Holiday Vacation

I'm here...just in Michigan for the week, along with the Brick and Charley. The Mama has been really struggling in recent weeks, so we decided to spend New Year's Day with her.

Which also meant that we spent our 30th anniversary on the road, driving 18 hours straight through, the last of it via Chicago in mixed rain and snow. Even Taco Bell can have a slight air of romance, when shared in a dark car with a drooling Chesapeake Bay Retriever in the back seat...

All I know is that I am very glad, thirty-plus years ago, a slightly raffish-looking engineer chose my restaurant table to sit down at.

Yes, that's how we met. I was in grad school at the University of Michigan, living in an attic. (I cleaned the family's house and looked after their young teener in return for room and breakfast -- lunch too, if I came home and walked the dog.) I graded papers and acted as class assistant for a professor for extra money; this particular day, I had to read E.M. Forster's Howard's End before class. And the local Chinese restaurant served a mean bowl of fried rice for $1.32. (Sounds cheap -- but it was a lot to me, at the time.)

Enter this tall guy with an army surplus jacket, dark glossy hair nearly to his shoulders, and intelligent eyes. All the tables were occupied, and it was customary to ask to share a table -- so he did, and I did. He kept asking questions while I was trying to read...finally I gave up, and enjoyed talking to this funny, interesting man.

He asked what my full name was. He asked for my phone number.

Unh unh, honey, inner self warned. Who knows where this guy came from. He may be an axe murderer. How can you trust anyone you just met in a restaurant! 


So I only told him my first name. Period. And left to go to class.

But he knew I was studying for my M.A. in English Lit. And this guy (if you knew him well, you would know how absolutely out of character this was) went to the English Lit department, told the secretary he had a project with me, and asked for my phone number. (I was one of two Cindys in the English Lit Master's Program at the time...and the other Cindy was a brunette.)

    She gave it to him!

When he called and asked me to meet him for lunch, inner self said, Go ahead -- but just lunch. Then he'll go away. 

Friends, I was lucky -- I met him in March, and married him the day after Christmas in 1981. And I have been fortunate to go through life with this wonderful man ever since.
    Happy Anniversary, Davy! Your wife loves you very, very much.

God Bless Us Everyone

Merry Christmas!

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

       (Luke 2:1-20, New International Version) 

It's Almost Here...

Merry Christmas!

and may all your memories be merry and bright this weekend. 

Another Carnival Submission!

This time, my Bakers Dozen tips for Christmas spending landed in the Festival of Frugality Carnival -- hooray!

Go here to learn more...and read a whole batch of posts on frugality and the holidays.

Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff

I've been collecting interesting things for you all week! And here they are...

*interesting items that reappeared after a tornado. Like letters, canceled checks, precious photos, etc...but miles away.


*a very disingenuous plea to have student loan forgiven. 100%. (You already know how I feel about this.)


*34 great gifts to make, thanks to Get Rich Slowly. (Don't miss out on the comments, with additional ideas.)

If you're not so good at that, 12 rules for 'regifting' what you already got. (I'd add another one: send your out-of-town relatives only the things you were given by local friends.) 

And if you think you've got it difficult, six pages of the Worst Christmas Gifts ever.  Don't miss page 5, with the 'european bathing suit' (a g-string) and 'Scottish shaving kilt' (with "Pebbles and BamBam hanging free") from Grandma. I laughed so hard, Charley came to check on me!


*how one woman saved on her budget -- by getting her Match.com dates to pay for restaurant meals. (And she's rather proud of it, too.)


*the worst financial advice your family and friends ever loaded on you. 

*10 of the stupidest things someone did for money. 

And finally, one of the more unusual historical discoveries I've ever heard about, discovered while on a kick to learn more about the Romans' occupation of various countries: chemical warfare used against the Romans...in A.D.256! (Loved The Eagle, about the Romans' presence in Great Britain  -- you would, too. Except my ancestors were probably on the 'savage' side.)

Bright blue sky with a 50-mile view, snowy mountains in three directions.The flu is hanging on a bit, but slowly getting the conclusion that I want it to Go Away. Guess I'll stay inside, work and rest another day.

                                HAPPY CHANUKAH!

Wanna Make A Bunch of (Swag)Bucks...Easy?

Not to mention swagbucks that can be exchanged for Amazon and other gift cards.

Here's how you do it. Scroll down to the Swagbucks 'widget' at the bottom of this page. Join up by pressing the button. When they ask you for a code, put in 'HOLIDAYSWAG'.

Bingo. Just like that, you've earned yourself a nice bonus -- and you're a quarter of the way toward a $5 Amazon gift card!

I have to look up a lot of things, for research. Swagbucks literally pays me to do this, by occasionally awarding the 'bucks.' You can get more by following their active codes... I'll often use this website to do it. For example, 'snowman' is currently worth 9 SB, if you type it in the code spot on the main page by 3 p.m. PST.

You can also do surveys or watch commercials, stuff like that, to earn SB...but I usually don't.

And I earn enough swagbucks for two $5 Amazon giftcards a month!

Swagbucks doesn't put on cookies, or viruses, or other nasty zingers. They just give you points that you can use to buy stuff. Good stuff. For things you'd be doing, anyways.

Take a look. Just scroll down. 

Sunday Fever

Flu is so much fun. Yep, the fever's still here. It spiked up and down all day, through the Broncos/Patriots massacre (and it wasn't us who did the massacreeing), trudging out to the library and grocery store, and even a last-minute trip to Wal-Mart for a tree stand and lights. (We couldn't find the boxes of Christmas decorations anywhere, though I'd swear they survived the Memorial Day flooding in the basement. They were in leakproof tubs. I'm guessing they're piled up in a corner somewhere...since we still have plenty of piled-up corners to clear away.) 
    The tree is up, and smelling deliciously of the outdoors.  I did manage to find our bubble lights, which have been a standard ever since I was little, staring at my grandma's tree.

(they look like this, and you can get them here)  


A garland or two, some tinsel and a few boxes of ornaments I snagged from a clearance sale last January. It doesn't matter whether the regular stuff is out or not -- I'm just glad to welcome a little more Christmas into the house.

Saturday Blur

Boy, I've had better weeks.

The Mama was sick when I visited Michigan -- and the earache she contributed blossomed into a raging fever last night. I didn't get much sleep, considering the bod was hot, hot, hot, then cold, cold, cold. The fever finally broke early this morning, but I still have the other symptoms to deal with.

