A Remembrance

I spent most of today watching the funeral of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was not my favorite Kennedy. His older brother, John, inspired me many years ago to join the Peace Corps. Serving in the Peace Corps in 1967-69 in the Republic of Niger changed my life forever. I was always a bit of a closet liberal, but living in a 3rd world country amidst poverty, poor educational opportunities, lack of health care, lack of the basic necessities of life, made me a 60s liberal forever. The day Bobby was assassinated was the day that I grew up. My youth was over; the hopes I had for a perfect world inspired by the days of Camelot were unrealistic and never to be.

I thought of Teddy as the brother who never quite grew up. While John and Bobby lived during a time when frailties and indiscretions were routinely ignored by the media, Teddy's failures made front-page news. Chappaquidick, drinking, a divorce in a family that abhored divorce, womanizing .... Teddy's foibles inevitably made front-page news. As the years went on, I saw him grow into a talented politician, orator, negotiator, a man who knew that a bill compromised was far better than a bill scrapped. During campaign years or especially tough congressional negotiations, his booming voice rang out over the tv waves. There was no mistaking his voice. This was a Kennedy speaking.

Today, I saw a more human side of Teddy Kennedy. I listened to his family, his friends, his Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle speak about the man. They spoke of his warmth, his loving spirit, his devotion to friends and family, his love of country, his dedication to public service - a dedication shared by all the Kennedys.

I liked Senator Kennedy's politics. I think I also would have liked the man.

You can never take the kid out of the man!

Our 39th anniversary is on Monday, August 24. Many years ago, we started planning surprise trips to celebrate, alternating years. So, this is my year. I planned a getaway to Cambria in Central California - a place we have not been to in many years. Found a great B&B (I'll let you know about it after we've had a chance to critique the place), bought tickets to tour the Hearst Castle, and was genuinely enjoying the secretive planning. Lo and behold, I did not realize that when I checked on weather.com to see what the temps were going to be like, Doug could easily see where I had been checking. Tonight he revealed that he'd been sleuthing and knows where we are going! Reminded me of searching through closets and attics in the weeks before Christmas .... he just couldn't stand not knowing where we are headed. Darn.

So, the surprise is ruined, but I will appreciate a little help with the map routing. Mapquest and our lovely GPS gal are taking us different ways. Doug will get to "play maps" (one of his favorite things) and decide the ultimate route. Mapquest has us going north on 5; the GPS basically takes us to Thousand Oaks and north on 101. That's a much prettier drive. My thought was to go up the 5 so we get there in a reasonable amount of time, check into the B&B, and still be able to find a restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. Then we can drive the long route home next Thursday along the coast and maybe even drop in on the kids for a bit.

Although the surprise is ruined, I am sure we will still have a great adventure. Lots of antique stores, walking along the beach, quilt shops (I have my list handy!). My online friends have given me some great tips on shops that just should not be missed. I plan on seeing them all.

My pains are controllable with ibuprofen - thankfully - so whatever is going on in my gut shouldn't hold us back from having a fun time.

I'm already tired of this ......

Okay - so now I have a name attached to this daily pain - gall bladder something or other. But it still hurts like the dickens (is that supposed to be a small "d" or a capital "D"?). Anyway, I am ready for this all to go away. One of the downsides to the Internet and the vastly expanding universe of instant information is that you can "google" any subject or question and get way more information than you really need. So, I made the mistake of googling "gall bladder surgery" and found out that it can be painful and the recovery period can be anywhere from a day or two to weeks to months!

BIG MISTAKE!

I know I should wait for a definitive diagnosis and course of treatment. But what is done, is done. Ultrasound is tomorrow at 2:30. Doug has set up the coffee to start brewing at 6 a.m. I'll have coffee, juice, and a muffin by 6:30 a.m. Then I'm off food and drink (even H2O) until the test at 2:30 p.m. More later .... once again

So that's what it is!

