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Mentor

"Quality of life"......a gift that just keeps on giving.

Posted by Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor @artscaping, Jan 8, 2021

The 2020 Holidays are over. What was your favorite gift? Was one of your gifts what I call a “quality of life” gift? Was it a new special pillow that made you sleep better? Perhaps you were given something that made your life a little easier like new shoes with a softer sole. Or maybe your family gave you a Mayo gift like the Pain course or a Habit workshop?

It’s never too late to think of and thank yourself for your endurance, generosity, and kindness to yourself. And these may be things that you have never mentioned because you didn’t want to be a burden or a nuisance or appear to be selfish.

I went crazy this year and got three of my quality of life gifts. I’ll share them with you and hope you realize how very important they were and are to me.

1. My MFR therapist began to feel that one session a week was not sufficient. So, we set up a six week trial of 2 sessions per week. The difference in tolerance was amazing. I didn’t have to endure increasing discomfort for 7 days….just 3. And so….gift #1. When I let my family know they found a way to help with the additional cost called a “stocking stuffer”.

2. For over a year I have been noticing more and more pain in my hip. Several years ago, I had an injection which was done poorly and so I wasn’t too excited about trying again. This time I had a chat with myself. “Why, Chris, are you going through increasing pain when there is a solution?” So I gathered my strong determination, had the injection, and am just jumping for joy. And my insurance covered it. Great…..another quality of life gift received and appreciated.

3. My 2021 quality of life gift brigade begins tomorrow when I have my preliminary appointment to fix my arthritic thumb. I can no longer open a jar or turn a key in the door lock. Seven years ago I had anchovy surgery on the left thumb. It is perfect. Now, why have I let the other one reach such a painful stage? I really don’t like surgery but this one is relatively doable and I won’t need too much help at home.

So Happy Holidays to me.
And thank you friends and family who shouted encouragement and helped support my wishes for a few things that just needed to get done.

What items would qualify for your quality of life? Let’s all share and help each other develop our 2021 list of can dos and must-dos.

Be happy and content in 2021.
Chris

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @1nan "Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long..." + (show)
@1nan

Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long enough to use the treadle sewing machine and that evolved from pleasure to functional sewing for family to Tailoring to quilting in retirement. Organization of that part of my life overlapped a little with OCD as I couldn’t make just one Cabbage Patch Doll or Pound Puppy. This winter I decided to clear out my “stash” of leftovers from past several years. That evolved into MANY patches that became original design quilts and nearly 500 “flying geese” patches for more quilts. Last week I used up all leftover patriotic fabrics for a baby quilt. Soon will be ready to start a special themed quilt for a coming great grandbaby. Always ready to make donations while building a new stash for babies coming long after I am gone. And yes, I keep giving larger ones to kids and grandkids. Other projects best left for another time. 🤗Nancy

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I've enjoyed reading about everyone's creative side. Besides participating in and watching sports, and writing/editing newsletters I come from a long line of creative folks, including artists and craftsmen (and women). My grandmother taught me to knit before I went to Kindergarten. I am still using her Singer Featherlite sewing machine for many projects. It was patented in the 30s and is one of the first electric machines that were small enough to be put in a portable case. Love the way it stitches straight. Also love the other sewing machines that live in my basement! I made T-shirt quilts for each of my 4 grand kids when they graduated from high school. They loved them and they all went off to college. This past summer I dug into my yarn stash and made wine bottle cozies for family and friends. My sibs and I don't really give gifts for Christmas anymore, but home made stuff is 'legal'. Those were made with pure wool yarn and then were felted. Recipients buy their own wine! They are fun to make and don't take a lot of thought....easy to do while sitting in front of the TV, which we are doing way too much these days. My latest quilt project is a baby quilt for my newest great niece, who was born yesterday; three weeks early which means I'm not quite done with it! Most of my baby quilts are 'crazy quilts' with a variety of meaningful fabric. So, like others, I keep collecting fabric and it piles up. 🙂 My oldest granddaughter uses the sewing area in our condo for her stage costume projects, so there always seems to be fabric galore.

While these projects are truly enjoyed, I'm so ready to get out and about! I miss seeing people. We've done a lot of zooming, but a lot of people are tired of that too. 2nd vaccine shot coming up on February 16th. Hoping that will release some of the pressure. So glad John and I were able to get in line.

