Lilly's new pink dress

Of course -- sewing for Lillian has become one of the joys of my life. It combines so many things I love to do. Thrift shopping...laundry...sewing...designing...seeing Lilly smile...I love everything about it. And I love that moment when she comes to my house -- and she runs into her room to see what new Grandma Rita creation is waiting for her.

She puts things together in odd ways that please her..

And she LOVES to accessorize...

I didn't even have to make this. But for 49 cents, I could hardly pass it up!!

There is no end to the Grandma Ritaluck....

This dress started out as a very expensive woman's top...and I added the white t-shirt, cut down the sleeves, etc....

But, of course, NOT EVERYTHING is a hit....

And, I've gotta say -- although I am disappointed when she doesn't like something...I am delighted that she hasn't learned how to be fake. Of course, that will come. We ALL learn how to pretend we like something when we really don't...but honesty is still possible at FOUR...

So I'm going to enjoy these moments...even though they are not exactly what I was hoping for...

Granny Smartphone

To celebrate her first week of school (Pre-K is now mandatory in Iowa) -- Lillian and I went to Clinton, Iowa for Sunday breakfast. It was a very busy after-church crowd -- and every table was FULL at our favorite little joint.

We waited patiently. The table right next to us had four well-dressed old people. (75+ is my guess)

At one point, woman #1 asked woman #2 to "google " something. Woman #2 apparently has a new I-phone...

Killing time while they waited for their food -- the three tablemates looked at the screen of her I-phone and laughed. Then she showed them some pictures from her Gallery.

I remember thinking how great it was that the old woman was tech savvy. GOOD FOR HER. I consider myself a late-adapter...and embracing new technology can be a challenge.

Then it happened. Just as the waitress delivered their food -- the smartphone rang.

Woman #2 answered her phone. She is actually sitting less than 3 feet from me -- so I can hear every word -- along with her tablemates. All other conversation at that table stopped instantly.  The three other old people were eating in silence -- as Granny Smartphone prattled on, oblivious to their discomfort...

SHE TALKED FOR SEVENTEEN MINUTES.  Are you kidding me?? The caller was her granddaughter (she announced that when the phone rang).  The topics they covered (in no particular order) -- included the weather, the garden, a shopping trip to K-Mart, a family wedding and why nobody wants Uncle Jerry to come to Thanksgiving dinner...

OH MY GOD.  HOW RUDE IS THIS??   HANG UP THE DAMNED PHONE. LIVE IN THE MOMENT.  LOOK AROUND...YOU ARE PISSING OFF EVERYBODY YOU CAME WITH... WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??

Granny clicked off the call with a big smile on her face -- but her three friends were up and out of their seats. They were fuming....and clearly -- what started out as a cordial, chatty meal had been ruined. Granny asked the waitress to put her skillet breakfast (now cold congealed eggs...ugh) in a box.

I think it is RUDE to answer my cellphone when I am actually WITH A REAL PERSON.  It makes the person you're with feel less-than.  I know because it's happened to me a thousand times.  At this point in my life --  I leave it in my car when I'm meeting friends.

I am going to write the TEN COMMANDMENTS of cellphone etiquette for old people...

Saturday with Bert AND Lillian

This will be the first Saturday Lillian goes kicking around with me and Bert. We met Bert at the Village Inn -- already having breakfast with her two granddaughters.

Lillian was DELIGHTED to be included in our big-girl (make that Old-lady) day...

Any day that begins with a Micky Mouse pancake is bound to be a winner...

One of our stops was the Goodwill Store. Lilly knows how this works...she picks up many things, and asks me "is this a possibility, Grandma?" Then -- at the end our our shopping trip -- she lays them all out somewhere and PICKS ONE...

From everything laying on the top of the dresser -- the winner on this day was the Dora mermaid. Lillian was due for a new tub toy -- and it was 38 cents.

Simon Haskins new website...

Last year, at the Babylock convention -- I saw my friend Simon Haskins. I interviewed him for my job with Sew Expo -- and he was excited to be coming to Puyallup. Where -- in 2012 -- he hooked up with his two biggest fans --   MY SISTER DEB and her sister Barb...

We will miss you in St. Louis, Simon!! But thanks for keeping us posted on your Facebook page...

Sunshine4All -- Simon's website for his Leukaemia awareness quilt block project -- just went live.
From the website: My name is Simon Haskins and I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in June of 2013. This is a very rare blood cancer that has a very long and difficult road to recovery. As part of my journey I would like to try and do something to raise awareness about blood cancers and money for The Leukaemia Foundation to support those with this horrible disease and hopefully we will one day have a cure.

My idea is for the Jenny Haskins, quilting and machine embroidery communities to help me with this project by making an 8″ x 8″ quilt block that will be used to make quilts which will then be auctioned to raise money or given to a child who has ALL. The response that I have had so far has been overwhelming. So many people have jumped on board to make a quilt block, most people have made more than one block with some people making 20 blocks or more!

The awareness colour for Leukaemia is orange. So with that in mind I would like quilt blocks made in orange, with a splash of pink and yellow for good measure.