My mother was a teacher which was both a blessing and a curse to me and my sister. A blessing because she could always be counted on to help us out with schoolwork; a curse because we couldn't pull the wool over her eyes EVER about school! One of the cardinal rules in our house was that you went to school unless you were barfing up breakfast or running a fever - no excuses! In our house, you ignored small aches and pains and just got on with life. Doctor visits were reserved for major occurrences like broken bones and rashes covering your entire body.

No wonder, then, that I still find it hard to give in to illnesses and pain. For the past month, I have had a pain on the right side of my abdomen which I assumed was some type of muscle pull and would eventually go away. Nope. Did not go away. In fact, it has gotten markedly worse. I finally made a doctor's appointment and off we went this afternoon. Seems I have the classic symptoms of gallstones and/or inflammation of the gall bladder! They drew blood today, and I'm scheduled for an ultrasound on Saturday afternoon. Great timing since we are off on our anniversary trip Monday and won't return until Thursday. Hope my procrastination hasn't blown this whole vacation!

If the diagnosis is confirmed, I will probably need to have the little so-and-so removed surgically. Yuck. I hate the thought of going under anesthesia and being in the hospital. More later, I'm afraid.

Success Times Two - Well, One & A Half!

Finished the Perennial Pant pattern this morning by Kayla Kennington. The pants are not perfect, but I still like them and look forward to wearing them. The waist is a bit loose, and I'm not sure I like the front darts. But they fit and they are wearable! So, I deem them a half success. I think the decorative stitching on the pockets is what makes them a bit unusual. Love this touch. Next time, I'll make the waist smaller, shorten the darts a bit, and perhaps do them in a cropped style with the pockets a bit higher on the leg. Or maybe I'll really get stylish and do some machine embroidery!

My other success this morning was my first sale on Etsy. The tiger fleece panel sold. Now I have to pack it up and send it off to its new owner in Connecticut. I'm sure my shipping charges are too low, but I'm not really in this to make the most bucks. Just for fun and to find new owners for the remaining fabric and clothing from Sri Lanka. Hip, hip hooray! I'm going to try to list one of the wraparound skirts today.

Experiment in Terror

I decided several weeks ago that I wanted to attempt some garment making. I haven't done any sewing for myself in years - maybe decades. Some of my online friends have posted pictures of garments that they've made, and I became envious. I'm pretty tired of shopping these days and finding nothing out there for 60+ gals who don't want to look like frumps! I saw these pants on Have you Tinkled today? and knew that this was the pattern for me. Plus, CJ's made them several times and posted great pictures. Best of all, she claims they are easy peasy!

So I ordered the pattern and anxiously awaited the mail. Being on the cautious side, and rather cheap, I opted for some fabric on the clearance table at JoAnns. The pattern arrived this week. I cut them out yesterday and have been working on them today. I take my time sewing - what's the rush when you're retired? - so I probably won't finish them until tomorrow. But, they are going together easily. I even did some decorative stitching along the pockets (thank you, Bernina)! Will definitely post a picture of the completed project even if they don't fit!

Praise the Lord ..... and pass the peanuts, please!

My life has finally returned to normal. It's been a long six months. Those of you who know me well are aware that I divide the year roughly in half. There are six "normal" months (i.e., when I can watch as much NFL football as I can get away with) and "the other" months (i.e., the off season). Tonight - oh, blessed night - there were THREE pre-season games on TV. Be still my heart ...

Okay, I know, I know. Preseason is not real football. I got to watch a tentative Tony Romo for only a quarter; Jamarcus Russell wasn't quite up to speed. But, hey - football is football! Clashing helmets, referree whistles, dropped passes, catches that had no right to be made by humans ... I felt the joy coming back as only a fan can feel.

Did you happen to catch any film of Tom Brady? Sure doesn't look as though he missed a whole season. Smooth, polished, professional.

I will start the season as I usually do, hoping that the Raiders will be contenders (or at least not be an embarrassment). Maybe this is the year! I love being a sports fan. We are optimists at heart. Our team can be at the top of the mountain. All things are possible. The Lombardi trophy is ours for the taking. The season starts at 0 wins, 0 losses. Go Raiders!

