the barber shop

Prior to visiting Lib's Place on our way to Gettysburg, we stopped at a nearby town, only to discover the shop was closed on Wednesdays. Go figure. There was a couple making out on a bench between the quilt shop and the barber shop (which was next door). While I was checking out at Lib's Place, I mentioned to them that the place was closed for the day, and they became very concerned. Turns out, the owner of the store is the sister of the barber shop owner, and their stores actually connect in the back. Whenever the quilt shop is closed, all they have to do is go to the barber shop, and she'll let them into the quilt shop through the back way, and ring them up. For their regular customers, they are sometimes allowed to cut their own fabric if the barber is busy with a client. Are you as astounded as I am?

I was of the mindset at first that since there was no sign on the store saying that, we should forget about it and head on to our stopping point. Bobby reminded me we weren't that far (a 10-15 minute drive), we didn't have a timeframe, and it was one of the patterns I particularly liked. So we backtracked.  Same couple was still out front, only this time talking. Bobby laughed and said "I wonder if one of them is the barber. The girl was keeping an eye on us when we were here before looking at the signs and the store."

Turns out, the tattooed girl WAS the barber, and she was as nice as nice could be. She led me into the back, her living quarters, and to the back entrance of the quilt shop. I had told her what I was looking for, and she got it and rang it up for me. I really hated the shop was closed, for while it had a simple layout, the quilts on display were excellent, and she had a very large selection of patriotic fabric. It would definitely be a nice place to check out when it's officially open.

I have so say, it was my first time to enter a closed quilt shop through a barbershop, with a female barber, but I was very impressed with two young women who are working together to make their business work. Sisterhood. There really is nothing like it.

"I'm Rowing!"

Last year many North Carolina quilt shops participated in an event called "Row by Row Experience". Unlike a shop hop where you pay to participate and are required to visit as many places as possible in a weekend, this crazy event starts June 1 and goes through August 8. Quilters go to any participating quilt shop (this year in almost every single state!), pick up a FREE pattern, make 8 rows, quilt them together, bind the quilt, and return to one of the quilt shops where you got a pattern to show off your quilt. If you're the first to show off from that shop, you win a prize. Be the first to finish in your state, and you win a big prize. It's quite cool.

We allotted extra time on our trip to Gettysburg to do just this. I couldn't help but laugh in one of the shops as I was looking at their fabric, and a small group of ladies came into the store. The sales clerk asked if she could be of assistance, and they happily chirped "We're ROWING!"

We stopped at three shops in Virginia (one actually twice, but that's a different story), and my favorite by far was Lib's Place.

 Had to take two shots of the store as it wouldn't fit in one click (without crossing the very busy highway in front).The section on the right in this photo is their classroom space.

 And the left front part of the store is a mixture of quilting and crafts. Upstairs was scrapbook stuff, and the back walk (behind the stone wall/fireplace) was their fabric. The layout of shelves and the stairs near the front entrance (not much you can do about that!), it was not very wheelchair accessible, but the staff was very accomodating and gracious. My only peeve with the quilt section was they had a LOT of panels for sale, taped closed,,,with no pictures or panels on display to know what was for sale. Other than that, everything about that store was AWESOME. And the most incredibly, amazing thing in this store...was the bathroom.  Yes, I felt stupid, but I actually pulled out my phone and hoped no one was waiting outside and started photographing!!!

 Corner cabinet...I don't know why, but corner cabinets have always been one of my favorite things!

 Bobby thought this was crazy when I showed him the picture, but they had the most beautiful fabric, think upholestry or curtain fabric, on a hanger, sewed into folds as a toilet paper holder by the commode. VERY creative and decorative. Who would have thought a toilet paper holder could actually be described as elegant? I certainly wouldn't have!

 And I thought this hanging on the wall above it was quite nice as well.

 Normally quilts on walls, especially in a bathroom, are wall size, at most, twin size. NOPE! Not here! They had not one, but TWO full-size quilts!

 And the second quilt was applique (behind the loom).  I mean, who has a small sized loom in their bathroom?

 And this footstool! Child's size, but rather than trash it because the seat was worn-out, they simply made a seat out of ....(have you already figured it out?)....men's ties. How do I know that's what it was? One, the material, and two...my husband and Dad have some of those exact same ties.  How cool!

And this made me laugh. I'm not sure Bobby found it as funny as I did.

But these sweet people who had teenage boys - excuse me, young men - coming in to say hello to friend and grandparents, so kindly asked what other shops I had rowed to on my way, and when I mentioned that the last one I had visited was closed, they became very alert and concerned. "What? Was there not a sign on the door?"  I told them the closed sign, along with the hours for when the store would be opened was there. "You mean there wasn't another sign telling you...."

