June is such a wonderful month, what with school ending for the kids, brides getting married, our wedding anniversary, and Father's Day! Both my husband and dad have June birthdays which further expands our celebratory dates. And, while most of the time my husband and I forget our anniversary, I think this year we might just remember. But what is really worth remembering is the marriage, which has been very good and just getting better. Who would have thought that I would be married for 28 years and counting! Wow!
With all the fun things that June brings, this Father's day also makes my heart break. My dad has Parkinson's Disease. I HATE PARKINSON'S. I hate what it does to productive people. I hate that it traps my dad in his body, preventing him from being the vibrant person that I catch glimpses of in his eyes. I hate that it has taken him from me.
But what I have decided to do, to combat this, is to remember who and what he was, and just relish those memories, and accept that he is who he is now. It's not his fault. It's just the luck of the draw. And I know in my heart and soul that I am learning something from this. I'm just now sure yet what it is. Yet, I still have him to love and hug and remind me that all good things come to pass.
My husband should be honored this Father's Day also. He has been a truly wonderful father. My 23 year old son just called him yesterday and told him that he now sees that his dad was "right" about so many things. That is an honor! And my husband deserves it.
We all had or have Dads. Let's lift a toast to them and all that they have taught us. I know not all dads are good. I know some should not even be honored. But somewhere in your heart there must be that man who did make a difference in your life. Let him know. He deserves it!
Now I'll head back to my sewing and quilting and waiting for my new embellishing machine. That's my little reward for the care-giving that I'm doing with the fossils (my parents) these days.
Peace to all of you.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
May and Mother's Day
Mother's Day approaches. Another Hallmark Holiday. We are bombarded with ads and have-tos and guilt-itis. As I start this post I am reminded that Mother's Day has been around for a very long time. Even before Hallmark. Guess I should keep quiet on that one.
Mothers. The other night I met with my group of lady friends for dinner and celebrating. The dinner was originally planned to celebrate Mother's Day, however, it was then changed into a surprise birthday celebration for the organizer. It worked. Dana did not have a clue that we were celebrating her 50th birthday. What got me was a statement by one of my friends that she expected to be celebrated on Mother's Day. Her comment was that she didn't ask to be born but that she had "worked" to be a mother.
I'd never thought of it that way. I've always just felt blessed to be a mother. I too have worked hard at it, done things that were very hard for me, held and pushed my kids in ways that I wish my mom had done for me. Having kids has been the hardest job that I've ever had. But I've NEVER expected to be rewarded for it. It was just the right thing to do.
To me Mother's Day is stressful. I have to be with my mother and the other mothers in my family. I could opt out, I guess, but that isn't the right thing to do. I enjoy being with my husband and kids on Mother's Day, just like I enjoy being with them every other day. And if I get my strawberry chocolate eclair from The Farm, well, I am then just in heaven. But I really do not expect a celebration.
Guess I'm just weird that way. I just want to be treated well, all the time, not just on a day. I love to be honored, but not on a specific day but for something that I've done or helped with.
However, this is of course just my opinion.
May your Mother's Day be filled with Joy, Love and above all Peace.
Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Mothers. The other night I met with my group of lady friends for dinner and celebrating. The dinner was originally planned to celebrate Mother's Day, however, it was then changed into a surprise birthday celebration for the organizer. It worked. Dana did not have a clue that we were celebrating her 50th birthday. What got me was a statement by one of my friends that she expected to be celebrated on Mother's Day. Her comment was that she didn't ask to be born but that she had "worked" to be a mother.
I'd never thought of it that way. I've always just felt blessed to be a mother. I too have worked hard at it, done things that were very hard for me, held and pushed my kids in ways that I wish my mom had done for me. Having kids has been the hardest job that I've ever had. But I've NEVER expected to be rewarded for it. It was just the right thing to do.
To me Mother's Day is stressful. I have to be with my mother and the other mothers in my family. I could opt out, I guess, but that isn't the right thing to do. I enjoy being with my husband and kids on Mother's Day, just like I enjoy being with them every other day. And if I get my strawberry chocolate eclair from The Farm, well, I am then just in heaven. But I really do not expect a celebration.
