Dresses are finished...

and I have reclaimed my living space from piles of fabric, sewing notions and the machine. What! you thought you would see the finished dresses BEFORE the wedding? No way -- you'll have to wait for the wedding pictures next weekend.

Memories & Dreams

Today, from Zelma's in Staunton I bought two crenoline slips for a total of $35...Owner Kimberly Berry gave me a deal, as she knew these were for my youngest daughter's wedding next week. I brought one to Broadway tonight for AM to try on, so I'd know if it fit or needed to be taken in (Sam's has a draw string and is adjustable). After trying it on, AM said she had tried her wedding dress on several times, but couldn't figure out what was missing, why it didn't look the same. When she saw the slip, she knew. She had borrowed a crenoline slip for her wedding and without it, the dress just didn't look the same. So I asked if she'd get it and try it on,. As Eliza helped pull elastic loops over minuscule buttons and Maggie watched, we reminisced the making of my daughter's wedding dress, my first attempt at a wedding gown, and the agony of trying to get the dress just perfect, of trying to create a sleeve that "worked" with the dress since a grandmother disaproved of sleeveless wedding dresses, of adding a veil at the request of another grandmother who believed that chaste brides should always have a veil, AND the joy of hours of labor turning into a dream of a dress, and the added bonus of discovering that my wedding veil, adapted to fit a headpiece Anna Maria made, was exactly the same length as the dress's train.
In a box somewhere I have similar photo taken seven years ago, a full length view taken at the Fillmore house as AM looked at herself in the full length mirror at the top of the stairs there.
The train hooks to the dress, so the girls couldn't try that on...but they did clip the veil in their hair. And they thought more about being princesses than brides, and wondered why the veil and train were so long.
"It's like a waterfall," Anna Maria told them.
That's the same thing she said when she first tried the dress on, and waterfalls and dragon falls have been a recurring theme in her and Steven's wedding.

Well, soon my other daughter's wedding dress will be added to my repertoire, and tonight I wondered, "Will I be able to see well enough to make the granddaughters' wedding dresses, should that opportunity avail itself?" And will this veil be a part of a third generation of weddings? And/or perhaps Anna Maria's dress and train will be a part of one or both of those gowns?

8.5 Miler

8.5 miles in 1:43:22, a 12:10 mile pace. The temp was about 88 degrees. When I finished the camel was dry (camel back hydration pack), and I was soaked. I drank a sports drink and ate an energy bar before I left around 9 a.m., plus a bottle of water and a cup of coffee. (Click on the photo and you'll see I was dripping!) My exercising friends will appreciate the next statement; I neither puked my guts out nor pooped my drawers.

I did have help...at the 5.5 mile mark I called my friend Nelson, "Hey, buddy, this is an SOS, 2.5 miles to go and I'm hot and tired. If you get this message, call me back and pray for me." He did! And I had encouragement from a college students just as I was left home as well.

The 5K I've been training for is Saturday, a week from today, so training is now over and next week is a recovery week. Based on the stats to date, I'll call it a good race if I manage a 10 minute mile pace. I am disappointed by that, but when I mentioned that to the college women I met this morning, they said they couldn't even run 3 miles.

And they were shocked that I thought that I'd be able to do 10 miles in under two hours by the end of October. So that encouraged me. If I had maintained this morning's pace for one and a more half miles, I'd have been just over two hours, so I just need to knock off one minute to make two hours. Drop anything more and I'll be under two, and I have most of September and October to work on that. And it will be cooler then also, which should help.

Perspective and focus...the goal for Saturday's race is to calm me, and help me center and focus for my daughter's wedding and granddaughter's birthday party. That's my main purpose, and a slow time won't hinder that goal. I also have a target race time, but that's secondary to finishing and finishing well and getting myself centered and calm. My sister AND Nelson both reminded me of that this week. It's so easy to forget the main thing and to get side tracked and disillusioned by things of lesser importance. Good friends, however, get us back on track.

God is good; sometimes we see it, the rest of the time we live by faith.

Peanut Butter and Me

Peanut Butter is amazingly affectionate; he loves to snuggle and bleats pathetically when his people stop petting him. (Photos by Anna Maria Johnson). He's best handled outside on a leash, because in a fenced in area his desperate attempts to get a hug will likely get you penned between a fence and him.

Praying Mantis

This praying mantis was feasting on delicacies hidden in Peanut Butter's wool (click once on the photo to see a closer view).

Chilling Out After Second Breakfast

Photos by Steven David Johnson

Eliza "sandwich"

Waking Up & Waiting for Breakfast

Eliza, Maggie and I went camping Friday night. I snapped this photo while we all waited for Saturday morning's first breakfast; their parents joined us about 10 a.m. for a second breakfast of eggs, ham, and veggies cooked on the fire.

