Yesterday we returned home from what I think is my final college selection visit.  V seems to be all set for next Fall and we couldn't be happier with her choices.  Time hasn't seemed to move faster than it did with the home years of this l a s t  o n e.  

Recently I have been reflecting on what makes a life feel meaningful to me.  I've been privileged to do a lot of really cool things with my life so far, but I think, looking back, the sweetest joys for me have been found right here at home raising my five.  I am so proud of them all ... and they have become adults who I truly enjoy sharing time with.  

Against all odds, I have become a good cook. I count that among my joys too.

Empty nest years ahead - bring 'em!  I'm interested to see what we may find to do with the luxury of free time.  

I have a few little trips in mind.

I've wanted to retrace the Lewis and Clark trail from St. Louis to the West coast for example. I've never seen St. Louis and I want to visit the Arc as a starting place.  Terrell's wonderful installation in the desert of Arizona is at the top of my need to see list but isn't my first choice for a trip - I'd like to build up to that!

roden crater, located in the painted desert region of northern arizona, is an unprecedented large-scale artwork created within a volcanic cinder cone by light and space artist james turrell. the artist’s lifelong research in the field of human visual and psychological perception culminated into roden crater, with specially engineered skyspaceswhere the cycles of geologic and celestial time can be directly experienced. a controlled environment for the contemplation of light. it takes its place within the tradition of american landscape art that began in the 1960s, requiring a journey to visit the work in the remote desert with truly dark night skies. 

All the way back to early elementary school, the Weekly Reader days (remember that?) I have wished to see The Crazy's Horse Memorial.  We think that will be the farthest away point of our first trip, which will include the cliff village in SW Colorado.  I love Colorado, then New Mexico (behind Texas of course).  

I long to see Big Sur and there was a place in Wyoming which I can't remember right this minute.  We are thinking about trying out one of those tiny campers.  I'd like to rent it because I think after a few road trips I wouldn't want to use it again.  We have scouting missions planned to look for what works best for us.  

This arm thing has to be settled out before we get to far away from home.  The PT requires a good bit of floor space for stretching out in.  

I think our next outing will be to see a super moon at the National Seashore.  The new moons of June, July and August are all to be super moons I have read.  A college graduation and big move are the main "plan arounds" for catching one of those events.  I'm excited about putting my kayak back in the water asap!

What I'm really doing with the bulk of my free time lately is yard work.  This yard had no landscaping except a creeping asian jasmine which contributed to poor drainage, and gave harbor to scores of insects and snakes. (No, I didn't see a snake, but I'm sure that those areas were crawling with them!) Fortunately, my husband especially didn't like the ground cover and has put forth a Herculean effort of digging it out.  The soil under that stuff is beautiful.  All those years of decaying leaves have produced great planting beds.  It's looking like the hard freezes we experienced this winter have killed several of my October plantings, which we're replacing as soon as they can be located and bought.  They were purple Mexican Bush Sage and at their mature height of 4-5 feet they will form an important design element in the front yard.  

Last year we planted two palm trees and five knock out rose bushes in the back yard.  I am working on the design back there now. It's so much fun! 

taken by V

It seems like the Internal Medicine guy is there to hustle up work for the other guys.  I went in for routine bloodwork and came away with (new knowledge of) high cholesterol.  Both of my parents had heart problems - Daddy's death at the incredibly young age of 45 was all about his cardiovascular system. My mom opted not to take high cholesterol medicine back in the 90s, her death was due to cancer, but she left the hospital when that was discovered with a referral to a cardiologist as well as to the oncologist.  So, although my blood pressure is perfect, and I am not at risk for diabetes, I am taking the cholesterol number seriously.  It would be nice to be alive for whatever happens next!

I am also to see an oncologist for those proteins in my blood which aren't supposed to be there.  Worst case scenario for those markers is multiple myeloma.  I'd so much rather not. Most likely is "We haven't figured out why some people have that." why can't the medical community get comfortable with just saying, "I don't know ... we don't know."  Or, "We haven't figured it completely  out yet, but your data might help with that."  I mean, well, two things.  One, I've raised five kids, I know when someone doesn't now what they're talking about. Two, I say I don't know all the time - it hasn't made me seem any stupider.  Lol.  Seriously, I'd love to hear a medical doctor, or maybe especially a PhD say, I don't know.  Period.  If you don't know, stop there.  It's okay.

And ... I do have a rotator cuff tear which I am in physical therapy for.  The surgery isn't scheduled yet because I need to improve the range of motion before it's scheduled.  The woman I work with is pretty amazing. I spend a lot of time working on it at home too and it's really neat to see the improvement.  I am suddenly interested in anatomy so I'm studying up on that.  I think rehabilitation the shoulder after surgery is a pretty long process.  

