Aging like a fine wine............

Well, I made it.

I have reached the rather grand age of 60. (Or will have, as I'm off to Birmingham I'm posting this early).

It feels a little odd really as I only feel like I'm about 24, so not sure I understand how I got to this point.  I can remember as a child thinking that 60 was really very old, but I would never get any older so it didn't matter, childhood is a funny thing.

I was talking to Ivey the other day who was outside playing music while on the swing in their backyard. It was rather lovely to see. She said she wanted to play me a song and put on Pharrell Williams' "Happy". I am rather fond of that song as it is one of our Zumba routines so I started dancing around to it. Ivey sat and watched me and at the end announced that she would play that at my funeral. It rather took me by surprise as I thought I had a while to go yet.

She told me that first, it would be played at her wedding, (phew, that's a relief then, my demise isn't imminent), but after that it would be my funeral tune. Now she informs me that she is going to marry at 23 after which I'm pretty much done. She didn't want to marry at 30 as I would be almost 80 and fit for nothing.

I sent her a text later that evening telling her that I would dance to that tune at her wedding when I'm 80, I got no reply so think she must be making plans to get married a lot sooner so I won't embarrass her.

It has made me think, reaching this age, that I must have no regrets. I don't want to sit and think I wish I had done this or I wish I had done that, I want to make a name for myself (if I haven't already), and enjoy life. It's rather why I enter quilts in shows and take part, when I can, in challenges. I have just finished one which must be shipped off as soon as possible for a show in Philadelphia, and my entry for the Festival of Quilts has arrived safely, so I will be pleased to see it there. I also have a quilt going on display in Burlington in September.

The piece I entered into the Festival of Quilts

I hope the piece I've just finished for the show in Philadelphia, is good enough, reading other people's descriptions always makes me think that I haven't quite risen to the challenge well enough, but I'll let the viewing public decide what they think, I expect no prizes. I took it literally, the challenge was Illuminated Letters and we were each assigned a letter of the alphabet. I chose to find a script that would suit my letter and hand painted, beaded and used gold leaf- which reminds me, we will get back to restoring china in September-as I have books of it.

The other thing I have done is to complete a wall hanging which we gave to the owner of FINE Restaurant in Grand Bend. Erryn is very good to us at the Gala for the Quilt Festival and always produces the most wonderful finger food for the evening, the plates are pretty empty by the end of the night so you have to be quick. Jan Bender, our food guru at Festival, always does a thank you gift so this year I offered to make it for her. We met at the restaurant and had a wonderful lunch and then had a chance to talk to Erryn and hand her the gift which she was thrilled to bits with and will have it hanging in the restaurant, so, if you happen to dine there and see this piece, it is mine.

I was pleased with the way it turned out. Just happened to pull this piece of fabric from the box and this is what it told me to do. The background and all the other fabrics apart from the trees are ice dyed, which is my most favouritest thing to do, as no two pieces are the same, and it's always serendipitous as to the end result. It measures 36 inches across to give you an idea.

A busy week ahead as Cathy and I leave for the UK and the Festival of Quilts. It is going to be a very busy time for us and taken up mostly with meetings, it will be quite a challenge juggling it all but I think it will be ok. I am very much looking forward to it and hoping to see the quilts, as we have passes, we can get in early every day which will give us the opportunity to look around and maybe do a little shopping.......

The husband will be quietly pining at home - well, maybe not, but he'll be here  home alone. That always worries me a bit. I went away once and he ended up driving himself to the hospital as he wasn't feeling too well. Oh well, at least we can message each other.

I'm also looking forward to meeting lots of people I get messages and emails from, but don't really know as I never get to any guild meetings or regional meetings, I've also had someone contact me as the husband and her brother worked together at Philips for about 40 years!! She is an avid quilter and coming to the show on Friday, it's a very small world sometimes.

Well, I had better get this posted as I have a lot to do today, off to church and then to start packing a quilt for shipping, start packing and I have eight ducks to contend with..............

Me with my quilt, the one on my left, at the Ailsa Craig Quilt Festival