Guess I'm just weird that way. I just want to be treated well, all the time, not just on a day. I love to be honored, but not on a specific day but for something that I've done or helped with.
However, this is of course just my opinion.
May your Mother's Day be filled with Joy, Love and above all Peace.
Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Monday, April 12, 2010
And Life Goes On and On
It has been quite a while since I last posted. I'm still working on the Double Wedding Ring quilt. I will love it when it is done. It is just so NOT ME but I am enjoying each and every hand placed stitch. I've contacted my friend Mike, the golfing, surfing quilter who is FABULOUS and hope that he will be quilting it for me. Now to just get it done...
The rest of life has kept me busy. I'm still moving my studio. I've packed all my son's belongings and moved them into the guest room but there are still a few hangers-on of mine in there that need to be moved. It was really hard for me to pack a lot of his things. But no where as hard as it was for him to go through them when he visited us a few weeks ago. I can still remember packing up my room at my parents house. I thought I'd taken it all, but when I moved them almost 50 years later to another home, there were things of mine still there.
I love my son and there will always be a place for him here, but I really don't want his stuff here. He had a long trip down memory lane just going through a few boxes. I know we will both get through this.
I've been taking care of my parents since the end of last month. My sister and her husband are on a month-long trip and my brother doesn't seem to have the time to do it. It is so hard to be with them, to watch them in this state of elderliness, to work with them to make it through each day. My dad's Parkinson's caused two falls in the same day a couple of weeks ago. This resulted in a 911 call, a trip to the ER, and somehow, no broken bones. His tailbone is still hurting him, but I know eventually that will heal. The hard part is convincing my mom that his Parkinson's is not his fault. She seems to believe he can do something about it...
How do we get so old? How do we fall behind and out of circulation? They are both so lonely but I can't be the only source of entertainment, mostly because I'm not so entertaining! How do we get through this...
Pack the boxes. Sort the stuff. Let go of the things that we aren't using. But that doesn't mean let go of the people when they are no longer useful...
The rest of life has kept me busy. I'm still moving my studio. I've packed all my son's belongings and moved them into the guest room but there are still a few hangers-on of mine in there that need to be moved. It was really hard for me to pack a lot of his things. But no where as hard as it was for him to go through them when he visited us a few weeks ago. I can still remember packing up my room at my parents house. I thought I'd taken it all, but when I moved them almost 50 years later to another home, there were things of mine still there.
I love my son and there will always be a place for him here, but I really don't want his stuff here. He had a long trip down memory lane just going through a few boxes. I know we will both get through this.
I've been taking care of my parents since the end of last month. My sister and her husband are on a month-long trip and my brother doesn't seem to have the time to do it. It is so hard to be with them, to watch them in this state of elderliness, to work with them to make it through each day. My dad's Parkinson's caused two falls in the same day a couple of weeks ago. This resulted in a 911 call, a trip to the ER, and somehow, no broken bones. His tailbone is still hurting him, but I know eventually that will heal. The hard part is convincing my mom that his Parkinson's is not his fault. She seems to believe he can do something about it...
How do we get so old? How do we fall behind and out of circulation? They are both so lonely but I can't be the only source of entertainment, mostly because I'm not so entertaining! How do we get through this...
Pack the boxes. Sort the stuff. Let go of the things that we aren't using. But that doesn't mean let go of the people when they are no longer useful...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The Double Wedding Ring
Oh why did I say I would do it? My son's long-time friend, our family friend's daughter, is getting married. I, of course, want her to have a quilt. And, on the way to her parent's house for a holiday party I thought it would be fun to create something with her mom, for her...and low and behold, there was the quilt top. Presented to me. In all it's glory.
Fine vintage fabric. Almost finished. I mean, how much would it take to finish it?
Well, after really looking at it, without the soothing comfort of delicious egg nog made by Gary (whose recipe should be illegal) I see it for what it really is. Someone's attempt at a double wedding ring. But something was just a little off. It would not lie flat. The pieces did not fit well together. It was just a bit off. But that could be fixed. I was sure of it!
Several days later, after more research on Double Wedding Ring quilts, I have the solution. Take it apart and do it over. Yikes! But what was wrong was that the background fabric pieces were not cut properly and, therefore, the quilt would never lie flat. And we had wanted to take out the muslin and replace it with new fabric anyway. Right? Just to update it!