Reading comments about vaccine being wasted breaks my heart. I know so many people, especially seniors, who do not have a clue how to register for these clinics online. They keep waiting for their primary care physicians to call them, and that isn't happening. How long will these people have to wait? In some instances it appears to be who you know that gets you in. 🙁

Happy crafting everyone...now if I could just get excited about cleaning, purging and getting rid of stuff, I'd be euphoric!

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @1nan "Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long..." + (show)
@1nan

Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long enough to use the treadle sewing machine and that evolved from pleasure to functional sewing for family to Tailoring to quilting in retirement. Organization of that part of my life overlapped a little with OCD as I couldn’t make just one Cabbage Patch Doll or Pound Puppy. This winter I decided to clear out my “stash” of leftovers from past several years. That evolved into MANY patches that became original design quilts and nearly 500 “flying geese” patches for more quilts. Last week I used up all leftover patriotic fabrics for a baby quilt. Soon will be ready to start a special themed quilt for a coming great grandbaby. Always ready to make donations while building a new stash for babies coming long after I am gone. And yes, I keep giving larger ones to kids and grandkids. Other projects best left for another time. 🤗Nancy

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Oh Nancy, I’m in love with fabrics too! Pretty obvious to anyone who’s brave enough to venture into my sewing room. I’m impressed with your organizational skills and getting all the fabrics cut ahead for future quilts! All those flying geese! A stash of potential!
My background is similar to yours. Started out on my mum’s old treadle machine. She ‘took in’ sewing for other people, did alterations and then tailoring gorgeous women’s clothing in the 50s/60s. All on that old Singer! I sewed my wedding dress with that treadle machine!! Ha, then for a wedding gift I got my first electric machine! It had a reverse button!! Thought I was in heaven. LOL. 60+ years have seen family sewing, costuming for theater/drama departments, quilting, art quilts, anything fabric related! Worked a couple of part time jobs with Bernina and then Pfaff...so you can imagine there were more machines in my life. Sewing is still a passion. Very rewarding. Congratulations on the grand and great grands! They must love snuggling with the quilts you’ve made for them. ☺️

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @julieo4 "I've enjoyed reading about everyone's creative side. Besides participating in and watching sports, and writing/editing newsletters..." + (show)
@julieo4

I've enjoyed reading about everyone's creative side. Besides participating in and watching sports, and writing/editing newsletters I come from a long line of creative folks, including artists and craftsmen (and women). My grandmother taught me to knit before I went to Kindergarten. I am still using her Singer Featherlite sewing machine for many projects. It was patented in the 30s and is one of the first electric machines that were small enough to be put in a portable case. Love the way it stitches straight. Also love the other sewing machines that live in my basement! I made T-shirt quilts for each of my 4 grand kids when they graduated from high school. They loved them and they all went off to college. This past summer I dug into my yarn stash and made wine bottle cozies for family and friends. My sibs and I don't really give gifts for Christmas anymore, but home made stuff is 'legal'. Those were made with pure wool yarn and then were felted. Recipients buy their own wine! They are fun to make and don't take a lot of thought....easy to do while sitting in front of the TV, which we are doing way too much these days. My latest quilt project is a baby quilt for my newest great niece, who was born yesterday; three weeks early which means I'm not quite done with it! Most of my baby quilts are 'crazy quilts' with a variety of meaningful fabric. So, like others, I keep collecting fabric and it piles up. 🙂 My oldest granddaughter uses the sewing area in our condo for her stage costume projects, so there always seems to be fabric galore.

While these projects are truly enjoyed, I'm so ready to get out and about! I miss seeing people. We've done a lot of zooming, but a lot of people are tired of that too. 2nd vaccine shot coming up on February 16th. Hoping that will release some of the pressure. So glad John and I were able to get in line.

Reading comments about vaccine being wasted breaks my heart. I know so many people, especially seniors, who do not have a clue how to register for these clinics online. They keep waiting for their primary care physicians to call them, and that isn't happening. How long will these people have to wait? In some instances it appears to be who you know that gets you in. 🙁

Happy crafting everyone...now if I could just get excited about cleaning, purging and getting rid of stuff, I'd be euphoric!

Jump to this post

Julie, you had me at Featherweight! ☺️ Do you know how many quilter’s lust after those machines? They’re still the darlings of perfect stitches! How wonderful to be able to continue to share your grandmother’s machine generations later. Just think of the stories it could tell and you’re still creating new memories! Love the idea of using meaningful fabrics in the quilts for newest arrivals in the family! Do you label your quilts and share the history behind the fabrics you’ve used? The wine bottle cozies sound fun! It also sounds like you have a young protégé following in your footsteps with your granddaughter using your “resource center’’ for her projects! That’s what I’ve taken to calling my vast array of all things fabric, painty, fiber, and arty. Resource center sounds much less like a hoarder! LOL.

