This is the view of "the wall" from the laundry room looking towards our bedroom. The winding ways quilt, far left, has not changed in months. It is a real work in progress and I need to be on my game when sewing the curved seams. I must have my sleep to work on that one.
Next up on the wall, my current "to be finished now" quilt. I am on a roll. It is a Thangles "buck a block" from the Village Quilter. I am not sure what year I started this one, but it has been on the wall a couple of times without getting finished.
The last quilt on the wall is the New Years' Day Mystery. I work on this quilt between other projects and it is getting done, slowly but surely!
This "buck a block" quilt has always been one of my favorites. I love the yellow star points and the combination of 30's prints used for the blocks. The red sashing really sets off the blocks. This pattern made 2 blocks each month, a positive and negative of the same pattern. Each small block is set with the 3" star points, that is the part that has taken so much time. Half squared triangles are the bane of my existance. But, progress is being made!
Two rows are completely done! I have them hung on the wall in colums just because of the space available. There will be a total of 6 rows and I am currently working on finishing up enough of the half square triangles to complete the blocks!
This is really so close to being done, I can't wait!
I just love the sameness of our Sundays. For breakfast, always waffles. I started the morning the same way I always start my Sundays. Unfortunately the waffle iron decided not to start. The light came on, but the iron never warmed up.
This waffle iron has given me trouble since Mark first moved here with me. You see, it is his. When we sorted through our belongings we decided that having more than one waffle iron was not necessary. Mine was the waffle iron that got the heave ho. Little did he know that I actually had more than one myself, good thing too!
Fortunately I knew exactly where the waffle iron was hidden.
My Sunday morning ritual proceeded without further ado, belgium style!
Last Friday, my last day of spring break, Mark and I took a drive out to the Green Top Market. Mark needed some local honey and I was in desperate need of pie! They did not let us down.
The entire place was covered with the bright colors of spring! I especially loved the tulips, all of the tulips!
After picking out our honey and pie, we ventured down the road to the Evergreen for our first custard of the season, yum!
As for the pie, apple walnut, that became my breakfast for several days! It was delicious warm, with a piping cup of hot tea!
I feel another visit to the Green Top coming on! We will have to plan for that once Mr. Mark is back to feeling healthy. The flu has really knocked him on his butt!
Our new house, either the fall of '65 or the winter of '66. We were able to move in, July, 1966. I remember being so excited to be moving to such a "huge" house. Our house in Clifton was a cape cod with 1/2 a dormer on top where my parents added two bedrooms. One for the girls and one for the boys. By the time we moved into the house in Little Falls there were 4 of us and my mother was pregnant with Jenny who would be born on Christmas morning, 1966.
I had just finished 2nd grade and I was so excited to be moving. I had no idea what that move would mean in reality. I would be separated from my best friend. The closeness of the community on Elm Hill Road would be something I have never been able to find again.
My parents stayed in the Little Falls house for over 30 years. Mark and I went up to Little Falls and stopped for a peek at the old place.
It has been over 15 years since my parents sold the house. My father would be upset at the state of the yard, I was upset that in the middle of August the pool was still covered. My mother loved that pool and it brought years of happiness to everyone fortunate enough to experience the cool water. I know my children loved visiting Mema and Grandpa and spending hours in their in-ground pool.
In many ways it seems like a lifetime ago that we moved into that house. Although, for me, I can still hear the voices, the laughter and feel the love that grew inside.
Tuesday, Mark and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary in a way that I would never, ever recommend to anyone. It started off innocently enough. I had made reservations to take Mark to a screening of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. While Mark had been feeling under the weather on Monday evening, Tuesday he seemed better enough, no fever, to make the trip to NYC.
That was our first mistake. The train ride was no issue but the walk uptown seemed to do him in. He walked over to Subway to grab a water while I took our place in line. The next thing I hear is my name being called from the corner, "Joyce is there a Joyce in line?' Not good news.
Mark had felt faint, tried to lower himself to the ground but fell backwards into the counter. He wasn't unconscious but certainly not all there. The ambulance arrived, assessed and suggested the hospital because of the head injury. We opted for NYU Medical - closer to where we needed to go for the train, closer to Jess and just a more familiar area for me.
The EMT's were great. Once we arrived at NYU, we couldn't get in. All of the codes on the doors had been changed. The technician actually pried the doors open and we held them that way to be able to move the gurney through.
Once inside Mark received care and a room very quickly. Almost right away the blood results showed low sodium levels, signs of dehydration. They hung fluids, started a drip and then ordered more tests based on the neurologist assessment and others. He received a CT scan and an MRI. He disappeared for hours.
