Errands

Alfa Dog: Where to next? Half Price Books?

Me: No, Hobby Lobby

Alfie: (with mock indignation) What! That wasn't on the itinerary!

Me: (with dramatic flourish) But Joanne's Christmas fabric was soooo disappointing!

Alfie: Then we should go to HPB and get you a book on dealing with disappointment!

And without further ado...

Hobby Lobby Christmas fabric!!

(Bliss)

Mini Family Reunion

Celebrations

A wonderful Birthday celebration

Dinner at the Polo Club.  A three wine sampler in the background.

Steak and Lobster.

(Thanks Mom and Dad!)

Fabric Cutter
(Thanks Alfie, Pablo, & Ryan)

Quilting Pins
(Ditto)

Life is good.

3 Things...A La Lucy (Attic 24)

Three things are filling me with enjoyment today.

First, THREE DAYS OFF!!!

I plan to embrace each one of them like a plump, happy pillow. Not to sleep (more than enough) but to Savor. Every. Delightful. Moment. mmmmmm.

Sooo many projects to chose from, each delightful and compelling....Such as this  thrifted sheet hanging seductively and impatiently waiting to become PILLOWCASES!

Or to repurpose more clothes just waiting to 'go under the needle'.....

Or, to keep making the cloths meant to clean animals injured by the Gulf Oil Spill.....

Or maybe even convince Alfa Dog to help repurpose old deck lumber into Patio Furniture....

Unless, of course, I'm interrupted by the arrival of the Lucy Color Pack and crochet takes over.

The possiblities leave me giddy with excitement.

ENJOY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Dad's 84th Birthday

Alfie, Mom, Dad

Dad, Mom

Laura, Tye, Terry

 Tom, Dad, Mom, Finn, Morgan, Tom 

Sue and Alfie

An Old Family Recipe....

...for abating the blues is doing something nice for someone else.

I hope this small basket for a little boy whose parents are down on their luck will fit the bill.

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail

Hopping down the bunny trail

hippity, hoppity....

Easter is on it's way.....

I know my spirit is lighter thinking

a small boy's day is brighter.

Happy Easter !

Dear Dorli

As I think back over the last many years, I am overwhelmed by the enormous blessing you have been for our family. You brought elements of resilience, creativity, and unlimited energy. (OK, and one could sometimes say a stubborn determination to not let a problem beat you :).

I remember the time Agnes got scared while babysitting. You harnessed Carmel and Checkers and scoped out every crevasse of that house…ultimately declaring it safe from intruders and calming her fears.


In high school you structured my month of grounding with activities to keep us all occupied, and took me shopping to lessen some of my hardship.


You remembered every birthday and special occasion with a thoughtful gift and delicious food. (Weiner schnitzel, Lasagna, Veal with artichokes, Doberstorte, and Heath bar Tortes to name but a few dishes).

You painted my house in Irvington, outfitted a closet, and carpeted the porch. I was exhausted just watching you work!


You made a custom designed cat box for my apartment in Kentucky, and curtains and pillows for the one in Toledo.


You welcomed my family, and always made time for a game of Uno or Rummicube.


You kept Paul engaged in heated political discussions and gave him your prized photo of GW.

You masterminded and coordinated numerous special surprises for others.

You have loved my dogs and looked after them with ice cream and special attention.

I appreciated your extra effort over the last 2 Christmases to make sure they were even more special than usual. Last Thanksgiving with a small tree and a lighted basketball pole since we could not be there in December. I’m thinking you had a hand in the cookies too.


You have helped my parents and Mina in ways too numerous and meaningful to list.

And you were characteristically too stubborn to give in to an illness that you valiantly fought and refused to allow to interrupt your life any more than absolutely necessary. I have many clients who could benefit from your example.


Thank you for being the person you are, for all that you have done, and for being a special part of our family. We love you.

Surprises

My long overdue Spa Basket for Mona. It is crocheted with a combination of yarn and plarn.

Then, my own unexpected surprise from Alfa Dog.

What could be inside?

CRAFT MAGAZINES!!

At least 100 waiting to be perused......

Alfie found these on Craig's List, arranged for the pick-up, and brought them home for a special surprise.

PS: He's taken. :)

First Sliver of Sunshine

Just as the winter blues and blahs had blended into interminable grey, my first sliver of sunshine arrived in the mailbox...the first tangible and tantalizing reminder that summer at Chautauqua is indeed coming. And of course the best way to savor this reassurance was with the remaining sips of my Niagra wine.

Chautauqua, and especially the Institution, are tough to summarize although President Thomas Becker does it so eloquently in his opening article:

"The purpose in doing all of this is to continue Chautauqua's 136 year contribution to the development of a people prepared to govern themselves in a fashion that is at once informed, effective, compassionate, secure, just and inclusive. Our founders believed fundamentally that a citizenry capable of such a task is made up of lifelong learners in constant pursuit of both self knowledge and an informed awareness of the world as it is; people who can act beyond the boundaries of their narrow self interest in search of the common good".

Thomas Becker, The Chautauquan, Season:June 26-August 29, 2010.

Other tantalizing tidbits included the launch of the Charter of Compassion:

And announcement of the 2010 Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle book selections:

Summer. Chautauqua. Soon!

Love on the Rocks?

Some people deride Valentine's Day as crass commercialism (they are not wrong). Others feel a heightened sense of lonliness or disappointment. I've come to believe it's a matter of perspective.  As below:

LOVE ON THE ROCKS?

OUR LOVE IS SOLID AS A ROCK?

OR THE MAKINGS OF A HOT STONE MASSAGE?

I like to let commercial holidays remind me to SLOW DOWN and APPRECIATE what I have ourway, not to dictate what I should do, spend, or expect..

Here is a glimpse of Valentine's Day OurWay.

My gift to Alfie

A quilt block coaster to replace the old utility bill or whateverisathand in the music/computer room. It was a first effort at quilting and after two false starts did not turn out too badly. (The cute little heart/flower card is from Pink Paper Peppermints http://www.kindawonderful.typepad.com/.)

Why would this be appropriate?

My Gift?

In addition to breakfast in bed and the dinner Alfie is cooking now...Oh, and BTW, the many acts of kindness and tolerance of me, my hobbies, and eccentricities not prompted by a commercial holiday.

My perspective on the opening rocks?

Our love is solid AND they are the makings of a hot stone massage.

Make it a Happy Valentine's Day... Your Way.

Rethinking Waste

Rethinking waste is a constant process, even for those of us with a lot of practice and determination. When the zipper on my boots broke, I considered them regretably ready for the landfill. Until... UNTIL a shifted paradigm stimulated new and creative thinking. I attached a mechanic's jump ring to the faulty zipper with results that may even look better than the original, don't you think?

Score a win for the landfill and bank account. Score a loss for the country that no doubt made these with inequitable trade agreements and dubious environmental practices. WooHuu! Winning the war on waste one new thought at a time!.