Rite of Passage

It was inevitable. I could no longer avoid my doctor's advice that "it's time to have a colonoscopy." I'm a pretty bright individual, and I know that colon cancer is slow-growing and completely curable if caught early in the game. So, how do you catch it early in the game? You have a colonoscopy. Tuesday was THE DAY for me.

The doctor prescribed pills for the prep, but my insurance company would not pay for them and I wasn't about to put out $90+ for the convenience of pills. So, I got to partake of 4 liters of Trilyte - a less than appetizing drink! Monday was liquids only - apple juice, tea, ginger ale, jello - not exactly a gourmet diet. Someone out there needs to write a pre-colonoscopy cookbook of appetizing dishes that stay within the clear liquids diet parameter. You could make millions!

Being a good girl and one who follows orders without question, I stayed with the liquid diet Monday and looked forward to my Trilyte prep starting at 6 p.m. (that's a joke, by the way). One drinks an 8 oz. glass of Trilyte every ten minutes until 2 liters have been consumed. I opted for the lemon and lime flavor and only got it down by holding my nose and chugging it in the shortest time possible. I tried desperately to visualize standing on a beach chugging tequila!

After about an hour, this stuff started to work. So, without going into graphic detail about my anatomy, I stayed within running distance of a bathroom until 11 p.m. that night. Tuesday was a "nothing by mouth" day until 10:30 a.m. when I was treated to the second half of the bottle of Trilyte. Yuck, yuck, yuck, and yuck. Once again, I needed to stay close to the bathroom.

At 2 p.m. we left for the endoscopy center for my test. Nice facility, nice staff. Ushered into a pre-op room with 5 beds. Into a gown. Start an IV, hook up to machines that check BP, heart rate. Ready to go! Into the procedure room. Nurse says, "I'm going to give you something to make you sleepy." Next thing I know, I'm waking up in lots of pain and actually moaning! Me - moaning?? I gave birth twice without any anesthetic at all. And, I'm moaning ... can't be. Nurse tells me to try to expel the gas. I'm trying, but my body just is not cooperating.

They roll me out to the pre/post-op room. Doc says all is well; test is perfectly normal. Doug is there. Nurse says that I'm ready to go home. I don't think I'm ready to go home, but I don't have enough strength to argue plus I'm still a bit out of it. So, off we go onto the freeway to make our way home. Oops - don't make it home without stopping to be sick along the freeway. Maybe I was standing on the beach chugging tequila after all. Hmmmm .....

Once home, I fall into bed and zonk out for several hours. By the time I wake up, I am feeling somewhat normal although not comfortable. So, I've completed this task and can face my doctor with confidence once again that I am taking care of my health as prescribed. I can only hope that, by the time I am due for this procedure again in ten years, medical science has come up with something a bit less difficult!

My Bernina comes through again ...

Just finished a little project for a wedding shower that I'm going to on Saturday. One of my local quilt stores carries toweling by the yard. You only have to cut to length, finish the top hem, add a colorful fabric border and some coordinating machine embroidery, and voila - a unique handmade gift at a reasonable cost. This is the third one I've made. They are fun to design, fun to stitch, and have been well received. This time I actually prewashed the toweling since I was a bit dubious about how they would wash up. Of course, I could be proactive and make one up for myself and wash it to see the outcome. But, nah, that's too much trouble!

I'll let you know how the bride-to-be likes this one.

Why I hate Facebook ....

If you haven't read yesterday's post, please scroll down and take a minute to read it. Otherwise, this will not make any sense! I'm probably breaking some kind of "blogosphere" rule - don't make your readers go back to read old posts. Oh, well. I am a newbie afterall.

I have been joyful over the last few weeks to reconnect through the Internet (thank you, Al Gore) with several friends from my youth. These are people that I've thought about off and on through the years and wondered how they were doing, what they were doing, why didn't we stay in touch, etc. The usual stuff that we deal with as life passes us by decade by decade rather than year by year.

