Well, I did not make it on New Year's Day, like I planned, but hey, it is still January!! I figure if I write anything during the current month, it will count as timely. There has been a lot going on around here, and that is my only real excuse.
We have been losing friends left and right, so going to funerals and dealing with families has been the most frequent happenings since late summer. It is too many, but thank goodness we are not in charge of that facet of life, so we just have to deal with it. Our dear friend, Lorene, had a heart attack after a wet, heavy snow, while she was trying to clear off her driveway. She was 77 years old, and simply should not have been doing that. She ended up in the Mankato hospital, in a coma, and just never came out of it. Because she had no family in this area, we sorta got elected to handle the cleaning and closing out her house, as her family was all far away. It was a difficult task, but I am happy we did what we could to help out. We planned a garage sale for the 11th of December, so of course, that is the day we got hit with a blizzard! Being of sturdy stock, both Tom and I decided to go ahead with the sale, and ended up doing waaaaaaaay better than we anticipated. We also showed the house to several interested couples on that day, too. After we got sold all we could, we had to gather up the remainder and get it to the thrift shops, the charity groups, etc. When all got wrapped up, we found we could make a nice memorial donation to one of Lorene's favorite bluegrass organizations, and that will be mailed this week. Lorene went home to the Lord, and her beloved Chappie, on Nov. 23, so that sorta dimmed our Thanksgiving a bit, because she had been on my guest list. We attended her memorial service on that next Saturday, where many of her music friends came to send her off in a rousing bluegrass jam in the funeral home. The house has been sold, and it has closed already, so am happy about that. Her passing will leave a huge vacancy in my life, but I am happy she is back with her honey!!
I do wish I would have known who all would be at the jam today, as I had stuff for some of them, from Lorene, so will either have to mail it to them or wait until we are together again. I found some old looking Christmas ornaments that are meant for the singer who performed with Lorene. Pam cherishes such things, so old is great for her.
Even with all the extra activity here, I have managed to get some quilting done. I am so thankful for that part of my life, as it is my "equalizer", which has been so needed this year. Why does getting old have to be so traumatic? I turned 69 one month and 2 days ago, and I can feel every single year of it!!! Will be spending most of the rest of this month doing doctor stuff. Have to go for my first 6-month check-up at Mayo, on Jan. 31, for an overnight stay, which actually got stretched out to nearly 7 1/2 months, because they seem to have forgotten about me. I got new dentures last year in January, and have to go get them repaired for the second time already! Tom and I are both incensed about that, because the new choppers cost us a lot of dollars. Think that will take place on Wednesday this week, but it makes us drive about 150 mile round trip to the lab in Mason City!! I just went for my annual physical at the GP, and found my A1C is up to 6.3, which is too high for my peace of mind, but the doctor seems ok with it.
Back to the quilting, I have been keeping up with the BOM from the Carol Doak site, as well as the block of the week from the quiltchat room. The Carol Doak quilt will become a grandson's quilt, and the chatroom one will be a raffle quilt for the local senior center. Both are good places. I have been gathering my supplies, and some new clothes, for my virginal voyage in March. Will be gone on that for a week, then come home, get the motorhome loaded, and head for Arkansas for almost 2 months. However did I find time to work before?? LOL
Well, I am about talked out for this day, so will get back to my sink of dirty dishes. I will try to come back and bore you more a bit later. Stay happy and healthy.
Quilty hugs,
Ele
p.s. Happy Birthday, Mom - you would have turned 94 now.
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