HI HO, HI HO - IT'S BACK TO WORK I GO!

Yup.  After not working for 11 months, I now have a fantastic part time job!

I knew when I retired that I would need to work part time for a few  years.  First, to build up my liquid cash reserves and have money to travel and secondly to get me out of the house and around people.  However, I didn't think it would be so long.

It's not like I haven't enjoyed my retirement.  I have.  And, it would be great not to need this job.  But, I do need it on so many different levels besides what I mentioned above.

It took longer to get a job because I needed the time to heal from the turmoil of 2010.  Emotionally, I wasn't ready to work, although the last couple of months my bank account was starting to look scary. 

I had applied back in February with Kelly Temp Services.  Although I did extremely well on both the interview and skill tests, the only two jobs offered me were long term and a long way from my house - equivalent to at least an hour drive to and from work.  No thank you.  This spring I started applying to local collages.  Nada.  But, I had a list of websites I checked weekly and bi-weekly and planned to keep trying.  I was getting a little concerned, though.  I needed a part time job.

I had applied on and off to be a Library Assistant with the Sequoyah Regional Library System, which serves three counties here in Georgia - Cherokee, Pickins and Gilmore.  Never got called for an interview.  Then, in February they experienced huge budget cuts and lay offs.  Oh, well . . .

I still checked out the library website for job openings.  And, in late May they had openings for both a Research Assistant and a Library Assistant at a library in my area.  I applied for both.  I was called to interview for the Research Assistant on Monday, interviewed on Tuesday and was offered the job on Friday!  Yippee!

It is the perfect job for me.  I work 16-17 hours a week, the pay is more than minimum wage, I work only every 4th Saturday, I never work later than 6pm and I GET TO WORK IN A LIBRARY!  I'm learning so much, too.  The people I work with are great and I am working with the public, which is fun.  Yes, parts of my job are rather tedious, but overall it is a perfect fit.  If I wasn't in a library I would be whistling while I work! 

I got my first paycheck.  hehehehehe  It was only for 27 hours, but I was as thrilled as if I made my first million!  LOL  Another thing I find so rewarding is seeing so many books come across my path that I have read.  And, I am starting a list of books/authors I want to read.  Plus, learning the ins and outs of helping people do research is very interesting. 

I am so fortunate!  I'm happy and so is my bank account.  Now, I better start researching English gardens, or maybe Tuscany or possibly Paris.  Where's my passport?

Time to Move On

The other night while ice bound and bored,  I started searching for people on Facebook and came across a man I dated briefly a few years ago. 

We dated at a time when Phil had pushed me away and encouraged me to move on.  I met Ken.  Ken is a great guy and we hit it off right away.  I enjoyed his company and things moved fast.  But, there was always Phil lurking in my background.  To summarize, Phil decided he wanted me after all, I treated Ken terribly and went off with Phil.  And, when I say I treated Ken terribly, I truly did.  And, I have always, always regretted what I did to him.

Fast forward.  Ken met someone.  He got married, thought things were great, but is now going through a divorce after only a couple years of marriage.  Phil is dead and I have learned more about him than I really cared to learn.  I'm still grieving and licking my wounds.  I retired and moved to Georgia.  The past 8 months have been hard for me.  I have made friends in my new community, but haven't gotten out as much as I should/could have.  It's been a self-imposed hibernation.  But, I am starting to wake up.  And, it hasn't been all bad.  I did what I needed to do.

So, I messaged Ken and waited, hoped for a reply.  Let me say I really mistreated this man and I figured he would either not respond to me or give me a piece of his mind.  But, he did respond and was very gracious and kind.  More so than I deserve.  He even gave me his email and phone number.  And, I called.

His divorce hurt him.  Sounds like they had a great marriage while it lasted and the divorce came out of the blue.  He was deeply hurt.  Yet, he seemed very concerned about me, what I have been through and how I was coping.    We talked about our families, our lives and traveling.  We talked about our dogs, relationships and coping.  It was good talking to him.  He always had a kindness and a gentleness about him that made me feel so very comfortable.  For a minute, for a second I thought . . .

But, he had to run.  He was going on a date with a woman he really likes.  And, in all truthfulness, I am not ready to date.  Even with the time and distance between us, it wasn't meant to be.  I wish him well, though.  Of all people, Ken deserves happiness.  So, do I.  And, we won't find it together.  But, maybe we can be friends.  Maybe our mutual broken hearts will help heal each other.  And, maybe I need to get out more rather than spend all my evenings at home with the dogs.

I have been thinking of Phil - who I still cry over - a lot lately.  It's funny how the grieving process works, sometimes I hardly think of him and other times it seems he is all I think about.  And with thinking of Ken, too - who is someone that probably should have been -  brought me to this verse from a poem by William Wordsworth  It's bittersweet, but right now so am I.  And, it is time for me to move on.

What though the radiance which was once so bright

Be now for ever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind...

A Few Words on Quilting - or My Lack of It.

I haven't quilted in weeks. Packing and organizing have consumed me (well, a couple of other issues, too, but I digress).

I have packed up a lot of my quilting paraphernalia. Six huge boxes. This includes material and patterns for future quilts and completed quits and well as other miscellaneous quilting items. I kept out several kits and projects, both on-going and waiting to complete.

I currently have 4 quilts that need to be bound and I will get 2 more back from the quilter tomorrow. So, hopefully this weekend I can get a few of them machine bound.

Jeannie's BOM quilt is still in progress as is my Underground Railroad quilt. Hopefully, within the next few weeks the Underground Railroad quilt will be sent to the quilters. My dreams of starting the Wisconsin Barn quilt that Jen is offering will probably wait until after I retire. Sigh. I really wanted to start it, but I have my nephew's Double Irish Chain quilt to start ASAP (Ha - that's funny!)

