Hey bloggers, I am at home alone tonight and slightly bored (no offense to Rocky the wonder dog). Bruce is in Seattle and Trent is on a date with his Court and Megan is at Chloe's.
We've had a slight problem develop at the ranch here. Yesterday Bruce noticed some water leaking out of our rock wall in the front of our yard. He called a plumbing company (A1 plumbing) I've since heard that they're good, but let's face it, Bruce didn't make it too deep into the yellow pages when he "stumbled" upon them. Anyway, they are coming tomorrow to fix an apparent broken pipe. Cost is... how do I put this? I considered yanking Trent from his plan to attend Whitworth and sign him up for Plumber school. Yikes, spendy Wendy!
So, I find myself here tonight with no water. We could have water, but when we turn it on, it leaks like crazy and I'm a cheapskate and also we're fearful of what may be happening in the yard with erosion etc. Bruce was worried and suggested I go to a motel, I said "Nah, I'll get some big jugs for teeth, face etc and make it work. Well, I get home and there is a dishwasher of dirty dishes, a sink of dirty dishes, a dog dish with a dead spider in it, there is always laundry to do... and me with 4 gallons of water. I sighed, I might have had a small "Charlie Brown" shoulder slump and then it hit me. Gee, I have a very comfortable home with electricity and the option to stay in a hotel and some very minor irritants that will be fixed tomorrow when I pay people to fix our problem. I think God might have smacked me and my sniveling self.
Here is where I may be leaping in a very ballerina style sort of way onto my bandwagon. I sponsor a child in Haiti. It costs us a very small amount of money each month. It doesn't have to be Haiti or the organization I use, but seriously folks, consider your life right now without water or electricity. Not to mention food! For the tiny amount of money you can spend and give a family the piddliest of necessities... it really does break my heart. Just freaking do it. There, I said it. My water will be fixed tomorrow, A1 plumbing will be richer and the Dudleys will be... still just fine. Just water under the bridge right? It makes for good "Dudley Family Folklore". I do love a good story.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A Quiltervention
This blog is about my obsession with quilts. I think that obsession is a strong word. I will say that I feel compelled, but not a compulsion to buy a quilt (in the right price range) that I feel deserves a good home. To quote the late Maria Von Trapp, or at least the Hollywood version... Let's start at the very beginning... a very good place to start.
My quilt "obsession" was born in the 80's. My mother decided she wanted to learn how to quilt. My Great Aunt Margaret, who was a great lady and a great aunt, she also happened to be my "Great Aunt" as she was my Nana's sister. Aunt Margaret was awesome on many levels, but her quilting was legendary. Anyway, she gave mom the first quilt lessons. Mom got started on her first quilt creation. This process lasted for a long time. When the "quilting" time came, she set it up in our living room. When you quilt a large quilt there is this giant thing set up to stretch it out. We didn't have a large room for mom to use so she used the living room. I have a very vivid recollection of lying under the quilt and watching TV. This stage lasted for months.
Mom had anyone who came over quilt a bit on it. It became this very cool piece of Hall family folklore and quickly I was enamored with this thing. I lobbied hard, I wanted it. I hinted, I spoke outright, I really really wanted this quilt to be mine. My grandma, my Aunt Margaret, all of us kids, many, many people who I knew and loved had quilted on this. It contained fabric from every last thing my mother had ever sewn. It was a masterpiece. As I mentioned, I'd lobbied hard, but mom had a good poker face and I wasn't convinced I would prevail. One of four kids, how did I deserve this prize? It did so happen to be my birthday soon after the completion. I opened the bounty of presents and one remained. A very small little box... I figured I would have to be happy with a piece of jewelry. I opened it up and a tiny slip of paper was inside that said "quilt". I screamed! It was glorious and all mine. That wasn't my first quilt, but it remains a very special one to me. I have a few very special ones that I'll try to articulate. This blog may some day be in my will, pay attention!
The first quilt I owned was my baby quilt which was a green and white gingham quilt with little animals for the squares. I love that quilt and still hate the stupid Baby Alive doll that got battery acid on it. I salvaged it, but what a dumb doll. Side note, my awesome Aunt Margaret, bought me a quilt for my first baby at an auction that was yellow and white gingham with little animals, same pattern as mine, love it too.
I've bought some cool quilts over the years from estate sales or Ebay and they're cool, but not significant to me. Here are some special quilts I own:
My mom made me an awesome quilt for my high school graduation present, by this time, she was an awesome quilter and this one is a beauty and is hanging in my bedroom.
Wouldn't you know it, I married Bruce whose grandma was an awesome quilter. She made each of her grandkids amazing quilts which she not only hand quilted, but also did pristine needlepoint. Bruce's was of antique cars in a block style quilt, it's blue and white and amazing, love you Grandma Fry. You are missed, can't wait to see you in Heaven.
