15 Minutes = Fun!

I have been busy in my sewing studio. This shows a bit of the process, and just a peek at what the final product will be.

I started with an old group of hand-dyed fabrics, and a friend's quote, and started making letters.

Then I decided to incorporate some prints, and made some pieced blocks...

...and some star points...

...which became some awesome stars! More later on this fun project!

Cohen Goes to the Park

We love it when Emily's dog, Cohen, comes for a visit. We went for an early morning walk on a recent weekend, and enjoyed some beautiful scenery.

This is Barth Pond in Downers Grove. Note the fall colors reflected in the pond. Cohen was too busy sniffing to pose for a picture.

Gorgeous scenery! Of course it was prettier in person.

We happened upon a great blue heron, who had just finished its breakfast before I snapped this picture. We could get really close, and he didn't seem to mind.

More sniffing to do!

Great profile shot - Cohen was looking at a small pond full of ducks! What a cutie!

Back in the Saddle

Over this past week, I have returned to piano teaching, half of my normal schedule. It felt so good to be back teaching - and I really enjoyed seeing my students. I missed them! Of course, I was not actually in a saddle - I was sitting on a cushy pillow!

I will be adding the remainder of my students this week, and starting to work on Christmas music this week or the following week. That is always fun for the students, being able to play songs that they know. And I know, from hearing from parents, how much they love hearing their children playing familiar Christmas songs on the piano!

The Perm

This story is funny, but it's more than that. Years ago, before we were married - it was the summer of 1976, to be accurate - I decided that I would like a body perm. I used to get them in high school, when I had the long blond hair that was so popular at the time. My hair is stick straight (note - I saw a friend recently, who remarked that she liked how I had styled my hair with flat irons, when in fact I had used mousse, hair spray, blew it dry with a round brush to add height and fullness, and backcombed it...so believe me, my hair is STRAIGHT.). To give my hair body, I used to get body perms from my best friend's mom, in her kitchen. It seemed to simple, so I thought, I'll give myself a perm. How hard could it be?

So, to help with the process, especially since my hair was so long, I asked Scott to help with the rods in the back. We got all set up, in the kitchen of my place, and set to it. After ONE HOUR, Scott had two rods (!) in, and they were both wiggly and croocked, and after several botched attempts at the third rod, he threw it across the room, and said "I quit!" Thus endeth "The time I gave myself a perm." I think I ended up going to my future sister-in-law, who wrapped the perm for me. Thanks Marlys!

The rest of the story is - how many boyfriends would even agree to try such a thing? My wonderful boy Scott, that's who. The wonderful boy who has agreed to lots of my crazy ideas through the years, and who loves me still and all. Thank YOU, Scott, for all you have done for me, and years and years of unconditional love. You're the best.

Comfort food!

Last night, Emily came out to make us dinner, and brought Gen and her dog, Remy. It was a lovely family evening, with lots of fun with the doggies (Cohen was already here), and lots of fun conversation and laughs. Emily whipped up a fantastic dinner of meatloaf, mashed potatoes (homemade with skins), herbed asparagus, and warm fresh whole wheat bread. And - she is my daughter, and knows that no dinner is complete without dessert - homemade peach cobbler for dessert! It was delicious!

I was wiped out by the end of the day - it was the first day I didn't have a nap! But it was totally worth it. Thanks, Emily, for the dinner, and to Gen for coming to visit me! It was great!

(p.s. I forgot to take pictures, but this one pretty much captures it!)

What is family?

I love this picture. It shows my grandma, Myrtle Grife Johnson (left) and her friend, Luella Hendricks. They are young women, probably before they were married, just posing for a picture together - much the same as my daughters do with with friends. And often, these pictures were made up as postcards, so people could share the picture along with a message - sort of like "early facebook", don't you think?

Anyway - I have had lots of time to think lately, as I am recovering from my surgery, about just what IS family. Of course, for me, my family - and my life - is Scott, Emily, and Hannah, first and foremost. We Hudsons do not have any blood family any closer than 400 miles away, and we have been that far for over 30 years. Thankfully, though, we have assembled quite a large group of wonderful, close friends and neighbors, who I think of as family. These angels have sat with my at the hospital, cared for me (nurses and techs), brought me flowers, gifts, cards, meals, and many well wishes, prayed for me, and cared for me at home (mostly this is Scott, but Emily and Hannah have helped out as well). So - I am terribly blessed, and most of all - family is LOVE. Which I already knew, but it never hurts to remind ourself of that from time to time. So - remember to thank those in your family, and tell them you love them. :)

Daughterly Love

Here they are, my lovely daughters. They ARE just as lovely as they appear, too - sweet, kind, considerate, and thoughtful. They are also, it seems, rascally!

I am now on Facebook (I am soooo hip!), so I get messages when someone "tags" me in a picture. And, my daughter, Emily (left, above), tagged me in the picture below. She captioned the photo thusly: "This is where my parents will grow old."

It is extra funny, because the name of the camper is "crescendo", a musical term, and we are all musical (especially me, I am a piano teacher). Plus, the real humor here is, I often tease my daughters that someday, they will be living in their house, and Scott and I will be living in a trailer in the backyard. :)

Life is Good

What an understatement! As you may know, I am recovering from surgery, which ain't easy - but it is a hundred times easier because of my husband, Scott. I knew, when I married him, that he was kind and thoughtful and loving. But, I had no idea how he would be in a crisis - and all I can say it, I picked a good one. Right now, he is outside, getting me the newspaper, after already fixing my breakfast and doing the dishes, and walking me around the house, and, before all of that, emptying my Foley catheter (true love indeed). All of that before 7 a.m., before he took a shower or had his own breakfast. Romantic love is wonderful, to be sure, but it encompasses more than candlelight dinners and walks on the beach (does anybody actually do that?). You need to pick somebody you will stand by you in the good times or the bad - and I picked the best person for me. Thanks honey!

Minnesota Trip

Hannah and I got to take a really fun trip to Minnesota this past August. This is a great shot, which tells a little story about Minneapolis. In the foreground are rental bicycles, and in the background is the new Guthrie Theatre (where we attended "A Streetcar Named Desire"), and also some old flour mills in the distance. I love Minneapolis!

This is the front of the Lerouxs house. They have lovely gardens and window boxes, shown here overflowing with light pink double impatiens. On the left are some gorgeous white hydrangeas, I think they are called snow cone or something like that. The Lerouxs are a couple we have known for many years, such a great couple and very dear friends.

This is Michele Leroux and me, somehow this is the only picture we took while on our visit there! We always leave there smiling, and with lots of good memories. Thanks Michele and Philippe!

The H Word - After

Well, it has been 4 days since my hysterectomy surgery, and I feel pretty good. I went home yesterday, which is good, but I feel pretty wiped out today. Maybe partially due to the move home, or the surgery itself, or the drugs. The hospital experience was entirely positive, everyone was so nice and helpful, and the facility was beautiful and squeaky clean. Most of all, I clearly have the best, most patient, and beautifulest husband in the universe. Scott is so helpful and supportive. Plus, both daughters have visited me and helped me and held me up with their love. I know I will survive this experience, it will just take a good amount of time. They told me to allow 4-6 weeks, and I'm beginning to believe them!

The drive home yesterday was just lovely - flowers still in bloom, sun through the trees, and the occasional tree that has turned brilliant crimson.