And that was when our trip took a very bizarre and interesting turn.

heading home

I spent quite a while after supper trying to upload some of the pictures I made on my phone during this last week. Let's just say wifi/e-mail wasn't cooperating very well for a while, so I won't be posting things until..one day this week.

We left last Tuesday. Bobby had an appointment that morning, and our original plan was that we'd leave after he got home and we were loaded. But as the "joke" is in our house, that didn't happen. We left about 11ish.  After I canned 7 quarts of tomatoes and finished a load of clothes because it had two pairs of shorts that I needed and my dryer was NOT cooperating. But we made it. So thankfully, this scene will most likely not be awaiting me upon my return.

 But this view will:

Bobby's great-aunt Grace had an estate sale (she's in a nursing home) about a week before we left. She liked to sew, but her specialty was quilting. They divided her fabric into 5 lots. I bought 2. After five days of washing a MINIMUM of five loads of fabric a day, there's still one box to unpack (and a card table full not yet washed). WHAT was I thinking? (Besides it was a good buy, and it's family, and I like those colors, and...did I mention it was a good buy and I briefly considered getting a 3rd lot?!?) You could see more of the couch than this when I left, but it will still be covered when I return.

And on top of that, and partly because of this, I was in the process of rearranging my sewing room, and nowhere near finished. And Thursday I meet with a co-teacher to prepare for upcoming election training sessions.  So my goal is to blog at least every day this week as a way of having down-time and to update on everything happening in life, but realistically, that might not happen.

But now you know why I've not been blogging. :)

time

Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12

Whereas you know not what tomorrow brings. For what is your life? It is a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. ~ James 4:14

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ~ Ephesians 5:16

The Bible has 703 passages that specifically mention the word time, and countless others like the first two referenced above that don't mention the word but refer to it.  Can you tell I'm feeling a little short of this precious commodity these days?

I'm enjoying my life, so I really hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining. But these days I feel like a child on the playground's merry-go-round with the teenage boys breaking the rules and pushing in the middle so it goes so fast the only thing keeping you from flying off is the fact you're packed like sardines among other kids and couldn't wiggle if you tried. And sometimes it's moving so fast I simply want off.

I long to have time to put my feet up and read for a little bit, or sit on the porch and watch the fireflies, to be close enough to drop in on my parents and chat or do something for them, to feel free.

The irony in all of this is that there are days here and there when life feels empty, and then we hit a 3-4 week patch where I simply can't get everything done. And I suppose that's okay, for it makes me truly appreciate the down time.

Garden days are upon us, along with everything else life has thrown our way. And it's passing so fast, I can't keep up with what day we're on.

The end of July is coming? Say it ain't so!

updates

Dad's fever is still running over a 100. That's with Motrin or Tylenol. Mom ended up rescheduling all her appointments this week to another time.

While I haven't finished laundry by any stretch of the imagination, I did pick in the garden and have a countertop full of tomatoes, six ears of corn shucked, and a small bowl of peas shelled.

Volleyball net...(either a storm took out a pole or people who weren't supposed to be here while we were gone, or our dog) is now down and somewhat dismantled and put up. I went online to see about ordering another pole, but my internet security wouldn't let the site load because it was a "malicious" site.  So I'm thinking that's not something I'm going to worry with today.

And I've still not made it to my sewing room to cut out pieces for the Quilts of Valor group on Friday. Nor did I cut grass today. I feel like my days are ending before my energy and check lists are.

So that's it for Wednesday.

and home

We returned from AL about 8:30pm last night. I've not had time to load pictures onto the computer, but will hopefully get the chance sometime this week.

It was a good but emotionally challenging week. As always, there was no way to get everything done. I left without helping my parents with the garden or cutting the grass.  But I did help my Dad with the estate/moving sale for my godparents, spending one day pricing, one day selling, and one day shopping and moving stuff for my Mom. My aunt brought by some family history stuff, and I took so many pictures I wore out the battery on my camera and had to recharge my phone. But I was able to get through all the stacks of stuff she left for me to sort through. Saturday night, after the estate sale was over, Dad started running a high fever and ended up at urgent care. Bobby gave his testimony at church Sunday morning since it was too late to find anyone. Monday found us heading home and Mom trying to find a dr's office that could work him. If he's still running a high fever tomorrow he's to call the dr back. I'm not very happy that they diagnosed it as bacterial without doing bloodwork, nor did they check his blood to see if levels were elevated indicating allergies.  All the symptoms mimic allergies from when they first appeared years ago, except his fever never went quite that high then. He has his regular appt on Thursday, so maybe we'll get some answers then. It was so hard to leave knowing he was so sick. On the upside, Mom is doing the best I've seen in a long time. Her health is almost night and day compared to when I last saw her in February. So I'm thankful for that.

And our week is off and running...

