Something Very Important! "VOTE!"

 Less than a month ago, (I think), I saw something in someone's blog that really caught my attention.  I thought I would remember whose blog it was in, but not only can I not remember whose blog, I can't find it again even though I've searched for several minutes!  So after I describe what I saw, if it was in your blog, please let me know in the comment section below.  I'm truly sorry I'm such a dunce!  

We often see pillows with the letters LOVE, rearranged with the VE pieced below the LO, like a 4-patch.  In the blog I can't locate now, the letters were in that 4-patch position, but the L had been changed to a T, and re-arranged.    (Now, does anyone recognize what I'm looking for?  If so, claim it if it's yours below!)  

As you can see, with the one letter changed and re-arranged, the block would say (read one letter at a time):  VOTE.

Somehow that blog post grabbed my attention, and I couldn't let it go, except I can't remember whose blog.  I thought I knew, but I still can't find it.  

Anyway, I could not stop thinking about how important those four letters are, particularly for the upcoming election in just a few days, November 3, 2020.  True, I have my mind made up how I'll vote, but I'm not trying to tell anyone how to vote.  I'm just saying emphatically, VOTE!

I decided to piece the same letters, but arrange them differently from the 4-patch arrangement.  I'm trying to learn to use my quilting rulers, and I decided this would be a great project for some practice with the straight ruler.  I didn't do very well, but the project really was just a whim for my own enjoyment, so it doesn't matter that it isn't perfect.  What IS important that everyone practice what it says!    

So here's my idea of the word.  

Now, just for fun --- those of you who have been reading my blog for several years will recall that I love to watch the squirrels in my yard.  You may remember seeing Mr. Friskie.  Well, I think this guy must be one of his great-grandsquirrels!   He is totally inside the feeder!    (Please don't look at the climbing rose bush behind him.  I haven't been able to even go out in my back yard this year, and my son mows regularly, but he doesn't do flower beds!)

Had two doctor visits in different towns yesterday.  A new therapist in Mansfield that I really think may be able to help my vertigo; I surely hope so!    Then back in my hometown, I saw a doctor that I think will be my new primary doctor.   The one I had been seeing for several years is leaving her clinic and opening her own place, and taking her three nurses with her from the clinic I had been going to!  I always saw her P.A. and just loved her.   In the new clinic, they will not be accepting MC nor my insurance!  I had a big cry, and found the doctor I think will be just fine for me.  I had gone to her years ago, before she pulled out of that clinic on her own, but now she's back.  I really think I've found some good ones that will help me.

Please join me in praying for our nation --- first the pandemic, then the hurricanes, the fires, the protests, political unrest, and the election.  What a year with problems 2020 has been so far.  Let's ask the Lord to heal our land!

---"Love"

Added Oct. 2, 2020:

I finally found out whose blog I first saw the "VOTE" block (that I re-arranged the lettering).  I found it on Cynthia Brunz's September 9, 2020, blog "Quilting is more fun than Housework".  I just wanted to give credit where credit is due with this update.   ---"Love"

A Quick Update: My Special Quilt was Delivered Yesterday!

 With weather reporters telling us it will be raining here most of the week, (at least to some degree---hasn't started here yet but clouds are everywhere), I was thinking about calling my quilter/church buddy who is my driver regularly; I wanted to ask if she could take me and the Cancer quilt to its destination.  Just as I picked up the phone to dial her number, she called me.  She was thinking the same thing I was and was wondering if I felt like getting out to deliver the quilt.  Of course, I said yes immediately! She agreed to call and ask if we could come for a short visit, and was told she and her husband would be glad to see us.  She was here within 30 minutes.  (I had to smear on a little makeup for the first time in weeks!)  

Neither of us had ever been to her home, but of course, I had the address from the church directory, and within just a few minutes we arrived there.  They have a beautiful home in a really nice area of town.  He greeted us at the door and invited us in.  She looked at me and asked if I were afraid of a hug (because of the Covid-19); I said I wasn't, and she said she wasn't either, and then she grabbed me with a big hug.  We sat down for a nice visit a few minutes, and then I gave her the gift box.  She quickly opened it, and immediately teared up a bit, just for a minute, and then she was full of smiles.  She stood up and read every word on the quilt.  I told her to wait  until after we were gone to read the long letter I had enclosed.    I asked her husband to help her hold it up so I could get a picture of them with the quilt, but I don't want to post it on my blog.  But I can honestly say she was thrilled!   She told us about her 10 year journey with her cancer.  She said the doctors had given her 4 years, 10 years ago, and they cured what she had then, but a new cancer came up, and they don't give much hope for curing it.  Yet she is determined to hold on so she can see her grandchildren grow up.  She does say, however, that if she dies, she knows she will be much better off than she is now, so she's determined to endure whatever comes, and still look forward to a greater after-life.  She said she is in a no-lose situation --- here with her family and grandchildren, or there with the Lord!  That was so good to hear her say.  

