Boy, Was I Wrong!

I thought that my elder years would be spent lolling around, eating bon-bons, watching game shows on tv and generally vegetating.  Well, I guess I was wrong.  First off, I don't feel like an "elder" person -- I still listen to rock and roll music for goodness sakes!  I am pretty up on pop culture (much to my husband's dismay) and I still like fashion and makeup an such -- oh, and bon-bons, too!

However, what isn't happening is the lolling around.  I am as busy now as I ever have been and for that I am thankful.  I don't think I would "loll" very well.  I am learning new things (crochet) and I am cooking from scratch -- all.the.time.  I am also sewing-- a lot.

So, while I have been away from here for several days, I haven't been sitting still.  I have been sewing.  I am making a quilt from these fabrics --

It is a very simple quilt with the "map" as the center and then borders of the other two.  I am handquilting it, without a hoop or frame, and I have pinned it with over 800 safety pins spaced 2" apart.  I didn't think that quilting without a hoop would be possible -- or at least enjoyable -- but it is.  I haven't had any hand pain at all and that has made it a very enjoyable project.

Also, coming up at the end of October is Bean's school's answer to Halloween.  It is called "Saints and Angels" Day.  For pre-k 3 and 4 she was an angel.  This year she gets to be a saint.  She also got to choose her saint and she chose the obvious -- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton -- her school's namesake.  St. Elizabeth Ann Seton appeals to my daughter's interest as she is an American saint, born during the American Revolution era and was originally Episcopalian. So, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton we will be.

So, I am adapting this pattern -- and doing it by hand, I might add because I have discovered that sewing clothing by hand (couture) allows me to sit in front of the television as I stitch and not in the back bedroom by myself.

I am using the blue dress pattern with the cap from the upper left view and I am lengthening the pilgrim collar to be a cape.

And then, the Bean needs some fall dresses for church.  I am making this one up out of something -- not sure what.  I made a muslin (first time ever) for fit and surprisingly, it fit! So, on I will go.

So, that is what I have been doing while I am waiting for more medical tests -- I am still waiting for an appointment (they will call -- SOMETIME) and trying to maintain some form of sanity.

And cooking -- I am enjoying cooking, for some odd reason, even though my husband doesn't seem to enjoy my cooking -- unless it is bread.

On a somewhat sad, yet humorous note, I have been forced to recognize that I am not a spring chicken anymore which probably means that I should cut my hair because old hens don't wear long hair -- right?  Anyway, I had to attend a funeral yesterday.  I have lost about 1 1/2 inch in height which means my slacks are too long.  I decided to wear some heels of the lower, kitten style.  Bad, bad bad decision.  I have arthritis in my feet and haven't worn heels in years -- YEARS -- I could hardly walk.  My toes hurt me so much last night I thought I was going to cry -- I seem to have arthritis in the joints where my tiny little delicate toes attach to my feet.  I figured I would be fine this morning.  Again -- WRONG! I can hardly walk -- my right foot hurts so much!  I think I will be doing a bit of decluttering with all my heels!  That way I can make room for my new orthopedic shoes which I will probably need after this.

Lesson learned.  Oh well at least I get to go shoe shopping! That is always fun.

So, anyway, that is what I have been doing.  I will post quilt pics when I get a little farther along.

Have a great day!