Reason with a hurricane?

Some beach time, Spring style

Our family, minus Max, went to our favorite beach for spring break. The weather was warmer and sunnier than predicted, which was great except I packed for cooler weather. The water was and always is too cold to swim in March, but some brave souls do. We think they are people who don't get to come to the beach as often as we do. We also saw and heard at least one mated pair of Osprey. We had a regular cocktail hour complete with hor d'oeuvres. Often we would hear and see the Osprey near sunset. They are amazing birds. I was fascinated about them and dreamed of them, thought of them and looked for them long after we returned home. We enjoyed the Blue Angels flying over in practice, but it was hard to get photos. We comforted ourselves in the fact that we have decades of Blue Angels photos. William spent time with friends, as did we. During a card game one night our cat, Zeus, decided to help us play. We've had this motorhome about a year and the dogs and cats love the dash. It's huge and flat and they can view their domain from there.

Lichterman Scarecrow Contest

Please meet Pretty in Pink. She is the Friend's of the Pink Palace's entry in the scarecrow contest this year. Ginger made her plywood frame and I found all the clothes at Goodwill including the PINK boots (with kitten heels.) She'll be next to the pavillion at Lichterman Nature Center and she's hosting Stomp in the Swamp September 12th. Please join us as we kick off Craft's Fair with some great auction items at bargain prices, food by Germantown Commisary and Ginger and I will be your beverage servers. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Be there!

Family fishing trip to Little Red River

We took one last family trip before both boys go to school; Max to CBU for college and William to MCHS for HS. Trout fishing on the Little Red was good, though we never caught our daily limit. Did best the last day! Trout every day though and enjoyed time together as a family, as always. Traveling increases my work load and I became increasinly exhausted. I do all the cooking, cleaning, dog walking (at home they have a dog door) in addition to whatever events we are doing on our trip. The stairs down to the fishing dock and the path to the water eventually stopped me in my tracks by about 10 a.m. the last day. I climbed out of the kayak and knew I couldn't lug it up to the RV. Got Max to do it for me. Packed up and on the road. Vista did great! The kittens (now leggy young cats 5 months old) continue to be wonderful travelers!

Newly(re)weds!

Twenty years, 2 months and 2 weeks ago we had a wedding, reception and cake. Now we are legally married (in D.C. and a few other US states). Check out the incredible knitted bouquet and boutonniere! Delivered in the nick of time.

Life's about the journey not the destination

That quote has been floating around the Internet for quite a while. I will have to say it is the theme of our Spring Break Trip. Maxwell, graduating senior, chose the destination. Lindy, the RV, did her best to keep us from reaching it. Here is a photo of the boys outside the Air and Space Museum. I was surprised that Maxwell chose to go here, but when I saw they had a black hole show, it all made sense. We are so blessed to have these incredible kids, though some moments I would be hard pressed to say that out loud. Tomorrow we get married. And to show you what a small world it is, the rabbi who is marrying us is a gay knitter who helped me years ago with Max's bar mitzvah. He only helped via email, but when the laws changed to allow marriage in D.C. and we already had this trip planned, it just seemed right to ask him. A wonderful clerk at the marriage bureau went through a great deal of work to make certain our license and certificate were speeded through. Lindy's delays almost cost us the right to marry.
My knee, after total knee replacement, is causing me excruciating pain and my Alzheimer's is wearing me down. The family is supporting and lifting me through this trip. Yesterday Ginger pushed me in a wheel chair all through the Air and Space museum! Then she reminded me to stop early and come back. I hope all of you have people like this in your life: whether they are friends, family or (like the clerk) helpful strangers.

At least the cat approves

This is a quilt made from "upcycled" tropical shirts. Probably the worst work I have ever done, but it is completed and will be shipped to TX for the Frisco Feeding Frenzy IV auction for Parties that Matter. Parrotheads know how to unit for a good cause.

