Kenmore #3

My baby sister Deena RETIRED!! After 30 years of hard work in the Agricultural industry -- much of it with ADM (Archer Daniels Midland)-- she was offered an "early retirement" -- and SHE TOOK IT..!!

To celebrate, I invited Deena and Ronda to my house for a porch supper.

I made our mother's macaroni/chicken salad (you know the one -- it has walnuts and grapes)...and, of course, POPOVERS...

Which, in my opinion, GO GREAT WITH EVERYTHING..!!

We ALWAYS have a wonderful time when we get together.

Ronda, to celebrate this milestone moment, made one of her signature ragged edge flannel blankets for Deena.

Here's a better picture. Ronda makes these blankets so often, it's like she lives in a flannel factory...she shops the flannel, then pre-washes it, then cuts it...well, you get my drift.

Every block is personal for the PERSON she's making it for. In Deena's case, there were lots of farm prints...many sewing motifs, some baking...

When Ronda told me she was making a blanket for Deena, I said, "sure...give her a wonderful gift... just to make me look bad".

Then, it dawned on me -- I COULD GIVE DEENA A NEW KENMORE SEWING MACHINE...

See -- After I found the wonderful Kenmore for Carrie (Kenny #1), Ronda wanted one -- which, as you know -- we found the next week (Kenny #2).

Thanks to Facebook, I've realized what fabulous machines these old Kenmores were. ALL three of us sewed on a Kenmore #158....for about 20 years...

I found Kenny #3 -- again, at the Goodwill store -- for only $20.88. AND -- YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE ME -- but it was in pristine condition.  My original intention was to keep it for myself.

This #158 is model #17810.

It looks EXACTLY like the one I used to sew on!!

BUT if I give this one to Deena -- I'LL STILL BE ABLE TO HUNT FOR ONE for myself. And, honestly, isn't the HUNT half the fun?? 

It took Deena 20 years to wear out her first Kenmore...

And I am hoping she enjoys this Kenny for another 20 years...