Home away from home

Some have asked where we stay in Texas. It's a park called Long Island Village and it has about 1000 lots. There are sea cottages, RVs and cottage homes. We stay in the latter. The maximum size allowed for a cottage home is 850 square feet, like ours.

Here are a few outside photos to give you an idea. This is from our place across the canal.

This is a photo down the canal this morning (i.e. if I look right off our upper deck).

The place on the right, with the round globe lights is the one we rent. I took this from the place with the red boat in the picture above.

And this one is toward the Intercoastal Waterway where a barge is going by.

RIP Dorothy

As you know, when I am home, I volunteer at the hospital twice a week delivering newspapers and chatting with the patients.

One of the patients I met last year was Dorothy, always cheery and full of smiles, despite having multiple health problems.  Over time, she was unable to get out of bed, and in the fall on a whim, I asked her if she would like to learn to quilt. 

She said she would give it a try, so I made a plastic template and cut a bunch of fabric and took them to her.  She drew around the template on each piece of fabric in record time.  Then I taught her to sew the blocks together; one floral to one coloured square. Don't worry, I made a sewing kit for her with bright orange flower top pins, so if she lost one, she knew what she or a nurse was looking for.

The next step was sewing 2 twos together.  Once she was finished that, I took them home to my design board, laid them out and labelled them; block 1 left, block 1 right, block 2 left, block 2 right, etc.    This way it was easier to see what went where as she had limited room on her bed to spread anything out.  Then the 4's became 8's back to the drawing board, the 8's became 16's, etc. 

Oh, was she proud of her quilt top and we were so proud of her!   I took the top home, added some borders and quilted it.  But in the meantime, she thought she would like to make another quilt for her 2 year old grandson, Danny, for Christmas.

Kim and I found some Curious George fabric with bright colours.   I cut out complimentary fabrics and brought them in to her while I finished the first quilt.  This one she did all on her own, with a little help from her friend Corinne.  I was surprised she was proceeding without instruction.  But I thought she just wanted to do it on her own. 

I took this top home to finish, only to get a call from her good friend Corinne that Dorothy wanted to see the finished quilt that night.  I was working on the binding so called Kim to help and got the quilt to Dorothy that night.  Seems her organs were starting to shut down and she just wanted to see the finished quilt.

Dorothy gave her grandson the quilt for his second birthday and then passed away on December 12th.  Her first quilt, shown below, is going to her daughter.

Rest in peace Dorothy.  You taught me a lot and brought me tremendous joy.  Love from your friend, Barb

Work update

It's officially fall and I have gone through my first sports registration at the Community Club where I work. 
It was hectic, and crazy busy as I like but I learned alot and it was fun.

Yes, my volunteer job there turned into a paying position and I get paid for 4 hours a day.  I usually work around 6 or more but you all know me, so enough said on that.  I am happy and love the work, so that is the important thing. 

I never realized the work involved in keeping a community club going.  And I never realized that it costs so much for the kids to sign up for sports.  There were many cheques written for over $1000 for a few kids to play.  As I have to explain to many parents, the club does not set the bulk of the fees.  They go right to the sports association.  Of that $450 hockey fee, we keep the $35 registration fee.  Who would have thunk????

The L1011 and Chris

When my Dad's widow died a few years ago, my brother and I went to Nova Scotia to settle the estate.  I brought home some of the Air Canada airplane pictures he had, the Viscount, the Vanguard, the L1011, all of the planes from his era.  A few were from the manufacturers signed on the back to my Dad. 

I took a few to the Air Canada office to adorn our bare walls and one of the Managers noticed them.  He mentioned that his first Air Canada flight was on an L1011, so I looked and sure enough I had one of those pictures.  I brought it into him, but for a few years it sat in his office on the floor.

Yesterday when I was visiting everyone, I dropped into his new office to see him and his assistant. 

My Dad would have been very proud to know where his picture ended up.  That manager is Chris Isford and he is now the Controller of Air Canada.  

Happy Retirement Sharon

One of my favorite people from Air Canada retired yesterday.  And of course my photos did not turn out!

The celebration was already started when I arrived about 11:40 and it was still in full swing when we left around 8:30!    I will write more when I get some pictures, but for now:

Thanks Sharon for all the fun, productive times we had!

Almost September

Summer has just flown by!

I love working 4 hours a day at the community club.  Ok, you know me, it turns out to be longer but I am having fun.  Who would have thought that my volunteer job there would turn into a paying job!  And I get to keep it while I am away. 

I am the only one in the office so I do everything from opening the mail, showing the hall, writing the specifications for the washroom renovations, dealing with the contractors, accepting and counting sports equipment returns, to typing letters for the President of the Board.

Two days a week, I also volunteer at th hospital early in the morning (early for me now - 8:00).  I am even teaching one of the long time patients to quilt.  

Blaine is still working at the golf course and since his boss was fired recently, he will be learning more of the open and close procedures, which will keep him working a bit longer.  

I love having two cars again (a Zoom Zoom Mazda6).  I still ride my bike to the club and hospital but it is nice to have the other car in case it is raining or windy.  And I dream of the extra room we will have when we go south (or better yet when we come home - lol).  Since we don't have our companion with us this year, we plan on making a few stops along the way.  First to Dallas as Blaine is a JFK buff and then to Corpus Christie to see the USS Lexington aircraft carrier.  We saw it once in Florida many years ago, but we wanted to see it again. 

 

  

Lovely laces

If you are in the market for some delicious colourful,, reasonably priced laces, check out Nicki Lee's blog at:

http://cqnickilee.blogspot.com/

She is having a give away to celebrate her new ETSY store.  How exciting.  Check out her shop here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ravioleedreams