Mother's Day

How did you spend your Mother's Day? We made a quick trip north to spend the day with my mother. As I've reported before, she's been having a tough time lately; health-wise. She's still in a care facility (as of today) and fighting as hard as she can to get back home again. Augie did what he could; he volunteered his services as a therapy dog.

It must've worked because, after passing OT and PT evaluations where she is, and during a home visit yesterday, she is being discharged back home tomorrow. She'll have in-home nursing care, that will help my Dad out; but, I continue to ask for prayer as this situation moves ahead. She's frail and not as steady as I would like to see, but this is where things stand.

Here we are in years past, visiting quilt shops and spending our days working on sewing projects. When Mom and Dad used to drive down and visit here, or when we were in New England, we never lacked for places to drive to or things to work on. We reminisced last week while I was with her about all the quilt shops that we would seek out and explore on road trips together, sadly, all of them now closed: Keepsake Quilting in Meredith, NH, The Calico Cupboard in Rumney, NH, The Crazy Ladies of the Quilted Acorn, Georgetown, MA, The Cranberry Quilter in Wenham, MA, Mary Jo's, Gastonia, NC, The Busy Thimble, Litchfield, ME, Footprints, Lebanon, ME, Rachel's Quilt Patch, Staunton, VA. 

Now, rounding out the list, the latest (and maybe the greatest in our book) about-to-close shop: Quilted Threads in Henniker, NH; we loved that one!  Here we are, taking a class together there back in 2014, we had the very BEST time! I'm sure, somewhere, that we've got pictures of us together at each and every shop through the years. 

Home again!

My second year Peonies are weak and scrawny, 

but blooming; they're as determined as Mom.

Life is Good!

Resolute

How did you spend New Year's Eve? I spent Sunday afternoon moving data from my 2017 planner to my new, 2018, version. My January calendar is almost full already. Can you stand the excitement? Wait; there's more. This year I am color-coding appointments and events. I love a planner that I can write in. My husband and I share an electronic calendar too, through Microsoft Outlook; that is his preference. That's fine, I suppose by putting all of my information in two separate places I am jogging my memory even further; not a bad thing! I am already planning good habits and disciplines for the new year from the RESOLUTE desk. (Not to be confused with the furniture in The White House, this is what I call my own area from which personal resolutions are hatched.)
The definition of the word RESOLUTE, an adjective, is as follows: admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering. "She was resolute and unswerving". Synonyms: determined, purposeful, resolved, adamant, single-minded, firm, unswerving, unwavering, steadfast, staunch, stalwart, unfaltering, unhesitating, persistent, indefatigable, tenacious, strong-willed, unshakable.

I might have been described by one or two of these words over the years; after all, I am nothing if I am not purposeful, determined and unwavering! And so, on this first day of a brand new year I will commit to the following:

Yes, this will be the year that I read the Bible all the way through, cover to cover! In fact, our entire congregation is doing this (it's always good to have others on board to keep each other accountable). If you would like to join us you can download your own brochure here to keep up with the daily readings. The tri-fold brochure is a good size to use as a bookmark as we travel through the books and chapters, there's even little tick-boxes next to each day's assignment so that you can chart your progress. I am looking forward to accomplishing this; it's a bucket-list item for me. 

And then there's this. EQ8.  I bought this new, enhanced, upgrade-version as soon as it was available and downloaded it to my laptop back in October. I love to work and design in EQ. I bought the hard-copy manuals so that I could work my way through the lessons without having to toggle back and forth between screens (I like to hold a reference book). Have I practiced yet? Only a little. I do want to be proficient in this software; however, wanting won't make it so. The manuals have been moved to my RESOLUTE desk. Yep, now I am committed. I am dedicating a set amount of study time (it's written, in blue(!), in the planner) every day until this program is familiar and second-nature to me. So, here we are again: day number one of a brand new year. What are you determined to accomplish in 2018? When we come around once again, 365 days from now, to the next day one-- what will you proudly claim as that which you were steadfast, staunch and adamant about? If I can do it, so can you. Let's be resolute together!

Happy New Year!

Life is Good! 

 

Coming Into Her Own

We had our two youngest grandchildren stay with us this past weekend. Gregory is four now and Lynnleigh is two, she is really coming into her own; showing a strong independent and capable streak, I'll bet I heard her happily exclaim "I did it" at least dozen times over two days.  On Saturday morning we took them to SciWorks; there were plenty of hands-on activities inside to keep them occupied there on a rainy day. Gregory was determined to create a path for a little ball to roll down by inserting paddles into a foam wall. As fast as he could place them Lynnleigh would remove them; I couldn't help but laugh.

She is as equally determined as her big brother; she kept us on our toes. I was able to distract her so that Gregory could complete his "runway". We learned that Lynnleigh has definite preferences; she likes "ice pream" (obvious translation) and dislikes "obamas" (pajamas), or maybe it's just bedtime that she isn't wild about. 

Finally... success!

Life is Good!

Twinkle, Twinkle!

After drafting and refining the pattern for this little star block I began pulling scraps. I was pulling blues too, for awhile; and then one little star told me (obviously the spokesperson for the group) that they really wanted to live out their lives as a red and white quilt! OK, little star, I'm listening. There will be every shade of red and white, these little stars will, indeed, be twinkling! I've set aside an hour a day to stitch up one set, positive/negative, from two different fabrics. At that rate, with solid determination, there could be a completed center portion of this quilt top in early November... that and a cavernous dent in my stash of reds and whites. Wish me luck.

"Twinkle, Twinkle!" ~ 88" X 105"

Life is Good!

Prayer Update

Thanks one and all for the continuing prayers for this baby, here is the latest update posted early this morning on the FB discussion board:

"Mary Ann opened her eyes today and looked at Robin and Brad. Robin said it was the best feeling to see her looking back at them. I can only imagine how they felt to see their precious miracle looking at them! Remember to praise God for this gift they received! Mary Ann had another good day! Thank you for your continued prayers. Please continue to pray for healing, as well as thanking God for all he has done. Through faith and determination, little Miss Mary Ann has come so far in the past 12 days!"

Life is Good!~God is GREAT!

Lucky 113!

I bought Alex Anderson's book, Quilts for Fabric Lovers, back in March of 1997. I purchased the book because I loved the cover (who says you can't judge a book by that?) photo, a vintage-looking scrappy postage stamp quilt. I never made that quilt but saw it in person back at the end of March this year, when I attended a lecture and trunk show by Alex herself. When she unfolded that very quilt I fell in love all over again; and decided, then and there, that NOW was the time! In early April I began a morning ritual of piecing one 4.5" basket a day, I needed 113 to recreate my own version of Alex's masterpiece (see below). I reached my goal on Saturday! I still have to piece the nine patches to set these beauties, and applique down their little handles, but I'm well on my way. This pile of blocks is what sheer determination and renewed resolve looks like!

Life is Good!

Keep Trying

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins...not
through strength but by perseverance."

~H. Jackson Brown

I'm trying to do something I just know I should be able to do but it's not working. I've left it alone and walked away, I've thought about it, I have returned. This is NOT going to get the best of me. I am the stream.

Life is Good!

Stickin'

“Be like a postage stamp. Stick to
one thing until you get there.”Josh Billings

I'm stickin'... like a stamp. These BOM blocks are my latest obsession and they are not going back into the darkness of the stash closet before they are completed tops, I'm determined to see this through and am directing all of my energy and time to that conclusion, whatever it takes! One down, a few more to go... I'm stickin'.

Autumn Paths~ 88" X 91"

Life is Good!