Yesterday I was finally able to see the final session of the normal GriefShare program. This is the third year I have either attended or volunteered at GriefShare at the Parkesburg Mennonite Church but the first time I have been able to see the final session called 'Heaven'. It was a very positive and uplifting session and very nicely brought the previous sessions to a close. I think our participants enjoyed it. And I pray that they have benefited from the counsel that the program provides for anyone who is struggling with grief from the loss of a loved one.
Now that it is finally over and even though spring has not really come, weather-wise, there is hope that a great adventure is afoot. I have the van partially packed. I am placing things in containers and bags and hope to have the van packed by tomorrow night, but no later than noon on Friday. I have to leave enough time to go through the yard and pick up winter junk so that my yard guys can begin mowing while we are away. I also need to get the gas on the deck stabilized and put away in the garage. I also need to run the generator for a while and get some Stabil in the tank on it as well. So much to do and time is getting short.
But come Saturday morning, ready or not, Marge Krumrine, Marji Lantz and I will be getting into the van and heading south to the area of Fancy Gap, VA. We check into our house on Sunday for a 30 day "Awaycation" in the mountains of Virginia, overlooking the Piedmont of North Carolina. We will be sewing, crafting, cooking, shopping, exploring and just relaxing as we get to know each other and become more centered after the extended winter and the emotional toll that I find happens after 14 weekly sessions of GriefShare. Off and on all month, various ladies (and maybe a gentleman or two) will be coming for long weekends or a week. It should be a hoot!
So, wish us luck and good fun. I have the hope of lots of laughter and positive days.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Renewing Old Friendships
This week has been a good week for renewing old friendships. In years past, Marji and I would go to a quilting retreat in Bird-In-Hand, PA in either October or November. It was planned and presented by Delaware Quilts and Marge Gordon. Over the years, we have made friends with a number of quilters from all over the east coast.
As I was driving to see the surgeon, I remembered that the first spring retreat was happening at the AmishView Inn and I had to drive by it going to and from the surgeon's office. So, on my return home, I zipped in and was welcomed with open arms by Marge, Dawn, Candy, Cindy and Rose. They are fall retreaters who also do the spring retreat. It was nice to see them and they were very pleased to see how well I was getting around as last fall I was in a lot of pain and walking like a lame pirate.
That evening, I spoke to Marji who indicated that she had also thought about going to visit. So Friday morning Marji came up to my house and we headed back to the AmishView for another visit with our friends. Marji seemed to enjoy it a great deal and we got to know a few of the quilters that we had never met.
One had designed a new quilting tool and shared it with Marji and then with me. It is a small and large version of a cross ruler that allows one to mark on a square (two squares, right-sides together) lines to use for stitching and then cutting to form perfect (and very easy) quarter square triangles. It is a lovely tool and I am excited to use it. I will be re-evaluating my projects for Fancy Gap so I can play with the new tool.
It was a very nice day. It has been a while since Marji and I spent a day together just doing fun stuff. I am looking forward to our time in Fancy Gap.
This morning I was picked up by my BFF Debby Patton. We had a late breakfast at Dutchway and then did some fabric shopping at the little Amish store in Georgetown, Fishers. It was crowded with all manner of shoppers. It was the first nice weekend (although still a tad chilly for this time of year) without rain or snow.
I am now back in packing mode. I have a busy week with a dinner out, another doctor's appointment to remove a couple of spots of skin cancer and then the final GriefShare session of the season and a Lion's Club meeting before heading to Fancy Gap for a month of R and R and being with good friends.
As I was driving to see the surgeon, I remembered that the first spring retreat was happening at the AmishView Inn and I had to drive by it going to and from the surgeon's office. So, on my return home, I zipped in and was welcomed with open arms by Marge, Dawn, Candy, Cindy and Rose. They are fall retreaters who also do the spring retreat. It was nice to see them and they were very pleased to see how well I was getting around as last fall I was in a lot of pain and walking like a lame pirate.
That evening, I spoke to Marji who indicated that she had also thought about going to visit. So Friday morning Marji came up to my house and we headed back to the AmishView for another visit with our friends. Marji seemed to enjoy it a great deal and we got to know a few of the quilters that we had never met.
