Home again, home again, jiggity jig

It’s amazing to see the changes since I’ve been away from home. Suddenly, over the course of two weeks spring waved her magic wand and splashed away winter’s drab with yellow.

Daffodils punctuated the landscape as far north as St. Louis on the return drive along Interstates 55 and 44. And Forsythia shrubs drew my tired eyes away from the boring task of interstate driving. As I pulled in the driveway at home, I noticed the neighbor’s apple tree awash in beautiful blossoms too. Stepping out of the car was a bit of a treat too for you see spring is a little slower coming to more northern climes like Chicagoland.

So, you might wonder, am I happy to be home? I suppose so, but I must acclimate myself again to different rhythms and routines as well as prepare for a new challenge next week. And I miss one certain new member of the family much more than I thought possible. Such is life these days.

Can You Spare Stuff

I've been away from home but not the news of the terrible flooding in Missouri. This morning's mail brought a call for help for a family who lost everything. The Springfield chapter of the international organization, Freecycle, is adopting a family that basically needs well, everything.

I've written about Freecycle before because I love the idea behind exchanging or giving away stuff you no longer want to need in order to keep it out of overfilled landfills. E-mail me if you want the link to those who are helping.

A Work In Progress

Part 4
I’ve decided on the dimensions, theme and color palate. I took scissors to cloth, cutting out several appliqué pieces and selecting the background material.

The beauty of my self-inspired design is that I can change my direction at any time. This first section, however, is fairly inflexible.

And I set about embroidering by hand the first appliqué letter. I will spare the details and show the first completed piece. If you know me well enough, you will figure out what the following letters of this first word will be.

Care to guess?

Quilting Away, Part 3

Part 3
I don’t want to reinvent the wheel but I’m going about this quilt project from the ground up. Yes, I know there are software programs but I suspect they are too basic. I have a grand vision and will thus strike out in my own direction. I have read that other designers use the computer and maybe I’ll stumble upon their hints along the way.

Today’s field trip was to two Springfield quilt shops and Hancock’s Fabric store. By the way and entirely off topic, I must ask a perplexing question: why were so many men shopping with their women folk? My husband wouldn’t be caught dead in a shop dedicated to sewing.

The first stop was overwhelming. Not only do I have to figure out how to make the quilt after I design it, but I have to choose the fabric. The fabric choice is astounding. Just like having too many telephone companies to choose from is confusing for me, so is this.

I bought some fabric and brought it home to ponder. Pondering begat another trip, this time to Hobby Lobby for more red or more precisely, crimson.

May the Luck of the Irish Be With You

College Boy just returned to Hendrix College yesterday after a week at home for spring break. Mostly we caught up on how he's been doing, what he does with friends, what college students watch on TV (House & Project Runway)--that kind of stuff. He applied for some summer jobs, made his dad a birthday cake and definitely caught up on his sleep. Remember how I worried he wouldn't be able to wake himself up for classes? I didn't even ask if the Sonic Boom Alarm Clock was still in use, but rest assured, his hearing-impaired roommate isn't bothered by it. Funny how things work out sometimes.

And today I post this as I head back to Chicagoland to visit. It's about an eight hour drive and I'm throwing my Chiefton's CD in the front seat for the trip. It is St. Patrick's Day after all and I feel lucky.

Quilt Design Project, Part 2

Part 2
First off, I researched quilts and techniques. I lean toward a quilt that is appliquéd. This French term means one layer of fabric is placed over another layer of fabric and sewn in place. This appeals to my design instincts and I did a computer version of the design first. I know I should just do a simple patchwork quilt as a rookie, but I am not content with simple.

Right now I’m not sure how much I’ll show of the process. This might be the last you read of it until the quilt is complete. However, if progress is fulfilling, I’ll share. I have made field trips to scope out fabric, and I loved traipsing through rows of rolls and bolts. Not one item was purchased at first for after all, this was research.

Quilt Design Project

Part 1
I’m the type of person who is happiest with a project percolating in my head. If you saw the movie Waitress, I’d say I’m like the title character always creating new kinds of pies in her mind. I do love pies, but in this case, my head is turned by designs, colors and shapes—not yummy pies.

