Not in the plans

When I sailed off for the summer at the beach, I envisioned it to be one very long stretch of very long days, enjoying the kids, sewing, reading, and resting.

Not quite! It has been very fun, but very busy.  Then, a couple of weeks ago, I got word that my little cat Larry was sinking, and sinking fast.  I had been watching him for months, taking note that he hadn't been grooming himself very well.  Last Wednesday found me flying back to NM to be with him during his last days.

It was beyond special.  I wish I could have had time like that with my loved ones I've lost in years past.  It made his leaving easier.  We had said all we had to say, confident in our feelings about each other, and when he was finally out of pain, I found myself happy for him.

I decided he couldn't just leave without some official notification to friends and family, and sent out the following obituary:

It is with great sadness that I must inform you that Lorenzo de Valdez, aka Larry the cat, left this lifetime on Monday, July 30, after suffering quietly with an undiagnosed malady the last month.  For those of you who knew him well, you will note that Larry was never quiet.  (This, alone, was cause for concern.)

He is survived by his humans, two Rottweilers, and his sometime companion and frequent sparring partner, Roberto del Gato, or Bob, as he is known to those in his inner circle.

Larry came to us from the local animal shelter in the fall of 1997.  He was a mere 1.3 lbs. and not in good health.  He spent most of his life battling inflammatory bowel disease, so he never really knew good health.  He was, as many chronically ill patients may be, loathe to see his doctors, and because of his behavior in their offices, he was not their favorite patient.  (In fact, his file had a notation that he was fractious.)

He will be remembered as quite a conversationalist.  While his favorite topics were issues relating to his existential angst, he was also able to hold his own when it came time to register complaints about household issues.  I imagine he might go on to be a great orator in his next life.

There will be a private service for immediate family members only on a future date.

Our family requests that you show your pets some extra love in his memory.

Nothing but blue skies ahead

Summer doesn't officially start until next week, but it is definitely in full swing here in the mountains.  The wildflowers are blooming, the days are warm, the humidity is very low and the evenings remain in the mid-forties...good sleeping weather, as it has been said.

You may have seen news of the two largest fires in NM.  They're down in the southern part of the state; so far, we have stayed safe up here.  The afternoon thunderheads are starting to build and we hope our summer monsoons will start in a few weeks, both because we need the moisture and because we don't want dry lightning to start more fires.

Things have been busy here.  The former shop space will be empty in another week and as some of it leaves in a rental truck for California, I will fly ahead to meet it at the other end.  I'm looking forward to a summer with my family, my quilting, and my friends.

I've decided to give myself a break and not worry about posting here this summer.  I'll still be following your blogs, and I'm not saying I won't come back...I just want to focus on lots of other things for a while.

So, my friends...have a wonderful summer, and if you wish to be in touch privately, please feel free to e-mail me...I'd love to hear from you!

Long silence

Baby soybeans

My mom always told me that if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.  While I probably haven't done a great job of that in my lifetime, I try hard not to bore you with the everyday things in my world when things aren't going so well.  Hence, my silence.  Not that I don't think about you (with some guilt, and daily), but it's just been a bit trying around here.  Our Ani got really sick, was in the hospital, and is home now...but it gave us all quite a scare for this past week or so.

Handsome nephew, Tim

We had a great week in Illinois.  We visited our family, had lots of great conversation, laughs, and OMG, the food.  Those folks sure now how to lay down a feast (to which I submit very willingly).  I didn't realize it had been four and a half years since I'd been back, so that won't happen again.

While we were there, we got to visit our baby soybeans.  I've never been there in spring before and I swear, I could see how much the corn grew just in the few days we were at the farm.  I'm always blown away that generations of folks have survived by planting seeds and then hoping that the sky blesses them with enough water to raise healthy crops.  Strong people, they are; the core of this country.

