So, when your favorite fabric store is having a rare 20% off everything sale, it’s been a typical yucky Ohio winter and you’re finally feeling a bit better after an unhealthy start to the new year—what’s a poor girl to do?   Well, grab her two quilting buddies and take off for the sale of course!!

Disclaimer:   Some of the information in this story may or may not be embellished and the names have been left out to protect the not so innocent!!

So, everyone in each of the households is settled and scheduled to go here and there and it’s finally time for the quilters to hop into a fabric wagon and head for the sale!  One of the three in the car on the way down says…”Ok you guys, I need your help, I’m only going down to get outta this winter funk and to get some inspiration.  You’re my friends and I’m trusting you to keep me from buying anything.  Or at least not very much.  Not anything.  Especially if it’s not to finish a current UFO (all you non-quilters..that’s quiltereze for UnFinished Object).  Not anything.  Or if it’s not the batik I can’t live without, or a blue I don’t have, or maybe some new 30’s/40’s print that is just out and hard to find.  Not anything.  Please, plleeeassse, puuhhllleeease help me behave.  Ok?”  “Ok!” said by the other two in unison.

The ride down was quick and safe despite the fact that January decided to send a sweet little icy snow dusting.  However, the conversation was lively and full of emotion.  The three hadn’t been together for at least, oh – I think a week!  Still, so much to say and so much to catch up on!  The three all admitted that they didn’t need this shopping trip for fabric, but the inspiration boost would be wonderful.  Especially since the three will be meeting up with quilting buddy number 4 in Cincinnati in just 11 short weeks for a huge Quilt Show extravaganza!

Upon arrival – SCORE – the coveted spot in front of the door, only two there as the main parking lot is on the other side of the second building.  Little did they know they would need it for their haul! Ha!

As the three enter the front door, they pause and gasp as they look around at all the new stuff within the beautiful walls of this store.  They become like zombies walking slowly inward not knowing which way to go to start this fondling event.  They become entranced by the smell and the colors and the feel of this magical stuff they call fabric.  Their eyes glaze over.  They have entered into the zone of “Uh Oh!!”

One by one they move into the room, each girl’s eye caught by something they must go fondle, smell and ooh and ahh over.  They get separated, but it’s ok – they are still in the same building and can help each other stick to the “not really buying anything plan”.  Yeah, right.

The marketing plan in this store is amazing.  They have set up a little spot where you can put down your bolt or bolts for some of us…cough, cough.  Then there is a little bean bag with the words “Still Shopping” embroidered on it so you can keep your stash from being put back away by the workers.  Marketing genius–hands free–more bolts!!  However, on this huge sale day – there is a pair of quilters who feel this little table is all for them to lay out their 10 bolts to plan a new quilt!  Really – you don’t see 30 plus other women in this store with arms full of fabric and no place to put them down?  Thanks for sharing!!  Did that stop any of the others?  Ha, no way and for sure not us by golly.  We have found the fabrics we have been looking for,  for eons and we ain’ta gonna put it down now and risk another quilter picking it up!  No way – no how!

So, it’s now time for fabric cutting.  All three have touched almost as much as they can considering they couldn’t always get down an aisle.  It’s been about three hours and it’s way past lunch time.  That’s got to be what happened. Yep, I’m sure of it.  They have had no nutrition since early this morning or even last night and they were weak and foggy without nourishment.  Because you start hearing them call off specific measurements for cuts of fabric without specific uses in mind from these cutting tables!   WHAT!!!  They’ve been had!  From one cutting table you hear…”1/4 yard from these three bolts, 1/2 yard of these two fabrics, I’ll take a yard each of all three of these.”   From another table…”I want a yard of each of these, aren’t they just beautiful, and I’ll have a 1/2 yard of these four fabrics, and I’ll have 3 yards of these—need for borders and sashings, ya know.”  And yet from the third table…”I would like 1/2 yard each of these four bolts, please, and a yard each from these three bolts, oh and make it 2 yards each from these three bolts – these are just lovely.  Actually, lovely enough just to fold and put on my shelf with the others I have at home – the hues are just amazing.”

Yeah, so as you can tell – the trance they walked into was strong enough for none of them to remember the plan—-Not Buy Anything.  Oh, and don’t you worry about the quilty girl from the top of the story begging for help to not buy anything.  Not anything.  She won the prize for the most spent.  It is, after all, the one and only big sale this shop does all year, you know.

