End of the summer pictures

We took Leiya to the airport last night. It's amazing how jam packed and crazy LAX can be even at 10:30 at night! Poor Marcy has to make the trip to LAX again this morning for me. Why we couldn't have scheduled ourselves better I don't know but we didn't.

I got a lot done this summer. And it was truly a fun summer. One that I wasn't expecting. At first Leiya hadn't planned to come, then Maxine fell ill, my mother hadn't been in very good health last year so I didn't expect this year to be better.

Hey! There were no emergency room trips this year (one Urgent Care trip for Grandma that wasn't that urgent.) Despite the funeral everyone's spirits were high and laughter abounded between Marcy, Grandma, Leiya, Kiana and me. (The males in this family are either going through adolescence or have a history of non-smiling.) I am so grateful for the laughter that Marcy can nudge out of everyone even in strained times and my mother I think finds laughter a good way to pass over her mistakes and weaknesses. I learned a lot from watching those two again this summer.

I was tickled seeing Takumi's new interest in things (aquarium and cross stitch?!) and I carefully observed his relationship with Bianca. I am happy to report that Bianca does crochet and beading and a bit of hand sewing (she was making a stuffed animal when I saw her last). She proudly showed off her new sewing machine to me and is ready to jump into the applique kit she bought. Good girlfriend to pick out!

At the beginning of the summer I didn't expect to make it to the Long Beach Quilt festival where I met Annie and Tanya and Gigi (and Takumi bought me some great toys!) and that was such a wonderful and fun day!

I surely didn't expect Jay's wonderful batiks and in the midst of the last packing days Sina sent me some of her beautiful batik stash too.

Mona and Julie gave me more things to put on my To-Do list with patterns and sweet things and of course June gave me her gift of love by quilting my Orange and Cherry Jubilee quilt for me (and she sent another package with doggie fabrics to go with the kitty fabrics she'd previously sent.)

Marcy and Kiana and I made yet another prayer quilt for Marcy's friend and Leiya and Kiana were very productive with two aprons made apiece.

I even set Colin to work one afternoon sewing himself a PSP holder (what is that?!) out of some scraps.

My brother's two lawn chairs visited the sewing machine and as a reward I made it a cover so that it can stay dust free until someone plays with it again.

All the doggies have brought smiles to my face daily but I'll be happy to get back to my own family of animals and TETSU!

Flying off in a couple of hours. See you when I'm back in Japan.