Shirt Box 1, Part 1

In a Deep Dark Corner…

 … of  a small back room at an estate sale, lay a battered white shirt box. I always find them - I actually search for them! You would not believe the great surprises that lay in them!

This one was $8. Upon quick examination, I find misc quilt blocks, and today, I dig no further. I walk through the rest of the sale getting to ‘know’ the deceased lady by seeing her left behind treasures. I finally go to pay out and find out today was the 50% off day! $4.00! I quickly pay my $4 for my ‘shirt box’, escape like I stole something, and race home to look through my newest treasure.

I find 10 beautifully made blocks in some tissue paper, complete with the directions of each block made. It appears to be a “Block of the Month” out of Georgia. Should be 12, right? Awww, here are the other two, unfinished, but, the fabric and directions are there, each perfectly folded in a separate ziplock bag!

There is more in my treasure box, but you will have to wait for more stories on “Shirt Box 1”

Sooo… tidying up, I recently came across the shirt box again, dug it all out and finished her last 2 blocks of the month, added sashing, border and had it quilted. Here it is before the binding:

I know, not completely visible, but you get the idea. It is a 3D quilt; it has little ‘flappers’ (not quilted) in every block. You can see clearly on the top left block… the others… the heart’s circles, the butterfly’s wings, the flower’s petals… every block has ‘moving’ parts.

It will be bound in that beautiful blue soon and I will show the final product.

Why did I buy it? Well, I bought it because a precious quilter did not finish the project that she so carefully kept together and kept safe. Maybe it was an unfinished project (UFO) because another project interested her, with an urgency that only quilters at heart would understand.

Now what am I going to do with it, you ask?  I have no earthly idea. I will have about $100 in it - and the precious memories of how meticulous this lady was. She taught me to keep my UFO’s together with explicit directions on “next” so if someone down the line finds her blocks they know what is next. She taught me that no one loves her, like another quilter will, and that we can and should finish each other’s UFO’s so we can enjoy creations we did not make. My comfort zone is different than hers, but I did something new and interesting - and enjoyed it. 

She can ‘rest’ better now knowing one project is finished. Someone will treasure this quilt as I do, I just have no idea who yet. I will know them when I ‘see’ them. ❤️

Studio 6 Art

Today was a terrific day! I finally got our OHCE ladies together am with a few guests and we painted at Studio 6 in Claremore. I absolutely love doing things like this. I wish I had learned to paint as a child or I wish I had someone that could teach me now. Anyhoo, this was a blast! We had 22 registered, but only 18 showed up. Regardless, it was so fun! 

If I could do nothing except craft/painting/sewing classes - and travel -  for the rest of my life, I would be content.

❤️

Mine came out ok, I think I might work on it some more here at home. We will see.  ❤️

My sister’s came out really pretty. Isn’t it funny how we don’t like ours as much as we like every one else’s?  ❤️

                 

               

               Ms Liz’s colors were so bright and cheerful. ❤️

One of my favorites was Gabby’s! 

I love the wavy vase and her color choices. ❤️

Shelia’s was the most surprising! 

Her purples and greens were breathtaking! ❤️

That was my day today. I immediately came home and collapsed in the bed - and slept for 3 hours! I enjoy doing this stuff, but my body screams in distress. I keep on keepin’ on. I am afraid to miss a moment of this sweet life.

Thank you, Jesus, for another wonderful day.

 

Sunset in Oklahoma

No explanation needed.  ❤️

Friends

Laura and Mike were at our wedding in 1977.  We have been friends many years! Steve and Mike were friends in High School even. Mike was best man at our wedding.  Thank God he made it from Red’s notification of the time of our wedding TO our wedding - about 5 (?) hours?  🤣  And they had to drive 2 hours to the wedding!

Gosh, I look back at some of the things we did and roll my eyes.  We were crazy - so glad we have settled down some!  We could have used some of this sense then.  

Anyway, we lived 800 miles apart from our family and friends, but we did try to stay in touch with everyone. Steve was offshore working so much that it was difficult though. Since we moved back to Oklahoma, we get to see them more often, we meet for a quick lunch as we pass through the city to go to western Oklahoma and Laura and I chat about quilts and stuff through texting - and Mike and Red chat on the phone quite often.

