Old & New Friends

As the familiar Girl Scout song goes:

Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver and the other is gold.

A ring is round, it has no end. That's how long I want to be your friend.

That song kept spinning in my head all weekend as I met new people, and re-connected with old friends.

I started at The Pennsylvania Quilt Extravaganza in Oaks, PA. For the first time I can remember I was not 'wowed' by any one singular quilt. Not one took my breath away. Don't get me wrong, there were many extraordinary quilts by many incredibly talented people... but I wasn't bowled over. Maybe it was the sour mood I was in. Or maybe it was the rainy weather. Maybe it was the fact that I went late in the afternoon and didn't have the excitement of a large crowd to sway me. I don't know what it was... but that didn't stop me from chatting with fellow quilters.

As I wandered the exhibits, the colors in this quilt caught my attention.

As I looked closer... I realized the color was actually made possible by hand dyed cotton string that was then machine zig-zagged on to heavy black fabric and THEN stitched together to make the quilt. The color of the thread used to zig-zag added another color dimension. Fascinating! Here's a closer look:

As I stood there soaking in the detail and saturated colors... another quilter stood by my side... we started talking... we exchanged contact information... I think we can be friends (Hi Shelia!)

Saturday a friend of mine since I was 5 years old (Hi Beth) called and invited me to join her and a group of people (Hi Jim, Dawn, & Bill) at Monmouth Park... our local horse racing park. This is not something I normally would have thought to do... but I threw caution to the wind and went. It was such a lovely day. Before the horse park I went to PADDLE DAY on the Navesink river in Red Bank, NJ... and had a delightful conversation with a member of Monmouth Boat Club (Hi Carol) and devoured a hamburger off the grill (Thanks Les!). Sprinkle in a few internet chats and phone calls from people I haven't heard from in AGES (Hi Andrea & Brian)... and it was a pretty good day.

A trip to Swedesboro, NJ on Sunday to visit my husband's gravesite (and a few others) and to attend the Wagonhouse Winery Harvest Party to listen to another friend's (and kind of relative) band (Hi Dean) ended up being another opportunity to talk with more people I haven't connected with in YEARS! (Hi Kay & Susan). On a whim I drove by another friend's that I lost contact with over the years. As luck would have it... she and her kids were on their way out to dinner... so I joined them!!! (Hi Rennie, Erin Stevie, Brian... and Gabe). Another phone call brightened my day from a friend I thought I had lost forever (You know who you are... HI). The weekend was topped off by e-conversations with an 'internet friend' I made by joining a yahoo group making BITTYs (3 1/2" quilt squares). BTW... That group is TOTALLY AWESOME!!! (Hi Sooz!)

The friends and family I have mentioned today are just a grain of sand compared to all the others I still have to re-connect with. So 'keep the light on'... I'll be headed your way. I love and appreciate every single one of you. You have all shaped my life in one way or another... and I hope I have done the same for you.

I leave you with another close up of this technicolor quilt. Notice how the purple thread over the blue looks totally different than the red thread? It's mind boggling in person.

Hit the SPOT!

Sorry for the HUGE gap in posting. I finally am back on track!

Twenty years ago I was vacationing in Maine. My Sister-In-Law and I were relaxing on the deck over looking the lake, the kids safely tucked in the cabin below. We poured a glass of cold White Wine Cooler, and sliced up a few cubes of blue cheese and celery sticks. With the cool evening air blowing on our sun burned skin... it has etched in my memory as the perfect moment. The wine and cheese HIT THE SPOT.

Three years ago I drove 14 hours straight to visit friends in Knoxville, TN (Hi Andrea). The drive was uneventful, even a little fun. Singing current radio hits and show tunes at the top of my lungs and listening to books on tape kept me focused on my driving. Upon arrival I was greeted first by their boys yelling, "Miss Deb is here! Miss Deb is here!" as they burst out the front door. My heart melted at the sound of their voices. Standing in the door way was their Dad, Nick holding a FROSTED mug of beer out to me. Ahhhhhh... another perfect moment filed away in my brain to be pulled out to comfort me when needed. Boy, that frosted mug HIT THE SPOT.

I was fortunate enough to have another HIT THE SPOT moment the other night. I met a friend for dinner at a place 'known' for their burgers. He ordered one... but I decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered steamer clams and a salad instead. They were delicious! Perfect! As I cracked open their shells, washed the sand off and dunked them in a pool of melted butter goodness I felt so spoiled... like a princess. Apparently my friend was just as happy with his meal. We both sighed, smiled contentedly, and remarked at how perfect the meal was.

Good Friends... Family... and good food all make for the most fabulous moments you will never forget.

Go out there and make your own HIT THE SPOT moment!