Congratulations on your 2nd vaccine appt approaching! Our area is just starting with senior distribution. I was given the go ahead to receive a Covid vaccination by my BMT transplant doctor, but will have to wait 3 more weeks as I just received my 2nd round of childhood/adult vaccines a week ago. Truly, it will be a great pleasure to see family and friends again. I miss hugs!! ☺️ For months after the bone marrow transplant it was a no-no. So I’m about due for some serious hugging!

REPLY
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @suzanne2 "Don't know if this qualifies under this topic! Just wondering if I can find any others..." + (show)
@suzanne2

Don't know if this qualifies under this topic! Just wondering if I can find any others on this thread that find knitting gives their life some meaning? I would be lost without my yarn and needles. I can't stand to just idly sit and watch TV. My hands need it or I find myself uncomfortable and nervous! Maybe an odd way to describe an antsy feeling.

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@suzanne2, After putting aside knitting for at least 25 yrs, in favor of other pursuits, I set re-learning to knit as one of two goals for 2021. With growing arthritis is thumb and hand I wondered if that was "doable" so also set a back-up goal of not adding any sugar for one day/week. Happily I can report that beginning steps to knitting are coming along and have found the relaxation it provides a real pleasure. OTOH, beyond a doubt, going without sugar in any form each Monday has been a trial indeed...something sweet is the 1st thing I think of ea. Monday but I'm sticking with it as a goal,too. Doing without makes Meatless Mondays a walk in the park! LOL

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @artscaping "So here we go.......I am going to post two images.....both originals from Jay. One is in..." + (show)
@artscaping

So here we go.......I am going to post two images.....both originals from Jay. One is in pastels and one is in acrylics. Which one was created in 1965 and which one was created in 2015.....50 years later?

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@artscaping, What amazing work!

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @1nan "Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long..." + (show)
@1nan

Lori, I am in love with fabrics. I learned to sew when my legs were long enough to use the treadle sewing machine and that evolved from pleasure to functional sewing for family to Tailoring to quilting in retirement. Organization of that part of my life overlapped a little with OCD as I couldn’t make just one Cabbage Patch Doll or Pound Puppy. This winter I decided to clear out my “stash” of leftovers from past several years. That evolved into MANY patches that became original design quilts and nearly 500 “flying geese” patches for more quilts. Last week I used up all leftover patriotic fabrics for a baby quilt. Soon will be ready to start a special themed quilt for a coming great grandbaby. Always ready to make donations while building a new stash for babies coming long after I am gone. And yes, I keep giving larger ones to kids and grandkids. Other projects best left for another time. 🤗Nancy

Jump to this post

Love your post Nancy - amazing how many creative people are here. I just (stupidly) undertook a spreadsheet project for another organization, and it was originated by someone with no training, then edited to meet a very visual member's demands, without respect for the havoc it would cause! Now I am attempting to tame it - on a deadline. When will I learn? Yesterday I met a fellow Master Gardener to make a pickup, and learned we have a mutual interest in fabric dying - so we'll be meeting come summer to teach each other new skills.

My next quilt is for my daughter - her long awaited t-shirt quilt - which has been on my design table for 2 months waiting for a few more cherished bits from her. My 4 year old grandson informed me Friday that his little brother is "getting too small for a baby quilt" and I should make him a new one. I reminded him those come for the 4th birthday - 2 years away yet. I love doing custom-themed quilts as well a designing my own patterns - the only pattern I ever used was a double wedding ring for my sister, and even then I chose all the fabrics expressly for her.

I am culling my stash & donating what I know will never be used...
Sue

REPLY
2 replies
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @gingerw "@artscaping I think if my mother would have had a cleaning service come in, she would..." + (show)
@gingerw

@artscaping I think if my mother would have had a cleaning service come in, she would have been like Jay; she was obsessive in cleaning and organization. I keep a clean house, sometimes tidy. I have a little tile that says "Creative minds are rarely tidy", that's my excuse and I am sticking to it! Seriously, the organization helps keep me in line, although I do blur that line often ;))

Making meatloaf is when you will see my attention to ideas at its best. The fridge is raided, along with the cupboards, as each creation is different.Everything is set onto the counter, and moved from one side to the other as used. I also clean up as I go, so there is less at the end.
Ginger

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After my 5 yr old's return from her visit to her dad's new home, she said, "Mom, I didn't like the house." Why? Because it doesn't feel lived in." Oh, dear! My house is clean but sometimes I do have to move some things or unclutter a bit to get the cleaning done. Smiles

After being 1 cup short of flour needed for homemade rolls, I began placing all ingredients needed on the counter before starting a recipe. Learned long ago that is the surest way to guarantee I'll have all that is needed. I do like to clean as I cook because facing all of the clean-up later is just "too much".

