Hello Again!

WHEW! The last week or so has been rough. (As is my way, I am classically understating things here.) The short story is I did 3 days of IV steroids last week which knocked me flat. I spent the next 5 days in bed, really sick and I'm still dealing with fallout. On a positive note, while I've been trying to recover, my peeps came through for me in the best way possible: they donated to my NMO fundraiser page and helped me exceed my goal! I can't tell you how loved that makes me feel and how deeply grateful I am. THANK YOU! 

Anyway, enough about cruddy diseases! Let's talk art and life!
Here are some things that are going on my summer to-do list:

The Sea to Sky Gondola: This is a brand new air tram that takes you above The Chief in Squamish. It opens May 16th and I think the tickets are reasonably priced. One of the things I am excited about is that you can buy a season's pass for your dog! When we were in Whistler last, I wanted to do the Peak to Peak with Indy, but dogs weren't allowed because it's a Provincial park. The Sea to Sky Gondola allows dogs on leash on designated gondolas and $15 from each $25 dog pass is being donated to the SPCA. It's totally win-win. The dog pass is a season's pass, so that's exceptional value for your furry friend. You can choose to hike up the mountain and then ride down or you can ride up, hike the trails at the top and then ride down. (Which is what I want to do.) Here is a post about it that has some beautiful photographs of the views. There is also a free app that has all kinds of useful information. I am *so* doing this! I already have 4 fellow adventurers who want to go with me. 

(The returns from Deb's exchange.)

Sewing/Quilting: I just completed an exchange with my friend Deb and her merry band of needle artists. It made me realize that I miss working with fabric. (I began my artistic life as a textile artist.) Handwork has become so incredibly hard as the neuropathy in my hands has gotten worse, but I can still rock the sewing machine and I have a walking foot (for machine quilting) so perhaps it's time I put that attachment to good use. My goal is to make some things from my Textiles and Fibres Pinterest board. I am especially enamoured with the strip quilts. Some of the ones I've pinned are in such pretty colourways.

Reading: I've been reading alot of e-books via my library using an app called Overdrive which was recommended to me by Penn. I've mowed through James Patterson's Alex Cross series and have now moved onto his Murder Club series. It's great for someone like me who reads 3-4 novels a week because I don't have to leave the house to pick up or return books. I am still borrowing books from the library, but this keeps me going-I'm never without something good to read. I am keeping track of what I've read and what I want to read using the Goodreads app. It's super helpful!

I am sure that this to-do list is going to grow, but it's off to a good start!

Making Plans

(Googly eye graffiti at Granville Island)

Belated Happy New Year everyone! I have wanted to post for some time now, but my wrist is still very painful, so typing on the computer is something I can only manage in small, short bursts.

Normally at this point in January, I would be posting my word for the year. Oddly enough, I've got nothing. I decided not to stress about it. I tend to be a pretty focused person (I'm an Aries-go figure!) so maybe I just need to take a break from this practice this year and to not do what everyone else is doing. I'm okay with that. Let's just say I am leaving myself open to possibility. 

Meanwhile, I have been thinking about things I would like to do or explore this year. For example, I'd like to finish piecing a bullseye quilt top I started years ago and quilt it. It's made with 1930's reproduction fabrics. (Aunt Gracies, for those of you in the know.) The blocks are beautiful and I sewed enough to make a generous Queen (possible a King!) sized quilt for our bed. Here's an example of the block (It's not mine.) and here is an example of the Aunt Gracie fabrics. I'd show you mine, but they are stored away and I haven't had a chance to dig them up yet.

The one downside is that I started making this quilt before Indy was a part of our lives, so the background fabric is white. Indy spends alot of time napping on our bed and I'm not sure this quilt would stand up to the wear and tear and hair of a dog. So then the question is what to do? I suppose I'll just finish it and then worry about that later. 

Art-wise, I will have some fun news to share come the fall. That's all I can say about it for now, so you'll have to wait and see what it is. I've also submitted more work for another book, but it will be awhile till I hear if I was successful or not. *fingers crossed* I have some ideas I've been mulling over in my head for a long time and maybe once my wrist has healed, I will consider pursuing them.

This next week is going to be insanely busy-I have 3 meetings and 2 appointments in 6 days. It's a good thing it's happening now though, since the Olympics begin on Feb. 7th and I'll be clearing my calendar for that and the Paralympics. I cannot wait! Based on what I've seen in the Olympic qualifiers, Canada is looking exceptionally good. I am *SO* excited to see our athletes compete.

Okay, I've reached my typing limit. Signing off for now!

The Blessing of Friendship

Copyright Tattered Edge 2007

Last night, unexpectedly, I received a phone call from my precious friend Anna. We talked for over an hour and it was so good to spend that time with her. I wish there were a word to describe relationships that go far deeper than friendship because I feel that that "friendship" is far too simple a word when I think of the connection we share.

I don't know if you heard, but there was a big explosion of an underground steam pipe in NYC that blew a crater sized hole in the street above. It sent steam, mud, concrete and asbestos flying high into the air, (for two hours!) killing one and seriously injuring about 30 others. Anna said seeing it on TV was like watching 9/11 all over again. I can't imagine what that was like for her and countless others affected by 9/11.

Tuesday would have been her son Ken's 44th birthday. I had planned to mark the day with a post dedicated to him, but in all the craziness of having fallen down the stairs that morning, I neglected to do it. It was more special to talk about him with his mother last night. It's funny you know, Anna always thanks me for coming into their lives and tells me what a difference I made for them, but I think in all honesty, what they have brought to my life is far more. I can't remember who said it (someone wise, anyway) that one of the most beautiful compensations of this life is that the more you give, the more you get to keep for yourself. That is so utterly true. She almost had me in tears last night she was so sweet to me. (Relationships where you can say exactly what's on your heart are incredibly rare.) Our conversation was so poignant that my heart was full by the time I hung up the phone that I found it impossible to sleep last night. I lay awake for hours thinking and envisioning a piece of art I want to make. I just need to figure out how to do it. I believe it begins with some paper clay which means a trip to the craft store to get some this morning.

Oh and if you were wondering about the quilts, those were gifts to Ken's family when I went to meet them in person in July 2004. The one with the stars and Ken's name on it is a replica of the block I made for the United In Memory quilt to honour Ken's life. I wanted Carlos & Anna to have it so I recreated it and finished it as a wall quilt. There are 38 stars on it, one for every year of Ken's life. The house quilt was for Ken's widow, Mary and the friendship bird for Ken's sister Suzy. I spent hours on those quilts, but each was a labour of love.

To think that this relationship began from one small piece of art...amazing. Art heals.