March 15, 2024:  March 15, 2024:  Tuesday, Teresa, Mary, and I headed to Branson Quilt Week!  When we went to Quilt Week last year, we all agreed we wanted to head back this way.  In January, we made plans, got a hotel room, and signed up for classes.   We drove home last night, and today I continue to be amazed by everything I learned, remembered, or recalled from the event.  Time to write down my thoughts!

First of all, the scrapbooker in me failed!  The only picture I have of the three of us together was from our first stop on the trip, which happened to be at the Buc-Cee's in Springfield.  I know better than this!  That said, I had enough memories to make up for the lack of photos of the three of us.

January 31, 2024:  My last chemo was December 21st, and I'm in what I call the recovery phase.  While the chemo keeps doing its thing, I feel my body returning to normal.  Major side effects are gone, and my hair has started growing back...slowly but surely.  About five days ago,  I was brushing my teeth when I caught a glimpse of the back of my head in the mirror behind me.  I could see a hairline starting to show up on the base of the back of my head.  I ran to Brian and showed him, and he saw it, too.  Trust me, he's not one to say he sees it if he doesn't.  He truly saw it!  Today I noticed that the eyebrows between my eyes are starting to sprout again.  I've never been more excited about my unibrow! 

If I had to pick an external MVP during the chemo process, it would have to be my eyebrows.  I started losing my hair about two weeks after my first treatment, and I ended up shaving my hair about a month after the first treatment because I was so tired of having hair everywhere.  I hoped my eyebrows would hold out, and they sure did.  Since I was a preteen, I've had really thick and dark eyebrows.  So dark, in fact, that my mom often thought I was getting into my sisters' makeup.  I wasn't.  I've plucked and waxed my eyebrows so much over the years.  Some say when they wax their eyebrows, they don't grow back.  That's not the case for me.  I generally get my eyebrows waxed every three weeks, usually about one week after they need to be done.  My eyebrows have definitely thinned and have also lost their dark color.  My thin, gray eyebrows are sparse, but they are still there.  When the rest of my hair fell out, my eyebrows stayed.  They are hanging on, and for that reason, they are my external MVP. By the way, the little growths on my eyelids thried through the chemo!  They'll come off as soon as I get an all clear from the doctor.

December 8, 2023: While scrolling Facebook a few weeks ago, a picture popped up on my screen that brought back a rush of memories.  A Facebook friend was selling a miniature hutch and kitchen set, along with a doll.  The doll caught my eye instantly because I quickly recognized it as a doll made by my childhood neighbor, Mrs. Gladys Brown.  My suspicions were confirmed when her granddaughter quickly bought the items and shared that her grandmother made the doll.  I was so thankful to see the pictures of Mrs. Brown and the tag on the doll that her grandchild posted.

Growing up, there was an empty lot between our house and my Uncle Chester and Aunt Betty's house.  As a kid, this was the lot I walked through to get to my nightly piano lessons.  Sometime in the 70's, Mrs. Brown bought the lot and built a home on it when she relocated to town.  Almost instantly, Mrs. Brown and her family became a part of our family.  

Dad was diagnosed with leukemia in 1972, and off and on for many years, he would have a host of doctor's appointments and hospital stays.  If the older girls, Teresa & Diana, were home, they watched us.  Once they were off to college and married,  but before we were old enough to stay home alone, if Mom had to go with Dad, she would send Trudy and me to someone's home for the day and/or night.  It seems like we were split up often.  I totally get it now!  I don't think we were terrible kids, but, like most sisters, I'm sure we started bickering after we were together too long, and as many of the people we stayed with were elderly, I'm sure we were exhausting!  We stayed with a range of people, including Grandma Tully, Aunt Delila, Aunt Iva, Aunt Marynelle, and Mrs. Brown.   We were blessed to have so many good people willing to take us in on a moment's notice. A stay with Mrs. Brown involved amazing food, hours spent looking through Avon books, and watching her work on her amazing dolls, all within the comfort of her neat and tidy new home.  As an added bonus, our house was right beside hers, so we didn't need to pack anything!

I don't know how Mrs. Brown became involved in creating dolls, but if you have ever seen her work, you've had a chance to look at quality workmanship.  Mrs. Brown was meticulous in her handiwork, and she and Mom used to brainstorm ways to improve the process and make each final doll an even higher quality than the one before it.  Facial features were hand embroidered, and careful care was given to make sure the features looked realistic.  Mrs. Brown made the dolls in a variety of skin & hair colors, and she made countless outfits for the dolls.  If someone wanted a specific dress or outfit, she would go to her guest bedroom, get out the box of outfits, and carefully lay them out on the bed so she and the customer could see all the options available. If they wanted something that she hadn't already made, she would make it for them.

The one thing I remember most about the dolls is the hair.  I remember Mom & Mrs. Brown toiling away to find a way to add hair to the dolls that looked as real as possible.  I remember yarn wrapped around a piece of scrap cardboard and then many attempts to hand or machine sew the yard to the doll's head.  While I don't remember the process that finally became the standard, I do remember that there was a standard once they got it right.  Whatever that process was, Mrs. Brown and Mom perfected it so that Mrs. Brown could use it repeatedly as she created her masterpieces.  The quality of the hair was one of the trademarks of Mrs. Brown's dolls.   

When Mrs. Brown moved to the neighborhood, you didn't just get her--you got her entire family!  Mrs. Brown and her by-then-diseased husband had three children:  Rex, Ivan Dale, and Norma Jean, and by the time we met them, each of her children had their own fa.  Mrs. Brown's family visited her frequently, and her family, in many ways, became a part of our family.   Since Rex lived in Perry, too, my siblings and I knew his children from school and Mrs. Brown's house, and since he had nine children, there was always someone our age to play with in the lots between our homes.  I remember Mrs. Brown joyfully celebrating the births of her grandchildren and grandchild, but I also remember her deep mourning of at least one grandchild who passed away unexpectedly in young adulthood.  I remember her sorrow and pain during this time, and I remember watching Mom experience that same sorrow and pain, trying to find ways to be there as a support for Mrs. Brown to help her somehow make the tragedy make sense.  I fondly remember Mom and Mrs. Brown walking between our homes, sharing ideas and trying new things.  I'm sure many cups of coffee were shared between these two as they discussed their children and grandchildren, their loves and passions.

When Mrs. Brown died in 1988, my mom and our family lost a good friend and neighbor.  Mrs. Brown's legacy lives on in her children and many generations of grandchildren, and it also lives on through her dolls.

October 10, 2023:  Yesterday I received probably the greatest news I have received in recent months!  The lymphoma on my tonsil was removed with my tonsillectomy last month, and today's PET scan shows that it isn't anywhere else in my body, and it seems the surgery removed all of the cancer.  This is the news that I, and many others, have been praying for!  Cancer-free!  Absolutely amazing!  So, why am I not happier today? 

September 4, 2023:  I woke up at 5:45 a.m. today and couldn't go back to sleep. I had a productive morninig.  I finished sewing the binding on my friend Jackie's quilta and I even caught the Golden Hour and snapped a few photos of it.  I fed the birds, and they flocked to the bird feeder.  I ran to the shed to grab sausage, but when I couldn't find any, I opted for bacon instead.  After I baked the bacon, I started dishes since Brian was still asleep.  I love when there are no dishes in the sink!  After Brian woke and we ate breakfast, I finished up the dishes that we used to enjoy our bacon and eggs.  I wiped down the stove, cleaned out the sink, and admired my work.  The kitchen looks good!

Then, I went to the living room, and what did I see on the table beside where I usually sit?  A cup!  The dishes are no longer done.

This reminded me of something a wise lady once told me.  Pat Walton was a cook at Perry Elementary School, and she was a very kind woman.  She and her assistant cook would also spoil the teachers.  For example, on days when the kids had peaches as their fruit, Pat would often make peach cobbler for the teacher work room.  When it was roll day, cinnamon rolls would sometimes show up fresh and warm in the staff workroom.  

The cooks generally worked from 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., or something like that.  By 1:30 p.m., the kitchen would be so clean you had no idea that they had already cooked a lunch for 130ish kids and many teachers.  Just like me this morning, Pat always ended her cleaning by wiping down the counters and sink and sweeping the kitchen floor.  More often than I want to admit, about 1:30 was when I would walk in with, you guessed it, the cups that accumulated on my desk.  I dreaded walking in and putting my cups near the sink when Pat had just finished cleaning up, but if Pat minded, she didn't ever tell me. After I apologized, she always reassured me that it was not problem, and that I had simply given her the starter dish for tomorrow.  What?  Yes, she would say that she always needed a dish to start doing dishes, and she made it seem like my failure to return glasses during lunchtime when the dishwasher was running almost non-stop was actually doing her a favor. 

