Quilt Camp Wrap Up

 Some years ago, SIL Lois gave me this little journal. 

I use it to record my sewing projects, when I made the items, where I got the fabric and who I gave the finished project to.

It's a little gem. I also write down the names of the other quilters that I meet at camp.  I'm not the best at remembering names, so this helps. 

💙 💙 💙

Another tidbit from camp. We mostly 'park our politics at the door' unless we are alone with a like-mind.  Friend Sandy and I were talking, and in the course I mentioned that I was doing social media for the Barron County Dems. Our conversation ended and I went back to sewing. One of the quilters from another table came over and said, "I wasn't trying to listen in on your conversation, but I heard you say that you are doing social media posts for the Barron County Dems. I follow that page and I want to thank you for all you are doing for the election.  You are putting yourself out there and I really am thankful for what you are doing.". Well, t caught me by surprise and I instantly had tears in my eyes.  She told me her name and we talked a little about our concerns. 

It really hit me emotionally. I spend a fair amount of time posting on FB & Threads for the Dems, this sincere Thankyou really means allot. 

You never know who can use a lift, sharing a kind word can be all the difference.

💙

Fall Quilt Camp 2024

 I arrived in Solo Springs on Sunday afternoon to set up my sewing machine and drop off supplies.  I had stopped at The Sandcastle first to put new batteries in the trail cam.   I started planning my projects, ate dinner with the group, and then headed for home to sleep. 

Monday morning, I loaded up the rest of my gear and my suitcase & headed North to the Inn.

Located on the shores of Lake St. Croix

By 9:30am, I was cutting fabric.

My project list started with 2 wedding gifts for great nieces. I had a quilt-as-you-go kit, to make runners. I used batik fabrics. 

I'm happy with how these 2 turned out. 

The sewing machine repair lady came to clean machines, so my Husqvarna got a good vacuum and inspection.

Tuesday morning, the view from my room was breath taking. 

Sea smoke rising as the sun is breaking through. Wowser.

Next on my list was to finish a project I started in the Spring Virtual Quilt Camp.  I had to add a backing, quilting and a binding. 

I'm not positive where this will be used but at least it is now finished. 

Tuesday afternoon, the masseuse came to give back massages. I loved it so much. I wish she had her business closer to me.

Wednesday morning was another beauty. 

Wednesday was get-away-day.  I decided to finish up a group of runners that I had pieced at home. 

I'm not sure where these will end up, but one of them will be mine.

I left for home at about 4:30pm. It was another great camp.  

The leaves were pretty, and it was great to spend time with old and new friends. 

Northern Lights

 Wow, whatta night for Northern Lights.

To the naked eye it looks like wisps of light clouds sliding around the sky.  The camera sees colors. 

Amazing.

Forgiveness

 One of our bridge players got mad at me on the phone and hung up on me.  This was a few years ago now.

Since then, I have had to play cards with her several times. I never forgot and I never let it go.  But, I was always civil to her but, I admit, I was still pissed.

Next week, my bridge partner and I are scheduled to play with her again and this time, we are going out to lunch first. I was not consulted about this plan. I'm not happy about it. 

I've been thinking about it and how I might minimize my time spent with this woman.  Playing bridge is one thing, visiting over lunch? That's a stretch.

Because the bridge match will happen out of town, it would be hard to get out of riding together.

I have a couple of weeks to mull it over. 

Today I saw this quote.

So, I think I need to forgive the rude behavior, because it is in the past, & cannot be changed. Do I wish she had apologized to me? Sure, but I am guessing that she forgot about this long time ago.  

I'll give it a try. 

Do I want to sit in a car for an hour, eat lunch and play cards with her, no.

Hail storm damage is finally completed

 A hail storm hit my house in July of 2023.  

The roof and 1/2 of the siding were replaced. The decks were in rough shape and needed some carpentry before the power wash & stain.  I hired a young handy man from Cheek and today the last of the staining was completed.

My wooden decks had been in need desperate of stain, so obvious in the before and after photos.  I had stopped noticing. The power of before and after photos. 

After the lumber was replaced, the decks were power washed.

Finally, a new cost of stain. 

I still have touch up to do between the deck boards, but the bulk of the work is done. 

Ya, that's better. 

Still some work to do, but it feels good to have it at this stage.  It also feels good to be done dealing with insurance company, contactor and handyman.  I kind of hate that kind of stuff. 

💰💰💰

It is National Register to Vote Day. 

Check your registration, make a plan to vote.

50 days until we vote

If you don't like gay marriage, don't get gay married 

If you don't like gender-affirming care, don't have any 

If you don't believe in abortion, don't get one 

If you don't think your kid should read a certain book, stop them 

But do not tell others how to live their lives.

50 days until we vote.

Mail & Coors

 It's nice to get mail, 

even when you have to go to the post office and pay the postage due, 😉.

My friend Al came to work at Coors in the '90s. He had worked at Gatorade before coming to Coors and we became instant pals. I was assigned to help orient him on his first day and we hit it off. It wasn't long before I got to know his wife Beth and his daughters Antonia and Kayla. 

While we were still working, Al was very vocal about being a Democrat and I was just the opposite. The environment at Coors was primarily Republican as the Coors family was very conservative and evangelical. I never felt pressured to vote one way, or the other, while working at Coors. We were encouraged to give to a PAC fund, but I never did.  The Coors family took politics seriously, and for a number of years Joe Coors sat in Reagan's kitchen cabinet.  The year that Pete Coors ran for Senator was the hardest for me because most of my colleagues were excited to vote for Pete but I knew that I would not.  I had huge respect for Pete Coors and thought he was a very nice person but I didn't agree with his conservative viewpoints. 

Pete Coors came to my retirement party. 2008

I had always heard that the Coors family is one of the big financial supporters of the Heritage Foundation. This is not a fact that makes me particularly proud but my work at Coors was pretty apolitical. I tried to consider that how the Coors family spent their personal money was their business.  There was never any hate or animosity and there were some good discussions. I never saw the hate that I see now in the voices of the supporters of Miracle Ear.  Back then, I never felt threatened just because I believe in Choice. 

Wanda working the kettles. ~1986

In today's heated political climate, I find it a little harder to look past the role of the Heritage Foundation in the project 2025. It makes me sad to think that the Coors family is pushing that agenda. I have seen social media postings urging for the boycotting of Coors products because of this linkage. I have to separate myself from that message because I am living on a pension that comes from the Coors Brewing Company; boycotting their products does not make sense for me personally. I am, of course, very disappointed in Coors for any role that they are playing in the Project 2025 implementation and the re-election of Miracle-Ear.

I have become more involved in politics living here in Rice Lake. Our local Democratic party is working very hard to elect good people up and down the ballot. My roll is to post information to the social media accounts on both Facebook & Threads.  It has proven to be a fun gig, especially during the Democratic National Convention & the more recent, Presidential Debate.  I also encourage the local county party to use my property for signage.  My land borders a very busy county highway and has good visibility.  

I've had conversations with Al about how he inspired me to get involved. Today, I got this card from Al and I'm not sure you can tell from the photo, but it is a quilled card. It's very artistic and 3D. In Al's note to me, he called it the White House, but I'm pretty sure it's the US capital. Either way, he and I have agreed, that today is a good day to be a Democrat.

Retirement golf outing.
John Mueller, Rick Paine, Wanda, Mark Dujardin, Al Ramirez, & Peter Coors jr
Applewood Golf Course, Colorado 
2008

Hopefully, I will be calling Al on the evening of November 5th to celebrate that it is another good day to be a Democrat.