But now I have to trim the rings so that they fit properly. And cut all new background pieces. And sew it all back together. By hand, because that is how it was started...
What is wonderful is that it is working out. It does look good. It will work. And the whole time that I am working on it I am wondering what the first woman was doing who first pieced this quilt. What was she like? Who was she? Why did she start this quilt? Where did she get the fabric? Who taught her to quilt? What is the history of this piece?
The final quilt will go to a wonderful young lady and her new husband. I approved of him the first time I met him, and, I'll tell you, I don't approve of many young men so quickly. This will be part of their new life. The quilt will keep them warm and provide for them the beginning of their history. We'll let them know what we can find out about this quilt. I'm hoping that we will be able to establish who began this whole process.
This is what it is all about. Passing it on. Melding the past with the future. It is not all about Twitter or iPhones or texting or even blogging. It is about passing our hearts and information on to the next generation. Paying it forward. Keeping it going. Passing the love forward.
Now, I sure hope I can get this done in time...
Fine vintage fabric. Almost finished. I mean, how much would it take to finish it?
Well, after really looking at it, without the soothing comfort of delicious egg nog made by Gary (whose recipe should be illegal) I see it for what it really is. Someone's attempt at a double wedding ring. But something was just a little off. It would not lie flat. The pieces did not fit well together. It was just a bit off. But that could be fixed. I was sure of it!
Several days later, after more research on Double Wedding Ring quilts, I have the solution. Take it apart and do it over. Yikes! But what was wrong was that the background fabric pieces were not cut properly and, therefore, the quilt would never lie flat. And we had wanted to take out the muslin and replace it with new fabric anyway. Right? Just to update it!
But now I have to trim the rings so that they fit properly. And cut all new background pieces. And sew it all back together. By hand, because that is how it was started...
What is wonderful is that it is working out. It does look good. It will work. And the whole time that I am working on it I am wondering what the first woman was doing who first pieced this quilt. What was she like? Who was she? Why did she start this quilt? Where did she get the fabric? Who taught her to quilt? What is the history of this piece?
The final quilt will go to a wonderful young lady and her new husband. I approved of him the first time I met him, and, I'll tell you, I don't approve of many young men so quickly. This will be part of their new life. The quilt will keep them warm and provide for them the beginning of their history. We'll let them know what we can find out about this quilt. I'm hoping that we will be able to establish who began this whole process.
This is what it is all about. Passing it on. Melding the past with the future. It is not all about Twitter or iPhones or texting or even blogging. It is about passing our hearts and information on to the next generation. Paying it forward. Keeping it going. Passing the love forward.
Now, I sure hope I can get this done in time...
Friday, February 12, 2010
Water Water Everywhere
It all started on the 29th of December. I heard a strange sound in the kitchen and, after we went through every appliance, we discovered a small leak in one of the water lines to our kitchen sink. Oh dear! Well, we phoned our local plumber, Surf City Plumbing, who sent out Mike the very next day.
Mike is a great guy and a great plumber. He pulled out the copper pipe and replaced it with some new fangeled pipe that should last a million years, well, not really, but a long time. He noticed a bit of mold on the back wall and we told him we had already called the insurance company on this problem. He also noticed a stain on the ceiling which we thought was a dripping faucet in our shower. He said he'd be back to fix that if we wanted.
Well, that started the entourage. Disaster Abatement guys followed. Great guys too, Juan and Lorenzo. They cordoned off our kitchen with plastic, put up a clean room, tore off siding from under the kitchen window, brought in fans and then air cleaners. Lots of NOISE. Lots of PLASTIC. No kitchen, no bathroom. Bummer. We moved our kitchen to the laundry room. Ate dinner out. Thought we would be ok.
Humman came and tested for mold. We're ok. Take down the plastic. Use your bathroom. One week without both was a bummer. Uh Oh. No. Our mold abatement guy read the report wrong. Bathroom ok. Kitchen not. More plastic, more fans, more hassle.