As I move the cup from the end table in the living room, I try to be positive.  Hey, now I have a starter dish.  The world is good again!  Thank you, Pat, for your positive outlook on life.  Thankfully, it was contagious.

Started August 21, 2023.  Expanded upon for weeks.

I keep looking, hoping it is gone, but it's still there.

When it first appeared, I can't be certain.
I didn't feel a sudden change.
Others didn't look at me and wonder, "Man, something just seems different about her."

Is it the same infection that keeps coming back over and over again?
Did it change at some point and turn into something more sinister?

April 1st played a cruel joke on me, hitting me with a double whammy of sinus and throat pain.
COVID?  Who knows.  Didn't have a fever or terrible ear ache I usually associate with COVID.

Weeks later, a trip to ambulatory for steroids and antibiotics were on my travel agenda.
Did they even look at my throat?  I don't remember.
Was the patch there already?  Not sure.

I think it's good to see a different doctor from time to time.
Like a parent who gets tired of hearing the same complaint over and over from her child, surely doctors were getting tired of hearing my same complaint:  sinus infection and a sore throat.
Like a parent of a newborn who just grows used to getting buy on little sleep, I was just used to it and didn't think much about it.
I seem to always have a sinus infection and a sore throat.

New eyes looked and my throat, and then said, "Let me see that again."
"The white patch?" I ask.
Yes.  I'll be right back.  Let me grab the doctor to take a look.

Dr. comes in and says it looks like an absess.
FNP:  Do I prescribe an antibiotic?
DR:  No, let's save that for when her tonsils are so big and she's struggling to breath.

ME (inside voice because I have to be brave):  WTF?  Struggling to breath!

Time to have a specialist, an ENT, look at it.

I went home and looked at the patch.  Still there.  Now I'm thumbing through photos (yes, I take photos of my tonsils.)  White patch there...and there.  Wait, is is the same white patch they saw today or a tonsil stone?  I sure don't know! 

I saw the ENT, and he labeled the white patch a cyst.
He was more concerned with the red streaking down my throat.  "Do you have sore throats a lot?"
ALL THE TIME.

He labeled my throat problem GERD and prescribed Protonix.  Said he's see me in three months, unless the CT showed something.

What a nut!  An antacid for my sore throat?  I can't believe I just went to this doctor!

Fast forward 3 days, and, wait!  My sore throat is gone!  I can swallow again! No more choking on bites of food--an act that was just second nature to me.  Healed!  Hmmm, thank you, doctor, for diagnosing GERD.  Who knew!

I looked at my throat, and it's still there.

Good news! CT scan didn't find a cyst or absess.
But wait, why is the doctor calling?
What?  Chronic and acute sinus disease.  Well, duh! 
A round of prednisone and two rounds of antibiotics. 
Oh, and medicine for a yeast infection about a week in.
Fun stuff.

The swelling in my sinuses went down, so I looked.
Still there.

Two weeks later, the doctor looked again; still there. 
Not much worry for the throat, as he was more concerned about my sinuses.
Sinus surgery?  I didn't see that coming.
But, at least I don't need a tonsillectomy, so I'm good!

Two weeks later, visiting with the allergy doctor.
She looked; still there. 
"Do you smoke?"

FUCK!

I knew what that meant...the "C" word.
I shot Brian a look and caught his expression as the realization made its way into his thoughts and his hand moved to his mouth.

Brian and I listened as she shared that while the patch looks "filled," when she touched it, it didn't feel full. 
I wonder why no one has touched it before to know that?
Squamous cell cancer? 
Can I possibly be hearing the "C" word first? 
When I imagined all the ways Brian and I might have to deal with cancer in our lifetime,
I never imagined I'd be the first to have a cancer scare.

Can we biopsy it? NO
Is there a blood test? NO
So what now? 
Tonsillectomy.

FUCK!

I  saw my primary, and she looked.  Still there.
She notes it has changed and doesn't look like my "normal" throat infections.
Should I have a tonsillectomy?
YES!

So, here we are. 
I look almost every day, and every day, it's still there.

Last week, I had a steroid shot, so my tonsils aren't as large as usual. 
Surely that pesky patch is gone, too.

I looked; still there.

I've gargled with salt water.

I looked; still there.

I'm making plans for two weeks of pain.
Tonsillectomies are for kids.
They are too painful for adults.
Everyone knows that!

Yet, here I am, preparing.

I pray the recovery won't be as painful as I expect it to be.  Time will tell.
I pray the surgery will be for naught.  Time will tell.
Chemo? Radiation? Too scary to even entertain the thought.
So I ignore those thoughts.
I push them down into the recesses of my soul where all unspeakable thoughts reside.

But just in case, I see a doctor about removing three pesky bumps on my head.
They aren't cancer, but if my hair thins, I don't want them there.

Surely positive thinking can get me through this.
I'm not going down the "Why me?" road, because, why not me?
I'm no different that anyone else.
I don't have a lease on a cancer-free life.
Better people than me have had a cancer diagnosis already.
Worse people than me have a cleaner bill of health than I do right now.
That's life.

Yet, what caused it?
Never smoked, except for a vape pen I used a few times in June and July, well after the patch was already present.
I'll forever mentally blame it on the vape pen, even though the rational side of me knows that isn't the cause.
I don't drink much.
I eat terribly.
Sinus problems for years.

Did the sinus problem cause the tonsil problem?
Did the tonsil problem cause the sinus problem?
Are my allergies terrible, or do I simply have a sinus and tonsil problem?

I just looked.

Guess what?

It's still there.

It's one week until surgery; I can do this.

I'm psyched. 

I've order every type of throat losenge recommended.

I've done my pre-surgery nesting--cleaning out the pantry and, refrigerator, and organizing everything I can.

Finished up a quilttop so I could get it off the long arm and have a new project to work on.

At work, I've written notes, talked with clients, and arranged for cover of things that will go on during my leave.

And then, the call came.

Surgery is cancelled for Sept 5th.  

The doctor is needed somewhere else.

The surgeon is booked through November.

FUCK!

How can a doctor tell you you might have cancer,

Yet postpone your surgery almost three months after that conversation?

I'm praying they'll call tomorrow and tell me they have found a way to fit me in next week.

If they do,

I won't need to cancel our vacation.

I won't need to cancel things I have planned for October.

I won't need to worry every single day if the thing on my tonsil is still growing.

Is it benign or cancerous?

Should I be on an antibiotic right now?

Is it spreading?

Am I worrying for nothing?

By the way, I looked, and it's still there.

September 29

I looked, and it's not there.

Surgery is over and recovery is coming along nicely.

The tonsils and  growth are long gone. Now I wait to hear the official biopsy results this afternoon.

Here's the problem, though...

I've already seen the results.

So, before heading out to get the official diagnosed, I logged back into the patient portal to see if my eyes have been deceiving me, or if I really have an official cancer diagnosis.

I looked, and it's still there.

July 26, 2023: Last night, my cousin, Sharon, reached out to me about scanning and organizing her mom's photos.  I'm giddy thinking about the possibility of learning even more about my family through my aunt and uncle's photos!  Last night I self-reflected, asking myself why I get so much joy out of scanning and organizing my family's photos, and I think I found the answer.    If the entire process gives me one more picture of my mom or dad, it's worth it! And, learning about my parent's family members helps me learn more about my parents.

Sharon's mom, Aunt Mary, was the last living relative from my Dad's generation.  She married my dad's brother, Harold, shortly before or after my parents were married in 1951.  When she died in September of last year (2022), it was so sad knowing that another entire generation has passed away.  Her funeral was beautiful, with a display of some of the many quilts she made in her lifetime draping the pews of the church.

Loaded up and ready to go.

ay 8, 2023:  Last month, I was the guest speaker for the spring meeting of the Northeast Missouri Genealogy Society.  I didn't even know such an organization existed!  I gave a 30-minute presentation entitled "Genealogy Meets Scrapbooking."  I want to record my notes here in case I ever do something like this again.  By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed doing this and hope to someday host a workshop to show others how to integrate their genealogy research with their scrapbooking skills.

1. I printed 20 brochures for RCHS, but I needed more!  Bring more next time.

2. Take Ron Leake's Leake Genealogy book

3. Take some scrapbook pages.

4. Take the book of Mom and Dad's wedding

5. Accordion folder for filing duplicate portraits for family members.

6. Organize photos chronologically so family members can easily find the photo they want.

7. Include a notation on scrapbook pages so your kids know how the person in the photo is related to them.

8. Don't know where to begin? You can start by getting all of your photos in one location.  That means taking photo frames apart to see every photo you stacked on top of each other, too!  Also, if you have pictures in magnetic photo albums, remove them immediately.  If they are stuck to the album, try sticking the entire page in the freezer for a few minutes.  Sometimes, this makes it easier to pop the photo off the page.  If worse comes to worse, cut the picture out, leaving the magnetic backing in place.  

