I wish I said that

Yesterday my daughter, Andrea mentioned it was the twentieth anniversary of the day she and Ron met.   They center each other and I am happy that my daughter married well.  

For years I have been clipping quotations from newspapers and magazines.  I tucked them away in a special little box and later use these phrases for inspiration when writing thank you notes or cards.   I thought of Ron and Andrea when I read this:

“Marriage is not about finding the right person but about becoming the right person.  You have to be willing to face the changes that take place as your mature and to face the changes in the person you’ve married.  We marry people believing that they’re the cat’s eye, but as we continue the relationship we notice all the imperfections and become disenchanted.  The way to get thorough that is to say, “I can disclose who I really am, and I trust that this person will accept me.   And I can see who this person realy is and I accept them.  It takes a lot of work, but it can be very fulfilling.”…………Chuck MacKnee, Langley, B.C

Years ago I read an article asking people how their marriage improved their life.  One man answered, “She remembers to buy the toilet paper.   Since we’ve been married, I’ve never worried about running out.” 

I know what he means.  It’s not the big things that you remember but the small every day courtesies that make your life a little better.  Each morning, my husband gets up first, makes a pot of coffee and a pot of tea. He spends about twenty minutes puttering around the quiet kitchen, slowly awakening.  He brings a cup of tea upstairs to me while I’m still in bed.  We don’t speak until I’ve finished my tea and joined him downstairs. This allows him time alone in the kitchen and gives me a chance to wake up.   Just a small daily gesture that makes my day.

This sure beats housework

This morning I had a choice: housework or sewing.  So I wiped the dust bunnies off my butt and took out my box of quilt scraps.   This cute little basket took about 2 hours top, including ripping out incorrectly sewn seams.  Note to self, try not to sew the handles between the lining and the basket next time.  Not one to follow instructions precisely, I took a few liberties and made my basket bigger than the one here.   Thank you Pink Penguin for the tutorial and thank you AmandaJean for featuring the link on your site.   The blocks were left over from this quilt.

Wanda, stay away from Lawrencetown Beach

Five years ago tomorrow the Eastern seaboard was hit by Hurricane Juan.  My sister Wanda and her husband along with thousand of Haligonians flocked to Lawrence Town beach early in the evening to watch the tides.  Despite the weather warnings, the beach road was blocked solid with vehicles and pedestresians.  The incoming tides were impressive, the area turned into an impromptu block party.

Two days later while recalling these events to me, it hit Wanda how dangerous the situation could have become.     Tropical storm Kyle is scheduled to hit the Maritimes tomorrow.  We’ve learned a lot from Hurricane Juan, and now take these warnings seriously.   But if you are in the vicinity of Lawrence Town beach, keep an eye out for Wanda.

No matter how far you flee, your mother is still your mother Dr. Jean Marmoreo

My mother loves to discuss the merits of different graveyards.   On a weekly basis, the subject of cemeteries creeps into our conversation. Years ago she purchased four plots in a cemetery called “Ocean View”.  Despite the name it is 20 kms from the nearest body of water unless you count the wading pool next to the main driveway.  Apparently the corporate owner in Toronto looked at the aerial map of New Brunswick and figured it was close enough to the ocean.  This week she visited her friend Gerri’s grave for the first time. Mom’s friend of 22 years,  Gerri pasted away from ovarian cancer this past March, leaving a gap that no one can fill.  Knowing how difficult this trip was for Mom, I let her ramble on. 

This is how today’s conversation went…….  “…it’s lovely! On flat ground. Beautiful lawn.  And what a view Gerri has. It’s in the new part, they just opened. ”

“Did I tell you that your uncle Phil is buried in his wife’s family plot?”  Mind you he’s too close to the road for my liking.  Actually if they were thinking they would have placed him head to head with Bob.  That would have given him much more room.”

“Can you imagine, they’re all buried there.  Her parents, her brothers, her husband, her brothers’ children.  ” Isn’t that nice.” “Maybe I’ll call Ocean View, sell those plots and buy new plots near Gerri. ” 

I know Mom and what she was thinking.  She envisioned all seven of her children side by side with her and Dad.  Apparently she forgot the argument she and I had a few years back when I casually announced I would be cremated.

