Mary's Criss Cross Apron

I really can't imagine what people do if they do not sew. Honestly....WHY DOESN'T EVERYBODY SEW? It's such a wonderful, creative, useful hobby.

During some tough times this year, I would often wake up with a new sewing project on my mind...and that felt good. I Frankensewed a few dresses (I promise to take pictures one day soon)...and, as you know, I'm planning to recover a Frankenchair one day (pattern done, fabric prewashed...just waiting for Ross to finish making the chair a SWIVEL...

AND -- I made several custom Criss-Cross Aprons. From Mary Mulari's Criss Cross Apron pattern, of course.

This is absolutely the BEST apron pattern of all time.  

My sister Ronda and her husband Dean do a Farmer's Market every Tuesday.  ALL SUMMER LONG -- she gets up at 5:00 AM to bake 12 dozen cookies and make 6-10 pies.  Apple, cherry and rhubarb.  She also makes some hand pies, and often cupcakes.  WOWZA...

The baking starts early and goes on all day...the market starts at 5:30...and her pies are the first thing to sell out.

John goes for breakfast with his friend Don on Tuesday, so I've gotten in the habit of going over to Ronda's house for a cup of coffee and to watch her bake...

And she is ALWAYS WEARING the Mary Mulari Criss-Cross apron I made for her...which warms my heart....

Power of Words

Every year, instead of a New Year's Resolution -- I embrace a single word. And that becomes my sort-of-a-mantra for the year. Awhile back -- NEXT was my chosen word. It was about letting go of a crappy situation and moving on. And, I was always that girl -- who was excited about what was going to happen in my near future. I believed the NEXT thing would be something good....a better thing...an improvement. So, the word NEXT made me happy...

Then, a few years ago, my word was PATIENCE. John's dementia was coming on, and there were daily struggles. PATIENCE was what I needed...and having that word in the center of my thinking...every single day...helped me to stop arguing, walk away....to count to 10....to push the pause button....

Words save me. I am working hard to get to a new place...and the word I'm trying to embrace and live is ACCEPTANCE...and this has been a challenge.

But it is what it is (remember -- I made a shower curtain with that sentiment?)

John has Alzheimer's. It's a funny thing, because he can present as very normal -- and he works hard to pretend he understands conversation, or recognizes people. But, sometimes, he doesn't know how many children we have. The other day, he was shocked to discover that President Kennedy was shot....and he brushed his teeth with Neosporin.

He doesn't know who my sisters are...and claims he has never seen or met Carrie (who has been my cleaning lady for 25 years).

If we are at a restaurant, I show him where the bathroom is, but he'll get lost walking back to the table.

His friend Don takes him to breakfast every single week, but John cannot remember his name...

But -- on the bright side -- John is in no pain. And he has been able (with Cal's help) to work in the yard, burning brush and even mowing the grass. (Cal has to start the mower).

And this is what I know for sure -- we are never going to have a better day than this day.

                                      Acceptance.

The New Normal

I can't do any more on my Frankenchair until I know if Ross can make it a swivel chair. So -- I've put that project on hold. 

But life is busy here -- and since John came home -- we are having many good days. He's been working in the yard. My brother comes down every day,

and if he starts the mower for him, John can mow the yard. Cal even had him up on his big John Deere tractor the other day...

I have a Comfort Keeper coming for 11 hours a week (thanks to the VA -- great suggestion, Sue -- thanks again) -- and that's been wonderful.  She comes on Tuesday afternoon, and all day Friday.

Last week, I re-joined Weight Watchers (for at least the fifth time)...ugh.  So, I'm trying to get into the whole mindset of LOSING THE WEIGHT again.  I'd drifted back up to 253 pounds in the last year...so it's time TO GET SERIOUS...

Ross joined WW first -- and I am sooo rooting for him -- I decided it would be a good thing for me to have a place to go once a week and be accountable.  I weighed in at 242 last week...but I'm still trying to figure out the app...

My days have settled into a routine I enjoy...Monday (Cleaning)  Tuesday (TMBC) Wednesday (Ross comes for supper) Thursday (TBD)  Friday (WW, MDF and/or pool)...

So -- fingers crossed -- we are enjoying our last summer here in our country home.  And life has taken on a pleasant rhythm.  I even had a TMBC PORCH PARTY for the first time since 2019...Wow...

 I felt like my life, in many ways, is mirroring the post-Covid economy...and I love the way these people write things up:  In yesterday's "Morning Brew" --

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The Experience Economy Is Back

Retail sales fell 1.3% in May, which may not seem that important or interesting until you consider how it reflects major changes in the post-Covid economy.

What's going on: People are paying less for things, like sweatpants, and more for experiences, like things you shouldn't do in sweatpants. This is the opposite of what happened during the pandemic, when people could really only buy...things. 

To illustrate the point, restaurant sales have eclipsed grocery sales for the first time since March of last year.