But...I was supposed to sing a solo tonight! We were going on a mini-vacation to Denver this weekend!

No matter. It's all cancelled, and I'm staying in bed. Well, sort of. The clothes still need to get washed, and the tree (a $10.81 bargain from Sam's) needs to be put up. Which means I have to go down to storage and dig through the huge pile of quilts there, to get to the Christmas decorations.

We are making progress. The guys working downstairs left yesterday. We have a new wall, holes are fixed, and plenty of new outlets. Now to sand down the walls and paint them, so we can start laying tile. Then I can put the cupboards up and put stuff away.  Isn't it amazing how these things layer on each other?!

Back to bed. (I'll decorate the tree and make the Sachertorte later.)  One final note: another video, "We the People," from Ray Stevens. Friend Constance, a true-blue Democrat, if there ever was one, and I were discussing the world yesterday. We may not agree on President Obama's role in all this...but we both feel there is something terribly wrong with the current system. And the sooner Congress admits to that, the faster they can start coming up with practical ways to fix it.
    Anyways, here it is:

Have a good weekend.

Amazing Lives, 2011 Deaths

It is always enlightening to look back over the changes this year...including the talented, fascinating people who've left us. Besides people like Elizabeth Taylor, James Arness and Cliff Robertson, they also included:


Arch West, inventor of Doritos. (His family planned, after he died in September, to spread his grave with a layer of the crunchy chips.)


Fred Shuttlesworth. One of Martin Luther King's colleagues, an effective civil rights activist.

Sidney Lumet. One of the finest directors never to win an Oscar.

Betty Ford, First Lady and wife of Jerry Ford, a past U.S. president. Ford was our congressman for decades in Michigan, with a reputation for honesty and upright dealings. He endured decades of ridicule, based on great part on his decision to pardon Richard Nixon. I am glad the pendulum is now swinging back to respect for this thoughtful, intelligent man. His wife was just as interesting.


Frank Buckles. What, this name isn't familiar? He was the last documented survivor of the WWI soldiers, buried, fittingly enough, in Arlington. Aged 110.

Geraldine Ferraro. The first woman to run for Vice President on a major ticket -- in 1984, with Walter Mondale.

And, of course, Moammar Gadaffi and Osama Bin Laden.

Memorable, all.

Bakin' and Shakin'...

It's been a beautiful day -- at least it looked beautiful, from the fogged-over windows. The guys downstairs have been banging away enthusiastically, fueled in part by the sugar cookies I've been taking down to them.

The basement is starting to look like an office again. We've got clean walls, electrical outlets, even doors and repaired pipes! It looks wonderful.

Unfortunately, the kitchen is a mess. Charley is wearing a mustache of flour, on top of the mud. (The snow is melting. He runs through it, anyways.) Good old Charles has made friends with the work guys -- he'll chase the local squirrels into the trees, and the men will peg snowballs into the trees to get the squirrels out...so Charley can chase them again! Not that he knows what to do with them, if he ever manages to catch one. The Brick saw him corner one on the deck late one night, only to have the squirrel cuss Charley out, using every insult possible, then TAKE OFF while our valiant watchdog stood there and processed things.
     Ah well. At least he -- and the guys -- like my cookies. They're made from an old family recipe handed down by my grandma, who got it from her grandma. (Go to the Christmas Goodies blog if you're interested! Here's the page.)

Got a Christmas tree last night. (It's on the deck, waiting for the Brick to set it up...and me to wade through a couple hundred quilts in storage, to find the decorations.) Cookies are made now, and a wreath's on the front door. A Christmas tablecloth is next.
     I've still got a ton of work to catch up on...work I had to set aside in order to solve some family things in the past few weeks. But who knows -- it may actually be starting into Christmas around here.

A Bakers' Dozen Tips For Christmas Savings - Even At the Last Minute

No bucks for Christmas presents? One of Money Saving Mom's contributors is in this position -- their budget just won't allow an extra cent spent for 'storebought' gifts. (Go here for their report.)

It makes more sense to be gradually buying small items...or saving a bit each month out of your regular budget...than come screeching up to December, and realize you've got nothing for presents.
     Unless you're a high school student, saving for college.
     Or already in school, working to pay for tuition.
     Or recently laid off.
     Or a single parent, working a hectic schedule.
     Or just trying to stay afloat, and save a bit for the future.

We've never been in the "absolutely no money" position -- but we have had several Christmases with very little to spend. One year comes immediately to mind. The Brick had just started driving a schoolbus, and I was working in the grill at Wal-Mart, in between trying to write articles, sell books and keep Brickworks going. I don't remember much about that period; I was too tired. But that holiday season has gone down in family history as the "Thrift Shop Christmas." All of our presents came from the local thrift shop-- for everyone. I was amazed at how many new things, still in the box or with tags attached, that I was able to come up with, at a fraction of their original dollar price.Those went to our family out of state; unless they read this post, they were none the wiser!
     The Brick found a beautiful sweater for me, as well as a copper bracelet and earrings I still wear. The girlies had more than their share of clothing and other goodies. All told, we spent less than $50 that year. It taught me that tightening your belt doesn't mean you can't still find Good Stuff.

I still rely on Ye Olde Thrift Shop for Christmas, including decorations (less than $5 spent during a half-price sale on garlands, lights and balls this year for Daughter #1's "blue and silver" tree) and clothes. (A $2.99 University of Michigan sweatshirt for the Brick - Go Blue!)I was surprised -- or maybe not -- to find that thrift shopping, along with garage sales and such, are favorite shopping spots for even millionaires.
     If you're going to do it, though, be picky. Very picky. On the same day as the sweatshirt, I found a $2.99 Woolrich wool shirt for the Brick that was perfect -- until I noticed the small stain and tattered edge on one side. Oops...back to the rack.

The dollar store also comes in handy -- but once again, be picky. I used to buy more items there, until I realized that they were breaking more quickly. I still buy cleaning items, brand candy and cooking stuff there -- just not brooms, toys or car accessories.

A surprising place for bargains has been the sale room at libraries. I've found everything from Sharpe DVDs (ooh, that Sean Bean!) and books on CD for a buck, to large gardening history books -- and the latest Jeffrey Archer or Stephen King novel for $2 each. Check carefully, and you'll find new or barely-used items on the shelves -- not only are they perfect for presents, but they mail cheaply too, thanks to media rate.

