This past Friday night, our local museum hosted Barbara Cline and Polly Yoder to come and give a power point presentation on the history of quilting in their family.  They are sisters who many of you know from xanga blogging!  They both gave a wonderful presentation of the generations of quilting in their family, and then their own legacy of quilting and designing quilts.  They brought many quilts to show!

Here they are, waiting to get started - Polly is on the left, Barbara on the right -

                                  

And here we all are, looking forward to seeing it all!

                                     

                                     

Fixing up the power point -

                                    

John Long is the director of the museum, and he introduced them -

                                     

Polly started with her part -

                                     

We were fascinated to hear all about this very creative and talented family and the many generations that have been making quilts.  Barbara was next, talking more about the women who are quilting now, in their family, and about designing her own quilts and how that came about.

                                     

Then they showed many of the quilts they have made, some of which have won prizes in quilt shows, and some that helped them learn more and develop their skills.  Sorry that the pictures are from behind people and podium, but this will give you an idea of what they brought to show -

                                     

                                     

                                     

                                     

  I took a few pictures of the stitching close-up, when it was over -

                                     

                                      

The most wonderful part is that I have known these ladies, especially Polly, for years on xanga.  And I have met them in person several times now.  It was such a delight to spend time with them! 

                                        

                                                                         

 Tomorrow - Barbara teaching her pattern, "Pinwheel Spin".     

                                         

It has been a busy couple of weeks!  I went to Colorado to visit Betsy, and then I came home and spent the weekend attending a quilt workshop here in town.  I have so many pictures!  So, I'll start with Colorado, and then take a few days to talk about the quilting weekend.

I arrived in Denver on Sat, March 26th, and Betsy picked me up at the airport.  From there, it was a whirlwind few days of lots and lots of wedding planning, appointments, details, shopping.  I saw a lot of Andrew, and here they are, at a restaurant - I think this was after church on Sunday -

                                       

I loved going to church with them, heard a wonderful sermon, and watched a great interpreter! 

Monday, Bets and I drove back to Denver to meet with the event coordinator at the Denver Aquarium, where the wedding will be!  We ate lunch at the restaurant there.  It was a cool place!

                                       

                                       

                                       

                                       

I bought a few things for Charlie, Megan, and John, but shhhh. . . don't tell them, because I haven't given them to them yet.

The next day, Tuesday, Betsy had to work, so I was on my own - I walked around Hobby Lobby!!!  We don't have one here, so I just had to go!  Shopped at the mall for a little while, took a long walk around the mall for some exercise, and picked up lunch, and took it back to my hotel.  I was exhausted!  The 2-hr time difference really took a lot out of me!  I napped a little and sewed a little, then picked Bets up after work.  Tuesday night we went to a Silent Dinner with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing group there in Greeley - sorry, no pictures!

Wednesday was my last day with Bets, and we did a lot of shopping and planning.  She picked out some flower colors -

                                         

                                         

And we bought some wedding jewelry, went out for a coffee drink just because it is our thing to do, and a million other things that I can't even remember now!  One last dinner with them that evening, and I was ready to pack up and try to get ready for my trip home.  I knew that just about when my body adjusted to the time difference, I would be leaving for home!  Sorry, no pictures of Luna either, but I even had several chances to take Luna for walks during the week.

I flew out of Denver Thursday, the 31st.  .  Bets was working again, but I got a very convenient shuttle to the airport, which was an hour and a half away.  The flights went smoothly, and I was glad to be home!

Next time - a weekend of quilting!  Meanwhile, little Megan had a birthday, but we haven't celebrated yet - we were all in different directions on the day of her birthday, and by this past Sunday night, she was a sick little girl with a tummy virus.  Jim and I went over to visit, since we hadn't seen them for a couple of weeks, and I was happy to hold and cuddle her when she wanted me to!  Jim got to play outside with Charlie.  And we loved seeing the new (to them) baby grand piano they recently got, as well as lots of gifts they recently got from family and friends.

Happy Birthday to Megan today!  She is 2 years old!  These are some older pictures -

                                           
                                           

                                           

                                           

This Grandma has been traveling, and Megan and her mommy and daddy and brothers have been busy with other visiting family, and so I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks!  But I hope to see them all soon!

More later, with pictures, of my trip to Colorado and a quilting workshop weekend!