 

Franken-Chair, Chapter Two

So, any project begins with a sketch....

I didn't just draw THIS ONE PICTURE...I mocked up about a dozen variations. The colors are: orange, pink, turquoise, yellow, and white.

It seems like I should make a zebra cording to put in the seam....

THEN -- I had this AH HA moment...

Those people on Etsy aren't selling NEW swivel chair mechanisms!!

THEY're scavenging them off chairs from thrift stores.

HEY -- ANY EXCUSE TO GO TO A THRIFT STORE...

Let's just hope my Ritaluck kicks in....

NO PROBLEM, PEOPLE!! $30 at the Clinton Salvation Army!! And -- get this -- it swivels AND rocks!!

Ross already picked up both chairs, so fingers crossed that he can turn the slipper chair into a swivel chair. 

He said, "the problem will be that the swivel mechanism will be totally exposed, Mom". 

I replied, "No it won't...I'm putting t-shirt fringe around the bottom..."

He rolled his eyes...but I don't think he was surprised.

My Franken-Chair

I am DELIGHTED to be writing an actual blog post about something CREATIVE.

This is all about my Franken-chair...

We are moving into our new Co-op this fall -- and our floorplan has a very open living/dining area. So I've spent many hours online, looking at swivel chairs.

It's not hard to buy a swivel chair -- and they start at about $400....But 95% of them will be beige, brown, gray or black. Ugh...

To buy a chair with a little more personality, you'd have to spend $1,000.

But the truth is -- even the really really expensive swivel chairs ($15,000) did not really appeal to me.

Then, I realized people are selling the swivel mechanism on Etsy. WHA?? Maybe I could make my own swivel chair...Hummm...

Remember -- the inspiration for our new home is this rug:

I LOVED THE RUG so much -- I spent the winter painting my vintage buffet to MATCH it...

So -- FIRST -- I need to find a slipper chair that I could easily recover. Then I'll buy a swivel mechanisms from Etsy and have Ross put it on the bottom of the slipper chair. Voila!!

At my first garage sale of 2021 -- I found this chair for $20.  PERFECT.

I made a pattern out of an old sheet...

Yes. This is going really well. I went to the fabric store and bought four different colors of a heavy cotton duck fabric. (where i ran into CAROL!!)...

One Day Soon...

 As it turns out, I was WAY too optimistic.  But I promise you -- one day soon -- I will blog about something OTHER THAN ALZHEIMER'S...

Monday, I had to make a run to the nearby Dollar Store to pick up a few things (out of cleaning products and decaffeinated coffee).  John went with me...and he bought his favorite candy bar -- a Salted Nut Roll.

Later that night, he was sitting at the kitchen table, eating his candy bar.  As I walked through the room, he said, "that tasted terrible"...

And I said, "what do you mean?  You LOVE that candy bar.."

He said -- pointing to the container of purple Glo Pro kitchen cleaner.

WHA???

Yep.  Sure enough.

He'd opened the bottle of kitchen cleaner and took a couple of swigs...

Wow.

I called the Poison Control center...Allison looked up the specific brand of Dollar Store cleaner...then she told me he should drink 6-8 ounces of water.

He's fine....but, I'm telling you -- this is a trip...

 

John is Home

I brought John home on Friday, May 28th. Altho, I had to pay the June rent ($5,180.00) -- there really wasn't any point in him staying in Memory Care. 

By the time I cook his special oatmeal breakfast (and deliver it to JRP in little baggies so they can nuke it for him every morning)...and do his laundry, make his bed, drive into town to spend two or three hours with him every day -- I AM WORN OUT.

In many ways, it is easier for me to have John come home.  I've figured out a lot of things in the last six weeks -- and he is doing SO MUCH BETTER.

Last week, I started back with the Comfort Keepers (11 hours a week paid for by the Veteran's Administration)...but that didn't go well.  At all.  We'll try again this week.

But the good news is that John's language is nearly normal (although he can't remember words or names, and I have to repeat everything three or four times before it registers with him).  He is not having bathroom issues, he willingly takes a shower in the morning, and he's sleeping through the night...geesh...it sounds like I'm reporting on my toddler, doesn't it?

Alzheimer's is so weird...

Like, for example,  this morning John was standing in the tub, and the water is coming out of the faucet, but he can't remember how to push the button that would engage the SHOWER.  So he's trying to get himself wet by bending down and splashing the water up with his hands.  

The blessing is that John doesn't know he has a problem...and there are days when he is happy as a clam.  (where did THAT goofy phrase come from?  Why do we think clams are happy??)

Other days, of course -- not so much...but I've decided not to write about all that.

Tomorrow -- I'm actually hoping to write about MY SEWING PROJECTS....

Because, of course, for the last six weeks, there have been several sewing projects...

Cuz the truth is -- IT'S THE SEWING THAT KEEPS ME SANE..!!