Community service is good for the soul

Saturday, I was feeling low.  It came across in the blog post.  But, we had the perfect plans.  I had planned to go to our friend LD and help her organize her home office.  When she was diagnosed with cancer for the third time, she decided she wasn’t ending life filing paperwork.  And, then, when they told her she was in remission again, OOPS!  Or, as she put it, Oh, crap.  I don’t know where to start.

I decided to drag my little penitent along and let her clean LD’s apartment while we worked.  And, Rob as guard.  The explanation; you are doing a consequence for a bad decision (rough housing with the boy at school) and the attitude with which you do it will determine how much there is to do.  Even though you’re doing a punishment, I expect you to behave with all the grace and good attitude that you always show around LD.

And, she did.  It was a thing of beauty to watch her work with a smile on her face.  Oh, how I wish she’d do that around here.

The phone stuff, Rob and I talked, and we talked, and we figured out exactly what we wanted to say and he said it.  And, her reactions were genuine.  And, even though the school principal’s attitude is “how can you tell a teenager is lying?  they’re talking.” and even though we were lied to aplenty in the beginning, we’ve come to trust Sydney’s words because we’ve taught her that words are deeds and are the mark of the person.  She took responsibility for the right stuff, understood the right stuff, and was genuinely surprised at what the boy texted.  You can’t fake that kind of surprise.  So, instead of locked down to just emergency contacts, we’re going back to what we had in place last year.  Contacts in her phone are limited to people we’ve met.  And, we have it locked down to contacts.  And, deleting all your text messages before you turn in the phone looks suspicious, so stop doing it, or we’ll lock it down to emergency contacts.  Don’t text anything you’d be ashamed for us to see.

So, Sydney and I feel better and we’re all enjoying the holiday weekend. 

I made these two blocks. 

The one on the right is the one I struggled with so much last week.  And, even now, I’m not happy with it.  The colors are fine, but the construction is a disaster…even though most of the points do meet.  Most.

And, I’ve been working on borders for the Dresden Plate quilt.   I’ve made a lot of progress on it this year and it’s all hand done, so lots of time shows little progress.  But, the borders came out so good that I want to surprise you with them when they’re on the quilt top. 

I could easily have made the Dresden Plate quilt my Jubilee quilt, so I guess, in reality, I have two really special quilts this year that are both in my Jubilee year. 

And, I’m still proceeding with the quilts for the show.  The Christmas quilt is re-blocked and square.  Somehow, I let the sides get off by a half inch and it looked more wonky than it was.  I’m working on labels, too and then the bags they have to be delivered in.  Slow progress means fewer mistakes.

And, with that, I’m off to do some finger work in the sun room.  I should be cleaning in the sunroom as there is a litter of leaves and potting soil.  But, no. 

Be well and have a great holiday if you’re having one or a great Monday if not.

Lane