I’ve been out and about all ready this morning!
It was just that kind of morning – sun streaming in the window, blue sky above. Oh my goodness – what time is it? “7:00 am” says the clock.
Well, okay then – there is time before blog writing and daily work load takes over to make that run to the grocery store and pick up just a few things and get them going for tonight’s dinner.
Remember my recipe for White Chicken Chili that I shared a few weeks back? (Under the recipes tab at the top of the blog, crock pot wonders section!) Son Jeff has declared it a White Chicken Chili kind of day, and I had some cooked and de-boned chicken ready for something of the sort in the freezer. So off to the store I went.
There is something satisfactory about getting errands like that out of the way early, and having the rest of the day ahead. And this will be a busy one. I’m packing for my trip to Indianapolis tomorrow. An email reminded me that this guild has been waiting 5 years since we booked the dates for me to get there. Five years. It’s a great way to end my 2018 teaching calendar. It feels so much like a celebration in so many ways.
Onto the lost quilt thing you likely read in the subject line of this post – did it catch your attention?
This quilt photo showed up in my inbox with the following message:
Hello! I am the owner and administrator of a website and associated FB page, Lost Quilt Come Home. I am wondering if you would be able to help me with something.
There is a quilt that I learned about early this morning. It was delivered to a distribution center for Payless Shoesource in Ohio about three weeks ago, without any identifying information.
I have been contacted and asked to share this information in hopes of finding who this quilt belongs to. I need help to get the message out to as many people as possible.
I jumped right in and posted the photo through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Google+ and everywhere I have a profile asking folks to PLEASE Forward, re-post, share and spread this information. And you won’t believe the response it got. It was like magic.
The shop that made the kit was found.
They contacted those that purchased kits.
The owner was found.
The quilt will soon be on its way to its rightful owner.
The follow up email this morning was a good one – it reads:
I think I have found the owner of this quilt, in under 8 hours from when it first appeared on the FB Page for Lost Quilt Come Home.
I really appreciate your willingness to help spread the word. Could I share another quilt with you? I would appreciate you sharing information about the website lostquilt.com as I think there are many quilters that don’t realize how common the issue of quilts being lost or stolen is, and that there’s help available.
Additionally if people haven’t experienced it they may not have thought about how to adequately protect quilts. The website shares a good deal of information to educate in this area. Your help is greatly appreciated.
I am happily partnering with Lost Quilt Come Home in hopes to reunite more lost quilts with their owners.
We were lucky this time. This wasn’t a stolen quilt, just a misdirected shipped quilt. What could have been done differently?
If you ship a quilt ANYWHERE, take photos of it before you do. Include all information INSIDE the box, perhaps in a page protector pinned to the quilt so the information won’t become lost. Address, phone number, email address – as much information as you can so that you are more easily found should something become lost during shipping.
I took a good look at the Lost Quilt Come Home page yesterday, and many of the quilts have been stolen – even from locked cars. Do not leave a quilt in plain sight even in your locked car. Put it in the trunk. Don’t just leave it in a duffel or bag making it look like it is some other precious cargo worth stealing.
If you have any other ideas on keeping quilts from being stolen, please leave your comments in the comment section below. And visit the Lost Quilt Come Home page to see if you recognize any of the quilts we are searching for.
My chuckle of the day yesterday -
Reevaluation day. I hate that it included a step up on to the cattle scale, and by measurement it appears I am shrinking in my old age.
And yes, I walked up to that mat and felt it. It could be a rotary cutter mat – maybe for really big pieces!
After I left the doc, I stopped by my friend Lisa’s house to pick up the Quiltville Mystery Quilts that hung in the Forsyth Piecers & Quilters show while I was teaching in West Virginia. I wish I could have made it to the show. From what I understand it was a beautiful show. Thanks for hanging my quilts, local guild folks!
From there to Bed, Bath & Beyond.
My efforts to raise the table legs yesterday to do my order fulfilling standing up was a good one, but not good enough. I remembered that bed risers also come in extra-tall. You know it is serious business when I wander into Bed, Bath & Beyond without a coupon and don’t care. Full price, no looking back.
Standing was much better after switching out the regular sized risers for the extra tall.
My back feels like all of the shrinking has been happening in the lumbar region, and if only I could stretch taller and make some space between those vertebrae I’d find some relief.
I know it comes from too much sitting. At the sewing machine, at my handwork, at my order fulfilling, in the car, in a plane, at a meeting.
Autumn color out my back window as the crock pot starts to simmer.
It won't be long before these leaves are on the ground.
And a few kitty loves before I get down to the nitty gritty of business today!
Little Lola has just captured my heart. In this photo she was SO sound asleep I couldn’t bear to move her.
We’ve developed a working relationship. First thing in the morning I go sit in the chair and post my Quiltville Quote of the day, flip through emails, reply to what I can by phone before hitting the real computer. As soon as I sit, there she is – up on my lap making a warm spot to start my day.
Dresden is usually at my left elbow on the arm of the chair begging for attention too. I think they’ve finally accepted that I am not so bad after all.
Quiltville Quote of the Day.
Vintage Yoyo coverlet found in Virginia.
