A Quilt for a Guy

I'm not aware of any particular quilts I ever saw my mother or the church ladies make specifically for men.  Usually the quilts for men involve their wives too, so, it just never came across my mind.

However, I have grandsons who are grown, single and need quilts--well, I need to make them quilts, anyway.  So, even though I'm pretty sure they'll have mates at some point, these are going to be made specifically for the grandsons.

It's more difficult than you might think.

At any rate, this is what I started with (for the oldest grandson, of course):

I made another for one of my daughters in orange and white.  I think if I make this one in black and white with some red (the next grandson's color choices), it will work.  What do you think?  The red comes in where the yellow is on this quilt.  Also, the grandson's will be larger.

I think it'll be great!  I'm starting the cutting on this one today--after I teach a class in machine piecing (I don't know how I ended up teaching a class on any facet of quiltmaking, but, well, there you have it.)

I guess I'll wait until the next grandson returns from South America before I make his, so I'm skipping to the next one after him.  It'll be similar to the red/black above.  I have the pattern for the one after him and I have his color choices, so that'll be next.

Actually, I woke up last night with the pattern in my head for my oldest daughter's quilt.  It's going to be beautiful, but it'll be a while before I can start--I may move her to the head of the line and work two quilts at the same time, though, because I can hardly wait to see how it's going to turn out.  She'll love it, I think.

That's all I have today.

Calling All Grandchildren (MINE)

If I haven't made you a quilt, it's because I'm not sure what your favorite colors are. If you're a grand-SON--I know quilts are not your priority, but someday, you will have a home and a regular bed where a quilt might come in handy.  If you're a granddaughter, I may have already made you one, but if not, --well, never mind, I've made one for all the granddaughters...

As for the grandsons, I have seen several quilts that would do for guys.  So, you won't get flowers and girlie things--unless you want them.

TO THE MOTHERS OF MY GRANDSONS--Go ask your boys and get me some directions, please.

Flag Day

Today is Flag Day.  It was always a big deal to my grandfather, Ralph Beaman "Gramps".  I have blogged about this before--how he and his neighbor, Mr. Carter would see who could get out earliest to get their flag run up their respective flag poles.

Gramps fought in Europe during World War I.  When I was around 8 (that would have been about 1951), and I heard him talking about "the war" I asked him which war.  Apparently he was insulted (well, jeez, I was only 8) so he just said, "The Spanish American War"--he thought I'd get the not-so-subtle humor, but it went right over my 8-year-old head.  Many years later I recalled the conversation and "got" it.  :)

Well, anyway, Gramps died on June 12 in 1963, and was buried on--yep, June 14--Flag Day.  He's buried in Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego, overlooking his beloved swan lake and all over town the flags were flying as they drove him to the cemetery.  It was fitting and a little poetic.

Sometimes I really miss my grandparents.

Table Runners

I tried to make four table runners.  I was pretty sure I couldn't do this pattern because it looks very difficult.  It involved a new process (new to me) called paper piecing and it was actually pretty simple.

Here's how they came out:

I went to a Norman Area Quilters' Guild demo day at the Public Library on Saturday afternoon, and did demonstrations in cutting, quilt basting and binding.  At the demo there was a woman with an old treadle machine.

The brand was New Home, but it reminded me of the old White treadle machine that my great grandmother, Martha Rasmussen ("Ma") used to sew on.  I asked her when I was about 8 or 9 if I could do it, too.  She taught me how to coordinate the feet pushing the treadle with steering the fabric and NOT getting my fingers under the needle.  It was the first time I ever sewed, and I thought it was pretty cool.

The woman at the Guild demo day told me that there are White treadle machines available online today.  I'm going to look into it.  Wouldn't it be something if I could find one?

Cousins

My cousin Lorna died yesterday.  She was 3 years younger than I am--the age of my younger brother, Bob.  We spent a lot of time together when we were little children.  I remember one time she suggested onion sandwiches for lunch.  I loved this and we did it many times after that.  Just a slice of bread, a little mayo, and a 1/4" or so slice of onion.  m-m-m-m

I hadn't heard anything about her or any of her siblings for more than 25 years.  When Bob Brown (biological parent) died about a year ago, my brother went to the funeral.  There, he reconnected with many people we thought were lost to us, including Lorna.  I called her and we had a really good visit.  I'm so glad I had that opportunity!

After that, I became Facebook friends with her younger sister, Shirene, and her older brothers Jerry and Ricky--well, I think Rick--I believe he has a son or grandson called Ricky now.  :)

Their oldest sister, Janice died just a few weeks ago, and I was never able to reconnect with her.

