The PERFECT DAY

Monday, May 4th was THE MOST PERFECT DAY. I got in my car, filled up on some $1.17 gas...and headed over to Mendota, Illinois to meet Rhonda Pierce for lunch.

We met up in a CVS parking lot -- then scoped out the park situation.  Turns out Mendota has a beautiful lake, as well as the Hume-Carnegie park right downtown (in front of the original Carnegie library).

It was VERY WINDY...and kinda cold for an actual picnic...but we managed.  Then, we got IN Rhonda's car to actually talk a little business.  In this whole new world we're living in....

We had a wonderful, responsible, socially proper distanced visit!!

On the way home, I drove about 80 miles in Illinois Hwy 92...and I only met 4 cars.  There was not one other car (or tractor) in my lane the whole way home...

THEN -- this happened.

Since Monday is cleaning day -- Carrie worked in my basement ALONE -- without any help from me (or would she call it interference?)...and when I went down there -- I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES.  That girl is magic.  She had things organized, and sorted, and bagged, labeled...it was an AMAZING thing to see.  Suddenly, all the kids' craft activities are living in the same space, and there are about 100 pithy t-shirts all hung up and sorted...OMG...OMG...OMG...

So -- like this day wasn't PERFECT ENOUGH...

THIS HAPPENED...

Emily called (about 5:30) and said the kids had been working on a Mother's Day scavenger hunt for me -- but they were so bored and antsy, she told them they could do it tonight.  I said sure -- come on over...and when they did, Lilly had worked on some artful clues -- with pictures, and rhyming words -- the scavenger hunt took us outside, down to the garden, into Elliott's truck, up to my brother's house...then, finally, to the little park on the corner.  (which the kids and I had turned into the Social Distance Cafe last month)....

And there it was.  Their gift to me.

You really will not believe it...

It is SO SPECIAL -- it needs a special blog post all it's own...

Tomorrow -- on Mother's Day -- I'll post the picture.

Happy Anniversary!

Elliott and Emily had a wedding anniversary -- and, of course, I gave them my usual gift -- A SET OF SHEETS. This set was very, very special. My friend Judy Irwin embroidered the monogram "E" for me when I wrote my book, Dress Your Dream Bed...

Warren spent hours making the BIGGEST CARD EVER...

Elliott did some mushroom hunting...then I took this picture.  BEST FAMILY PHOTO EVER..!!

VBP: Gluten-free Cookies!

So -- okay -- I'm not QUITE done celebrating my VBP...and you know how sometimes one thing leads to another...which is what happened in this case.

*********
I received this email on my birthday...from Jane...with a picture...

Happy Birthday!

Today, I walked, wrote letters, went to church on-line, watched a friend’s video demo and paid bills. Still to come, a nap and then a trip to my folks’ to check on them.

Happy gluten free coconut semi snicker doodle cookies for you!

*****

One thing led to another...

When I thanked Jane, I was curious about her gluten free journey -- as Carrie's daughter, Elizabeth, found out she has celiac disease three years ago -- and it has been a struggle for her.

THEN THIS HAPPENED...

I was waiting to post a picture -- but right now, I can't find my camera (hey -- don't judge me -- there's a LOT GOING ON HERE)...

BUT, I took some amazing pictures of Carrie, opening the box Jane sent...LOADED with cook books, and mixes, and cornmeal...

Carrie was DELIGHTED...and when she asked how Jane and I became friends...I just smiled and said...

S.E.W.I.N.G.

Once again -- I'd like to say this.  Women who sew are the BEST people. They are kind and generous and thoughtful.  Really.  It's something I've known for a very long time...

THANKS AGAIN, JANE...I always find my camera sooner or later...and I'll send you pics of Elizabeth, after baking a loaf of gluten-free bread!!

Grandparent's Day 2019

I was looking at some pictures from LAST YEAR at this time...and I found these photos of Grandparents Day at Virgin Grissom Elementary.

Of course -- nobody could have possibly known that this year, there wouldn't be a Grandparents Day...or even a class, for that matter.

Lilly LOVED the 4th Grade

The teacher had many unique "chairs" the kids could sit in

We all went outside to see some of their recess games

Lilly was very proud of her science folder...

Her class had a project that involved postcards from all over the world.

The new principal started a new "House" competition. Lilly and Warren were both in Magellan.

Afterwards, we went out for an early supper...and a simple game of cards...

Great-Grandma Minnie Soltau

Our last TMBC party was on St. Patrick's Day...at Aunt Adda's house...

Looking back, we were SO NAIVE. The Coronavirus Lockdown was just hours away...but we didn't have a clue about the major changes that were coming our way.
Linda K., Linda P., Sandy and Aunt Adda (I was taking the pic).

After our lunch of homemade corned beef hash and Irish Soda Bread, Aunt Adda brought out my Great-Grandmother's Diary...