This is the way we wash our clothes....

When I first moved into my second floor apartment I went to the laundromat to do a couple weeks' worth of laundry--no simple task. I hauled my basket of dirty laundry half a block to the parking garage, took the stairs to the proper floor (I NEVER remember what floor the car is on, so the elevator was not an option), loaded the car, spent about $15 to wash and dry, hauled the clothes back to the car, parked the car, took the elevator to street level, and dragged the basket to my apartment and up the stairs.
I thought, "This is nuts! too much work AND too much money."
So I spent $15 for this washboard (found at a local antique shop), $15 for the handwasher (the thing that looks like a metal plunger and which I found in a catalog) and another $15 for a drying rack. I figured the items would pay for themselves in a month and a half; and it would be a lot less work. And the bathtub became my "washtub." Convenient and fairly easy....after a run, I'd dump in a load of clothes, scrub them and let them soak while I had a few minutes quiet time, then drain the tub, rinse the laundry and hang it to dry. I work in an office, so I do not have to worry about heavily soiled clothes or heavy clothes (like jeans). To save my back, sometimes I'd hop in the tub barefoot and plunge; that way I didn't have to bend over the side of the tub. My dad, however, did NOT approve of his daughter doing laundry in the tub!

So when his wife saw this electric Wonder Washer on television, they bought it for me. It holds 1.8 gallons of water, enough for the amount of clothes that will fit on the drying rack I already had. I wonder why someone hasn't invented something like this before. Basically it's a 2-gallon blender, except the ingredients placed within are water, soap and laundry, instead of food; and it has an agitator instead of cutting blades. Instead of the typical blender handle, this bucket has a handle similar to those found on any two-gallon pail. It has two "speeds" -- standard and gentle. The "tub" lifts off the base (just like a blender jar). I filled the bucket from the tub faucet (my kitchen sink faucets have separate faucets for hot and cold, so I can't mix water temperatures from there), carefully placed the bucket back on the base, added a small amount of laundry and twisted the lid back on till it sealed. I then plugged it in, turned it on and it agitated the laundry for me, saving me the work of plunging clothes with the hand washer or rubbing them on the washboard.

Ahhh....even better. No hauling laundry to the laundromat, no collecting arm loads of quarters for the machines, AND no bending over the tub to plunge and scrub.

My phone rang and "Dad" appeared on my caller ID. I picked up the phone and said, "Hey Dad! This is perfect. Thank you so much!"

Angel on a Run

After all the joy and excitement of last weekend (see earlier post), this week itself had more bumps than bliss. It was so very hot, even for me. And I think that was a lot of the problem. I think the heat sapped my strength and energy, and my ability to have an attitude of gratitude. When I tried to run Wednesday I felt chest pains on the second mile and my legs were so heavy, I decided it best to quit. On Thursday my car broke down while hunting for some way to cool off my apartment, and on Friday I learned that it really wasn't worth fixing.

But on this Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m., it was just 77 degrees. I donned my running gear (including a camel back hydration pack that Nelson gave me) and downed a banana, Gatorade, two bottles of water and two cups of coffee. As I set out I said to God, "Please do you think I could have a good run today? I think that's what I really need, a good long run."

The first mile was a bit too fast. So I slowed down for the first lap around the park--each "marker" was on pace. On the second lap I got completely lost in thought and forgot I was running (that's a rare moment indeed!) even on the hill. The new camel back was a HUGE help; I could sip whenever I needed to without having to stop. That not only allowed me to stay on pace; it also kept me from getting sick to my stomach like I usually do. Near the end of the third lap I thought, "Wow! I am running. I can walk. I can breathe." That wasn't true five years ago. I thanked God again for healing my legs and lungs -- He knew that I'd be needing them here in Staunton, a walking-town where everything I need is within a mile of my apartment.

Just as I finished that thought, a 30-something (I'm guessing) male ran up to me and asked if I'd mind if he ran a lap with me.
I said, "That would be awesome. I am going to reach a PR (personal record) if I can stay on pace, and I'm getting tired. But you run much faster than me." (I'd seen him run past a couple times before). He said he'd been doing some intervals but was ready for a slower run and that he thought I'd help him slow the pace a bit. Great--mutually compatible goals. Synergy with a stranger.
So he ran that last lap alongside me, even taking a very short walking break when I needed one. (My breathing was getting a bit ragged. My inhaler was at home, and I didn't want to scare him.) I told him about my earlier thoughts of gratitude for God's healing. He pondered a bit and said something about believing in God and thanked me for sharing. His morning had been more frustrating, however. There had been a 5K (which I hadn't known about) in which he had planned to run, but missed. He said he'd been wondering why. I commented that sometimes we just never know why God allows some things.
"But I DO know that THIS morning God used you to answer MY prayer for a good run. He used you as an angel in human form. And I am very thankful."
He then headed off for another lap; and I left the park and ran the rest of the way home -- 7 miles (actually 7.1) in 1:24:44. The best this year! The guy didn't state his name, and he didn't ask me mine. But for THIS single morning, he was there when I needed him.