April 19, 2022:  One bite at a time!  I think of this addage everytime I walk into my longarm room lately.  My elephant is a granny square quilt.  For some ridiculous reason, I decided to do a heavy fill around the borders of the quilt to make the outside square really pop.  They better pop!  I can't even count how many hours I have in this project.  I hope it looks amazing when it's finished.

Every time I have a chance, I walk into the long arm room and stitch my flower meander for as long as I am willing to stand there. Sometimes it is one minutes, and other times I stay longer.  It's slow going, but I'm going to eat this elephant one way or another!

April 2023:  Today seems as good of a day as any to catch up on some writing.  I started the year by writing every single day, but as the year advanced, I often forgot to do my daily writing.  I saw my writing improving as I wrote more frequently, so I'm hoping some of the "ease" will return as I try to pick up this habit once again.  For now, I'm going to throw out a few images and write a few words, maybe even sentences and paragraphs, that will spur me along as I work on future writings.

We have surpassed the 100 day mark on my Scrapbooking Tips & Techniques Facebook page.  I am getting ready to go update the list of prompts.  While I've tried to keep up, I've fallen behind again.  I'll spend some time over the weekend writing and telling my story.

March 16, 2023:  Several years ago, I started a Facebook page, Scrapbooking Tips and Techniques.  While the group was pretty active fora  few months, over time, the page sort of faded away.  In December as I started thinking about writing daily and recording my story and thoughts, I decided to post a daily topic to the page and encourage others to write their own story.  I definitely don't expect people to post every day, or even at all if they don't want, but I have to admit I love when others do post.

November 10, 2022:  Last night I came home from work, hungry, but not wanting to cook.  Brian has been dieting and he doesn't eat much anymore, so I kind of thought it might be a cereal night.  We started talking options, and I remember that a few days ago, I had boiled too many chicken breasts, so there were two in the fridge that needed to be used up.  A quick Google search, and I found a recipe.  I tweaked it a bit because we didn't have all of the ingredients.  It was delicious!  So delicious that I don't want to forget how to make it. 

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti Recipe

12 oz. penne, ziti, or whatever noodle you want to use, cooked

2-3 cups chicken breast, shredded (I used to very large chicken breasts)

Alfredo Sauce

Put a splash of olive oil in a skillet and brown 6 garlic cloves.

Add 6 Tablespoons flour

Add 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups milk (I used whipping cream)

Cook, while stirring, until the mix starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and add 1 ½-ish cups of shredded parmesan cheese

Add salt & pepper (and whatever other seasoning you like)

Toss the penne, shredded chicken, and alfredo sauce.

Put ½ of the mixture in a 9x13 pan.

The recipe called for mozzarella cheese, but only had slices of provolone, so I covered the mixture with the slices.

Add the other ½ of the mixture.

Again, you’re supposed to top with mozzarella cheese, but I used Colby jack instead.

Bake at 400 degrees until browned and bubbly.

Delicious!

Ideas for the next time:

• Broccoli or peas would have added some color 

• I should have used Italian seasoning, but, honestly, it was good even without it.

• I had no idea how easy it is to make Alfredo sauce!  I'll be doing this again.

August 6, 2022:  After skipping the family vacation last year, it was good to get together and enjoy some time away from home.  Brian and I left a few days early and headed to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  Eureka Springs is a quaint town in the Ozark Mountains.  The entire town seems to be built on a mountainside.  We rode the trolley to become familiar with the layout of the town and to avoid parking in the downtown area.  After enjoying a drink downtown, we found a restaurant that gave off a vibe similar to Broadway Oyster Bar in St. Louis, one of our favorite places to eat.  The restaurant, Sparky's Roadhouse Café, was recently voted "Best Burger in Eureka Springs," so we tried the burger.  Honestly, it was really good, but I can't imagine it was the best.  We should have gone with our initial want and ordered a steak. Live and learn.

August 7, 2022:  Sometimes I'll see something and it sparks something in me...either something I want to try or something that is neat and I want to remember.  Even on our family vacation, I found a few pieces of inspiration!  There photo frames were painted on the walls of a bathroom.  I always wanted to hang photos on the walls at school, but I didn't want glass frames.  This technique would have done the trick!

August 2022: I'm mainly posting what I'm allergic to so I'll have quick access to the list.  

About 30 years ago, I had allergy testing done in Quincy, and I was even on TV!  One of the local tv stations was going a segment about allergies, and it happened to be the dayI was there.  At that time, they drew a grid on my back and gave me shots of different allergens.   They created a serum and I started getting allergy shots at Dr. Tucker's office in Center.  After a few weeks, I stopped getting the shots....I don't remember why.  It was probably because I thought I was too busy with a full time job and kids, and I also remember getting very large bumps on my arm after the shots.

Fast forward 30 years, and I decided to try the process again.  To do the testing, you have to be off all allergy meds for 5 days.  Dang!  That was hard!  I don't know if I'd do it again.  The first testing was very simple, placing drops of allergens on my arms.  This testing showed a few allergies, but not nearly enough to account for my year round allergies, so a second round of testing was scheduled.  Another 5 days without allergy meds that cumulated in a terrible migraine the night before testing.  For the second round, allergens were inserted just below the skin on my forearms.  

The list to the left is what I'm allergic to at this time.  BTW, coffee drinkers should definitely check out where cockroaches can be found!  I go back August 11th for my first dose of drops, which I'll do at home after the first time.  Most insurances don't pay for the drops, but the cost is $209 for 3 months.  I figure I would spend more on gas going to Vandalia or Columbia every week, so I went ahead and went with the drops.  They also make a toothpaste you can use instead of drops or shots, but I didn't go this route.  I'll be doing allergy drops for one year, and if there are signs that the drops are helping to build an immunity to my allergies, I'll continue the process for 5 years, at which time these allergies will hopefully be gone! 

July 23, 2022:   In keeping with watching some of the classical movies I have never watched, I decided today would be the day that I watched Gone with the Wind for the first time.  What a trail blazer of a movie that must have been back in the day (1937ish), because it is still a trailblazer of a movie.  The story was nothing like I imagined, and I can't wait to watch it again sometime to understand even more of the movie's plot and impact.  

I can't sit still for 3 hours (or however long it was...seemed long!), so I would watch a bit of the movie, sew a bit, watch a bit of the movie, sew a bit.  The head index was well above 100 degrees today, so I was more than happy to spend my afternoon inside.  Yesterday, our friend Jerry's mom, Betty, stopped in to drop off more baby quilts for me to practice my skills, and she also dropped off a free pattern she received  for a Quilter's World Market Bag.  I know it was a free pattern because I got one in the mail, too, and I held on to it for a long time.  I believe I eventually threw out my copy of the pattern  during one of my cleaning sprees.  Mary and I visited a few quilt shops yesterday, and I vowed to get back in the habit of making a daily project and/or using up my stash.  Since this pattern is made with 5" squares, I went to my cabinet full of charm packs and other precuts, selected one, and got started!  The market bag is quilted and lined, so after sewing the pieces together, I loaded the squares on my longarm and channeled my best Vera Bradley!  Let me say, quilting the lattice design on the diagonal isn't easy!  I have a Simply Sixteen, so I have about 14  inches of usable throat space.  Quilting diagonal lines, that makes from some choppy segments.  Overall, I love it, but I never remember how long those diagonal lattice lines take to complete!  

By 7:30 p.m., I completed the bag.  I took it to the front porch, took a few photos, shared them with Mary, and then realized, I hate the handles!  I looked back at the pattern to make sure I did them correctly (I did),  and then I decided it didn't matter--I'd just live with them.  I watched a few more minutes of Gone with the Wind, and then knew I was going to rip it apart and redo it. I did.   While I was watching the end of the movie, when Clark Gable's classic line, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," came on, I was pinning the top of my redone bag so I could take it to my machine to topstitch it, again!  The movie ended, I finished top stitching, and it occurred to me that I care and give a damn!

My mom was an impeccable seamstress.  While she could sew absolutely anything, her specialty was alterations.  I can't stand alterations!  She was skillfully rip other people's work apart and correct it to make it great.  She would alter the waistline of the knit pants of Lela Mae Moss, a tiny woman that never could find pants that fit her well.  She would him the blue jeans of Mikka Wasson and Rose Woodhurst, and you would never know by looking at the jeans that they didn't come from the factory that way!  She was always doing alterations for her family, and she was always fixing anything we bought or made that needed any type of alteration. 

