She's Baaaack!

https://cdn.europosters.eu/image/750/canvas-print/dc-comics-wonder-woman-she-s-back-i47264.jpg

It's been over a year since I last posted on this blog. I was scheduled to have a second total knee replacement and from previous experience, I knew that I'd not be spending any time at the computer for many weeks while the new knee settled in.  So I got out of the habit of reading my favorite blogs and certainly not writing anything. Recently, I've gradually returned and realized how much I've always enjoyed reading what all my "cyber-friends" share about their lives.  With all the political drama that's thrown at me these days, I find your blogs to be a welcome, and very positive, change of pace.

Since I've been AWOL from Blogger for so long, I think I should reintroduce myself. First, here's a recent pic taken last October of me with my son at Cape Disappointment with the Pacific Ocean in the back.  As well as a very cloudy sky.  As you can see, I have natural silver highlights in my chestnut brown hair and more than a few laugh lines around my eyes.  I'm a retired social worker and live in Menomonie WI with my husband, Don. Our three children live in Olympia WA, Westbrook ME and in nearby Stillwater MN and of the three of them, I have only 1 grandchild, Lily, age 14.  I've been quilting for the past 15 to 20 years, after taking a 3 month class from Sandy which turned out to last 12 months because we loved her and what she taught us and we didn't want it to end.

I find myself at the sewing machine almost every day but when I'm not, I'll have my nose in a book or, in the summer, my hands in the dirt. I've also been known to cook a killer meal from time to time, with even a tasty dessert included.  LOL!  I'll give you fair warning that I tend to be a political junkie and from time to time I may share some of my opinions about the state of the world--so don't say I didn't warn you!

Traveling is definitely a must and now that both of my crappy knees have been fixed, I'm enjoying my trips a lot more. During the past year, Don and I spent the month of February in Ft. Morgan AL (near Gulf Shores but much less noisy and hectic!), I went with my best friend of over 40 years on a 10 day bus trip in the Canadian Maritime provinces (What a thrill to be in the homeland of Anne of Green Gables! And the seafood was spectacular!), entertained Lily for the 6 weeks this summer that she spent with us, ending with a stay at Naniboujou Lodge near the Canada/Minnesota border where we hiked half of the Grand Portage Trail (7.2 miles).  After that I flew her home to Maine and spent a week out there with her. (More amazing seafood!)



In October I took the Amtrak to Olympia and had a great visit with my son. We went to Cape Disappointment and took in the Lewis and Clark State Park, hiked to both lighthouses there, and had a great dinner at a brew pub in Astoria--have to make it a point to spend more time in Astoria next time I go west. We also spent a day in the Olympic National Park and hiked several miles around this gorgeous glacier fed lake. The water was an amazing aquamarine blue even on a cloudy, overcast day.  I've never seen that color in the Midwest--but then, we don't have too many glaciers here!

That was the last of my trips for the year.  Nothing planned until after the holidays when I may take the train to Maine.  Not definite yet.

I've spent a lot of time in the sewing room after my knee was healed enough, and made several more quilts, but I'll save the pics of them for another day.   I think this is enough for one day.

So that's a little about me. What about you?  What have you been up to this past year? I love reading your comments as well as your blogs.