I have been largely absent from the blog for a few days. Have been sort of busy. Then, too, I didn't have much of interest to write. Still don't!
Race weekend in Indy has come and gone. I had house guests. My former son-in-law, his wife, step-daughter, and mother-in-law were here for the 500 and to visit his parents whom they haven't seen since Thanksgiving. I offer my place for them to stay because I can. I'm close to Indy and happy to have the company. We had a good time. Everyone arrived home safely. It's all good!
The weekend heat has dissipated. We had a small thunderstorm roll through in the early hours of this morning, giving us a little rain. Not sure how much. It wasn't enough but sure better than nothing! Things were getting parched!
I'll try to be a little better about blogging. Hope to have more to write!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Why?
I have missed the Dayton Hamvention this year, but I still feel good.
My daughter and son-in-law are making their way homeward after a long getaway weekend at Mackinac Island. I wasn't there, but I was still thrilled by their experiences.
I am preparing for Race Weekend company that I can only house and not help. It will be great!
Why?
Why is because I give what I can. No strings attached. And I care.
No "you can come here but the person I don't like can't".
I am hosting my EX-son-in-law and his wife and HER family. People on the outside might not understand, but the rest of us get it. Life goes on!
Thanks be to God...I look forward to the next week. Bring it on!
My daughter and son-in-law are making their way homeward after a long getaway weekend at Mackinac Island. I wasn't there, but I was still thrilled by their experiences.
I am preparing for Race Weekend company that I can only house and not help. It will be great!
Why?
Why is because I give what I can. No strings attached. And I care.
No "you can come here but the person I don't like can't".
I am hosting my EX-son-in-law and his wife and HER family. People on the outside might not understand, but the rest of us get it. Life goes on!
Thanks be to God...I look forward to the next week. Bring it on!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Hurricane Katrina
I was going through the blog archives and noticed that I started this rambling thing after Hurricane Katrina happened; thus, I posted nothing about my experiences with that. So I'm doing it now, largely because I think it is history and something that my daughter and grandchildren can look at later.
Hurricane Katrina occurred in September of 2005, which turned out to be a bad year for hurricanes. Katrina was a category 5 storm that became one of the top five worst in history for the US, for property damage and deaths. The storm was a two-pronged tragedy: actual hurricane damage (which was extensive all over the south), and flooding in New Orleans (where the levees failed, allowing many feet of water into the below-sea-level city). The rest of the nation, safe in their snug homes, watched the TV in horror as the scene unfolded--people being rescued by boat and from roofs by helicopter, relocated people in the heat and humidity without enough food or water or human amenities, and aid that was slow to come. There were rumors of murders and rapes and shootings and lawlessness--much of it media hype, I believe. Certainly, there was looting. Folks had been in and around the flood contamination. It wasn't a pretty picture.
During the worst of it, SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) kept vigil on the air in order to provide communications for The Salvation Army which was on the scene, trying to help. I put in to be net control operator for ONE hour of all of that, and for my efforts, two TV stations were in my home during that hour to film our operations for the evening news. I figured it was good publicity for SATERN, and the stations ate it up.
Not long thereafter, I asked the local Salvation Army (TSA) to put me on their list to be deployed to the affected area. I was still teaching at the time but figured this was a higher calling. So heroic of me! And then reality hit. What am I thinking?? I can go down there with TSA, work my fanny off by day and have NO nice, air-conditioned motel room to go to at the end. Showers? Uh...maybe not. Temperatures and humidity both in the 90's range, with no relief in sight. I was 58 years old at the time. I began to realize that I could be part of the problem rather than part of the solution, so I decided to let the younger bucks take over and just do the best I could from home.
That opportunity came. Once the airport runways were cleared in New Orleans, planeloads of displaced persons were being flown out to any city that would accept them. Indianapolis was to receive two planes. The Red Cross would shelter one planeload, and TSA would shelter the other. I volunteer for TSA, so I was on board for it. I worked with Bert Williams, the EDS Director for TSA in Indy, to determine what he needed. He wanted a radio operator at Eagle Creek Corps (church) where the shelter would be, another for the bus that would transport people to the corps after they were processed, and another at the airport terminal. I had no problem getting volunteers. I assigned myself to the airport detail.