Then we found a small leak in our environmentally run furnace. A water leak. Yikes. No one makes this model air flow furnace anymore. But someone in Texas has the replacement part! Yeah! It should be here today. The plumber is lined up to put it in. We are anxiously waiting for the UPS driver to get here. We haven't had heat for a week. And it's been cold. We do have fireplaces, which we use at night. But it gets crispy during the day.
It has now been seven weeks. We still do not have our kitchen back. It is still under plastic. Hopefully today this can come down.
And I am keeping my fingers crossed that today we will again have heat. Wow.
The Big Surf Contest is on for this weekend at Mavericks. Those are some big waves. Of water. Powerful water. Just stay out of my house unless you can behave!
Mike is a great guy and a great plumber. He pulled out the copper pipe and replaced it with some new fangeled pipe that should last a million years, well, not really, but a long time. He noticed a bit of mold on the back wall and we told him we had already called the insurance company on this problem. He also noticed a stain on the ceiling which we thought was a dripping faucet in our shower. He said he'd be back to fix that if we wanted.
Well, that started the entourage. Disaster Abatement guys followed. Great guys too, Juan and Lorenzo. They cordoned off our kitchen with plastic, put up a clean room, tore off siding from under the kitchen window, brought in fans and then air cleaners. Lots of NOISE. Lots of PLASTIC. No kitchen, no bathroom. Bummer. We moved our kitchen to the laundry room. Ate dinner out. Thought we would be ok.
Humman came and tested for mold. We're ok. Take down the plastic. Use your bathroom. One week without both was a bummer. Uh Oh. No. Our mold abatement guy read the report wrong. Bathroom ok. Kitchen not. More plastic, more fans, more hassle.
Then we found a small leak in our environmentally run furnace. A water leak. Yikes. No one makes this model air flow furnace anymore. But someone in Texas has the replacement part! Yeah! It should be here today. The plumber is lined up to put it in. We are anxiously waiting for the UPS driver to get here. We haven't had heat for a week. And it's been cold. We do have fireplaces, which we use at night. But it gets crispy during the day.
It has now been seven weeks. We still do not have our kitchen back. It is still under plastic. Hopefully today this can come down.
And I am keeping my fingers crossed that today we will again have heat. Wow.
The Big Surf Contest is on for this weekend at Mavericks. Those are some big waves. Of water. Powerful water. Just stay out of my house unless you can behave!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Wonder of Silence
Living on the coast in California has been a challenge this last week. More rain falling more violently than I can remember. We are fortunate that there has not been any flooding or mud slides where we live. And for the most part, everything is just wet. We did lose our power for 24 hours.
I was surprised at how much I really expect to have electricity. What! I couldn't check my email, my etsy account, check in with others on Facebook. I was out of communication. With the exception of REAL communication, like TALKING to one another. Not emailing. Not texting ( I don't do this anyway). No Googling anything.
This at first was a bother, and then I realized that I was being give a reprieve. I didn't have to listen to the horrid news regarding the idiots in our Supreme Court. I did not have to watch the videos of Haiti. I didn't have to feel guilty by not giving during the televised fund-raiser. I've already donated. I don't need to be forced to give more.
It was nice to sit by the fire, in candle-light, with my husband and daughter, and TALK. We just talked about so many things. No noise. No music. No TV. No hum of the electronics. It was gently quiet. And peaceful. And, today reflecting back on it, purely wonderful.
No, I don't want to regress and cut the cord with the electric company. I do like my electronics. But I really believe that once in a while, we need to remember to get back in touch with us, with our inner beings, with quiet and peace.
I was surprised at how much I really expect to have electricity. What! I couldn't check my email, my etsy account, check in with others on Facebook. I was out of communication. With the exception of REAL communication, like TALKING to one another. Not emailing. Not texting ( I don't do this anyway). No Googling anything.
This at first was a bother, and then I realized that I was being give a reprieve. I didn't have to listen to the horrid news regarding the idiots in our Supreme Court. I did not have to watch the videos of Haiti. I didn't have to feel guilty by not giving during the televised fund-raiser. I've already donated. I don't need to be forced to give more.
It was nice to sit by the fire, in candle-light, with my husband and daughter, and TALK. We just talked about so many things. No noise. No music. No TV. No hum of the electronics. It was gently quiet. And peaceful. And, today reflecting back on it, purely wonderful.
