The Generosity of Strangers

GP is on Mail watch. He has four CD's on order from Amazon and he is diligent in his "mail carrier watch". He checks the mail as soon as he gets up. He will open the back door for Pepper the Puppy Dog and then just go straight to the front door to check the mailbox. It's kind of funny because last I checked our mail has never been delivered before lunchtime, but he checks it just the same. Anyway, he checks the mail each and every time we go out, before we leave, and when we come back... I tell you, he's good! LOL!
So yesterday there was a little parcel in the box and I heard him say,"wait a second, there's something here" and a minute later he's walking towards the car empty handed. I'm coming out right behind him and ask, "what is it?" to which he says,"oh nothing, it's just for you!" like it's junk mail or a bill.
Hello! I HAVE A PARCEL? Oh I was so excited, so I go back to the box and dig it out and what do you know, it's really for me.
Look at the little treasure trove I received from Carrie from A Passion for Applique who felt I needed a little cheering up and sent me a wonderful wool bundle and a gorgeous little bag with a FOB that her daughter Christine made, along with a card. I was so surprised and humbled that anyone would do something so nice, just because. The generosity of strangers never ceases to amaze me. Thanks so much Carrie, you brought some much needed sunshine to my still very wet week! B=)

American Patchwork and Quilting

My little pumpkin patch is coming out into quilting society. Yes, I have broken the bank and decided to launch it into the big leagues. And I'm so excited, I wanted to share it, so here it is...my first print ad. It'll be in the August issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. It's tiny but

it's a big deal to me. Hope you share my joy! The colors are a little off because they are set for printing as opposed to web viewing.But I am so excited! I will have a great drawing when the ad comes out... stay tuned! Oh that's the wonderful Wooly quilt I love, designed by my good friend Pam Minch.

A Flood Is Just A Flood...

Until it's at Your Place!
My heart is heavy knowing that "it's just stuff". No one was hurt, no one died. Yet, I am in tears and feel like someone just stomped on my chest. It's so stupid, it's just stuff.... but some stuff I couldn't even take pictures of...
GP's Pokemon quilt from when he was a little boy and showed the first signs of interest in anything other than himself. It was such a great big ass flag that he was coming out of his silence. Some of his little clothes....from way, way back... nothing that will ever fit him again, nothing that I would ever even think I could part with...some things that only a freakin flood would bother to take from me. It's just stuff! But I'm so sad. I think they're growing pains. Maybe it's a sign that it's all behind me now...who knows....it's just stuff. I just get a little emotional because I have been working for years on getting rid of "things" and hold on only to things that matter to me. All "stuff" is not the same.
Here are some pictures of the stuff that was "oh crap, now that sucks!", but that didn't make me cry... just be happy knowing it wasn't your stash!
Here are just the first few drawers of fabric that were dumped. Yes, these were all chock-full'o quilt shop fabrics!Now some of the contents: that's actualy one of my husbands shirts that I just loved and had it stashed among my stash because I just loved the fabric. Isn't that the most wonderful homespun ever? Hey, he wouldn't miss one little shirt!And then...the flannel slaughter has begun. Just some of my flannel losses.... the colors have bled and the most are dead....oh well....
And here is a lesson to be learned...never leave for tomorrow what you can complete today! Look at what happened to my pumpkin swap blocks, my Lost socks blocks and my new little dress blocks.... now this really sucks! And lastly, I will solve the Mystery Quilt mystery since I will no longer be gifting it....here it is, my pieced top, with all the points matched to Sandy standards...it was my biggest and most challenging quilt to date. Now it's slimy and smelly!Oh well, time to put it all in plastic bags and haul it off. Then I'll just start shopping to rebuild my stash. Poor me, LOL!
Stay dry! B=)

Economic Stimulus

We've had so many store closings in our little city that I am, whenever possible, going out of my way to shop locally. That sounds a little weird right? But think of it. Isn't it easier to just shop at the local Walmart where you can buy everything in one place? Save on gas, save on time, save your sanity? But when everyone shops at the big chains, the little stores that build our city's character go under. So when times are tough, as they are now it's up to us, the locals, to keep our town from becoming a ghost town.
That said, I have been teaching GP to shop locally as well and as with everything I teach him, I sometimes wonder if he "gets it". So here goes:
I'm driving to the PO, we're on our way to visit Trish of Heartfelt Designs in Paxton, Ma and we're running late. I tell GP we'll have to buy lunch on our way because we don't have time to stop and eat lunch. He asks, "Like McDonald's?". OMG! GP loves McDonald's! I have him on a "No more than once a week" schedule, and it had been a couple of weeks since his last visit so I mull it over and say, "That sounds good. We'll do Drive-thru." So we're on our way to the PO and drive past the McDonald's and GP say "OH,NO! We missed it!" I jump up and ask, "What? What is it?" "He says,"We missed the McDonald's. We need to make a u-turn!" I tell him, "It's OK, we'll go to the PO and then we'll pick up lunch at the other McDonald's, the one that's right before we get onto the highway." GP is silent. Then he says, "If we don't support our local economy all the good shops will close!" I swear, that is what he said! I guess he really was paying attention, LOL!