The old international terminal at Indy International had been closed for awhile, but it was re-opened just for this event. Inside the terminal were doctors and nurses, wheelchairs, tables filled with clean clothes and shoes, and snacks. Just outside the terminal on the tarmac was a decontamination tent. Folks who deplaned were taken to the tent, showered, and given hospital scrubs to put on before being sent inside for medical evaluation. Bert had planned for ice cream treats for any children that were on the plane. The corps building was all set up with cots, blankets, pillows, toiletry articles, a lounge with TV and games...anything to help make the transition better for the folks who had already been through so much.
As SATERN Coordinator for Indiana, I had asked for (and received) permission to use the 146.700 repeater on an "as need" basis. All that day, we used the repeater as little as possible so as not to interfere with normal use, but I noticed that the entire repeater population kept somewhat silent in order to give us the leeway that we needed. (I love amateur radio!) Rest assured, all of the Indianapolis radio population was listening to us, but there was no interference in our communications.
The day was sunny and warm. When the plane landed, it took quite awhile for people to be deplaned. The folks that went into the plane to greet them were wearing hazmat suits! I thought it was a bit of overkill, but they didn't ask me! One by one, people were led down the stairs to go to the decontamination tent. I was able to confirm that there were no children on the plane. The youngest person was in her 20s. The rest were quite old and infirm, 99% of which were African American folks in need to a place to stay and some TLC. We had a Spanish interpreter on site but soon determined that the young 20ish lady was deaf. We put out a call for a deaf interpreter. That took awhile...
The plane "residents" were all evaluated by medical personnel. I'd say that probably 20% of them were sent to hospitals thereafter. The rest were given clothes to wear and snacks to eat as they boarded the bus to go to the shelter at Eagle Creek Corps. I followed in my car. At the corps, there was a policeman who had been called to be there in case of trouble (because of media hype). His comment to me was, "It doesn't look like there are any rowdies in this group." Indeed not! They were all old folks, like me! Sleeping on cots in a gym at a TSA corps may not seem like the Ritz, but it was most assuredly better than what they had left in New Orleans...and TSA bent over backwards to make them comfortable. Most were quite grateful to have an air conditioned place to sleep and meals provided. I am proud to have been a part of that. The next day, there were buses to take them to the Salvation Army Thrift Store to find clothing. That was a start.
About the young deaf woman--when she boarded the plane in N. O., she thought she was going to Texas where she had relatives. When she found out she was in Indianapolis, she said she would WALK to Texas, if she had to! Once the deaf interpreter arrived, she calmed down because she could finally communicate. I spoke to the corps officer once after the whole experience. She told me that she had pulled strings with a relative who had connections with Gallaudet University (for the deaf) in DC to start the young woman on a law degree. I hope that happened! I have no clue what occurred with the rest of the people who were on the plane. I only know that, for that one day, I helped.
I learned a lot that day--about the dignity of human life, compassion, the cooperation of amateur radio, parking the ego at the door in times of need, relying on the faith of others who are all willing to help when times get tough, and the efficiency of The Salvation Army. I was just a little duck in a large pond, but I felt blessed!
Hurricane Katrina occurred in September of 2005, which turned out to be a bad year for hurricanes. Katrina was a category 5 storm that became one of the top five worst in history for the US, for property damage and deaths. The storm was a two-pronged tragedy: actual hurricane damage (which was extensive all over the south), and flooding in New Orleans (where the levees failed, allowing many feet of water into the below-sea-level city). The rest of the nation, safe in their snug homes, watched the TV in horror as the scene unfolded--people being rescued by boat and from roofs by helicopter, relocated people in the heat and humidity without enough food or water or human amenities, and aid that was slow to come. There were rumors of murders and rapes and shootings and lawlessness--much of it media hype, I believe. Certainly, there was looting. Folks had been in and around the flood contamination. It wasn't a pretty picture.
