Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Just back from a trip

On Sunday, I returned home after being in India for nearly 2 weeks.   I planned to post while I was away, but lots of electronic things weren't reliable.   In addition to having spotty internet service, my flat iron fizzled out on me (even though it was a dual voltage thing that I bought from TravelSmith, thinking I had outsmarted the current gods).  

But one day into the trip, all that stuff wasn't so important after all.   I survived just fine with frizzy hair.   Who could complain based on what I witnessed???

A friend of mine and her husband have put considerable time and resources into caring for the orphans in India - she asked me to go with her to visit the places where they have contributed and made significant changes.   Little did I know that poverty is so extreme there that parents sell their children into slavery to "wealthy" farmers for 100 lbs of rice.  We visited an orphanage about 3 hours from civilization (through a tiger reserve) that houses 500+ children.   They have no toilets - no electricity - and no running water.   The children seemed a little flat - it's very hard for 15-20 caretakers to express love to 500 children.  But they were reasonably happy and healthy.   And, my could they quote scriptures - in a 2nd language.  We took crates of bananas and oranges on the ride in...   They'd never seen oranges before in spite of living in a country that is the 3rd largest producer of oranges.  We gave them cookies and lollipops, too.   Like children every where, they went for the lollipops first.

I'll be processing what I witnessed for a long time, I think.  I saw beautiful people who are in such incredible poverty and who suffer horrendous persecution for their faith.

Loved this little boy.   Would have brought him home with me if I could have.

Also loved wearing a sari.  

Until next time, India.  You're in my prayers.

Jane

 

 

Still stitching, when I can

We have had a crazy busy summer.   We went to Spain for 2 weeks in May - then were home for a little while (and a stitch-over with my stitching buddies) and then took off again for 10 days.   This time it was Prague and Vienna. I'll tell you Prague and Vienna later, but I wanted to show you what I worked on while I was in Spain and also at the ranch for the stitching weekend. I mostly have the 'adornment' to do - most of the stitching is finished, which is why I didn't take him to Prague and Vienna.

I took the Angel of the Lord and actually got a lot done on her.  I thought the bright colors would be easy to stitch in not always ideal light conditions.   She worked out just fine!!

 

And this is the best picture of the whole trip.   A colleague of Mark's who lives in Vienna invited us to his house for his annual backyard party.  It was "western" themed, which was very comfortable for me, being from Texas, you know.    I wore jeans and a sort of western looking orange and white shirt and a pair of those cowboy mules that look exactly like cowboy boots if you don't pull up your pants leg.  (Didn't want to lug a pair of cowboy boots around to only be worn once.)  I took a suede vest with me that has fringe on the it.   I had it on, and then thought, "too much"  and left it in the hotel.  About an hour into the party these yahoos arrived - in a pink carriage.  Pretty funny.   If you have to know the truth, the pink Indian is the host's hairstylist.  Too, too funny.  The party started at 5pm.   We left at 8:30pm.  The party ended at 4am, with only two visits from the police this time to talk to them about the noise they were creating.   Those Austrians know how to PARTY!!

Makes our Derby Party look rather DULL!

Happy stitching.
Jane

 

Back at home after a trip

I always love going on a trip, especially if it's to new places.   But I love coming home at the end of any trip, too.   We always say that it's such a blessing to go to beautiful places and realize that you love home the most!!

Mark and I went with another couple to Spain for two weeks.  We flew into Madrid, then took a train to Cadiz and stayed for a week at a golf resort near Arcos de la Frontera. 

On the only day I drove into town - to go to Carrefour (think WalMart) - Virginia and I got a little directionally confused and took a wrong turn which took us up a very narrow street (think "if the sideview mirrors are out, the car is too wide for the street) which only went up the very steep hill, and provided twist after turn, motorcycle after pedestrian. 

This gives you a little hint of the topography.   I suspect there are 3 ways up and 3 ways down.  Once you're on any of the 6 options, you're committed.   All you can do is buckle up and try not to hit anything or anyone.

And I was driving a stick shift. As we were near the top, I could smell the clutch burning and at that moment a man came through a door and his face was immediately a foot from our windshield.   I would love to have a photo of what he saw in our faces.   I'm sure it was priceless.

Meanwhile, Mark and Michael played golf and once we recovered from our journey into town, Virginia and I lounged and stitched (Virginia is an heirloom stitcher - she was smocking while we were there).   One day we rode with the boys for all 18 holes, which was wonderful.   It was a beautiful spot.   Mark declared it was one of the 2 or 3 most beautiful golf courses he'd ever played - and that's saying a lot.