As a kid, while I was thankful that she fixed my work, I never understood why she cared so much!  So what if the stitching was perfectly straight?  So what if the left leg of the pants were a bit longer than the right leg?  Now, I kind of get it.  If someone seems my work, what will that say about me?  I could have left those bag handles alone, but would I be proud of the bag?  No.  Once I realized that, I knew I was going to be ripping it apart and fixing the handles.  And you know what?  It didn't take long at all!  Now I have a finished project that I'm proud of.  I'm glad to have my name attached to it.  I'm proud to say, "Hey, look what I made!"  It's good to give a damn!

July 9, 2022:  Last night, Brian and I went see the new Elvis movie.  We saw the movie in Hannibal, and the theater is really nice.  I love the reclining seats! I not only loved the reclining seats, but I loved the movie, too.  The movie isn't really a musical, but it has some musical qualities to it.  The soundtrack is amazing (of course it is--it's Elvis's music).  The movie uses a lot of symbolism and irony to tell the story of Elvis.  I really didn't know much about Elvis before seeing the movie, so I enjoyed every single 2.5 hours of it.  Brian didn't like the way the movie started...he thought it was cheesy, plus he doesn't like Tom Hanks.   I on the other hand loved the beginning.  A lot of creative techniques were used to tell the background of how Elvis got started and become a star, including his musical influences.  I didn't know he was a twin, but his twin was stillborn. I also didn't realize how Colonel Parker took advantage of him.  I always thought Elvis lived his dreams until the very end, but the movie told a darker story of how the people in his life manipulated him to get what they wanted.  Elvis never did a world tour.  Colonel Parker wasn't a Colonel.  Elvis was arrested for "lewd and perversive acts" after a concert when he was told not to move his hips because so many people didn't like it, but he did anyway.   "Elvis has left the building," was announced after each show once Elvis was rushed from the venue to his car to avoid the countless security problem that his stardom created, some of which were trumped up in yet another attempt to control him. Finally, Forrest Gump did not teach Elvis to dance.  That one really bummed me out.  Like all movies, some people will love it and others  will hate it.  I'm on Team Love It and highly recommend it!

July 8, 2022:   Ok, so I'm very biased when it comes to my grandkids, but my current sewing project is a lot biased!

When I saw Krista Moser's Lollipops and Licorice quilt pattern, I bought it immediately!  I was so intrigued by the many dimensions to this quilt--there are 3-D boxes, diamonds,  and stars.  Every time I looked at her examples, I always saw something new.  When I bought the pattern and watched her video, I also feel in love with Jen Kingwell's Just a Speck & Lollies line.  I had previously purchased some of this fabric for my stash because I liked it so much.  Luckily, Sew Sweet Quilt Shop in Brunswick sells the material, so I bought what I needed.  Fast forward a year or so (ha!), and I decided to jump in and make the pattern.  I have so many things I want to do in retirement, and this is one of the tasks I wanted to complete.  

I really like how the pressing made the block more accurate.  I liked it so much I decided to take a picture of the blocks from the back side.  Once quilted, you'll never see this, but I wanted to remember it.  On the completed block pictures, notice all those frayed edges?  Those are the straight of grain edges that are supposed to go to the outside of the block to help make the block more stable when they are sewn together.  Not all the points in my block as good as the points in this block!

July 6, 2022:  While looking for a photo, I ran across this jewel.  In March-April, Lynn, Teresa, and I participated in the FOREVER Pixels2Pages Hollywood Crop.  This is a virtual crop where you learn from the Pixies and create a wide variety of scrapbook pages.  One thing they started doing several crops about was having participants create "flats" of themselves.  Some scrappers use these flats to decorate their pages, and some even take their flat, and the flats of others, on trips and to new and exciting places!  While at the in-person scrapbooking retreat in March, we somehow came up with the idea of making ourselves the Golden Girls.  When I came across this picture, it made me smile.  I treasure the scrapbook retreats that we attend.

Sweet Sadie bug in one of the receiving blankets I made for her.

June 6, 2022:  I've always been fascinated by applique, but everytime I tried it, I never could get the hang of it. I remember admiring the beautiful applique work that Pal Walton used to do on her denim shirt and wall hangings.  I used to watch her at her sewing machine stitching those beautiful stitches to anchor her fabric designs.  I've tried versions of applique in the past, including the first quilt I ever truly  made, which was a clown quilt for Sarah before she was born.  It was a hand-tied quilt, with ruffled edges.  I had cut out a clown and balloons, iron an adhesive to the back, and ironed them down onto the quilt.  At that time, fabric paint was used a lot to  seal the edges.  I think I used rick-rack for the strings to hold the balloons!  While the paint did crack over time, the iron-on adhesive and puff paint did what they were supposed to do, holding the design in place and not allowing fraying to occur.  I later made mom a grandmothers shirt with her (at that time) grandkids' handprints.  

All that aside, I never did what I felt was true applique.  When Bits and Pieces of Hannibal offered a sew along of Lori Holt's Chicken Salad in January 2022, I signed up!  The first Monday, our teacher, Jane Danielson, taught us Lori Holt's method for applique.  We met each Monday for 12 more weeks, creating 12 applique chicken blocks for a quilt.  Jane offered help as we (I) needed it.  After a few weeks, I began to look forward to our Monday sewing group not just because of the applique, but because of the comradery that we shared during these two hour sessions.  We learned about each others' families, trips, favorite movies, and lot of other tidbits.  

February 20, 2022:  When I look through photos, sometimes I have to wonder who took the photo.  The photographer is always faceless in their photos, but usually this doesn't stop us from knowing who took the photo.  When looking at photos from my mom, I can pretty much assume that Mom was the photographer.  From time to time, though, Mom is in the photo, and then I love to try to figure out who took the photo.  I can usually tell by figuring out which of her seven children are missing from the photo.  Still, there are a few photos that have me stumped (and of course, I can't find one of those photos right now!).

On February 7, 2022, my sisters, Sandy, and I went to Kansas City to view the Auschwitz exhibit.  It was very moving.  As I looked at the photo on the right, I immediately wondered who took the photo. The caption beneath this photo read, "Photo  from "The Auschwitz Album" showing women and children on their way to the gas chambers; Crematorium 3 looms in the background." Who took this photo? Why? Did he/she know what was about to happen to these people?  Did he/she care? Try to stop it? So many questions flooded my mind.

As I continued through the exhibit, it was as if the exhibit hosts had read my mind.  The photos were taken by SS photographers.  There are three albums in this series, all taken by SS photographers.  The first album, the holder of the photo shown, depicted deportees arriving from Hungary.  The second album contained photos that document the progress of construction in the camp.  The last album belonged  to a senior official in the Auschwitz camp management:  SS-Obersturmfuhrer (First Lieutenant) Karl Hocker. Photos from this third album were on display in another room.  These photos showed the good times regularly enjoyed by Hocker, his fellow SS officers, and the camp's female telephone, telegraph, and radio operators.  These photos showed the SS officers and others living and enjoying life.  These photos made me sick.  Not because of the graphic imagery--there were more graphic images throughout the exhibit.  Rather, these images made me sick because they seemed to show that the killings, mistreatment, abuse and other vile acts occurring at Auschwitz and similar camps and ghettos had no impact on the SS officers.  They were still able to go on picnics and enjoy life, knowing they were ending the lives of so many people.  It also spoke volumes to the type of individual that could have possibly taken the photo to the right.  Can you imagine taking a photo of someone(s) at their lowest...just before you know their family is going to be ripped apart and so many lives ended?  And, could you imagine going on a picnic with your friends afterward like this didn't even happen?  I sure can't.

January 8, 2022

Just before Christmas, I had new struts put on my vehicle.  Just after Christmas, I had my vehicle aligned in Farber.  The business had a nice area set up for people to wait while the mechanics worked on vehicles.  There were toys in the room, too, and it seemed like the perfect place for the owners to put their kids while they finished up their day's work.  On the bulletin board in the room, I immediately spotted this sign.  It brought me back to days when my kids were little and they would mimic what they saw in their classrooms.  At one time, Sarah even put a word wall up around her bedroom!  

I imagine this is a morning message that the teacher models for students to help them learn to read and write.  Whatever it is, this student took the words to heart and replicated them.  I don't know where this student goes to school, but it appears that he or she has an amazing teacher!  Be a learner, not a finisher.  I love this!  There is even a smiley face about learner and no expression face abover finisher.  I took a picture of the sign to help me remember to always be a learner, not just a finisher.  Words of wisdom from a young person!  I have a lot to learn so I better get at it...

January 7, 2022:  Yes, please!  Combining quilting and scrapbooking sounds like a great combination to me!  

I love to scrapbook, and I also love to sew.  Since I began sewing quilts in the Summer of 2018, I've taken numerous pictures of my projects during the entire process...construction, modification, ripping, final project.  From time to time, I even make scrapbook pages to showcase and tell the story of some of the quilts. 

