Catching Up

Hello friends! Hard to believe I haven’t posted in nearly a month. I kept sitting down to write and just couldn’t get into the mood for some reason. Let’s just blame it on the pandemic, shall we? Life isn’t normal and even though I certainly have time on my hands, I find myself dithering it away quite a bit. Sigh.

But here I am, with a cup of coffee and the mood to write. Let’s catch up!

We took a trip up to Washington to watch my favorite grand daughters while my son, Andrew, and his wife moved their family into their new house. My husband and Andrew spent two days working on various little projects at the new house before moving which left Julia and I to play with the girls in the rental. Guess who got the good end of that deal!!

As with most toddlers, this girl needs to get outside to play. She gets stir crazy if she has to be inside all day. One rainy day, we went out to look for puddles to jump in. When she finished jumping in this one, she immediately went into her pretend mode. Her imagination is always going and at this moment, she was making soup for her horse. Each time she added pine needles to the puddle, it was a different ingredient. Some meant for soup and some not so much. “It needs parsley. Let’s add a carrot. Now I will put in an egg. Here’s the rainbow sprinkles.” On and on, all the while stirring her creation with her stick.

It took very little time to go from mixing her horse’s soup with the stick to standing in the puddle and going all in with her hands. How I love this girl.

Just a couple of days later, we were all in the new house. We tried to keep the kids corralled while the movers brought in nine million boxes. My husband ran around inside keeping the movers organized and my son checked the boxes off the list outside. Such a process.

I have never had movers pack my house before. But with a new baby and moving across country (not to mention a moving stipend from their new employer) the kids had this luxury. It was so odd to see some of the things the movers packed. It seemed like every third box contained a weird surprise. One time I unpacked a plastic trash can from the bathroom that was packed with the trash still in it. Another time, an apple was carefully rolled up in a huge amount of paper. Now it helps to know, the house was packed in mid July and everything was stored until they moved in on September 28th. That apple was a mess. There was a box with a container of honey that leaked all over the place, yuk! They also packed a pop-tart which they found somewhere in a zip lok bag, thanks to a three year old who must have left it in some odd place? (They told my kids that they were not allowed to pack any food items that were open but I don’t think they followed this rule at all?) Oh well, for the most part, it all went very well and there were not many items that were damaged in the process.

This little one was a breeze. She is so happy and just sort of went along with everything. I was setting up the laundry room at this point. (She is chewing on an old watch of her dad’s?!) Honestly, I could set her down most anywhere and she would just play with whatever I handed to her. She is starting to scoot around though so it was nice to contain her when I could. Hence the laundry basket. Haha.

I brought up this picnic quilt for the girls and we used it a number of times while playing outside. Babies on quilts, nothing cuter!

Back to this girl and her love of the outdoors. I was pulling a few weeds while she played and showed her a fat worm I found. This quickly led to her digging for worms and figuring out which was a daddy, the mama, the grammy etc. She kept them in this bowl for a bit, ‘feeding’ them grass. She is very inquisitive and asked if they had eyes so we talked about the life of a worm and she happily put them back in ‘their home’ when she learned they would die if not in the dirt. Just before putting them back in the dirt, she did need to sing a ‘wormy song’ to them. My heart melts with her.

The two weeks ended way too fast, as always. I love this picture even if it is quite blurry. We squeezed the girls a million times and drove back up to California. Luckily by the time we got home, our area was basically smoke free. What a wonderful thing it is to have clean air after nearly two months of staying inside to avoid the smoke.

As (bad) luck would have it, just a couple of days after we left, my daughter-in-law tripped and fell. She was carrying the baby so when she was falling her only thought was to protect the baby. She couldn’t break the fall which meant she broke a couple of bones in her foot. So she is hobbling around with a cast and waiting for her foot to heal. So unfair when she was so excited to set up her house and get settled. Such is life. I wish we were still up there so we could help.

That is a fair summary of the last few weeks. I was really having trouble getting in the mood to sew after getting back. It happens, right? But now I have started to spend some time in the sewing room and it all feels great. Yesterday, I had some sewing time at my friend Sophia’s house. She has a Baby Lock Tiara sit down machine. It is the best! I will share more on that next time. I have also been preparing for the holiday season in my shop even though it is somewhat hard to predict how this year will look. Business was crazy for months and then slowed back down as quilters and sewists were able to return to in-person shopping. Now with the unfortunate rise in the number of cases, I need to decide how to plan for that. Such a strange time in life.