The treasure chest quilt that I found at Nana and Mew's old farm house. They had both passed, but the house still stood. It had been gone through, but a cousin had lived there and it still stood for some years. At one point Judy and I went through it, I found some cool kitchen stuff and in the spare bedroom was this quilt. Now, Nana wasn't a quilter so I know she hadn't crafted it, hard telling who had. It was really vibrant fabrics and a tie style, in really good shape, but the part I treasure about it is that it smelled of Nana's house. I just breathed it in, for months, for real, oh man, I love that quilt. It is hanging over the top of the stairs in my house and every time I see it, it makes me think of Nana's house and how much I loved that place.
The last of my most prized quilts is a new variety. It was given to me as a present from my friend Melissa. At the time, we were co-workers and she had pre-meditated, like a murder, this quilt. I have a vague recollection of her quizzing me about my decorating style and periods I like and she figured out that I liked vintage stuff. Anyway, she presents me with this amazing quilt of vintage fabric and it's seriously, the perfect, most beautiful quilt ever and BONUS, made with love from a dear friend. I'm not often left speechless, but this gift is probably the most thoughtful one I've ever been given and I love this quilt very much.
So, anyway, I know this was a long winded blog, but I'm serious about my love of quilts. They tell a story, they're beautiful and they keep you warm. I pretty much love them. Use this in my last will and testament, don't sell the special ones please, donate them to science or to the people who love them as much as me.
Dudster, hanging on by a very thin thread...
My quilt "obsession" was born in the 80's. My mother decided she wanted to learn how to quilt. My Great Aunt Margaret, who was a great lady and a great aunt, she also happened to be my "Great Aunt" as she was my Nana's sister. Aunt Margaret was awesome on many levels, but her quilting was legendary. Anyway, she gave mom the first quilt lessons. Mom got started on her first quilt creation. This process lasted for a long time. When the "quilting" time came, she set it up in our living room. When you quilt a large quilt there is this giant thing set up to stretch it out. We didn't have a large room for mom to use so she used the living room. I have a very vivid recollection of lying under the quilt and watching TV. This stage lasted for months.
Mom had anyone who came over quilt a bit on it. It became this very cool piece of Hall family folklore and quickly I was enamored with this thing. I lobbied hard, I wanted it. I hinted, I spoke outright, I really really wanted this quilt to be mine. My grandma, my Aunt Margaret, all of us kids, many, many people who I knew and loved had quilted on this. It contained fabric from every last thing my mother had ever sewn. It was a masterpiece. As I mentioned, I'd lobbied hard, but mom had a good poker face and I wasn't convinced I would prevail. One of four kids, how did I deserve this prize? It did so happen to be my birthday soon after the completion. I opened the bounty of presents and one remained. A very small little box... I figured I would have to be happy with a piece of jewelry. I opened it up and a tiny slip of paper was inside that said "quilt". I screamed! It was glorious and all mine. That wasn't my first quilt, but it remains a very special one to me. I have a few very special ones that I'll try to articulate. This blog may some day be in my will, pay attention!
The first quilt I owned was my baby quilt which was a green and white gingham quilt with little animals for the squares. I love that quilt and still hate the stupid Baby Alive doll that got battery acid on it. I salvaged it, but what a dumb doll. Side note, my awesome Aunt Margaret, bought me a quilt for my first baby at an auction that was yellow and white gingham with little animals, same pattern as mine, love it too.
I've bought some cool quilts over the years from estate sales or Ebay and they're cool, but not significant to me. Here are some special quilts I own:
My mom made me an awesome quilt for my high school graduation present, by this time, she was an awesome quilter and this one is a beauty and is hanging in my bedroom.
Wouldn't you know it, I married Bruce whose grandma was an awesome quilter. She made each of her grandkids amazing quilts which she not only hand quilted, but also did pristine needlepoint. Bruce's was of antique cars in a block style quilt, it's blue and white and amazing, love you Grandma Fry. You are missed, can't wait to see you in Heaven.
The treasure chest quilt that I found at Nana and Mew's old farm house. They had both passed, but the house still stood. It had been gone through, but a cousin had lived there and it still stood for some years. At one point Judy and I went through it, I found some cool kitchen stuff and in the spare bedroom was this quilt. Now, Nana wasn't a quilter so I know she hadn't crafted it, hard telling who had. It was really vibrant fabrics and a tie style, in really good shape, but the part I treasure about it is that it smelled of Nana's house. I just breathed it in, for months, for real, oh man, I love that quilt. It is hanging over the top of the stairs in my house and every time I see it, it makes me think of Nana's house and how much I loved that place.
The last of my most prized quilts is a new variety. It was given to me as a present from my friend Melissa. At the time, we were co-workers and she had pre-meditated, like a murder, this quilt. I have a vague recollection of her quizzing me about my decorating style and periods I like and she figured out that I liked vintage stuff. Anyway, she presents me with this amazing quilt of vintage fabric and it's seriously, the perfect, most beautiful quilt ever and BONUS, made with love from a dear friend. I'm not often left speechless, but this gift is probably the most thoughtful one I've ever been given and I love this quilt very much.
So, anyway, I know this was a long winded blog, but I'm serious about my love of quilts. They tell a story, they're beautiful and they keep you warm. I pretty much love them. Use this in my last will and testament, don't sell the special ones please, donate them to science or to the people who love them as much as me.
Dudster, hanging on by a very thin thread...
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