For many of my first quilts and projects, I kept pieces of leftover fabric in baggies so I could keep the materials together in case I wanted to make a pillow or something else to match the quilts I made.   That process was helpful for me several times!  I did make some pillows, and Kaitlyn even requested a key FOB from her Mizzou quilt material because she liked it so much.  When I downsized my "stuff" in June to make room for my longarm, that I affectionately named Lavon, I couldn't make myself get rid of these baggies!  Instead, I put them away "for another day."

Well, that day was today!  It felt great touching the fabrics that I used to make a quilt for Mom.  It was my second quilt--preceeded only by the quilt that started it all, a quilt for my first grandchild,  Carter.  When I gave mom the quilt, she was pretty excited.  She quickly inspected it, especially looking at my handiwork on the binding.  I think I may have impressed her!  For a short time, Mom was able to use the quilt knowing that it was a gift from my hands. When she passed away, I got the quilt back, and I will cherish it forever.

January 6, 2022:  Okay, hate is too strong of a word, but I definitely don't like this flimsy that I really wanted to love!  When I did the Strip Joints sew along with Gudrun, I fell in love with the design of the block and the Tim Holtz fabric.  I decided to turn the quilt into a bed spread, my first ever.  After several fabric woes, I finally had the top put together.  I excitedly put it on our bed, and disappointment immediately set in!  To me, it's frumpy.  It's definitely what I had in mind.  So now, I have a decision to make:  do I finish it as it or tweak it some more.  I really want to finish it as is, but I know I won't be able to do that!  After looking at it more, I think I know what I don't like about it.  the border is too think.  All of the other fabric pieces are 2" finished, and the border is 4" finished.  To mee, the proportion just isn't right.  So, it needs a 2" border.  Also, I don't know if I'm a fan of the color of the border.  I originally wanted Provisions Rust (below), but that was a struggle, too!  I'm either going to cut down my rust strips and use them for the border, or I'm going to cut down this border (Chalk & Charcoal) and use it.  As a third option, I'm considering buying the dark blue or maybe chalky black Provisions fabric.  I didn't want a "blue" quilt, but the fabric seems to be telling me this needs to be a blue quilt.

Things I Learned

• Buy enough fabric the first time, and if you don't know how much you'll need, buy more than enough.  I absolutely love the Tim Holtz Provision fabric (border fabric below), but I bought all that Bits and Pieces had in stock.  When I tried to order the material from different places, I never could get the right shad.  I 

• Tim Holtz fabric is as lucious as his scrapbook paper!  I used to love his scrapbook inks, embellishment, and papers.  I really wish he made digital artwork!  Hmmm, I wonder if he does.  I should check on that!

December 27, 2021:  That's right, even after Christmas Day, it's still time to celebrate the Christmas spirit! Carter stayed with us for a few days after Christmas and Henry joined us during the daytime to play.  I saw someone that used poptarts instead of gingerbread to make gingerbread houses, so as Brian and I shopped before Christmas, I made sure to purchase some poptarts.  The boys enjoyed making the house.   There wasn't much mess, and they were cute! The boys didn't care that we did this after Christmas. It was fun to keep the festivities going!

One thing I learned from this experience is to get out my good camera more often so I can use it effectively when I need it.  I took several photos of the boys with their houses, but not until this picture (the last one) did I realize the the focus square was focusing on items behind the boys.  This was the only photo of the obys that was in focus.  I do like it, though, because it kind of tells the story of what it's like to build gingerbread houses with a 2 year old and a 3 year old.  Geesh--they are cuties!  How did I get this lucky?

December 20, 2021:  A few weeks ago, I decided to check out HBO Max.  Recently we added this channel to our monthly expenditures because we wanted to watch King Richard, which, by the way, is a great show. While surfing through the many  available titles, I ran across the new spinoff of Sex and the City.  I never watched Sex and the City, and I'm not sure why.  It was probably because we either didn't have that channel or at the time I was surrounded by little girls and couldn't watch that show while they were awake.  Regardless, I decided to give And Just Like That (AJLT) a shot.  I really enjoyed it!  I watched episode 1 and 2 back to back, and if you've seen the episodes, you know the ending to episode two was very moving.  To end each show, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) says, "And just like that....(insert what she learned)."

Tonight will finishing up bias binding for three quilts that I'm working on (more later), I was so tired from ironing the binding.  The string of fabric seemed to go on and on and on.  When I was finished, it hit me!  "And just like that, you figure out how many yard of binding two yards of material will make."  The pool of binding was large, so I decided to go ahead and measure it.  I use GE Quilt Design's Stripology ruler and process to cut the binding, and I even used her GEasy Point Trimmers.  The only fabric I didn't make into bidning were the small pieces (less than 8 inches or so) that are cut near the end of the process.  So, exactly how many yards of binding does two yards of material make?

34 YARDS!  1, 224 inches! I couldn't believe it!  When I put the dimensions of each of my three quilts into the Robert Kaufmann Quilting Calculator ap (free!), it told me that each quilt would need 5/8 of a yard of fabric for binding.  5/8 times 3 = 1 7/8 yard of material , so the 2 yards seemed perfect.   I didn't truly realize how large the three quilts were until I saw 34 yards of binding laying on my cutting board!  Dang!  Now to sew it all on by machine and handsew it down.  I guess I better get off of here and get to work.  And just like that...you know!

December 8, 2021:  While visiting with Cathy Power McAfee, Marynelle Tully Power, and Ruth Tully Evans on December 1, 2021, I was able to scan a copy of our Uncle JD's WWII Discharge paper.  Luckily, I've already analyzed Dad's discharge paper, so it was a bit easier to analyze Uncle JD's paperwork.  Here we go!

3:  James Douglas Tully (Uncle JD) completed his career as a Technician Fourth Grade, a rank given to him on August 15, 1946.  

4:  MD = Medical Department or Detachment...not 100% sure which one is correct.  Another source...  And Another...

5:  AUS = Army of the United States

6:   62nd Field Hospital, which was based in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) assigned to England and Germany. (BTW, this is the last organization he was assigned to.  It's possible that he was a part of other organizations, too.  More research needed.

7:  Discharge Date

8:  Separation Center at Fort Dix, New Jersey  (Jefferson Barracks was deactiviated as a separation center sometime in 1946.  I'm guessing that's why Uncle JD's separation ocurred in New Jersey.

21: Genealogical information at time of induction.  (Code Table) (Code table) I'm still working on this.  I do think it means exactly what it says, but I can't find that code.  Uncle JD graduated high school and almost immediately was inducted into the army.  Especially because of the fear of the unknown, the Tully family took a picture before he left.  I'll share it below.

• National Archives Article

• Uncle JD's Record at the National Archives

22:  Date of order telling him he needs to report for duty 

24:  Date Uncle JD reported to Jefferson Barracks (Interesting....Dad has about a week between these two events (#22 and #24), but Uncle JD's were on the same date.)

25:  Jefferson Barracks is located near St. Louis, MO.  

27:  1 = Fit for military service (More Info)

30: Medical Technician 409  (4094 is the code).  

31:  Military Qualifications and Date:  Using a Standard M-1 Rifle on July 24, 1945, Uncle JD score 176, which would give him Marksman qualifications.  

32:  Uncle JD did not participate in any campaigns or battles (Makes sense because the war officailly ended on June 5, 1945, just days after his induction into the Army.)

33:  Uncle JD earned the following honors:

• Army of Occupation Medal:  The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946.[2] The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan. The original Army of Occupation Medal was intended only for members of the United States Army, but was expanded in 1948 to encompass the United States Air Force shortly after that service's creation. The Navy and Marine equivalent of the Army of Occupation Medal is the Navy Occupation Service Medal.

• Good Conduct medal

• Victory Medal:  The Congressional authorization for the medal specified that it was to be awarded to any member of the United States military who served on active duty, or as a reservist, between 7 December 1941 and 31 December 1946.

36:  December 27, 1945, Uncle JD was shipped to the European Theater of Operations, arriving January 5, 1946.  On October 17, 1946 he departed to return home, actually arriving October 27, 1946.  He was officially discharged from the Army on January 7, 1946.

• Depart: = Date ship left loading port Destination

• ETO = European Theater of Operations, APT = Asiatic Pacific Theater; MTO = Mediteranian Theater of Operations. 

• Arrive: Date ship arrived at port of destination 

37:  Uncle JD served the Army from the continental US for 7 months, 7 days.  He served overseas  for 10 months, 1 day.

38:  Uncle JD's highest rank was Technician Fourth Grade.

40:  AR 615 - 365 RR 1-1 Demobilization, is the Army Regulation concerning Army forces reduction after the war. 

42:  Uncle JD completed high school,  4 years.  

43:  Total Service (Continental and overseas combined)

44:  The Mustering-out Payment Act is a United States federal law passed in 1944. It provided money to servicemen, returning from the Second World War, to help them restart their lives as civilians. Dad was also given this same amount of pay and first payment, so it must have been a standard amount. 

