Mary Mulari's Visit

I LOVE MY LIFE. There is always something exciting just around the corner...

Take this week for example. Mary Mulari is coming for her usual winter visit...!! Hooray...Although we just spent a week together in Puyallup -- we barely had a conversation. That show was CRAZY BUSY. We had to get up at 6:00 most days, bolt down some coffee, get things organized, yada, yada yada...and didn't see one another until after 9:00 that night...by which time, we were both ready to collapse into an exhausted heap...

So it will be so nice to have a chance for a REAL VISIT.
 
But lots of other people in Iowa look forward to Mary's visit. John, for example. He loves the reversible apron Mary made for him. (it's her job to make the rest of us look bad...)

There are two other very important groups who look forward to Mary's visit. Here's a picture of our visit last year -- the crew from the ORIGINAL Rita's Sew Fun...(before it was a blog -- it was a retail sewing shop).

And, of course, my BOOK CLUBBERS...Even though we should officially change our name from Book Club to Breakfast Club. Sewing is what brings these two groups together. All these women -- who are a big part of my life -- LOVE to sew...and when Mary visits, we have to do our Sew and Tell luncheons or breakfasts.

Mary and I will be planning the NEXT CHAPTER in this interesting sewing life of ours. We are ramping up to do the special evening event at the 30th anniversary of Sewing Weekend . Of course, we often get our inspiration from unique boutique shopping (we did some of that during our visit to Gig Harbor, Washington). But in Iowa -- we mostly get our inspiration from thrift stores...


You NEVER know what you might find.... this jacket didn't quite work out..

Hey -- life is an adventure. You just NEVER know what exciting new thing might be coming up in your life...And this week is going to be SEW MUCH FUN...Thanks, Mary, for being such a big part of my life-as-a-sewing-ride-adventure!!

BE SURE TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS...the 30th Anniversary of Sewing Weekend is going to be AMAZING...

Sewing Weekend will be the perfect way to kick off the NEXT exciting chapter of my sewing life...

Mark Lipinski

Mark Lipinski has been waiting for a kidney transplant -- and he is FINALLY GETTING ONE. Many of you became a fan of Mark when he did the Quilter's Night OUT at the 2010 Sew Expo. I am proud to be one of Mark's cupcakes....and the mug he sent me after the show fits under my Kuerig perfectly.

After he started his internet radio show -- CREATIVE MOJO -- I called in one day and WON THE PRIZE...I love this picture of me and Mark at a Quilt Market.  He is an awesome person...and, like many of you, I have been following Mark for years and worry about his health.

 

Here's what he wrote on Facebook on March 18:  In exactly 10 days from today, I will receive a kidney from my friend and neighbor, Mary Eichler! Please, do not worry for me, and I only ask that you keep me in good thought. On the other hand, I would greatly appreciate it if your prayers and cards and thoughtfulness and notes of support go directly to Kidney Mary - after all, SHE, and she alone, is the HERO here. Here is her address: "Kidney Mary" Eichler; 29 Parker Road; Long Valley, NJ 07853

I am TERRIBLE at sending any kind of snail mail thing, Mark.  But I AM GOING TO DO THIS FOR YOU.  

And I'm putting this up on my blog because I hope you will send a card to Kidney Mary , too She is one very special woman...

Here's to keeping good thoughts for both of you...

VanDeRueben

It is very different having Ross living with us again. After 15 years of him being GONE...with barely two or three visits a year...you would think it might be a difficult transition.

But it's okay. Going back to school has been a big adjustment for him. Most of the other students are young enough to be HIS children. Getting through nursing school is going to take longer than he thought. But having him here can be nice. Of course, it cuts down on our running around the house naked. But then again -- he helps John bring in the wood and shovel the snow.

He is getting to know Lillian and Warren. Here is a picture of the first smile I ever saw from baby Warren. It was for his Uncle Ross....




The day I was coming home from Seattle -- Ross picked me up at the airport. He wanted to go to the Belgian Village (a local bar famous for homemade bread and sandwiches) for a Vanderueben. Great... We both got a sandwich and ordered one to go for John. (I knew I would not be cooking for DAYS)...We talked about the show, what had been happening in Iowa...

The waitress put down the $30 bill...I said, "I always buy lunch for my airport ride, Ross"

Him: (as he handed me the bill)... that was my plan, Mom. After all, you are the reason I'm here.

Me: At the Belgian Village? I think that was your idea...

Him: Here on planet earth. When you decide to have a child, you take on certain responsibilities.

Me: is that right?

Him: yes. When Warren is hungry, they feed him...

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Ugh...