God IS good. Sometimes He lets us see it; and the rest of the time we live by faith.

Cool Relief

After we had visited a bit in my apartment, and drank lots of Gatorade and water, Geoffrey whispered something to his wife and then left. I didn't think much of it till he came back about 30 minutes later carrying an air conditioner through the door. He had walked down to the neighborhood hardware store and found the only remaining unit in the store. He told the guy, "I tell you what. I'll buy this if you'll give me a ride back to the apartment" (about three blocks, if I have the right store). And the guy did! That's a "small" town for you! And then he immediately went to work installing it, with Anna Maria and Stephanie's help. (Not knowing what Geoffrey was up to, Steven had taken off on a little adventure of his own and returned just as the air conditioning project was nearing completion, so he didn't get in on this action).
In the above photo, that's Geoffrey (foreground) reading instructions for the air conditioning remote. He also programmed it for me! Stephanie read the actual air conditioner instructions. In the back, with their backs to us, Anna Maria and Catherine (Stephanie's mom) put in the final screws attaching the wings and frame of the air conditioner to the window.
A MUCH cooler bedroom. It was in the high 90s in Staunton last week, 99 degrees in fact on Wednesday night. My 2d story apartment, in spite of the thick brick walls, got pretty warm. I had actually been out looking for something on my own on Thursday evening when the "check engine" light came on in my car and I had to give up.

Upgraded Living Room

The "perfect" living room has people in it, like mine did today (unfortunately I didn't get my sewing picked up so it was still piled everywhere; I quickly just dumped it on the table). Left to right: Stephanie (Anna Maria's friend since middle school); Anna Maria; Stephanie's mom; and Geoffrey holding Michael. Stephanie's mom and I used to walk and talk several mornings a week, when we all lived in Tonawanda, NY. I haven't seen her for about 15 years or more. It was great to see her; and we picked up right where we left off. Staunton is halfway between Stephanie and her family's house, and my daughter and her clan's home. So my block (Cranberry's for lunch and my apartment later) became the "we'll-meet-in-the-middle" spot.
Anna Maria, Steven and the girls also brought the rest of the my birthday present from the crew. Eliza Grace picked out the lamp. The sheepskin (which, my daughter said, is a real one) is so soft against the skin, which is great in hot weather and on bare legs. And the pillows can be a back or arm rest.

Kids and Baby

Liza takes a turn holding Michael; she held him for several minutes just like this.
Maggie, with Daddy's help, also gets a turn. She kept commenting on Michael's hands and feet, "Look at his feet; they're so little. Look at his hands; they're so little."

A Lap Full of "Babies"

I posted all of these because it's hard to get a good photo of wiggling children where everyone in the photo is at their best...this was at Cranberry's Saturday, August 11. (Kids from left: Michael, and granddaughters Maggie and Eliza. I happen to think that it's pretty hard to get TOO many kids on a lap; one time when sitting in a large overstuffed chair I managed to get enveloped by six kids at one time)

Turning 50 - Maggie's Gift

Maggie gave me a birthday present Friday night, her flower girl basket from Grampa Honey's (Gregg's) wedding filled with sea urchins, crab legs, cotton grass, beans, stones and shells she collected throughout her four-week adventure with her parents in Newfoundland. Then on Saturday morning, while I fitted her mom's and sister's dresses, Maggie pulled the items out of the basket and carefully arranged and re-arranged each treasure until she reached a Maggie masterpiece, all placed carefully on her favorite place in my apartment -- the window ledge behind the radiator where she likes to sit. She also gave me the Teddy bear.

Turning 50 -- STILL MORE!