And lest any of you think that the other two let her down (of course, if you’re not a quilter you may), you really need to learn to read between the lines and understand what any quilter really means when they ask for help not to buy anything.  Are you ready?  Here it is:

“Ok you guys, I need your help.  I’m in a no-good rotten funk from this nasty weather.  I need this trip to buy me some really pretty new fabric and please point me to some new patterns or books to buy to go with it to inspire me to make something with the fabric I am obviously going to buy.  I need you to be my friends and help me in this endeavor that will surely bring me to an endorphinic fabric high for enough time to make it to the Cincinnati Show in April which will, in fact, be about the time I will need you to yet once again be my friends.”

Now that, my friends, is what it’s all about to be true Quilting Buddies!

….and that’s all I’ve got to say about that!

Tammy

Today’s Events:

Got up.
Went potty.
Played scrabble.
Texted daughter.
Laughed hysterically.
Dog out.
Did business.
Dog in.
Ate breakfast.
Took shower.
Got dressed.
Brushed teeth.
Dog out.
Did business.
Dog in.
Straightened kitchen.
Read E-mails.
Surfed web.
Dog out.
Did business.
Dog in.
Ordered postcards.
Read mail.
Started supper.
Watched FoodTV.
Sewed some.
Kissed hubby.
Served dinner.
Fed dog.
Dog out.
Did business.
Dog in.
Washed dishes.
Read book.
PJ’s on.
Into bed.
Lights out.

So – for all of you that think (or know!) that I’m extremely long winded with lots of wonderful
things that I must tell you in long paragraphs – here’s to show you that I truly can make it short
and sweet!

Just did.
Proved it.
HA HA!

…and that’s all I have to say about that!

Tammy

So, today is January 23.  Hard to believe, but as of 11:17am this morning it has been 17 years since my Dad passed away.  He died young at age 58 – I was 34.  Not ready to lose a Dad, but it was a bittersweet time.

Through the years we bumped heads a lot.  A LOT.  I’m sure that my Dad loved me in his own way, but not being shown love by his parents (or family for that matter), it was hard to show love to others.  Don’t get me wrong, though my childhood had some rough moments, it also had some great moments as well.
In 1988, my dad had another motorcycle accident–one that took his life 3 times on the ER table that night, before the 4th defibrillation brought him back.  From 1988 to his death in 1994, I saw him go downhill both emotionally and physically as his life sort of crumbled around him.  So when his Mother died December 6, 1993 he just basically gave up.  He had a bad heart and blood pressure through the roof that was not managed with meds.  On his birthday on January 7, 1994 – I begged him to let me take him to the hospital after we had taken him to dinner, but he said…”Nah, I’m sure I just ate too much – the steak was just too damn good.”  Who would have guessed that 16 days later (and 6 weeks, 6 days after his Mother) his heart would just blow out.  He passed away in a greasy spoon diner in Akron almost immediately that morning.  Which, after the hell he went through after the motorcycle accident, it was the best way to go I guess.

But I’m not the only one remembering a loved one today.  One of my long-time dear friends is also remembering her brother who passed away on January 23rd but a year before my Dad.  So, I think and pray for her as well as she misses her brother.

But….this is not meant to be a sad post as I have chosen to remember my Dad today by not remembering the hurtful things sad or done.  Instead, I’ve chosen to remember the things that we laughed about through the 34 years I had with him. Like one of my all time favorite things to laugh at my Dad about (and actually then by laughing with him as I got him to laugh) was to watch him watch the old westerns or Lassie.  Yup, Yup–it’s only a matter of time before my Dad is CHOKING back the tears for the old horses or for the perils that Lassie would be in.  Oh, I truly have no idea what the story line was because I was watching him!!!  Once the lip would begin to quiver – I was on the floor rolling and howling.  My Dad would usually throw a pillow and tell me to shut up, but I’m sorry – I was gone!    Or how about the time that I realized that the garden hose with ice cold water sprayed through the window into the shower while he was showering would garner such a barrage of language.  Of course after FIRST the loud screech that would bring my Mom into the bathroom thinking something was wrong.  At this point, I realized why bicycles were created so you could get the heck outta Dodge before he could dry, dress and come outside.  Yeah, I know I seem to be a sick individual!   Hehehehehehe!!

So, if by chance you are sad at the thought of your absent loved one today may I please suggest that instead of “missing” him or her that you “remember” them by remembering a time you laughed with them.  It does heal the heart if only a little bit each time, but oh so worth it.

I think I’ll have to end here….I’ve been chucking enough at some of the thoughts that have come to me, I may need to go down the hall to the little room down there!  And to my dear friend – may you think of some funny things you shared with Jeff!  Love you.

…and that’s all I have to say about that!

Tammy