At any rate, learning to quilt is my current project. Granny Martin was a quilter and my mother picked it up when she retired from over 30 years working for the U.S. Air Force. Let’s just say Mother was happier quilting. However, I want to make a quilt like no other. No standard designs. I will blaze my own quilting path. Dear gentle readers, you will be a part of the mystery. Will my quilt be in the same league as Granny’s and Mom’s or will it be one big poorly-stitched disaster?

I Wish the News Had Been Different

I am a writer and used to working with words, but sometimes there are situations where I find myself at a loss as to what to say. I think that I am not alone. I pray I don’t rattle on filling the quiet with annoying attempts to ease the pain of someone who is hurting.

“I’m so sorry this has happened,” seems appropriate, as does “I wish the news had been different.”

Today I wonder what I will say as I write a note to my cousin. It happens all too often and I will always struggle. But I will write.

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

The list. We all may have one either written or only in our heads. Here's my list of things I want to do before I die. And as far as I know, I am not doing that right now and hopefully not any time soon for you see I have lots of things left to do.

The List
See Scott graduate from high school. (I wrote this last year and Scott graduated in May of 2007)
See Scott graduate from college.
Be a grandmother. (Nicolas Bryant--born February 23, 2008)
Open my own business.
Succeed in my business.
Return to Italy.
Visit Greece again.
Travel by car to Montana and ride horses there.
Lose 22 pounds and have a BMI of 24.
Own an English Springer Spaniel again.
Run for public office.
See my Oklahoma relatives.
Find a hairstyle I really like.
Learn not to worry.
Perform many random acts of kindness.
Fly in a single engine plane.
Go to Mexico and eat an authentic meal.
Have a birthday party with a Mariachi band.
Visit the Smithsonian again.
See a play in New York City.
Go camping again.
Become a muckraker and right an injustice.
Go to an Alabama football game in Tuscaloosa.
See a really difficult situation to the end.
Help someone through a difficult time.
Drive a Miata.
License a design.
Laugh a lot.
Have more fun.
Spend time with my family.
Paint a picture of a cow.
Become a better photographer, writer, editor and designer.
Earn enough money to support myself, my family and have some left over for the greater good.

Invisible

I'm no Oprah snubbed by Hermes in Paris when she was not allowed in the store while others continued to shop, but I was slightly miffed by my experience at the Brooks Brothers shop at Chicago's Premium Outlet Mall on Sunday.

I was the invisible shopper. I entered, looked around for at least 10 or 15 minutes and selected a wool jacket and a blouse. It would have been nice if the sales staff had offered to place the items in a dressing room. They weren't crowded as it was before noon and the church crowd was otherwise occupied. The fact that I was not greeted as I entered the shop could have been forgiven but not the complete and utter failure to acknowledge my presence.

I suppose, dear gentle readers, you might say, "Oh, Sheila this is just the way it is." But I remember the way it used to be.

I first became a customer of Brooks Brothers while we lived in Houston, Texas in the mid-80s. I found that navy blue blazer that lasted me until last year when the moths discovered it that I have written about in an earlier post. Quality and classic styles was always what attracted me to Brooks Brothers. I don't mind paying more for quality because I know an item will last. And back then, service was a concept Brooks Brothers staffers still remembered.

As a former secret shopper for Coldwater Creek, I know the things the corporate office looks for in stores that carry the brand name, and to Brooks Brothers I say, y'all need to work on some issues.

In a Perfect World

A few years ago the U.S. pharmacy chain, Walgreen's, had an advertising campaign called "perfect." I will spare you the details but we all long for perfect. I'm glad a drugstore chain thinks it can ease us into perfect.

When we are young girls many of us dream of the white-picket fence surrounding a cute house. Remember the Crosby Stills Nash & Young song, Our House? "With two cats in the yard, Life used to be so hard." We are never even remotely prepared for life's curve balls. We only do the best we can and muster strength and resolve to play the hand we are dealt. That's the reality.

Where is "perfect" when you need it?

Hiatus

Hi all,
I will be taking a hiatus from blogging for a little while but rest assured I haven't run out of things to write about. I'll be visiting as time allows.

