More Of My Birthday Blocks

Just a quick note - received more birthday blocks yesterday

These are from Virginia - TX

My quilt is going to be awesome and only a few more blocks to come and I can start arrangement - which might take days and days and days.

For now I just enjoy looking at everyone

Filling The Days And Myself

The days are passing by and I have not been sitting around - I have been filling my days with family and friends.

Thanksgiving was a celebration of what I AM thankful for and Wayne's and mine 49th anniversary.

Yes there were moments of sadness but I would not let it ruin the day.  

Had one of the best Thanksgiving in years - much food and wonderful memories - laughter and just enjoying being with my family.  So so sorry our son Ken and his kids could not be with us.  I missed him being here but hopefully he will be here along with the kids for Christmas.

Kylee wasnt here either, she was spending her Thanksgiving with her other family - missed her too.  But I get to have her Sunday and she will help me dec my halls for Christmas.

Just a few highlights of the day:

Gus got his Birthday present that day - I think he likes his horse

My days have been full - and so is my life - LOVE my family.

Wayne and I did a pretty good job raising our children and they have in turn given us some wonderful grandchildren and great grandson.

The Same But Not

I know you will think I'm repeating myself but I'm really not.

This is a quilt that I just finished for a customer - her SIL had done the same exact quilt and I had already quilted that and took pictures.

The difference is in the quilting, for Linda the first one I used a panto, for this one I did my free motion stars and loops.

Just wanted to clear that up so you wont think I have lost my mind completely only just a little.

Been keeping as busy as I can to keep my mind occupied and to try to get back into a routine, like I had before..

Now that all of the arrangements and services are over, the hard times will come, with realization of what my life will now be.

I'm not complaining mind you, but there is an adjustment to living alone that one never imagines until it happens.

The GOOD thing is I have  an  awesome support group with my kids, my brother and his wife and my friends.  Now is the time that one finds out who your friends are and who really cares.  I'm not saying just because I haven't heard from EVERYONE, they don't care,  I still know they are available and thinking of me.  If I heard from everyone I would be on the phone 24/7 and we all know that would be a little overdoing it.

At least once or twice a day I get a phone call from someone checking in with me and chatting.

This really helps, when I think of how quiet it can be here just hearing from them lets me know I'm not alone and never will be.

We talk about everyday things and plans for the future, fun stuff not sad stuff.  Sometimes we talk about the sad things and that helps too, but always end with laughing and love.

I manage to keep busy with my sewing and quilting, and when I'm not doing that I have plenty of errands I can run - so the busier I am the happier I am.

Today, because it snowed, I plan on going into the sewing room until roads clear if they do and then its errands to be run - if not today, tomorrow morning for the errands.  Weather permitting there is the monthly sew day at the Gathering Place in Milton where I get to spend some really good times with my quilting buddies.

I had better get into the sewing room and start something so I have something to work on at sew day.

More Birthday Blocks and Quilting For Others

I seem to keep getting behinder and behinder (my word not in dictionary I'm sure)

Received more birthday blocks from my girlz at CT -

These beauties are from Vicki Oaks, she is not in the event but she was sweet enough to make me a set for my birthday anyway.  Vicki is from Edgerton  lives about 5 min from me. She gave me these at our last guild meeting.

Michelle Johnston sent me these - Michelle is from TX she also sent me the sparkle chain? and a pattern. Oh and she forgot I wanted green/reds/ whites - so the blue is a bonus, now I have to decide what to do with this cute block.  Maybe I will have to make a few blue ones so it doesn't feel so lonely.  I think it will be a nice addition to my quilt.

Karyl Mclellan sent me these and she made the cute embroidered one for each one of us getting the BB's - she lives in NC

Mabel Brooks - cute and pretty - Mabel is from NJ - isn't this fun seeing all the bb's from all over the state and other countries.  Loving it.

Been doing some customer quilts as well - more for Teri,... however I can only show you 2 of them as the other 2 are a surprise.  So you will just have to wait on those

I think I'm all caught up now - sometimes my days so go on and on and I seem to forget to do what I normally would do without having to think about it.

Now it seems my mind is filled with so many other things ,and memories I tend to be somewhat forgetful.

Let's hope this condition is temporary.

Crazy Quilt - Quilted

All of the quilting is finished on Sarah's quilt,.  No I just have to hand turn/sew back the outer border to finish off seams - when we add the unquilted ruffled border it will look like piping, I think at least that is the goal.

Its looking so awesome.

Cant wait to get the Cheetah border added.