During the worst of it, SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) kept vigil on the air in order to provide communications for The Salvation Army which was on the scene, trying to help. I put in to be net control operator for ONE hour of all of that, and for my efforts, two TV stations were in my home during that hour to film our operations for the evening news. I figured it was good publicity for SATERN, and the stations ate it up.
Not long thereafter, I asked the local Salvation Army (TSA) to put me on their list to be deployed to the affected area. I was still teaching at the time but figured this was a higher calling. So heroic of me! And then reality hit. What am I thinking?? I can go down there with TSA, work my fanny off by day and have NO nice, air-conditioned motel room to go to at the end. Showers? Uh...maybe not. Temperatures and humidity both in the 90's range, with no relief in sight. I was 58 years old at the time. I began to realize that I could be part of the problem rather than part of the solution, so I decided to let the younger bucks take over and just do the best I could from home.
That opportunity came. Once the airport runways were cleared in New Orleans, planeloads of displaced persons were being flown out to any city that would accept them. Indianapolis was to receive two planes. The Red Cross would shelter one planeload, and TSA would shelter the other. I volunteer for TSA, so I was on board for it. I worked with Bert Williams, the EDS Director for TSA in Indy, to determine what he needed. He wanted a radio operator at Eagle Creek Corps (church) where the shelter would be, another for the bus that would transport people to the corps after they were processed, and another at the airport terminal. I had no problem getting volunteers. I assigned myself to the airport detail.
The old international terminal at Indy International had been closed for awhile, but it was re-opened just for this event. Inside the terminal were doctors and nurses, wheelchairs, tables filled with clean clothes and shoes, and snacks. Just outside the terminal on the tarmac was a decontamination tent. Folks who deplaned were taken to the tent, showered, and given hospital scrubs to put on before being sent inside for medical evaluation. Bert had planned for ice cream treats for any children that were on the plane. The corps building was all set up with cots, blankets, pillows, toiletry articles, a lounge with TV and games...anything to help make the transition better for the folks who had already been through so much.
As SATERN Coordinator for Indiana, I had asked for (and received) permission to use the 146.700 repeater on an "as need" basis. All that day, we used the repeater as little as possible so as not to interfere with normal use, but I noticed that the entire repeater population kept somewhat silent in order to give us the leeway that we needed. (I love amateur radio!) Rest assured, all of the Indianapolis radio population was listening to us, but there was no interference in our communications.
The day was sunny and warm. When the plane landed, it took quite awhile for people to be deplaned. The folks that went into the plane to greet them were wearing hazmat suits! I thought it was a bit of overkill, but they didn't ask me! One by one, people were led down the stairs to go to the decontamination tent. I was able to confirm that there were no children on the plane. The youngest person was in her 20s. The rest were quite old and infirm, 99% of which were African American folks in need to a place to stay and some TLC. We had a Spanish interpreter on site but soon determined that the young 20ish lady was deaf. We put out a call for a deaf interpreter. That took awhile...
The plane "residents" were all evaluated by medical personnel. I'd say that probably 20% of them were sent to hospitals thereafter. The rest were given clothes to wear and snacks to eat as they boarded the bus to go to the shelter at Eagle Creek Corps. I followed in my car. At the corps, there was a policeman who had been called to be there in case of trouble (because of media hype). His comment to me was, "It doesn't look like there are any rowdies in this group." Indeed not! They were all old folks, like me! Sleeping on cots in a gym at a TSA corps may not seem like the Ritz, but it was most assuredly better than what they had left in New Orleans...and TSA bent over backwards to make them comfortable. Most were quite grateful to have an air conditioned place to sleep and meals provided. I am proud to have been a part of that. The next day, there were buses to take them to the Salvation Army Thrift Store to find clothing. That was a start.
