Trying

striking a pose

I alluded to this in last week’s entry–my husband went to work and found out he’d been laid off. Since then he’s been scouring our community for junior associate lawyer work. But the well is pretty dry, and I’m not overly surprised, as we were pretty desperate for his articling job that he just lost. So it might mean another move for us, even though we are terribly home oriented people and don’t like our place to be in upheaval.

Me and my husband have been trying for years–and I mean trying for a better life. I met him on our first day of college. I was searching for myself (I guess that’s pretty common for first years) and he was on the path to a law career. Now, 11 years later, he is about to finish articling, take the bar admission course, and become a bonafide lawyer! It was a long road. It has been a very tough road. And just when we were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, poof! No more payroll.

One thing we’ve worked hard at the past five years has been raising our daughter. Now that she’s five she has shown an interest in quilting and hand embroidery, as you see in the picture. I gave her a swatch of my fine even weave Irish linen and she has picked up on a basic running stitch. Seeing that makes me forget the peril we’re in. Seeing her play with her friends on the farm field trip we went to is also a nice way of dealing with things.

Bronwen saw me piecing the present big project together last night and said she’s interested in learning how to use the machine. I told her she’s a little small yet but she’s more than welcome to learn on the machine I’m using now. It’s getting a bit old and let’s face it. for the amount of sewing I do, I need more features! Let’s settle for the easy stuff, like, say, needle down! The women at the store were aghast that my machine is that basic!

My latest quilt project is a science fiction classic quilt: Dr. Who!

sonic screwdriver with nifty free motion

Lately sitting down after some intense paper piecing, making a mini sandwich out of the block, and free motion or walking foot quilting is really soothing. I never liked machine quilting in the past. Too annoying on a small machine like mine. But I’m getting some good results, finally!

weeping angel

The weeping angel had to be the hardest block I’ve run into thus far. So many little seams, holy!! But, again, worth it. I stitched some snowflakes with variegated thread. I think it turned out okay.

Cyber Man was fun! I got to do some pulley stitching. Although I like to call it “tape drive.”

Every day I’m sitting down to piece, quilt, and press fabrics into shape. I’m trying very hard sometimes. Other times not.

anniversary candles

So please, do take time to celebrate the small things that make the big problems dissipate. These are our anniversary candles that we light every year. On the 13th we celebrated our eighth anniversary! Anyone who’s married out there knows you have to try each day to keep your marriage healthy and happy, as though it’s human. We are all human. We need to help each other.