Since my epic 40th high school reunion, it’s been a memorable few days.

Do you ever think of quilt tops as examples of the birthing process? If so, I have delivered this big baby. And it was way overdue.

Adventure #1

Getting to the finish line for  True Blue has been an adventure in blue/cream/white fabric shopping and precision cutting and scant 1/4 inch sewing — and re-cutting and re-sewing if I’m being completely honest.

I’ve been hating on this baby for about a year and a half. Now that it’s together and the piano keys are on, I’ve fallen in love again. That dark border just seems to anchor the whole design, don’t you think? Now I’ve got to find the time to shop for backing/binding fabric. P.S. You may not zoom in to inspect my points!

Adventure #2

This weekend I checked an item off my local travel bucket list when Mom and our older sister (who is visiting from Florida) traveled to Palmyra, NY to witness the Hill Cumorah pageant. The Finger Lakes region of New York is the birthplace of Mormonism (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). This pageant has been staged for 81 years to commemorate the events leading up to that founding.

I brought along my Drop of Rainbow quilt so we could relax in the grass and witness the spectacle.

What a magnificent setting! The stage is built into the side of an historic hill. Over 700 actors participate in the play. Before the show begins, cast members, who are already dressed in their costumes, greet visitors who are waiting for the pageant to begin. It’s free to attend and visitors bring blankets and picnics and toys and games to entertain themselves before the show begins. What a wonderful family-focused event!

The families who form the acting corps travel from afar to appear in the pageant as an act of service to their church. They dedicate 3 weeks to rehearsals and then the show during the month of July for this special event. One lovely family from Texas, shared their experience with us. We chatted and got to know one another over my quilt.

Adventure #3

Speaking of adventures, I’m teaching my teenager to drive! There is one more task that he must master before taking the test: parallel parking.

I have to say that I pride myself on my parallel parking skills–seriously, if there were a parallel parking Olympics, I’d be a gold medal winner. I am vain about my skills, crazy, i know.

BUT do I have the teaching chops to pass on my magnificent skill??!! On Sunday night I took my son over to the farm for parallel parking lesson #1. No pressure, of course, despite the fact that he has to live up to my reputation LOL!

At my father’s suggestion, I set up some survey flags in the driveway to simulate a standard parking spot. Dad’s suggestion came after he rejected my son’s idea of using his car as a ‘practice dummy’ on the parking course. Clearly Dad didn’t have any faith in my Olympic-level parallel parking teaching skills! What????

Happily, I must report that I was impressed with both of us — my son grasped the concept quickly and successfully parked on the 2nd try — and good thing, because it was getting dark.

Yippee! The dreaded parking hurtle may have been conquered in time for our self-imposed deadline for scheduling the final driver’s license test for summer’s end.

Adventure #4

On the way from the farm to a nearby village to find some real parking spots (and unwitting dummies) for him to try his new skill, we saw this terrible site on the side of the road.

Andy Capps Hot Fries are sent from heaven. Littering is evil.

It was almost fully dark when we drove by and neither one of us fully understood what we had just seen. My son said “I think it was a cat wearing a scarf.” I had an impression of a chimera (too many episodes of Ancient Aliens in my recent past??) or one of those weird robotic dogs. It just didn’t computer for either of us.

So, my son did a quick 3-point turn (more excellent driving practice!) and we went back to discover what it really was: a starving coyote pup with a bag stuck on his/her head (I will henceforth refer to the pup as a he, since no wily woman would ever get her head stuck in a bag of chips with no escape plan).There was not much traffic, so we parked on the side of the road (and turned on the emergency flashers — yet more practice), and tried to get closer to see if we could help.

The pup was staggering down the road in clear distress, narrowly avoiding the sporadic 2-way traffic. I tried to call my quilt mentor to see if she and her family could help — she has a family full of wild-life enthusiasts armed with equipment and bravery–but there was no answer. My son wanted to snatch the bag off of its head, but I was terrified to let him do it. Since I have already been the recipient of the rabies shot series (other long story), I decided that I should take the risk. I talked to him and called to him and he finally allowed me to get beside him and take it off. He staggered away and headed toward a close-by stream.

As my son executed a perfect u-turn so we could continue with the driving/parking lesson, I assured him that we will meet up with that coyote pup in the distant future and the forever grateful animal will return the favor by appearing out of nowhere in the nick of time to rescue us from certain death. (I guess I read too many adventure stories.)