Death/Birthday

Sometime death comes as a surprise and sometime you know it is coming but it still takes you when it comes. Even when you watch a loved one health fail that finality of death can be so hard to accept. A month ago I visited my daughters grandfather and on Saturday, September 19, 2009 we laid him to rest. His heath had been failing for awhile and my visit along with talking to his son Stephen told me his days were numbered in my heart. Two weeks later I heard he was getting 24 hour care and two weeks later I got the call that he had passed. He was not just my ex's dad he was my friend. We began a friendship after Stephen and I separated. He was such a wise man sometimes I think he kept my friendship to insure I stayed close to his family. He would introduce me as his daughter n law although his son and I never married. I was his computer tech whenever something went wrong with his computer he would call me in Houston and ask when can I come see about it. And it would sit until I came to check on it....we would fuss, argue and discuss everything in the world from family, politics, community, love, life you name it. Sometimes my mom would get jealous of my time spent with Mr. Gary. He loved to share and his Louisiana heritage would be offended if you visited him and not accepted something he offered. It took me awhile to get it but soon I would accept his offer of a root beer soda, something he had grown in his garden, a fruit or a glass of Morgan David wine. I was also one of his many chauffeurs to the casino. I had patience with him and I allowed him to stay at the casino as long as he wanted. I always brought a book or an electronic game to occupy my time and he often teased me about it. I have been trying to remember his drink he would order I think it was Bourbon and Coke with a splash of milk. He loved his family and we spent many hours talking about his upbringing, his military life, his marriage, his wish for his grown children and his love to go to LALA's(zydeco). He was a spirtual man and although he didn't live in church he had a prayer life and no one interfered with his prayer time. I could tell him I would be there in 5 minutes and if he was saying his prayers I had to wait and then he would come open the door. His love of his grandkids showed as they all shed tears for his farewell. My daughter Lauren has a special memory because the farewell was on her 22nd birthday. She now has no grandparents living and made the comment that the two persons (my mom and Mr. Gary) who she knew were in her corner are gone ~ it is amazing how we can't get people to see how to cherish their elders and the time they have with them. That holds true for anyone now we much cherish every moment with all of our loved ones for TOMORROW IS TRULY NOT PROMISED.

School/Quilting/Etc

Well this semester i am taking two library science courses and one of them seems like it will give me a run for my money. I have to do group work and I am truly a person who works in the 15th hour so I am already struggling meeting with the group......is December near? I have finally sent some quilts off to be quilted so looks like more of my family members will get a nice gift before 2010. Two will truly be surprised as they are not expecting one from me. One is expecing one but it won't look like she probably is imagining it. I am also making myself two 50th Birthday quilts. One will be made up of thoughts from family and friends and the other will be my choice.

First Grad LS Class Almost Over

Lawdy how time has flown by I am a few days away from completing my first Library Science course and yes I am ready for the 2 week break. I think I have a 2 week break, I don't know it might be longer. I have learned alot about researching this semester and am ready for a quilt retreat. I have registered for my next two classes so the next few months will not have much play time for me. When I can I plan to sew a few stitches on some unfinished quilt projects and play my latest addiction of the game Cake Mania.

At Last

Well I am finally back in college. Last Wednesday I started my first graduate class for my Masters of Library Science. The class Information Storage and Retrieval is starting off pretty interesting. I have lots of readings and will be working a lot onthe internet learning all sorts of goodies. It looks like my pasttime of quilting will be so limited it will take longer for any of those 1000+ projects in my head to come to completion. I have purchased a Handi Quilter frame and soon will be able to quilt my own quilts. Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah It is not that I won't ever send a quilt off to be quilted, it is my desire to complete most of my quilts entirely from piecing to quilting to binding. Today I received some beautiful African inspired Blue panels that I just have to do something with. I will post the pics later.

Its's Like A Jungle Again

I am truly not holding up to my personal bargain with myself to blog more often. Life for me is still hectic, living between two cities, working several part time jobs, quilting,getting laptop fixed and living my life to its fullest. Yes I would like a moment to stop and breath, but for every free moment I have I fill it up with something I call my relaxation ~ quilting. Last Wednesday I was able to go a quild meeting and it felt so good. I had not been able to visit the first quild I joined due to traveling. Saturday I was able to visit my African American quilting sistahs and spend some time with them. The show and tell was nice and I hope one day soon to be able to show all of the projects I am working on. As a fabric junkie, I also make fabric postcards, mousepads, koozie, and journal quilts . I had began working on some fabric gifts to sell at my church family conference this June but I have been told that there is no room for any new vendors only the previous year vendors will be allowed to vend again???? So I am going to move forward making my gifts and I have Faith that the opportunity to exhibit and sell my work will come soon. I have been so blessed to have embroidery friends that turn me on to free sites and if I keep working on this program I have called EMBIRD I might soon be able to digitize my own designs.

2009

Well I am finally back. I was going to post on December 4, 2008 my 49th birthday and that didn't happen. Then I was going to post when the new year came in and that didn't happen. I ended the year with cellphone, digital camera and laptop problems. It seemed as if all my favorite electronics were causing me stress at the same time. I have vowed to keep better control of my stress level for 2009 and to keep my faith and know that God is my source of strength and I will be alright. I purchased a new cell phone in December, finally deposited my laptop to Fry's for repair and sent my camera off to Canon for repair. The camera is back and I presume working I have no done anything to it but powered it on. I am being told my laptop is ready by the manufacturer but Fry's claim it will take 8 - 10 weeks for it to be sent back to them fro Fujitsu. I love Motorola phones so I now own the Krave. It is a touch screen phone and I probably should have listened to my daughter and not gotten a fully touch phone. I am enjoying the new toy but there are times the screens blacks on me and my pics disappear. I am participating in numerous swaps and have decided to start my own online swap group (imani swappers). Like most things in my life right now I have built the group but need to go further and send out my invites. I have finally started journal quilting. My first was a collage and my second will be a crazy patch. The creative juices are flowing....all in my head. Now if I can just get them to the sewing machine things will be better.

Thanksgiving Holiday

I am ever so thankful for family. My family met in Shrveport, LA for Thanksgiving and we had a wonderful time. 8 of my 9 siblings met along with neices, nephews and one friend. Since many of us will not be together for the Christmas and Kwanzaa celebration we discussed Kwanzaa and participated in an litany to encourage us to think of the respect, pride, dignity, truth and love we have as a family. I have been in Shreveport for a week and have done more cooking than ever in my life. I can cook but choose not to being the baby of 11 we never had to do much except assist at holiday celebrations. Lenora and I cooked, decorated , helped coordinate the event and washed a many of dishes. This is the second anniversary of my mom not being present with us and we shared many of laughs about things she would say at this time and also a few tears as one of my neices has a video of mom expressing her views in a comical way of all her kids during her last months. We miss her and we truly wish she was here to witness November 4, 2008 and January 20, 2009.