Weekend Sprinkle

It sprinkled a bit during the drive to Long Beach on Saturday, rained a little overnight, but the sun was present on Sunday. Just in time for the outdoor "Sprinkle" (mini baby shower) at the Art Museum, with a view of the ocean, welcoming the soon-to-be great granddaughter.

Granddaughter scaled down to twelve — myself and White Grandma included. This being flu and cold season, three had to call off at the last minute, wisely stayed home, rather than infect those of us in attendance.

White Grandma made it, but arrived late after calling to say she was having trouble finding parking.

We were all seated by then and, when she called, I realized she’d be sitting in the only empty seat, which was next to me.

"I don’t want to sit next to White Grandma" pronounced I, and asked two of the ladies to move one seat over, so I could sit further away.

One of the two said, "I don’t want to sit next to her either", but she moved. The other said, "How could you do this to us", but she also moved.

White Grandma has a reputation — complains, criticizes, takes over and makes it about her.

So, anyway, when she arrived I didn’t go out of my way to greet her. She didn’t go out of her way to greet me but was well behaved and, towards the end of the Sprinkle, she was the bigger person — walked over to me, said "Nice to see you again". I said "You too", and that was that.

Brunch was off the menu, so I was able to find items I could eat, but had to pass on desert.

The quilt I made was well received and BTW, I don’t think I ever posted the finished quilt for you to see.

Label I Made for Back Corner

White Grandma is smiling at the quilt, but I dunno if I can trust that smile as showing how she really feels.

She herself started to crochet a quilt but, unable to complete it in time, gifted granddaughter items off the registry.

While in Long Beach, I got to spend time with the Great Grandson.

At 18 months, he's his own little person already and sees me so seldom that he doesn't really know me, but warmed up a little after I sang and danced along with him to his little shows, played with him in his toy room, showed approval when he showed off his skills.

Thinking about facing the Monday morning people going back to work traffic spurred me to check out of the hotel early, drive home Sunday evening rather than Monday morning.

Waking up this morning, learning the medical center would be striking later this week, I hurried over for a flu shot.

I did a dangerous thing by wearing my Inmate#P01135809 tee shirt.

Dangerous because, had the nurse giving me the shot been a supporter, that could have gone badly for me.

Since I was in the area, I did an even more dangerous thing to do while wearing that shirt — I popped into the craft store with the reputation of being GQP/racist/misogynistic/homophobic/anti-semitic/fill-in-the-discriminatory-blank for needlepoint floss, but got out without incident

On the way back to the complex, I saw a horrible accident caused by some yahoo running the red light well after the light had turned green for cross traffic.

I wanted to pull over, give my name as a witness; but the accident was on Route 66, where the intersections are chaotic, no place to pull over and the accident instantly caused even more chaos. Besides, there were a ton of other witnesses.

I'll have to check the dash cam to see if it captured the incident, just in case I see a notice in the newspaper asking witnesses to come forward.

All the way home I wondered how that yahoo now felt about being so important, in such a hurry that he blew through the red only to now not get to where he was so anxious to get, his car is wrecked, the other person's car is wrecked and possibly severely injured, as I very quickly heard sirens rushing to the scene.

Mouse Trap

So far so good with staying indoors this weekend — not seeing anyone, not going anywhere, catching up on recorded TV programs, crafting.

That never ending needlepoint project, which I began in May of ’21 having no idea it was to be as challenging as it has turned out to be, is now in its 25th month, with a total of 1567 day-by-day hours put in thus far.

I also pulled out the sewing machine and began mapping out a quilt for the great granddaughter, expected to be born into this troubled universe around Christmas time.

Though granddaughter and her husband would probably prefer boho colors — gender neutrals that would be appropriate for either a boy or a girl, like I somewhat did with great grandson’s quilt, except I did work in the color blue .......

Great Grandson’s Quilt

...... because they want their children to not be pushed at birth to a specific gender, I couldn’t resist going with little girl colors when I saw a Princess panel, which I'm paring up with fabrics that seem to go well.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this upcoming week looks to be free of errands necessitating I run all over several towns. Consequently, I may attend Activity Director’s 11:00 – 1:00 session on Tuesday — which I see on the calendar is a class, "Tips on saving with entertainment, followed by a fun game of bingo".

Those are two hours I’d much prefer devoting to my crafting projects but I had a thought — wouldn’t it be fun to set a mouse trap, be in the Community Room if Meat Man continues his newly acquired pattern of coming in on Tuesdays to continue his pursuit of Homegirl and be faced with the two of us girls together.