So the Internet, and Facebook, allowed me to find these friends. It has definitely been rewarding and brought smiles to my face and laughter to my heart. But there is a downside. I discovered that my two best buds from the Peace Corps have been through divorces. One lost an adult child to diabetes.

My high school love is a widower.

I'm not particularly sentimental, but I have been in a bit of a "blue" mood these past few days. I haven't been in touch with these friends in many years, yet the emotional attachment must still be there. Facebook has brought me both the joy of renewed friendship and the pain of knowing that life does not always go as planned. I need to be reminded of this now and then so that I can be thankful for the life I have.

Why I love Facebook

A few months ago, a friend got me interested in Facebook. I created an account, logged on, but couldn't really figure out what all the buzz was about. Why was this so much better than just plain old e-mail for keeping in touch? Maybe e-mail was going the way of snail mail? Hmmmm .... the old brain just didn't compute the benefits of Facebook.

I added a few friends, got a few invitations to be a friend, and sailed along happily without Facebook being a part of my daily routine. I often have trouble sleeping, so one night I was playing around on the computer and decided to search for some old friends - actually, old boyfriends. Couldn't find the three of them (I have a rather short dating history) so moved on to friends from my Peace Corps days. I was thrilled to find one of my best Peace Corps buddies on Facebook! Within a couple of days, we were communicating and catching up with our lives. One friend led to another which led to another .... well, you know how Facebook works. The most fun was seeing our pictures and realizing that we would walk right by one another in any shopping mall in the country. Some of us age well, and some of us don't.

This week, I tried again with the old boyfriends and connected with my first love from high school. It's a little strange to think that 40 or so years have passed since we were so crazy about one another, but it has been fun to share where life has taken us.

So, I love Facebook. I still don't quite understand how all the pieces fit, who sees what on whose wall, how to prevent the world from seeing everything you write, etc. But Facebook has given me back 3 of my best buddies. That's worth a lot of thank yous to the two very rich guys from Harvard who started it all.

Can't you just go away, Sarah P?

Alert: Political Commentary

Okay, I haven't posted many political comments (remember, I am new at this blogging stuff and the learning curve for those of us in the post-60 age group is a bit steep). But - aren't you all a bit tired of Sarah P? I am. I was really hoping that she would just fade away. Alaska is a HUGE state ... numerous places for Sarah to hunker down with her family and enjoy life fishing, hunting, making nice-nice with Todd, and sorting through her makeup drawer.

I am a feminist at heart, and I thoroughly support women who strive to achieve. Kudos to Sarah P. for becoming governor of Alaska and a candidate for vice president of the United States! Quite an accomplishment for someone who has NO INTELLECT!

Sorry - had to be said. I cringe whenever a news bite announces that a Sarah P. story is about to be aired. I really struggle to follow her train of thought. Perhaps she is going into seclusion for several years so that her handlers can waltz her through total immersion training - 200 years of American social, economic, and political history prior to the next election cycle. And you have to understand it well enough to converse about the subject, have an intellectual debate, and perhaps answer a question or two? Not easy ...

Maybe she just wants to be a talk-show host. I can live with that. I have the power to turn off the television, radio, internet. I can't turn off those in national office. That's scary.

Finally finished ...

I had enough material left to make an outfit for T (the elder) so that she and her younger sister will coordinate. This is the pattern that I was grousing about in my last post - why have facings disappeared from the mainstream sewing world?

Anyway, the sundress is finished. I altered the pattern (added the ruffle to the hem and used a hook and eye closure versus the thread loop that the pattern called for - what the blazes is that?) It's hard to see from the photo, but I put a pocket in the middle of the sundress and added a rick-rack edging. Just a little "cutesieness."