I love my cousins.  Their mom, Shirley, was always "there" for us if we needed her.  She loved us and told her brother, Bob Brown, that if it ever came to a choice between him and us, she would choose us.  That always made me feel loved and wanted by people other than my parents.

Jerry posted that Lorna's funeral would probably be Tuesday in Arizona.  I wish I could be there.

Abortion

Abortion: it has become a divisive word.  Here's what I think about it--the clinical type, not the spontaneous one (that one is more frequently called miscarriage.)

When I was a young girl, abortions were illegal.  If someone wanted to terminate a pregnancy she could go to Tijuana, "a guy" down the street or in a back alley, or try any one of many do-it-yourself methods.  All of these lead to serious life-changing infections, possible sterilization, and frequently death.

Abortions have been going on for as long as pregnancies have.  Being against the law will not stop them.  Murder, robbery, rape, drug possession and many (MANY) other things are against the law and happen with alarming frequency.

If a person is determined to abort a pregnancy, there should be a safe way to do it.  It's the only loving and charitable way to handle it.

I think that counseling should be mandatory, maybe encouraging to carry the pregnancy and consider adoption, at the very least to be able to view the embryo/fetus via ultrasound first.  I do not believe any life changing  decision should be made without all the education and consideration possible.  But in the end if the decision is still to terminate a pregnancy, the least society can do is cut the judgmental crap and give her a safe place and method to do it.

A New Year about 60 Years Ago...

When I was 8 and Bobby had just turned 5, our mother had just gotten re-married and we were living in the home in San Diego that was next door to our grandparents.  We were up early and were talking about what a new year meant.  I was trying to explain it because, well, I was 8 and practically (I thought) a grown-up.

Also, around that time, Queen Elizabeth's coronation was happening, and I was trying to explain that--he kept asking was she our queen and I kept saying no, she's the Queen of England--well, aren't we English--no, we're Americans, etc., etc., etc. and so it went.

Finally, he asked me, well if we aren't English, and she's not the Queen of California, why is it on the TV?

Good question I was never able to adequately answer.

Some Things I've Been Doing

This is what I made for Kelly's wedding.

...and I made this one for Alex (Eric's daughter).

I made four of these--I kept one and gave one each to Amy, Wendy and Christy.

--they're wall hangings.  Jennie's isn't finished yet and is related to her Master's degree, and I'll post when it's done.  My canning jar quilt is hanging on my kitchen wall.

Blogging

I re-read AmyWW's blog about reading a few blogs every day, etc.  I see that many people do blog all the time.  I think I'm the anti-blogger.  I love writing them; I love reading them; why don't I just do it more often?

I finally started following the Pioneer Woman--I noticed that some of the people in my family follow it so I checked it out.  Now I really enjoy her blogs.  I want to thank Jenna for turning me on to Budget Bytes.  It's an interesting blog and I'm going to follow it--I think I can use many of her ideas.

I don't surf around looking for interesting blogs.  I just see what other people are following and sometimes I do too.  However I do make some nifty quilts.  Here's one I just put together (that means the "sandwich"--backing, batting and top--is put together and waiting for me to actually quilt it.)

I had to push all my family room furniture back to the walls to get this monster laid out.  It's actually going on OUR bed, because I've wanted a "red work" quilt for a long time--even though my bedroom is mostly soft greens.

Looking at my picture, I see the TV tables that I'm using as side tables.  I think this is the year that I'm going to get real tables for Christmas for our home.  It seems that most years there are things I really need so that counts as Christmas for us.  This year, I don't really need--or even want--anything particular and I saw some really pretty side tables on sale at a local (OKC) furniture store, so maybe I'll retire the TV tables.

I am excited to give Kelly and Matt their owl quilt.  I'll post after the wedding.

Slow race

When we were little, Bob and I started a slow counting contest (race).  Whoever got to 10 slowest was the winner.  He got to 5 or 6 rather quickly.

I'm still on 1...

:)

So, How Ya Been?

OK, so Christy asked me yesterday when I was going to write a blog.  I see it was early May when I wrote last.  So, now the end of July I'm not sure if I have anything to say, but here goes.

Christy and I traveled to Houston and spent last week at Amy's home, visiting with grandkids and one particular very darling GREAT granddaughter. I got to see all of Amy's little ones, including Taylor, who is extremely handsome, grown up, but still has the little precious Taylor face.  That was wonderful.

