I don’t know how long I have been reading this book. It is a book on my Kindle and I would pick it up when I was tired but rested, so I would not fall asleep while reading. The characters were my friends and traveled with me during this last breast cancer fight. I cannot tell you how sad I am that the book is finished.
It was 628 of the most wonderful pages, that took me away during a most difficult time. Have you read it? {September, written by Rosamunde Pilcher, was published in 2013}
Photo: I finished September yesterday and have no idea what I will read today
What are YOU reading? I love getting titles.
Yesterday, after finishing my book, I was sad. Larry came home from work and insisted that we get out of the house. We had to pick up a few things from Target and then he said to me, that I needed some spice in my life. He took me to…..
Yes, well you guessed it. Le Creuset. Everything in that blasted store tempts me….but Larry bought me…..
Photo: The new salt and pepper mills
Charming red mills. I needed to replace what we have been using for years….and added a bit of spice into my life at the same time.
“True love can be like salt and pepper, a little sprinkle goes a long way…..
This morning, before 7:00 am, Larry’s phone rang. It was Matilda! Yesterday at her piano lesson, she was given new music. MOZART. She wanted to play it for her Grandfather. {I could hear it too} A few weeks ago, we went with Matilda to her dental appointment. I took this photo of Larry and Matilda reading the comics. Do you remember reading the comics with your parents or grandparents? Do you remember a special relationship with a grandparent?
Photo: Matilda and Larry reading the comics
Above, find 3 hours of Mozart. {I love this version} Enjoy your moments…and don’t forget to read the comics once and awhile. There is something so wonderful about the “BASICS” of life.
Sunday dinner and a movie. We went to church in the morning, walked 3 miles {it makes me so tired} bought a few things at the outlet mall {a pair of shoes and a jacket} and had Sunday dinner. We had, steak, baked potato and corn. For dessert I made a chocolate cake.
It is warm outside and overcast today. Laundry is being worked on and after I post this note, I will work on the Komen Quilt. This afternoon, I have women’s bible study at church and dinner tonight will be a frittata and fruit.
My days go by and I don’t get much done. Or so it seems. Frustration has set in and along with fatigue, it is so easy to get upset. I have the expectations of getting things done as before I got sick but have the reality of now, after being ill. I worry that this will be as good as it gets.
Dinner yesterday was perfect. It was just meat,potatoes and corn, just what I needed.
Photo: Sunday dinner on autograph tablecloth
I made the chocolate cake before church yesterday morning. The calories in it are awful…but each bite was good. Yesterday was our California cousin’s birthday . We toasted her and ate chocolate cake in honor of her.
Photo: Chocolate Cake
There is something about home made chocolate cake isn’t there? Just that little something special that makes a simple evening an occasion. Happy Birthday Aggie!
Last evening, we had the honor of taking our neighbor and friend, Lew out to celebrate his birthday. He is our favorite Octogenarian. Debbie, Lew’s daughter came with us and we had dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant. What is it about being with dear friends that make an evening so special?
Photo: Lew with his birthday cake Photo: The group, celebrating Lew’s birthday.
Birthdays are the best, aren’t they? No matter how old we are.
When we came home, Larry and I found a box on the front porch. The “Wells Fargo” wagon must have come when we were at dinner.
The box was from Atlanta and of course I opened it right away.
Photo: Savannah Honey , a french honey pot and the best card in the world.
This gift was from a friend whom is dear to my heart. She is wise, kind, generous and always supportive. Do you have a friend, who is so wonderful, that there are no words? Karen is one of my friends who fits this description. Thank you Karen…this will be enjoyed for a very long time.
Larry is working in my work room today. Some things are happening in our lives and he is including me along the way….I will share later.
A few nights ago, I overheard a conversation. It was between two women who I know. One asked the other: I have a friendwho is out of work and needs a mammogram. What can I tell her?
The other woman answered: Please have her call Komen North Texas. They can give her the names of places who have no cost or low cost mammograms.
Women who cannot afford yearly screenings should NOT go without a mammogram. Early detection is so important. It has saved my life, twice.
TEAM BELIEVE has promised to raise $2,500.00 to Komen during our annual 5K. That seems like a huge mountain to me. But if I can fight breast cancer twice, I can raise $2,500.00. I am going to need your help.