OK – back soon with updates on sewing related things! I have missed you all and have not been on-line much at all with regard to blog posts or social media. I need to catch up with so many people! Hope you are well and enjoying your Saturday.

26 thoughts on “Catching Up

  1. Kathleen McCormick

    What a great trip but sorry you weren’t there to help after your DIL’s trip! Although, I must admit I was relieve that it was not your foot in the image. You had a full two weeks. The time before and after is a lot of catching up. The odd thing is not much changes right now, but we all take breaks and that is a good thing. Glad to see you back in the blog world!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I suppose I just needed the break. I do love to write but the mood has to be there. Anyway, nice to be back in a routine. At least until the next visit!! Hope all is well with you Kathleen. 🙂

      Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      This little girl is into dirt, digging, worms and even this cute tiny frog her grandpa found for her. Oh also, there are a ton of spiders in the yard and they were actively spinning these enormous webs each day. We watched a lot of that action as well. I had such fun with her.

      Reply
  2. Wendy

    Funny how I’m reading this post and feeling all the emotions – happiness, not-wanting-to-leave-ness, sadness and all that. Thank you for sharing all the joys of being there. I love the imagination of kids, and I think, as adults, we should learn from them! Little Alice is adorable with that smile. How nice that she is always happy and chill. The photo of you two with the girls is definitely a keeper! I hope the foot heals quickly so they can get settled in.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I love the photo too – even with the blurry look. It might be the only one of Ray and I with both girls. I need to get another one next time we are up there. H’s imagination is non-stop. She asks the greatest questions – I really enjoy this age. They have a great wooded area behind the swings and she and I gathered twigs and ‘built’ fairy houses out there. She scraped moss off of the tree trunks to use for ‘carpet’. So much fun!!

      Reply
  3. JanineMarie

    Well, no wonder you were in the mood to blog again with those little sweeties and their stories to share with us all. Weird stories about moving, though. I guess the movers have no choice but to pack everything they find—but an apple??!! Perhaps they thought there are no apples in Washington. Really makes you want to unpack all those boxes, which is not how most of us move, is it? Lol. I have heard horror stories about damaged items in a cross-country move, so I’m glad for your kids that the damages were minimal. I hope your DIL heals quickly. Ironic that she could read her own X-ray—at home. Have fun sewing and getting back to business. It is such a weird time. The pandemic slowed me down for awhile, then I got my energy back again only to have it sapped by election nerves. And now more pandemic concerns.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      That is such a good point Janine!! How many boxes, after a move, just sit in the garage unpacked!! It was so weird to see the packing. Some boxes were meticulously packed and some were tossed together. Definitely made me think that one of the three people packing boxes was totally not into it and the others must have been more careful. So, yeah – good thing the apple got unwrapped! That box with the honey was a pain and another box had baking soda in it which exploded. I guess if that is the worst thing that happens, no big deal.
      The election is making all of us nuts. The three of us voted this week so we have gotten our say in this mess. It actually felt good when I got the notice that said my ballot was received and counted. I hope EVERYONE votes and we get this monster out of here.
      Take care, B.

      Reply
  4. Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl

    Oh, what a treat to spend so much time with your family, Bernie. I love how your granddaughter’s imagination is so fluid and think its fabulous that you could drive up to help them move. Welcome home and hooray for your area being more smoke free!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I am so grateful for the clean air and being able to open the windows in the house. This was a long siege for sure. Is the air getting better down where you are? I hope so. Hoping also that your back is feeling better. So many trials of our patience this year. Take care Yvonne. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Diann R. Bottrell

    What darling little grand-girls you have, Bernie! A budding scientist and the little one always smiling! I love your photo with her in the red hat, too. So glad you could go and help your kids during the move. Wishing your DIL quick healing!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Thank you Diann. My DIL is doing quite well. She has one of those scooters that keeps the bad foot off the ground so she is zooming around with that. She works from home about 75% of the time which is wonderful. They will be fine. The girls are just a treasure and we are blessed to have them on the west coast now. Hurray!!

