Yesterday was a day to spend time with some girlfriends. Su and I had breakfast at Aroma Joe’s (aka AJ’s) coffeehouse. Breakfast usually consists of a coffee roll or scone and coffee. It gives us a chance to share what’s been happening in our lives. We try to meet at least once a week but that doesn’t always happen. We can truly be ourselves with each other, sharing our deepest thoughts, hopes and fears, never worrying that it will go any further. There is never concern over whether we will be considered foolish or weak in some way.
Su is my closest friend in Maine. She lived across the street from me when I moved to the rural area of Shapleigh in 1980. Coming from the Denver area, it was quite a shock to me to live where there were only three other houses on the street that I could see. It was dark and quiet and it creeped me out for quite some time.
Anyway, Su and her husband lived across the street with two boys, Mike and Jamie. They were about the same age as Greg, one older and one younger. Su and I became fast friends right away. As it turned out, we divorced our husbands within months of each other. I’m not sure how either of us would have made it through the “crazy time” without one other. As close as we had been, we grew even closer to the point of feeling more like sisters than friends.
Su is my mentor. She was sewing a long time before I started and is extremely creative. She has always been there for me to bounce questions and ideas around with. She is a great cheerleader, always telling me I’m doing well and believing in me even when I don’t believe in myself.
Su was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2006. She takes numerous medications but is holding steady. What would I do without her?
From there I met Deb at her house and we took a trip to Keepsake Quilting. It is an amazing quilting shop in Center Harbor, NH with what must be thousands of bolts of fabric, notions, patterns…the whole nine yards. (no pun intended) I did very well and came home with only 1/2 yard of Funky Monkey fabric for the lap quilt I want to make for Greg and a red fat quarter for the Christmas package wallhanging. I also picked up a small hangar (7″) for the purple piece I made for Wendy’s bathroom.
We didn’t spend as much time there as either of us would have liked because I had a spinning class at the gym at 5:15. We stopped at McDonalds for a quick bite and were back to her house by 4:00.
Deb and I met one another shortly after we both became single. We were taking line dance lessons in South Sanford and hit it off right away. We continued to line dance and also started taking ballroom dancing lessons in Portland. We joked that we danced every night of the week except Sunday, which was date night. That was funny because neither of us ever had a date! We would have danced seven nights a week if possible. Deb and I shared a “pinky-swear” that no man would ever enter our lives and come between us. I think she held the promise better than I did.
Su and Deb have both remarried since our single days in the early 2000’s. They are both happy but truthfully, I believe that Bill is by far the nicest, most polite and caring man of the three…John, Marc and Bill. I, however, remain single, by choice.
Today I picked up my granddaughter’s quilt from Georgette. She said it was a beautiful quilt which I considered quite a compliment. I’m really happy with the way it turned out. The quilting pattern is rosy posy and I think it worked up very nicely. Hopefully tomorrow I will get the binding sewn on and maybe have the handwork done by Greg’s visit on the 15th. They are predicting up to another foot of snow tomorrow and Bill is working so I should be able to sew the entire day. I always say that and it’s 2 or 3 in the afternoon before I manage to sit at the machine. I’m going to make an effort tomorrow to spend most of the day sewing. I think I’ll get out the sunlight and light up my sewing area. Maybe that will push away the “snowing again blues”.
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