Mary Booth

Reverend Thomas Dorsey was in the middle of a sermon when a man came on stage and gave him a telegram, telling him that his wife had died in childbirth. After several months of grief, he penned the words to one of my favorite hymns:

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.

This morning, my husband came out and flagged me down (I was on the riding lawn mower). A friend had called, asking us to urgently post a prayer request on Facebook for a church member. We briefly debated whether or not to head to the hospital, but knew at this point in time we'd be in the way, and it would make more sense to wait and go this afternoon. I cried, we prayed, I cried some more, and then headed back outside to cut grass.  And this hymn started running through my mind. I changed my prayer from "be with the doctors" to "stop her pain; answer her prayers", and Bobby came back out again with my cell phone. I had missed a call, telling me she never came back from the code blue.

I am heart-broken and rejoicing at the same time. She suffered SO much. She prayed that God would take her home before she reached this last and worst stage of dialysis, even contemplated stopping ,dialysis all together.  And right as she reached the brink and peacefully surrendered to what God had ahead for her, He took her home. None of us took her that chocolate milkshake she was joking about yesterday (with the port failure and no dialysis for several days she couldn't have many liquids until after the procedure, and with her diabetes she didn't need the sugar), but one of the last things she said when we left the hospital last night was "I'll get me one on the way home."

Her life was not an easy one, yet she rejoiced in what Christ had done both in and through her. I doubt anyone who casually met her would know some of the heart-wrenching and horrific things she had faced in both her teen and adult years. We didn't agree on a lot of things, but I loved to see her laugh. I'll never forget her teaching someone how to use a rotary cutter at my house, and then taking the fabric scraps and THROWING them over her shoulder and ONTO MY FLOOR!!! I asked her what on earth she thought she was doing, and she laughed and said "Haven't you ever seen that quilting show with Eleanor Burns? I've always wanted to throw the fabric scraps away like that, as if I had an assistant who would come sweep behind me." And then she laughed and laughed and laughed. And did it again. She introduced me to quilt shops, and at the age of 69 last year had her own garden for the first time and was sillier than a child about it. Even with full-blown kidney failure and dialysis three days a week, she spent one day a week "helping" at a friend's house, doing their laundry. It gave her a small job, but mostly it gave her a sense of family. She said Betty Anne was the daughter she never had, and loved her son as her own.She loved the fact I had dogs that I couldn't handle and delighted in giving advice (the book I'm reading now by her favorite "Dog Whisperer" is actually hers). She liked to give my husband a very hard time. He teased her about never being on time to church and coming in "on two wheels" or would ask her how high would she jump the curb in her car to get in the door. She called him a puppy dog for waiting outside to see if she made it to church, and would give her a hard time if he made it inside before she did. She had a habit of slamming on her brakes or getting distracted while driving. She didn't want to ride with me because she said I drove too fast. Didn't like to ride with our friend Charlotte because she didn't use turn signals all the time. She was set in her ways, and I often forgot how old she was.

This last year she became and advocate in the community for the dialysis center, helping new patients get their questions answered, sharing advice to those struggling with the diet (it always aggravated her that she tried to balance her two contradicting diets and others with only one to follow totally ignored it), and tried to be a mediator between patients and nurses. If you've ever been in long term care, you know that nurses eventually view you as part of the job and not as a person. She struggled with that, and also greatly struggled with the techs who were not always nice. I wanted her to report them. No one should have to suffer that way, but she'd refuse, saying she was at their mercy. Bobby backed her up, saying when your life is in someone's hands, you don't make them mad. It angered me, but I could also see both the wisdom and the fear in the response. She loved this new dialysis center where she was currently going. They shocked her the first week by refusing to let her leave because her blood pressure was too high. It was 175/80. We both laughed a little, but were also glad. I can't count the number of times I picked her up from the other place and it was 190 or 200 over something. One day in particular I almost turned around and headed to the hospital. She was pale and clammy and kept changing subjects mid-sentence....not Mary like at all.  But she insisted she needed to pick a med, and by the time we got to the pharmacy she was more herself. She laughed and said "That's life with dialysis."  She said that again to me last night before we left the hospital, that most people really didn't get how life-threatening and terrible dialysis could be. I didn't really tell her good-bye last night, because I was going to see her again after her procedure today. But God had other plans, and before the doctors started the part of the procedure she did not want the most, called her home. For my sake, I am sad. For hers, I'm rejoicing. No more pain, no more dialysis cramps and sleepless nights and erratic blood pressure readings and trying to remember which pills to take 30 minutes before you eat and limiting yourself to a quart of liquids a day.  She loved her coffee, and would make her 2 cups last all day. And now? She's eating heaven's food (manna and fruit, we know for sure) and does not have to worry about whether or not it fits her lists. She persevered through all the doubts and questions, through all the pain and heartaches, through the loneliness, and is now complete in every sense of the word. I miss her, but I'm glad God "led her home".