Obviously, you'll be able to find more if you search garage sales and thrift shops all year -- or save up gradually for purchases. (Or buy your presents, cards and decorations right after Christmas, at January clearance sales!) These tips have helped me, however, whether I'm looking Dec. 11, or eleven months earlier:

*Be fussy. Whether the garment costs 5 cents or 500 dollars, buy quality.
*Ask yourself a question at the thrift shop: would I consider paying full price for this item? If the answer is yes, then it's probably a excellent purchase.
*Keep your budget in mind at all times.  Some people split it up -- $20 or so per person -- but I find that limiting. Will you walk away from that hand-knit cashmere sweater for a dollar, just because you've already spent $20 on Grandma?
*Try hard not to buy presents for yourself.  Now is not the time.
*Keep an emergency ten or twenty on hand, for those insane bargains that occasionally appear. Some of my best long-term buys have come at times when I was short of cash.
*Use a credit card, and gain extra cash back. As long as you pay it off every month, that is.
*Do some of your shopping at the grocery or discount foods store. A basket of fresh tangerines or bouquet of carnations are always appreciated, and it's easy to combine foods for gift baskets.
*Volunteer at your local thrift shop. Not only do volunteers get first grabs, but our local store gives them a 25% discount. Books are TEN CENTS each, whether they're hardcover or paperback. Bliss to this bibliophile. (Yes, I volunteer.)
*Look for sales -- even at the thrift shop. Ours has half-price sales periodically that, combined with my volunteer discount, make items a steal.
*Buy one 'best' - versus two or more so-so's.Wouldn't you enjoy a high-quality item more than three or four mediocre ones? So would your recipients.
*Found a huge bargain...in bulk? Give it to more than one person on your list. (Trust me -- they won't care. And if they're out of state, they won't even find out you did it, unless you tell them.)
*Always check the clearance aisle. This goes for groceries, too -- a recent trip to King Soopers brought a large bag of spinach for $1.39, a bag of four pomegranates (normally $2 or so each) for $1.25, plus a threesome of microwave kettle corn for .49. (The box was damaged.)
*Think more than 'stuff.' Maybe your child would appreciate a lunch at Wendy's and an afternoon at the park, more than a pillow or backpack.  I'd much prefer coffee out with a friend, than a fancy necklace.


Don't forget to give the best present to the people on your list: your love and best wishes. They'll  treasure that rare gift long after the cake is eaten and the sweater wears out.

Filling Christmas Stockings

Only a few weeks until Christmas -- how can that be? Some rummaging in the gift closet reminds me to double-check on stocking contents. At the Brick's house, what's in the Christmas stocking is nearly as important as what's under the tree. I spend much of the year hunting for little goodies for the Brick and the girlies, as well as Angel's long-time boyfriend Keith.
    This year, I tried something new for the Mama's stocking. Since I was going to be there early, because of my uncle's funeral, I brought her stocking and contents with -- but this time, I got enough that she could open one present a day, with a pile still left for Christmas morning. She has been giving her grandchildren a December's worth of presents (one little one a day); now she can enjoy it, too.

An earlier post will tell you what I look for in stocking stuffers. Plump Stocking has some wonderful ideas...but even better are the many stories that explain why people choose what they do. (Usually it's based on an event or memory in past years, remembered again with affection.)

Life As Mom also has some good stocking stuffer suggestions, with links to recipes for homemade bath salts and peppermint hot cocoa. (The latter brings back memories of Sheilah Graham's Beloved Infidel, the story of her life, including her great love, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Graham lived in an orphanage for years, and loved chocolate -- but rarely got any. She solved the problem by swiping handfuls of cocoa and sugar from the kitchen's stock, hiding them in her bloomers, then chewing them together. Gritty, but satisfying, if you can't get your hands on the bar stuff, I guess.)


I can't tell you much about the girlies' stocking contents -- they read this blog now and then, the stinkers! But they're big fans of imported cookies, chocolates and drinks. Whenever I find those on sale, I buy a couple and stash them away. A gift card or two may also find its way in, as well.

Warming Up...

Our snow is melting fast -- it's been in the 40s and 50s. But no worries -- another storm is scheduled to roar in on Wednesday!

Spent most of the day today helping out at a Seniors Luncheon with our small group. I played piano while they started coming in...helped serve food...then played again for Christmas carols and afterwards. After taking down the tables and putting back the chairs with our friends, I did errands, trudged home...

And turned right around to head back to church for Worship Team practice. Then the Saturday night service. 

Tomorrow will be more of same...except TWO church services to do. Then luckily, we can eat Sunday dinner, collapse and take a long, luxurious nap. Sounds lovely.

No Christmas decorations up yet, but we did indulge in a few of our favorite holiday movies: Die Hard, Die Hard 2 (hey, parts of it were filmed in Colorado, including Breckenridge, an old church near Denver, and Stapleton airport in Denver!) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (also parts filmed in Colorado - also Breck, to be exact). All that fuss and bother seemed to fit in nicely with this odd week.

Hopefully the coming days will be much more peaceful.

Life Changes Fast

I had plans for how this weekend was going to go...now it's all different.

My uncle Dean went into the hospital a few days ago for pancreatitis -- but sepsis (infection) set in, went into his brain, and started shutting major organs down.
    He died this morning.

A 6:15 a.m. flight to Michigan is in tomorrow's picture now, and time spent with the Mama and my family there while they try to pick themselves back up and figure what's going on.

The only real good thing about it is being there to celebrate my brother's birthday on Dec. 4.

Back in touch in a few days. 

Bang, Crash, Boom!

The good news: there are guys working right now in the basement! Yes, the Brickworks dungeon may soon turn out to be a business area again -- I've got my fingers crossed! Ken Knopp and his team are also putting in a couple sets of new outlets perfect for classes and demos. They're installing a 'floating' wall in front of the concrete one, and fixing up the pipes that have caused us so much misery (not to mention lost fabric) in the past six months.
     They say about it  two weeks of strange bangs and sawing noises. Now the bad news: the insurance still is denying our claim. That means we pay out of our pockets right now -- and again when we pay the lawyer to bring the case to court. I wish they were listening...

Ever try to find boxes of Christmas ornaments in a storage space that already has a few hundred quilts and quilt tops jammed on top? I turned up a few wreaths and lengths of holly garland. Hopefully the rest will appear soon. 

We're waiting it out for a huge snowstorm that's supposed to hit tonight. All I know: we had a huge red sunrise ("red in the morning, sailors take warning"), and now the sunset is just as spectacular. ("red at night, sailors delight.") So what am I supposed to do with that?!?

