21 - When the Cat's Away / SEWING

David has a Bucket List, and one of the things he has always wanted to do was see Queen in concert.  He saw that they were playing in Las Vegas the month of September.  Because of the immuno-suppressant medications I am taking for Myasthenia Gravis, I am unable to travel or be in crowds, so I suggested he contact a friend or two to see about going.  The first friend was unavailable.  The second friend said, “Gee, you should talk to my brother – he’s on his way out there RIGHT NOW, and he has an extra ticket.”  That was all it took – of course Brother Tom told him to “Come on!”  So by 7:00 the next morning, he had a flight booked!  He threw stuff in a bag, hollered “SEE YA!” and ran out of here like his pants were on fire! 

So…. THAT meant…. GIRLS WEEKEND for Aliza and me!

I have not driven my car since mid-May because my vision has been so unstable.  However, the past couple of weeks have been fairly steady, with none of the peripheral “kaleidoscope” things that messed with my driving.  So…. I decided that THIS was the DAY to try to drive again.

At first, we were just going to go into Ridgeway to visit his mom…. But the day kind of grew more interesting when we discovered that Aliza could get a tattoo in Columbia.  Plus, you know, since we live 30 minutes from anything, we ALWAYS need to make a stop at the grocery store!

So we hopped in my car.  I pulled out of the garage, rolled out of the driveway, drove on to the street.  Driving again!  Independent Living!   Oh happy day! 

We stopped by the nursing home briefly, then headed toward Columbia.  No problems whatsoever on the Interstate!  On to Shavon’s Purple Lotus Body Art -- if you are in Columbia and want a tattoo -- This is THE PLACE to go.  I always enjoy seeing Shavon, she is a beautiful soul and quite an artist! 

After a consult with Shavon, Aliza got her new wrist tattoo.    
The translation from Hebrew is on the right.  

 

Once done, the afternoon was slipping away.  We made a quick stop at Walmart to pick up a few odds and ends, then rolled on back home. 

I drove country roads, I-77, and downtown Columbia (on a Football Saturday too!)  – all in an afternoon.   

As I pulled into the garage, a feeling of victory washed over me.  Slowly, I am returning to a “new normal.”  I am becoming myself again.  Each day, I feel a tiny bit stronger.  Some days I have to just “vegetate” and catch up a bit, but I am learning to accept and appreciate that instead of bashing myself for feeling unproductive, inadequate or (heaven forbid!) lazy.  Trust me, this is an ongoing process in my brain. I’ve always been project-driven, results-oriented – and to have a day where I say I did nothing still sort of rankles me. 

I am, as always, a “work in progress” – and my recovery from this illustrates the need for me to re-evaluate the “work” part of it.  Sometimes the “work” I need to do now is simply to rest. 

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Untethered Time Travel:  SEWING

It is 1965.  I am 9 years old.

I joined a 4-H club, and my first real project is learning to sew!  

I’m really excited because I have watched my mama and grandma sew on their Singer machines for years. 

My mother first draws some lines on some paper.  Some are straight and some are curved.  There is no thread in the machine for this lesson.  She shows me how to lower the presser foot with the little lever, then to gently push the knee bar to make the machine come to life.  She helps me guide the paper at first so that the needle punches along the lines she drew.  She tells me it is almost like driving a car, I have to steer the paper under the needle.  As I gain more confidence, she backs away and watches me.  This is fun!

Next she gives me a lesson in threading the machine.  

This is a lesson we will repeat several times until I get it all figured out.  

Who knew it could be so complicated? 

I am going to make a bath mitt first.  

My mom has a small towel and she folds it in half.  I put my hand on it to judge for size, and she pins it together, then draws around it with a piece of chalk so it will become a “mitten” just my size.   

She hands me the scissors and instructs me to cut around the line.  

I very carefully follow the outline with my scissors.

Then it is time to sew!  

I start the machine, backing up to tie off the end, sewing ever-so-slowly-and-carefully around the curve of the mitt.  I back up again at the end, snip the threads, turn it right-side-out --

and voila!  I have a bath mitt!

My next project will go in the 4-H Fashion Revue:  I am making a drawstring apron with a matching potholder!  We chose a red and white gingham fabric – the design of the fabric will help me sew straight lines.  

Mama supervises while I carefully cut out the pattern.  She shows me the best way to pin the hems and the casing, then watches while I follow her instructions.  I stitch together the little apron and the drawstring.  She shows me how to use a big safety pin to pull the drawstring through the casing.  

The potholder is easy to make, I mainly just make a little square and stitch through it several times.

I am so proud of my little red and white apron and potholder!  I enter it in the Fashion Review – it is the only really colorful apron in the contest.  I win a green ribbon for participation, and I’m excited about my next project!

Sewing becomes much more than a hobby for me over the years.  

I made a lot of my own clothes as a teenager, and as a young mom I sewed many outfits for my children.  At times, I’ve done sewing and alterations to bring in a little extra cash.  In recent years, I’ve made a few quilts.    

Most recently I donate my services to Caleb Ministries making “Angel Gowns” for still born children. 

Sewing provides me with an outlet for creativity, a way I can help others, and a means of relaxation. 

But it started out like driving a car, steering the fabric under the needle!

"She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, 

and enjoys knitting and sewing…" ~~~ Prov. 31: 13