Another Goodbye

We took dad to the assisted living facility today. I was so sad: sad because dad has dementia, sad because mom can no longer take care of him, and sad because dad didn't seem sad when we left.

 As I helped him up the stairs at Brett and Kerri's house his hand was warm in mine, but he couldn't straighten up and had to use the stairs in front of him for balance. His steps were hesitant and slow as I lead him out of the house. He asked where we were going and mom just said Bountiful. She couldn't bring herself to tell him we were taking him to a care facility. But I don't think he would have understood or remembered if he knew. I was a little teary in the silence as we drove. There didn't seem to be much to say.

Kerri insisted on painting his room a warm blue green. I thought the color was going to be too dark, but she was right, it looks very restful and calm. She and I spent hours getting the room ready and I think mom was very pleased. 

When we got to the Legacy House we took dad to his room. Dad sat in the chair for a while and then Brett took him to the common room. Dad seemed pleased to meet another man, but then he just looked at the TV. 

I think I wanted dad to be sad he was being left there, sad that we were leaving, sad as I was, but he wasn't. Not that I could tell. He hardly looked at us as mom and I were leaving.

 It was another goodbye in a series of goodbyes. I love you dad.

Old But Modern

Years ago my mother-in-law, Martha, gave me a quilt block her grandmother made in the late 30s or 40sand asked me if I knew anything about the pattern. Martha told me her Grandmama Keaton had either seen a quilt or a quilt block somewhere, was intrigued with the pattern and tried to duplicate it. As far as I know she only made one block just to see if she could. 

 

Every so often I would find the lone orphan block stashed away in my quilting room and wonder what to do with it. This spring it popped up again when I was straightening my fabric shelves and I thought I should just make a little mini quilt and and give it back to Mom L as a little reminder of her Grandmama.  I found two solids in my mothers fabric stash that were perfect for the borders to complete the block.  It was nice to do a little hand quilting after all the machine piecing and quilting I have done lately. But seriously, could I do anything but hand quilt such a treasure? 

The thing I like most about this little mini quilt is that the pattern and colors are so popular right now. Red and aqua, solids and circles are all over the Internet. All the young bloggers are making "modern" quilts using these elements. It tickles me that in quilting there is really nothing modern. Most things have been done before. It just takes a new generation to discover them.

 

A Vacation from our Vacations

Vacationing with and visiting grandchildren is not relaxing. Fun, chaotic, noisy, rewarding, and just plain awesome --- yes, relaxing---no. After our trips to Mexico and my trip to St Louis and John's river trip with the explorer scouts, we were ready for a vacation from our vacations. Luckily, John, Annie and I were invited to go up to Carlos and LaDawn's float home on Lake Chatcolet at the southern end of Lake Couer d'Alene, Idaho.

The small house floats on the shore of Hidden Bay with 23 other float homes, some that date back 100 years or so, originally used for loggers and railroad workers.



Carlos and LaDawn's float home is the middle house as seen from our kayak at dusk.

The home floats on huge old timbers with additional buoyancy added. It is only accessible by boat or a 1 1/2 mile trail so all we did was swim, read on the dock, visit with each other, kayak and enjoy the beautiful views.



You can see the timbers behind Annie and me. The water wasn't Mexico warm, but nice on a hot day.

  

Does she look relaxed or what?



John and Roger in our kayak with Michael in the mini.



Cousins: beauty and the beasts.



I wanted a picture of the brothers for Grandma Lingard's calendar, and look who snuck in.

 One morning, I was relaxing on the dock with a quilt over my legs, sun screen, sun glasses and sun hat on, letting the warmth soak into my bones and looked over at LaDawn and said, "This is absolutely perfect, thank you." She smiled back at me and said "I know, isn't it great?"  It was.