The Downside of This Grandma

is that she didn't much enjoy having kids. Can't imagine that it will be different just because it's a generation away. Don't get me wrong, I loved them and provided for them and I think they might say I was a good mom...

but

sometimes I would have rather been swinging in the hammock.

or been catering a big party.

or sewing for a costume designer for productions in Boston.

or reading a book.

or devoting myself to SOMETHING other than getting dinner on the table and rounding them all up so we ate together.

So, i became a quilter, then a quilt maker, then a quilt artist, then an art quilter, then a maker again because by no longer calling myself an art quilter I was freed to do many other things- like even sometimes have fun with my art instead of just using it as personal therapy. Don't get me wrong, I am still 'in therapy' but unlike other nutcases, mine takes place in my studio.

So, if you see I am not talking about Baby Hazel, it's not because I don't see her or am not involved with her (though frankly until she is three months old, her responses are limited to those of a philodendron.) I am sure I am going to love her- what's not to love when you look at her bitty little ears or her beautiful expressive mouth? But my time will come when I can make dresses for her with photo transfer poems around the bottom, When I can re-use the heavy embroidery off the Guatemalan child's outfit Wendy sent me long ago as a collar for a wee dress. When I can take her for an ice cream sundae all by ourselves.

But for now I will get back to my art. Guild is after me, but I cannot see spending all that money when my output fluctuates so much and I don't want to take commissions anyway. I wanna do what I wanna do, and now is MY time.

That said I have spent half the day working on the Tide Pools quilt I dragged home with me. I don't know if I can make it work as a quilt but I am going to try. The photos I have mounted on it are so stiff and heavy that it distorts the linen backing- gotta work on that issue. Then I have to work on how to stick it all together. Lordy, it was so much easier to stitch and rip than the convoluted things I get in to now. I am thinking this may have to be permanently glued and mounted. And that means it will neve be seen except by folks to walk through my hall.

The other half the day I spent cooking up some tasty vegan (oxymoron, eh?) for the new family. Will deliver it all tomorrow if I can keep my mitts out of the brownies- full of, what else, HAZELNUTS! Also made a spinach and feta pie and a mac and cheese casserole (not for the vegan) . Tomorrow I do a lasagna and a black bean soup with cornbread. It's supposed to snow tomorrow so I had best get up there early- no snow tires here, thank you very much. I will be slippin' and slidin' all over the road.

And I want to get back to the engineering issues at hand! Pictures tomorrow. If I don't end up in a ditch.