Well, it has been a while since I last posted - sorry about that. Much has happened since. My mother remains in the hospital despite the assessment being complete and for reasons beyond both our control.

My oldest daughter came home for a visit 3 weeks ago and is still here - much to my joy - she is a pretty wonderful, caring young woman. My husband has been out of town for several days but returned tonight - exhausted, and sick - poor guy - miserable not to be at home when you don't feel well.

On the bright side - I completed the top for my good friend's daughter and her future husband. Their wedding is next weekend - it should be a blast - I sure am looking forward to something positive in our life - it has been a tough winter... The top is wonderful - it is just a simple split rail fence but it is one of the nicer ones I've pieced. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough fabric for the borders and binding and just had to take a trip to Moosamin, Saskatchewan, which is just over the western border of Manitoba, to check out the quilt shop there. It is called Shirley's Sewing Room. My good friend and fellow quilting addict, Peggy, joined me in immersing ourselves wholeheartedly in purchasing much more than we needed - of course!! What a wonderful shop - they have numerous quilts lining all the walls and free-hanging as well. Samples of numerous projects abounded. The women helping us with the borders I so desperately needed were good and we will definitely go back - besides,it is only and hour and a half away - can't get better than that!! Although... they are offering a class in a quilt I was hoping to find the pattern for - a garden twist - it is like a lattice with the background fabric being flowers - wonders of wonders when we walked in the door of the shop what was the first quilt hanging there but this one and they are offering a workshop for it in April - how lucky for me!!!! :) As for Jen's wedding quilt - hopefully I hope to have it complete by next weekend - good thing I'm quick and have the entire weekend to quilt! lol

As you can tell - I figured out how to upload pictures - not that it was difficult. lol Enjoy the photo - I think the colours of Jen's quilt went together very nicely - don't you?

Take care - until next time...

Happy New Year!!

I wasn't going to post anything for a week but in retrospect I decided that because I have the house to myself and everyone is busy elsewhere that I would steal a wee bit of time to do this.

I don't know if you are into New Year's resolutions but I say I'm not but...it is a good time to just stop for a minute and reevaluate all the past year's happenings and ponder the future. I don't believe that one should have to make resolutions that are unreachable or goals that are unrealistic. Maybe just choosing to try to be a better person/mother/wife/daughter is more than enough. Sometimes, I just need a little nudge to remember that the world is full of connections and that we really do effect others around us and that we should try to make it a better , more positive place.

Sorry to get so heavy but I am at a stage in my life where the roles between my parents and myself have switched. It is a difficult transition for me, one I do reluctantly because I know that both my parents are not going to get better and I want to make it better. This desire to make things better is part of the nurturer in me and the conflict for me occurs when I can't make it better no matter what I do or how much I care or take care. Like I said, it is difficult when I care so much... I think I can assume it is much the same for others of you who are in the same position?

To go to a more positive note... I just got my little Janome Jem back from the shop - I purchased it in the beginning of December and it had a flaw by the needle whereby my fabric would slide into the crack and literally turn the block when it would get caught as I was sewing. I am going to try to it out this afternoon and make a small table pad in a split rail pattern from some leftover fabric I had from the Camp Koinonia quilt retreat I went to. I am thrilled with this little machine otherwise. I've had a Janome for about 18 years and really love my old machine. This little one will be perfect for piecing when I go to the lake - it is only about 12 lbs. and takes up almost no room.

I was just talking to my husband and (guess where he is? lol) he got a strike on this line and pulled up a nice little pike on the first drop down - he was pretty excited! Fishing is great again today at Rivers!

Well, have a wonderful New Year's and I will talk to you in 2009!

Happy New Year!!!