Christmas Letter 2006
Dear Friends,
This sixth year of the new millennium is coming to a pleasant end. I’m settled in my little ranch house with it’s great room and window wall. The house suits me. It only took six months for the former house to sell, which isn’t so very long, except when you’re waiting. Of course I put off many remodeling projects that I’ll now be able to get to after the new year.
Big news; Matt & Sarah are coming home for Christmas. They moved from Korea to South Vietnam a few months ago and have already had the adventure of living through a typhoon. I haven’t seen them for about 18 months, so I’m quite excited. It’s stacking up tobe the clasic whirlwind visit, but we catch-up quickly, especially since we’ve kept up with emails and phone calls. I can’t wait to lay my eyes upon them.
This body of 63 yrs is aging faster than some of my peers. I’d thought about resubmitting the book. You know, trying to get it published one last time, but I’m too tired, with the asthma adding to the general mailaise. That’s the worst of if though. Church and choir are great. I joined the The Streetboror Methodist Church and choir this past August, and have been very comfortable there.
I finished my first quilt; put the sandwich together and completed the actual quilting stitches. Many tops are stored in a vareity of gift bags awaiting my attentions I’ve several more up in my head. It’s nice to say that one is done.
Even after six months in my new home, there are at least a hundred boxes yet to go through. They must be full of junk, because I’m getting by quite well without whatever is in them . . ho ho ho ! On the positive side of the problem, I’ve found Patty, a cleaning woman. We’ve been whittling our way through the boxes during her monthly visits. It’s actually kind of fun opening up all those old boxes to discover what I put away over three years ago. A couple more workdays and all the boxes will be done. I’m also pleased to have Patty’s objective view point, “Jane, are sure you need to keep this?” And she’s great at organizing what I do keep. It’s going to be very easy to stay here.
December has been one long banquet, which I’ve managed to miss some of. Too much food, but each meal represents a group of people I enjoy knowing and sharing experiences with. Choir had a spaghetti dinner to raise money for new chairs. I helped set up but skipped the chow down. We’ve ordered the chairs. I also skipped the quilter’s night out and the church ladies banquet. However, I made it to the art society’s banquet, the Silver Lake Tea Party Ladies, a special tea for friends from a former church, and tonight the theatre ladies are meeting for a holiday meal. You must be wondering when I have time to sit home alone ? But that’s December.
I don’t want to rush Christmas, but I must admit that I’m looking forward to some uninterrupted hours spent working on my projects. Oh yea, I gotta get a sad light. I need it, the studio needs it and I’ll be able to work through the evenings.
I had a most interesting experience ordering a how-to quilt book. When I first found that “Ghost Layers & Color Washes” was out of print I came upon a collector’s edition for $200. Of course I kept looking. I found an Amazon-dot-com service whereby I offered what I was willing to pay ($35) for a used copy, in any condition, and they offered to look around for 3 weeks. It completely surprised me when two weeks later something popped up. I received a soft cover book in good condition, and have completely devoured the innards. (Wouldn’t you know I’d couch it in eatable terms.) I almost can’t wait to get to work. My new church is very old, but it doesn’t have any large banners decorating the sanctuary. The church does have a lovely tradition of giving people, just out of the hospital, small lap quilts. I hope to contribute to that service eventually.
As you may have noticed, I don’t spend much energy looking back, but always seem to think of what’s coming next. Over this past year I struggled with trying to write my memoirs but found it simply too painful to hash through all the hard times. I either cried or fumed with anger the whole time I tried to write about the past. It’s not worth it. Sorry gang, but maybe nobody wants to hear about all my lumps and bumps anyway. There’s a chance I will look back at the good things that carried me into all the various arts. My art has kept me going through anything life could throw at me.
Right now all I want to do is make art quilts . . . after a joyous Christmas with my family. Like many families, the holiday celebration is spread over the whole week between Christmas and New Years. We’ll have the feasts at Tim&Michelle’s. Matt&Sarah will be here the 24th through about the 27th and then Chris and his family, from North Carolina, will arrive towards the end of the week. We hope that C&A + M&S will cross paths at some designated rest stop in their travels. Many a holiday comes complete with these tactical problems.
Puppies: I just took a few minutes to re-stuff an overly loved toy dog that Missy enjoys carrying around. They, Charlie and Missy, had finally broken through a seam and were pulling the stuffing out as fast as they could . . “What fun ! “ I couldn’t scold the dogs, for it was their toy, but I made a big deal about gathering it’s guts, sewing it back together and then soothing it’s ruffled scar before returning “Scruffy” to her playmates. The dogs four months apart, Charlie turning 2 in Sept and Missy in Jan. They fill muy house with warm fussies . . . in multiple ways. I’ll try to write some dog stories this coming year.
I trtied out the directions in the Ghost Layer book and came up with this fish design. I don’t think I’ll make a quilt out of it, but it’s good to see how Corel Draw can help design without going through the whole process of making a quilt.
Merry merry to one and all, and please do keep in touch. I wonder if anyone is reading and enjoying my meanderings.