How many people have friends that they have kept in touch with for life?  We are the lucky ones.  I am still friends with people I went to grade school with and Steve has this sweet couple.

Thank God they all stuck around through our crazy times. Love you, Laura and Mike!  

This… Last 3 Days…

I had my monthly infusion on Thursday. Everything went fine!  No migraine, no nausea! As my nurse was de-accessing my port, she asked me if I had gotten both of my Evasheld shots - she explained it as vaccines against Covid that only Primary Immunodeficient patients could get. Not ever hearing about it, she stated that “we need to get that in you, I had zero reaction.  You need them, let me go draw them up.” Off she went.

I got 2 registered vaccinations, one in each arm, and off I went. I generally sleep the day off as I have to take 4 antihistamines to take my IgIV, so when I came home, I sat in my recliner dozing. Later in the evening, when I closed my eyes, demons would be there!  People out to slay me. Terrible flashes of horrible stuff! Of course I would startle and open my eyes, try to watch tv and doze again… same thing happened!

Finally, it was time to go to bed. I would doze, startle awake and repeat. About midnight, I started itching from the core of my body.  No rash, but a terrible clawing itch. I swear, even my ears - deep inside! It was awful! Between the hallucinations and itching, the next two days were miserable! I snuggled with my cat all 3 days.  She loves to ‘hold hands’ - isn’t that sweet?

My Dr has Covid (he is at home) so I couldn’t bother him, and his nurse was on her weekend, so I didn’t bother her.  I do have a Primary Immunodeficient friend, who also has weird reaction to meds, and I was so tired and sick that I couldn’t think straight, so I messaged her asking if she had any ideas.  Thankfully she did, and together, we figured out a plan of action, and 6 hours later I was coming around.  Today I woke up back to my normal - which we all know is definitely not normal!  🤣

Thank God for people in my corner!  This was the most terrifying reaction I have ever had - and now I think these damned Covid vaccinations are injecting… well, I don’t know what the hell they are putting in me, but never again!  I went to church today to pray the demons out!  Gads!  What a scary 3 days!  And shame on me for allowing her to dive in and give me the shots!  Shame on me for trusting her!  What was I thinking?!? I react to every medication in a weird way - why did I think THAT would not affect me?

‘Nuff about that… Today was our preacher, Dylan’s, last day.  He has taken a job in El Reno, so his wife and year-old-twins are heading out Thursday. We are getting a new preacher from Newkirk.  I pray we love him.  Looking forward to changes.  Shuffling the deck is often good - brings new blood, new ideas, new friends.  Praying that is our case this time.

That is all today.  Later!  Going to celebrate our children’s father - love that guy!  🥰

My Name Story - Family Question #4

My given name is unusual.  It is Euvah, pronounced YOU-vuh.  There is a story about it, and not one that thrills me, but it is a part of who I am.  My mom, Karen, was married to my dad, Boyd.  He was trying to be a photographer when I was born.  You would think there would be a million pictures of me with my mom… but I only have one, somewhere in this mountain of pics everyone thinks I need.

But instead, I have a hundred or so pics of a woman dad knew named… you guessed it… Euvah. Euvah Richards holding Euvah Gail.  A lot!  Of Euvah and Euvah pics.  A lot!

I assumed that it was another one of my father’s mistresses, but I recently asked my Uncle Danny if that was true. He got quiet, thought about it a bit, and then told me that he thought dad was infatuated with Euvah R, but she never responded, so he didn’t think that she was his mistress. But who would hang around a married man and hold his newborn baby for hundreds of pics - and why?!?

So I am either named after his infatuation or his mistress.  Momma said he absolutely insisted I be named Euvah.  She had chose another name to go with Gail, but he had no part of it. So I am Euvah… baddoova whatta cadoova… Gail (I love)… you know my last name… and from you know where.  I never was given the gift of thought until Steve and I had been married many years, so I never even considered going by Gail until it was far too late.