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @sueinmn "Love your post Nancy - amazing how many creative people are here. I just (stupidly) undertook..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Love your post Nancy - amazing how many creative people are here. I just (stupidly) undertook a spreadsheet project for another organization, and it was originated by someone with no training, then edited to meet a very visual member's demands, without respect for the havoc it would cause! Now I am attempting to tame it - on a deadline. When will I learn? Yesterday I met a fellow Master Gardener to make a pickup, and learned we have a mutual interest in fabric dying - so we'll be meeting come summer to teach each other new skills.

My next quilt is for my daughter - her long awaited t-shirt quilt - which has been on my design table for 2 months waiting for a few more cherished bits from her. My 4 year old grandson informed me Friday that his little brother is "getting too small for a baby quilt" and I should make him a new one. I reminded him those come for the 4th birthday - 2 years away yet. I love doing custom-themed quilts as well a designing my own patterns - the only pattern I ever used was a double wedding ring for my sister, and even then I chose all the fabrics expressly for her.

I am culling my stash & donating what I know will never be used...
Sue

Jump to this post

@sueinmn You are certainly a busy lady! I, too, love to quilt and I used to dye fabric (only smaller pieces, though). I got more into ice dyeing and snow dyeing? And you live in the perfect place for snow dyeing! We’re having another spring day here but dreading the thought of drought.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @artscaping "So here we go.......I am going to post two images.....both originals from Jay. One is in..." + (show)
@artscaping

So here we go.......I am going to post two images.....both originals from Jay. One is in pastels and one is in acrylics. Which one was created in 1965 and which one was created in 2015.....50 years later?

Jump to this post

Love these - I'm guessing the upper one is newer - you talked about his need for spare visuals, and is is much more streamlined to my eye? I keep trying to paint, but tremors make me unhappy with how most of my work turns out - I find sewing more forgiving.

@julieo4 - Oh the parallels between people - my Featherweight is among my favorite machines! I learned to overhaul old Singer sewing machines one summer when confined to the upstairs by multiple hip surgeries - Jerry set me up with my own "shop" on the dining room table, and I fixed up 4 of them - 3 extra-heavy duty ones for our 3 households - for mending backpacks, sewing upholstery, etc. And one to put in my grandmother's Singer cabinet for my daughter - she was afraid to use Great-Grandma's machine & wreck it, so we have safely stowed it away. Then I tuned up my "baby" so it really purrs - I love sewing quilt blocks with its erfect straight stitch.
Sue

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 31, 2021
In reply to @loribmt "Oh Nancy, I’m in love with fabrics too! Pretty obvious to anyone who’s brave enough to..." + (show)
@loribmt

Oh Nancy, I’m in love with fabrics too! Pretty obvious to anyone who’s brave enough to venture into my sewing room. I’m impressed with your organizational skills and getting all the fabrics cut ahead for future quilts! All those flying geese! A stash of potential!
My background is similar to yours. Started out on my mum’s old treadle machine. She ‘took in’ sewing for other people, did alterations and then tailoring gorgeous women’s clothing in the 50s/60s. All on that old Singer! I sewed my wedding dress with that treadle machine!! Ha, then for a wedding gift I got my first electric machine! It had a reverse button!! Thought I was in heaven. LOL. 60+ years have seen family sewing, costuming for theater/drama departments, quilting, art quilts, anything fabric related! Worked a couple of part time jobs with Bernina and then Pfaff...so you can imagine there were more machines in my life. Sewing is still a passion. Very rewarding. Congratulations on the grand and great grands! They must love snuggling with the quilts you’ve made for them. ☺️

Jump to this post

Laughing again - my wedding dress was made on Grandma's Singer - which my Mom inherited. The day the last stitch was finished, my wedding gift arrived - a brand new Singer - with a zig-zag! I wore it out in about 10 years, and a few more machines since then...
Sue

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