A Flash Mob Hits DIA!

It happened on Nov. 22 of this month at the Denver International Airport
     ...if you enjoy Swing, you'll like this one.

Interesting Oddities

The guy who returned money he stole -- back in the Forties.

The lady who insists on dressing like the Brontes. Yes, you read that right -- as in Charlotte Bronte.

Some very freaky Black Friday incidents at Wal-Marts across the country. (All I know is our Castle Rock Wal-Mart was allllmmmost there, based on what we experienced that night.)

Len Penzo gets very number-y.

And a lovely candy cane sky, courtesy of The Frugal Girl.

A Very, Very Funny Video (For Us Geezers, That Is)

Ever think you're the only one who has trouble figuring out this computer business?

Nope! (And the Huffmans do just fine, eventually...)

Want A Million Dollars?

(Australian, that is.)

Some guy in tropical shorts and a "singlet" (whatever that is) left a battered suitcase stuffed with cash in a Sydney restaurant. According to witnesses, he then got nervous and left suddenly, leaving the suitcase behind.
    The police have no idea what's going on here. I'd guess drugs -- but hye, if you have a plausible explanation (or can prove ownership), I'm guessing the money is yours!

Tuesday - Stuff Continued

What's up with me? I wander off, take a lick at this job, wander back, finish up that one, return and finish up this one...just restless, I guess. And the mind is going a bunch of different directions, including:

*Wishing (or maybe not) we'd run into Prince Harry. He was apparently partying in Las Vegas the same time we were. He even went to a Cirque du Soleil performance...though not the one we did. Too bad -- he would have enjoyed the nakey people carpet. 


*Is there a way to give TOO much? Liz Weston thinks so. (I confess that we have seen this happen, too. Friends that we tried to help out long-term turned right around and took advantage of it, even stealing money before they disappeared. They are no longer friends, sadly.)


*ElfYourself is back, courtesy of Office Max and Jibjab. This is an incredibly fun and silly way to tease your favorite people -- by superimposing their faces on elves who boogie to disco, or in the case of Daughters, jump to funk. This year, they even sing! Use the link provided to see what's possible...and start your own. (Yes girlies, you can kill me now.)

Ah well. Thanksgiving's only a few days away...maybe that's good. Considering the amount of stuff I still need to get done beforehand, maybe it's bad!

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff

Whoo hoo -- after three tries, I have passed the USPAP appraisers exam! It was needed for me to feel confident writing donation appraisals for the IRS -- but even better, it's a big part of my taking -- and certifying -- to become a general personal property appraiser. I've been 'doing' textiles and related items ever since 1999. This new certification means I can actively head toward appraising everything that isn't nailed down: furniture, glassware, paper and such.
   ( Ok -- not Newt Gingrich. Or any of the Occupy Denver protestors, who are showing every sign of staying put through the winter.)
    This whole process has been a revelation -- I hadn't failed an exam since nearly flunking out of high school geometry class back in the mid-1970s. It wasn't that I didn't know what I was doing -- it was much more that I didn't know the vocabulary USPAP used for the same actions. Instead of mentally arguing with that glossary every time I tried to use it, finally sat down and just memorized phrase after phrase after PHRASE. That, and being able to study what I'd already tested on, helped immensely.
    Thank God. I mean that - literally.

MORE STUFF, ETC.

*Funky Junk Interiors gives us one last look at fall colors and textures. (Not that they're happening around here. Our trees are stripped bare, due to the windstorms lately.)


*This girl and her family gave up eating out for a month -- and gained some unexpected benefits. (Eating just from your pantry and freezer, or resolving not to spend any money past the critical stuff, can change your life, too. Going without cable's been an eye-opener for us.)

*You can make $200,000 a year with no education or experience...just be a miner in Australia. (Don't miss the next post, either, on the financial pro who lost his own house! We're supposed to hire him because he now Has Learned From His Experience. Kind of like rehiring a babysitter who 'just happened' to misplace your kids for a few hours.)

*A British grandma wishes her nocturnal groper would leave her alone. Only problem: he's a ghost.


* It's pies this week on the Christmas Goodies blog! (Yum)

And The Nester is advocating a "fuss-less" Thanksgiving table.

Hope your Thanksgiving week is shaping up nicely. (And congratulations to online friend Marcie, who just gained a new baby granddaughter!)

Friends and Influences

The Mama called, with a surprising message -- one of my high school teachers had a massive stroke, and never really regained consciousness. Her husband has had Alzheimer's for years now, and it is doubtful how much he understands.

Maxine Garland Schut was my English teacher. She taught the basics like English comp -- but I reveled most in her elective classes, meaty stuff like Shakespeare and satire. She was tough -- didn't take any crap. And she insisted on knowing - and using properly - a wider range of vocabulary than we cretins generally subsisted on.

I was a voracious reader before meeting her, but her classes gave me 'permission' in a way to explore more. She probed, asked questions, forced you to defend your opinions. (And praised you when you did, successfully!) She gave me a love for the Bard that endures to this day. (It was actually one of the things the Brick and I shared in common from the first we met...that, plus Gilbert & Sullivan.) 

Would I have written for publication without her influence? Become a teacher myself? I think so...but who knows. She inspired this little farm girl to reach to things I'd only dared to dream of, things like grad school and books with my name on them. I am better for having known her.

Turns out that she influenced many people during her thirty-three years of teaching at Sparta High School in Michigan. You can meet her, too, via her obituary.

Thank you, Mrs. Schut, for pouring yourself into your students. I am so grateful you did.

More on Life

Charley the dog is very, very glad we're back from the days in Vegas -- he follows me around, and makes desperate attempts to sneak into the car, if we go anywhere. The neighbors spoiled him rotten -- they actually hauled out one of Daughter #2's beanbag chairs (one that got wet during the basement caper) for him to sleep on. So now he snoozes on a leopard print pouf, up high so he can see more of what's going on. I swear he's even a little bit fatter. (These are good neighbors.)

I finished taking the USPAP appraiser's exam! God willing, I passed it...but I won't know for at least a week yet. It is so nice not to be studying about appraisal reviews, summaries and restricted use. Now on to the other things I'm supposed to be working on...

Las Vegas really was a welcome break. I don't think we acted like their typical visitor, though -- we didn't gamble. Not a cent. We generally only ate one meal a day...and that was at a buffet. (Try Main Street Station -- $8.99 for breakfast or lunch, and that includes whatever you're drinking. They'll validate your parking, too.)