For each $25.00 donated to Team Believe, you will get a raffle ticket for a hand made quilt. Designed and made by me. Robin Tolbert. World famous ARTist/ Quilter/ Grandmother and two time Breast Cancer Survivor. The Komen Quilt is in progress at this time Photos below. .{Drawing for the quilt will be May 23, 2020}
For $25.00 you will get 1 ticket
For $50.00 you will get 2 tickets
For $75.00 you will get 3 tickets.
For $100.00 you will get 4 tickets & 10 bonus tickets
For $200.00 you will get 8 tickets & 20 bonus tickets
For $300.00 you will get 12 tickets & 30 bonus tickets
For $400.00 you will get 16 tickets & 40 bonus tickets
For $500.00 you will get 20 tickets & 50 bonus tickets
If you would like to help, Go to the link below. Click on DONATE, type: Team Believe and make your donation.
I have been remiss in posting Larry and my weekly moments: Sunday Dinner and a Movie. We do continue the tradition, but I have been very preoccupied as of late and forget to post.
This past Sunday., dinner was Larry’s idea. Since we are scheduled to leave for France very soon, he wanted Paris “Street Food”……
Photo: Sunday table
We had baguette sandwiches, fruit, dip and crisps. This is much how our street dinners look while in France. Our movie was…
Photo: Sunday dinner and a movie favorite
Larry does love this movie…ok, so do I.
Dessert was cream puffs. I make Pâte à Choux and Creme Patissiere. It is the first time I have made cream puffs in ages. I remember Mother teaching me how to add eggs to Choux pastry when I was a small girl. I suspect that her arms were tired and need a strong person to help stir. Larry and I made choux pastry last year in a cooking class in France {so much FUN!}. We made cheese puffs out of it. My mouth is watering just typing about it.
Photo: Cream Puff Photo: Sunday, dinner and moviePhoto: We call it Street food, because we buy the food from street vendors
Today is the first day of Lent. Larry is giving up Donuts. I am also giving up donuts but I am also adding…no food past 7:00 at night.
Larry looked at me this morning, and said: I love it when you work on a Komen quilt. It makes you happy.
After he left for work, I thought about what he said. I am always flattered when he compliments me, but this is different. When I am making a Komen quilt, I feel like I am giving back in some small way. {Early detection saves lives. Have your mammogram}
The Komen quilt, that I call “She” for some unknown reason, has been started.
Photo: Komen Quilt in progress
For now, everything is being hand pieced. After I have the blocks pieced, who knows what will happen?
Photo: hand piecing square. One of my favorite blocks. Churn Dash.Photo: Cluttered work room today.Photo: Pink tickets and fabric.
Two donations have been made to Team Believe. Thank you Lisa Aven and Judy Dils. I will get your tickets out to you this week.
I wish you a happy day. Perhaps, stop for a moment and look around you? Life is so precious….right now…I am typing but the birds out front are singing so loudly, I can hear them over my keyboard and thank God for the beautiful serenade. {Because of early detection, I am here to enjoy the beauty.}
When I found her, I was instantly in love. No doubts. She WILL be part of Team Believe’s 2020 journey. Today She will be incorporated into a wish, a daydream. It is my wish for every woman to have full availability to breast cancer screenings once a year. Early detection saves lives. It has saved mine twice.
It sounds like a riddle doesn’t it? Well, Let me explain.
Each year, since my first breast cancer, I have been involved with Susan G. Komen. Our family, Larry, Lauren, Josh, Matilda, Jami, Jared, Larry and myself, have walked the 5K yearly as TEAM BELIEVE. As my individual fund raiser, I would raffle something off. Something that I create.
Photo: Unnamed Day Dream~ 5K is on May 16th 2020
Today the 2020 project starts. You are welcome to start donating. You are also welcome to wait till the project is complete, join TEAM BELIEVE during the 5K walk or just read the blog with interest.
This year, I had a difficult time deciding on the Raffle gift. When I saw the fabric panel above, I fell in love. My journey this year has been difficult and I wanted the Prize to be as meaningful to me as to the winner.
Today, this project {quilt} will be born. It will take on its own personality and will be my project for many hours. I am excited.
