Slow Sunday Stitching, Busy, Busy, Busy, It's Been a Year

I have gotten exactly no sewing done this week at all.  No sewing machine was used this week.  What I will be doing this week for Slow Sunday Stitching is work on my friend Jandra's Boho Bag.  I haven't worked on it in weeks.  I think the last thing I did was cut the clip on the back of the crown, which previously was an earring, and put it on Minnie's head.  

I'll be linking up to  Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Be sure and head over and check out what everyone is up to.

Last week was our guild's quilt show which I worked at two days.  Then Saturday was our neighborhood garage sale.  My daughter's came and helped.  I was able to sell John's table saw, a paint sprayer, a kiln and after working all week on it, my dollhouse John had built for me.  I repainted it.  I have not worked on it for years and it was just collecting dust, so I decided it had to go.  I was able to make a bit of cash and that was a good thing!   After all that last week, I was pooped and just didn't feel like doing anything on Sunday.  

This week, I spent cleaning up two rooms I had messed up getting ready for the garage.  Because I had gotten the kiln off a shelf in the garage, I was able reorganize my laundry room, and put my gardening tools and fertilizers and such on that shelf in the garage.  I also made a trip to Goodwill and ReNew, an nonprofit thrift store that helps women and children in abusive relationships.  

I also worked in the garden quite a bit this week, and repotted a bunch of my begonias.  At our last begonia meeting I brought home quite a bit of cuttings.  I decided I needed some plant stands for the house, and ordered 3 from Amazon and assembled them when they got here.

I also repotted several of my orchids that were not doing too well, or needed repotting.  I love this pot I found at one of the nurseries.  "I'm One Plant Short of Crazy, Crazy Plant Lady"

Saturday this week was our neighborhood "Get Rid of Junk Day" at the park across the street from my house.  I filled up my car with some stuff from the garage.  It was supposed to start at 9.  I arrived at 8:45 and there was already two lines formed.   It took awhile to get up front.  When I got to the dumpster, looking across the street is my house.  

After I got through with that, I loaded up the car with some old paint, and some  fluid John used to fiberglass his boat and took them out to the landfill where you can dispose of toxic materials.  

I have been working on clearing out the garage of things I don't need, and cleaning up the sawdust.  Some parts of the garage have not seen the light of day in years.  Our garage has been totally filled up with stuff for years, at least 80% filled out.  I am making some progress.  Today it looks like this.  

There are some positions at our guild they are seeking new people to work on.  Last week I volunteered to be the co-chair of our Community Service group.  It will involve several hours a week, and the lady that is currently doing it is retiring from the position in July.  She keeps supplies, batting, containers full of fabric for backings etc in her spare bedroom and garage on metal shelves.  So I need to get things organized in my garage so I can set up metal shelves to store stuff on before July.  

A year ago, April 29th, my dear husband, love of my life passed away.  On Wednesday this week, my doorbell range, and this gorgeous flower arrangement was on my doorstep.  

I opened the card, and it was from my blogging friend Kim @Sarah Lizzies.  It brought tears to my eyes that she would think to do this for me, I am so blessed with my friends and family!  Thanks again Kim, I have them in my living room and they smell so, so lovely!  

Our daughter Katie spent the day with me on Friday.  We went to brunch, and a trip to the nursery.    She put this post on Instagram on  Friday.

Dad you have been gone a year now today. I miss you every day. You would play this song on your guitar The Animals House of the Rising Sun. Some parts your voice would crack. I miss walking into your house and saying Your Favorite Person is Here. You would laugh and tell me Hey! Do you feel the same that you aren't here anymore? Do you look down and see us moving on with life? Can you see me crying now? I feel like you always got me we are alike and look the same. I have your nose and your temper and probably your teeth. You were so understanding, my person, and now you are gone. I didn't cry all day but waited until now. Thank you for always telling me that I did a great job on my watercolor paintings you were my biggest fan. I love you Dad. I miss you and wish I could give you a hug. Thank you for being such a good dad. You were not a burden I know you were worried about that. I hope you are with Grammy and Grampy and Uncle James. Hopefully your sister isn't there....no offense. Say hi to Carm and Lou if you see them. I always enjoyed sailing with you even though there were some kerfuffles 😆. You were such a great carpenter and you were so happy to build your boats. I think it is hilarious that you're testing the dingy in the dirty pool. We could always find something to joke about and laugh about. When I was in highschool I was so lonely and you and mom always still invited me to go with you. I remember we went to the Bay and got moon pies and clam chowder that was a good day. Thank you for believing in me always and seeing the good in what I do. I love you always and forever dad. 💜⛵

Our daughter Kristen wrote this:   

It has been a year since my dad passed away and we all still miss him very much.

My dad loved boats. He came from a Navy father and learned pretty early how to sail.

When I was a little girl my dad built his own wooden sailboat and later built a two masted sailboat. Growing up my house was known for being on the corner with a 27 foot sailboat on the trailer. My parents belonged to a sailboat club, and by far were the youngest members as everyone else was retired. We would go with them and my sister and I would hob nob with the members at their monthly meetings. We were the same age the grandchildren of the members.

As part of the sailing club, we would meet up at various bodies of water around the California. There would be a meet up point and we would potluck. My dad’s sailboat had a berth so that we could stay overnight.

I remember sailing at Folsom Lake, Clearlake, Donner Lake, Delta, etc. There were all sorts of shenanigans that went on these trips, like, for example, when the boat would catch the wind and lean so far over I would think it would tip and dad would tell us to sit on the other side to counterbalance it. He would always say, “Woah, woah, woah” and laugh. Or when our anchor did not take when mooring and the boat started drifting away with my parents on it. Katie was frantic that we needed to swim to the boat and I grabbed her to pull her back and told that we could stay on the beach as they would come back for us-which they did. Or I was sick with a cold and felt terrible. My parents made with a hot chocolate with a little bit of peppermint schnapps.

When we were sailing, I remember Katie primarily being with my parents. I, on the other hand, always had my place on the left hand side of the bow as far as I could go. I would fall asleep in the sunshine and listen to the water, feel the sunshine on my skin and splashes of the bow smacking against the wake of a speedboat.

When the masts and sails were up, people would stop and talk to my dad about his boat and he was always so proud of it. Thinking of you today dad, John Paul Hurd, and listening to Sailing by Christopher Cross in your memory.

John built all of our boats.  He always looked happiest when we were sailing.  I miss him so much.  This has been a hard week, for us all.  Katie didn't think she would be able to work without crying.  Kristen thought she would be able to work, but then as she was writing her Facebook post, she was crying and all the way to work.  

I won't be checking in for the next couple of weeks.  I will be flying with Kristen and Jeff back to  see granddaughter Kyleigh graduate from nursing school and flying back on Mother's Day.  Then the next week Kristen and I will be flying to NM to drive grandson Jaeger back from college with his stuff.  

Thanks for stopping by.