Poor Minuette, our 14 1/2 year old beagle was sent off to doggy heaven (we won't get into whether I think that is theologically correct - it just sounded good for my purposes here!) this morning.  I don't even have it in me to post a picture here, but I am sure there are some somewhere here in Xangaland.

Minuette lived a good long life, but these past years had needed special enzymes to digest her food, had lost lots of weight, had a growing fatty tumor (non malignant), was arthritic, deaf, and had cataracts.  She could barely jump onto her favorite chair ( and couldn't at all the past few days), could barely go up stairs, and was generally going downhill.  By yesterday, it was clear that the poor little doggie was just existing, and as it was time to order all her medications, and to take her for a vet visit for some ongoing procedures, and to then take her to the kennel while I travel to Colorado, we made the decision to take her this morning to be put down.  I wasn't even sure I was going to have the emotional energy to do it today, but I had to take her to the vet either way, and so I was prepared.  Poor Betsy was so upset when I told her yesterday, that I just about decided not to.  But that wouldn't really have been good for Minuette.  And Betsy hadn't seen her go downhill these past few months, so she understood, even though she was sad.

I had talked with a number of people to be sure I wasn't making this decision based on convenience for me.  The kennel owner, who we have known and loved all these years, said, "IT IS TIME!"  just like that.  The vet agreed, Jim agreed, and I knew I had to be brave and go ahead.  I was drinking my coffee this morning thinking about doing this all by myself, when my precious son-in-law, Sam, called.  He was coming over to help me take Minuette.   Bless his heart - he came and held her in the car and in the vet office while I took care of paperwork, he gave me lots of moral support, and he gave me a big hug before he left.  I asked him what work he would have been doing that he took time out of for me.  He said, "Nothing important."  

I am so appreciative of my whole supportive family, but especially for Sam right now!

Last week, I had a cold and a cough and NO energy.  I didn't even feel like sewing very much - I did a little handwork and the absolute necessities around the house.  Feeling much better this weekend, although that cough is still hanging on.  But, last week, I did manage to get some fabric for a Quilt weekend workshop that is coming up!  I mentioned it before, so you can go back to an earlier blog for the links.  Barbara Cline, from the Bridgewater, VA, area, and her sister, Polly Yoder, from Delaware, are coming to our area!  The whole weekend of classes and presentations is being put on by our Salem museum, which has recently remodeled and expanded.  Barbara is teaching a class on her own pattern, Pinwheel Spin.  We were to get our fabric washed and cut out ahead of time.  I bought my fabric, washed and pressed it, and made two of the templates needed for cutting - the third template was available for purchase from Barbara with the pattern.

So, here is my fabric -

                                        

And the pattern -

                                        

I think there are some more available spots in the classes the weekend of April 2nd, so if anyone local is interested, let me know and I'll give you the info.

I still have to cut out my fabric, which I didn't want to do while I was feeling so badly and so medicated with decongestant and cough medicine!

The other quilt I have started cutting out, and plan to finish at quilt camp in a few weeks, is a coffee quilt for Betsy.  She picked out the fabric before she moved. 

                                         

This is the focus fabric, and will be a large rectangle -

                                         

This has been "fussy cut" and I am using the squares -

                                         

Meanwhile, my water-damaged-and-torn-up kitchen is going to have a whole new makeover - there was enough damage to warrant starting over, for the most part.  I am thrilled to be getting a new kitchen, but I am quite overwhelmed at having to make choices of cabinets, counters, and flooring, while in the middle of wedding plans, trips to Colorado, and the myriad of details involved in all of it!  The last time we remodeled a kitchen was many, many years ago when we lived in Biloxi, MS.  The girls were about 11, 9, and 5.  We made it such fun, and they were all involved in helping pick out everything.  It is bittersweet to me to be doing this without them being part of it.  Well, Amanda is here to help me pick some things, and it is her husband, Sam, who will be our contractor, but it isn't quite the same!

Betsy has a kidney stone!  She gets them, and she can usually manage through the pain, which she says is intermittent.  But this mommy wants to be there to take care of her.  Sigh.  I am going out there soon, but hopefully she will be over it by the time I get there!

Our church had a yard sale this past Saturday to raise money for a missions trip to South Africa.  Actually, I should say that the South Africa Missions Team from our church had a yard sale at our church to raise money for the team.  So many people contributed to it that the fellowship hall was full of stuff, and since it was a beautiful spring day in VA, some things were displayed outside.  We had a steady crowd all day long, and we sold some big items, like TVs, golf clubs, and then some pricier things like antique furniture and lamps and such.   We also had a bake sale.  We made over $2000!! 