We also canned a lot of food.  We sort of took turns putting up our own choices and helping one another chop, cut, slice, mix, boil, wash, etc.--all the chores that go into canning.

We brought Jeremy and Dylan with us; and Mark's daughter, Calysta.  What a great deal!  Cousins got to hang out, play video games and run around. Having Calysta there really made Avery happy.  She loves Calysta.

Avery wasn't thrilled with me or Christy, but tolerated us.  A few times I was allowed to hold her, give and receive hugs and kisses, feed her, and dress her.  Altogether, that part was wonderful.  She's so much like her mom, Karie, but she has some behaviors that are just like her Grammie, Amy.  Amy said she didn't know where this or that came from and I would say, that I remember a very little Amy doing the same things.  It's so wonderful to see how some things just seem to seep through several generations to a little one--a very wonderful little one.  It's interesting being an ancestor!  It was so much fun I forgot to take any pictures or movies!  (nuts)

Calysta played with Jake--they were running here and there and did much giggling.

Then, on Sunday, we traveled to Dallas to spend the next week with Cheli and Grampy.  Mark was there and took Calysta home (he and David had conducted some business so he was in Dallas.)  On Monday the 25th, I went to Baylor Hospital with Cheli for her surgery.  We were there until Wednesday and then I brought her home.  She's convalescing nicely--a bump here, a smooth place there--pretty normal recovery.  She'll be up and at 'em before long, I know. Dylan is spending this week with Jennie's family hanging with Alisa.

Jennie is coming over today and she, Christy and I are going to lunch--if Cheli is OK for me to leave.  That'll be a nice break.  I did a little cooking yesterday and Grampy was pretty thankful for that (split pea soup and chocolate cake--sugar free of course.)

I miss Bobby and my home.  We're headed for Norman on Sunday morning.  In the afternoon, Mark, Calysta, Christy, Dylan, Jeremy and I will try to go to see the Harry Potter movie again.  We tried on opening day but just before we went into the theater, all the power went out.  This area  (OK and TX) has had multiple weeks of over 100 degrees and I think some power grids are suffering.  I know the people are.  Since then, Dylan has seen it with Alisa, and Mark and Calysta saw it after they got home.  But since we still have our tickets, all of us will go to the theater and try again--wish us luck this time.

I think that's about it for me.  I love being retired and having the freedom to visit my offspring--I think it's my true career.

My Mother

When my mother was 25 I was 6.  I distinctly remember that she had colored her hair red.  When the sisters at church asked her why she did that, her answer was that she would never be "brown" again.  That bit of sarcasm was not lost on me.

As we all know, she actually went back to her natural color and for the rest of her life, railed against any woman who colors her hair.  I never got it.  I mean, if you don't want to do it, don't; leave everyone else alone.  She especially disliked "older" women who continued to color their hair long after their faces would have looked better with a lighter color.  Wrinkles just seem a little mitigated by lighter colored hair--maybe nature has the right idea after all.  My own pet peeve is when women who have long-since been gray but continue to color their hair say, "My real hair color is ___."   I mean, c'mon, the real color is what it comes out at the roots, isn't it.

Just one of the pieces of craziness I brought into my generation from my mother's.

When she was about to get married to Daddy, she was a little "giddy".  Looking back, it's really rather wonderful to think about it.

My mother fought overweight her whole life.  I have memories of her very heavy and very trim.  She had a terrible self-image and even when she weighed only a little over 100 pounds, still talked about her big fat butt. Too bad.  Her mother was trim her whole life, and mother unfortunately took after her father's sister, Aunt Lucille.  Large butt...

I miss my mother.  We visited often in the last years, but I still miss her.

Update

Both my eyes are healed, I think.  I had my second post-op exam last week and I'm seeing 20/20 in both eyes--for distant vision!  I will still need glasses for reading, but even my close-up vision is better.  I also have very nice sun glasses.  All in all, my eyes are better than they were when I was 13.  Win for me.

My feet still hurt from the neuromas, but they're actually a lot better, I think.  At least I don't lie down in bed and they keep aching/throbbing.  Also, when I'm wearing my proper shoes, I can walk with almost no gimping around.

As for the right hand--I dunno.  I guess I'll have to see a hand doctor--what the hell is a hand doctor?

I've been substituting at the two local high schools almost every day.  Last day of school is May 27.  By that time, I will have earned enough to get my quilting machine.