      Reply
  6. Mari

    Oh my gosh, Bernie, who could blame you for not blogging with those cuties to look after? They have the best faces, and what an imagination H has! The baby will be scooting around soon, too, which will make for some fun playtimes. I remember making my younger siblings be characters in whatever I was playing that day. Ah, memories! I predict many more trips for you all! Perhaps your shop needs a “satellite office” in Washington? It’s an idea! Can’t wait to see your current stitching projects!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Pretend play was big with us when I was a kid too. Same with my four when they were little – it is such a joy to watch kids with such limitless imaginations and no inhibition. I see many more trips for us too and maybe retiring up there some day. It is crazy how a 13 hour drive seems so easy compared with the expense and time consuming trips across the country. Much better!!

      Reply
  7. Marsha

    That was a nice move in story. Those girls are adorable. My daughter and family moved back to Ohio from TX in early August. They found a house and bought it within a month and closed early Oct. The day before they moved in 3 of us cleaned for a whole day. Both my daughter and her MIL noticed that the stove controls could be turned on with the slightest touch. Move in day came and everything was there in their boxes etc. Pizza had been delivered. My SIL and his dad decided to take a walk and the pizza box pushed to the back of the stove and doors locked. By the time my daughter arrived 15 minutes later the kitchen was on fire! They are now living with us while everything is sorted out and kitchen etc. redone. The good news, everyone is ok, even the dog that the pizza was being saved from.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Oh my goodness Marsha. What a horrific moving story! I hope the fire was contained to the kitchen. From your note, it sounds like it was. Thankful no one was hurt too. I hope the kitchen turns out beautifully. Good luck to your daughter and her family.

      Reply
  8. Linda

    What a fun-filled post! Well, except for your DIL’s foot. Is she able to go to work? Your granddaughters are so sweet and beautiful; I know you cherished your time with them. It looks like a wonderful house for them to grow up in. I hope you guys are able to move up there at some point and find your happy place closer to them.
    H is so big and grown up for her age! Our 4 year-old Delaney is priceless that way too. She has some speech problems, but they are getting her help for that. I just love having those quiet, intimate talks with her about the littlest things, especially when she whispers important things to me, so I know how you feel. The baby reminds me of our Everett. Since he first started smiling he was the most happy, pleasant baby, always smiling. Recently I guess he has started teething some bigger teeth, or he has started “terrible twos” a little early, because he has some temper tantrums over the funniest things. One time he got very upset because our daughter handed him the wrong toy – lol!
    Glad you are back in your sewing room!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Love hearing about Delaney and Everett – I don’t remember if your daughter (during normal times anyway) is a stay at home mom or works somewhere? I know you are thrilled to be close by though. How are the painting and unpacking going in the new house? Is it starting to feel like home? Hoping you have hours and hours of joy with the kids in your new home Linda.

      Reply
  9. Tracie

    Bernie, thanks for sharing snippets of your life. Since we moved three weeks ago, the stories were very relatable. I’ve been wanting to sew and write on my blog, but I’m still exhausted from unpacking and cleaning. So sorry to hear about your DIL’s foot! That’s a real challenge, and even so, a temporary one.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I totally understand. Watching them move in and helping with the unpacking etc – yikes it is a huge undertaking. I think they are getting settled in though. I keep getting pictures of little corners that are emptied of boxes etc. My son got their Spin bike set up so he was very happy about that. It will start feeling like home for them soon. Hoping the same for you. The sewing will happen as soon as you feel a bit more settled. Best wishes in the new house Tracie.

      Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Gosh – I have missed your Jubilee. I am going to pop over and get caught up. Thanks for checking in Carole. Hope you are feeling good after your recent surgery. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Emily

    Laundry would a joy with those chubby cheeks in the basket! I love hearing of H’s adventures. Puddles are the best–my son loves to go on rainy walks and the splashing is the best part.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Haha – the baby does make things joyful. She got two bottom teeth this weekend. I am looking forward to a toothy grin soon. She has been waking at night which is a pain as we all know – so the kids are working on getting her to start sleeping through the night again. Puddles are a blast and living in the Pacific Northwest, the girls will grow up with plenty of puddle jumping!! Take care Emily.

      Reply

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