I am so pleased with where I am, and I eagerly look forward to the future.

That is today's affirmation from Louise Hay.

Anyhoo it was so weird, after all this time (I've been divorced for a year and four months now; alone for three years) . . . but last night I was watching a movie about a man who leaves his wife for the usual reasons (reclaim his youth, sex with other women, blah blah) and I totally lost it. Found myself blubbering like a bebe.

It took me all day to process this.  I was listening to NPR in the car, sort of, and kept hearing "are you better off now than you were four years ago?" (all of the election BS, you know)

Well duh, I thought. Yeah I am. Four years ago, an alcoholic psychopath was calling me ugly names and undermining every move I made and really, making my life miserable while I was loving him to the best of my ability. Ick. I mean really, ick. How did I ever become such a doormat, especially for a man who never did and never will know the real meaning of love? How is it I spent so many years living an illusion? (Well jeez, that one is for another day and I digress.)

So, I'm not sure why I lost my mind again last night but I imagine it's for the usual reason. Missing the life and love I thought I had. Silly me.

I am so pleased with where I am and I eagerly look forward to the future. Words to live by. Although I'm still working on being happy in the present moment. Howz that going, you may ask?

Pretty darn good.

Somehow autumn crept up on me. I realized it when I went to Beth's for corn and strawberries and when I drove up, I saw mums, pumpkins, cornstalks and squash!  What the heck! Where are the fuscias, the lavender, the geraniums? The blueberries?

And, it was cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace as the sun went down and what a lovely sight, isn't it? 

I've been working on a quilt for my friend Florence. She is going to be a grandmother for the first time and is over the moon! I love this fabric she chose by Bunny Hill. It is called Ooh La La.  Very sweet for a baby girl. Somehow the size got away from me . . .

here's a closeup

And lastly, I title this photo: "Why yes, I am digging up the lawn. What of it?"

Oh! Also wanted to say I posted a link to the right, of a short slide show of my trip to Bali, taken by one of the girls in the group, Juanell.

My friend Sue came over yesterday to help me cut fat quarters out of my Bali batiks. Actually, I ironed while she cut and we had us some good gossip and some laughs as usual. We took ourselves out to lunch at Morse's Sauerkraut in Waldoboro which was fabulous as always. When we came out, the wind whipped up and we tried to outrun this storm to get home and close the windows.

Unfortunately, we were a bit too late and it was a gale by the time we made it home. Got some water in but nothing too bad.

So, last night, I folded fat quarters while I was transported to beautiful Bali in my mind. I can smell the incense in the fabric and it takes me right back.  happy sigh

Happy days

Remember tissue paper flowers? I spent the morning in my jammies making tissue paper flowers after I couldn't find a bow for a birthday present. Something so gratifying in putting all this paper together and pulling it this way and that to produce such a pretty result.

Afterwards, off I went to Rockland for a visit to the Quilt Divas, Deb and Doris. They have the most beautiful shop and it's always fun to visit. I highly recommend you give them a try. They're right on Main Street.

I took myself out for fish tacos at the Sunfire Grill, also on Main. I hadn't been for a few years. They've expanded and the food continues to be muy fabuloso!

So, I bought a fabric remnant at Joann's the other day and decided it was time to replace my lampshade. I loved this lampshade but one night over the summer, when the kids were here, the mosquitoes were on the attack and I smacked two of them on the lampshade (the bugs, not the kids), leaving bloody bodies and a stained shade. I tried a bleach pen which made it even worse. So.

 Ta da!  Look how cute and vintage-y this looks.

 Now I was on a roll, so I whipped up a couple of new collars for Rose, at my Daddy's request. I love this fabric - another remnant - full of doggies in yoga poses.

 And, lastly, I picked up this ugly little table at a yard sale for five bucks and it was just calling out to me for a little oilcloth re-do.

And, voila:

It's the little things that bring us the most pleasure, isn't it? Happy days.

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I Do Not Like It

I spent most of my day today finishing up (finally!) the quilt top for Roman's baby quilt. I'll show you a much better picture when it's all together but here is the top on my ironing board. The fabric is so cute: space men and rockets and planets - I actually bought it last year at the World Quilt Show in Manchester just for this purpose and had planned to get it done before Roman was born (he is now 10 months). Oh well, the best laid plans and all that . . .

Then I spent a good ten minutes hating my former husband (much less time than usual which I look on as a good sign) before tackling my vacuum cleaner, which was blowing instead of sucking. I spent an hour-and-a-half taking the thing apart and cleaning it and reassembling it and trying it and taking it apart again, etc. until I finally got it to work. Yes! Awesome I am woman hear me roar moment. Good for me.

Now, if I could just figure out what is wrong with the freaking dryer... oy vey

Here is Anna's book bag for her last year of high school! wow  It is a canvas bag from Reny's that I lined. Easy and cute and strong with lots of pockets.

And, I spent yesterday afternoon on this big Genevieve Bag for my friend, Sue. She picked the oilcloth and isn't it great! We are bartering. She is helping me cut fat quarters from my Bali Batiks in exchange for a fab new bag! A fair trade and I wish we could do more business that way. Like I could get a pedicure in exchange for a home made table runner or have Sophie's teeth cleaned at the vet in exchange for a quilt. You get the idea. . .