The world keeps on turning

My grandmother, Betty Foote, died at the end of September, just one week shy of her 88th birthday. I was able to go to the service and see almost every family member on that side. I went specifically for that reason, to see everyone as I knew her death meant the end of an era for our family.

She was the person that tied us all together. Everyone felt like they were her favorite and her home was home to everyone. I moved so many times as a child, in fact, I went to six different grade schools. However, her home, even though it was in another state, was ALWAYS home. Going in to it knowing she wasn't there was one of the hardest things I've done.

I've experienced the loss of family members and friends before, and indeed to someone I was just as close with as I was her. I have decided that I am going to have to work hard to make sure my world does not become smaller even though I've lost a loved one. I have been working on staying in contact with all those delightful people called "family" that used to gather at Grandma's whether or not they are blood kin or just dear friends we've all known forever.

Even though my world has stopped turning, I know the rest of the world continues on as always. Right now I am working frantically on a commission quilt as I tend to immerse myself in things when I am trying to make my emotional way through something. I thought perhaps I'd share a photo, though this one isn't current as I've made more progress.

Why I started a blog

For someone who doesn't work (not by choice) and has no children, I still don't have enough time to accomplish everything I want to. I quilt, tat lace, cross-stitch, occasionally crochet, and read voraciously in addition to having two delightful dogs and one incredible husband that I love to spend time and do things with. Is there such a thing as "enough" time? I don't think so. I do agree with Stevie Wonder, though. Every time is a time to love.

I started this blog because I like being able to share things with people. I recently joined an online tatting group, Here Be Tatters, and blogging is how many members share their patterns and pictures of their work. I am trying to assuage some guilt at my lack of keeping up email correspondence with all my buddies so maybe this is a way of allowing folks to stay current, both ways, by me posting and them commenting as they wish. It also means I no longer have to try and have my faulty memory keep track of whether or not I told someone something. I can let everyone know with this thing and I can even post pictures. Not bad!

I have also learned that regular writing helps me keep my mind a tad more organized and helps me stay a bit more accountable to my goals. If I am writing about where I'm at with something and where I want to be, it's easier to see where I've procrastinated and stop it. In my book, these are all very good reasons to have a blog. And of course the most important one, because it's fun.