This settee is a birthday present from my siblings, daughters and my best friend Nelson.
In Staunton yesterday, AM said she had to run an errand and asked if I would watch the girls for a few minutes. I got busy making some lunch and was just ready to eat when she returned, and asked if I'd take a look at something with her. At my urgings (not knowing what she was up to), we ate and then went to see what she wanted to show us. The girls were anxious to go swimming, but agreed to wait after their mama whispered a "secret" in their ears. She showed me a couple secretary type desks that she just wasn't quite sure about. One was old and neat looking, with a fold over top and pull out desk top, but a bit shaky. The other was brand new, a reproduction of an antique looking piece of furniture.
Let me backtrack a bit. Several weeks ago I saw a secretary in a store and we talked about how something like that might fit in my apartment. That particular one, however, was extremely expensive. And the reality is that I just really am not much of a traditional desk user; and after we had discussed it I wondered how much I would really use one. Nonetheless something the right size might be practical and cool looking in my extremely old apartment in historic Staunton, I thought.
Then Anna Maria explained that my other daughter, my friend Nelson, and my siblings had all pitched in to find something special, something that would last, for my apartment. And she said I could look at things, but not at the price tags. I had to trust her on that. Now that I realized this was a serious shopping trip, not just a visual treat I got more serious. The two desks she had found would have been great, but not perfect. We also saw a chaise, which I considered. It would be more durable than a futon but provide seating area and a place for the girls when they stayed overnight. But it was lumpy and really needed reupholstered, though the fabric was fine. I just wasn't sure whether I needed guest seating or a work space more.
I asked AM if she'd mind wandering through one more store with me, a market where different dealers rent space. She had already been there, but agreed to wander through with me. We were wandering, perusing, talking, thinking when we rounded a corner and saw this settee -- mission style, love seat size (meaning we would actually be able to get it up the 34-inch-wide stairway to my apartment).
As soon as I saw it, I said to AM, "Look at this! What do you think of this?" (Later she said my eyes just lit up when I saw it, and she knew it would be perfect. Mission style is my favorite, she remembered). She checked the price and said, "On my budget I could get this AND some pillows for it."
Curbing my enthusiasm, I checked it out. Solid, not a wiggle or wobble when seated on it or handling it. The cushion has a two small discolored areas; some day that could be reupholstered easily. In the meantime no one using it needs to fear of making the first spill. And with the right colored pillows and a throw tossed over the back...well you get the idea.
AM went to pay for it; Eliza stayed behind to guard it. The dealers at the desk offered to deliver it later, but I said, "We can carry it home. It's only a couple blocks."
They looked at us -- AM weighs about 100 pounds and is almost 5'2" tall. One lady said, "Well, I suppose if you get tired, I guess you can always set it down, sit on it and rest a while!"
Exactly, I thought as I remembered making three trips a few weeks back to carry the dining chairs and washboard home from that same store.
The dealers opened up the double doors. AM and I hoisted the treasure and headed out, attracting onlookers seated near windows in restaurants. Passers by made room for us to pass, the little girls in front. As soon as we got the settee up the stairs and in my space, I burst into tears. It is perfect! It complements the diptych that I love, that AM made, and it complements the table and chairs I bought earlier.

Eliza makes breakfast

Eliza making oatmeal - ALL BY HERSELF!
Maggie attacks her bowl with a fervor.

AM and the girls planned to spend Saturday in Staunton, trying on the dresses I have been working on (Eliza and Anna Maria's fit, but Maggie's needs to be downsized). Because Steven was headed for Ohio to "shoot" a wedding and his car needs to be repaired, AM didn't have a car. So we decided that I would stay in Broadway overnight and take the girls to Staunton the next morning so they could see the updates to my apartment and try on dresses. When I awakened Saturday morning, Eliza played hostess and made breakfast for everyone -- oatmeal with honey in it.
She made Maggie's bowl first and then mine. "The cook is supposed to eat last," Eliza said. "That way you can be sure there's enough. And I think I am just going to have cold cereal because I ran out of oatmeal, but that's okay. That's what cooks do."
I agreed and said she was exactly right -- good hostesses DO take care of their guests that way. And that I was so very proud of her. But then when she handed me my huge bowl of oatmeal, I looked at it and said, "Eliza, this is a very BIG bowl of oatmeal; don't you think we could share it?"

And so we did!

3/4 of "my girls"

Anna Maria, Magdalena and Eliza wind down after a busy day regrouping and "moving" back home after a month away.

They and Steven returned from Newfoundland this week. I spent Friday evening chilling with them all -- looking at some amazing photos that Steven took, chatting, learning why they REALLY went to Newfoundland. Not being in the academic world, it's taken forever for me to understand this at all. But I think I've got it straight now. Steven set up a cross cultural interdisplinary option for Eastern Mennonite students. A cross cultural experience is one of EMU's requirements, and next summer, a three to four week stint in Newfoundland will be one of the options, thanks to this trip.

Tonight was also a late birthday party. Magdalena gave me a birthday present of shells, seeds, sea urchins, and crab claws, etc. that she had been collecting over the four weeks. Eliza gave me another picture (besides the one she e-mailed me earlier), and today she drew another one that she'd like me to scan into my computer so I can a copy it to her house computer.