My Great Big Fat Summer Vacation

John and I have been making this trip to Pennsylvania since 1977. For many years, it was our annual family vacation. We stayed with John's parents, and that was how the boys got to know "Granny and Pa".

But, of course, in this life, nothing ever stays the same. John's parents are gone, and so are his Aunts and Uncles. Our boys are grown-ups now, with their own lives.  So now it's just the two of us -- and there aren't many people left in the area for us to spend time with...

What to do...what to do...

Nowadays, we stay with John's brother Jerry and his wife Linda.

Luckily, they live in a very large house...although this photo doesn't do it justice...

You can see from this angle that there are many, many rooms in this house.

And, every summer -- THIS ROOM becomes my command central...

In Linda's formal dining room, I set up my Featherweight, my laptop, a good book on tape, and a jigsaw puzzle. IT'S LIKE SPENDING TIME AT MY OWN PERSONALLY DESIGNED SPA-RETREAT...

WHO GETS TO DO THAT??

I decided this is a rare opportunity to focus on doing WHAT I LOVE.

I took special care to pick out some good books and CD books from the library.

OF COURSE I packed up a laundry basket full of sewing projects, fabric, and quilt block patterns.

One of the highlights of the week was sewing an I-pad totebag project with my great-nephews, Dom and Marc...

Dom (6) was eager to make a totebag. He picked out the fabric and we went to work.

He worked the foot pedal, and took out the pins as we sewed...all I did was guide it through the needle.

AND HE WAS SO DELIGHTED.

When Marc, (the little brother) saw Dom's finished bag, of course HE HAD TO HAVE ONE, TOO!!

Marc's finished tote is perfect for his Ipad or his library books...

I AM SUCH A PIG. It must drive Linda crazy -- but she never says a word.

The Rita Headquarters is also set up with my laptop and a couple of jigsaw puzzles. I was working on the next issue of Inspired To Sew...Here’s the link to SCHMETZ Inspired to SEW #34, featuring Pam Damour...

 https://issuu.com/schmetzneedles/docs/its34-oct16?e=10258703/38982985.