To see the look on the face of that two-timer … three-timer if he actually does have a girlfriend or is engaged, would be worth giving up two hours of my free time, don’t you think?

Of course, I’ll tell Homegirl what my motive for being there is about and ask how she wants to play it if he does show up.

Hopefully he won’t disappoint, ruin our fun by not showing up.

Family Heirloom?

A few days ago, my heartbeat skipped a little when I heard the announcement on TV that a lottery ticket worth $4 million was purchased at a liquor store in Southern California. Alas, looking up at the screen, the pictured liquor store was not the one where I purchase my tickets.

At least I won $20 on a scratch off and $4 on two Mega tickets. It isn’t much when one considers the pot was $1.35 billion at that time; but I’ll take it, roll it over, try again.

When Twin 2 dropped in on Tuesday, it wasn’t to meet Bear but to return a workout tee that’s been in use some 30+ years, saying she was "working on detachment, starting with tangible things".

Sounds very Zen of her.

At any rate, I said "Don’t donate or throw it away. Give it to me to be added to the t-shirt quilt I’ve been one day planning to make from my race shirts".

The tee in question is one I purchased and began wearing in my late 40’s. I don’t know how Twin 2 came into possession, but she’d sent me a photo in 2013 of her wearing it.

Twin 2 just celebrated her 55th birthday, so the shirt having served the both of us well all these many decades, it’s fitting to retire it, add it to the t-shirt quilt stack.

Once I get around to working on that quilt — which won’t be until I finish this never-ending needlepoint project, I’ll make this tee the centerpiece of the quilt.

I looked for similar tees for when I was pushing 60, then 70. There were none then, but there are a few out there now.

Seeing this tee reminded me to take a stab at one saying "Pushing 80 is enough exercise". I found one had been available, but was discontinued some time ago.

I could make one, but I’ve enough crafting projects on my plate.

So, anyway, as I was moving containers around to get to the t-shirt quilt stack so I could add this one, I ran across my own stuffed buddy — a horse I'd stored away a few years ago.

Ride ‘Em Cowboy

Along about 2:00, Bear and I spotted Yazzy, her grandma and another neighbor sitting on the walkway's bench.

How dare they, I thought. Bold a brass sitting there while I'm still Bearsitting (Thanks commenter).

I yell down to Talker, "Doesn't she want Bear back?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell her".

Sigh!

Once told, Yazzy couldn't get up here fast enough.

She missed Bear just as much as he missed her.

Yazzy loved the book, grandma Talker and the other neighbor gushed over it, talked about how creative it was.

So, there you have it folks. A happy ending.

End of the saga.

Bear has left the unit.

Do You See What I See, Part 2

Running low on a few items gave me the excuse I needed to pop into the market, hunt for the Elf, after yesterday’s workout.

It appears Spider (the icky security guard) is gone for good, and it’s safe to go back to my regular shopping location and time, because he’s been absent for weeks.

This time, there was a young security guard at the station.

He appeared to be smiling through his mask when he said “Hello, I like your mask”.

Inasmuch as he came across as normal friendly, not sinister manipulative like Spider, I smiled back through my mask, said hello and thank you.

After a time, having not much luck finding the Elf, I was ready to admit defeat, but then decided to check the Liquor Department.

No luck.

While standing in the Liquor Department, I turned around, stood still, and slowly began scanning far and near areas of the market I could see from that vantage point.

I spotted something red.

Gotcha!

Had I turned that corner and looked up, I’d probably not have seen the Elf. She was mostly only visible from where I was standing in the Liquor Department.

So that’s another successful hunt.

I finished the second attempt at a baby quilt over the weekend.

Having pretty much polished up on my long ago last used quilting skills on the first quilt, which on the surface looked okay, but I was not happy with, work on the second quilt was fast, neat, and the finished product is super cute.

While I was in the mood, I quickly also knocked out a quilted blanket, then designed, printed to fabric and attached my own label.

Quilt

Blanket

I was going to cut up and toss the first quilt, but then I thought it’s not horrible, and Twin 2’s very spoiled Jack Russell Terrier would enjoy it. So, I’ll be gifting that one to Patches.

The Dog's Quilt

Those are small unicorns on the back side, but Patches will probably think they’re small dogs.