Pretty much all people with my married last name in the south are black, so reading my first and last name, people are startled when the see ME!  🤣

This picture… is me on a rug that I still own.  I wish I could say it was this fuzzy though… 🤣

First Historical Event? Question #3

What is the first historical event you remember from your childhood?  

I was on my daily walk around the neighborhood at 1318 and had arrived at the Pennington’s home. The date was July 20, 1969, which made me 10 years old.  

I did this daily walk around the neighborhood visiting with all my neighbor friends and apparently ate at every place I stopped because they always offered me something.  I probably was bored, too, as we didn’t own a tv!  

Mr Pennington was watching their tv when I arrived, and as I walked in, Mrs Pennington told me that a man was walking on the moon!  Mr Pennington promptly stood up and said, “That is HOGWASH! They set this up in a film studio and NO ONE is actually walking on the moon!” He pointed at me and sails, “And don’t you believe for a minute that a man is walking on the moon! Do you understand?!?”

I am not sure what I said, but I do remember leaving quickly and going next door to the next neighbor’s on my daily list, old Mrs. McGowan’s, and sitting with her and watching the man walking on the moon - or in the tv studio - I wasn’t sure which.  Thankfully, my grandfather, told me that it truly did happen, that a spaceship had been preparing for years to go to the moon and they finally did it!  

Did any other historical events affect you? 

I only vaguely remember my mom and her friend’s talking about President Kennedy’s assassination. I had no idea what it was, but I knew it was huge. I would have been almost 5.

When Ronald Reagan was shot, it affected me deeply. I think that was when I realized our world was truly not safe. I was astounded that someone could get close enough to the leader of our nation to shoot him.  

Princess Diana’s death. It hurt deeply. A lady that was truly a princess helping others, raising her boys and the fact that she was so full of grace. The world lost a treasure that day; a caring soul. I can’t imagine what she could have done in her lifetime.  

9-11-2001. What a horrific day in so many ways. Terrorists flew planes into the twin towers, into the Pentagon and one into the ground. So many deaths, and my brother was in the Pentagon and was a first responder to those injured and killed. He survived, but many did not.  

Hurricane Andrew. We were in our home for Andrew’s fury. We were on the edge of his eye. Our roof lifted, split rafters and made horrific noises, but we made it through. Wind meters broke off at 217mph right by us. He left us with no electricity for 6.5 weeks, no potable water for a month. We could open the doors for the stench, we couldn’t close them for the heat. Everyone was in the same boat, we had to clean up entirely by ourselves. It took months. We still have sweats when we see the lines of national guard trucks, the miles of electric trucks and hear of tropical storms entering the gulf.

Neurology Update

 

I have gotten my neurology results!  I have no sign of dementia!  I have mild inflammation in my brain stem, probably from anxiety and stress - which I do have a lot of anxiety and some stress.  So all is well!  The man that did my dementia testing agreed that he thinks my problems are the many layers of disease.  So hallelujah!  All is well.  Well, mentally speaking!  🤣

Family Question 2

Our sister, Shari, has started a family question a week with us sisters and brother.  I will be posting my answers here.

Who are the biggest people influences in your life?  

(Can and should be more than one person, and can be as many as you like)

Who most influenced my life?

           

My grandparents. They were Christian, solidly based, respectful to me and taught me to be respectful to everyone else no matter the circumstances. I was taught when I can’t be nice, that I can’t be rude. They took me to church, taught me to pray and prayed with me at every meal and at bedtime. We read the Bible together daily. Wonderful stories that I still love hearing.  

Grans taught me that I don’t know everyone else’s circumstances and that while other people might show anger, it wasn’t necessarily at me. They taught me forgiveness, because not to (forgive) only destroys me, not with whoever I am angry with. Rarely do I stay angry for more than a few minutes thanks to them. My grandparents gave me and my 4 boy cousins unconditional love and lots of grace as well, I am so thankful I had them to fall back on when my parents couldn’t put a roof over my head and food in my tummy.

My mom and dad. Influenced me to know how I didn’t want to live the rest of my life. Anger, jealousy, hate, smoking, filthy and poor.

