couple of weeks ago), exclaimed, “OHHH!!!!  Are we well again?!!!” 

Those are my nephew Kelvin’s grandchildren.

While working in the gardens, I heard a whole lot of baby birds in the cedars and Douglas firs. There’s a nest in one of our eaves, too.

After coming inside, I used the body scrub Lydia made me for Mother's Day.  It has coconut oil, brown sugar, and other fragrant oils in it.  I really like it.  It felt good, scrubbing away all the itchiness, and it’s not drying, like many scrubs.

In my quilting studio, I lit a candle Hester gave me.  Mmmm, it smells soooo good. 

I’ll tell you a story, if you promise not to tell anybody.  Shhhhh... (nobody is listening, right?)

Once upon a time, I stupidly had a candle right on my cutting table.  I didn’t think I was going to be doing anything with any large pieces of fabric, so I figured all was well.  Then I picked up a flimsy (quilt top, before it’s ‘sandwiched’ and quilted)... spread it out...  Yep.  Right over the candle.

Immediately realizing my error (my nose screamed at me), I jerked the fabric away and smooshed a wad of fabric down hard on the flames.

The fire went out.  I spent the next half hour replacing the patch that had burned, spraying Resolve on a sooty patch, and rinsing it.

These days, I usually use a diffuser with essential oils.  But this candle smells soooo good...  Believe me when I say, I have never ever again put a candle where any type of fabric or fiber might get near it.

Just before church, I finished quilting the Starry Shadows quilt, trimmed it, and removed it from the frame.  More pictures here.

Thursday, I delivered birthday gifts to two grandsons.  Lyle (Teddy and Amy’s third child) is 13, and Levi (Bobby and Hannah’s fourth child) is 10.  We gave Lyle jeans and a shirt, and Levi glow-in-the-dark pajamas and a 3D book from Galveston, Texas.

I took a couple of Larry’s suits to the cleaners (don’t let me forget to get those tomorrow!) and dropped off some things at the Salvation Army. 

Kurt and Victoria are moving to a nice little house that’s been newly renovated.  It’s owned by friends of ours.  Their rent will be less, so they’ll be able to more quickly save a down payment to purchase a house.  It has a larger kitchen with more storage and all new appliances, a bigger bathroom and a half bath in the basement (unfinished basement but full sized).  There are two bedrooms, quite small, but with nice closets.  There’s a small living area, but they can fix up the basement to make a living area for the girls to play in.  Victoria plans to pack up her newly-planted garden and transplant all of her plants.

There’s no microwave, so I offered Victoria the one we put downstairs when Larry put the new one over the stove.  She declined, saying there isn’t really room for one, and she doesn’t use theirs much anyway.  (She might discover she uses it more than she thinks, whataya bet?)

“You don’t want to put it on your front porch?” I asked. 

We’ve seen stoves, refrigerators, couches, etc., on front porches in less desirable neighborhoods here and there.  I think it was the worst in the Arkansas hills.  Some of those places looked like the house had tipped over and spilled. 

(Victoria declined, again.)

That day, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) sent out a notice informing us that, contrary to earlier information, coronavirus does not spread easily via contaminated surfaces.  So all that wiping down and disinfecting of groceries and deliveries brought into your houses has been unnecessary.

Well, that’s good news.  Now I can go on doing what I’ve been doing all along:  Nothing.

I have neither wiped down stuff I get from UPS, FedEx, USPS, or the grocery store, nor have I let it sit for two or three days before using it.  First, I forgot.  Next, I needed it right then.  Third, I was peeved enough at what I consider extreme overblowing that I just... didn’t.

But I don’t talk about it much, because I don’t want some of those paranoiacs punching me in the nose.  (And I do know it’s a nasty virus.  Yep.)

I do keep up with the latest findings on the virus, but I steer away from extremists, whether on the left or on the right.  And believe me, there are extremists on both sides.  I prefer sanity. 