New wardrobe for the graduate

Max has been wearing uniforms since he entered public chater school and while he is a snappy uniform dresser, he has discovered the joy of bowling style shirts and silk. One day at my favorite thrift store, I purchased these five shirts and presented them to him as his "college wardrobe". He was thrilled! And he put one on for the dinner that very night. Do male college freshman iron their shirts?? If not, this may not have been such a good idea.

I fought the quilt and the quilt won

Today I finished piecing the upcycled hawaiian shirt quilt top for the Frisco Feeding Frenzy IV. A trip to the store to purchase batting, because of course I didn't have any batting the right size and didn't want to cut up a queen size bat. Used the spray basting for the first (and maybe last) time. Small margin of time to adjust, if you find a wrinkle later, you're sunk. Then onto quilting and that's where the real "fun" started. Tension, snags, and thread breakage abounded. About 4 hours into it (and 2 needles) I declared a cease fire. Tomorrow I will horrify you with photos of the back of the quilt [shuddering] and the top. My adorable wife says it's not bad and I have nothing to complain about. ALWAYS ask a non-quilter when you know your quilt s*cks!

Help! My Quilt List is getting bigger!

You saw the great fabric I purchased for quilts for a friend's 2 young sons. That fabric sits untouched because I have not even finished the quilt top for either of the charity quilts I'm making out of upcycled hawaiian shirts. I have no business adding a Quilt-a-long to my list, but I am really drawn to this jelly roll. Its not just that it would be an excuse to purchase a jelly roll (which I have avoided so far). I really like this idea and would love to do it. The real problem is the time line. I'm already basically a month behind so it wouldn't so much be a quilt a long as a quilt behind. Moda has some Jelly Rolls I adore and how can I possibly resist Spumoni BATIKS? I need secret money.

Maxwell Thornton-Leonard Senior 2010

You can't see how long his ponytail is in this photo, but the official senior portraits will.

quilt madness

I know nothing of the march madness that goes on in some sport involving a round ball, but let me tell you what happens when to wanna-be-great-quilters get to go to a quilt fabric warehouse; nirvana. And so when Sarah and I were allowed to tour and shop with the tutelage of shop owner Arlene Blackburn we swooned. Here are some photos from our first visit. There will be many many more! I purchased fabric for 2 quilts I've been commissioned to make for Amy's boys. Wow, these photos don't do it justice. There is fabric here you simply can't get anywhere else. And the Japanese fabric? Did you read all about it? :) Locals can sign up for for the newsletters and attend warehouse sales, out of town, state and country people can sign up and benefit from their clearance sections. Her daily prices are so appealing and reasonable that it was almost impossible to show moderation, but I had told myself I had to limit myself to the current commissioned project. I was good! You don't have to be. Visit the store online and tell 'em Diane sent you!

Facebook eats blog

Ever since I began to learn and actively participate in Facebook (FB), my personal blog has languished. My editor forced me to join FB to promote my public dementia blog on everyday health and it has helped. But there are some crafty things that require much more than a line and this is one of them. I promise to get back to blogging for me, to hold my memories on "paper" and to entertain the few of you who straggle by.
Sarah introduced me to quilting. We like totaly different kinds, colors and styles of quilting so its really best that we are quilt buddies; there is no rivalry for fabrics online or at stores. She also convinced me (this took very little pushing) to start a stash. Sarah's quilt stash is 100% clothing that she fully intends to repurpose into quilts. She has them sorted by color values in a room and its a work of art in itself. I'm a different kind of quilter so I went straight for the sheets, blankets and whole clothe at the thrift store. After that I added in a few XL men's shirts in blue values because I wanted to make a shirt quilt.
today I am feeling good enough, after month and months of surgery, complication, hospitalization, infections, doctors appointments and general lethargy, to start a quick quilt! This will be no work of art; but a work of heart for my PT who is a friend and who stuck it out with me during some of the much more difficult and challenging days. She's a Steelers fan. She doesn't have a Steelers blanket/quilt/throw so I am making her one. Of course everything licensed costs a fortune and is hard to find at the end of the football season, but I did order online and got 2 yards of licensed stuff.
Now the good part. I shopped my "stash" and I think I found the colors I want to complete the quilt! I'll double check with Sarah when she comes over (she's still my quilting consultant) and then I'll get busy. I hope to get at least the top done by Friday.

