Finished!

After work, and grocery shopping, tonight, I finished the quilt! And before anyone went into labor. Phwew.

I sure hope they like the quilt as much as I enjoyed making it. Being the first baby expected in the group of friends, and given that they live so far away, it made me a bit teary-eyed to make this. Since I can’t be there to hold the baby as often as I like, hopefully this quilt will be a snuggly substitute!

A little quilting inspiration

I am a lucky girl, you know that? I have this fabulous group of people that I have been friends with since 7th-9th grade. Particularly 4 (3 girls 1 boy) who have stayed in close contact. We’re spread out throughout Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois – but when we do see each other it’s like being 13 again. Giggles, hugs, and being with the people who just “get” you.

I am telling you this for two reasons. One, I just returned from a fabulous girl’s weekend with 3 of my junior high besties to Lake of the Ozarks. There was tanning, giggling, raspberry vodka, swimming, shopping, staring longingly at lake houses and most of all spending time together. What a blessed, blessed person I am to have these girls in my life.

The infamous red cups

And too much eating on this trip.

What does this have to do with quilting, you may wonder. Well, the dude friend (not part of the girl’s weekend) and his amazing wife are expecting their first child due the first week in August. They will be the first of the original group to have a child and we are so, so excited for them. (And feeling very, very old) They live all the way in Chicago, which is way too far from us. I promised a quilt, and the room is going to be done up in transportation themes. I bought the fabric, and it’s darling, and it’s sat on my desk for months while I putz in the garden and with decorating and just generally anything but sewing. With a brief look at the calendar this week, it was panic time – the baby is due in 3.5 weeks and I haven’t even started?!?

So it was time for some quilting inspiration courtesy of Etsy. Check out these beautiful quilts for sale (which I had nothing to do with other than to stop and drool).

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=tags&includes[]=title”]Hopefully this is the inspiration I needed and soon I will be back on track with a quilt on the way!

Friends for life

My Anna Banana, my best (canine) friend for the past 15 (or 16 … so old we have lost track) years, is getting old. Well, who am I kidding – she’s been old for at least 5 years now. But recently, well, the age is showing in more than just the gray muzzle on her face.

Arthritis has taken over her legs, and some days she can hardly walk. Her legs give out on her. She doesn’t even attempt to get up with out much prodding. She is not very interested in food. And, as much as it absolutely pains me to say so … I am afraid the end is near.

As a result, there has been a concentrated effort to take more photos of her recently. We’ve taken photos throughout her life, but as the end of life nears the necessity of capturing her sweet face is top of the mind.

You may have noticed, if you have been to my blog before … that calling me a dog person would be an understatement. Our dogs are our kids (for now) and loved to pieces. And although I vow to not choose favorites among our kids, when the time comes, Anna is my favorite. The other dogs can move into this position when they have been in my life for as long. My mom and I brought home Anna in 3rd (or was it 4th?) grade. Anna cried the whole ride home, with the stressful cry that only new puppies have as they are separated from their moms. In my infinite wisdom as a 3rd grader, I was convinced I knew the cure – singing her songs from the Lion King. Mom drove us home, me in the backseat holding the 8 pound puppy, rocking her like a baby and singing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”

Anna was such a chicken when we first brought her home, hiding in terror from our Scottish Terrier, Maggie. (This changed quickly as soon as she realized, a few months later, that she was much larger than Maggie.) My parents let me take the day off school to stay home with the puppy. She had cried all night and no one had slept much, but it was heaven – a whole day off school and a brand new puppy to play with. She hid under my robe at the slightest interest demonstrated by Maggie. It was a day of cuddles and laughs and puppy kisses/breath … heaven.

Anna is truly an outstanding family dog. In her younger years, she was always up to playing out in the snow with me, long walks in the woods, tolerated my uneducated attempt at agility training, happily slept on my bed since I was 10, was there for me through my parents’ divorce and breakups with boyfriends and fights with friends. Anna is a dog who loves all but has a favorite – and it’s me. I thought she would never forgive me when I went to college, and the thing that made me most homesick in college was leaving her behind. When I would visit home, she would immediately jump on my lap and refuse to move, as if she were forcing me to stay put and not return. I would whisper in her ear that as soon as I could find an apartment that let me have her, she could come and live with me. I was worried, as she was old even then, that she wouldn’t make it until that became true.

Alas, it’s hard to find an apartment that lets you have a dog that weighs more than 40 pounds. So in September of 2007, just a bit over 4 years after leaving for college, I bought my first house. Right around Halloween of that year, Anna came to live with me. All was right with the world.

You know dogs that just understand how you are feeling? That’s Anna. If you’re having a rough day, or tearful, she comes running to your side, climbs in your lap, licks your face.

Anna is the dog by which all future dogs will be judged. A sweet, gentle, protective soul. An amazing family dog. Tolerant of all people and puppies brought into her life. My best friend for more than half of my life. My constant companion when I was young, the anchor through my teenage years, the beacon calling me home through college, and the grounding force in our household.

Even Rufus is worried about Anna, and has been making it a point to lay near Anna more often.

Thanks, Anna, for being one of the best dogs and friends a girl could ask for.

Loyal friends

There are two animals in this house that are quite happy I have been feeling under the weather.

Netta, the Cairn, has been permanently encamped at my feet on the couch.

And Anna, the Springer Spaniel, permanently encamped on the floor right by the head of the couch.

Are there any better friends than dogs?