Norm Sawyer Benefit

Norman and Lorna Sawyer are farmer friends of ours. Their son Neal (sitting on their porch) has been one of Ross's best friends since they were 5 years old...


My boys have always called her Aunt Lorna. Here's Lorna, making cookies for Valentine's Day...

On April 19, 2012, Norm and Neal were moving cattle on their farm. Norman fell off his four-wheeler and broke his neck. He was airlifted to a neuro-trauma hospital in Rockford, Illinois. In critical condition, he was paralyzed, on a ventilator and unable to speak or swallow. He had three surgeries to stabilize his neck.

For the last year -- Norman has been in various hospitals and Spinal Cord Injury Centers -- undergoing intensive rehabilitation.

Finally, after a year of rehabilitation and recovery, Norman is returning to the family farm. However, he is coming home to a very different house. There were many changes required to accommodate Norm's electric wheelchair. As well as extensive renovations and expenses to make the house handicapped accessible -- ramps, a wheelchair lift, handicapped bathroom, a ceiling hoist above the bed, a voice-activated computer, etc.

The cost of all this is stunning -- and the community wanted to help. So when the Zion Lutheran Church called and asked me to join the benefit committee -- of course I said yes. Guess what job they gave me? Public Relations!! Perfect....

My niece, Kelcy, using this picture of the Sawyer farm -- and her stellar Photoshop skills -- put together a beautiful poster -- which was printed in a mini and maxi version. They are up ALL OVER every little town in this county. The benefit will be April 13, 2013 -- at the Princeton Fire Department.



We (me and Kelcy) also set up a Facebook pageto help get the word out about the benefit. There will be a live auction and some baskets set up for a silent auction. There will be entertainment -- a choir AND young Keegan Harry and Cale Bowe will be performing a few musical numbers...

The meal will be BBQ beef, coleslaw, baked beans and lots of Church Lady PIES. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children (under 6 eat free).

If you are in the area -- PLEASE JOIN US. Help us help Norman. If you have anything you'd like to donate to the auction -- please contact me...

ritafar@aol.com
phone: 563 289 3280:
snail mail address: 1715 Pineo Grove Ct., Princeton, Iowa 52768)

Since Norman's accident, I often think about what I take for granted. Walking, talking, running, getting in the car, taking a shower, brushing my hair, making love, hanging the sheets out on the line, getting a pedicure, getting on a plane, sewing a goofy dress out of recycled t-shirts, cooking a meal, rocking a baby, picking my nose, getting together with friends for a restaurant meal -- going to the thrift store... And maybe that's the lesson. To appreciate the movement and activity of an ordinary day. To be grateful....to understand that the little things really ARE the big things...

That's how it happens, isn't it? Your whole life changes in a blink....

Homecoming

On our only day of SIGHTSEEING in Tacoma -- Gail took us to the Cliff House for an early dinner. Can you see the mountain in the background? This is my FAVORITE PICTURE from that day...

Here's my BEST PICTURE ever of Mt. Ranier. It was taken from the back seat of the car -- moving at about 60 mph -- driving out of Tacoma. I was SHOCKED when I saw how beautiful it turned out...

The next day, it was time to pack up...and fly back to Moline...


AND THIS IS WHAT GREETED us when we landed...

It was a mini-blizzard. BUT NEVER FEAR. Moline, Illinois knows how to handle snow. WE MIDWESTERNS ARE a hardy stock. Never fear -- there was a regular conga line of snow plows to keep the runway clear.

We landed -- EARLY, even. The 2013 Sewing and Stitchery Expo was AMAZING. Having Jackie there was wonderful...her once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For many years, I've said to my friends, "if I could give you one gift -- it would be that you could be Rita Farro for one day at Sew Expo." And it is so true. It was a wonderful, wonderful show...there is so much energy...these women, these sewing sisters of mine. We talked, we laughed, we learned a little something new...but by the time my plane landed -- my throat was swollen and sore, my brain was sucked dry, and my feet were KILLING ME....and I knew I was going to sleep for a week...


Here's the thing about traveling. If you're doing your life right -- coming home is always the best part of any trip...

ZEBRA Day

First of all -- I've gotta say -- AMERICAN IDOL SUCKED last night. Are you kidding me?? Curtis Finch went HOME??? I thought he was amazing. The only good news is that Nicki Minaj said if HE went home -- SHE would go home. I can only pray that she is a woman of her word...(but I seriously doubt it). She brings NOTHING to the show. She was late arriving for the performance show, and I'm still trying to dicipher her waffle analogy... Sorry -- I didn't mean to get off track there...I just could NOT not comment.
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Now we are going back to our regularly scheduled blog for today...
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Here's what I have learned. When you hear a GREAT IDEA -- you just need to GO WITH IT.

