Another day out

I wanted to take the next top and drop it off. As it turns out, I had a 10% off coupon from that store that expired today, so I figured if nothing else, I could get a couple bucks off the cost of the batting (she has you buy the batting as a 'deposit,' and then pay for the work when the quilt is done).

But I did find a couple other things. Including this, "she is shaped like a friend"

Her name is "Dainty Dragon," and I think I'll keep it; I can't think of any I like better.

This was another one of those "I picked up the toy and then decided to buy it." I did also get a couple small pieces of fabric.

It was a lovely sunny day, a nice change from all the dreary weather, and probably good to get out. I went to a couple other shops in Denison but could have spent far, far more time there. (Some day I will. Some day I will just plan on spending the whole Saturday there and just go up and down the main drag. Denison is or was up for a "Main Street" award with some much larger cities and I hoped they won (I don't know if the award has been announced yet) because they really do have an outstanding main street.)

I also went to one of the antique shops and bought this

It's a little china-ware match holder. Back from the days when you had to light stoves yourself. (My grandma had one in her kitchen, but not fancy like this - it was just black sheet-metal, probably tin, I think maybe someone in her family made it?). I don't need matches in my kitchen but I do plan to clean it up and put it up on the wall, maybe use it to hold the box of toothpicks that I use for cake testing? I don't know, I just LIKED it and it seems in keeping with the style of my late-1940s house and so I think it needs to go up in my kitchen.

I also hit the used bookstore, and while it's not quite as wonderful as some of the funky collegetown used bookstores I've gone to (most of the books here are recent paperbacks, heavy on the genre fiction), I did find a few things:

When I'm ready for more murder and mayhem, a Louise Penny I don't have, and an Antonia Fraser that looks interesting. (Right now, though, taking a break from mysteries; I started Cather's "The Professor's House" the other night and am enjoying it. I'm hoping not too many sad things happen in the book* because I need something more restful.)

(*We need something like "Does The Dog Die" - a website that warns people about movies with sad/triggering topics - for books) 

At another shop I bought a framed wallpaper piece, because I just liked it

It's already been hung up:

At JoAnn's, two things. First, frames for some of the photos I had copies made of over break. I need to figure out how to arrange these and get them up on my already-too-full family photo wall (But I don't want to take any down....)

My paternal grandparents' place, the view over the Lake Michigan bluff. I just barely remember this; 1981 or so was the last I was here.

My dad at 3. It's amazing me to think he was ever 3, but he was. 

My Uncle Stanley, whom I never really knew (he died when I was about 3) when he was in the Navy in WWII. He is the one in the middle of that shot, with the dark hair and wearing his cap at a slight angle:

I can definitely see the resemblance to my mother; I think she and Stanley were the two siblings in that family who most closely resembled each other. People who knew Stanley (most of them are gone, now) say my brother looks like him and I can see a little of that, too.

And here's my mom! This was maybe 6 or 7 years before I was born. She told me it was during a visit to my dad's parents. I remember my dad wearing the sweater she is knitting on there...I really, really love this photo, this is very much my mom, even if it was taken before I ever knew her

And here's my grandmother! (My mom's mom). I don't know when, but it was clearly taken at some function at her church. Again, this is maybe a little before I really "knew" Grandma, but again, it strikes me as "very much her":

It makes me happy to have these. This is what I want, more than ANYTHING, as a way of remembering people - more than stuff that belonged to them, certainly more than "ashes" (cremains). I know some people take comfort in that and that's fine, but for me: I want pictures of the people when they were happy and healthy and a photo that makes me look at it and go "yes, that is very 'them'"

The other thing is very silly, but it pleases me.

I found a pattern for a knitted version of Louise Belcher's ear-hat online, and I want one. Even if very-nearly-51 is a little old for it; if nothing else I might try to quick whip up a green t-shirt dress for next Hallowe'en, and that plus the hat and black flats, instant Louise costume. (There is also a pattern for Kuchi Kopi out there and I could also make one of those and carry it around)

So I found yarn (this is actually a bulky weight not a worsted, but I think I can make it work)

And I did "big" grocery shopping, perhaps a bit more than I might have, but we've been warned of perhaps more winter weather coming, and I am busy, so I might not get out again soon (Next Saturday I am committed for a thing on campus, at least for an hour, and I probably need to work on biostats stuff anyway) and they're also talking about how bad the flu season is and even though I've had a shot, I don't know that all the strains roaming around are the ones that were in the shot....but it is good to have food ahead for when it's needed.