Because I’d initially purchased fabric from the craft store, but then saw much nicer fabric panels online, I’ve leftovers, which I thought to turn into receiving blankets and burping cloths, but nah.

Though I can and do occasionally sew, sewing is not my favorite craft. I’m ready to get the sewing machine and tools out of the way, regain my space, so I’ll donate the extra fabric to someone somewhere.

As if I’d not been busy enough yesterday, what with working out, hunting for the elf, attaching the label to the quilt and blanket, when I saw I had leftover chili enough for dinner last night and today, I thought to stretch it into more than just two meals by using the chili as tamale filling.

I’ve pretty much got the art of tamale making for the single woman down to quick, fast, easy.

Ended up with 13 tamales, six meals and one for breakfast this morning.

The rain storm we were told to expect, hit the area in the early morning hours. So, today is looking like an uneventful day inside.

Patio Wars, Part 2

Heading for the Pain Cave on Friday, I saw Red-Light District had added decorative bows to her railing, to go with all the other stuff she has in her disco display that I’d posted a video of on Wednesday.

Red Light District (RLD) is the blog name I’ve assigned to the resident downstairs across the quad corner unit.

Though I realize that she probably added the bows to enhance her display for daytime viewing, because the full glory of the light show doesn't translate until after dark, I still thought to myself, Girl! You need to stop.

She appears to be obsessing on out decorating her neighbors.

Though I've not experienced the side of her that others have said is "difficult", I have a sense she's the type of person that's going to be angry if she doesn't win.

I wish her luck with it, because it appears the Universe has other plans.

Heading outside yesterday, this is how the display looked.

It appears Santa and Company had a little too much of whatever was served at the disco, and are now all out of air, passed out flat on their faces.

After Friday’s workout, I headed out of the area to pick up a replacement iron for the reliable, had for a long time, Black and Decker steam iron I’d killed the evening before.

How did I kill an iron, you ask?

I’d previously mention there’s a lot of switching things around to make room for sewing, and all the steps involved.

In the process of doing just that, switching out what was needed when it was needed — sewing machine, fabric, cutting boards, measuring rulers, ironing board in a small space already filled with a laptop, makeup mirror and makeup, I’d momentarily placed the iron on top of the refrigerator, forgot to be careful, caught a foot on the cord, and crashing down she came.

Fortunately, she wasn't still hot, had cooled off, and missed my foot, but I couldn't get her to power up after that, and had to resign myself to replacing. 

When I returned to the complex from that errand, I walked over to see if 1st Place Halloween had finished decorating her 3rd Place boyfriend’s patio.

She had.

His

Hers

A few doors down from boyfriend’s patio, is a patio with a Christmas tree.

The tree looks alive, but I can't be sure.

As you can see, whatever else is there was hidden under tarps that day, and the tree is not yet decorated.

When I walked over yesterday to see the full display, everything else was STILL hidden under tarps, and the tree was still bare.

I've no idea what's going on with that patio. Perhaps there's to be some kind of big reveal.

The Baker is not in the mood for Christmas, because her husband is not doing well, but she made an effort.

Two others I walked up on ...

Do You See What I See

Waking up yesterday morning, wanting to go to the market to hunt for the elf after working out, but needing an excuse, I was happy to see I was out of tomatoes and down to my last red bell pepper.

I guess the market has not returned to employees manning the door because, when I walked in, there was a security guard on duty. Fortunately, it wasn’t the one I avoid — and I’ve got a blog name for that guy … Spider.

Why “spider”?

Trainer said, one time when he popped into the market to pick up a sandwich from the deli, Spider had his sleeve rolled up and he saw a tattoo of a "rather large" black widow spider.

It’s my understanding that Black Widow Spiders are deadly, so I said to Trainer, "What does THAT tell you about the guy. He’s practically advertising, warning others that he’s trouble".

At any rate, I began looking for the Elf the minute I stepped inside the door, because you never know if the elf is hidden near or far.

After making sure, she wasn’t hanging around the entrance, or directly in front of the entrance, I made a right into the Bakery/Deli section. Checked the walls, the counters, inside the glass display cases (because one year she was hidden inside the sushi case and I missed seeing it).

From there, I hung a left. Looked along the meat section, continued down to eggs then, hanging another left to Dairy, looking eye-level left/right, up and there she was.

Do you see what I see?

Such a tiny thing, she’s easy to miss, but I spotted her up there getting drunk on eggnog.