About the young deaf woman--when she boarded the plane in N. O., she thought she was going to Texas where she had relatives. When she found out she was in Indianapolis, she said she would WALK to Texas, if she had to! Once the deaf interpreter arrived, she calmed down because she could finally communicate. I spoke to the corps officer once after the whole experience. She told me that she had pulled strings with a relative who had connections with Gallaudet University (for the deaf) in DC to start the young woman on a law degree. I hope that happened! I have no clue what occurred with the rest of the people who were on the plane. I only know that, for that one day, I helped.
I learned a lot that day--about the dignity of human life, compassion, the cooperation of amateur radio, parking the ego at the door in times of need, relying on the faith of others who are all willing to help when times get tough, and the efficiency of The Salvation Army. I was just a little duck in a large pond, but I felt blessed!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
First Communion
This blog post is out of chronological order from the other things that have happened. This one is about my grandson's First Communion ceremony and party in Zion, IL, that took place a week or so ago. Sorry!
The ceremony was on May 5th--Grandpa Phil's 72nd birthday. The Heffelman grandparents were supposed to be there. In fact, Grandma Judy and I had plans to provide Ryan's FC outfit. We did, but Judy was slated for necessary surgery the day before. They couldn't come! I missed them!
Eight-year-old Ryan is tall for his age and between sizes. Over a couple of months, we worked to find just the right fit for him to make him look spiffy. We found a second-hand suit for him, which Grandma Judy/Grandpa Phil paid for. I supplied the shoes, socks, shirt, and tie for him. His sister got a dress and shoes to match what was going on with him. I was so proud of how they all looked!
The ceremony was at Our Lady of Humility Church in Beach Park, IL. After mass, there were pictures, then a party at their home.
Daddy Nathan was in charge of the food. He grilled chicken and steak for tortillas, with trimmings. There were two kinds of salsa--green and red--several kinds of chips, a rice dish, refried beans, and (of course) a lovely decorated cake. Ryan got to open his gifts...mostly cash and a fabric "mosaic" cross that his mother made especially for him. (Lots of money! Like over $100!) It was a pretty special party for a pretty special little boy! We were just happy to be included in the festivities.
God bless our little guy!
The ceremony was on May 5th--Grandpa Phil's 72nd birthday. The Heffelman grandparents were supposed to be there. In fact, Grandma Judy and I had plans to provide Ryan's FC outfit. We did, but Judy was slated for necessary surgery the day before. They couldn't come! I missed them!
Eight-year-old Ryan is tall for his age and between sizes. Over a couple of months, we worked to find just the right fit for him to make him look spiffy. We found a second-hand suit for him, which Grandma Judy/Grandpa Phil paid for. I supplied the shoes, socks, shirt, and tie for him. His sister got a dress and shoes to match what was going on with him. I was so proud of how they all looked!
The ceremony was at Our Lady of Humility Church in Beach Park, IL. After mass, there were pictures, then a party at their home.
Daddy Nathan was in charge of the food. He grilled chicken and steak for tortillas, with trimmings. There were two kinds of salsa--green and red--several kinds of chips, a rice dish, refried beans, and (of course) a lovely decorated cake. Ryan got to open his gifts...mostly cash and a fabric "mosaic" cross that his mother made especially for him. (Lots of money! Like over $100!) It was a pretty special party for a pretty special little boy! We were just happy to be included in the festivities.
God bless our little guy!
My Mommy's Day Weekend
I'm a little slow to make a blog post this week! Here 'tis.
A scant two days after I returned home from my daughter's, they all (including the grandkids) came down to visit me. I love that! Unfortunately, a regular weekend is hardly long enough, considering that it takes them longer to get here due to two children and one caffeine drinker in their vehicle, but we cram a lot of stuff into a short amount of time.
Basically, the mission of the weekend was to have a Mother's Day brunch at my house with us and the grandchildren's paternal grandparents in attendance, and to let the grandchildren play with their neighbor buddies as much as possible, plus use my son-in-law to help do some things that I can't do around the house. We got 'er done! Megan spent the biggest chunk of Saturday and some of Sunday morning preparing a (costly) gourmet brunch for us all, and Denis wore himself out on Saturday doing some things on my honey-do list (and some things that weren't even on there). I was pretty useless on Saturday and crashed early. I think Megan and Denis were up until 2:00 AM!
