In the Mail....

My Mom is 82.  We're 1250 miles apart.  We talk almost daily, but I've found we've begun playing the same game.  That's the game of not discussing things that make the other person worry.  Though I constantly talk about how it is important to talk to me about things, I don't practice what I preach... Neither does my Mom...

A few weeks ago she got a bad mammogram, after 2 weeks of testing, they decided it was nothing--- and Mom decided at 82 she's not going to have another one....I support her decision-- she was so frightened.  She didn't tell me until the ordeal was over.  I want to fuss and yell-'Why are you telling me now???' but instead - my heart breaks and I tell her, 'I'm so sorry for your pain'....

The week before Thanksgiving she comes down with the Shingles-- again doesn't tell me until a month later....blames it on the doctors scaring her with breast cancer-- you and I know the difference, but I don't argue and tell her I wish I could hug her.

The second week in December we have a conversation, she's gloomy and refuses to get a tree.--

"Mom, you don't have to have a tree to celebrate Christmas, you can still decorate without one, Don't miss out on Christmas-- I wish I was closer." 

We talk the day after Christmas-- her only brother has passed away at 87. 

 'I wish he could have lived to be 90-- Daddy lived to be 90".  

"But Momma, he was so sick-- he's not hurting now..."

"I guess you are right.."

We  discussed  our gifts and the fact that she didn't put up a tree. Again.

 "Melanie, You didn't make me any Handwork-- you always make me something.."

Truthfully I didn't think she'd notice.  She never really comments on my quilting, even when I send photos or gifts...But I realized something-- I can't control medical tests, or take care of her when she's sick, or getting the silly tree -- but I can do handwork (Her word for quilting).. I spent Last Sunday cutting and stitching.  I went to Pinterest and found the block named -'Round the corner..'  It seemed to fit.  And made her a new table topper.  

As fate would have it the backing got tucked up in the quilting process.  I thought the label would hide most of it.

A recycled gift was addressed and taken to the post office this morning with a handwritten letter.  I can't wait for her to get it....

It's about to be a new year -- I tell her 2015 is going to be great...

Typed Because I want to Remember...

So three weeks earlier – Chelsey brought a friend from Germany home to visit, His name was George and he was studying for a master’s degree in Management.  So while there was a definite German dialect to his voice, he spoke English incredibly well. Chelsey told me he spoke 4 or 5 languages.  Smart guy.

Don tells me this story after George went home that night. He’d been around the house about half of a day when he and Don decided to go downstairs and play a game of pool.  Don is racking up the balls.  George picks out a pool cue.  They are making small talk--- the weather, football, how many days left in the semester.  Then out of nowhere the following is spoken:

“You sure have a lot of blankets…”

Don grins ---, “No Shit..., not much chance of any of us getting cold around here…” 

Don laughs, George smiles and the pool match continues.

Yes – George’s “Blankets” were my quilts.  I started looking around.  Yep – they were everywhere. I started evaluating. Is it too much----are there too many??? At what point does creativity become obsession?  Did my home look like a house of a crazy person—you know like the one in the movies about a woman who can stuff animals so consequently there’s all these stuffed animals all over the place…. 

So fast forward to Thanksgiving weekend.  The house is full of people.  Eric and Carolyn come home.  Chelsey brings friends.  My take is ---the more the merrier.

 Our famous family saying is ” We don’t go to sleep in our house, in the winter time we go into Cryostasis instead.” Don like it cooler and we pile on the covers. My kids grew up piling on the quilts.

That first night I had all the air mattresses and beds layered with sheets and quilts.  The next morning I asked how everyone slept…The general agreement was they were ”chilly” to put it nicely.  As a Mom--- I felt horrible.  That second night,  I put my ’blanket obsession’ away  and gratitude was replaced as the quilts were pulled from the ladder rungs, yanked from the quilt racks and unfolded from the quilt chests.  Everyone slept warm that night. I’ll never entertain the idea of having too many quilts round my northwoods home again

I guess I’m typing this because I want to remember this – and what it means to be a quilter.

Merry Christmas....

What's Left of my only Christmas project this season....

I made my Mother-in Law a quilt from Civil War Reproduction fabrics- 

 The Quilt is the Pattern Love Knots

I forgot to take a photo so she sent me one.  I loved making it.I sewed the label in as part of the backing fabric.

Hoping the holidays allow every time to sit back and count their blessings. I'm praying for contentment and happiness in the coming year.