Covid-19 Life: Happy Birthday to Me!

A birthday is usually when the family gets together with a meal and a cake. These days, the 'get together' is different in kind.

Some FaceTime or Zoom--or have a drive-by car parade with police escort.

I got to to to the doctor. Nothing serious, folk. But it was an excuse to stop by our son's house and see him and his partner and the grandpuppies! Sunny went wild and after she wore herself out, Ellie came up to get her time. Even Hazel the cat came out for a little pet time.

Sunny at a trip to the dog park

Ellie at the dog park

We wore masks.

The kids gave me my presents--a wonderful Jane Austen themed collection of coloring books, a Jane Austen Tea Party recipe book, new colored pencils, and a pencil sharpener that can make THREE KINDS OF POINTS!

 This marzipan hedgehog is the cutest thing!

I was able to give Melissa her birthday present, the Baby Cactus quilt and succulent pillow!

I came home to book mail! The Book Club Cookbook win The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner! Yes, still on a JA theme birthday!

Not bad.

I had a bee house from my brother to give to my son, and I had a new mask that, luckily, fits him better. The bee house my brother gave me is below.

Hubby made dinner. We bought steak. We have not eaten steak in literally years. I avoid buying beef, for my health and the health of the planet. But we had steak and baked potato and a green salad. A bit of nostalgia, as it were.

So, not a bad day, all told, considering the limitations of sheltering in place.

I will close with some terrific photos from my brother and his girlfriend's trip to the Kewanee Penninsula earlier this month.

 Cooper Harbor Lighthouse

Stay safe.

A Birthday Party for My Quilt Friend Shirley, 91 Years Young

Our weekly 'sit and stitch' quilt group in Clawson was organized 16 years ago by several quilters who were told 'it will never work'. To prove the nay-sayers wrong, today 38 gals came out to wish one of our founders a happy 91st birthday!

Shirley Wiliams

Marilyn Brown (red shirt on left in photo below) organized the group to make Shirley Williams a signature quilt. Marilyn also put the quilt top together. She received enough blocks to make a double sided quilt! Barb Lusk, machine quilter extraordinaire, Set aside her Christmas rush jobs to get it quilted in record time.

 Many of us made blocks with Cardinals, Shirley's favorite bird. Each block is signed by the maker.

The flip side of the quilt includes a variety of blocks.

Esther Gadwa whipped up several of her fancy cakes, a cheesecake and a Lemon Curd cake, all made from scratch. She even makes ricotta cheese and lemon curd from scratch. We never lack for luscious deserts!

We had a lovely time.

Shirley has shared stories with me over the last two years. She had the most romantic story I have heard.

When she was a young woman she was engaged to be married. She was at a dance when she saw a handsome young man, returned from the service. She decided he was the man she was going to marry. She did not tell him she was engaged, broker off her engagement, and, well, married her guy!

He was a pilot and Shirley also earned a pilot license. They lived 'Up North' near Houghton Lake. She loved it there.

I love these quilters, and the quilt community.