My Best,
Sheila

Valentine’s Day Thoughts

Life's a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get. Mrs. Gump

Winston Groom’s Forrest Gump became a beloved book and movie, but Forrest Gump just sort of fell into good fortune. He seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Mrs. Gump’s wisdom is hard to argue with since we don’t know what will come our way. We can strive to craft the story of our lives with goals and objectives, but there is little security here.

However, there is to me one constant and that is love. Fleeting, lost, puppy, enduring, tumultuous, volatile, lustful, impulsive, friendship, romantic—there are as many kinds of love as a big box of chocolates.

It’s up to us to give and keep love in our lives. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Bob Barker Funds Unique Program for Drury University

Springfield, MO. It was probably one of the most unusual news or “mews” conferences Drury University ever had. You see animal rights activist and former host of “The Price is Right” Bob Barker was in Springfield on Monday to deliver in person his $1 million gift which will fund interdisciplinary classes examining animal rights. The standing-room-only crowd of students and faculty included several dozen dogs and even a few brave cats.

“I’m flattered beyond words for so many of you to be here,” said Barker to the audience who had ventured out in the middle of an ice storm.

The class will explore animal rights through various areas including religion, the environment, criminology, philosophy and biology. Barker said, “My hope is that the model is duplicated across the country.”

Barker, whose sign off for the game show was always, “Don’t forget to have your pets spayed or neutered!” graduated from Drury in 1947 with a degree in economics and started his broadcast career at a local radio station.

And in case you were wondering, my source says the four-legged attendees, some sporting Drury University bandanas, were nearly all very well-behaved.

The Price is Right for Drury University

Springfield, MO. Today, former “Price is Right” host and Drury alumnus Bob Barker will present Drury University with $1 million to establish the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the Study of Animal Rights. “I have established endowment funds at seven of the finest law schools in the U.S. for the study of Animal Rights Law. And now, with this endowment fund at Drury University, I hope to create a model program that other undergraduate schools will enthusiastically emulate,” says Barker.

The initial course at Drury titled “Animal Ethics” will educate students about issues that directly affect the lives of animals. As a multidisciplinary class, the course will be team-taught with professors with expertise from the fields of biology, law, sustainability, psychology, criminology, philosophy, religion and anthropology.

A Sweet Postscript

NOTE: Chris, the British journalist/author whose grandfather, Frank Marhoff, I wrote about after visiting Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery, Alabama has named his new son Harry Peter Montgomery Hunt. Chris discovered my original post last November and we corresponded and I again wrote about this story.

I am happy to hear of the start of Frank Marhoff's great-grandson Harry's life and that his name will carry a part of his grandfather's story forward. Congrats Chris and family!

Dogs and Cats Join the Presidential Race

Politics can be ugly. Politics can be exciting. Or fun. Some disenchanted folks are even running dogs and cats for president. That upstart Daisy the Curly Cat has been drafted and I must admit that Daisy is a formidable opponent. Do you remember Morris the Cat ran for president in 1988 and again in 1992? Daisy, may I remind you that Morris did not win?

However, I brought the Monte for President campaign to light last September and want to remind everyone that this dog can hunt. Dear gentle new readers might wonder about my connections to the candidate and what’s Monte’s story. So, to recap, here goes.

Monte’s mother, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, found herself displaced and a long way from home when she was relocated to northern Illinois. Like many other Katrina survivors, Monte’s mom depended on the kindness of strangers until she could get back on her four feet. However, she was pregnant and soon gave birth. But, this new mother could not take care of all of her offspring; and thus, my son and daughter-in-law adopted Monte. You see Monte is my granddog.

Although Monte is an English Springer Spaniel, he is true-blue American through and through. Monte is a graduate of puppy obedience school with post-graduate follow-up training with the instructor. He is generally affable and makes friends easily at the dog park. He would be a great president. Everybody’s friend so to speak.

His positions are several and worth noting: spread out on the kitchen floor ready to clean up any problems with dropped food, curled up on the sofa by the window keeping watch on the borders for possible intrusions from illegal squirrels, resting dutifully with one eye open in his crate when his master and mistress are busy with fiscal matters and running joyfully through the worst of winter’s storms.