By 11:00 AM on Sunday, the table was set in a pretty, springy way. The Heffelman grandparents--my friends--arrived. They had not seen the grandchildren since New Year's Eve. (They were supposed to attend our grandson's First Communion in Illinois, but Grandma Judy was slated for major, necessary surgery the day before, so they couldn't make it.) As it was, Judy was sort of our Guest of Honor on Mother's Day. Coming here was her first outing post-surgery. She looked good, felt good, and ate well, so we were all happy!
Our menu, totally planned and executed by Megan:
*cottage cheese souffle' (with bacon)
*spinach and strawberry salad (with a poppy seed dressing)
*little sausage, cheese, and egg quiches (made with refrigerator biscuits in muffin cups)
*fresh fruit salad
*baked blueberry french toast (an overnight dish, made with cinnamon bread, cream cheese, and homemade bluberry syrup
*little Oreo Cakesters covered with fondant frosting and decorated (really elegant!)
*birthday cake with white frosting that looked like roses (for Denis)
*beverage--mimosas, with champagne, OJ, and other fruit juices
You couldn't have purchased a more sophisticated luncheon at the Ritz! It was all delicious, but probably way too much food!
Sometime before our guests came in the morning, I went back to my bedroom to get dressed and found an absolutely gorgeous homemade quilt on my bed! Megan made it practically under my nose when I was up visiting. It was designed to match the walls of my bedroom. (The walls of the bedroom are painted an odd "whale blue" color that is neither blue nor gray, but somewhere in between and hard to match. The quilt goes perfectly!) I love it!
Aside from supporting Megan in her culinary processes on Saturday, Denis worked himself to death around the house. He cleaned out my gutters, removed some broken light bulbs and changed others, removed an over-the-toilet storage unit so we could get to the half-bath potty that had been causing some problems, trimmed stray tree "volunteers" from around the house and fence, put together and installed some shelving in the mini-barn and organized it a bit. The piece de resistance, for me at least, was that he hauled off junk from the patio that had been there for years and irked me every spring/summer. And THEN, after I went to bed, he washed the kitchen floor with a floor machine that they donated to me a year ago AND vacuumed the living room rug and cleaned out the clogged vacuum hose. Oh...and he hauled my new microwave in from my trunk and helped move the buffet to get it plugged in.
I'm not sure that either Megan or Denis can possibly know how much of a boost they gave me with the help. Tomorrow is Denis's birthday. (We celebrated on Sunday.) I normally just give him money to use as he sees fit, but this time, I put in a bit more because of all he did, and knowing that they are starting a long weekend excursion into Michigan today and could probably use it.
Just got word from Meg that they had to stop at a doctor's on their way out of town because she felt a UTI coming on. Shades of last summer in Moab, UT, when she quickly got so sick with one that it risked the rest of the trip. Hope the meds work, Meg...and hope you and Denis have a fun time exploring Mackinac Island and surrounds!
I am so blessed!
A scant two days after I returned home from my daughter's, they all (including the grandkids) came down to visit me. I love that! Unfortunately, a regular weekend is hardly long enough, considering that it takes them longer to get here due to two children and one caffeine drinker in their vehicle, but we cram a lot of stuff into a short amount of time.
Basically, the mission of the weekend was to have a Mother's Day brunch at my house with us and the grandchildren's paternal grandparents in attendance, and to let the grandchildren play with their neighbor buddies as much as possible, plus use my son-in-law to help do some things that I can't do around the house. We got 'er done! Megan spent the biggest chunk of Saturday and some of Sunday morning preparing a (costly) gourmet brunch for us all, and Denis wore himself out on Saturday doing some things on my honey-do list (and some things that weren't even on there). I was pretty useless on Saturday and crashed early. I think Megan and Denis were up until 2:00 AM!