So that’s one successful hunt.

Trainer followed through on moving me up to barbells.

I managed to get the bar beyond the waist level and over my head without the grunting groaning grimacing of his younger client, and without hurting anything ......... yet.

Plan today was to walk around the complex, take more pics of patio decorations, but it’s raining.

Pivot!

I love that word "pivot", which creators on tik tok use to indicate a change in direction.

So instead of going outside today, it’s back to working on the baby quilt … Number 2 because, upon completion of Quilt 1, I scrapped it and began again.

Knocking out baby quilts, which I gifted to coworkers at their showers, was my thing back in the day. However, as near as I can recall, the last baby quilt I made was in 2002.

Now rusty on what to do, how to do it, Quilt 1 was riddled with mistakes, but served to refresh my skills.

I reordered the top fabric, ordered a different back fabric, and have begun again.

So far construction is going much smoother.

Reset

It’s taken over a week to recover and reset from last week’s deviation from my normal schedule, caused by travelling to the family get-together.

My sleep pattern has been off since I returned and, up until midway through yesterday’s Pain Cave workout, I’d been struggling until something clicked and I began to feel like my old pre-Thanksgiving self.

Guess I just needed endorphins and a reset into a normal schedule.

Waking up this morning amped and ready to go, I was surprised to learn the date was December 2nd.

I’d not realized we’d slipped out of November and were in December until I saw the date on a blog I was reading. “Good thing I always pay my rent early”, thought I, “otherwise I’d be late with payment”.

Partially to blame for my not knowing we were in December is the absence of a Monthly Activity Calendar posted to the door.

With no Arts and Crafts until the Tyrant stops robbing Peter to pay Paul, and with the advent of Omnicron, there’s probably not much to see on the calendar, but it does help to track, even if I do still get confused as to the date, at least the proper month I’m in.

The sun was up, the wind was down today. Feeling the need to get out and walk, instead of heading for the college, I headed to the market — the one with the Security Guard.

I needed absolutely nothing from the market but, not wanting to seem suspicious, I came up with a few things I would eventually need, so I could hunt for Ginger the Elf.

Today was my lucky day. Security Guard was not on duty, nor was there a substitute. The market was back to having employees manning the door, more specifically this time it was the elderly white-haired gentleman that I’d previously blogged about as being forced by the economy to return to the workforce, employed to bag groceries.

Could it be store management has dispensed with uniformed security altogether?

I certainly hope so, but only time will tell.

At any rate, after going up one isle, down another, looking high, looking low, checking corners, picking up olive oil, disinfecting wipes, a couple of tomatoes, brown jasmine rice as I went along — again, to not appear to be there just to find the elf, which I actually was, I walked away having seen no sign of Ginger.

I did, however, get a little over 1,000 steps in.

Unless I can come up with a need, which it doesn’t look like, I don’t see another opportunity to hunt for Ginger until around next Wednesday.

Returning to the complex, I found management had finally posted this month’s Activity Calendar to our doors.

As I’d surmised, there was nothing on it — except mention of a “Best Decorated Patio/Balcony” contest and an attachment indicating “Any vehicle parked on the premise that does not have a parking permit or is parked in someone’s assigned space will be towed at the owner’s expense”.

Just so there’s no mistake and management has not contracted some crooked tow service to come in and accidentally on purpose not see stickers and start willy nilly towing vehicles out, the plan is, when I head out tomorrow for Friday’s workout, to snap a photo of my car’s sticker from the vantage of how the tow truck would be looking.

If they say it wasn’t there or they’d made a mistake because it wasn’t visible, I can call ‘em out on the lie.

If it sounds like I don’t trust management, or any of their outside hires, it’s because I’ve seen enough of the shenanigans to not trust them.

Remainder of the afternoon was putting in some time on that baby quilt.

After taking it apart two times, because first I didn’t like the traditional grid of sewing through the design, and then didn’t like it when I sewed around the design to outline it, I was ready to trash the quilt, reorder fabric and start all over. Then I thought to test out a broken grid layout — where the blocks are around the design.

Love it, and I’m finally making some headway.

I’m re-scheduled for that booster shot this Saturday so, if my arm isn’t sore ... or I don't land in jail because if they don't fix the whiteout situation by giving me a new card, I'm gonna go full out Karen, I might finish the quilt this weekend.

Too bad granddaughter is not having twins, because I went a little overboard, purchased more nursery fabric than I need.

