Projects: I need to stay busy or . . .

Picture borrowed from Stitches and Sewforth

This is the latest quilt I am trying to do.  

I learned a few things.  

When it says to iron on the Pellon on the WRONG side of the fabric, 

it doesn't mean to iron it on the RIGHT side of the fabric.  

Wrong is right in this case.  

Sharp pointy scissors are the best for tight corners 

but aren't so good for big man hands like mine.  

And the most important:  

a quilt won't get made sitting in the cupboard.

I am enjoying quilting.  

It has helped me on so many levels.  

I have to do a shout-out to my friend, Dana, 

and her quilting business, My Lazy Daisy.

She has been a huge help in so many ways.

The other project I've been working on is for
the New Mexico Genealogical Society 

and the 1918-1919 Death Certificates.  

I received a file of pictures that were identified numerically.  

My job is to re-name them with the person's name and death date.  

If you didn't catch the dates, here's a little history update.   

World War I (The War to End all Wars) ended on 11 November 1918.  

The flu pandemic, known as the Spanish flu, lasted from 

January 1918 to December 1920.  

Between 50 to 130 million people died. 

 Over 500 million were infected.  

Because of the tight quarters where soldiers were stationed 

and how they travelled to various places to come home, 

the flu spread quickly.  

This particular flu affected young adults most severely.

Okay, so back to the NMGS project.

As I re-name the certificates, 

I also notice how they died.  

I've seen mine injuries, a shotgun or two, farm injuries, and infant mortality.

But the bulk of the people died from the flu.  

One the names I did today was Tony Rigoni.  

Say it out loud; it sort of rolls off the tongue!

A few certificates later was Mary Rigoni, his 14-year old daughter.

A few more certificates was Humbert Rigoni, his 6-month old son.

And when I got to Emma Rigoni, his wife, tears came quickly.

A family in just one week.

I try to do 100 per day and there are about 1600 left in the file.

But I got stuck today because of the Pigoni family
and couldn't complete my daily total. 

I'll get back to it tomorrow
where I hope my emotions won't get the best of me.

Picture borrowed from L's blog

These two cuties are just too cute.

Grammy is very happy to have them be part of our family.

L & R:  you make very darling babies!  Keep up the good work!

Summer Reading

B took this with his phone.

I have been up to the cabin quite a bit over the past two months and it has been lovely.  Words can't quite describe waking up to the cool fresh air.  I even enjoy the birds singing.  I don't know what they are saying so early in the morning but it must be shouts of joy that another day has begun.  A while ago, someone told me that waking up each morning is symbolic of the Resurrection.  It give me a different perspective as I greet the sun peeking over the mountains.  And since I am of a certain age, I don't sleep as much now and wake up before the sunrise so I actually do get to see the sun rise.

The fires in various hotspots in Utah gave the sunsets an extra wow factor this week.

What I've been reading:

The Well and The Mine by Gin Phillips

1493 -- Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann

The Beach by Elin Hildebrant

(just bought another one of hers entitled Summer People)

Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg

People of Darkness, A Thief of Time, and Sacred Clowns by Tony Hillerman

I recently pulled from my bookshelf for a re-read:  Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

I've been trying to locate B's original copy of The Two Towers (he got this particular copy when he was in the 5th grade) because that is what he is reading for the 12th time.  It is the first time he's re-read it since he read it to D when D was in the fifth grade.  It was our tradition:  I read the Book of Mormon with the kids before their baptism and B read the Lord of the Rings trilogy with them when they were in 5th grade.  I hope they treasure those memories as much as we do.