I was soooo tired.  I, along with many others, spent days taking in items, pricing them, gathering my own items from my house, and then baking, and got to the church at 6 AM.  I left at 1:30, although the sale closed up at 2:00.  I went from there to a baby shower for a young friend expecting her first child, a little boy. 

I had invited Amanda, Sam and kiddos along with Kip, Joan, and Josh over for dinner Saturday night.  I told them I wanted them all to come despite the torn up mess, the clutter, and the fact that the best I could do for dinner was to pick up pizza!  They came and we had a wonderful time!  We were also celebrating Joan's birthday, which was the next day.  So, on Saturday, after I left the baby shower at 4:00, I stopped at Sam's Club for a birthday cake.  I think they make such good cakes!  As it turned out, EVERYONE else in Roanoke was at Sam's Club that afternoon, trust me.  And they must have all wanted cake, because my choices were either Elmo or Cars.  I called Joan to see what she would like, and we laughed and laughed and decided that since Charlie and Megan really like Elmo, then Elmo it would be!  Joan said she has never had an Elmo cake!

I came home, ordered pizza, and went to pick it up.  It was such a fun time at our house!

Here is baby John at 5 weeks old -

                                      

He is such a good baby, and getting so big that he has outgrown the newborn size clothes.

                                      

Here is Grandpa, reading to Charlie and Megan - for some reason, they ended up on the other side of a large table that we now have in the living room, and you can see Sam's vacuum-machine in the background.  I will be living with construction for awhile, I am sure!

                                      

                                      

Here is Uncle Kip, Jim's brother -

                                      

And Josh holding John -

                                      

                                      

Time for birthday cake!

                                      

It was really a small cake surrounded by cupcakes that had Elmo rings in each one.  Charlie could not understand why Aunt Joan's candles had numbers on them, instead of regular little candles!  But he was thrilled when he realized that one of the numbers is how old HE is!  3!!!

Aunt Joan needed some help blowing out her candles!

                                      

Fun, fun, fun!  Before long it was time to go home, and Grandpa carried the kiddos to the car, with Charlie carrying his Elmo rings.  He was soooo excited that Aunt Joan gave him the one from her cupcake too!

                                      

This Grandma was very, very tired.  On Sunday, after church, I spent most of the afternoon on the couch with a book, dozing more than reading.  And this morning I woke up with a major headache.  Still have it.  But those headache pain killers have been helping.

I did get to the fabric store today to buy fabric for a quilt workshop that Barbara Cline is coming to our area to teach in early April.  Polly, her sister, is coming too!  Pictures of my fabric next time!

Oh, and I need to add that I am not going on the South Africa Missions trip this summer, but Jim is!

One more edit - Megan also had 2 Elmo rings, but she put hers in her POCKET!  That made her happy!  But as you can see from that last picture, those little eyes were getting pretty tired!

It has been a busy week - babysitting, Bible study, exercise, gathering things together to contribute to a church yard sale, sign language study group, and stitching with all of my stitching groups.  I did very little housework, which sounds lovely, but it leaves everything neglected around here!  I feel so out of control when the paperwork piles up, the clutter builds up, and the dust bunnies fly!  Oh, I did put a small dent in the ironing that has been patiently waiting for me.  And this evening I took a class on wool applique - something new for me.  It was lots of fun! 

And neglecting picture taking has ranked right up there with neglecting housework.  No hope for either for a couple of days, as the church yard sale will consume most of my time tomorrow and Saturday.  Sigh - all these things have been important, but I don't like being so busy!

Meanwhile, I hope you will all go visit my daughter, Betsy's blog - she has been updating again!

I was determined that today was the day I was going to start back at the gym!  I hadn't been there since Betsy and I went together last - over 3 months ago!  104 days, to be exact, and how do I know that?

Some of my xanga  and facebook friends will relate to this because you are also empty nesters, and others of you will think I am being ridiculous, so if you are in that latter category, just skip on over this blog!

For a million and a half reasons, I have not gotten to the gym (we belong to the YMCA) since before Christmas - the holidays, travel, moving Betsy, etc, etc, etc.  But the truth of the matter is that I was avoiding it - it is one of those places that I went to with Betsy most of the time.  We even took a group exercise and weight loss "class" together in the months before she left.  There are other places that I have had difficulty going back to since she has left, but for most of them, I have been able to get over that initial dread of it because I liked going.  For instance, she used to go to my stitching group with me that meets at Barnes and Noble, and the first time I went again after the move, it was difficult at first but I got over it quickly because those ladies are all my friends and I love being with them.  But exercise?  alone?  I hate it, I dread it; I absolutely must MAKE myself put on my sneakers and either go for a walk or get in the car to head to the gym.