I’ll probably just keep making quilts until the fabric is gone and give her a bundle of them.

Honey(s) I’m Home

Hope you all enjoyed your day of thanks.

It was a good thing I was heading out of town because, just before I hit the road, there was a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) message from the utility company due to the heavy winds.

The all-clear power back on didn’t hit my phone until 7:35 PM last night, so my getting out of the complex for the first family gathering I’ve attended since the Pandemic could not have been timed better.

On the road for three hours, the only news being the GPS giving me turn-by-turn directions, I didn’t find out there were guilty verdicts on the Black Jogger Murder until late afternoon.

I would have been very surprised had it been otherwise, and even if the three don’t get the kind of time they’ve earned, at least what they are given will be time enough to think about what they’ve done — taken the life of another because of the color of his skin and screwed up their own lives in the process.

There were a few issues checking into the hotel, due to a recently installed hi-tech card verification system, the room’s A/C cranking out a horrendous noise, room entry card not wanting to work — all of which prompted me to tell the front desk that “I think this hotel is cursed”.

Once the dust settled, I then discovered the unsecure condition of the door lock.

The screws are loose, lock about to fall off, no pushing the door needed to bypass and get in.

Too tired by then from the long drive and chaos thus far to request a different room, I set up my own security measures.

The noise of the chair scraping across the floor, and the carrier falling are sure to wake me up, whereupon I’d tase and pepper spray the intruder.

After that, it was smooth sailing and I woke up Thanksgiving morning, with this view.

All Hail the Queen Mary

I je t’adore looking at the Queen from afar when I'm in the area.

From "afar" because it’s haunted. I don’t want to get close enough to tempt some invisible someone to attach to me, follow me home.

Granddaughter suggested maybe even having that view was close enough to have caused all the issues checking in, that the hotel may, as I suggested to the front desk, be cursed.

The Queen is now a Ghost Ship, both figuratively and literally.

Completely shut down, unsafe, in deteriorating conditions, with an estimated 700 million dollars’ worth of needed repairs, unless someone with an extra 700 million steps in, the powers that be are considering sinking the Queen.

Another thing I je t’adore is the out and proud nature of the area.

So pretty, and several intersections along Broadway are painted thusly.

This is the Starbucks where, back in the day, when Actress Sandra Bullock was living on Ocean Boulevard, she could be seen having coffee with her then husband Jesse James, then of West Coast Choppers.

The quality of the following video isn’t the best, due to wind and sun, but suffice it to say someone in the area really loves Christmas.

Grandson-in-law impressed me with his mad skills in spatchcocking and baking of the turkey. He made a stock that looked good enough to eat as was, even made a roux to thicken the stock to gravy.

There was the usual Thanksgiving faire — turkey, dressing, gravy, potato salad, greens, mac and cheese, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pies, brownies. None of which I can eat. I satisfied myself with spaghetti squash and special turkey meatballs I made and brought with me.

Finally got to meet the in-laws — grandson-in-law’s mom and pop.

A sweet couple that met many moons ago in Tall Club.

Grandson-in-Law was a late in life baby, so they will be the baby’s Grandma and Granddad.

Grandma will have to work it out with Grandma Twin 1 as to how they are to be addressed, but I’m thinking White Grandma and Black Grandma. I’m the only GG.

White Grandma told me that she’s making a baby quilt. Coordinating with granddaughter as to what granddaughter wants the quilt to look like (different animals), she’s putting it together but sending it out to a professional quilter.

Having already had to undo mistakes made to the quilt I’m making, mine isn’t going to look all that professional ... or professional at all, but I’ve told no one, so it will be a complete surprise for granddaughter.

Three generations of Queens.

Oh No! Monday Again?

Another weekend where there just wasn’t enough weekend in the weekend. In fact, I woke up yesterday thinking it was Saturday.

Color me disappointed, when I realized yesterday was Sunday, and that another Monday (today) was coming … way too soon.

At least it was a productive weekend. I got the Creative Memories scrapbook up-to-date, got laundry out of the way, as well as grocery shopping and away from home meal planning done. Having pretty much organized myself that all I have to do before heading out of town on Wednesday, is to gas up the car, give myself another manicure/pedicure. I even started work on the baby quilt.

News this morning, other than that huge flash mob robbery in San Francisco, was that a car, on purpose, drove straight through a Christmas Parade, killing and harming others.

