In anticipation of my upcoming vacation, I’m not sleeping well.  I’m hoping that making lists of what I need to take will help resolve some of those issues.  I wake up in the middle of the night, go to the bathroom, and come back to bed wondering if I have time to do this or that or the next thing and what if I forget this or that?  ARGH!  I’m making myself INSANE!!

So today I sat down and started my lists for what to bring for the quilt retreat and what to bring cuz I wanna have fun when I’m there.  That should solve the problem!

It was totally a misunderstanding between us and all is well now– Whew!!  I hate having those kind of thoughts and feelings happening!  So glad we were able to resolve the issue.

I’ve been a soft touch.  It is probably well-known in my circle that I am a soft touch.  Usually, I don’t mind because people don’t take advantage– usually.  Every now and then, someone does take advantage to which I say: “Done”.

Perhaps I’ll get over the slight that I feel but perhaps I won’t– that does present a problem as this person has a key to our house.  <sigh>

Ever since Diana and Charles (for purposes of this article, I’ll refer to him by his formal name but I usually just call him “Chuck” or “Chuckie”) were married, I’ve followed the Royals.  I was living in Dallas at the time of their marriage and yes, I was one of the idiots who didn’t sleep the night of their wedding and watched it all take place.

I followed Diana through the pregnancies and births of the Heir & a Spare (Will and Harry) and I cried with her when Chuck (sorry, he really doesn’t deserve any respect) was STUPID and took Horse Woman as his lover, deserting Diana.

When I was in England in 1997, a cabby took me to Clarence House so I could see where the Queen Mum lived.  This was after Chuck and Diana had split up and he told me about how the English people really love Diana and hate Chuck and hope that it is possible that he never gets the throne.

From his lips to God’s ears!

When Diana was killed in the automobile accident, I cried.  During the funeral, when I was living in California, I watched it on television and cried.  I still follow their activities although not as closely as when I was younger.  The time zones and age don’t exactly cooperate plus I have more of a life now and have better things to do.

Periodically I remember that when I was walking around London, I felt like I had been there before that trip.  I hadn’t– I would’ve noticed that stamp in my passport– but it FELT like it. I walked from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey on back streets not using a map.  We walked it and got there in about fifteen minutes; the friend that was with me was stunned.

I want to go back there and explore the city more but I’m old and a little out of shape and the pesky joints don’t want to walk all that much so I have to wait a bit.  I’m getting the hip replacement (hopefully) this summer and then the right knee in January.  Then, I’ll give it a couple of years and start bugging the hubby for a trip to the UK– something that’s more than a whirlwind but less than a hiatus.

Yeah, that’s the ticket!

No, I’m joking!  Anyway, I wanted to update you on a few things: I had another cervical spine epidural on Tuesday and have felt fairly lethargic since.  I probably caught something at the hospital or something . . . I don’t know.  I’m hoping to get back to my usual practice of sewing all day tomorrow.

I’m going to be the point person on the church prayer shawl ministry.  We’re trying to get people to donate yarn and/or their skills to crochet or knit a shawl and then I’ll coordinate getting them distributed.  Hopefully that’ll work out.

Other than that, unfortunately, not much has been happening.

I’m entering one of my “I Don’t Like People” phases.  I used to call them “Greta Garbo Weekends” but I’m married (and happily so, thanks) so I don’t want to be alone I just don’t want a bunch of people around me.  Maybe its also a little bit of a hibernation cuz I don’t really want to go out anywhere either but there are obligations so I will go out and meet them.

I probably sound like I’m depressed but I’m not, I swear it.  I just don’t want to be around people and go places– I’d rather be alone and in the basement sewing or the library quilting.  I listen to the local radio stations as I do either of those activities.  There’s a Christian Contemporary music station that I like and I also listen to the Classical radio station in DC.  Rarely, I will listen to KFOG but I’d rather listen to classic rock, if I’m going that route.

‘Nuf about me–

Yes, I know– I’ve been remiss again.  I have a good excuse this time: I handle so much fabric that my fingertips dry out and crack and split and hurt to type.  Yes, that sounds feeble but it is quite painful actually.

I’m using a different kind of fabric this week: Silk.  I have 40-year brocade silk from a customer who wants these two dresses made into a jacket.  Her husband brought her the fabric from Hong Kong in the 70s when he was in the army and she is sentimental about it. I can handle that!  So I’m making a jacket out of the two dresses and some additional fabric (also silk).  I have to keep my hands (especially the fingertips) softened but so far, it is working and will be beautiful when finished.

In other news, I may have to dissolve my business as I’m supposed to be collecting sales tax when I hand someone a quilt.  I think that’s wrong in the case of a t-shirt quilt where they provide half of the materials for making the quilt and are really only paying for a service, i.e., putting the t-shirts into a quilt.  What is a “Service” and what are “Tangible Goods”?

I’m also working on a quilt for my niece’s son but I don’t like how it started out so I’m pretty sure that I’m going to make a different quilt which will make her happier, I think.  The quilt that I was working on was blue but her son’s room is red and gray.  I do have orange and gray fabric but really wanted to use the blue.  The blue is not working out (the quilt isn’t big enough for a twin bed) so I’m going to switch to the orange and gray, removing the orange and substituting red.  You see?  She’ll be happy!

Yesterday was the first anniversary (Yes, in my family, we celebrate some really odd things) of when my sister went into the hospital and was put in a medically induced coma to reduce her fever, eventual meningitis and other infections.  Now maybe we can all move on with our lives?  Let’s hope so!

We had some good news yesterday: The doctors told me that my blood flow is below where they would recommend surgery.  I need to keep an eye on it by getting screened every six months but not having to have surgery now is very good!  I’m very pleased, needless to say.  Obviously, so is Brian– whew!

I’ve been working at a local quilt shop since the end of June, 2013.  At first, I worked two days a week and then only one day a week (Mondays, usually) and then, after my “spell” in November, I got two days in December, and one day in January and February.  I don’t mind.  Probably because of the infrequency, I was incredibly sore and tired the day-after working.  The assistant to the owner of the store and I agreed that I would eventually move to teaching only and that I was to say when.

Yesterday I wrote to her and said “When”.  I just can’t do it anymore.  My joints are swelled to the point that I barely make it up the stairs after eating my supper– By the way, that’s after taking ibuprophen and naproxen sodium all day.  Brian suggested and I heartily agreed that I would do no more retail floor work.

That’s too bad because I really love putting together quilts for people– they come into the store with an idea and we help them find the pieces of the pattern to make up a beautiful quilt.  There’s a lot of hard work in retail and especially, in the standing but it was fun– I truly enjoyed the time there I just couldn’t do it with “This Old Body”.

Now, if anyone has an administrative position (even part-time) available, I would be most interested in speaking with you!

In all fairness, all of my siblings have called/contacted me in some manner and asked about the medical condition that I notified them of earlier in the week.  Two of them were traveling and thus were out of pocket to ask questions or contact me but, the others were waiting for my birthday (which occurred yesterday).  So all four of them called for my birthday and asked about my health, as well.

Our history isn’t the best so it is easier to rush to cliffs that don’t need to be jumped from than it is to believe anything good.  I’ll work on it but I wanted you to know.