By 11:00 AM on Sunday, the table was set in a pretty, springy way. The Heffelman grandparents--my friends--arrived. They had not seen the grandchildren since New Year's Eve. (They were supposed to attend our grandson's First Communion in Illinois, but Grandma Judy was slated for major, necessary surgery the day before, so they couldn't make it.) As it was, Judy was sort of our Guest of Honor on Mother's Day. Coming here was her first outing post-surgery. She looked good, felt good, and ate well, so we were all happy!
Our menu, totally planned and executed by Megan:
*cottage cheese souffle' (with bacon)
*spinach and strawberry salad (with a poppy seed dressing)
*little sausage, cheese, and egg quiches (made with refrigerator biscuits in muffin cups)
*fresh fruit salad
*baked blueberry french toast (an overnight dish, made with cinnamon bread, cream cheese, and homemade bluberry syrup
*little Oreo Cakesters covered with fondant frosting and decorated (really elegant!)
*birthday cake with white frosting that looked like roses (for Denis)
*beverage--mimosas, with champagne, OJ, and other fruit juices
You couldn't have purchased a more sophisticated luncheon at the Ritz! It was all delicious, but probably way too much food!
Sometime before our guests came in the morning, I went back to my bedroom to get dressed and found an absolutely gorgeous homemade quilt on my bed! Megan made it practically under my nose when I was up visiting. It was designed to match the walls of my bedroom. (The walls of the bedroom are painted an odd "whale blue" color that is neither blue nor gray, but somewhere in between and hard to match. The quilt goes perfectly!) I love it!
Aside from supporting Megan in her culinary processes on Saturday, Denis worked himself to death around the house. He cleaned out my gutters, removed some broken light bulbs and changed others, removed an over-the-toilet storage unit so we could get to the half-bath potty that had been causing some problems, trimmed stray tree "volunteers" from around the house and fence, put together and installed some shelving in the mini-barn and organized it a bit. The piece de resistance, for me at least, was that he hauled off junk from the patio that had been there for years and irked me every spring/summer. And THEN, after I went to bed, he washed the kitchen floor with a floor machine that they donated to me a year ago AND vacuumed the living room rug and cleaned out the clogged vacuum hose. Oh...and he hauled my new microwave in from my trunk and helped move the buffet to get it plugged in.
I'm not sure that either Megan or Denis can possibly know how much of a boost they gave me with the help. Tomorrow is Denis's birthday. (We celebrated on Sunday.) I normally just give him money to use as he sees fit, but this time, I put in a bit more because of all he did, and knowing that they are starting a long weekend excursion into Michigan today and could probably use it.
Just got word from Meg that they had to stop at a doctor's on their way out of town because she felt a UTI coming on. Shades of last summer in Moab, UT, when she quickly got so sick with one that it risked the rest of the trip. Hope the meds work, Meg...and hope you and Denis have a fun time exploring Mackinac Island and surrounds!
I am so blessed!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Great Prom Dress Adventure
I drove up to my daughter's in Grayslake, IL, last Thursday in preparation for my grandson's First Communion event. Meg had changed some things. The "English basement" room is now fitted as a sewing/guest room. I ooohed and aaaahed over it. I always wanted a sewing room!
The kids live in a townhouse. The garage and the English basement are on the ground floor. Things go up from there. The basement room is where I stay when I am there. The windows in the room are literally at ground level. The cat loves to look out at the ground squirrels that come right up to the window, so Megan leaves the blinds pulled up a bit so Toffee-Cat can do her cat thing. Unfortunately, having the blinds up also makes everything visible to anyone passing by.