Volunteers kept stopping by to see if Jess and I were where we were supposed to be, it was comical. Everytime we asked about Mark they would tell us, he's checked in at MRI, he's checked out of MRI, now he's checked into MRI, just crazy. I am grateful that Jess was able to keep me company. The emergency room is a very lonely place especially with Mark being taken all over the hospital for hours. At one point they wheeled him through the cafeteria because they could not figure out how to get him back to the emergency room.
I should mention that Tuesday was the grand re-opening of the emergency room at NYU. It had been destroyed during Sandy and was finally finished. Although, as we soon discovered, most people could not figure out where anything was, I guess that didn't have a run through before admitting patients.
Mark tested positive for the flu which meant that they needed to move us to a private, sealed room. Which they did while he was still being moved from MRI to radiology and back. I felt like Jess and I were in a fish bowl!
The day moved very slowly. At about 10:30pm, 8 hours into our visit and the realization that we would soon miss the last train to NJ, I asked them to make some decisions. Mark's sodium levels were not increasing and they had no reasoning as to why. They recommended admitting him and the continuation of fluids promising a private room because of his flu diagnosis. He wanted to go home, I was afraid to leave and accept responsiblity for getting him on the train, the 90 minute train ride and the 40 minute drive home. So, we admitted him.
Unfortunately, there was never a bed available in the hospital so we stayed in the ER, all night. Very uncomfortable. It was very cold, very noisy and we were in the fishbowl. Each of us was able to grab a few minutes of sleep here and there. At 6:30 I asked for the nurse to take the blood and his vitals so that we could start the conversation of getting him released. Jess texted me around that time to see if we wanted breakfast, you see there is no food available in the ER, we opted for no food and a quick release. Albeit, not so quick.
It's a good thing we started the process at that time, Mark was finally released at 8:30. His sodium levels a little improved. His neck in a brace due to ligament damage sustained as a result of the fall. A mask covering his face because of his flu diagnosis. He looked a little worse for wear, I chose not to photograph him in that state, he can thank me later. As we left the building the workman were still putting the finishing touches on the entrance which was looking pretty fancy. We wove our way through the workman and hailed a cab back to Penn Station.
I glanced up, through the cab window, to see the Empire State Building piercing through the clouds. Jess would be arriving at work and we were finally on our way home.
Lessons learned:
- Do not travel to NYC if you are not 100%. (Even if it is to see Elizabeth Warren on Jon Stewart!)
- I have the best daughter in the world. She showed up at the hospital bearing food and canceled her birthday celebration to sit with me while Mark was lost in NYU.
- Be more proactive early on, I am sure had I been more aware of what was happening earlier on we could have made our way home on Tuesday, against doctor's orders, but we would have been home and Mark would have had food and sleep which are necessary to his getting better.
- Don't be afraid to ask for what you need.
- Always carry throat lozenges.
- Water is not enough to hydrate.
- Never ignore a charley horse. (Always listen to your wife!)
So, that's the long and the short of it, more the long. We are home and have been for over 24 hours. Mark is scheduled for a followup with our family physician tomorrow. I did not get the flu and I will be back at work tomorrow. From where I sit, life is pretty darn good.
I ventured out of the house on March 30th which was the Sunday of Week 14. That happens so rarely that I thought I should be sure to record the fact. The Little Shop was having their spring/summer class open house and Debi offered 25% off any class if you signed up during the event. Not one to miss I sale, I headed over first thing. I am itching to take the Santa pincushion class and couldn't wait to sign up. Once there I treated myself to a couple of peppered cottons for a quilt project I am designing, we will see how that goes.
Mondays are very difficult for me! This week I had my observation on Thursday so I spent a large part of my Monday uploading information for that. Mark and I went to the gym - needed to log in a run before the race on Sunday! Tuesday I was back to swimming, solo, my tri-buddy has been working a 2nd job evenings and that makes for a lonely swim. Wednesday was another day filled with completing paperwork at school, so ready for Spring Break!
Wednesday was the day before Bunkey's birthday so I left work straight away so that we could spend some time together getting her supplies ready for her quilting retreat. We had a great night organizing her stuff and then made a quick stop at Michael's for some additional supplies! Thursday was author day at school, Nick Bruell of Bad Kitty fame. It was my 3rd and final observation. We had our evening professional development until 6 and then Mark and I went over to On the Border for really cheap margaritas and appetizers! Yum. Friday a relatively easy school day. Worked a little late and then headed home. I had the house to myself - what a treat! Saturday I headed across the Commodore Barry Bridge to volunteer for the Hot Chocolate Run packet pickup! It was a great day - lots of fun. My knees were really sore by the time I finally headed home.