We went to one show -- just one. Cirque du Soleil was great...except the only show we could get tickets for was their 'sexy' one, Zumanity. Other than a huge series of inane jokes about sex, most of the time the sexy part was that the women went topless. The effect was less than mesmerizing: I kept thinking, 'how come the guys aren't stripping down as much?' And quite frankly, the women just looked cold. They would have been sexier if they'd kept their clothes on...
    The gymnastics were great. Lighting and music - fabulous. And at interesting intervals, some pipes from the ceiling spouted out 'rose petals' onto the audience. Parts of the show were truly great -- but more of it was just waiting for the sex jokes to die down. And sadly, those jokes sounded like they came from a junior high school boys locker room. Come on, Cirque...where's the classiness you're so famous for? 

We also took a long day to head for Hoover Dam (about 30 min. drive away) and the Grand Canyon (4 hours). The Brick is an engineer by training, and was fascinated by the Dam tour. (Frankly, I enjoyed it, too.) You get a very-close-up look at the system's tunnels, turbines, and of course, that huge, famous wall that was constructed by pouring load after load of concrete back in the 1930s. Hoover Dam is really quite old in the parlence of construction, yet it still is producing an incredible amount of energy. It has already paid back all the costs of construction, and is now supporting itself, just by the energy it can produce from flooding the turbines with water from Lake Mead.
    You can also have an incredible amount of fun talking about all the Dam things you can do there, from visiting the Dam store and spending time in the Dam exhibits. (Oh, and sending Dam postcards to your family!) Not to mention our Dam guide's accent and voice had an unnerving resemblance to the Church Lady...

We had so much fun there that we got started late to the Grand Canyon. And got there just as it was getting dark. (Hey, I can tell you what the ranger station and the pine grove around it looks like in the dark!) Note to selves: Arizona is on Pacific time -- and you not only lose an hour going there, you lose an hour of daylight. Quit fooling around with all those Dam subjects next time, and leave earlier.

It wasn't a total loss. One of the reasons for making the trip was to check on a good friend who was working nearby in Williams. (He's been sick. We were worried.) We had supper with him before driving back to Vegas; thankfully, he's doing much better.

It was a long day...and we had to be at the airport at 6 a.m. the next morning, to catch our plane home. But it -- and the whole trip -- were worth it.  I'm looking forward to the next thirty years with the Brick - he's a wonderful guy. 


Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Where Did All the Lights Go?

It seemed strangely dark outside last night. Guess I'd gotten used to the blaze of glory that is Las Vegas 24 hours a day. (The Hoover Dam guide said, tellingly, "We provide less than 1% of the power that Las Vegas uses." To which my beady mind replied, "Yeah, and you're one of the biggest sources of power in the U.S. How much exactly DOES Vegas use?" But I stayed quiet...)

We got home and promptly took a nap. Today, I am in the final throes of taking yet another crack at the USPAP exam -- will be back in touch shortly. Including a Full Report on the trip. Promise.

Las Vegas, Part 2

On to the Grand Canyon this morning! We saw Cirque du Soleil last night, at the New York New York theater -- another item off my bucket list. They were amazing, though we both could have used about triple the acrobatics and a third of the dancing. (Weird side note: the carpet design in the theater was full of naked cherubs and other human types - ahem - all mixed together! Especially strange when viewed from the cheap seats: one poor lady got her face walked on all night.)

Husband is chafing at the bit. On to the Canyon. More tonight.

Las Vegas, Baby!

We have a wonderful room 21 floors up at the Luxor -- I've been having fun watching planes fly by! The windows are angled, so it feels a bit like we're in a French garret. (Don't all attic rooms in France have angled windows, according to the movies? Go see American in Paris or La Boheme, so I can prove it...) Except our French garret has comfortable beds, a television and lots of weird fake 'Egyptian' stuff. The armoire has hieroglyphics, and we've got a weird slab of 'stone' on the wall with 'wall paintings' on it.

While I'm getting my wits about me, take a look at this interesting post -- international workers who make reasonably good money here, but don't spend it and become the equivalent of millionaires when they get back home. Fascinating. And way different from the people parked in front of slots here.

More in a bit. 

So This One IS True...

The Swiss freighter Cassarate, nearly sank in 1972, after its cargo of tapioca started cooking and its weight threatened to buckle the ship's steel plate. As the article pointed out, where do you go to offload 50 truckloads of tapioca?


Hmmm...add a few truckloads of sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and...

The New Orleans Mystery UFO...Isn't

The puzzle of the UFO filmed during a recent football game has been solved.

Turns out that the NFL game photographer does some of his work in time-lapse photography! So what appeared to be a rod-shaped object with lights streaking across the background was...

a commercial jet.

Oh pooh. And it looked so convincing, too.

(See the original report here.)

Money Cache Found!

An elderly widow hid money all over her Florida home. After her death, a plumber found $20,000 in an airduct...and turned the money in. Read all about it here.

I keep looking around our house -- but it was always owned by people with large families. (We technically have 7 bedrooms here at Chez Brick.)  I'd guess they didn't have any extra cash to hide!

A Reminder...

...that not everyone gets to even think about holiday goodies.

This special report details what many poor Haitians are eating to fill their stomachs:

mud cookies.

Dirt, a little shortening, salt, water and maybe a little sugar. That's it.

And the women who are selling them are paying high prices for the dirt, said to come from the mountains. (I wonder.) A big sack of dirt? $5.

Go here for the full report. 

Weird Monday

Strange things are wandering around the Internet today. For example:


*The guy who was living on food stamps in August -- and now is bragging on a $75,000 job he got at a few days notice. (Oh yes, he admits to still being $50,000 in debt. No doubt he's actively paying it down now. Right.) Not sure where to go next on this -- we should ALL go out and do likewise??

*A piece of Saddam Hussein's famous statue (the one that was toppled) was auctioned off in September...a piece of his butt. (The seller, a former British soldier, says that choice was totally random. Sure.)

*That's not the end. (smirk)  Perhaps you'd enjoy reading a new novel about Empress Theodora, who gave a whole new emphasis to the phrase "she slept her way to the top." This one's puzzling, too. So we're supposed to admire her because she had spunk and spirit -- and knew how to influence lots of lovers?? The reviewer sure spends lots of time burbling away about her courage, etc. (Funny - integrity is not on the compliment list.)

*Or perhaps you'd prefer the heartwarming tale of the woman who attacked her elderly father because he wouldn't share his potato salad. 

