The Quilt-Mobile Lady

I admit it. In retirement, I have become something of a recluse. Make that "The Quilting Hermit of Wake Forest." I spent decades getting up early in the morning and working all day. When you teach, your entire day has to be planned to the last detail. You have to constantly keep children on task and engaged in learning, dealing with behavior and motivation. There is a lot of talking. I mean, you have to talk all the time. The first day of school I would always come home with sore lips, really, from talking so much. I totally enjoy the luxury of not having to rush around in the morning. I also enjoy being in my home and working on my own in peace and quiet. But, I do miss the daily contact with my teaching buddies, and all the funny and endearing things the kids say and do.


Actually, I am sending out my resume to try to land a teaching job again. No need for me to be sitting home lolling around with my husband's income facing uncertainty due to Wall Street's downward spiral. My timing on spending a huge chunk of my savings to remodel the downstairs was spectacularly bad.

Anyway, yesterday, it was time to venture away from home and into the Big City (Raleigh.) I loaded up Sweet Sue the Suburu and went on an outing. First stop, to Jean and Gary's house in North Raleigh to deliver her Oak Leaves quilt. Then, to meet with Karen at an elementary school in Raleigh where she was attending an all-day workshop. I managed to meet her in the school parking lot to deliver her three quilts. Not the strangest quilt delivery: I have dropped quilts off at a day spa and in the Best Buy lot. Since I live about fourteen miles north of Raleigh, I try to deliver quilts if I am going to town anyway, and save my clients a little gas money.

Finally, to West Raleigh to deliver Carolina Woodland Spring to the North Carolina State Fair. What a great surprise to find two very friendly, cheerful, ladies working at the quilt drop-off table. They actually seemed to like quilts, and were very complimentary about my entry. In the past there was a stone-faced old sourpuss. I don't know what happened to her, but I didn't miss her.

After that, it was a short drive to the Whole Foods store, where I selected a delicious Hazelnut-Chicken Salad and a big square of a spicy cornbread. MMMMNNN, much better than my usual yogurt.

And, since it was on the way home, a nice trip to the Triangle Town Center mall to look for surprises from Barnes and Noble and Old Navy to take to South Carolina with me when I visit my son's family in a couple of weeks.

I finally found copies of both the new Gifts and Studios magazines from Quilting Arts. Maybe someday I will finish my sewing room redo. Great eye candy in both issues!

Here is a fun little child's quilt that I just finished for Teresa, a new customer. She is a fabulous piecer. I mean, perfect! She brought me two very similar quilts. I started with the smaller of the two. It has bright commercial prints framed with black polka dot fabric and a rainbow stripe border. Many of the prints are curvy swirls and fun snakes. Now, you know I am not at all fond of snakes, but these are very cute, colorful, and non-menacing. So, I did freehand quilting with lots of swirls and curves.

I did not think I would have time to do the second one today, because we planned to leave for the mountains at noon. DH just called and says the phones are ringing non-stop (he's a stock broker) and he wants to stay and answer all the clients' questions and concerns. So, up I go to work on the next quilt. Hope you all have a safe and happy weekend!