But I am determined to get back on track here with my healthy eating and exercising.  So, I put on my sneakers and got in the car with my stomach churning. . . I had to get a new ID card because they are doing that this new year, and I had to have them put my exercise program back up on the computers so that the machines would record what I am doing. . . that's how I knew it had been 104 days since I last logged in.  So, I started doing the machines and that all was going fine.  I thought I might get on the treadmill for a little while after I was done, so I looked over at them to see if any were available. . . . AND THEY WERE ALL NEW MACHINES!!!  That meant that I didn't know how to set up the treadmill!  I had this panic feeling, and I thought that I would just leave that for another day.  Why wasn't Betsy here to help me?  Bursting into tears was NOT an option.  It is already bad enough that there are WAY too many young, fit, cute women in adorable exercise clothes but I got over that long ago, and there are a number of us gray-haired, very out-of-shape, grandmothers there as well.  But I was not going to cry or panic.  When I finished on the machines, I noticed that most of the treadmills were available, meaning that there would be no one next to me to see that I had no idea what to do to even start the thing.  And I KNEW that if I didn't get on one right then, I would put off trying. . . so, I took a deep breath, got on, and guess what???   I figured out that START meant START!  And then I found a button (I did have to search for a few minutes) that made it get faster!  And I also saw a button that would put me in an incline, but no way I was doing that today.  So, I walked for a mile at my usual pace and watched the news program they had on - the TVs were all new too.  Good grief, they changed everything in 3 months!

I did it!  Wow!  My stomach didn't really stop churning until I was back in the car and headed out of that parking lot.  I WILL go back again - probably next week because the next 2 days are packed.

I had lots of errands to run, including the library because some sign language books I ordered were in - I am teaching sign language to a little 6 yr old home schooler.  And they had the new Jennifer Chiaverinni book from her Elm Creek Quilt series, and that made my day!!

It is a new month, and the sun is shining, my daffodils are thinking about spring, and for the first time in about 3 months, I have woken up feeling like a normal person.  No need to go back over the events and emotions and all of the past, but most of it is my own fault - I had stopped eating properly, stopped exercising - and that, along with the weather constantly changing, and allowing myself to give in to comfort foods and too much laziness, made me just feel awful almost every day.  Tired, achy, grumpy, depressed.

Yesterday, after an online weekly Bible Study that I am doing with my friend, Julie, I was really encouraged by the Scripture we are studying!  We are doing a book by Cynthia Heald, Becoming a Woman of Excellence.  The material wasn't new to me - I had even done a study in that book before, years ago, in my church in MS.  It is just that God used yesterday's study to renew my heart and my vision, and my energy!  I got up today, read Scripture, did some exercising at home, and I am about to leave for my church ladies Bible study, and looking forward to getting together with a friend later on today.  Then I have my stitching group tonight.

Yesterday, I vacuumed the main floor of our house - sooooo much dust from the water damage/drying and blowing process of last week.  And I felt like I was vacuuming out the cobwebs of my spirit too!

Have a great day!

I thought that my girls might want to see what the part of the kitchen that had the water damage looked like when the machines were here to dry it all up - and anyone else who is interested -

There used to be cabinets, an ice maker, and a small sink here -

                                     

You can see where the water left it all discolored - this is the 2nd level of flooring; the 1st level and of course the linoleum on top of it is gone -

                                     

                                     

                                     

The cabinets are temporarily in the living room off of the kitchen, with the counter top sitting on top.  These cabinets were wet too -

                                      

I have been trying to find places for all the stuff that was in those cabinets, and I will probably put most of it back in for now, while the work is being done.  But while it was all drying, my kitchen table is where it ended up -

                                       

It was too loud and all to sit there to eat anyway, but now I can put things away and try to have somewhat of a kitchen back again.  It is amazing how much better my head and ears and all feel now that the machines are gone.  I left the house at 8:30 this morning to get away from it all, came home around 12:30, and by 1:30 the machines were gone.  So, I didn't have to put up with them much today.  I was the happiest person when they were all turned off and out of here!