Husband and I went to Chicago for several days. He was exhibiting in a trade show, and I was playing. Our hotel was an hour outside of the city, so one day I took the train in and had fun being a tourist.
The first picture is as close as I came to the Ellis Tower with the little glass boxes you can stand in. Can you see them? I didn't even try going up there. I spent some time in the Chicago Art Institute (very cool), walked to the lake, and found the Bean. Had a good time in Chicago where everyone I encountered was very friendly.
I was home for a couple of days and then took off for a quilt retreat Up North. Six of us spent about 5 days sewing, ice dyeing, eating, and visiting the Headwaters of the Mississippi River.
After the sewing days I went to my mom's town. Sister and I worked on cleaning out the condo. The great-grand kids "helped" for a few minutes. Mom is now in assisted living and doesn't need/have room for all her stuff. It was quite a job! We weren't quite done when I had to leave, but we had made great progress. We divided up a lot of things (with Mom's permission and input). My car was stuffed to the top, and there's more I need to bring home on my next trip.
Now I have all this "stuff" I need to organize into my own house. What a job! Here's one very exciting thing -- I got to have my mom's Featherweight sewing machine. It's a 1951 model and has the carrying case, the extra parts, and the table that it fits into! This is the only sewing machine my mom has ever owned. It was purchased for her by my dad when we lived in Panama. And guess what else I found: the bill of sale from the purchase in 1951!!! It's written in Spanish. I can see that it was purchased in August of 1951 and was a total bill of $164... quite a large sum in those days. Another proof of how much my dad loved my mom. And it was a great investment, after all. I'm excited to get it set up and start sewing! I have no pictures of it yet.
I'm a lucky girl!
Now I need to go start organizing.... another big job! Want to come over and help?
5 comments:
Congrats on your new machine. I absolutely love mine, but it doesn't have the family memories your machine does! I agree you are one lucky girl!
To busy re-organizing in my own house to come help! What a chore.
So happy for you and your new sewing machine!
Your story of your mom reminds me of a few years ago when we moved hubby's mom to a smaller place and then a few years later when to an even smaller place. Then when we retired we moved her here, with even more downsizing and then again last year to assisted living. The journey of downsizing is the way life goes I guess. I think because of all that, I'm a bit crazy about getting too big of stash. I've been at it again this summer trying to scale it down, but then I always seem to buy more fabric! Chicago looks like fun. Haven't been there for years, and then it was winter. Always wanted to go back!
Oh, I forgot: Waiting on the pictures of your old/new Featherweight. Quite a story!
The Bean looks really cool. $164 really was a princely sum in 1951. I'm glad the Featherweight is in good hands.
Post a Comment