Another business, Dementia Busy Aprons

Modeled after aprons I saw online, but the shipping was insane and the cost was $35+, I made these after blurting out in a support group that I would. Poor impulse control is a problem with dementia. I'm selling them for $25 no shipping. They vary depending on the person, this one is for a woman. The toy is optional and specifically for the recipient. For a teacher it might have a pocket full of letters or flashcards. The fabrics are lush and functional. The 4 square patch on the top is sewn on the right side, but the zipper comes completely apart so you can have a kind of flap. Just another bright thing to fiddle with. Hope this is a hit. Since dementia has sidelined my career, and SSDI as not come through for 3 years, money is insanely tight. I will make a tiny profit on these. I use all thrift store clothes to make the additions. I purchased the aprons. I have 5 more to make.

And the wait goes on...SSDI

about a zillion years ago I applied for Social Security Disability. I wasn't happy to apply, it seemed like defeat. I was depressed at the very thought and found the 3,000,000 forms more than overwhelming. I got through it eventually (took me about 3 months!) and then my doctor didn't turn in any records so I was denied, but that took many more months to find out. That was 2006. I'm still waiting to be approved. I got a letter saying I was slated for a hearing with an administrative judge in September 2009. I have read from other people that the hearing is just another hurdle, it is in no way the finish line. We won't get rich from my SSDI, but it could make the difference between having any medical care and having none. If the two year wait is applied (2 years from date of disability) then I'm past that. I hope they approve me for medicare immediately. SSDI payments could be over a year away.
I wonder when I'll ever be able to contribute financially to my family again? DVD sales are seriously off, no mystery shop assignments from Starbucks (guess they're cutting and back too) and the dog I babysit is finally home. Dementia sucks, but dealing with bureaucracy while battling the effects of dementia really suck. At least I am not in end stage...yet!

Lindy the motorhome gets a quilt

Sarah has been quilting for a while, my mom asks if I am quilting and finally I can say yes. After making pinch pleat drapes for the bunk sleeping area of the Lindy, I still had fabric left and wanted to make a quilt. Sarah helped me pick fabric, but left the final choice to me so I have no one to blame for the fact that it turned out to be a John Deere quilt. I even cut it out and sewed it in the Lindy during a Kendo weekend! Yes, that photo of me sewing is from inside the motorhome :) I still have to bind it, but we love it anyway. It's for the RV for heavens sakes. Now I have fabric for at least 4 more quilts stacked in the dining room. I must get organized!

Cat updates

Oh boy has it been a crazy cat year around here. You can see in August of last year we fostered (then adopted) an adorable tiny black kitten. Sad to say, Kellen disappeared in May of 09. Despite being chipped, going door to door and posting signs, no information was ever received.
While we were enjoying a rocking trip to Pensacola Beach in the motorhome, I decided to check craigslist and saw someone had listed a small black kitten. It was abandoned at the side of the road in a paper bag or box (the story was sketchy). We talked about it and asked around about some other kittens, but seemed to settle on another black kitten, tiny, abandoned.
We picked up new black kitty the day after we got home. Max had named him Odysseus before meeting him. I still forget his name and call him Kellen. They look so much alike! He's great, loving, but won't play with Molly like Kellen did and Molly is sulking a bit. He's growing, healthy and we all love him.
My 9 year old cat has been thin for several years. The vet thought it was stress, gave me some meds and left it at that. Lately, she's gotten much worse. For those of you (sarah) who won't get another animal because of the cost, stop reading! After a liver biopsy ($409.) it was determined that it was not lymphatic hepatitis as suspected, it was lympha somethingerother sarcoma. No treatment, no hope. She has improved somewhat and for now we're letting her eat all the raw organic hamburger, greens, roast chicken and butter she wants. She will hopefully pass over the rainbow bridge without assistance, but we are prepared to help her if need be. We refused to let her linger in pain.