I LOVE the ruffler attachment! Not wanting to spend upwards of $100 on a new Bernina ruffler, I realized that I had (1) a ruffler in the box of attachments that came with the Singer Featherweight that I bought about a year ago and (2) an unused ruffler attachment from my MILs sewing stash. So, I bought an adapter for my Bernina 640 so I could use these older attachments. Voila! Inspite of my trepidations about using alien attachments with my beloved (i.e., expensive) Bernina, it worked like magic. The ruffler is a fantastic device and I am sure that I will be using it for many more projects - especially since I have two rather frilly granddaughters. I'm even thinking (dreaming) about designs for purses that uses ruffles. Fun, fun, fun ...

What ever happened to facings?

I'm working on a summer dress for my oldest granddaughter, who is 3 1/2. The pattern (Simplicity 3853) is pretty simple. The neckline and armholes call for bias tape finishes rather than facing finishes. Guess I'm old-fashioned - I would much prefer a facing finish. I'm not inclined to make my own facing pattern - so I'll just complain!

I have all the time in the world (I'm retired), so I took extra steps to pin and then baste the bias binding before stitching. Then, I trimmed the seam, clipped the curves, pinned, and basted again before doing the topstitching. Lots of time spent sewing for a garment to be worn by a 3-year-old! Momma said, "Anything worth doing, is worth doing right."

Hmmmm ... give me the old facings anytime. Have I missed out on sewing trends? I think the facings were (1) easier and (2) gave a more professional finish. What do you think?

We're going to Disneyland!

Doug's birthday is tomorrow, so we are going to celebrate with a trip to Disneyland. Disneyland has a promotion for California residents - you can get in free on your birthday! It should be lots of fun; we haven't been in about 10 years.

We were growing up in New Jersey when Disneyland first opened. Oh, how we yearned to be able to go to The Magic Kingdom. Little did we know that someday we would be living within driving distance of the park. I become an excited little kid again as soon as we buy our tickets and walk through the gates. Won't it be extra exciting when we can visit with our grandchildren? That's a few years away, however.

Since we will not be home for dinner tomorrow, I bought lamb chops for dinner. Doug loves lamb. Roasted potatoes and a green salad will round out the menu. Key Lime Pie for dessert. Wonder how many candles I can fit on a slice of pie?

Hot, Hot, Hot

We're in the middle of an extended heat wave. Yuck! At 2:45 p.m. it is about 103 degrees - definitely stay-in-the-house weather. We had a nice visit with our friends George & Merle and their two dogs. They left about an hour ago to drive back to Thousand Oaks. It was fun to have dogs in the house again.

Dinner turned out well last night. Here's a super easy dessert recipe for a hot summer night:

Creamy Coconut Pie
3 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups coconut
3 ounces Cool Whip
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Beat cream cheese until softened. Beat in sugar. Gradually add milk and beat until smooth. Fold in coconut, whipped topping and extract. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting.

Off to vacuum the floors a bit since the dogs dragged in stuff from the backyard. Then, back to sewing! I'm going to make napkins to match the placemats that I embroidered a month ago. Hopefully, I can find the embroidery design that I used. I need to get better organized with my designs.

It was 40 years ago today ....

Can you believe that it has been 40 years since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon? I had just returned from 2 years in the Republic of Niger serving in the U. S. Peace Corps. Niger was, and still is, one of the poorest countries in the world. Surviving and have your children survive is a daily struggle. Coming back to the United States, to a developed world, was shock enough. But walking on the moon? Pure fantasy.

I don't remember watching the launch, but I do remember seeing the television broadcast of the landing several days later. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind ....

To our children and our children's children, this all seems rather routine. We no longer hold our breath as each rocket or space ship or shuttle is fired off into space. We accept the fact that man can do this - we can venture forth into space, do the impossible, and return. But 40 years ago today, it was a grand adventure, a heartstopping exploration into the unknown, an exhilarating voyage where man had never been. It was pure fantasy come to life.

I miss the awe. I miss the adventure. I miss the challenge.

Something for Tasha!