That evening, I got a notification that my New York Beauty quilt has been accepted at Lancaster The Nook.  “Now, if the show will just go on...” I wrote to several friends, immediately before discovering that the show had been canceled.

I saw on their website that the Charleston show had been canceled too – and it wasn’t scheduled until September 30.  The Grand Rapids show for August 19 is still on.

I wonder why they emailed the congratulatory note, when the show had been canceled?

Here is the note I got:

“In light of the uncertainty with COVID-19, we are looking into different options for the contest. We know how much hard work you have put into your quilt and would like to see it recognized. The AQS staff is diligently working in an effort to continue the contest. We will provide updated information as it becomes available. We appreciate your patience during this challenging time.  Thank you for sharing your quilt, and good luck in the contest!”

So maybe hope is not gone yet.

I got the label for Susan’s quilt machine-embroidered and pinned to the back of the quilt before quitting for the night.

I tried working outside Friday morning, but I no sooner got a good start on one of the gardens than thunder began rumbling.  It started drizzling... I kept working...  Last year’s hosta stalks are easier to pull out when they’re wet, after all.  But just before I got to the end of the row, it commenced to raining in earnest, and thunder was rolling, so I gave up and came inside, leaving the piles of stalks in the grass.

After sewing the label onto the quilt, I shortened the sleeves of the soft fleece bathrobe Jeremy, Lydia, and family gave me for my birthday.  The tag says, “One Size Fits All.” The tag lies.

Teensy came along and sprawled smack-dab in the middle of the robe before I was even half done.

Next, I altered a cute little Alfred Dunner blouse that I’ll wear for the Fourth-of-July picnic.  My late sister-in-law Janice gave it to me years ago.  I’ve never worn it, because it was too big and too long.  She was always quite sure I wore a size 10 top.  I wear a 4.

The shoulders are still too big, but there are shoulder pads to camouflage the fact, and I’m not about to take off the sleeves and cut it smaller.  Besides, it’ll be more comfortable.

Norma is now staying in a little house across the street from our church, nearer the granddaughters who are helping her with doctor and dentist appointments, her feeding tube, and suchlike, as Loren is not able to help her.  Friday evening, we collected a Jeep-load of her things, and Saturday we took them to her.  The little house is used for our preschool during school months.  It has a large room at the rear with small chairs and low tables, shelves of children’s books, chalkboards, and toys.  The front part of the house, though, is fully furnished.

We then picked up some Subway sandwiches (first time I’ve had take-out food in two months) and took them to eat with Loren.  I put a jar of chili in his refrigerator.

Todd and Dorcas now have a couple of foster children, brother and sister – a girl, age 3; and a boy, age 2.  Trevor, who’s four, is quite excited with this turn of events.

Saturday, the sun was finally shining after several rainy days, and I was able to take pictures of the Starry Shadows quilt outside on the back deck. 

This quilt has a major ‘oops’ in it.  At least, I think it’s major.  Can you see it?  (No, it’s not those patches that look white instead of off-white; they only looked that way out in the sunlight, because the print on that particular fabric glistens in the sun.  The print really is white-on-cream, same as the rest of the background fabric.)

Larry couldn’t see the mistake until I pointed it out to him; so I felt a little better about it.  I didn’t notice it until it was completely finished and bound.  This is what I get for not taking a picture of the flimsy before loading it on the frame!  First, I like to take pictures of quilts on my back deck, but it was raining.  Second, I couldn’t spread it out on the bed, because someone was sleeping in it.  So, with >>displaced<< confidence and optimism, I loaded it and quilted away.

The quilt is for my niece Susan, who is fighting an aggressive form of breast cancer. She is the sister of my nephew Kelvin, for whom I made the Silver Wolves quilt; he is suffering from colon cancer.

Starry Shadows measures 56” x 70”.  

As usual, Tiger had to come along to see what I was doing back there on the deck. He prepared to walk right into the middle of the quilt.

