La Grande Expérience

"The Great Experiment" is what I'm conducting today. I've decided to deliberately pin baste two sandwiches, despite my experience last time, but this time using Bonnie's suggestion of raising the table a bit more.

Críochnaithe

The Irish Chain flimsy made back in 2019 is finally finished (the Irish word in this post's title). Another finish in the space of 8 days? Inconceivable!

"I do not think it means what you think it means."

Floral Finish

Another finish!

"Clarissa" pattern from ge*designs

DoZE

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Diversion

With some personal tumult going on at the moment, it's been hard to get terribly enthused about going into my studio these past few days, other than for the occasional Dump-'n'-Dash. But yesterday I had a yearning to accomplish something by way of quilting (and I needed some quiet thinking time), so I sat down with my rail blocks (which earlier I had already paired up and sewn together) and promptly made a mistake that required unsewing half the misbegotten seam.

I looked around at my options. Did I want to get up and go all the way around the table to boot up the computer and look at the layout I had planned for the rail blocks?

Some Semblance of Self

I'm going to take a page out of Lane's book blog and insert anything political, that I feel I must get off my chest, at the bottom of my entry under a line of asterisks. I am also giving a hugely grateful "Thank you!" to Nann and Caroline for their comments of support and virtual hugs. Those, along with reading some of my favorite bloggers (The Bloggess in particular) and having Real Time conversations with friends (of both persuasions), have helped me work out and through my feelings and get back to a semblance of my normal, bubbly-but-sarcastic self. I'm singing again, ready to perform for The Great Unwashed in our upcoming Holiday gigs.

On a completely surprising note, in the midst of my utter depression I had a dream about making a colorful quilt from a panel of this fabric I have on hand. There was hope yet, and I clung to it!!

I laughed tonight

The Loud and I take turns deciding the night's TV viewing, usually only two episodic shows or one movie. Tonight was my turn, and when he said he'd probably only be up for one show, I decided to choose one that would really "count". I wanted to laugh, I needed to laugh, I was ready to laugh. So I chose "The Goes Wrong Show" (Amazon) and wasn't disappointed. 

Then he decided he could watch some of our other favorite show, the finale episode of Season Two of "Crime Scene Kitchen" (Hulu). That too did not disappoint, providing plenty of laughs. He went to bed after that, but I've stayed up with the final thoughts of the winning team swimming in my ears:

"From this point moving forward, we're going to celebrate ourselves, no matter what happens. We're going to encourage each other, we're going to cheer for each other, and just be grateful for the moment and experience, and live in it."   Yass and Amber, Crime Scene Kitchen

I truly want to bring this fervor with me going forward. Tomorrow is chorus rehearsal night. Can I make it happen? Can I manufacture the illusion of joy where none exists, enough to perform for an audience?

I made plans with my closest friend to meet at Nowhere Bookshop (San Antonio, The Bloggess--this was the first post of hers I ever read, and I laughed until tears ran down my leg) this coming Tuesday. I decided I needed something in my life to look forward to, a Bucket List to create and an item to check off, and this fits the bill perfectly.

It's a start.