*And the Russian who gives family living a whole new meaning -- he scavenged 29 corpses from various graveyards, dressed them up and positioned them all around his apartment. (Maybe he needed partners for canasta?)

One more thing: 
*There's a naked guy wandering around Dulles Airport -- but don't worry. He's not a threat.

Makes me grateful for things like dirty clothes and household chores -- at least they make sense. I learned a new trick today: if you've got problems with a spot or two of mildew on your walls (especially in your bathroom), try this: spray it with a 50/50 mixture of bleach and water. (Use one of those fragranced bleaches for a nicer smell -- mine was "clean linen.") Let dry, then wash off with regular water. Solves the problem in a snap! Be sure to remove towels, rugs and other textiles first, though, and stay out of the way of any backsplash or vapor -- bleach spots could spot your clothes.

Husband surprised me with breakfast in bed this morning -- the sweetheart. Guess he realized I was pooped, too. His selection: a sausage-stuffed omelet...and a piece of leftover pizza. The breakfast of champions! 

Dead Tarred And...

Just finished the last gig of the year, appraising at Holly's Quilt Cabin in nearby Centennial. (Hi guys! I had a great time -- thank you for all your help!) Tore home, just in time to catch the tail end of the Brick's song at church...then went and stood by the missions committee table for the outreach fair at church. I took care of some other matters, and by the time I got home, the Brick in tow, I realized:


I am just plum tuckered out.  When people say similar stuff, I can relate.

Still some appraisals to go out from yesterday's gig -- some bills to send -- some other writing to do. Even some appraising to do here at home. But I think I will generally lay a bit low this week. Get a few hours of needed sleep. Maybe even read a book or two! We've got another storm moving in tomorrow night; it may be the perfect opportunity to just stay at home and get stuff done here.

Also, both daughters are saying they're heading here tomorrow night to celebrate my September birthday. (I was in Michigan, with the Mama, at the time.)

Sounds wonderful. 

Sunshine

Storm's over -- for the day-long break it gave us, it was a lovely one. I am now caught up on Fringe's second season, and starting into The Walking Dead. (Do you think the latter is a big reason why zombies were so popular at Halloween this year?)

For other oddities, check out this UFO inadvertently caught during an NFL Foorball game -- what do you think it is?

Brrr.....

Boy oh boy, is it chilly around here. When we went to Small Group last night, it was cold, but dry. By the time we got out, only a few hours later, an inch of snow was on the ground!
    We had a heck of a time driving home, too. The Jeep, thanks to a hunting mishap, is down to two-wheel-drive only, and just couldn't quiiiite make it up on the easier hill to the house. (We have a steeper alternative that is often used by the neighborhood kids for sledding on a day like this.) The Brick had to give the Cherokee a not-so-loving push just to get it to the stop sign, then down the hill to home.

    Woke up to 8 inches of snow on the ground, and lots of drifting. No school. Which means, since the Brick works for the Douglas County school system,  an automatic paid vacation day -- whoo hoo! He's been having fun eating pancakes and playing rude videos, like this telling "Obama Budget Plan" one by Ray Stevens. (Ouch. Maybe TOO close to the truth. But hey, let's ALL follow the guvment plan!) 


    We'll have a fire and Mexican food for supper. Staying close to home today.

Sylvia Plath Revisited

This American-turned-Brit poet is best known for her last group of Ariel poems...and her suicide. I have always preferred her fiction and nonfiction writing, instead; she was a brilliant essayist. Even her letters home to her family,  filled with notes about home decorating, picking daffodils and making strudel along with poems and manuscripts submitted, have a crinkly aliveness to them that is a pleasure.

Now her daughter Freida Hughes, a good writer in her own right, has brought out a collection of Sylvia's drawings. Take a look at the slideshow -- a sample of Sylvia's work is below.

As the article points out, Sylvia would have turned 79 a day or so ago. What a waste of an incredible talent.

"The Pleasure of Odds and Ends" by Sylvia Plath

Fifteen Worst Movie Mistakes

Check out this not-meant-to-be-funny-but-is slideshow of some of moviedom's stupidest mistakes. Side-switching moles, windows that magically repair themselves...but my favorite is the guy with white t-shirt, hat and sunglasses seen for a moment behind Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. Oops!

A'Hunting, We Are Done

...with no furry animal accompanying us home. The Brick and Daughter #2 got shots at a gawky young buck, who just stood there while they were shooting at him. (Saying "Duh," according to D#2.) And a smarter, much larger buck, who took off during the shooting, then surprised the pop out of D#2, who'd tracked him around the hill, and expected him to keep going. She couldn't get a shot off again before he'd loped off.
    Ah well. They were shooting at 500 yards, which is Really Far.
We had a strange mix of environments. The first half of the week was dry and almost warm. (Didn't see a thing, except for two moose, a fox and a boatload of chipmunks.) The second part of the week began with a two-foot fall of snow and temperatures that plunged. Saw more animals, particularly toward the end of the week -- but still not at many as hoped for.  We saw few animals hanging in camps, and the hunters we talked to had also seen few animals, except for the very last day or two. Where did they go -- Florida??
    And no elk. Not one. (According to D#2, they have cloaking devices, a la Star Trek.)

Top that off with waking up to see your breath pluming out in a cloud in the camper. (Temps ranged from -12 to a high of 26, until almost the last day.) The first cup of coffee suddenly becomes necessary for fighting off frostbite, and wet boots (not to mention a wet sleeping bag, which I had nearly all week) become a Big Problem.
    It's either mud or snow -- or mud underneath the snow. An outfitter's tent, which the Brick had offered to bring out for a fellow worker, was found crushed and useless, the broken tent poles poking up through the fabric. We crashed through the ruts, and slid up steep trails, the mud on the wheels competing with the mud on the roads. More often than not, the Jeep needed to get chained up to make it up. (Not hills, for those of you further back east -- mountains. We camped at 8000 ft, and most of the hunting went as high as 10,200 ft. What are termed "mountains" back east are speed bumps, Colorado-style.)
    Then the denoument -- the Jeep broke down while we were there. Thankfully, the Brick and D#2 were able to nurse it to Silverthorne to have the left front axle replaced. ($450 and change.) It still needs the front drive shaft, which will enable four-wheel drive again. (At least another $350, plus whatever it costs to get it installed.)