He has vowed to accept only small donations. PetSmart, Petco, Petland and some rather big vet pharmaceutical companies have been in touch, but Monte has made it clear, he will entertain no lobbyists nor their fancy offers. In the interest of public disclosure, though, it should be noted that Monte does have a couple of vices: the weight of the world’s problems is sometimes so great that he must arise earlier than normal creatures and this of course necessitates his security detail’s attention. Another potential issue that Monte believes he should disclose is that he has a weakness for belly scratches.

As the Democrats and Republicans winnow down their candidates, Monte’s campaign team is now poised to step forward proudly with a candidate whose all four feet are firmly planted on the canine values of love, loyalty and licks. He’d be happy to have your support for the odds are a lot of fur is going to fly.

Click here to get your own Monte campaign gear.

The Tide Rolls at National Signing Day

According to rivals.com, my Alma Mater, the University of Alabama, is sitting at the top of the heap for National Signing Day. If you are clueless about what I’m talking about, let me clarify. It’s college football and today is the day top high school players signed letters of intent.

Coach Nick Saban and his recruiting staff snagged several amazing and highly sought after players like Julio Jones from Foley, Alabama. Jones is the nation’s number one receiver.

Roll Tide!

I Vote

My Republican friend Sarge posted about yesterday's piece, and if you are interested in reading a different perspective, check out what he had to say. Sarge and I are blog friends but he did get my dander up when he called the Democratic Party a "total failure." Yes, Democrats have as they say "issues." But to me, it's like the pot calling the kettle black as far as what the Republicans have been up to the last eight years.

Anyway, I'm off to vote.

Top Ten Reasons I'm Voting for Obama

Sorry to bore you international readers and Republicans, but I posted this to my spot on the Springfield News-Leader OzarksLeft and I am putting it up here too. Isn't that the wonderful thing about having a blog? We can spout off whenever we like. Sure you can write a letter to the editor, but this is way easier and broader too.

Over the last several days, Missouri saw several candidates blow through the state. Obama spoke to 21,000 in St. Louis on Saturday night. Bill Clinton was here in Springfield at Central High and 3,000 Springfieldians took in his visit. Mike Huckabee gave a quick airport speech. It's great to be noticed here in the "Show Me" state. Missouri is known as a bellwether state for picking the nominee who goes on to win. I think voters here might have missed it one election though. Polls have it very close between Clinton and Obama and so I can't really predict how we will go. I will say Hillary Clinton once had a huge lead which has eroded thanks in part to our U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill's endorsement of Barack Obama.

At any rate here are the Alabama Kitchen Sink's Top Ten Reasons I'm Voting for Obama:

1. Hillary Clinton inspires and rallies Republicans who want to do everything possible to keep the presidency from her and her co-president.

2. Much of Clinton’s “35 years of experience” comes on the coattails of her husband and experience isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

3. As a feminist she tears up and says she “has found her voice” only to have her husband become her attack pit bill.

4. She is an icon of the past—one with a boatload of baggage.

5. Mastery of old-school politics needs to give way to a new generation’s leadership.

6. Consensus building involves more than just your friends and interest groups. Obama is reaching out to many.

7. It would be nice not to see the same old tired cast of characters, and Madeline Albright looks like she could use a vacation.

8. Entrepreneurial leadership demands a new approach to accomplishing common goals.

9. New partnerships must be entered into and a resourceful style must overtake the ideas of those who have had their day in the sun (and time in the White House).

10. The Millennial generation and Generation X are excited, interested and motivated toward civic action by Obama who is attracting huge crowds and energy. Heck, even this Baby Boomer is more excited and energized than I have been in years. I am again hopeful that we may finally tackle some of the major problems facing America and actually see that change in action.


These are my reasons. See you at the polls!


Note: New political designs are up on Hail to the Chief, my CafePress shop. I've added a new cartoon yellow dog Democrat design but the old one on the oval sticker is my bestseller. The Obama t-shirt with the JFK quote sold well over the weekend and someone in Washington state bought two kids t-shirts for his children.