And that, my friends, is the whole story of week 14!
If you are the least bit interested in Project Life, I encourage you to stop over at Becky Higgins' site and check out all of the inspiration! Cathy Zielske posted her Weeks 14 and 15 this past week. I like how she uses a simplified journaling approach, some weeks just writing a "high" of the week or a "low" of the week. There are so many ways of approaching Project Life, it is truly whatever you chose to make of it!
Today I finished the top for my popsicle quilt. I am so happy with the way it turned out! I appliqued the popsicles while we were on our road trip this past summer. I picked out the sashing fabric and the border at The Little Shop when we returned last August. This week I finally took the time to pull it together.
On Wednesday of this week I met Bunkey at The Little Shop for the "sew-what". As my project for the morning I took this project to cut the sashings and corner stones. I was so inspired one I arrived home that I just want to run with it. Since I was not able to do that, I set aside Saturday to finish it up! I worked diligently until I had to go babysitting on Saturday afternoon and then woke up Sunday to put the borders on.
I will sandwich the top with batting and hand quilt it at a later date. The original, on the package, shows quilting around each popsicle and I would like to try that, although I have not hand quilted a larger project in ages. I think I will probably use it as a wall hanging, but since I have no place to hang it at the moment, I might rethink that decision. Oh well, I have time to decide!
I found this photo on my table as I was cleaning it off today. I am not sure why I had it out or even where I usually keep it, but I just love it.
Easter was a time for dressing up in our house. Notice that we have matching outfits! I think my mom may have made the coats that Suzy and I are wearing. When we were this age, we lived in Clifton and we celebrated the holidays at my grandmother's house in Bloomfield, 76 Renner Avenue.
I just love that Suzy and I have on hats and are carrying our "handbags!" We even have corsages and Tony is sporting a buttoneer. We really were styling!
My brother, Tony, is just about 3 1/2 in this picture. Suzy, on the right, was just 2 and I was 4 1/2. I am so happy that I came upon this photo today. It brings back happy memories of holidays spent with the whole family at grandma's house.
Last weekend I finished our t-shirt quilt, "All About Us". I call it that because it features t-shirts collected by Jason, Jessica and myself. I started this quilt in 2009 in a class at the Mullica Hill Quilt Company which I attended with my dear friend Robin!
I had never planned on making a t-shirt quilt but it had been on Robin's bucket list so I jumped in and joined her. I hadn't saved any t-shirts, per se, so I collected what I found around the house. This quilt contains quite a collection and a little history of us as a family.
The oldest t-shirt included is the Hands Across American shirt that Jason wore on May 26th, 1986 when he was just 13 months old. The shirt was huge on him but he looked adorable as we lined up on Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen, NJ.
The shirt below the Hands Across America t-shirt is one Jess wore when she worked at the 5th Avenue Apple Store. I included several of her t-shirts in the quilt but some of them are only the sayings from the back or her position from the sleeve of the shirt.
When I first looked at the shirts together I was overwhelmed as to how to pull it all together. I like to have a plan before I begin and it took me a while to figure this one out.
I decided that I needed to make the shirts, like quilt blocks, the same size. I decided that I would use baticks to unify the different colors and designs. I began by choosing the dark batik for the border primarily because I felt that the darkness would help the t-shirts to be the focus of the quilt.
I loved picking out the different batiks for each t-shirt and focusing on the design of the quilt as I tried to make the shirst all work together. Figuring sizes and how big to cut the borders was a real challenge for me. I would put the quilt away when I became too overwhelmed and then pull it out again when I felt inspired.
Included amongst the t-shirts is one that I designed for a restaurant that I worked for, a Disney shirt from our first visit to Disney World, one from Planet Hollywood in Orlando when we saw Shaquille O'Neill, as well as the t-shirt Jason got from SYMS, the Summer Youth Music School at the University of New Hampshire.
A Turtle Kralls' t-shirt from Key West is included and a t-shirt Jess got her first year at FIT. So many memories tied up in one quilt - it is a real treasure!
I chose to back the quilt in a batik as well. I picked this particular fabric because, again, it reminds me of my little family and the time we spent growing up and exploring the beach. I love the shell motifs and the blue/gray coloring of the fabric.
Right now the quilt is set up on the bed in our guest bedroom. I have visions of it visiting with my children at some point, right now, I can't seem to part with it!
