It's been a while since life has been calm enough to sit, think and write. It's been a gorgeous weekend in Mill Creek -- definitely a touch of autumn in the air. I spent my time this weekend working on a quilt that will be raffled at work to benefit Seattle City Light's Combined Charities (newly fashioned United Way). Our benefit charity is Pasado's Safe Haven which is a refuge for abused and abandoned animals. During these very tough financial times it's hard to figure out just where to donate your money but we're seeing more and more animals that cannot be cared for by their 'family' and so we're donating proceeds from a Book Sale, the Quilt raffle and food drive. I got this finished completely this weekend so that gorgeous weather I told you about?? Well, I got an hour of errands out in it before the sun set today and it was blissful. Otherwise my time was spent in my haven of cloth, thread, yarn and sewing machine. I didn't even Jazzercise yesterday which was a big sacrifice but I knew I'd need every spare second I had to get the quilt done by tonight. I took the final hand stitch on the binding at 5:59pm. Not bad!
Every year I have two quilting retreats for old friends and new. We celebrate each April and October together making stuff, stuff and more stuff. We often get the chance to finish those UFO's before closing up shop for the summer or getting projects completed just in the nick of time for holiday giving. Our fall retreat will be smaller this year. Several folks are out of town enjoying vacations with their husbands (yay for them!!) but we are strong even in small numbers. This retreat I am working toward a goal of self-funding my next international vacation. Ideas are swirling through my head after coming up with my plan. I tried my sales pitch to a class audience I had while taking a Public Speaking course and I sold three quilts in the class alone. So now I'm off to see what the possibilities are. For this year, I'm going to use my proceeds to fund my wanton spending in January when I head off to New Zealand with my friend, Trudy. But next year.....hold me back.
I'm off to put the little girls to bed. They're both thriving in our wonderfully eclectic family. Suzie is turning 8 in October and Angela 10 in November. The time flies as we all know. Angela's final (hopefully) brain surgery is on October 21. These surgeries are preventing strokes, of which she's had 2 already. But she's improving daily and we are very, very thankful for being in an age where technology is advanced and we live so close to Children's Hospital that we can drive there in just 45 minutes. I have empathy for all those whose children are very ill and they cannot even have the refuge of going to their home at night because they've travelled halfway across the country to get here. I will go to bed tonight again, blessed beyond measure.
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