"White Day"

White day came a bit early. This is the day that those guys who got chocolate from the girls on Valentine's day, will receive return gifts. After rice delivery in cold and blustery early-morning Shibuya, I went back up to my nook to finish off my sleep. I recall at one point hearing the doorbell ring but since Paul was still up, I went back to sleep.
When I returned to the land of the active participants, what should I find sitting on my laptop, but a beautifully wrapped package with a lovely note saying, "Happy reading and quilting!!! Paul". Inside was my eagerly awaited book for my Quilter's Book Club. My husband said it was his "White Day" present to me in return for not buying him chocolate. Ah, so much better than having him pick out a piece of underwear, no matter how beautiful. I guess I should stop snickering over this "tradition".

"a single thread" by Marie Bostwick

Do you love to read and quilt? I'll bet it would never be too late to join the fun ... and it is fun to share reading and quilting and comments with friends whether you have met them in person or not.

Check out the The Starwood Quilter to learn more.

While I am at it, I thought I might show you two more blocks from my friendship quilt.

These were made by two members of our International Quilters group who have returned to the States.

The upper block was made by my friend Tina. It is a "California" block as she returned from Japan to San Jose, California. She has returned a few times since then and we will always be friends. Her three boys were in my Scout group and she was a leader. Since returning to California, she has been awarded the "Silver Beaver" (a National award for work at the Council level) and conducted "Woodbadge" (an advanced leadership training course) as staff and course director. One summer she brought her troop to Japan for an exchange. On another visit, she brought five fat quarters to each member of our group. We challenged the members to add one fabric of their own and make some kind of quilted object. That was a fun challenge too.

The Lower block is "Delectable Mountains". It was made by "Cindy" who returned to Oregon after leaving Tokyo. Her notation on the signature block is that the pattern "from an old quilt which was made as a symbol of the survival of the "Lost Wagon Train" of 1853, on the Oregon Trail. My great, great grandparents arrived in Oregon with this wagon train". 

Isn't that just too cool for words! I knew Lucinda from the American School where both she and her husband worked. It figures that an educator would come up with something so meaningful. 

For certain, I will never forget these two friends (or where they come from) no matter how many years pass. The remainder of the quilt group shared these stories at our reunion just past.

The cold wind seems to have past while I was writing this and the sun is out. Time to go hang the laundry.

Have a great day and cherish your friends!