The picture was taken down the street a ways from the retreat cabin, if a 3000 soft log cabin kit home may be considered a cabin.  If I win the lottery I will definitely spend some of it on a small ranch for a few horses and some of the exotic herds that I've enjoyed seeing at Brushy Top down by Blanco. I like horses and enjoy riding but I don't know how to care for them.    

#doover

An old friend, Bp, chose to share her birthday largess by booking a place specifically set up to accommodate quilting retreats ... retreats for quilters. The guest list ended up including five people who I've known forever and five strangers.

Gosh, I can tell I haven't been writing for a long time!  This feels so stilted!

I mention the stranger thing because I tend not to warm up to people very fast and sometimes (mostly) not at all.  Close to the last minute I messaged Bp attempting to "vacate" my spot so that a real quilter might enjoy the venue and camaraderie.  Apparently quilt retreats are a thing. I am the sort of quilter who pieced a crib sized top 33 years ago and finally jettisoned it, unfinished, during the great move of 2015. It was a Jakob's ladder pattern and was so meticulously pieced together that I basically was over it before picking out a backing fabric.  I realized in 1984 that I was not meant to be a quilter, but Bp flatly stately, "No, you're in," shushing further discussion on my attendance.  I had a blast!

#doover, pictured above, is a mug rug ... party favor.  Bp requested that each of us create a mug rug (that's like a place mat specifically sized to accommodate a coffee cup, a mug coaster), wrap it up cute (she said doll it up when I asked if it should be wrapped for the party), and each guest would have one to open and take home to enjoy.  Quite frankly, I liked the idea of the challenge - creating something out of the thin air of my quilting imagination, but I wasn't THAT enthusiastic about bringing home another "ditty" when I'm spending so much time on clearing away years worth of
s t u f f.  It takes a lot of time to decide if a thing brings joy, and then if it doesn't, deciding where it needs to go.

 "joy" ... maybe you'll want to look at Marie Kondo's book:

the life-changing magic of tidying up

the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing

#1 NEW YORK TIMES best Seller

(on loan from One)

 but I wasn't THAT enthusiastic ... Until 

I opened my package, saw my new treasure, and read the note safety pinned to it. Here's what the little note said:

I am learning not to rehash the previous day & not to listen to the uninvited voices that go along with doing that. Everyday is a do over. I thought it might be a beneficial reminder to the recipient as well.                    Leviticus 2:22-24

Here's one of my favorite parts - remember, I was just writing about "intentional ... in the day ... blah blah ... maybe I'm best at big picture ... lol ... I remember.  "Big picture" encourages one to run amok all over the canvas ... to paint as the Master's did, da Vinci for example was big on layering for effect and painting over entirely to find the most pleasing lines, takes diligence and commitment to excellence.  The mug rug, as beautifully crafted as it's intended take away was thoughtfully conceived, invites me to the present, to today ... to a clean slate and an engaging God.

Here's another one of my favorite parts.  There is no Lev. 2:22-24.  But/and the mug rug's message is "Do Over's, not only allowed, but encouraged".  As I lay on my bunk contemplating the possibilities ... was this a simple mistake ... I thought it would be a verse about His mercies are new every morning ... one of my favorite verses about God's provision of grace ... or was there some little gem in Leviticus, hidden among the rules, that these reference numbers could be un-jumbled to reveal.  I concluded that my new buddy girl might need a do over on the verse directive. I even wondered if she planned it that way.

Here's my next, another, favorite part.  Coincidently, I was seated next to her at dinner.  I told her I'd made an attempt at finding the verse, but "There is no Leviticus 2:22-24".  As her eyebrows pinched together, I continued, "Leviticus chapter 2 stops at verse 16". And her deadpanned response?  "What kinda Bible are you reading?"  Ha!  I laughed out loud!  Too funny.  At that moment.I knew I had found a kindred spirit, a friend.

Here's my mug rug - given the constraint that I can't make every corner joint meet (I know that because of all the hair I lost on my first attempt at the mug rug challenge (yes, it was challenging)) I found a way to make wildly mismatched angles appear intentional. The handwork included French Knot flowers (one for each retreatee) and a bluebird singing in a tree, one of the many forming the piney veil of East Texas.  My mother taught me how to sew, also how to embroidery.

Would have made a delightful Barbie quilt!

Thankful 117/1000 People who love us

                118/1000 Stangers who quickly become friends

                119/1000 a mother who taught me to sew and embroidery

                120/1000 #doover - a beautiful reminder, tailor made to how I start my day, that His mercies are new every morning, in other words, He doesn't run out of grace, patience and love, for us.

PS!  Almost forgot!  I made a quilt top!  It is so cute (if I may say so myself) and I am looking forward to finishing it and will post pics asap -