John G. Not good influence, but it taught me my children could be hurt in very many ways. It taught me to protect them and things to watch for. However, he did teach me to look at the beauty on our trips through Arkansas and Oklahoma. He taught me a whole lot of ugliness as well, but it all influenced my future.

Moma. She made so many mistakes, but I learned from them, too. She was lied to and deceived by dad, he cheated on her and flaunted it, left her with 4 kids and $50 (total) for child support, in a house that needed a ton of work. She was overwhelmed, suckered by an asshole, tried to go to college, but couldn’t keep up with her schoolwork, us kids, her health, then she broke her back, in a car wreck, when dad ran her off the road and yet with all of that, she was determined to keep us together. Sadly, trusted someone else who was as mentally ill as dad was. Unfortunately, moma was raised with mentally ill people and didn’t have a solid base to grow from.  

At some point she gave up and gave in, but she damned sure tried u til then. Once we were all grown, I healed, we talked, and I understood so much more. I am so glad we became best friends and I was able to move on past the bad times. However, I have to say, those bad times gave me lots of strength for life ahead of me. I miss my daily calls, letter and moma to this day. I especially miss her 12:01am Happy Birthday call and her cards, that had pictures of cut out items in them, of what she would buy us if she had ever had the money to.

Liz, Shari and Danny. I am so close to my brother and sisters and I cherish them.  They taught me the world was worth living in with their sweet smiles, their laughter and their shenanigans. They made me want to be a moma because I loved them so very much.  They made my world twirl as a kid and still do to this day.  

Steve. He barely even knew me, but he found out my circumstances when he heard me screaming and plowed through the door to get me to safety. I sat with him bawling for hours and told him about most of my past. 3 days later, we married - because he was determined I wasn’t going back, and I was determined I would never live with someone I wasn’t married to.  🤣

From that day forward, he protected me, encouraged me and showed me how a family is supposed to function. He believed in me and saw something I never saw in myself. He accepted my family like his own, opened our home to them and encouraged them as well. He retired to care for me when I was diagnosed with ICL, he now administers IV antibiotics for me through my port, stays with me through IgIV, to be there for any reactions I have, and now tends to things I can no longer do at home. 

He absolutely loves me and all my warts just as I love him with all of his.  It was a marriage made in Heaven and a work of heart for us to survive, but we did it. I thank God every day for sending me Steve and everyone else who influenced my decisions. 

I love where we are, but wish I was healthier to fully enjoy retirement.  I want to travel and travel some more!  I love exploring new places.

Holy City in Wichita Mountains

We went to the Holy City while we were in the Wichita Mountain are near Lawton.  It is a great little stop to visit. There is an itty bitty sign in the Wildlife Refuge that says

Holy City ➡️ and you really have to watch for it.  

Worth going to!

 

Mike and Cheryl waving bye!

 

Impromptu Family Reunion

A month ago, our niece in Indianapolis, let us know she was coming to Steve’s mom’s house (her grandma’s). So, her sister, in Houston, decided to meet her there to play with her nephew and let us know last week that her family was coming.  Steve’s brother, of course, wants to see he grandson, so he made arrangements to come from Shreveport.  And we certainly couldn’t let it happen without us, so we made plans to go.  I let my kiddos know the end of the week and they decided to go.  So in a few days time a mini family reunion evolved.  

However, Raelee couldn’t come because no one thought to tell her ahead of time that we were going to western Oklahoma.  Her mom has been overwhelmed with school and I thought she had been told.  I am broken hearted.  How in the world did that happen?  Because I didn’t use the family Messenger ap.  Never again!  😢

Anyway, here are a few pics…

Rod, mother, Jeremy, Stephenie, Ari, Jennifer, Jeff, Justin, Carey, Adam Cate, Euvah, Red.  

Adair/Bryant/Jones/Miller/Vernon family  ❤️

Jeremy, Carey, Stephenie, Jennifer.  

Cousins being cousins.  🤣

Jeff, Yvonne (mother), Jennifer holding Jackson

4 generations!  ❤️

           

Jackson’s baby bitties, because they are so sweet at 6 months!  🥰