It's easy to appreciate the big things most days. Today, look around you and appreciate the small ones.
Soup in the crock pot. Sunshine through glorious autumn leaves. Warm kitty on my lap.
It’s a wonderful Wednesday!
Cool I am making homemade soup in the crockpot too...because a friend who is visiting and I are off to a day of sewing.
ReplyDeleteHey Bonnie, have you tried an electric pressure cooker? I don't use my crockpot much anymore because this new gadget is so much faster. I'm an impatient sort. But I can understand why it might be easier for you to prep the meal during the morning rather than stopping late afternoon to fill the cooker. For those of us who work full-time office hours, a pressure cooker is very useful. Leaves me more time to sew in the evenings!
ReplyDeleteI have no interest in a pressure cooker. :) I'm a slow cooker girl.
DeleteI have to agree! I want to get dinner made early and out of the way to enjoy the rest of the day!
DeleteDon't worry about shrinkage. Fabric and quilts do that also, and they are still very much loved.
ReplyDeleteOh, Laurie, what an absolutely perfect answer!!!
DeleteYay for all the lovely little things! Happy Wednesday to everyone!
ReplyDeleteThat Mat would fit in your VAN,lol. Did you ask about getting one for Quiltville INN? White Chicken Chili, YUM! Your son is happy you're home and so are the kitties!
ReplyDeleteBonnie you may want to check out a Teeter. It's an inversion table and it has done wonders for my back. It stretches out that space in between the vertebrae. It's not that pricey and its so worth it.
ReplyDeleteI had an inversion table - though not a Teeter. I loved how it made my back feel but it hurt my ankles so much that I couldn't use it. Does the Teeter put a lot of pressure on the ankles?
DeleteI have a Teeter also and I love it. Just wish I had more room to leave up all the time and so I would use it daily. It is my go to fix when my back, hips or knees start to act up. The ankle pads on my teeter are curved and covered with thick foam and I only recline back enough to feel the release in my spine not fully upside down, the benefit is the same. I also discovered Essentrics Age Reversing workouts and the Pain Relief workout is awesome.
DeleteI take a senior yoga class weekly and it really helps loosen up my lower back, hips and shoulders. I was amazed since most of the class is chair yoga with about ten minutes of mat poses near the end.
ReplyDeleteDear Bonnie re your back I would like to share what I have found effective, I have a bar on the roof of my verandah where I go to hang, I find it replaces my disc's and helps my neck enormously,
ReplyDeleteBonnie sounds like your back needs inversion therapy aka hanging upside down. A quick google search for inversion therapy will bring up several home systems. My dad(72) and niece both love their inversion tables.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how quickly the quilt's owner was found! I hope your back feels better.
ReplyDeleteHey Bonnie!! Maybe there is hope for lost sets of china
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of shrinking. I was 4'11" most of my adult life. Now I have shrunk to 4'9". The new grocery carts at Costco have the handle at my shoulder height.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of risers.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased that finally Dresden has settled down. I did wonder! Perhaps it's a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder! When your son comes to visit you won't get a look in. My son doesn't have a cat for a pet - my son is the cat's pet!LOL.
I love the white chicken chili. I am the only one in the family who likes it though, so I am totally bummed. Love it with crushed fritos and pepperjack cheese on top. Glad the quilt owner was found, so sad some people steal things. So very sad. Nice that you are helping with that cause.
ReplyDeleteHow awesome that the quilt and owner are being reunited, so nice that you were able to help.
ReplyDeleteSorry you back is playing up I can totally empathise with you, back pain is no fun.
Lola looks so comfy on your knee and all your tic is paying off with Dresden too.
Enjoy your chicken chilli
Love and quilty hugs
Anne xxx
Your comment recalls to mind a story related by our Little Dresses For Africa leader. She told us of a lady who delivered dresses to an orphanage and when they had leftovers they took them to the landfill to hand out. How that broke my heart. I have no needs, food, shelter, clothing are all readily at hand. I need to be more mindful of my small daily blessings. Thanks for your quotes and encouragements. Wish I could see you in Indy, but I couldn't find info about it being open to the public!!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, when I was getting chemo I had to be weighed and measured every time. Depending on the nurse I ranged from 5'6" to 5'8". Now, I just accept whatever they measure and know there is a huge range of error. BTW 5'8" is a shrinkage but not a huge one.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the desk at Costco that electronically goes up and down for sitting and standing. My husband really likes his and it helps his back and legs to spend less time sitting all the time and some time standing. Might be a good thought for your new office....
ReplyDeleteBonnie, you can take your receipt and a coupon back to BB&B up to 30 days after purchase and they will still give you the discount.
ReplyDeleteGratitude was the subject at our WW check in today. I appreciate that my daughter's horse Pete gives me some snuggles when I go out in the morning to feed them all and give them water. He's a lover buy for sure.
ReplyDeleteVery happy to hear that the quilt was reunited with it's maker!
I was so pleased to read that Lola & Dresden have accepted you as "their" person. Some cats are 'lap cats' & some aren't but sounds like they are training you well 🤣🤣
ReplyDelete