Sometime after I got there but before dinner, we were wrapped up in a project that Meg was doing for Ryan's First Communion when there was a knock on the window. Huh? A male neighbor across the sidewalk saw the sewing machine in use and said his daughter needed to have a prom dress hemmed. Could we do it? Megan isn't into sewing clothing, but she told him we'd look at it, knowing that if we took it on, it would be my call. A bit later, the neighbor's wife and daughter and one of the daughter's girlfriends showed up at the door with the dress. The dress was too long. In order to make do, the gal had bought two pairs of shoes--one of which was high platforms. She could never have danced in those!! They had taken the dress to a cleaners who quoted them $130 for hemming because the skirt had three layers.
Understand that we didn't know them and they didn't know us. This was Thursday late afternoon. The Prom was Friday. They would never be able to find anyone to do the job in the time that was left. (Megan wondered what their plan was. I wondered, too!) After about 30 minutes of seeing the dress tried on with the young lady standing on a stool, etc., I said something like, "I have to be out of my mind, but I'll give it a go." The mother made a run to a fabric store to buy matching thread, and the task was on.
The skirt was very full and in three layers. The two under-layers were satin and shorter/less full than the outer layer, which was chiffon. Unless you are a seamstress, you might not understand that something that is circular, like the skirts of that dress, cannot be hemmed normally without major puckers. The hem has to be tiny. Like a quarter-inch. Tricky.
Since I was already somewhat tired, I thought about tackling the project on Friday morning, but something told me that I needed to start after supper on Thursday. I'm glad I did! The chiffon layer was so full that it took all evening just to measure and cut the right length, and run a basting stitch to hold everything in place before I used the sewing machine. I was already trying to think about how to shorten the process for the next two layers.
Truly, if I'd had a week to work on the dress, I could have done a semi-professional job on it. With less than 24 hours, however, I was less than pleased with how it came out. With that in mind, when the folks came to pick up the dress on Friday afternoon, the mother asked me how much money I wanted for my work. I asked for $20. She gave me $50! Two days after the Prom, they came over with a thank-you note for me and three pieces of cake for us all, saying that I had saved them from a crisis. The Prom-goer told me that the dress was a perfect length for dancing barefoot, which is what she told me she intended to do from the beginning. Honestly, I was somewhat ashamed with the quality of my work, but they seemed to be okay with having the dress shorter no matter how bad it looked at close inspection.
In any case, Meg and Denis have now met new neighbors. It's all good!
The kids live in a townhouse. The garage and the English basement are on the ground floor. Things go up from there. The basement room is where I stay when I am there. The windows in the room are literally at ground level. The cat loves to look out at the ground squirrels that come right up to the window, so Megan leaves the blinds pulled up a bit so Toffee-Cat can do her cat thing. Unfortunately, having the blinds up also makes everything visible to anyone passing by.
Sometime after I got there but before dinner, we were wrapped up in a project that Meg was doing for Ryan's First Communion when there was a knock on the window. Huh? A male neighbor across the sidewalk saw the sewing machine in use and said his daughter needed to have a prom dress hemmed. Could we do it? Megan isn't into sewing clothing, but she told him we'd look at it, knowing that if we took it on, it would be my call. A bit later, the neighbor's wife and daughter and one of the daughter's girlfriends showed up at the door with the dress. The dress was too long. In order to make do, the gal had bought two pairs of shoes--one of which was high platforms. She could never have danced in those!! They had taken the dress to a cleaners who quoted them $130 for hemming because the skirt had three layers.
Understand that we didn't know them and they didn't know us. This was Thursday late afternoon. The Prom was Friday. They would never be able to find anyone to do the job in the time that was left. (Megan wondered what their plan was. I wondered, too!) After about 30 minutes of seeing the dress tried on with the young lady standing on a stool, etc., I said something like, "I have to be out of my mind, but I'll give it a go." The mother made a run to a fabric store to buy matching thread, and the task was on.
The skirt was very full and in three layers. The two under-layers were satin and shorter/less full than the outer layer, which was chiffon. Unless you are a seamstress, you might not understand that something that is circular, like the skirts of that dress, cannot be hemmed normally without major puckers. The hem has to be tiny. Like a quarter-inch. Tricky.