Called "The Everyday Diary""

Her name was Minnie Soltau. And she wrote in her diary every single day. In pencil.

At this point, I'm sure you are thinking I'm going to write about what Minnie and William were doing in 1938. Wouldn't that be fun??

I mean...I was feeling all warm and fuzzy -- Aunt Adda had just given me an embroidered tablecloth...

We were definitely having a moment....

Until I said I'd love to read Great-Grandma Minnie's Diary....

Aunt Adda reached for the book and said..."Sorry...it's not leaving my house..." 

So -- this is as close as I could get...

Monday, May 4, 2020

Today, I'm on a road trip!! HOORAY! FINALLY -- I get to burn up some $1.06 gas.....

I'm driving to a little town in Illinois to meet Rhonda Pierce. We'll talk about what's next for Schmetz Inspired To Sew magazine.

We loved working on the last two issues -- about 4-H.  It was such a big topic to cover, it required TWO issues...

https://issuu.com/schmetneedles/docs/its77-may20?fr=sYTM1ZDE3NTM3.

https://issuu.com/schmetzneedles/docs/its76-apr20-cv?fr=sMTRhMTE3NTM3

The next issue will be quite unexpected, I think...but it's a secret for right now...

Planning this little day trip has made me realize that this LOCK DOWN we've been in is beginning to lighten up.  WHICH IS GREAT...

But it's also made me think about this new world we're living in...and the fact that so many things will NEVER go back to the way they were.

My life has been SO EXTREMELY DIFFERENT...every single day....I've missed so many ordinary things..... Hugs with my grandkids...family gatherings, getting together with friends, going to the swimming pool, eating at restaurants and thrift store shopping!

Willy-nilly touching and then pushing a cart through a store without wearing a mask. HOLY COW. Who ever would have thought life could change so completely...and SO QUICKLY??

Not to mention the things like THEATER...airplane travel, music festivals, county fairs, sewing conventions, trade shows, sitting next to strangers in a classroom...or being elbow to elbow at a crowded estate sale...

And, obviously, I'm not the woman who will consider the REAL issues coming at us. Like -- how many of our small businesses won't survive? How many jobs have been lost forever? What happens to a building if nobody pays rent for 6 months? What does the future look like for colleges and universities?

The domino affect will be huge and long lasting. For example, Ross works at Genesis Hospital. It is the largest regional health care provider in Eastern Iowa, and they are laying off employees (including nurses) right and left. Because everybody has been too scared to go into a hospital -- the ER is down by 80%, and elective surgeries were cancelled all together. They are predicting a $70 million LOSS for 2020.

The ramifications of this thing are mind-boggling...

****************

All I can say is -- THANK GOD I can sew. Every day, I do something productive...or creative... something that makes me feel useful.

This week, I'm going to focus on making a special t-shirt quilt....

******
MMWI:229.2 ugh...

You WIN some, and you LOSE some...

Some things work out better than others....

When the kids and I spent the Saturday before Easter creating the "Social Distance Cafe"-- I knew we were taking a risk. My Dad gave that park to the City of Princeton many years ago -- so, technically, I should have called to ask permission to do what we did.

But I decided to go down that alternate Martha Pullen road instead...you know -- when you just BUY THE SEWING MACHINE of your dreams without talking to your husband first -- then, you ask forgiveness after you bring it into the house...

The thing is, I knew exactly what I was doing. I figured the City would turn it into a cluster____. There would be a meeting with the Parks committee....people would object because the pinwheels were made in China...who knows??...It would take weeks. They would say no. I would be pissed.

So, instead, we JUST DID IT. The kids had been home from school for a month...we were socially distancing...I was missing them...and wanted to do something together.  Something they would remember when THEY were 70 years old.  Kind of a GRAND gesture...

The bear was a complete surprise for Lilly and Warren.  THEY WERE DELIGHTED

I delivered the vinyl signs to their house early in the week -- and they spent two days painting them.

We spent the whole day in the park -- setting up the chairs, and placing 30 red, white and blue pinwheels (thanks, Amazon)

They painted giant hearts on some old vinyl tablecloths.

On Easter Sunday, I saw two bicycle riders sitting in our chairs, taking a break and drinking their bottled water.  I called the kids to tell them somebody was actually USING THE PARK..!!

Sadly,  our adorable little Social Distance Cafe lasted only a few days. Monday, we had some horrible storms....the lawn chairs blew over, and the heart tablecloth was all ripped up.  Tuesday I did some repairs...it really did look fine again.

But, then -- on Wednesday -- the City sent a crew to clear everything away. Although I was disappointed -- I was not surprised.

But -- that's okay. I got exactly what I wanted out of our little park...

So, all in all -- this is one activity that worked out GREAT...

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...