Life, Death and NaNoWriMo

Life seems to have been a bit of a slippery slope for me lately. Everything from dealing with my own mood swings to more car troubles. Day by day, I find I have more to do. Reminds me of Mr. Incredible,

"No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes!"

I've been desperately trying to organize a bit of a space upstairs to help aid in the ability to enjoy doing the things I love best at home. Little by little it's coming along and looking more like the Art/Writing/Papercraft studio I've always dreamed about. Plus, I have a nice place to read and I really love my comfy chair that Jared bought for me when I had Noah. That's been a comforting place lately.

Here's a few book quotes:

“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”

Paul Sweeney

“Books open your mind, broaden your mind, and strengthen you as nothing else can”

William Feather


My grandmother Lillian passed away this week. Truly, a remarkable woman. I was told about it on Weds. and that her funeral arrangements were made for Fri. and Sat. After researching about tickets, I just couldn't take away the money it would consume from the family, given our current financial state, to get me to the funeral. It was a tough decision. I hated it. I've had to find my own way to feel closure. I don't deal too well with that considering I still have things I drive my husband and friends batty with because I can't get over it. I don't know how to fix that either.
So, here's what I wrote on facebook:

Things I remember about visiting my Grandma Lillian: warm hello's, treats on the orange rug, singing songs, sloppy joes, coffee table magazine's, perfume filled hugs, memorized poetry and sad goodbye's. I'll really miss my dear sweet Grandma. I'm grateful that she is not in pain anymore and reunited with Grandpa now. I'm unable to attend the funeral this weekend but I'm looking forward to hearing about it.

I'll add here that my sister mentioned Grandma giving us her hard ribbon candy and I remember Werther's or butterscotch hard candies too.

"He(She) who has gone, so we but cherish his(her) memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man." -Antoine de Saint-Exupery {R.I.P. Grandma Lil}


I did it! I did it! I signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and you can see my progress here. If you're doing it, I'd be happy to have you as a writing buddy. To say the least, I pretty much feel like this quote from the movie A Beautiful Mind:

Hansen: So how about it, Nash? You scared?
Nash: Terrified... mortified... petrified... stupefied... by you.

Yet another classic line:

Nash: Classes will dull your mind, destroy the potential for authentic creativity.

I'll be seeking that potential next month. I'd like to wish all who participate this year in NaNo the very best and lots of luck! Whatever comes of it, one thing is sure, it's going to be memorable!

The Quilts of Grandma Rae

It's hard to believe that it has been about 10-11 years since I finished this quilt with my sweet Grandma Rae. She had a dream to make a quilt for each of her grandchildren. Since it is so time consuming and her grandchildren kept growing and coming so fast, I'm not sure how many she was actually able to make.
I feel lucky and happy that she invited me over at a time when I lived close enough to walk over and help her finish my quilt. She let me choose my colors, fabric and pattern. I chose the star quilt pattern because I had an orange star quilt as a young girl growing up that I just loved so much that it tattered away to pieces eventually. I missed it and its comfort so much.
I really needed this experience in my life back then. She helped me in many ways and through each step in the quilting process. Some parts are more fun than others in quilting. It was a challenge and a lot of work. What I enjoyed most was the warm relationship that I gained with my Grandma Rae and the insight I saw into my own mother's past also. I will always treasure this moment and think of my loving Grandma fondly.
One part that I will always remember was my first little girl, Hopie, was playing around us as we were working on this quilt. It's another reason why it means so much to me. I was a new and very nervous mother. I wasn't used to the unexpected things that little ones do at Hopie's young, around 12-18 months, age.
Once, little Hopie, tried to stand up using a TV tray and since it wasn't very stable at all, it collapsed on her and she hurt her head. Immediately, my Grandma helped Hopie and me, then we ended up in the ER for her to have stitches. It was so scary then but with quick action Hopie recovered nicely and she is fine, of course, at 12 yrs. old now.
Another incident, was when Hopie tried to drink some of my Grandmother's fabric dye. We hastily called Poison Control and followed their directions to help Hopie. It all worked out without another trip to the ER, but Hopie had a nice dark brown ring around her lips and a brown tongue for a few days. I remember that she would still smile so cute and with that brown circle around her mouth, if you can just picture that, well then, I couldn't help but smile back.
These are what I recall of the cherished memories I have of making a quilt with my Grandma Rae. I'm grateful to her love, gratitude, knowledge, outlook on life, quilting experience and her inspiration. She was literally a life-saver to me through all of this!