Some things might be worth the wait

This year's Auction quilt has been in progress for some time. Back in the fall, when we began, I found it hard to get excited over a quilt that was basically a copy of another quilter's work. Within a few weeks we had gained permission from the Sensei to use her design for inspiration. Then there was a turning point where the picture of her quilt was put away and we began doing our own thing. This week the borders were put in place and we met to do the basting. Luckily, the Early Learning Center could give us space for the task and tables so we didn't have to crawl around on the floor.

An eager group of moms made quick work of the task at hand, removing threads and cat hair and getting down to the basting. Now the quilt is in my care. We have four weeks to complete the quilting. The wind-chimes and cross strips will get in-the-ditch quilting and for the background we plan an echo-style quilting to resemble a Japanese style raked gravel garden.

We have a wonderful group of worker bees ready and eager. We have added our own combination of fabrics and colors and I think the quilting will be distinctive too. Our first "panic point" was the permission. With some luck and some hard work, it will be finished early enough too hang at the School for a few days before the Gala, avoiding further panic.

And today is the birthday of the canine daughter. Ten years ago in May, I received a phone call from my kids who had gone to Nikko for the day. "Mom, we found this darling puppy abandoned outside the community center". (Me) "I don't want a dog"! "But Mom, you just have to see it to believe what a darling dog it is". (Me) "I can't see it over the phone and I don't want a dog"!

So ... what did they do? They put her in a box and brought her home for me to see. "If you don't like her, I'll take her back", says my #4 daughter. Yeah right! And throw her back on the road! Oh, that poor animal, skinny and caked in dirt! Into the bathroom she went. After several washings she turned out to be white. Sitting on the rug by the garden window with the last of the afternoon sun drying her sparkling fur, someone says,"she needs a name". Since she was found in Nikko and the characters for Nikko are "sun" and "shine", it didn't take long to pick a name. Name it ... and it is yours!
A visit to the vet for puppy shots told us she was about three months old. Counting backwards, that was Valentine's day. Ten years ago! I can't believe someone would abandon this dog on the road. She isn't perfect. She has issues from time to time, but a sweeter, more gentle dog would be hard to find. She faces each day with enthusiasm and loves everyone.

My husband loves to take her shopping and when he comes out of the store finds her surrounded by a fan club, getting affection and praise.

Of course, those fans don't have to worry about tons of white hair covering everything in sight. You have only to look at the first picture following a "shampooch" to see some serious shedding.

So ... Happy Birthday, Nikko. Thanks for ten years of dog hair, crumb pick-up, left-over supervision, and quiet companionship. I guess if I had to choose again, I'd take your quiet non-yappy nature and forgive you for all my stuff you have chewed up.

and the winner is....

How could I possibly select a name from among all these kind and wonderful bloggers?
That is what assistants are for. Luckily, this assistant will do anything I ask for a piece of cheese.
Nikko was told to "Wait!" while I wrote the names on slips of note card and taped each one around a piece of cheese. She was very excited at the possibilities of a reward. (in fact, she can hear the refrigerator drawer being opened from any room in the house and comes to check if cheese is being removed)

The word,"Stay!" is a bit open-ended for her to take seriously but "Wait" has the connotation of a reward for being patient. (and patience is something she has perfected over nine years of trial and error.



The objects of desire were then placed in her dish. I tried to get most of the names hidden so she could not read them. I saw Nikko looking over my shoulder at the comments to see who had left her compliments and I didn't want her to play favorites.

The magic word for helping herself to goodies is "Itadakimasu". This is a word that is always spoken before taking the first bite. It means, I am about to partake.



Oh no, Nikko, you greedy dog, you have taken two names! And, how cleaver of you, both those names are people who have left you compliments.

Well, give them to me and you can try again. After all, I have only one give-away.

So, here they are ... Cheryl and Rose Marie. I am not going to tell you which is which but now please try again and only pick ONE!

And... the winner is... Cheryl of Cheryl's Teapots 2 Quilting.

So, Rose Marie and all my dear friends, I still love all your comments and support and help. Thank you for making this a very special year. And, if you are not happy with the results, blame the dog. She is very good at accepting blame.

And now ... back to quilting!

My quilt group = my inspiration

The Tokyo International Quilters is really the collected remnants of assorted quilt groups. When you live in a place like Tokyo, you say good-bye, it seems, more than you say hello and we have said plenty of good-byes. Still a small core of avid quilters remains and we meet every-other-Friday at one of the member's homes and enjoy quilting, fellowship, obento, and dessert.

Yesterday I arrived a bit late and found, to my extreme joy, a very special visitor ...a kindred spirit, really... I had not seen in months. It was all I could do to tear myself away at the end of the afternoon.

I will need to buy more green thread to finish sewing the leaves but I spent the time sewing a two-inch border outside the bear paw blocks. I think this not only brings a bit of the orange and yellow to the edge but helps to control those bears who were flexing their seems and behaving like twelve and a half wannabes.