One had designed a new quilting tool and shared it with Marji and then with me. It is a small and large version of a cross ruler that allows one to mark on a square (two squares, right-sides together) lines to use for stitching and then cutting to form perfect (and very easy) quarter square triangles. It is a lovely tool and I am excited to use it. I will be re-evaluating my projects for Fancy Gap so I can play with the new tool.
It was a very nice day. It has been a while since Marji and I spent a day together just doing fun stuff. I am looking forward to our time in Fancy Gap.
This morning I was picked up by my BFF Debby Patton. We had a late breakfast at Dutchway and then did some fabric shopping at the little Amish store in Georgetown, Fishers. It was crowded with all manner of shoppers. It was the first nice weekend (although still a tad chilly for this time of year) without rain or snow.
I am now back in packing mode. I have a busy week with a dinner out, another doctor's appointment to remove a couple of spots of skin cancer and then the final GriefShare session of the season and a Lion's Club meeting before heading to Fancy Gap for a month of R and R and being with good friends.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Full Preparation Mode....
Cold Gone... check!
One more GriefShare.... check!
PABA meeting.... check!
Visit with knee Surgeon.... check!
What's next? Full-on preparation for Fancy Gap.... Yippee!
I am feeling much better. Still a bit of a cough from time to time, but much better, I have finished with my duties in GriefShare and we have one final session next Tuesday. It has been a good set of sessions. Just wish we had reached more people. We will do a better job of it next year.
PABA (Parkesburg Area Business Association) met this week and we are planning our annual award banquet. I have to bite my tongue as the gentlemen who are in charge just have no clue of how to think ahead. If it were me, this would have been in the works for a while, place and date settled and voting for the Business Leader of the Year already in the works. But no one wants to make a decision on what they want to do without the approval of the officers. Sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and go. But I have been out of the loop with my surgery and I am just a bystander. If they keep it at the date they are planning, then I will barely be back from Fancy Gap. Not my problem!
Dr. Renz was very happy to see how straight my leg is now with the new knee. He was also pleased with my level of activity. I do not have to go back to see him for TWO YEARS!!!
So I am now in full prep mode for Fancy Gap. I have my rolling boxes inside the house and have gone through them, refilled the kitchen one and will begin the sewing one tonight. I have the van in place next to the back deck. I have lowered the one middle seat and have loaded the tables that are traveling with us into the back. Little by little, I will be loading the stuff in the van so, come a week from Saturday, Marji and Marge and I will be heading for Fancy Gap!
Yahoo!!!!!
One more GriefShare.... check!
PABA meeting.... check!
Visit with knee Surgeon.... check!
What's next? Full-on preparation for Fancy Gap.... Yippee!
I am feeling much better. Still a bit of a cough from time to time, but much better, I have finished with my duties in GriefShare and we have one final session next Tuesday. It has been a good set of sessions. Just wish we had reached more people. We will do a better job of it next year.
PABA (Parkesburg Area Business Association) met this week and we are planning our annual award banquet. I have to bite my tongue as the gentlemen who are in charge just have no clue of how to think ahead. If it were me, this would have been in the works for a while, place and date settled and voting for the Business Leader of the Year already in the works. But no one wants to make a decision on what they want to do without the approval of the officers. Sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and go. But I have been out of the loop with my surgery and I am just a bystander. If they keep it at the date they are planning, then I will barely be back from Fancy Gap. Not my problem!
Dr. Renz was very happy to see how straight my leg is now with the new knee. He was also pleased with my level of activity. I do not have to go back to see him for TWO YEARS!!!
So I am now in full prep mode for Fancy Gap. I have my rolling boxes inside the house and have gone through them, refilled the kitchen one and will begin the sewing one tonight. I have the van in place next to the back deck. I have lowered the one middle seat and have loaded the tables that are traveling with us into the back. Little by little, I will be loading the stuff in the van so, come a week from Saturday, Marji and Marge and I will be heading for Fancy Gap!
Yahoo!!!!!
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