But that doesn't mention what we did enjoy about the trip: being together, and talking as much as we wanted. Incredible scenery, with often a wall of fog that heralded the day and gradually faded out of the valley as the mountains sharpened in detail. No business worries for any of us -- and time to study and make plans.
    I loved that.

   I also loved going to the hot springs (Hot Sulphur Springs resort was on our way home). Taking that first luxurious hot shower, and sleeping in my own bed. Waking up to the smell of hot coffee (which I didn't have to boil in a greasy pan) and Charley le chien bouncing around. Reading the paper and chatting to the Brick nearby, toes warm. Being back online.
   All good things, too.

The 'waterfall' pool was incredible at the Hot Sulphur Springs resort, with a dozen-plus more pools to choose from. Try it with a snowbank nearby, and your nose wrinkling in the cold air...aaahhh.

A-Hunting We Will Go

The Brick and Daughter #2, with yours truly in tow, are headed out to the wilds of Colorado. Hopefully in a week we will be bringing home a few hairy friends for dinner!

It will be snowing at least a few days next week, but we've got a camper and plenty of canned beef stew to keep us warm.  (Plus you never change clothes, anyways -- just add a few layers on top.)

I am not sure about the internet status in the boonies. We might be able to pick up some wifi, but who knows. (Bear with me if I don't post much -- it's not from being a slacker.)

Have a good weekend yerself, and enjoy this lovely fall weather.

Little Secrets

All of us have our little odd quirks, stuff that may surprise even ourselves -- if we let ourselves admit it!

I have a confession to make.

I am a huge fan of gollowing all the various and sundry ways Lindsay Lohan can get herself into trouble. TMZ's the best place to watch; so far, 'ol Linds has gotten drunk, done drugs (and hung out with people who do), shoplifted, and picked fights with everything from celebrities to the poor aide at the Betty Ford clinic who tried to give her a breathalyzer test. (Our Heroine tried to sneak back in from a drinking session, and got caught.)

Currently she's in really big trouble -- she went back to court, after flunking out of her community service requirement. Boy, was the judge ticked. Now Lindsay's set to volunteer at the morgue, every day until her Nov. 2 court hearing, she says, to prove that she really means to complete her probation. Otherwise, she's probably headed back to jail. Go here for the latest.

Oh, and she also wears really cute clothes.

I know. This is a sick hobby. 

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

It's been a long week in the neighborhood. I've been manning the insurance office of friends who are on vacation in Florida. Decs, deletes, additions, payments -- it's been surprisingly busy. Tomorrow is more of same, including working on a website. So apologies for being quiet; I'm still here, but just haven't been able to access my blog. More soon.

It's Beautiful Here in the Desert

The 'barn' where I'm staying with Joline and Neil is surrounded by sage, cactus, brush..and a heck of a lot of sand. Mountains ring the horizon all around, and in the morning, the sky is a clear, clean blue above. Sure, it's been hot during the day: 90 degrees today. But at night, it cools down and a million stars come out to join the moon. It's full, and the coyotes know it -- they've been yipping and howling all evening.

Once you get used to the idea of less grass and more cactus, it's a lovely place here. Incredibly peaceful, and not much light. (The observatory up in the mountains requires shielded lights, when there are any. Mostly, the roads around here in Tucson are just. plain. dark.)

I've been having a great time with the members of the Tucson Quilters Guild. I've rarely been treated with more generosity and kindness than here, and it's been a balm. Tomorrow, a class full of students and yours truly will be wading through a bunch of ways to make a little Crazy. Not to mention act like one.

It's late; hopefully the coyotes have gone on their way. I'll trot out to the Jeep, grab more fabrics for the kits...then get some sleep.

Postscript: Do not read about scary Bigfoot encounters before heading outside to the car late at night, with a full moon making everything eerie. Be sure to wear sandals, even if it just looks like nice soft ground out there. You will find every sandburr the hard way, otherwise.

 Don't ask how I know.

Getting Ready for Tucson...And Hunting

I may be packing Crazy kits for the gig in Arizona...but the Brick's heart is already out in Silverthorne, looking for that "turdy point buck." He and friend Tommy are going to have female company this year -- both girlies and yours truly are already planning to go. (We'll leave just a few days after I get back.) Tommy enjoys bossing the "women" around -- I said I'd cook supper and breakfast for him, but he'd have to make his own darn sandwiches. Poor baby.
    Hopefully it won't degenerate into the second week of deer camp.

   In the meantime, if you're near Tucscon, I'd love to have you join me! Two lectures on "Quilts With Secrets," plus two different classes on Crazy quiltmaking -- take a gander at the Tucscon Quilt Guild's website for more.

Brrr....

The wind has been roaring around the house all day, bringing in a storm -- and a freeze. Daughter #2 said it's been snowing at her cabin in the mountains. I wouldn't be surprised if we got some this weekend, too.
    I went out and stripped the garden -- the squash must have had 20 little guys on the vine, and still valiantly trying to produce. (Hopefully they are not conspiring with the mint to throw us off the property.) Total count on squash: approx. 20 big ones, and 30 little ones. All this from four plants!
    I also got a third of a colander of green beans in various sizes. Chopped them and the little squash up, dumped them in boiling water to blanch, then quickly drained them. Packed in quart bags for the freezer, they'll make a nice addition to vegetable soups this winter.
    Must have done a little too much, though, because the fever's back again. I need to get this flu under control before teaching next week. A good friend brought over a kettle of chicken soup, with celery, onion, carrot and a surprising punch of fresh basil. We've been living on it for the past few days while I try to rest up between chores.
     Comfort food sounds so good, while it's this blowsy. This blogger has some great ideas. I'm also a big fan of chuck steak or round steak, sliced and a can of mushroom soup added, along with a can of milk or water. (Wine's good, too.) Add any veggies you want (like squash!) and cook on low in  your crockpot for 5-8 hours. Delicious with mashed potatoes.

Yet Another Look At UGRR's 'Quilt Code'

In case, you're wondering, that stands for the "quilt code" that Jacqueline Tobin's book, Hidden in Plain View, promoted -- that slaves stitched motifs and designs in quilts that specifically pointed out escape routes via the Underground Railroad.

     A wonderful story. I wish it were true.

Unfortunately, far too many societies and groups (including the National Park Service) were quick to leap onto the idea, without fact-checking. Another group, the Powers That Be in Nashville, TN, approved a public art project (proposed by an Iowa artist) that would have slapped 'quilt code' motifs down the side of a public bridge. Fortunately, quilt historians found out in time to protest -- now the bridge will just have traditional quilt motifs, without the UGRR connection.