Please consider donating . For each $25.00 to TEAM BELIEVE you will get a ticket. {you will donate directly to my Komen TEAM BELIEVE account and then email me your address. I will send you your side raffle ticket by snail mail}
I always knew that I wanted children. I just wanted them. Boys, girls, one or five. When Larry and I had been married a few years and nothing was happening in the baby department, I went to a wonderful DR. {I had a miscarriage before changing DRs.}
STILL nothing happened. It was then when we were put on fertility drugs. {in 1981 this was a big deal} I was pregnant right away after the fertility treatments.
My parents were thrilled. My sisters could not wait to have a niece or nephew. Larry and I just grinned.
My mother knew that the church was very important in our lives….so she approached me. She asked if we had plans on having the baby Baptized. She knew the answer before asking, she just was being polite.
She then asked if she could make the Baptism dress. It was a generous and sweet offer. We said, yes. Please.
Mother just planned the dress {for a boy or a girl} not bothering me with details.
When Baby Lauren was born, she presented the Baptism dress to us. It was stunning. Hand made out of the softest lawn fabric and cotton eyelet.
Here is Lauren in the dress, the day after her Baptism…..
Photo: Lauren Baptism 1981
Below, Jamison also wore the dress. Here is the photo taken the day after her Baptism.
Photo: Jami Baptism 1984
The reason I am sharing this is, I found the Baptism dress yesterday. It was in a drawer in the room where the tree fell into the roof. It had remained there during all of the awful restoration. It makes me sad to think that I had forgotten it. It is a little messy.
It is still wrapped in the blue tissue Mother had put it in. So many memories flood back to me just holding the dress in that blue tissue.
Photo: Baptism Dress. Made by Grace Stevenson 1981
It looks pink in the photo, but it is still white. It is wrinkly, but still so soft. My Mother sewed each stitch of this dress. I love the memories, I love what this dress represents. Even if no other baby ever wears this beautiful dress, the memories I have will fill my heart.
Larry suggested that we take it to the dry cleaner and have it cleaned up and preserved similar to how they preserve wedding dresses. Maybe one day, a baby will come along who needs a hand made Baptism dress.
Memories tug at our souls. We live through the happiness and sadness these memories bring, vowing to find something good in each memory. The week that the tree came through our roof….I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. I was sad and distracted. I forgot many things that week, besides the Baptism dress. That makes me so sad…..but when I hold the dress, in the blue tissue I can almost see Mothers blue eyes. That is one of the best memories of all.
Yesterday I painted. I walked almost 3 miles, made a rice pudding and binge watched a few episodes of a Netflix show. { I did other stuff too, but these were the highlights}
The painting is going well. Taking longer than expected, but I have found that when I define something and don’t like it, I leave it alone for a bit instead of trying to fix it. If I try to fix it and get tired, I end up not liking the piece at all. ie: TRASH
It was raining yesterday. At Larry’s lunch hour, we went to the Stonebrier Mall in Frisco to walk my laps. Lauren and Matilda have the flu and I was closer to them there in case they needed us to drop something by their house. I walked 2.96 miles. So close to three miles….
When we came home, I made a rice pudding. It was a Paula Deen recipe and was delicious.
Photo: Rice pudding
I had two helpings. Larry hates it so did not have any. I put the left overs in the fridge…and this morning… it was watery. That makes me so mad. It was cool when it went in the fridge so it is not condensation. Its just a watery pudding/recipe. ie: TRASH
After eating to much rice pudding, I got ready for bed early. I cuddled in and turned on Netflix to watch our current obsession series.
Many years ago, I was part of an online book-group called Bookaccino. There were about 30/40 regulars in the group and we were scattered all around the country. I met some of the most wonderful people in this group.
One of our regulars in our group was a man named Harlan Coben. At the time he only wrote books….now he is into so much more. Larry and I are binge watching a Harlan show on Netflix…..The Stranger. Oh my gosh. That is all I will say. Wait! One thing I can say is I cannot knit and watch it. It keeps me on the edge of my chair. ie: NOT TRASH ….If you like mysteries, be sure to try it.
I’m not sleeping well these days. BUT i get to watch a lot of CNN at 3:00am.