“Cremated”, she shrieked.  “It will be over my dead body that any of mine are cremated”.

“That can be arranged’…….I shouted back.

It’s a sign

Last week we stopped at the trailer, for the first time in a month. The lumber company which owns the property in the hills behind us recently put in a log road to access their land.    They will move up into the hills to clear cut the forest.  Luckily the terrain behind us is too steep to be profitable to them.  So the trees that shelter our side hill, southern exposure 3 acres from the winds and the sun will be spared.   Sadly the old apple orchard in the next hollow will be nothing but memories to us and the deer.   We are dirt loving, tree huggers.  I know that for every thing there is a reason, but the thoughts of clearing a forest of trees still saddens my heart.

The road runs along our property line up over the hill.  For years I have been collecting small pieces of broken china preferably blue, which I find along the shore or in the garden.   My plan is to eventually make a mosaic wall hanging.  As I climbed the bumpy road my eyes detected the slightest speck of blue amidst the mud, rocks and dozer ruts.  I picked it up, wiped it off. And there it was…..a small piece of blue bone china.  It’s a sign.  We are building our new home in the right spot.

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My second quilt

My lovely and talented daughter Andrea, posted this picture on her flickr account.  The blue quilt is the second quilt I made.  There wasn’t a pattern, just a picture in a book on minature quilts.  Thanks Andrea for posting it, could you take a picture of the burgundy quilt.

I’m suffering from anal glaucoma

today……I just couldn’t see my ass going to work.  Actually I’m suffering from the side effects of prednisone, irritabilitiy, insomnia, and a continuous headache.  As some of you know, I have allergic reactions to many medication…….show me the prescription pad and I’ll develop a side effect….I’ve been having problems for a couple of months with my left nostril being blocked.  Apparently people with asthma can develop a sensitivity to aspirin.   I’ve developed a reaction resulting in polyps in my nose which is known as  aspirin triad. I’m on a course of prednisone for two weeks so now I’m not sure what’s worse the ailment or the cure.

Porsche does not do Mondays

No chickens were harmed in the making of this Sunday dinner

Sunday dinner is straight from the pages of Cuisine at Home Weeknight  menus magazine  I love this magazine.  The recipes are well written, easy to prepare and there is a photo with each recipe.  May I present to you Marinara Sauce and Apple-Cheddar Salad.  I placed mandarin oranges on one side of the salads, as not everyone in my house enjoys apples.  

Simple Marinara – Makes 2.5 cups. Saute 1/2 cups diced onions, in 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 T. minced garlic and saute for one minute more.  Add 4 cups seeded, diced tomatoes, 1 T. sugar, 1 t. salt, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat, stir in 1 T. chopped fresh basil.  Serve over your choice of pasta.

The beautiful purple gladiolas is from my next door neighbour’s garden.  She is 90 years of age and still going strong.

Throw an extra quilt on the bed

Man is it cold!!! We’ve had our first night of frost.   Carl took the air conditioner out of the window this morning, we won’t need it until next July.   Yesterday he picked the squash and the last of the cucumbers.  So it’s time to put the extra quilts on the bed.   I’ve been traveling the last couple of days.  First to Moncton for doctor appointments then off to Saint John for a get away with my husband.  On the way home we stopped at the Kennebecasis Valley Quilt show.   What a motivation!  Quilts of every shape, size and pattern.  As I have not quilted since the last week of July, I’ved decided to spend one hour each day working on some aspect of quilting.     My friend Win and I are making a quilt for a wedding present next month so it will be my first priority.   This scrap quilt  is a variation of the Irish chain and a pattern I enjoy. In the quilt picutred below, I used every colour in my scrap box but the wedding quilt will be limited to fall colours.

I’m also working on a coin quilt for a Christmas present similar to the one pictured here http://weewonderfuls.typepad.com/wee_wonderfuls/2005/07/blog_birthday_c.html  I’ve done a variation of this pattern a couple of times and never grow tired of it.   Usually I do it as a scrap quilt but this time the fabric will be limited to one colour.   Here’s a chinese coin quilt I made for my brother Andy.