Due to starting immune-suppressant drugs soon, I will severely limit my teaching next fall.  I think only the school around the corner from us, and then only maybe 4-5 days per month.  You know, schools are just big petri dishes.  Also, since I have been working so much, I have had no desire to quilt or even sew.  I'll be glad to have my old routine back.  But I have been single-minded about earning enough to get my quilting machine.  I have several large quilts that will cost many dollars to have someone else quilt, and I do not intend to do hand quilting.  PUH-LEEZE!!

Bobby's working part-time at the Wal-Mart in Moore.  It's good for him, he says.

I think I'm done.

My "Ten Good Things" List

I thought I'd try to make my own list, like Amy did.

1. I took so many painkillers for my right arm/hand, which did little good, that now my feet aren't sore today.
2. My grandson will be home from Europe this summer.
3. My peonies are BEAUTIFUL.
4. I'm almost ready to buy my quilting machine!!
5. I am 67 (it's a good thing; it's a good thing...certainly better than the alternative!)
6. My husband is working part time.  Keeps him off the street.  :)
7. We had a good rain over the weekend--FINALLY.
8. I love my "job" (substitute teaching)--I can just decline an offer and stay home if I want--and I love being in the classroom (at the two local high schools.)
9. There's a little mound, but the grass is completely filled in where the oak was--no more big scar.
10. I taught in Bubby's science class yesterday and he told them that I'm his grandma--a small thing, but very good.

Morton, Left Eye and Daisy

I have many things on my mind today.

First of all, I have had such painful feet lately that at times I have had trouble walking.  My rheumatologist said there are no arthritic changes, so I should see a podiatrist.  Naturally, a person with flat feet and previously broken metatarsal bones and crushed right arch bones has a podiatrist.  I hadn't seen him lately (since he removed the claw from my right little toe--I told you I already have a podiatrist) so I made an appointment.  I sat down in the examination room and saw this picture on the wall--it was a little creepy because it illustrated EXACTLY where and how my feet hurt:

 Well, it's called a Morton's Neuroma.  I don't know who Morton was, but I don't like his neuromas, much.  The "cure" is I have to wear good quality, well-fitting shoes (bummer); I have to wear inserts in my shoes to support the flatness; I must take anti-inflammatories.  Since my rheumatologist just put me on Celebrex, that was already covered.  Well see if this helps.

Next, today I will have cataract-removal surgery on my left eye.  Not such an earth-shaking procedure, but it's my eyes, people.  Innately scary.  Left Eye- pre-surgery.

Lastly, and this one is really fun to me, Karie sent me a picture a few days ago saying that she thought this picture looks like me.

Of course, I loved the picture, and thought the bangs haircut is darling.  Later I glanced at my PC and the picture flashed up on my screensaver photo album that I keep running and the first thing I thought was -- I think this looks like Daisy!  I have always thought that Daisy looked like some of my baby pictures, and this is just remarkable, I think, considering that Daisy's grandfather and Avery's great grandmother are the common ancestors (Yes, Bob, we're ancestors!)

It's very dry here, windy and the state of Oklahoma is on fire every day somewhere.  We had 0.03" of rain in March and usually get around 3".  No rain in the near future--we really need rain out here. 

So, that's what I have on my mind today.  Hope yours is a good one.

Update on Right Eye

Did you hear about the guy who jumped off a 30-story rooftop?

As he passed the the 15th floor, someone yelled out at him, "How are you doing?"

The jumper yelled back, "So far, so good."

Right Eye

Here's the eye that's going to have cataract surgery today.  It looks like an ordinary eye, but I think after today, it'll be a super eye.  The IOL (Intraocular lens) that they will implant will improve my vision, in addition to replacing the current lens that has a cataract--a honking cataract, according to the doctor (it's a technical term.)


I'll have the left eye done April 6.


After that, I should be able to get the "X" removed from my Driver's License where it says "must wear corrective lenses."  Also, I can get some good dark glasses, and I can buy my reading glasses from Wal-Mart.


I'm excited.

Blog Challenge: Most Treasured Item

I just read Cami's blog about what she would grab in the event the house was on fire. Of course, you don't count children, because everyone would just stop there.

We have a LaCie brick -- external hard drive--not too big, I think 300 gigabytes--well, I guess it's pretty big, and it's kept away from the PC in another part of the house in the event of getting hit by lightning (this has happened, so it's not a distant possibility.) I'd want this because we have many pictures on it that are no where else. Also our tax history for the past 8-10 years or so. That might be important. I'd want my sewing machine, and the quilts that have been basted together but are not quilted yet.

