Spring is Coming

We drove off island yesterday and passed a field with grazing sheep. What a surprise to see brand new baby lambs!!! On our way home we stopped and took a few photos. The littlest ones were too far away to capture, but these are still pretty little and pretty cute! Spring is coming! Meg

The final final update Number what?

After mentioning the cat, I thought I should end with her. Love Meg

Update Number 6 is this finally it?

As you can see I'm doing well. I'm fortunate to have a job that lets me work with great people and includes lots of room for originality and creativity. ( I would still leave it all for my cat!) I have a great family and friends too. Somehow when I write more than this it sounds too schmaltzy to be true. But it is.

Of course there are days when I worry about the world, about some of the kids, about family and friends. There are days of illness and regrets, but those days go into my very private diary. Not on the internet!

So this is it. It's February tomorrow and I'm headed for my 60th. Think I'll finish this update with some pictures from home and the island. Even in winter this is a lovely place. (The last photo which probably shows up as the first is of daffodils from last spring. it's time for them very soon. Their heads have popped up through the earth and we are watching as they respond to the sun.

Thanks for you patience with my not writing and with my toomuch writing. Lets see if I can find a more regular rhythym now.

Take care and stay in touch.

Meg

Update Number 5

The next week-end I had a group of friends come for the evening. Poor Warren had to move out for the duration. He and a neighbor/friend consoled each other with dinner and a movie at Vince' home since his wife was with the girls.

It was great. Thanks to the great instruction by Sandee and help from the parts department I was able to make a Market Bag for each of my friends. This was actually a minor miracle.

Sandee and I had picked up the pattern for the bag nearly two years ago. She has made 25 or more of them over that time. But now, I'm catching up.

My friends began arriving at 5:00. I finished the seventh bag at 4:45. Sweet Warren watched the door while I jumped in the shower. Then I slipped each bag one at a time onto my lap as we visited, because they still needed a button each. Then later I was able to give everyone a gift. It was perfect. The party was an early 60th celebration for me and I love the thought of giving gifts on your birthday not just receiving. These women make my life deeper and rooted and fun. Hooray. We all laughed and enjoyed the time. Thanks everyone!

Update Number 4

The holidays came and went quietly. Mom was with Sandee for Thanksgiving and the rest of us were scattered to in-laws and friends. Christmas was full of goodies and talk. Some games, but not quite as many as usual, we all seemed to enjoy talking and catching up a bit more. The babies are toddlers now and they caused us all to smile and remember Christmas magic.

Just after Christmas and only two weeks ago I got to take a second holiday and went to see Sandee. We spent the MLK week-end sewing at a quilting retreat. Her friends are funny and talented and generously warm-hearted. I would have gone for the giggles alone. Sandee and I doubled up in a bed and reminisced about our shared room growing up.

The spot was in a beautifully woodsy area along the Rogue River (I think it was the Rogue). We could walk along the river during breaks and smell the piney scent. Most of the time though it was sewing!!! They brought a ton of fabric and quilting projects and accomplished an amazing amount of work. The quilts were beautiful adn I learned a lot from the ladies. Sandee helped me learn to do machine quilting and I started a big project myself. Market bags for a group of friends I was going to see the next week. I put one together there and made parts for several more. Sandee and Nancy were contributors to the "parts department" and made it possible for me to carry off my plans. See the next update.

Quilting is a rich hobby. Full of color and creativity and the generosity and laughter of friends...women who love to give. Thanks ladies!!!!

Update Number 3

Friends have enriched my year beyond description. I'm lucky to have people in my life whom I've known since I was 8 or 9. One of them is a gal named Rodie. We reconnected at our annual Zanika reunion and have made an effort to stay in touch this time. It's been great.

She was recently elected to be President of her quilting group and was very involved in their annual quilt show. This was in October. I spent part of the week-end with her. What fun! We talked all night then looked at quilts the next day. Two of my sisters-in-law came to the show as well, so there was time for friends and family.We laughed liked crazy, ooohed and ahhhhed over the quilts then had to go. What a great memory. Rodie made it up a week ago for another friends week-end.That will be in another update. Do you like the applique? I thought the flowers and owls were cute.

Update Number 2

In November & December a friend and I took a baking class. What fun! Every Tuesday for several weeks we scurried away from school and hopped a ferry to Port Townsend. The days were still longer and we enjoyed the views as we crossed to the Olympic Penninsula.

Because of the timing of the ferries we usually had about 45 minutes before our class started and that meant a quick dinner. Did you know there is one of the best pizza places ever in Port Townsend? It sells pizza by the slice. We loved it so much the first day, that we kept going back. OMG the pizza routine was a must..Original combinations, rich flavors and lots of vegetarian options which we both liked. Then we giggled our way to class. The class ended at 8:30 but that's when the ferry left, so we tip toed out a bit early each week. Darn! We missed the tasting time!!!!

That's OK though, because we've been baking up our own treats since then and have lots of tasting at home. We learned to make fabulous cinnamon rolls, ganache and chocolatte mousse, Christmas cookies and a variety of cakes. It was a huge success. I learned to use my mixer better and why the parts of recipes I always skipped were actually important.

Come by some time and I'll bake you a sample!!!

January and earlier

September meant the beginning of the school year and apparently a lost ability on my part to type and communicate. Half of the school calendar has gone by and the first month of 2012 is ending today. WOW. Are you ready for an update? Let's see if I can manage one.

School is going fine. I'd much rather be home retired with my books and my cat (and Warren), but that having been said...I'm having a good year. My kiddos are learning and they are just quirky enough to be a lot of fun! My new colleagues are very nice and so hard working. If people only knew how much teachers do for their kids they would be amazed. And my room (as you saw) is fabulous. Sunlight and views. We had snow all day long in December and it was unbelievably wonderful. All 25 kids pulled up a chair to one of the windows and watched. They were lost in joy.