All the planets aligned and we took a short trip to visit my mom in Ohio. (JP could be home, live-in, love on the dog best, know chores w/o training, catch the in-laws if needed, know how to deal with any power outage (did), and snow plowing. So thankful!! Adult kids just rock these things!!)
I took this embroidery project for mom & me to share. Before we left, I traced all the embroidery onto the background and basted it to another layer of fabric to help with show-through. I took a small tote to keep it all contained and she can take it with her if needed. Hoops, needles, all the floss, instructions, the paper pattern if needed, and choices of scissors. She has good eyes and good dexterity to handle all this. 🙂 And she enjoys hand work! 
She can do the embroidery at her own pace and her own rules. I hope I stressed that enough. NO deadline, NO police overseeing her work or mine! Later, I’ll piece the blocks and finish it. The center embroidery is about 8″ x 30″. Now, if I was smart, I’d piece those blocks now. *sigh*
I also made a half-size notebook for her to follow along with the 365/30 lists; yes, really this year it is 366 days and I remembered to add that! Each day is a prompt for a list. Top 5 flavors of ice cream. Friends you went to school with. Plans for the month. etc. I roughly have done this for a bit over 2 yrs. I’m hit & miss so usually do a few days at a time. And I took her a selection of pens so she could have a new one and have a feel of the pen that she likes.
We spent over an hour “in the cedar chest”, though contrary to my SIL’s wonderment, we were not literally IN the chest. It was fun to look and peruse the important things to her she keeps there. She had things to give me but others she just asked and put that on my list but she wasn’t ready to send it home with me yet. Later, I took Phil there and he fixed the safety chain so the open lid doesn’t fall on anyone’s head.
I had my new Doxie Go scanner with me for such a case as this. A first anniversary letter to my parents from her mom. Super sweet!
I wanted to stop and see the chapel where we were married. It wasn’t a great day for photos and I promised P no pix so he willingly drove us there. But then I DID want photos so P took some with mom & me. But obviously we didn’t dress for photos.
The chapel was locked but I suppose one benefit to the cloudy day was that we (and my camera) could see in and the inside doors were open for a good view.
A lot has changed in 32 years on the seminary campus! I’d not seen this set of stones for the Wall of Remembrance. Behind this memory area, I saw our childhood swimming pool has since been removed. Mom received a family membership with her work at the university.
We are so thankful that my brother & sister-in-law have mom living with them. The days can be long & quiet for her but the meals are delicious from that kitchen and their activity and meals home with her are good. They are perfect care-givers. Two of their sons and their families came for supper one night. The great-grands are growing like weeds and are taking on the double-digits with ease and lots of food.
Special thanks to my dear brother & SIL for packing and sending MY bag that was accidentally left behind in the garage while P packed the car. #criedfor4days It arrived safe and sound a few days later! (brand-new doxieGo, brand-new tablet, my 2 filofaxes that hold 3 journals, book, new & old pages for journals…. A framed print is still there waiting for TLC traveling conditions)
P was glad that dSIL asked if he could “fix this”. Oh yes! He was so glad they asked. P had already mentioned while we were packing that he hoped they had jobs for him. With that willingness, my dB had a job for the next day as well. It is hard for us to plan ahead, with leaving in winter weather and the health of his parents, but my brother needs a running list for next time.
We headed home on Sunday as they headed to church. Me in my ‘no hairstyle, no make-up, sweatpants’ for travel. Mom looking lovely and nearly ready for church!
and sew on... 