Thursday, January 24, 2019

Really Random Thursday, 1/24/19

Shortly after my mother passed away in August and we were going through paperwork, I found these.

She had always told me that there was some question as to whether her middle name was Jane or Jean. I'm not sure why she was unclear about that. After seeing these, I knew that was not the question. She always spelled her name Beverly. However, these two papers, including the birth certificate, clearly show that the spelling is BeverlEy. Did she know that was the spelling on the birth certificate? Was it an error and her parents just dropped the "e"? Anything she used as an official ID--passport, driver's license, social security card, all have Beverly as the spelling. Very mysterious. And now we will never know...

A few weeks ago, when I wrote about our annual beach weekend, I forgot to mention that Charlotte and I drive into Pismo each year and head to the candy story, because it has a photo booth. Taking pictures there is a tradition. We seem to make the same poses in the same order. We need to change it up next year. Or at least I need to come up with a better "weird" pose.
2017, 2018, 2019

I found the best, aka, worst alphabet book ever. Recommended.
No wonder English is such a difficult language to learn!

Last week when I came home from my first visit to the cancer center, which brought up a rollercoaster of emotions, there was a large box waiting for me. Inside was this beautiful piece of art from Kelly, an online friend who lives in Omaha. It was exactly what I needed on that day. It's amazing to me how close bonds are formed with those we have not (yet) met in real life. This is not really a new thing. People have had pen pals for decades. This is one of the best things to come from social media. I know we WILL meet someday. I can hardly wait. In the meantime, I'm grateful for friends like Kelly in my life.
Aaron and Levi borrowed a chop saw for a project--building a bird house.
This is what happens when you have a dad with a good sense of humor.
Photos: Aaron Wiens
I had a sewing day with good friends--we try to meet monthly. This month was at my cousin Cathy's house. She lives in the country and we sewed in the room above their garage.
The sky alternated between sun and clouds.The view was gorgeous!
After five years, I finally finished my hexagon quilt--once it gets photographed, it will have its own post. 
If you have done English paper piecing before, you know that ultimately all the paper comes out of the quilt (although after it was quilted, I could feel three pieces of paper still in the quilt. But as it has been quilted and bound, they will just be part of the quilt).
What goes in eventually must come out
I get the Apartment Therapy email every day. There are often really great ideas, most for small spaces. A few weeks ago, they had ideas for bathrooms. I liked a lot of them. And then I got to No. 19, Make a Mirror Statement. Honestly, I don't have any words for this...
Ruby turned 7 last week. She is such a sweet girl, and we couldn't love her more.
Photo: Christa Wiens
At church on Sunday, we had a combined service, something we do a couple of times a year. It's a chance for people from both the traditional and contemporary service to spend some time together. We wear name tags. When Gabe wrote his name tag, the first question was "where did you learn how to write your name in cursive?" since they don't seem to teach that anymore. Answer: Levi. Secondly, he swooped up the end of the L on his name so he could make a smiley face. Not surprising...

Krista (@poppyprint) started something when she posted a picture of her hands after seeing an ad that made her unhappy--it was about a product to get ride of crepey skin. Krista is proud of her hands and what they are able to accomplish. She started a hashtag #amakershands on Instagram, and at last count there are over 2,500 posts. It was a little difficult posting a picture of mine (top middle picture) because at 66, there are a lot of wrinkles and age spots. No matter what age, we should be proud of what we can accomplish with our hands--creating, cooking, gardening, hugging, comforting. It's what we do with them, not what they look like, that matters most. The stories are fascinating, and worth a little time spent reading some of them.
Yesterday I got to spend time with these three after school. 
If you need a smile, follow @letterfolk on Instagram. I confess to having a letter board. I also confess to the fact that what I put on it over a year ago has not been changed, not even once. But I love to see what other people do with their letter boards. Both of these may be applicable lately. Just sayin'
Hope your week is a good one.

9 comments:

05 08
Amy said... #

Gosh, Cindy, your posts always leave me with a smile. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. Have a wonderful day!

Robby said... #

I think you and Charlotte need a prop or two for your next photo booth session.

I've seen many of those #makershands images. Mine are scarred from my many, many hours in kitchens. But I think our hands are like our hearts, there are marks there, but they reflect all that they have accomplished and are capable of. How much better to have that than to have perfect looking hands that haven't lived a life.

Brenda said... #

Your hands are beautiful because they tell your story. Krista was in Winnipeg with my guild when that hashtag got some traction, and she took a pix of all our hands in our of her classes. Best wishes as you deal with the cancer journey. btw: I have a sister Beverly without the E. I understand some people view the version with the E as the male one.

Anne / Springleaf Studios said... #

I'm so glad you're keeping up with these Thur posts as I always feel I know you better. Love that photo booth session with Charlotte. So cute. And I can relate to the family mysteries that will never be solved once the older generation has passed on. I have so many questions that will now have no answers. Hope to leave a clearer legacy for my own kids and future grandkids through a journal that is yet to be started. Guess I better get started.

Needled Mom said... #

I always love your random posts. I love the tradition of the photo shoot. That is so interesting about your mom's name. One would never get away with different spellings these days. I love your quilt and can't wait to see its own photo page.

Rochelle aka Bella Quilts said... #

I always enjoy your Thursday posts. You are so generous with your photos of family...this kids always look so happy. Good luck with the chemo. I would have thought your mother's middle name was June or Jean. Those old copies of birth certificates are sometimes hard to read. But well worth saving even if the answers we are looking for aren't there. Hands. In November I was looking at my hands in the mirror and was shocked at how deformed they have become from arthritis. But they still work for the most part and I am grateful. Look forward to next week's post.

Nicole said... #

For an aural version of the bad alphabet book, check out "Crazy ABCs" by the Barenaked Ladies. (They aren't ladies, or naked FYI).

OPQuilt said... #

Love this post, and how you led with that confusion over your mother's name(s). It's a lovely example of how we incorporate supposed truths into our lives, that may often rest on a faulty footing--I have many instances of this in my life, but probably the favorite one is the story of cutting off the end of the ham. (See me if you need the story.) Fun to see all your grandkids, too.

But I love love that photo of the fields around your cousin's home, viewed from your sewing room window. What a lucky, lovely, view!

Val's Quilting Studio said... #

I love these posts too. Seeing the kids grow (too fast) and yes, are hands are beautiful!!!