I know Bobby would want to get his ham radio stuff out, as much as he could get. His "Radio Shack" is near several windows, and I assume he'd just break them and pitch a lot of his equipment out through the window holes.

I guess if I could think of it, I might grab my college diploma off the wall above my computer.

All this introspection makes me realize that I don't have much in the way of "things" to save. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. We have some big stuff that would just have to get melted down with the house. I couldn't get my piano, my PC, my headboard that I waited nearly 13 years to get because I couldn't find one I liked, our big TVs. I might try to get my quilt projects, each in an individual plastic carrier. Yep, for sure those.

Several years ago we went around our house videotaping everything we have--for insurance purposes. It's out of date now, and I think we need to repeat the exercise. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to do it about every year or two. It's proof that you actually had what you're claiming was lost.

So, what I have learned from this is that there are some things that should be saved, maybe in a safety deposit box (irreplaceable papers, aforementioned up-to-date video), but otherwise, getting myself and my husband out (well, he'd have to get himself out after messing with his radio equipment) I'd just have to watch it burn.

Happy Saturday!

Day 3 Favorite TV Show

I wouldn't even know where to start on this one. There are shows I watch when I'm just "vegging" out, shows I watch on a semi-regular basis, shows I will watch when I find them on, and shows I actually look for.

I assume "favorite" TV show would have to be the ones I actually look for. There are some regular series shows I like but they're only good for a few weeks and then they start on reruns. I never watch reruns. As for shows I watch when I find them on, I guess I'd have to put most of what I watch in that category--science shows, TLC shows (I'm intrigued by the 19 kids show), some cooking and HGTV shows, and sometimes--rarely--old movies.

As for the ones I look for, sitting here in front of the computer with the TV off, I'm hard-put to come up with one. Well, there is one I really like that Bryant Gumbel does--"Real Sports" that I actually like. I know, who cares about sports? Not me, for sure. I have done some introspection about this because I had no idea in the beginning as to why I would watch this, or even give it a glance. I think it comes on HBO because those are the only movie channels we get. I don't know when it comes on. I look for it when I think about it, and will watch it if it's on. Here's the thing. The show is emceed by BG, and there are 4-5 regular reporters who tell the stories. The stories are not about the sports, the teams or their games. They are about the people who participate, the athletes. They choose (unerringly as far as I can tell) those people whose stories are worth retelling.

For instance, there was a story about a skier who was catastrophically injured and how his life has played out from that point. The story was well produced and interestingly written.

I usually have never heard of the athletes whose stories they portray, generally know nothing about their sport, and am not interested in the games they participate in, but the stories about the people are very interesting.

I think it's the "people" connection. I am interested in stories about people. I also like when some shows do the "stick your finger in the phonebook and do a story about whoever you point to."

I knew my answer to this one would be dumb.

Blog Challenge, Day 2

Day 2

Post a picture of you and someone you have been closest to the longest.

The person in the world I have known the longest is my brother Bob, since I met him in December 1946. Next would be Daddy (1951-2), then Cheli (1960). After that would be my children and then in 1984 I met my husband, Bobby, and of course, his children.

Of course, I love my brother, sister and father, but I'm going with Cami on this one:

This was taken in the spring of 2009 while we were still riding our Gold Wing motorcycle (in the fall of '09 we sold the Gold Wing.)

We met in 1984 shortly after coming to Norman (we moved over Labor Day.) He had been divorced for 2 years and my divorce happened that month. I was pretty nuts at that time, and he was almost equally crazy. Divorce is a terrible thing and even if it is the best thing to do, given the alternatives, it is still a life-changing event that can affect you negatively for years if you are not prepared for it. I might have been the least-prepared person in the universe.

Bobby and I discovered very soon that we are polar opposites, but I liked him a lot even at the beginning. There was just something about him...

Well, we saw each other--not exclusively, but regularly--for the next 11 years. I can honestly say that it took me (and him, too) that long to untangle my thoughts, feelings and even identity.

I wasn't emotionally available for most of those years, and I had to re-learn to relate to my children and even to myself.

I can't say those were good years, but I grew emotionally as well as intellectually--I completed college during that time!

Bobby is supportive of me and my personal goals, he loves me, and if there is a disagreement, is willing to work together with me to figure out the best way forward.

Next month (April 19) we will celebrate our 16th anniversary. Honestly, neither of us thought it would last because neither of us really knew how to be successfully married. I guess we taught each other!