Finished the romper that I have been working on for Tasha, our 5-month-old granddaughter. Can hardly wait to see her cute chubby body in this! It's hard to tell from the picture, but the fabric has pink and yellow flowers on it. It looked a little plain when I finished it, so I added the heart applique on light yellow fabric and embroidered "My Oma Loves Me" on the applique. First project using my new very expensive embroidery software, EditorPlus from Bernina. It is nice to be able to create your own stuff - hard to find "Oma" in available designs for purchase.

Wait 'til Tasha's mom sees that there are 5 buttons on the back of the romper! I probably should have used a different method of closure, but I'm the type that follows the directions especially the first time I use a pattern. Doubt if I'll make this view again, though (Butterick 5326).

Time to go back to the kitchen (where I belong????). Friends Merle & George are visiting this weekend. Merle is truly a gourmet cook, so I'm under self-imposed pressure to make a delicious dinner. I've already made an eggplant & red pepper dip for an appetizer, gazpacho for the first course, and a coconut pie for dessert. Rest of the meal will be smoked salmon & cocumber sandwiches for a second appetizer, salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, rib-eye steaks on the grill, and oven-baked potatoe wedges.

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh, My!

Here's a picture of a friend we encountered last Saturday while hiking in Sequoia National Park. We heard tales of bear sightings in the park (they are plentiful in Sequoia) but had not seen one.

A group of hikers came along and joined us. As we were walking away to continue our hike, I heard someone say, "Let's throw one of our apples out to see what he does." Not a good idea at all. Dangerous for humans and, eventually, dangerous for the bears. The park does an excellent job of educating visitors to beware of bears and to keep your food in special bear lockers. Guess these hikers were of the "rules-are-for-someone-else" variety!

Back to Reality

We arrived home from our trip yesterday afternoon. I've spent the whole day washing, food shopping, paying bills - the usual crap that you have to do when you return from vacation. Always takes a little of the enjoyment out of vacations, doesn't it?

We had a nice time visiting with our friends in Twin Lakes. It was pretty windy during our visit which annoyed the fishermen in the group. Our son, Matt, caught one fish before our arrival. At least he didn't get skunked like last year! Everyone seemed to enjoy the beef stroganoff dinner and the brownies.

On Thursday, we left Twin Lakes and drove the Tioga Pass through Yosemite National Park. What a gorgeous drive! We've been to the park several times and travelled the Sonora Pass route a few years ago. There was little traffic on the northern route, so we were able to enjoy the magnificent scenery at a nice pace. We arrived at the bed and breakfast in Three Rivers (Sequoia River Dance) around 6 p.m. The B&B is lovely on the inside and the backyard is spectacular - right up against a beautiful little stream. Doug and I enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio each night just listening to the sounds of the stream and the birds. Three Rivers reminded both of us of Nevada City -- the pros and the cons. Idyllic scenery, peaceful living, eclectic housing!

After our yummy breakfast Friday, we drove into Sequoia National Park along the Generals Highway - a road with switchbacks unlike any you have ever seen! No speeding here. We decided to hike the Tokopah Falls trail and take lunch along with us. Several hikers told us about a momma bear and cub along the way, but we did not see them. Maybe that's for the best since they might have been tempted by our sandwiches!

So many of the visitors to the park were from outside the country - we heard many visitors speaking French, Hebrew, German, Asian languages - quite a variety of nationalities. Nice to see so many enjoying the beauty that the U.S. has to offer. Political comment here: maybe this makes amends for some of our shortcomings on the world stage during the past administration.

We returned to the park on Saturday and hiked Crescent Meadows, a less strenuous hike. Doug was walking in front of me when I heard something in the underbrush. A mid-sized bear sprinted across our trail right in front of us! It was really exciting ... and a little scary, too. The bear ran behind a felled tree, so we didn't know where he was going. We stayed still for a minute or two until we could see the bear about 15 feet away from us in the meadow chomping away on something. The bear did not seem to care about us at all; Doug took pictures and we watched the bear just being a bear for about 5 minutes. How cool is that?

Good trip. Nice to be home. Wish the damn wash was done!