“No, stay off!” I told him, holding up a hand like a traffic cop.  Therefore, the squinty-eyed pathetic look. 😽😸

Okay, now I’ll tell you what the mistake is, in case you didn’t find it:  the bottom two rows, rows 5 and 6, are inverted.  Thus, rows 4 and 5 are positioned identically. 😑

That afternoon I took Susan her quilt.  She was quite pleased with it.  Laughing, she reminded me of the time she’d asked me how much I would charge to make her a quilt, and that I had let her know quilts aren’t cheap. 

She was repeating this in her usual gracious manner, but I did remember what I’d said, so I laughed and asked, “Did I tell you, ‘Whatever price I name, it will be too much for you, and not enough for me!’?”

“Yes,” she laughed, “That’s pretty close.”

“But, see, I also told you that if I like you enough, I might just give you one!” I said.

I dropped off some things at the Goodwill on the way home.  I had to put the bag into a cart along the drive and stand way out in the boonies whilst the nice young and bemasked (should be a word) lady wrote a receipt for me.  Then she brought it out on one of those long-handled grabber tools.  If only I had’ve known her better, I’d have said, “Thanks!  I’ve been needing one of these!” and headed off with note, grabber, and all.

But I don’t, so I didn’t.  The nice girl doubtless wonders what I went off giggling about, though.

Larry got home and prepared to mow.  Remembering the hosta stalks I’d left in the lawn, I trotted out to load them into the wheelbarrow.  I finished neatening up the rest of the row, and did another row of hostas and irises beside the drive.  The flowerbeds on either side of the porch are next on the agenda.  Maybe tomorrow.

After cleaning the kitchen and vacuuming, I started working on that big wool/velvet/ corduroy quilt.  I’m cutting it down to make two or three throws out of it.  I mentioned throwing it out, but Larry howled.  I hate to see a grown man cry.  Therefore, I am cutting it down.  He will have a couch throw.

More irises are blooming, and the lilacs are just beginning to blossom.

Jeremy and Lydia and the children, Jacob, Jonathan, Ian, and Malinda, took a little vacation to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  As often as I’ve been near that city, I’ve never seen those picturesque falls.  They stayed in a house there, and the children loved the rope swings that hung from a huge tree in the yard.  They got home tonight.

Larry was at his friend’s shop near Genoa today, painting the man’s Jeep.  He returned home a little before 8:00 p.m.  It was rainy again today, and there are flash flood warnings all around the area. 

Norma is not feeling well.  Why did the dietician give her milk-based liquid food, for pity’s sake?!  It’s right there in her file that she’s lactose intolerant.  And of course the doctor’s office is closed on account of Memorial Day. 

Loren was not well Saturday, and again today.  I made an appointment with his doctor for tomorrow morning, but he may not feel like going.

I was talking with Hannah on the phone this afternoon, and somehow we got on the subject of the ankle I badly sprained, just a few weeks before Hester’s wedding back in August of 2008.  I had sewing to do for the wedding, and it had to be done; so I propped my right foot on a tall stack of pillows, and used my left foot on the pedal.

Now, I am not ambidextrous, and neither am I ambi ----- uh, ambifootrous.  That left foot had very poor control of the foot pedal.  I’m telling you, I sewed three skirts before I even got them cut out.  🤣😂

Here is a shot of the beautiful sunset we had last night.

The dryer is buzzing... and that’s the last of five loads!  In the previous load was a suit jacket of mine.  It lost three buttons in the wash.  I think ‘washable’ ought to mean, ‘retains its buttons’, don’t you?  😖

I’m off to put the clothes away and work on that wool quilt.  If I get really, really ambitious, I’ll take out the previous quilting and put a brand-new back on it, as the old back shrunk more than the front.  ‘If’, I said.  If.

(But I don’t particularly like the ‘wadded’ effect.  I should, I should...)

Maybe.

,,,>^..^<,,,          Sarah Am I Ambitious Or Not Lynn          ,,,>^..^<,,,