More birthday blocks have arrived:

From Cindy - Evansville WI

I already signed up for next years 2014 Birthday Block Swap through CT www.connectedthreadz.com

Way Behind!

Sorry way behind in showing you all the fun things that I have done and or receiving.

First off a quilt for customer - Joyce - loving this quilt she made with Layer Cake pattern - I did a free motion, my version of a panto called Fern Gully.

I received a wonderful surprise package from one of my CT friends Rusty  - from FL

 Rusty, Jane Hardy Miller is author of several quilt books - (little name dropper me LOL)  I own 2 of her books and one of these day will get all of hers: These are the two I own:  French Braid Transformation and French Braid Obsession

Nope not mints

Biscotti mmmmmm good

Gus enjoying a sample of MY biscotti - I shared a few with him -

Next I have to show you all the BB's I have received for my birthday blocks from the girlz on CT - www.connectedthreadz.com

 Lynne from VA

Theresa from  WA

From Wanda, TX

Bonus table runner from Wanda, TX

I'm so loving my blocks that I'm getting from all over - I'm going to have the prettiest  Christmas quilt and I don't have to do all the work.

Getting Into A Routine

Now that visitation and memorial service is over I'm doing my best to get myself back into a daily routine.

Starting with quilting for customers and watching Gus again.

Being with Gus today was so helpful  and healing to me.  Enjoyed being with the little guy, although a little sad too.  At one point in the day I was smiling and laughing at him and suddenly started to cry just a little, thinking of how much Wayne loved this little boy.

Even though Gus will not remember being with Grandpa, we will tell him all about grandpa and how much he loved him.

That is what is so sad to me right now, knowing Wayne wont be here to see our grandchildren grow.  Although I do believe he is watching all of us and smiling.


Took many pictures of Gus today and a video. He is such a little ham and always know when the camera is on him.

Here he is eating a egg salad sandwich.

Now for quilting:
Loaded this quilt the other night and quilted most of yesterday morning.  Finally finished it this afternoon, during Gus nap time (notice I didn't say he was napping, because he wasn't, he cried off and on during nap time) but I continued quilting until I couldn't take it anymore - finished after he left for the night.

Quilted using a Panto - Polka Dot Stars by Patricia Ritter - Urban Elementz.

One of my other quilters brought me another quilt top to be quilted and cant wait to get that one loaded and start in - hopefully tomorrow morning before Gus arrives.

Sad News

Sadly I don't have good news.  Wayne passed away 11/2/13 at 10:20pm.

He fought a good fight, but unfortunately he just couldn't fight anymore.

We had 49 years together, come 11/28/13.  Like most people, good and bad and good again.

I can say I was never bored being married to Wayne.  We never had an abundance of wealth as in money, but we were richer than many in our love, and family and friends.

I feel blessed for the time we had together.

There wasn't anyone that didn't like Wayne (at least not that I'm aware of).
He had the type of personality that just drew people to him.

He had the love and respect of his children and grandchildren.

Wayne will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

Thank you Wayne for 49 years.  I love you.

A Few Show And Tells

Soon it will be my birthday and my turn to receive my birthday blocks:

Some have already arrived and I love them - it is such fun to get quilt blocks in the mail and in 2 cases in person.

Love all of my BB's

Another set came yesterday but I'm waiting to take a picture, when I try taking pictures under the lights when its dark they don't turn out as well as with daylight coming in.

Been working on customer quilts as well - and this T-shirt quilt is the best one I have ever seen.

Sorry you other t-shirt makers but this is so striking I have to say, and to mention this is her very first quilt she has ever made.  Awesome job!!!!

Now to update you on the rest of whats happening here.

Wayne has been in the hospital - taken by ambulance - Sunday night - he is in heart failure, and kidneys are also serious trouble.

He was and still is filled with fluids, because his heart doesn't work properly and cant breath on his own.  They have inti bated him and will try to ween him off.  He has had 2 heart cat procedures  in the past 72 hours, but opening of a blockage has not helped.  He has only 20 percent use of his heart now and doctor told us if he recovers its all up to him.  They are doing all they can but there is nothing more to do except continue with medications they have been using to take off the fluids and to try and keep his heart beating at regular heart beat.

This has not stopped me (other than time wise) to continue my sewing and quilting.  For me sewing and quilting is relaxing and helps me to not think about serious matters.

I will be going to hosp again today, the family and I have put in many long hours there, sitting and talking to Wayne.  He is sedated but knows when we talk to him as he will do eye movements and occasionally will touch our hand with his,  Im sorry to end this blog on such an unhappy note, and I will let you know how it all turns out.