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| first machine quilted square |
Friday afternoon a friend of mine came over with her portable sewing machine and proceeded to teach me how to *machine quilt*. I've been reading a quilting mystery series by Clare O'Donohue, and it has renewed my interest in quilting. I did hand quilt a valence for our upstairs guest bedroom a few years ago and 'almost' finished hand quilting a queen sized quilt for the bed. However, I got frustrated with the tiny hand stitches (too tedious) and it has been sitting in my closet unfinished since. So I thought maybe I'm not cut out for the hand stuff... and should give the machine a chance. To be honest, it was incredibly easy... after getting past the fear of this complicated looking machine (I've never used a sewing machine, can you tell?). These squares were just some pieces of extra material that apparently quilters have an abundance of. I may put the batting on and the backing and then keep this square as a reminder of my 'first attempt'.
BTW, I think I mentioned that our next door neighbors of almost 30 years have decided to sell their home and move to either a retirement community (very large upscale community built around a golf course and country club) or possibly to Austin to be closer to their daughter. Well, their home sold and they closed on the sale yesterday so I guess they are actually going through with this. It will be sad for us to see them go as they are good friends and neighbors and we will miss them. But since they are newly retired, they feel it is the right time.
DH and I talked about this and decided that it certainly wasn't the time for us. We are content to stay right where we are for the time being. Things are changing fast around us... grandkids growing up - grandson had his first high school football game where he got to be on the field with the marching band last night (hadn't been to a HS football game in 'like forever' and it was kind of fun, youngest grand daughter having her first birthday soon, etc. I'm afraid that DH and I are not 'active people'.... not 'socially inclined'.... spend more time alone or with family or close friends, like our personal space? Whatever... maybe the time will come when a change is necessary, but definitely not now.
High School Band
Grandson is in the middle third from top with the large baritone sax...
I have to admit that even though I like to live a 'slow pace' for the most part, I do enjoy keeping busy and occasionally find it hard to 'keep up'. However, as far as retirement goes, the best part is waking up to knowing that I don't have to do anything if I don't want to today. DH and I have settled into our own routines and although there are occasions when we have to move out of our comfort zones for whatever reason, it has worked out fairly well.
Plans for this week: make chicken and sausage okra gumbo, finish next 10 pottery cylinders, continue with my piano lessons, knitting, and quilting, and start thinking about painting our master bedroom. Combine this with visiting with kids and grandkids, coffee with friends, and oh yeah... taking care of the cats and house-hold chores... and although not exciting stuff, definitely enough for me.
I hope your neighbours are having with their move and their new lifestyle...and I surely hope you have fantastic new neighbours. I know only too well what it's like to have miserable (adjoining) ones.
ReplyDeleteI know you do, Kim. We have been so lucky to have lovely neighbors for so long. All we know about the new ones are that they are a young couple - no kids.
DeleteI am sitting here reading my favorite bloggers work, after having gone out for a nice five-mile walk with my friends, having coffee and enjoying having nothing to do for the rest of the day. Three books to read piled next to me, my trusty computer to read the news of the day and plenty of things to entertain myself if I want. It's the best life! :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree, DJan. Don't know how long it will last, but grateful just the same.
DeleteMy husband retired last week. I retired four years ago, but went back to work a few weeks ago. It's fun, and exhausting, and I'm looking forward to giving it up at the start of November. I miss having total control of my time...and the ability to take a nap if I want one.
ReplyDeleteI love the nap thing too!
DeleteYour situation is something like ours. Our house is a little too large for only two people but we're comfortable. Lynette has her routine and I have mine.
ReplyDeleteMaybe someday we'll need to move into something more practical. Maybe we'll stay here and hire people to help us take care of the place.
Well now it's 3:30 AM. A bad case of heartburn woke me. Mylanta, zantac and a cup of tea seem to help. I can't go back to bed right now because of stomach reflux.
It's my own fault for eating "cheese puffs" at bedtime. When will I learn?
Sorry about your heartburn. I try to stay away from anything *sugary* at night. Sometimes it affects a relaxed sleep... (I wake up more often during the night a bit jumpy?)
DeleteI would be happy never to have to wake up to the sound of an alarm clock again. I have loved waking up as I am ready and having the day ahead of me--sometimes planned and sometimes not. We worked hard and retirement has been a suitable reward. I am so very grateful for the time Mike and I had to share in that.
ReplyDeleteI do not want to stay in our house alone for very long, but I also do not want to leave my neighborhood and small town community where we look out for each other. Mike and I could be very self-sufficient and happy together in what we chose to do, maybe sometimes seeming like a closed unit, but we also have been blessed with friends and family who get me through day by day.
It strikes me that the nice thing about a blogging community is that your can take it with your where ever you go.
Olga, I can understand you not wanting to stay in your house alone for very long, but I also think it is smart not to make too many changes too soon. Give yourself time...
DeleteWe think about moving from time to time, but we love our house and our neighborhood. Someday the stairs may be too much, but not yet.
ReplyDeleteI love the freedom of deciding whether I want to be busy or not. I have no idea how I managed to work for all those years.
From what I read, Linda, you stay plenty busy. But I agree that having the freedom of deciding is great.
DeleteOur master bedroom is downstairs, but we do have an upstairs. As of yet, it hasn't become a problem.
I feel the same way as you about retirement :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, Dee. And I'm grateful that we have this time for ourselves...
DeleteThe patchwork is looking very promising, Rian. How lovely to see your grandson there in the marching band. Our eldest plays the trumpet (and piano and organ) and his brother the clarinet and now the sax, though not in a marching band.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you in the sheer pleasure of being able to choose how busy or laid-back I want to be in retirement. I wish your neighbours well, but would absolutely hate the prospect of living in a retirement community. DH and I are our own little unit wherever we are. :-)
The quilt is just scraps of what my friend had on hand... kind of Fall looking. My own picks would be more blues and greens, perhaps some brown. But the machine quilting is easier... Don't get me wrong. I think hand stitching is wonderful and would be my choice if I had the skill and ability (which I haven't). So perhaps this machine quilting will work for me. We'll see.
DeleteAnd as for the retirement community, they haven't fully decided yet. But they did sell their home and will be moving out this weekend. So for the moment, they are homeless and will be staying here and there. It will be an adventure...