Unsettled

The last few days have been a bit "off." The weather has been gloomy, very cold and windy - about 10 degrees below normal which should be 45. The snow is receding, albeit slowly. I've been rattling around the house, reading, doing a little sewing, and not quite myself.

Chris has been on and off again for the last few weeks about joining the Army, mainly because he wants to become an officer and wasn't sure if he could be at his age (29). He went up to Burlington to see a different recruiter yesterday and then had another meeting with the local recruiter today. Looks like he can, indeed, try for OCS. Now he has all sorts of stuff to gather including transcripts, birth certificate, some papers to fill out for National Security Clearance, and 3 letters of reference. Tomorrow is his ASVAB test and then he has to go for a physical. So it looks more certain as the days go by. I don't know when he'll be off for basic training or even where he'll be going, but I am glad that his path is more and more clear. As a bit of a peacenik, it is hard for me to think about, but it is his choice and, I think, he is actually well-suited for a military career.

Sunday was a busy day, helping with a program at the Old Labor Hall, and today I volunteered at the Vermont Historical Society. I've been going every Wednesday morning to help sew hanging sleeves onto antique quilts, and it has provided 5 of us an opportunity to see these gems up close and personal. Nancy is even making a copy of one of them, and Sandra has made templates to make another herself. Today we had a session on repairing tears and worn parts with bridal illusion (tulle). Because it was difficult for me to see what I was doing, I hope I can continue to help. I'll give it another try next week before I decide. It's been fun so far but I don't want to damage anything. I also got some hints today on repairing Paul's old Bellows family quilt. It will be quite a job but maybe I can persuade one of the nieces - with better eyesight - to help.

Perhaps more than anything, my cousin Rick's death has sent me into a spin. He lived in Curacao with his wife and 3 kids, ages 10-18?, and I feel so bad for them. He had had cancer of the esophagus and had been in Holland for treatment this winter. After he came home, he began to feel sick again, couldn't swallow, and then all his organs began shutting down, one by one. Only 53, he was a successful businessman with a great deal of energy, creativity, and likeability. His passing reminds me of how fleeting life is. I am so happy that they could visit us in the summer of 2009, particularly since we hadn't seen each other since 1976. It was good to reconnect with him.