Traveling

We are still recovering from a marathon trip to Michigan for a family funeral last weekend, or maybe it's just the high humidity that's making us move a bit more slowly.  On Tuesday, August 2, Paul's middle sister Brenda was to have a fairly routine operation to replace a heart valve.  Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned, and she passed away that evening.  Everyone scrambled and made plans to travel - from California, Washington, Alabama, Connecticut, and Vermont, a typical American family.  Four of us left last Saturday morning on the two day drive, taking a route through Canada.  Luckily Paul's brother in law Jay did all the driving in his very comfortable, aging Cadillac.  I was relieved not to have to drive around Toronto and Detroit with their intimidating traffic.

We stopped for the night in or near Toronto both coming and going and arrived in Michigan Sunday night in time for the calling hours.   Brenda's three grown children, who had lost their father to cancer just a couple of years ago, were there with their families, and it was good to see them again, despite the sad and unexpected situation. It was hard to make small talk at the calling hours, especially with people we didn't know, but that is what people do at these times.  Monday morning's funeral was very nice, with Brenda's younger daughter giving the eulogy, supported by her brother and sister.  We left right after that, changed clothes quickly, and started back for Vermont.  We ate a lot of snacks in the back seat and were glad to cross the Vermont-Canadian border easily Tuesday afternoon.

Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of quilting done this week.  I did take my knitting to work on in the car and actually made good progress on a lacy cotton scarf with variegated yarn.  When I got home, I finished the throw I started quilting the day Brenda was being operated on.  It's made with blocks from the Lovers Knot block swap, and I finished it Thursday.   I'll send it to Brenda's Michigan daughter who bore the brunt of all the arrangements.  It's been hot and humid, so my sewing room is the place to be this weekend.