A similar problem happened in New York City, with the planned installation of a statue of Frederick Douglass -- displayed on a foundation of 'quilt code' motifs. (The motifs have been scrapped, but Douglass's statue has been finished and is on display.)

Tobin and her colleague, Raymond Dobard, protest that the book was based on one family's recollections. (Actually, one elderly lady's - who may or may not have made up the story in order to sell more quilts. That lady died before the book even came out.) If it were true for one family, then wouldn't it technically be true -- period?? (Tobin said something similar to me once, when I sat next to her at a book signing.)
     The struggle that historians have with the idea can be explained in one word: EVIDENCE. There are no extant quilts that support the theory. (On the other hand, they would have just looked like sampler quilts, with nothing to suggest that they meant anything.) Although I have seen at least two oral accounts that may be referring to 'quilts in code,' the allusions are sparse and vague. Nowhere is there a strong, provable piece of evidence that "quilt codes" were actually used. (Read Barbara Brackman's take on the subject here -- thanks, Barbara, for mentioning this.)
     Tobin and Dobard have not helped their case with the illustrations chosen for Hidden in Plain View: several of the motifs chosen (including the Sailboat and Dresden Plate) weren't even made during the Civil War period! (At least not one quilt, so far, has surfaced with those patterns from that time period, even though they were designated as important symbols, according to the book. When I mentioned this to Jacqueline, she said, "Oh, I didn't choose those -- my editor did." Huh?)

One thing gives me pause -- the testimony of Cuesta Benberry. She was an thoughtful, educated historian who felt there was something to the "quilt codes" theory.  According to Cuesta, Hidden in Plain View actually had a great deal more evidence that couldn't be fit into the book, due to space. She also said to me once, "If it's true for one family, wouldn't it be considered true?"

    My respect for Cuesta, now gone, doesn't let me dismiss this fascinating theory -- but I'd take any 'stories' about it with more than a grain of salt.

Decorating for Halloween - Or Not

Less than a week before leaving for Tucson -- too bad the flu hasn't got the message yet. It comes, it goes. And in between, I try to get stuff done.

    But one thing on the list, so far, is NOT Halloween decorating. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it; trick-or-treating was a happy part of my childhood, and the girlies also enjoyed it when they were little.
    The Brick, however, has been uneasy about Halloween's witchly origins (not that I can't say I wasn't, too). He feels so strongly about this that we stopped decorating more than a decade ago. Pumpkins and autumn stuff, yes. But no cobwebs, no black, no skeletons.

    A shame, because there are really some clever ideas out there right now -- like this front door/porch array. Or Ms. Golightly's take on Halloween decor, a la thrift shop. (No wonder Halloween is becoming one of the resale market's hottest holidays.)
     Not to mention the chance to act like a zombie.
    On Halloween night, we'll stay home to hand out candy (and often watch a scary movie). But that's the extent of it. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad -- at least we admit we're home.

And as Aunt Purl points out, it's less than 80 days to Christmas.

Fall-ing in Love Here in Colorado

Our recent cooler temps have produced a flood of fall colors. In Colorado, it's not the heartbreaking reds and bright oranges Michigan and other states produce -- but we get more than our share of glorious soft oranges and bright golds, with a touch now and then of red thrown in. Add in the mountains and huge banks of wheeling puffy clouds, and you've got a Fall to love.
    Lordy, I am fond of this time of year. Not too hot, not really that cold, shatteringly lovely. And a bit serene -- the football games have started up again (Go Blue! Michigan beat Minnesota 58-0!), there's no push for the holidays yet, and things have calmed down some. I can snuggle with the Brick an hour or two without feeling too guilty. And there are days to stay home and get work done. (Yes, the flu is hanging on some...but I do feel better.)
    One more week, then leaving for the Tucson Quilt Guild in Arizona. The classes are all Crazy; one's nearly full, but the other has some spots left. If you're interested, let them know! (You can reach them via the Brickworks schedule page.)
     Hope you're enjoying your own Fall weather. Take it now -- you-know-what is coming soon.

P.S.

An addendum to the Stuff I've Learned today -- the most amazing writing on sacrificing for all the right reasons: love for your family. Don't miss this article from Merlin, the same guy who hangs out at 43 Folders: "Cranking."

Yes, it's that good. And not just because I'm sick, either. 

A Musical Interlude

Maybe it's the flu, but this version of Mac Davis' Poor Boy Boogie is just amazing!

Listen to it here, and see what you think. (The Muppet version, featuring multiple Beakers, brought me to the song. After all, Mac mentions "eefing along" in the original version. It's "meep," Mac..."meep!")

Paul Pilgrim Honored

Paul Pilgrim's Dresden Garden quilt has received an honor! Here's the notice:

    "Recently I was notified that the Cotton Council International, a non- profit organization that promotes the export of U.S. cotton, has chosen Paul Pilgrims “Dresden Garden Quilt’’ as the quilt to represent their new PR campaign. Their theme, ‘’American Quilts ‘’ Cotton US.

The new campaign targets China as well as all other countries in order to stimulate trade with the U.S.

“Dresden Garden” is in the collection of The National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Ky. It was chosen out of the entire collection by the Cotton Council representatives.

Needless to say I am thrilled and can only imagine how he would feel. After fifteen years he is still contributing and obviously his work is still meaningful.

I had to share this with everyone who knew him and with everyone else as well.

Gerald Roy"   

Good for you, Paul! And good for you too, Jerry, since I know your work often influenced and accented each other. The words 'Pilgrim/Roy Collection' are an honor any textile would be proud to wear.    

   This quilt is from Paul's posthumous sampler book, Blending the Old & New: Quilts by Paul D. Pilgrim, co-authored by his partner, Gerald Roy. An amazing book, both for working with antique blocks (Paul incorporated them into his work, adding antique and modern fabrics as needed) and for expanding on the sampler style. The book's been out for years, but is still breaking new design grounds. One of the most inspiring quilt titles I've ever read...and continue to learn from.

I have to admit, though: my heart still belongs to another quilt from the same book, Paul's Old Blocks Expanded, shown below:

LOVE the positive/negative setting here. (The secret is in treating the sashing the same as the 'plain' squares, including quilting them to resemble Nine Patch blocks. See my variation on this, "Golden Years," in Quilts of the Golden West.)
     Paul's life was cut tragically short; we're lucky to have his quilts to learn from, but I still wish that he was around. It would be fascinating to see his latest work!