Detail: subtle colors

Trip project

I always like to use a trip to start a new project, so at the last minute, I grabbed two balls of my own hand spun yarn, a lace weight of hand painted wool and silk blend.  It was just right for this trip, light to carry and mindless to knit on.  I finally finished it a couple of days ago and blocked it last night.  I had so much fun, I've started another, out of commercial yarn (Noro sock yarn).  I always have to have my hands busy or I go cuckoo...or maybe I'm just a cuckoo who likes to knit.

Headed to the heartland

It's time to put my traveling shoes on again.  Tomorrow we leave for Chicago for a couple of nights and then down to the farm to visit our family there.  I'm pretty excited about this trip; I haven't visited the homestead in a couple of years.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, sitting in the gazebo, chatting, knitting, and meeting all my sister in law's porch kitties.  It seems she has turned into a cat woman since I last visited...my kind of woman.

Friday is exciting, also...I'll be meeting Wanda of Exuberant Color, one of my favorite quilt blogs.  Being only an hour away from her home, I shamelessly invited myself to visit.  I have to meet this mystery person who makes some of my favorite quilts!  Her sense of color and design just knocks my socks off.  It will be a bit like going to Mecca.  Also, she has one of those wonderful free arm quilting machines I've told myself I don't need...you can see where this is going, no doubt.

Speaking of Wanda:  I've taken the liberty to copy her blog posting from today to share with you:

I don't know if you read Michele's blog http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2012/05/praying-for-miracle.html but she is always doing wonderful things for others and now she has a request, looking for a kidney for her sister-in-law.  There must be a match out there somewhere.  Please help spread the word and help heal Becky.

I am a firm believer in the power of people, the kindness of people, and the grace with which so many folks are happy to share in these situations.  Perhaps you will, by chance, know someone who might help.  It's worth a shot.

Talk to you from the road!

PS  Here's a photo of the last gasp on the rug.  I spent one more afternoon working on it and still didn't get a big buzz out of it, so I've ripped it out and have started some cat's paws until I either fall wildly in love with them or not.   

Mother's Day

Dear Mom:

I'm thinking of you today, and since we can no longer speak, I've decided to write this letter, if only for myself.

This photo, taken of you on your 16th birthday in 1926, hangs in my bedroom near the bookshelves.  I know this would make you happy, since you were such a lover of books and a voracious reader.  I guess I never really thanked you for instilling this in me; I still have such fond memories of you taking me to the old library in our little hometown. How I wish you could see the new library, built in place of the one you so lovingly volunteered at in your later years...it has ocean views, a used book store, and a coffee cart.  Three of your favorite things; you'd be in heaven.   Oh...and the hospice thrift shop you once volunteered at has now grown into a big, successful store.  I shop and donate there when I can, with you in my heart.  You would love it also...and best yet...a See's Candy store is next door!  Remember how you taught me a little about how to read the little swirls on top?

You've now been gone from us for well over fourteen years.  So much has happened, and there have been so many times I've wanted to pick up the phone to share things with you.  I've thought often of how hard it must have been for you to raise me after having, essentially, raised another family before I surprised you and came into your world.  I realize that having a wild daughter in the sixties must have been quite a shock to you, who raised your daughters in a time altogether different.  I apologize for my lack of sensitivity and wish I could tell you now that if I, at this age, still had a kid in high school, I'd probably want to go kill myself.  No wonder you were so exhausted.

I feel a kindred spirit to you these days, now that I'm a happy grandmother.  I remember how you loved all yours and the great delight they brought you.  I am now realizing that having grandchildren is a joy that words can't share with others;  you have to experience it to know.  I wish you could meet your great grandchildren.  Tanner is as handsome as his dad, and so well mannered and smart.  Madalyne Rosemary is named for you, and I do believe she has all your spunk and spirit.  When I look in her eyes, I see you there.  It's double the joy for me.  I plan to tell both of them as much about you as I can, to keep you alive in their hearts, as well.

There's so much more, but this is all for now.  Thanks for everything, Mom; I hope our spirits cross again one day.   I wish I could give you a big hug.

Love,
Martie