46: Amount of money received to get home (Again, same travel pay as Dad.)

47:  I'd like to learn more about this person

48-53:  Insurance information.  He had to pay a monthly premium of $6.50 to continue his National Insurance.  Need to learn more....

55.  Explanations Below

• AW 107 refers to the Articles of War number 107. It was under this authority that a service man was honorably discharged from the army/navy/etc during or after WW2. AW 107 authorized the the issue and wear of a lapel pin to be worn for up to 30 days on his uniform and then later on his civilian clothes signifying his honorable discharge. This pin later became known as the "ruptured duck." The pin was first issued in a metal version, but because of material shortages it was later issued in gilded plastic and a cloth version.  No days lost means that Uncle JD never had an absence from duty that was not covered by "official leave."

• Lapel Pin:  Lapel Pin was a small round pin issued at discharge, commonly called the "Ruptured Duck" box.  (I need to clarify this information.) 

• ASR Score is the number of 'points' earned which determined when a soldier was shipped home. The Adjusted Service Rating (ASR) score system was revamped again in September 1945  (September 2, for Uncle JD) because too many experienced veterans were going home and leaving the younger soldiers to wind down the operations in Europe after the end of World War II. All European units were re-designated as Occupational, Redeployment or Liquidation Forces. Those with the highest scores returned to the US, and those with the lowest scores remained overseas.  Uncle JD's score was low because in Sept. 1945, he hadn't served overseas yet, and he was unmarried and had no children.

Again, fascinating!  Uncle JD has a lot of pictures, and he labeled them.  Awesome!  I'll begin processing them very soon.  FASCINATING!

November 26, 2021:  For Thanksgiving, we gathered for supper.  The girls have other places to be for lunch, and it works out well to meet back at our house in the evening.  I wanted to make deviled eggs, but my eggs were pretty fresh.  I dreaded peeling them!  I decided to Google strategies to make this process easier.  As I read, I found multiple references to how easily eggs boiled in an Instapot peeled.  I decided to try it.  I put a dozen eggs in the Instapot, along with a cup of water.  I ended up "Instapotting" them for 10 minutes, letting them set without pressure for another 10 minutes, and finally ice bathing them for 10 minutes.  They peeled perfectly!  I will definitely be doing this again!

With the success of the eggs, I decided to see if I could make mashed potatoes in the Instapot, too.  I ended up filling the pot with whole potatoes and 1 cup of water.  The first time I did this, I set the timer for 10 minutes and then left the potatoes in the still sealed pot for another 10 minutes.  When I opened the lid, the potatoes weren't completely baked, so I cooked them for another 10 minutes.  When I took off the lid, the potatoes were perfect!  I transferred them to a mixing bowl and added all of my favorite ingredients:  butter, salt, pepper, and evaporated milk.  Rachel talked me into adding cream cheese and sour cream.  It seemed so odd to be mixing up whole potatoes, but the final product was spot-on.  I'll definitely be finding more ways to use my Instapot to make cooking easier.

(Thanksgiving 2022 Update:  Rachel cut potatoes into about 2 inch pieces.  I Instpotted them for 15 minutes and then left them in the Instapot for an additional 15 minutes.  Perfection!)

November 22, 2021:  I'm making this Grinch Countdown to Christmas panel by Robert Kauffman for Carter.  It's been an interesting project.  First of all, I worked on the 

When it was time to quilt the panel, I picked up some high loft batting at Walmart.  I love the puffiness that the high loft batting leaves when it is quilted.  I started with these feathers in the swag at the top of the panel, and I had to stop and admire them and take a picture.  When you run your hand over the feathers, the material poofs in all the right places and looks amazing!!!!  I actually stopped for a bit so I could plan out the rest of the panel and enjoy the part that I actually got right!

Making the countdown ornaments was interesting.  First of all, I used heat and bond iron on adhesive to attach the fabric to black felt.  Then, I trimmed the ornaments about 1/8 of an inch from the fabric.  Before sewing the front and back together, I put a piece of ribbon in the top which will be used to hand the ornament on the tree.  

November 21, 2021:  It finally happened.  I got blood on a project.  While cutting a piece of binding, I barely nicked my arm; it didn't even bleed.  At first, anyway.  When I was at my machine sewing the binding onto this wall hanging (too large, BTW), I noticed something red on the fabric.  At first, I thought it was paint, as I've been practicing painting some barn stars.  However, I hadn't used red paint.  I checked my small nick, and sure enough, it was bleeding pretty good.  I finished sewing on the binding and then remembered that I've read a lot of posts about this on various Facebook sewing/quilting pages.  I got the peroxide and a Q-tip out, and after dropping the Q-tip into the peroxide bottle, I put just a touch of peroxide on the spots.  Some blood came up, but not nearly enough.  I then poured a small amount of peroxide on the blood stains, and magic happened.  The blood bubbled.  When it stopped bubbling, I placed a dry wash rag on top of the wall hanging to soak up the peroxide.  Like a magic trick, the blood was gone.  It was amazing how quickly and thoroughly it worked!

I've always wanted to make this particular quilt pattern.  I found the free Woven Star Mini Quilt pattern at  Stitch Supply Co., but it was too small for the space I needed it for.  I doubled the pattern, which made it a bit too large (36" x 36"), but it looks okay.   It's a bit too small to be a baby blanket, but it could possibly be used as a small lap blanket.  

Things I Learned:

• For this project, I used a loose-weave linen type fabric that I purchase at Hobby Lobby.  I love the look of linen, but I really didn't enjoy working with it.  It frays really bad, and I think that the loose weave caused me some problems on the long arm.

• When quilting this wall hanging, I had some problems by the time I got to the bottom of  flimsy.  It was really out of alignment.  Using my electromagnetic channel locks, I set my stitch length to 4 and then stitched across the bottom rows of the project, moving the fabric to align it and straighten it as needed.  There are a few "poofy" spots on the side and bottom, but overall, it didn't turn out too bad.  

• I love ruler work, and I'm so thankful for YouTube videos.  When I was trying to figure out what to do on the star, I went back and rewatched this Angela Walters video from a Free Motion Challenge I participated in about a year ago.  I'm super happy with the way the star turned out, although there is so much thread build up in the very center that you can see that I didn't use matching top and bobbin thread.  A bit of white from the bobbin thread peaks through.  Hmmm, I believe I've read on my Facebook groups that I can use a Sharpie to color the white thread....I'll wait until another day to try this.

• Looking at my photo of the piece hanging, I need to measure out the placement of my hanging tabs.  Once I saw how unevenly spaced the tabs are, I can't unsee it.

Thoughts for the Future:

• It's good to know that there is a simple way to get blood out of fabric.  Hopefully, I won't need to use this technique often, though.  From reading, it seems the key it to put the peroxide on the stain as soon as you can.

• I should probably do a bit more basting when I'm quilting something.  Sometimes I even forget to baste down the sides of the project and reattach the side clamps.  If I would baste and clamp more consistently, I think I'd get a "squarer" final product.

• I "floated" this quilt top since it was so small, but wonder if it would have stay more straight if I would have attached it to a pole.

• I really like this pattern!  I want to make another project, this time adding various borders to the project; something like this.

• If I ever do a project with linen-type material again, I want to use a higher quality linen to see if it makes a difference.  I also am looking forward to washing this to see how the linen shrinks.  More on that at a later time.  I'll keep you posted!

 November 20, 2021:  I bought a rump  roast at IGA, and, man, I made an amazing supper tonight!  I want to remember what I did, so here goes...

Roast in Electric Pressure Cooker (EPC):

• Sear roast in olive oil with salt and pepper

• Transfer to Instapot and add one stick of butter, a packet of ranch dressing, and a package of onion soup mix.  I also added about 1 c. water.

• Cook for 30 minutes and  leave closed while steam releases as the food cools

• Cook another 15 minutes, again leaving closed while steam releases as the food cools

• Once you check the roast and it is starting to come apart with a fork, add carrots and cook another 15 minutes.

We had Rhodes warm and serve dinner rolls that only needed to cook for 12 minutes.  I also made homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, using this recipe for the gravy:  https://www.homeperch.com/how-to-make-gravy-from-crockpot-roast-juice/

Delicious!

November 18, 2021:  For the last few months, I've been doing some research to help me understand Dad's WWII Discharge paper.  I hope to scrapbook what I learn so future generations can understand the document, too.  I'm afraid I'm going to be unable to locate the online references I've found so far, so I'm leaving them below.  I hope to come back to this post from time to time to list what I learn about Dad's time in the Army in the 1940s.

3:  Dad completed his career as a 1st Sergeant.  

