Three Charlies

How my garden grows

With this throw, I certainly stepped out of my color-comfort zone. It was the first big project that I machine-quilted, myself. I must say it makes for a colorful photo. Molly really likes this, but maybe I'll use it for a wall hanging in the lower level.

Stay away from the pit

It was the middle of April when Ed, my mom's husband, fell and was seriously injured ... enough to land him in the hospital and continued inpatient care. I should have started blogging then about my experiences with the medical system, insurance, and just plain growing old. But I didn't.
Now, however, we've turned a new corner. What I have to say is my own observation ... It seems that a crisis can magnify all that is good in a relationship or intensify all its flaws. Divorce at age 86? Can't believe I'm hearing the words come out of one of the partner's mouth.
I'm learning about my own fragile boundaries through this process - about my need to help beyond my emotional ability to do so. When I overstep the line, I see the pit of depression looming.
It's time to pull back. But can I do so?

Confessions of a fabric addict

There are plenty of us who are fabric addicts. Sometimes we suffer alone with our own stash of threads, jelly rolls and fat quarters. But most of us belong to a support group where we know we can turn when the urge to fondle fabrics becomes more than we can handle.
Sometimes this ends up as a communal trip to a fabric shop, sometimes it’s to covet the latest quilt designs, sometimes it’s to just play with each others’ fat quarters. But always, always it’s about touchy-feely fabrics, wonderful colors, dynamic designs be they batiks, Amy Butler or Kaffe Fasset.
It’s not the actual sitting down at the machine and executing the idea that matters… it’s the preparation. The creative process, the ideas. The outcome, most of the time, really doesn’t matter.
My group has taken the addiction to a new level, during our annual spring get-away we play a dice game with the winnings being — you guessed it — fat quarters.
WE LOVE FAT QUARTERS.

Fusion Reunion

People from India and the Middle East are so hospitable that it can make an unpretentious Midwestern want to say: "Enough already. You don't need to fuss so much over me."
I have been in homes where garlands of flowers were ringed over me, I've been showered with gifts and special foods. And when I've left a Indian family's home - well, plan on the exit taking at least an half an hour. There's talk, there's the walk outside with the guests and then they stand and wait, wave and smile until the guest's car is completely out of site.
Of course, being in a cross cultural marriage, this has been a cause of embarassment for me from time to time. I just never learned the art of REALLY saying "hello" and "welcome." My goodbye, at first, must have felt to my Indian friends as if I was saying to them. "Enough already, I'm done fussing."
The contrast between East and West is so great regarding hospitality that I once asked my husband: "Why do people do all this? I find it uncomfortable being treated with so much ... well, dignity." My simple interpretation of what he said is this: "A guest is a visit from God."
WOW!
Today I am being made to feel like royalty - like a very special guest. We are visiting Indian friends in Columbus, and if the couple we know here weren't already in the hospitality business, they would be missing their calling.
Our friends are the owners of this new hotel, and of course when we arrived, he was there to greet us, take care of our suitcases.
The manager of the new place was at the door to greet us; gifts of chocolate and other goodies, a poster welcoming this group of six visitors to the "Fusion Reunion," an itinerary of the special plans for the weekend. Just in case anyone is reading this, here's a plug for the place (Fairfield Inn and Suites Marriott in Westerville, Ohio).
Attitude can be so contagious. The staff here understands the meaning of hospitality - and sitting in the lobby here, I know it's not because we are friends of the owner, and I gotta bet that it's not coming from corporate Marriott. It's the influence of the Indian culture, and our friend's understanding of hospitality.
Yes, I am a very welcomed guest.

Happy Birthday Everett: You're #1

We celebrated Everett's birthday yesterday. What a fun day with the grand kids. They are growning up so fast.

They also had a great time playing outside with Uncle/Dad Nick, including building a snow fort. Everett didn't seem to mind being outside for a quick picture in the finished abode.

Baja Goodbye

Chan’s reflections

We are fortunate to share with each other and our friends life's experiences. We had a good trip to Baja, Mexico. For me the most fun was meeting people living their dreams and enjoying life in freedom. Like Krishan says: "We were born to be responsible. It served us well but now we need to lesson our burden and do things with little more freedom."
We met the Andersons: Larry Anderson is a renowned sculptor from Seattle. He and his wife were enjoying the Mexican culture traveling on buses, Ali born in Timbuktu, fluent in French, German, Arabic, Spanish, English, telling me sipher (zero) was invented in India. I had not heard the word sipher since I left India a long time ago. Quite a hospitable and a wise man. Osa, our cabana hostess, is a Swede who settled in Mexico after her wanderings all over the world. I enjoyed her stories of living in Burma and crossing into India through the Jungles of Assam and getting stuck for days in the mud and rain. It reminded me when my friend, Krishan, and I were stuck on the road in rain and mud for days when we left Tatas.

While relaxing, I read the book by Sudha Murthy, President of Infosys Foundation doing lot of good work in India - Short Stories of everyday life - good and bad. Her following quote was quite well said.

"The good company and good conversation - alot of the time is inversely proportionate to the higher education and economic status."

I had a laugh.

LeeAnn’s reflections.
Some trips are more memorable than others … some trips teach you a life-lesson. This was one of those times. Our trip to San Jose del Cabo was filled with new experiences, including staying in a cabana near the ocean; conversing with people who are not afraid to grow older and are up for adventure.
I thank God for the opportunity to visit different parts of the world: I learn so much.