07 November, 2014

It Figures!

"No sewing room should be without a calculator,"  that's what Quiltkeemosabe told me one day as she handed this one to me. Up until that time I had muddled through somehow, probably scribbling down simple math problems on scraps of paper; I don't remember. Ever since then I have quickly and effectively used this calculator to figure out every sort of meaasurement a quiltmaker could possibly dream up. I have thanked her, in my mind, each and every time I reached for it. And then, suddenly, it went missing. I was lost without it. For some reason I kept returning, over and over, to the same place where it should have been; only to find that it was still missing! What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results; if that's the case I must be insane. Finally I decided it must have been pitched out with a pile of scraps that had been mounded up on the cutting table. I made plans to replace it. Mr. Goodneedle kept reminding me that the misplaced one would, eventually, turn up; however, I was determined to find a replacement. I had a feeling that if I actually bought one the lost calculator might just magically reappear. Why does that always seem to be the case? That same calculator-giving friend once reminded me that the universe releases lost objects on its own time; obviously it wasn't time yet.
Here it is: my new sewing room calculator. I removed it from the shopping bag yesterday afternoon and set it down on the counter; as I did so I had immediate recall as to where my original calculator was! I walked straight to the tote bag, hanging in a closet, and retrieved it; that calculator had accompanied me to a recent church committee meeting! Somehow the physical action of holding the newly purchased item freed up my memory. You probably knew where this story was going all along... didn't you? 
"No sewing room should be without a calculator", Quiltkeemosabe's words still ring in my ears. But, really, does any sewing room need two? She tells me "yes"! Looks like I now have a back-up; or, keeping in mind the way the universe works, it's inexpensive insurance that I will never misplace the original calculator again!
Life is Good!

14 comments:

quiltkeemosabe said...

One can never have too many calculators.....and besides,they are "Casios"!!!!!!! I think you are worth at least two calculators!!!!

Unknown said...

Hehehe, too funny:)

Quiltdivajulie said...

We have one just like that in our kitchen . . . and yes, you should keep both of them!

Love the bowl they live in, too!

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

Oh, I love this!

And now I confess that it has never occurred to me to have a calculator in the sewing room. All of these years I have done long division using a pencil and whatever scrap of paper I can find! You have inspired me to move a little calculator down there and hope that it doesn't get buried in the detritus . . . .

Nane said...

I use my phone now! But did a little trig by hand just yesterday when ordering a charm pack and jelly roll combo

Janet O. said...

Isn't that how it goes?
I admit, I don't have a calculator in my sewing room. I guess I don't do complex enough designs to need one. : )
Must say, what caught my eye in this post is that gorgeous wood bowl. I'm guessing Mr. Goodneedle turned that out? Wow!

Needled Mom said...

That sounds like something that would happen to me!! Life would be difficult without a calculator in the sewing room. I use mine all the time.

Anonymous said...

I love your bowl. I have a small wood bowl in my sewing room where my calcultor sits so I can always find it. But your bowl is so lovely, I would love to have one like it.

antique quilter said...

I love the bowl the calculators are in! ok have to really laugh here as mine died a year or maybe two ago
so I use my phone or the one on my computer, is it really handy , no! I have added it to my list to buy next time I go shopping. no, I am not buying two of them :)
Kathie

Jean said...

Hmmmm maybe what you need to do is put the new or old one into the tote bag and then other one into a drawer or onto the sewing counter somewhere... I'm the same way. Although, my friend taught me that if you have yourself a sewing tool box... and it's full of all the duplicates you have. When you take it with you... it's already got the supplies you need!

Glenda in Florida said...

Actually, I have two calculators in my sewing room, plus one that lives in my purse at all times. I think the idea of holding the calculator to make you remember what you did with the old one is a common event. Now when I think I should have some item in my house, but can't find it, I imagine going to buy a new one, and then thinking where would I put it. If I go look there, sometimes it is already there. Works for paper products, cleaning supplies, and other "back up" items. Yes, it took a while to figure out I only had to pretend to go buy it. That's how my storage areas filled up so quickly!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

I use the calculator on my iPad ... in the same app folder as my quilt apps. ;-)

StitchinByTheLake said...

Since I'm a former math teacher I would never think of not having a calculator...and am completely thankful my phone has one built in. :) blessings, marlene

LizA. said...

isn't that always the way?