After thinking about what kind of person would do such a thing my mind went to Wait, What, A Christmas Parade in November? We haven’t even had the Turkey Trots.

Am I wrong? Is that not unusual timing for a Christmas parade?

Next news item was that the other high-profile trial, the Murder of the Black Jogger, is now into closing arguments.

Inasmuch as the trial judge is NOT leading the jurors in this trial, I expect the perps will be found guilty …. If not of First-Degree Murder, guilty of something. They won’t walk free.

Seeing the video of Aubrey being chased after the three saw him walk into and out of the open area of a house under construction before they grabbed their guns and took chase, reminded me of what I’ve said and blogged about previously. That, as a person of color, one has to ALWAYS be aware of and consider the optics.

The hotel I’ve booked for this latest trip has a stove top and microwave, which will make it easier to feed myself than a hotel with no means of warming up or cooking meals that won’t set off a gut episode.

The little kitchen area also provides guests with cooking utensils — pots, pans, plates, etc.

Being the finicky type, I won’t be using the provided cookware, I’m taking my own coffeepot, a little skillet, paper plates, utensils.

I’m sure some guests, like those that steal away with hotel towels, have taken advantage of what’s been provided, stuffed what they wanted in their suitcase as they checked out. I, as a person of color, fully expecting to be suspicious just because of the color of my skin, am considering those optics and photographing the cookware I’m taking with me in their natural habitat — my kitchen at home.

No guarantee I won’t yet and still be profiled, accused of thievery if cookware is heard rattling around in my bag, but it does give me protection if accused.

Persons of color cannot just walk into and out of the open area of a house under construction.

In fact, last month, month before, there were optics involved which caused cops to be called, guns to be drawn, handcuffs to be placed on the people seen entering an empty house. It was a realtor, showing a house to a client and the client's son. No surprise that all three were Black.

It's not right and it's not fun, but us persons of color are always at the mercy of the erroneous concepts of persons not of color and have to find ways to work around, protective ourselves, from the optics.

I don't need to go grocery shopping today, but I'm accustomed to receiving a message from Trainer to "Abort Mission" (the Security Guard is at his post in the market) or "He’s not here".

No such message received so far this morning. Probably because Trainer told me on Friday that he and that Security Guard are bonding.

Whereas the Security Guard used to glare at Trainer and not speak, when Trainer walked in on Friday, the Security Guard greeted him with, "Hey Big Dog. How’s it going".

Trainer said he responded, he and Security Guard had a brief conversation, and "He’s really a nice guy".

"So was Ted Bundy", said I.

Perhaps Trainer bonding with Security Guard will work to my advantage, so I can return to the market — which I must do after Thanksgiving because “Find Your Hometown Elf” will be back, and I don’t plan to let Security Guard spoil my annual fun.

Not Enough Weekend

There is just not enough weekend in the weekend, even though I gained an hour.

Busy organizing photos and supplies for catching up on Scrapbooking, busy looking at fabric prints online for the backside of the baby quilt, not to mention going back/forth to Home Depot and putting in time on my needlepoint project, the weekend was gone before I knew it and now it’s back to being interrupted from crafting by taking time to do outside things.

Granddaughter’s gender reveal was Saturday. She posted photos to Instagram of her braids dyed BLUE.

So, my feeling a girl was incorrect. I was glad I had the good sense to not order that backing which was heavy with pink.

I’ve actually decided not to use that original fabric for the quilt after all, because I ran across a fabric panel that reminded me that granddaughter has always loved unicorns and, like her mom (Twin 1), is fond of coloring her hair in rainbow colors. So, when I saw fabric, with a unicorn, wearing rainbow colors in it’s hair, it was too perfect to pass up. I also found a unicorn backing fabric that I thought fit well.

Granddaughter is the nostalgic type. She still has the doll, now missing body parts and hair and clothes, that I made for her when she was 3 or 4 years old. Consequently, a handmade quilt in her hands will turn into a family heirloom.

Years from now when I'm gone, I don’t want any confusion as to which GG made the quilt, so  I ordered a label to sew into the quilt that says "Made for You by Black GG".

I won’t be making quilts when the grandsons start their families, because they are not the type to appreciate a handmade quilt. I can’t imagine the type of women these boys are likely to attract, which I suspect will be ghetto girls, nice but in a hood rat type of way, will be interested in quilts either. 

Their baby gifts — which I hope will not be soon because the boys are not ready to start families, will be whatever they request … within reason.