Life Lessons

Have heard from more than one person in the past two weeks about my blogging drought! As I alluded to in the past post, there have been some pretty impressive emotional storms blowing through this house in the past couple of months. When the gales subsided I had very little wind in my sails to handle day to day activities and work let alone enough to blog. I have some memories that need to be recorded for my girls' future though and so I am digging deep to rejoin the ranks of the blog world!

I am opening with the most recent event!! Pretty much EVERY weekend the BFF/Cousin Deirdre becomes the third Mahoney daughter. Auntie Peggy even calls her my youngest as in "Is your youngest daughter over AGAIN?!?!" But she and Julia are just so darn good together that it is a pleasure to have her here. Yesterday they did something they rarely do....they asked for my help. It seems they felt it was high time they learned how to SEW!!! Gulp....as flattered as I was to be asked I also had a wave of panic at the thought of those two set loose in my sanctuary! Together they had made a well conceived plan and after rummaging through my insanely excessive stash of fabric we began their first sewing lesson.

We did the prep work first...cutting fabric and ribbons to the correct sizes.

Deirdre worried from the instant this picture was taken that now she will be expected to do ironing duty at home!! They learned what Wonder Under was and how it works....and how NOT to ruin my iron with Wunder Uck!

There was a lot of waiting ones turn as there was only one teacher for the two pupils!

Oh, did I mention that the teacher was working while injured???

As bad as it looks it is really the result of a botched blood draw so while my arm ached from the pressure of the bruising it was still usable.

But everyone had their turn at each step in the process.

When we made it to the step where the sewing machine would be needed we practised.....

...and practiced...

...and practiced some more....

...and when they had several straight runs we were ready for the real projects!

 They were all seriousness...

and determination!!

It took waaaaay longer than I originally thought but it is not all their fault as I neglected to factor in my chauffeuring obligations and then there was the impromptu family dinner at Portillos. There was the tiny interruption as Andrew, on his way to his first Homecoming Dance stopped by and I had to take pictures!! [Hopefully covered in an upcoming post!] What we started on Saturday was finished by Sunday which meant, of course, that Deirdre had to extend her sleepover!!!

Two uber proud sewers!!!!