4:  MD = Medical Department or Detachment...not 100% sure which one is correct.  Another source...  And Another...

5:  AUS = Army of the United States

6:   Company D of the 371st Medical Battalion of the 71st Infantry Division

7:  Discharge Date

8:  Separation Center at Jefferson Barracks, MO 

21: Genealogical information at the time of induction.  (Code Table) 5-21.010   I'm still working on this.  One code table says one thing, but other say other things.  He is listed as a miner with one code on this document, but at the National Archives, he is coded as 760, Attendants, filling stations and parking lots.  Both of these occupations make sense, as Dad did work in coal mines prior to the war, and he also worked for Eul Heizer at a gas station/garage.  This category describes the general job someone did as a civilian.

• National Archives Article

• Dad's record at the National Archives

22:  Date of order telling him he needs to report for duty

24:  Date Dad reported to Jefferson Barracks (Wow!  From June 27 to July 11, 1942, I'm sure Dad said lots of goodbyes to his friends and family.  What a trying time!)

25:  Jefferson Barracks is located near St. Louis, MO.  

27:  1 = Fit for military service (More Info)

30:  Auto Mechanic 2nd Echelon (014 is the code).  This is what Dad did at his last organization (#6 above)

• Second Echelon (Division); medical service consisting of collecting casualties from the dispensaries or Aid Stations operated by the first echelon, rendering emergency treatment in Collecting Stations and evacuating the patients to one or more Clearing Stations for further emergency treatment. 

32:  Campaigns Dad participated in, but not specific battles

33:  Dad earned the following honors:

• Two Bronze stars for campaigns listed in #32 per War Department General Orders 33-40 in 1945 (Need to learn more!)  Reads:  “General Order 33 and General Order 40 published by the War Department in 1945.”  Note: General Orders are the highest form of orders issued by the Army and supersede all other forms of orders. 

• Good Conduct medal

• Bronze star medal General Order #133 Head Quarter 71st Infantry Division, August 21, 1945 (Need to learn more!)

35:  I still need to figure out what BT A stands for.

36:  January 26, 1945, Dad was shipped to the European Theater , arriving February 6, 1945.  On December 22, 1945, he departed to return home, actually arriving January 1, 1946.  He was officially discharged from the Army on January 7, 1946.

• Depart: = Date ship left loading port Destination

• ETO = European Theater of Operations, APT = Asiatic Pacific Theater; MTO = Mediteranian Theater of Operations. 

• Arrive: Date ship arrived at port of destination 

37:  Dad served the Army from the continental US for 2 years, 6 months, and 5 days.  He served overseas  for 11 months and 6 days.

38:  Dad's highest rank was 1st Sergeant.

40:  AR 615 - 365 RR 1-1 Demobilization, is the Army Regulation concerning Army forces reduction after the war. 

42:  Dad completed 8th grade.  I believe I have a report card for him that shows he started 9th grade, even though he always told us he had an 8th grade education

43:  Total Service (Continental and overseas combined

44:  The Mustering-out Payment Act is a United States federal law passed in 1944. It provided money to servicemen, returning from the Second World War, to help them restart their lives as civilians.

46: Amount of money received to get home

47:  I'd like to learn more about this person

48-53:  Insurance information.  He had to pay a monthly premium of $6.97 to continue his National Insurance.  Need to learn more....

55.  Explanations Below

• AW 107 refers to the Articles of War number 107. It was under this authority that a service man was honorably discharged from the army/navy/etc during or after WW2. AW 107 authorized the the issue and wear of a lapel pin to be worn for up to 30 days on his uniform and then later on his civilian clothes signifying his honorable discharge. This pin later became known as the "ruptured duck." The pin was first issued in a metal version, but because of material shortages it was later issued in gilded plastic and a cloth version.  No days lost means that Dad never had an absence from duty that was not covered by "official leave."

• Lapel Pin:  ASR Score is the number of 'points' earned which determined when a soldier was shipped home. Lapel Pin was a small round pin issued at discharge, commonly called the "Ruptured Duck" box.  (I need to clarify this information.) 

• American Theatre Campaign Ribbon:  The medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces who served in the American Theater of Operations during the period from December 7, 1941 to March 2, 1946 or was awarded a combat decoration while in combat against the enemy. The service must have been an aggregate of one year within the continental United States, or thirty consecutive days outside the continental United States, or sixty nonconsecutive days outside the continental United States, but within the American Theater of Operations.

• European African Middle East Theatre Campaign Ribbon:  The European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (EAMECM) is a military award that recognizes the service of U.S. Armed Forces personnel who preformed military duty in the European Theater during World War II. Created on November 6th, 1942 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9265 it was originally just a ribbon and there was not a full sized medal until 1947. The first recipient of the medal was General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower.  There are 19 approved campaigns for the award. Multiple campaign awards are denoted with a bronze star device.

• Overseas Bar:  Army Overseas Service Bars are worn on the Army Service Uniform to represent the cumulative amount of time spent overseas, with each stripe representing 6 months. Multiple Overseas Service Bars are worn simultaneously, extending vertically on the sleeve of the uniform.  The Overseas Service Bar is worn centered on the outside bottom half of the right sleeve of the Army Service Uniform coat. The lower edge of the overseas service bar is placed 1/4 inch above the sleeve braid of the coat for officer personnel, and 4 inches above and parallel to the bottom of the sleeve for enlisted personnel. Each additional bar is spaced 1/16 inch above, and parallel to the first bar.

• Enlisted Reserve Corp (ERC):  ERC stands for "Enlisted Reserve Corps". Time in ERC is from the date Dad took the induction oath until the day he entered active service, June 27-July 11, 1942.  

• Victory Ribbon:  Authorized by an Act of Congress on July 6, 1945 and awarded to all members of the Armed Forces who served at least one day of honorable, active federal service between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946, inclusive.

• ASR Score is the number of 'points' earned which determined when a soldier was shipped home. The ASR score system was revamped again in September 1945 because too many experienced veterans were going home and leaving the younger soldiers to wind down the operations in Europe after the end of World War II. All European units were re-designated as Occupational, Redeployment or Liquidation Forces. Occupational Forces consisted of volunteers and the troops with the lowest scores. According to the WWII point system, troops with scores between 60 and 79 ASR points were classified as Liquidation Forces. Those with the highest scores and troops designated for return to the U.S. were considered Redeployment Forces. 

• Central Europe Information

• Another 71st Infantry Division Website

• More information...

• The 71st Came to Gunskirchen Lager

FASCINATING!

November 16, 2021:  After messing up my Phoenix transferring pieces between my bed and my sewing machine, I decided I need a design wall!  That evening when Brian and I went to Lowe's to pick up materials for his deer stand, I bought two pieces of styrofoam for my design wall.  I'm pretty sure Brian thought I was crazy, but he went along with it.  For my birthday a few days later, Brian took me (and Henry--his babysitter was gone for a few days) to Country Kitchen for breakfast.  After breakfast we ran to Walmart, and on a whim, I bought two packages of felt.  I really thought I wanted grey felt, but they didn't have two packages of it, so I went with this teal color instead. On the way home, I told Brian I really only wanted one thing for my birthday--to get my design wall up that day.  When we got home, he did it!  Dang!  I was impressed!  I love my design wall!  I currently have my Christmas in Europe Block of the Month blocks by GE Quilt Designs hanging on the wall, and I also have both sides of "ornaments" for a countdown to Christmas wall hangings laid out and ready to join together.  

Supplies:

• Styrofoam panels (I used two 4' x 8' panels, hanging them in landscape mode)

• Something to cover the panels that would also hold quilt blocks.  I chose felt from Walmart.

• Tape to tape the top of the felt to the panel

• Gorilla Tape to help position the board

• Washers and nails to secure the panels to the wall (Brian still needs to add a few more connections to the upper left hand corner of the panels.

Things I Learned: 

• My husband can do carpentry work!  I need to help him develop this skill by creating projects around the house!!!

• It is hard to finagle a 4' x 8' panel in a relatively small room that already has a longarm in it.

• After the felt hangs for a bit, I'll staple it to the panel.  I may also remove everything from the design wall and mist the flannel a bit to see if that helps remove a few more wrinkles.

Thoughts for the Future

• I really wish this design wall could be in my sewing room, but I just don't have enough wall space to make it large enough.

• If I would have hung the felt outside on a warm day and misted it with water, many of the wrinkles in the felt may have fallen out of it.  I tried to steam it but panicked because I didn't want to mess up the felt and delay getting the design wall completed.  

• The felt works perfectly!  I was planning on buying a king sized flannel flat sheet, but they didn't have any in stock, so I thought of the felt.  I think I like the felt better for holding power, but one sheet probably would have looked nicer.

Monday, November 8, 2021:  What a beautiful day!  Today, I learned something about retirement--I can do what I want, and that includes changing my mind.