No, I don't want to regress and cut the cord with the electric company. I do like my electronics. But I really believe that once in a while, we need to remember to get back in touch with us, with our inner beings, with quiet and peace.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Giving
Last week I got older. I had my 60th birthday and celebrated with friends. What is really incredible is, as usual, my friends. I have met with this same group of women for over 19 years. We met and started fund-raising at our kids preschool. One day we realized that what we really liked to do was be with each other so we started two groups: Bunko and Bookclub. We would meet once each month for each group.
We still meet. Bunko has turned into TOTT (time on the town) but Bookclub remains the same. And each December we all meet, as a combined group (not everyone is in both) and celebrate Christmas with a gift exchange, which, of course involves stealing! I am still the champ, though, for stealing back my own gift! But that's another story.
This year we met again, on the day after my birthday. I didn't know we would celebrate it, as it had already passed, but I got songs and a delicious cake home make by Carole. But the best gift was that they all contributed to Second Harvest of Santa Cruz and San Jose, in my name, and raised over $500 dollars! I am humbled. I am over-joyed. I am so grateful, as I really do not need anything, and there are so many here that do need the basics, like food on the table.
These women amaze me. Their generosity has provided over 2,800 meals! Unbelievable! Awesome! WOW!
Second Harvest is a group that I give to because I believe in their message. There is no religion attached to it. Corporate Honchos and field workers work side-by-side to distribute food. The community gathers and distributes food. And they do it humbly.
Last year I collected food at my shop, but without my shop I wondered how I could make up that difference...and my girlfriends did it!!!
My girlfriends: We've shared wonderful times; We've shared loses, cancer, chemo, children growing and leaving for college. No marriages yet, but that will be coming. We've laughed and sang together more than most people. I think that we truly love being together. We've traveled. We've just stayed put. We've read a huge amount of fabulous books, and a couple of stupid ones, who knew. But we've shared it with one another.
And now they have shared with me and my community this wonderful, generous gift.
Thank you Gretchen, Carole, Tracie, Lynn, Deb, Karen, Debbie, Alison, Carol Ann, Gail, Shari, Kim, Nora, Dana. You are the very, very best that anyone could ask for in friends. I look forward to many more years of our being together.
Cheeriest of Holidays to all of you. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.
Let's make 2010 better than 2009.
Peace.
We still meet. Bunko has turned into TOTT (time on the town) but Bookclub remains the same. And each December we all meet, as a combined group (not everyone is in both) and celebrate Christmas with a gift exchange, which, of course involves stealing! I am still the champ, though, for stealing back my own gift! But that's another story.
This year we met again, on the day after my birthday. I didn't know we would celebrate it, as it had already passed, but I got songs and a delicious cake home make by Carole. But the best gift was that they all contributed to Second Harvest of Santa Cruz and San Jose, in my name, and raised over $500 dollars! I am humbled. I am over-joyed. I am so grateful, as I really do not need anything, and there are so many here that do need the basics, like food on the table.
These women amaze me. Their generosity has provided over 2,800 meals! Unbelievable! Awesome! WOW!
Second Harvest is a group that I give to because I believe in their message. There is no religion attached to it. Corporate Honchos and field workers work side-by-side to distribute food. The community gathers and distributes food. And they do it humbly.
Last year I collected food at my shop, but without my shop I wondered how I could make up that difference...and my girlfriends did it!!!
My girlfriends: We've shared wonderful times; We've shared loses, cancer, chemo, children growing and leaving for college. No marriages yet, but that will be coming. We've laughed and sang together more than most people. I think that we truly love being together. We've traveled. We've just stayed put. We've read a huge amount of fabulous books, and a couple of stupid ones, who knew. But we've shared it with one another.
And now they have shared with me and my community this wonderful, generous gift.
Thank you Gretchen, Carole, Tracie, Lynn, Deb, Karen, Debbie, Alison, Carol Ann, Gail, Shari, Kim, Nora, Dana. You are the very, very best that anyone could ask for in friends. I look forward to many more years of our being together.
Cheeriest of Holidays to all of you. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.
Let's make 2010 better than 2009.
Peace.
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