Anyone can be involved with Sunshine 4 ALL. I will be undergoing treatment for the next two to three years so we will have heaps of time to get this done and I am hoping that by end of my treatment we all will be able to celebrate my cure with an exhibition of all the finished quilts and raise money to find a cure for ALL.

Make sure you read the Guidelines page to get all the logistical information you need to make a block or two and participate in this amazing cause – Sunshine 4 ALL

I would like to express a HUGE MASSIVE thank you from me to everyone and anyone who becomes involved in Sunshine 4 ALL. Make sure you mention this to your local sewing store or guild and we can really start to make a difference.

Pictures of finished blocks and quilts will be posted to the Gallery. So make sure you visit regularly to see what other people have made and maybe it will inspire you to make another block and contribute more to Sunshine 4 ALL.

Sunshine 4 ALL has been an incredible avenue of support to me as I battle ALL and undergo treatment and chemotherapy. On my very worst days Sunshine 4 ALL has helped me to smile and gain strength to continue and move forward towards the goal of being cured from this cancer and hopefully one day gaining the precious gift of a normal life.

Lillian's New Chair

Athough I am still in St. Louis -- making an exciting announcement about Schmetz Needles at the Babylock convention -- I got very ambitious after my blogging break -- so there will be new posts coming up EVEN WHEN I'M TRAVELING...

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Lillian spent TWO NIGHTS with us recently. I had several activities lined up. One thing was this ugly chair from the Goodwill store...

It cost $5.38. And it weighs about 100 pounds. IT IS HEAVY...

We had a little child's rocking chair in the living room -- but now it is too small for Lillian. And we enjoy watching movies together.  Lilly needs a chair of her own.  Magically -- as soon as I decided that -- I found this at the Goodwill Store. RITALUCK is a powerful thing...(you know I always use it for good -- never for evil)...

The FIRST order of business is to take it outside, and sand it all down...

The first coat was an old can of white ceiling paint.  Good job, Lilly!

Lilly easily found some PAINT CLOTHES on t-shirt mountain...

It was a beautiful day.  And cool enough in the shade...

We gave it two coats of white paint...

Later on that day, John fell asleep in his chair and Lilly tried to cover him with a blanket...so thoughtful....

It was a REALLY BUSY WEEKEND!! The chair isn't finished yet -- mostly because we are still arguing about the upholstery. Of course, she wants Barbie or the Disney Princesses. Ugh....

Friend Catch-up

Today I am on another ROAD TRIP.  Yippee!!  I will be covering for my friend Rhonda Pierce in the Schmetz needles booth at Babylock Tech convention in St. Louis, Mo.  I'll get to spend some time with my dear friend, Mary Mulari -- and -- with friendship as my theme -- here's my report on LAST week's catch-up...

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Sue has been one of my best friends since we were in the 7th Grade. We never lost touch -- through school, marriage, living in different parts of the country, raising children. We have always enjoyed each others company. A LOT. But, for the last year -- Sue has been doing full time grandmothering and I've been working long hours and traveling. We were OVERDUE for a nice long catch-up visit.

Because it's her birthday week -- I wanted a SPECIAL PLACE for our breakfast -- so I picked the  The Indigo Cafe in Davenport, Iowa.  Here's what we ordered off their very interesting menu:

Italian Frittata 3 egg open faced omelette with mushrooms, spinach, asiago cheese artichokes and topped with a roasted red pepper pesto

I meant to take a picture -- but it was SO DELICIOUS -- darn it...

The little cheesy potato casserole as finger-licking good, too!!

I asked the waiter to take our picture -- right before he delivered DESSERT...

Oh, yeah -- this is a REALLY GOOD START for our special day!

After breakfast, we kicked around some antique shops and went to an Estate Sale at the Col Ballroom in Davenport, Iowa. Walking through those doors, we remembered the last time we were there -- for a dance in 1967!!

We walked and shopped, ate lunch -- we laughed, we cried, we shared the happy and the sad. We both have a lot going on right now -- and the great thing is that we completely, 100% "get" each other.  She knows me and I know her.  After four kids, seven grandchildren and 80+ years of marriage between us -- on this day, for a brief moment -- we both felt like we were 17 years old.

I am telling you -- CALL YOUR OLDEST, BEST FRIEND AND HAVE LUNCH WITH HER!! It is like a wonderful gift you give to yourself...

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P.S.  You will not believe the Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania treasure I found at an estate sale!!

A Clothesline Invention

When I wrote about John hanging my thrift-store shoe bags -- I told you he fixed TWO things. This is a about his SECOND project. It was all about my clotheslines. They are very special to me. My Dad used to go up into the woods and find just the right young hedge tree -- it had to have the perfect "Y" branch. Then he would cut it and trim it, and turn it into a clothespost.

Dad put these in the ground the summer we moved into the house. 1981. Of course, over the years, John had to string new line...and it was time to do that again. The problem is that when I hang heavy sheets on the line -- the line droops so much, the sheets almost hit the ground...My Mom used to have some tall clothespoles to prop up the wet clothes -- but John came up with this invention...

At my house -- this is what love looks like...