I like to be efficient.  Yesterday, I planned out my day...

• Leave about 1:00-1:30, head to Bits and Pieces to pick up the batiks I need to finish my Phoenix quilt

• Possibly make a Walmart run

• Be at Ralls County Elementary by 3:00 for Writer's Club

I woke up, washed dishes, vacuumed the house, started laundry, and, in general, picked up the house.  When I looked at the clock in the living room, it was 10:05.  Cool!  I have three hours to play.  I walked to the kitchen and the oven said it was 9:05.  Awe....that's right.  I forgot to change the living room clock.  Yay!  Four hours!

I got out my Strip Joints quilt, which I am going to change up a bit so I can use it as a bedspread in our room.  After sewing the blocks several months ago, I thought of a new arrangement.  Because of this, I had to rip the stitches out of about 12 blocks.  I sat on my couch, ripping stitches and watching In The Dark.  I took a break from ripping to sew the border on my quilt.  Before I knew it, it was 1:00!  Oh, no!  I need to stop!  But I want to keep going since of on a roll.  Here it comes....

I figures out I could change my mind!  I didn't really need to be anywhere until 3:00, and I could go to Hannibal another day.  So liberating!  Working full time, I had to schedule so much of my day just so I could get things done.  Five months into retirement, it is sinking in that I can change my schedule at the last minute, even on a whim, as long as it doesn't impact anyone else.  So liberating!  Who knew??

November 7, 2021:  I love to scrapbook!  Digital scrapbooking was just what I needed--no more keeping paper and embellishments all over the place!  With digital scrapbooking, I actually finish pages.  October 15th, Teresa, Lynn, and I went to a scrapbook retreat in Chesterfield.  It was probably the most relaxing retreat we've attended.  Since returning home, I've actually kept up on my scrapbooking.  

The program I use is Artisan 6 by FOREVER.  I am actually a FOREVER ambassador, but I mainly do that to get a discount on the items I purchase.  I backup all of my scrapbook pages to FOREVER.  I love learning new tricks and techniques. More importantly, I love that our family's history and life are being recorded for my kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids to enjoy for many years, even long after I'm gone.  Both Carter and Henry like to "read" my scrapbooks.  Last night, I sent my most recently completed pages to be printed.  I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival this week!

November 5, 2021:  Starting today, I'm starting over!  When I first started this blog, I was good about writing in it frequently.  Over time, I stopped.  Today, I'm hoping to turn over a new leaf!  At least for a week or two.  LOL!

Last week, my friend, Mary Jones, and I took a spur of the moment trip to Paducah, Kentucky.  We both retired in May, and I always wanted to go there, so we decided to stop putting it off.  The quilt museum was great, and I really loved the optical illusion of this tiger quilt.  We also visited Hancock's of Paducah, walked the flood wall murals, and drove part of the McCracken County Quilt Drive.

Supplies:

• A good friend that loves what you love

• A trustworthy vehicle and Google Maps

Things I Learned:

• There are so many varieties of quilts and quilting techniques.  This includes a quilt make of wood and old quilts that have been recycled and painted with acrylic paints.  Absolutely amazing!

• Hancock's is huge!

• Pizza Warehouse has amazing Calzones, and the breakfast at Gold Rush Cafe is very tasty!

Thoughts for the Future:

• Mary and I tend to travel on Mondays, or so we've noticed.  Unfortunately, many quilt shops and restaurants are closed on Mondays.  Not a big problem, but definitely something to keep in mind.

• Don't leave the Fritos in your vehicle!  Remember to bring them to your room or you'll regret it!

November 25, 2018~My friend, Mary Jones, has a blog telling stories of her sewing and quilting adventures.  One of her tutorials is for a quick and easy Mug Rug.  I love visiting her blog for ideas, techniques, and just to enjoy the voice she brings to her writing.  

I plan to use this page to document my sewing and scrapooking adventures.  I don't create ideas, but I want to record facts and thoughts.  What fabric did I use?  What worked?  What didn't work?  What ideas do I have for doing this project again in the future?  Hmmmm, kind of like Chapter Five of a dissertation.  Maybe I should rename this site "Chapter Five"?

So, back to the Mug Rugs!  Fun!  Brian's sister, Brenda, gave me a gift of handsoap, a candle, and some preserves.  She and her husband, Tommy, along with her daughter and granddaughter, Cindy and Bailee, were visiting this week from Colorado.  As soon as I opened the gift, I panicked!  What can I give her in return?  My mind instantly went to sewing!  From there, I remembered that Mary gave all teachers a Mug Rug for Christmas a few years ago.  An idea was born (or stolen or harvested, however you choose to look at it)!

Supplies for 8 Mug Rugs

• Charm Pack of 5 inch precuts (42 total):  I used Garden Variety by Lella Boutique for Moda Fabric.  I bought the Charm Pack for $9.99 (probably 25% off) at Ben Franklin in Monroe City.  Adding an additional square to cover the binding made me feel better but probably wasn't necessary.  I cut the extra squares from a leftover fat quarter I had in my trash stash.

• Eight 5" pieces of batting:  I cut mine to 4.75 and liked it just as well.

Things I learned....

1. Follow the directions.  Putting the background square beneath the batting doesn't work.

2. It's a pain to rip out detailed edging stitches, but it can be done!

3. "Quilting" the background fabric to the batting wasn't worth the time.

4. Just as Mary said, be sure to let the starch dry or the material will get distorted.

Thoughts for the future...

1. I need to use my 1/4 inch edger presser foot to improve my accuracy.

2. 10 inch squares would make an awesome potholder!

3. If I made a potholder, I'd probably sew something "felty" to the center to hold it all together.  

4. If I made a potholder, I probably would quilt the batting to the background material.

My hubby found a recipe for these, and we gave them a try tonight.  I used the recipe from Be Your Best Mom, adding some diced up cranberries to the turkey.  

I combined one can of jellied cranberry sauce and 4 oz. cream cheese ina pan and heated, stiring to mix.  This was a delish relish for the wonton combination.

The verdict:  pretty good!  The cream cheese-cranberry sauce was perfect for adding a bit of sweet to the wonton.  I think in the future it could be made with crescent rolls, although the wonton wrappers have a lot less calories and carbs.

November 27, 2018~I cleaned house today and made Turkey Pot Pie.  I promised myself I would work on hand-sewing the binding on Rachel's quilt.  I broke my promise.

I started out by watching YouTube videos, and I ran across this Square in Square block tutorial by Patchwork Facil.  I loved it so much that I decided to grab some fat quarters that I've been stockpiling.  By the way, this particular set of fabrics were selected by Mary Jones during one of our visits to Homestead Hearth in Mexico.  I like to pay a game there...They have a grocery basket full of discounted fat quarters.  I start by closing my eyes and randomly picking up a fat quarter.  From there, I match three or four more fat quarters to my pick.  I'm very cautious with colors, but Mary is not!  She played the game with me, and I ended up buying all of the fat quarters she picked out.  Mary is daring with colors and patterns, and her combinations always look so vibrant!  Disclosure:  I'm not sure Mary picked all of these, but she picked most of them.

Anyway, I watched the video and started cutting out squares.  I used an online metric conversion tool to convert the centimeters to inches.  I tried to do all of this in the living room with my husband, acting like I was really into The Voice.  Unfortunately, I didn't understand the gravity of the various sizes.  I played with sizes and made a few changes.  I ended up having to recut my blocks because the various sizes are very important!  Here's what I ended up needing:

• 1 block 3.75 inches

• 1 block 4.25 inches (trim to 5 inches)

• 1 block 5 inches (trim to 6.5 inches)

• 1 block 6.5 inches (trim to 8.25 inches)

• 1 block 8.25 (trim to 11 inches, final size)

Things I learned...

• I dislike metrics (already knew this; just wanted to restate it)

• Precision is important for this block!

• I had no idea you could cut a seam intersection off and still make a quilt block!

• I originally planned to turn this block into a potholder, but I think it's too big.

• I need to take some time and iron and starch my fat quarters, especially ones that are rolled or folded.  I tried to cut the fabric without ironing, but there was too much error in my cutting.  Lesson learned.

Thoughts for the future...

• I want to play with sizes to make a smaller block that can be used as a potholder

• I don't think I'll cut blocks in advance the next time I make this.  After I have perfected my precision, I'll take a risk and cut ahead.

• What a neat block!  It looks so difficult but is so easy!

On our first trip to Sew Sweet in Brunswick, Mary told me I should give French seam pillow cases a try.  I did, and I'm hooked!  They are quick and easy!  I make a 9 inch cuff, 3 inch border, and 27 inch (.75 yard) body.  For larger pillows, use a yard+ for the body.  

Video Tutorial

Great Visual Tutorial