Our biggest snafu was the day we decided to drive over to Gibraltar, which was about 90 minutes away.  We got to see it, of course, but we didn't take our passports with us, and the uptight BRITS wouldn't let us onto the mountain!!  We showed them our TEXAS driver's licenses - they were impressed that we were from Texas but it didn't help get us in!   The Brit yelled, "Go back to Spain!!"  Damn unhospitable Brit.   I could have told him that I can trace my English heritage back to the 1500s, but I'm sure it wouldn't have mattered.

We took the train back north to Seville, which is a wonderful and amazing city - we went to Alcazar, where there are beautiful gardens and some incredible wall tapestries - 12 feet by 30 feet easily - probably 12 of them.   The tilework is unbelievable, as well. For the creative stitcher, there is lots of inspiration!! 

And finally, back on the train to Madrid, where I got to see Picasso's Guernica, which is an amazing work of art.  The story behind it is equally incredible.   It was a small thrill!!

We arrived home last night and so glad to be here.
I DID stitch while I was gone.   That will be in the next post.

Jane

 

Here's what I saw at The Masters

 

 

Lots of orange.  At first I thought it was the color of the season - partially influenced by the fact that I just finished the book Orange is the New Black, which I'd highly recommend, especially if you're thinking about committing a crime of some sort.   Then I figured out that Rickie Fowler, who is one of the younger generation golfers, graduated from Oklahoma State and his answer to Tiger's red shirt on the last day of the tournament - Sunday - is a "retina-burning" orange from head to toe.    Ouch.

Tory Burch. There were little Tory crossbody bags all over the course.   Most of them were orange.  But it also comes in yellow.  (Sorry there's so much "sky" in this photo.)

Stupid girls in sandals and espadrilles.   Unfortunately, they don't allow cell phones or cameras on the course during the tournament, but if they did, I would have at least 200 pictures of dumb girls wearing flip-flops and heels and otherwise very bad shoes.   We wore pedometers (which are probably also illegal) and we walked between 6 and 7.5 miles every day.  Can't imagine doing it in flip-flops or shoes that I care anything about.

Lilly Pulitzer.   Lots of cute Lilly dresses.   I finally decided that many of the ladies wearing these dresses were wives of Augusta National Club Members, who surely just make an "appearance" on the course and go back to the clubhouse to their tea and crumpets right away.   They were slim, cute and wearing their pearls in spite of the heat.

And one crazy lady who took the cake.   She was wearing a one-piece, halter on top, what we used to call pallazzo pants on bottom.   In 90 degree weather.  I roasted in shorts and a short sleeve top - can't imagine what her day was like.  Didn't get a glimpse of her shoes due to those darn pallazzo pants but I'd be willing to bet they were equally ridiculous.

After day two, I told Mark that it occurred to me that you want to wear clothes, hats, etc. there that you are happy to throw away when you get home.  And now that I think about it, I'm glad they don't allow cameras on the course.  It was not a pretty sight.

In spite of the heat, it was a great tournament.  After Saturday, we thought Rory would run away with it and were so sad to see his "wheels come off."  I told Mark I hoped his MOM was there.   Can't imagine that kind of stress on a 21 year old!!!   But it was a great match - we loved every minute of it.

Happy golf.
Jane

 

Great time in Vegas

We spent a long weekend in Vegas with friends.  I didn't gamble until the last minute - I never do and always say if I'm going to throw away money, I'd rather shop and have something to show for it.   But I did place 10 bets on horses for the Kentucky Derby - for my son in law!!

There were several highlights - and one of them was a tour at Nellis Air Force Base.   We went with two other couples and one of them is a retired 4-star - so we got the VIP treatment at Nellis.  It was amazing to see so many very talented and smart young people and such fun to see the F16s and F22s take off - 4 or 5 one right after the other.   At one point, we got off of a little shuttle bus on the base so we could hear them. 

We watched the Final Four games in a big sports book - that was fun.   Go Butler!!

We saw Terry Fator - the singing ventroloquist who won America's Got Talent a couple of years ago.   He was absolutely amazing.   I highly recommend him.   Also saw Cirque du Soleil's LOVE - which we rated a 7 on a scale of 1-10.   The music was more from the drug-induced period than we would have thought.   But the production was amazing, and we had fun.

But I'm glad to be home, as always.

Happy stitching.   Happy spring.
Jane