Sometime in January -- two of my FAVORITE SEWISTS IN THE WORLD -- Jan Potter (mother of the Hey Rita tote) and Bonne Swett told me they would be wearing their zebra fabric challenge to Sew Expo on Friday.

Of course, zebra has long been one of my favorite things -- and I decided then and there that Sew Expo should have an actual "zebra day".

I will be sharing many, many zebra stories...but first -- of course -- SOME PICTURES...
here I am, on that Friday morning, greeting people at the gate -- including Jan and Bonne!! WE LOOK HOT!!!


And the Zebra just kept coming...they put zebra fringe on their tops and their cuffs...

There were zebra scarves...

Zebra jackets...

Zebra jewelry...

I started calling this look the "Zebra smile"...

Even ZEBRA SHOES...

And all day long, I kept smiling and talking to my zebra peeps...


But it wasn't until late in the afternoon -- when I sat for a few minutes with Marilyn -- that I really understood the power of the zebra. She has been coming to Sew Expo for over 20 years -- always with her sister -- her sewing buddy and best friend. They looked forward to Sew Expo all year long and it was their annual girlfriend getaway.

Three years ago, her sister died. Although Marilyn has continued to come to Sew Expo -- and she loves the classes and the style shows -- she is a quiet woman, and it has been a lonely place for her.

BUT -- guess what?? ON FRIDAY -- Marilyn WORE ZEBRA. And she told me that from the moment she walked into the show -- other zebra-wearing women were smiling at her and she was once again part of something. She felt connected, she met new people, had many conversations. She was AMAZED. She ate lunch with a lovely group of women from Portland (ALL WEARING ZEBRA) -- and everywhere she went that day, she was surrounded by friends and sewing buddies.

There was a lot of chatter on Facebook and the Yahoo Groups about Zebra Day -- and one woman said it was like a "secret handshake".

She got that right...

THANKS everybody for playing the Zebra game.  It was a zebra stampede of impressive, mega porportions....

Treasure Island

I AM BACK!! SO SORRY FOR THE LONG BREAK, people. But thanks, thanks, thanks for all the emails yelling at me. It was exactly what I needed to get me back in the blogging spirit -- and make no mistake -- I need THIS BLOG MORE THAN YOU DO...!!

One of the things I've been working on is organizing the nearly 2000 photographs and videos from the 2013 Sewing and Stitchery Expo. YIKES. I melted down a 16 GIG memory card in my new camera. ON DAY TWO...good thing I brought TWO cameras...just in case...

You'll see a lot of those pictures on this blog in the coming months, I am sure.

But as I was going through the show photos, I ran into THIS Aunt Rita/Grandma adventure. The weekend before I left for Seattle -- I took Lillian and a few of her favorite cousins to the Junior Theater in Davenport, Iowa...


She enjoys picking out her own clothes...and, as you can imagine -- she has a nice assortment of ZEBRA dresses and accessories...this was taken before the show started...

We got there early -- which was a good thing -- because it was a packed house...



This was my crew. The Bowe boys -- Cale, Garrett, and Cash -- went with us to see the production of Treasure Island. Lillian LOVES these boys...


Here is my take-away moment from this Aunt Rita adventure...

AFTER the play, we went to Azteca for an early supper. While we were waiting for our food -- the boys were talking about school, their upcoming spring break, etc. Lillian wandered into the adjoining room (which I thought was empty). She came back balancing an aluminum cake pan full of thin red sauce...?? Wha??? The boys and I watched as she walked the last six feet over to our table. The pan was full to the brim -- I was worried the greasy sauce would spill onto her chiffon zebra dress...we were all holding our breath...

As Lilly gently set the pan onto our table... the boys thought I was going to yell at her. Instead, I said, with a sigh of relief, "Wow. That was an impressive balancing act, Lillian."

She got a big smile on her face.

Cale said, "when you grow up you'll be a good waitress..."

Lillian said, (indignantly) "I AM NOT GOING TO BE A WAITRESS."

Me: (relieved) What do you want to be, honey?

Lillian: When I grow up, I'm going to be a Princess.

The boys all three looked at her -- then at each other -- and after a little pause --

Garrett said, "Oh yeah. That's a WAY better plan..."

Really. Priceless... P.S. -- Eileen -- someday -- in the far distant future -- you are going to LOVE BEING a Grandma!! Thanks for being a friend. I miss you... P.S.S. -- tomorrow I will be writing the REAL ZEBRA story...there actually was a stampede of Zebra....really...