Since I was already somewhat tired, I thought about tackling the project on Friday morning, but something told me that I needed to start after supper on Thursday. I'm glad I did! The chiffon layer was so full that it took all evening just to measure and cut the right length, and run a basting stitch to hold everything in place before I used the sewing machine. I was already trying to think about how to shorten the process for the next two layers.
Truly, if I'd had a week to work on the dress, I could have done a semi-professional job on it. With less than 24 hours, however, I was less than pleased with how it came out. With that in mind, when the folks came to pick up the dress on Friday afternoon, the mother asked me how much money I wanted for my work. I asked for $20. She gave me $50! Two days after the Prom, they came over with a thank-you note for me and three pieces of cake for us all, saying that I had saved them from a crisis. The Prom-goer told me that the dress was a perfect length for dancing barefoot, which is what she told me she intended to do from the beginning. Honestly, I was somewhat ashamed with the quality of my work, but they seemed to be okay with having the dress shorter no matter how bad it looked at close inspection.
In any case, Meg and Denis have now met new neighbors. It's all good!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sewer Problem All Gone; Other Problems Arise
A plumber was promised between mid-morning and noon yesterday. By 2:40 PM, I was getting nervous. The sky was darkening and bad weather was on the way. I called to make sure they hadn't forgotten me. They hadn't. The plumber showed up at 3:00. This was not my usual guy. Apparently there have been changes in the company--a small outfit out of Mooresville, IN. He got out the "snake" and took my word for it that the cause of the problem was roots in the sewer. Thirty minutes later, I was up and running again.
But, ya know? The stuff that came out of the sewer cleanout was nasty! In light of what I saw, I determined that the backup water that flooded my rooms needed special attention. Bleach! I'm STILL finishing up the mop-up process. It takes time. (I'm old!) I threw a little bleach into the laundry load that cleaned the towels I had thrown on the floor to soak up the overflow. It ruined one hand towel. I guess I can sacrifice one old hand towel for the sake of knowing that the rest of them are sanitized. Rolling with the flow...
My daughter has a lump on her thyroid. She had an ultrasound today. She's scared, and I am scared for her, but I refuse to let it get to me until there is a reason for fear. We will await the results together because I am going up there for my grandson's First Communion event. Megan and my grandchildren are my life. Should anything happen to them before my own demise, you can visit me in the looney-bin. I'm serious! Right now, her half-brother is undergoing chemotherapy for a terminal cancer condition, and everyone feels awful for him. Unfortunately, the only thing Meg's father could say to her when she told him that she was concerned about the situation with her thyroid was, "Imagine how Eric must feel." That was totally insensitive! I am WAY beyond caring if he reads this and is upset by it. It speaks for itself.
If you are a praying person, please remember my daughter in your prayers. My whole church is praying for her and my former stepson. Pass the word on!
But, ya know? The stuff that came out of the sewer cleanout was nasty! In light of what I saw, I determined that the backup water that flooded my rooms needed special attention. Bleach! I'm STILL finishing up the mop-up process. It takes time. (I'm old!) I threw a little bleach into the laundry load that cleaned the towels I had thrown on the floor to soak up the overflow. It ruined one hand towel. I guess I can sacrifice one old hand towel for the sake of knowing that the rest of them are sanitized. Rolling with the flow...
My daughter has a lump on her thyroid. She had an ultrasound today. She's scared, and I am scared for her, but I refuse to let it get to me until there is a reason for fear. We will await the results together because I am going up there for my grandson's First Communion event. Megan and my grandchildren are my life. Should anything happen to them before my own demise, you can visit me in the looney-bin. I'm serious! Right now, her half-brother is undergoing chemotherapy for a terminal cancer condition, and everyone feels awful for him. Unfortunately, the only thing Meg's father could say to her when she told him that she was concerned about the situation with her thyroid was, "Imagine how Eric must feel." That was totally insensitive! I am WAY beyond caring if he reads this and is upset by it. It speaks for itself.
If you are a praying person, please remember my daughter in your prayers. My whole church is praying for her and my former stepson. Pass the word on!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)