So ... a year has passed.

Well, I've now been through the first whole year without my sweetheart.  Experienced birthdays, anniversary, holidays without the love of my life.  So, April 13 was a very difficult day for me.  In fact, several days leading up to and following the 13th were filled with memories and reliving things that happened and just plain heartache.  I had planned on going away SOMEWHERE, but as I told Jeff, I'd just be taking my grief with me so I just stayed home.  It was a gloomy day and I just kept the blinds closed and I really don't know what I did.  I forget.  I think I sat on the couch and just glazed over, lost in a sad reverie.  But I've just got to go forward!  I know that Wendell is in heaven with God and that is what I lean on.

Some good things have happened though!  Visited Lisa & Steve's church in Portland and found out that I'll soon be a great-great aunt (Sydney is expecting).  Spent Easter with my sister and her family which was very very nice; and it was a beautiful day too.  Tried my hand at basket weaving and that was a no-go.  Failure.  But interesting seeing all of the beautiful choices of baskets I obviously am incapable of producing!  The teacher was a talented lady but she is obviously MUCH better at making baskets than telling others how to do so.  LOL!  I've produced copious amounts of crocheted hats since I last wrote here, doing my part for the knit n' crochet group I go to each Wednesday's project to donate 800 hats to a local charity for Christmas packages (we're half way there!).  Really enjoying the hat project!  Also, I've enjoyed taking a class in quilting.  Yes, I do know how to sew/piece, but used this as an opportunity to try to perfect my piecing skills, and I truly learned something new.  We all made a small table runner, including quilting it.  And it was fun meeting some new people in that 3-session class.  Actually, I am so excited because I learned a new binding technique that probably everyone else in the world knows about and uses but I never saw before.  So you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Well, I'll see if I have any photos worth sharing.  I'm thinking not much ...

Found this little painting at an antique shop in Verona OH.  I'm a sucker for little originals!  Have way too many (though I did 'loose' a few in the auction).

This and below are the hats I've turned in the past two weeks.  Lots of generous people have donated yarn to us, so all it takes is time.  And I have lots of that.

One last thing ... when I was going through the old photos I came across this one that was taken in a photo booth.  I remember doing this; it was in the mall in Terre Haute about 15 years ago.  One photo has obviously been trimmed off.  I got a chuckle because in one I have my eyes closed, in one he has his eyes closed, and then the one we must have been practicing for! 💓  Are there still photo booths around??? Inquiring minds want to know!

Have a good month of May!  God bless y'all.