After visiting just a little longer, my friend took me to pick up my prescription at Walgreens, and then to Big Lots, just to look around and to buy some jelly they have that I just love!  I got four jars, and tomorrow morning I'm cooking biscuits to have with Raspberry Jelly!   Then we went to Braums where I bought our supper, and two cartons of ice cream to go in my freezer!   (Had some of that last night!)

Today I'm moving rather slowly (as usual), but I need to get busy answering comments from several of you.  Thank you so much for all your kind words.  They mean a lot to me, but I'm doubtful I deserve them.  

I'm just waiting on the rain they say is coming, but it's not here yet at almost 2 PM. However, the wind is picking up, and the clouds are getting darker, so I guess it's on the way.  

I'm praying for all you folks who are in the line of all the fires in the northwest.  Maybe He will send a big rain to help the firefighters!  That would be great, wouldn't it?  Keep praying with me.

Guess I'll go try to make myself get busy around here.  Have a great day!

---  "Love"

A Special Quilt I Had to Make, and Updates on Several Things

It's been a long time now, more than a month, since I've posted anything.  Like everyone else, I've had a case of the blahs I guess, but not so much because of the pandemic, but more because of my aggravating vertigo, actually now labeled Meniere's Disease.  I went to a new specialist about a month ago; he put a shot in my right ear, and I haven't been worth a plug nickel since!  But hey, I'm still alive, even if I can't hear or keep my balance!  He's sending me to a therapist in a couple of weeks, I think really just to get me out of his hair!  We'll see; I'm willing to try almost anything to be able to walk again!   Sorry to be so disgusted and write all this for you to read, so now I'll hush and try to be more positive about life.

I did get to go to the quilt retreat the last of July, and got to meet with the same gang that's been there the past four years now.  We had a ball, with lots of entertainment again from the twins and their older sister; they kept us laughing all the time.    I would not have been able to go if it had not been for my sweet daugher-in-law who was determined to go regardless of her health and job.  I wish you could see, in person, what she is working on.  It is a beautiful, huge quilt for her mother that she has been working on since the first year we got to go to retreat.  As you can see, the two rows on the right side of this picture are folded over to keep it on the table,   I don't know what the pattern is, but she said it was in an old magazine I gave her when she first started quilting.  I'll have to get that info from her.  As I said, she started it the first year we went to retreat, and this year was our fourth year to go!  I told her I hope her mother lives long enough for her to get it finished!  Of course, she works a full time job, her mother is in worse shape than I am, and she has had back surgery earlier this year.  It will be beautiful for sure; she is matching every point perfectly, and there are a lot of points!  I'm so proud of her!

I worked on two projects at retreat and got one top all together, and the second ready for borders, which I've been working on this week a bit.  The first on turned out to my satisfaction very well, and it is now totally finished.  I will be giving it to a lady in my church who has cancer; I think she will love it.  I have to tell you, as I'm telling her in a letter with the quilt, that I really didn't want to make another Cancer quilt, but the Lord just would not leave me alone  I wanted to change the label on the one I had made for the church Youth Auction which was postponed earlier this year because of all the health warnings.  However, He convinced me that I had promised that first one to that auction, and He wanted me to make another one especially for this lady.   

I dug in my stash for fabric, and the first thing I pulled out was a large piece (enough for the backing), and inside was a stack of other fabrics, all coordinating, but some as small as 17 inches!  But this seemed to be what He would have me use, and through every step, there was barely enough of each fabric, and when I say "barely", that's exactly what I mean!  I had to do a lot of figuring, measuring, and drawing, but We got it done!  My letter to her explains each step in the making of her quilt, and how I had to really be careful cutting each fabric to have enough.  

Never before have I experienced so much absolute direction from my Lord to make a quilt for anyone!  At first I hesitated, but every excuse I made was met with a direct instruction to make this quilt for this particular lady, whom I really don't know that well.  Really my only connection with her is very slight; when I played the piano at church, as I was returning to my seat, she would smile at me and motion for me to come to where she was sitting, and she would give me a nice compliment and another big smile.  I think maybe that's why the fabric with the music caught my attention.  I feel so sorry that she has cancer so bad, yet she is so dedicated to come with her husband to church each Sunday (before the pandemic, of course).  I just had to make the quilt especially for her! 

Because of first extreme heat, then rain, and my not feeling stable enough for my friend to take me to deliver the quilt, it is still at my house, ready for delivery, which I hope will be one day this week.  Neither I nor my friend who will drive me there have ever really been acquainted with her, so I'll have to call to get an appointment.  I'll be glad when she has the quilt. 

I'll wait to show the other quilt top I worked on at retreat.  I'm having trouble with quilting it; can't decide how to quilt it, and may have to rip out some of what I've done.  It's sort of an experiment anyway.  

Some have mentioned problems with the new Blogger.  So far today, it has gone well with me.  We'll see in a few minutes when I get finished here and start to publish it.  

Hope all of you have a happy and safe Labor Day holiday.  I'm hoping for a quiet day.  I don't think I'll even set my alarm clock!

---"Love"