In the midst of this I have to keep my house neat and tidy for possible showings. Ha! That's funny, too!

I kept out my two rolling carts full of scraps and fat quarters for Jeannie's BOM and other small projects. The carts can be tucked into a small closet each night. Both my sewing baskets are still out, but one really should be packed up as it is not used that often. All of the rulers are hang nicely from hooks in a closet.

I've been quilting less than 2 years! Where did all of this come from?

Of all of the things I have packed, I miss my quilting stuff the most. I like having it spread all over the house. I like finding tiny pieces of snipped fabric. I like my threads on the floor. Am I nuts? I crave my rotary cutter and miss the hum of the sewing machine.

Next week I start quilting again!

Getting Ready for Retirement

Funny things start to happen when you tell people you are going to retire.

First, I went to a work offered retirement seminar last November. It was great - well organized and very informative. I was given lots of brochures and pamphlets to read, which I have done. There are just over 200 of us City workers that fall into a group that are eligible to retire if we use the incentives they are offering. Truthfully, we would be crazy not to grab the deal and run, which is exactly what I am doing! However, all at once I started to receive mail from the Employees Retirement System - pension estimators, benefit plans, etc. Yikes! This is really going to happen!

Co-workers approch me. "Hey," they say, "I hear you're retiring!" Or, "How much longer do you have?" Or "What will you be doing once you go?" This is all fun stuff, although my immediate co-workers must be getting tired of hearing my answers all of the time. Several co-workers insist on getting together after work as my "time" approaches. I'm looking forward to that!

The most asked question is, "How many more days?" Well, as of today I have 5 months and 14 days. Exact days? I'm not sure. Well under 100. I got vacation time to use and it will all be spent house hunting in Georgia and moving down there.

This is all good stuff. Fun stuff. I thought it would be much different, but recently life has a way of kicking me in the butt and directing me down paths I really didn't want to go. But, it is all good (at least that is what I am telling myself over and over). It is all a learning experience. It is a new path, a new part of my life - so very different than what I am use to.

If I survive what I am going through now, if I survive selling my house, buying a new home and a move to a whole new state without losing my mind, if I make it to August 23, 2010 - a whole new life will begin.

Bring it on!

Packing it Up!

Last week my wonderful sister, Suzanne, flew up and we spent 3 1/2 days packing and organizing my basement as well as other areas in preparation for the sale of my house.

Now, I am not a wuss and I can pack, but I was stuck in a rut and needed Suzanne to give me that swift kick in the butt to get going. She is good at that!

We got a lot accomplished and 72 boxes and bins are sealed, neatly labeled and ready to go. And, more boxes to pack. SEVENTY-TWO with more to come. Jeez - where did all this stuff come from? And, now I have 4 large boxes in my dining room full of quilts and quilt stuff. More of that, too. This doesn't include every day things that I will need until my house actually sells like pots and pans, dishes, etc.

Every night more "stuff" gets sorted through and packed or put into boxes for Goodwill. Friends and family are welcome to things they admired and would like for their own so a lot is leaving via the front door. My desk and curio cabinet are claimed and waiting to be moved (please come get them). I would much rather give things to friends and family than sell them on Craig's List. This way people will have a remembrance of me and something they like. Pictures/art work are bubble wrapped and not much is left on the walls. My home is becoming more and more depersonalized. Sigh.

I have contacted a couple of realtor's and one will be chosen this weekend. My house will be ready in a couple of weeks. I have a cleaning service coming in to do a heavy spring cleaning before any perspective buyers come in to view it. I am keeping my nephew busy with fixing broken light switches, moving things around and general "PLEASE COME OVER AND HELP ME DO XXXXX"

Yup. This is all happening. I am retiring and moving to Georgia. The Canton area of Georgia, close to the Blue Ridge and within a quick drive from Suzanne and my nephews.

It is exciting, fun and stressful.

And, I am scared to death!

Dragonflies

Shortly after I started quilting I decided to have a small dragonfly quilted into every project. The dragonfly has a symbolic meaning to me. And, I think it is a fun thing to add. Although my first quilts do not have the dragonfly quilted in the pattern, I found quilt labels with dragonflies on them and will be adding them to these quilts.




I fell in love with the above Oriental-themed pattern while visiting a quilt store in Colorado last September and bought the pattern and material while I was there. The dragonflies are hand appliqued using the blanket stitch - the method I feel most comfortable with at this point - to the beautiful background fabric. I am thrilled with the way it turned out!


It was professionally quilted by Meandering Mary, who added a tiny dragonfly to the upper left corner, even though there are 3 dragonflies on it.


When I give quilts away to family and friends I tell them, "Look for the dragonfly!" It can be a challenge to find them, but I think it adds to the giving of the quilt. Recently I picked up 3 quilts from Meandering Mary - this one, a primitive wall hanging (which I will post when I finishing binding it) and a queen-sized Friendship Star quilt. Mary forgot exactly where the dragonfly is on the Friendship Star quilt. I tried finding it, but didn't have a whole lot of time to look. Maybe when I am hand stitching the binding on I will find it.


When I was at Ye Olde Schoolhouse quilt store last week to pick up these projects Jeannie brought back from Mary, I ran into my quilting instructor, Diane. She wanted to see what I have been doing so we looked at my projects and she and complimented me! I was so happy that my first quilting instructor admired what I have been doing. We talked about incorporating the little dragonfly into each quilt. She said, "Just think, Julie Ann, a hundred years from now someone will be talking about how this quilter from southeastern Wisconsin always had a dragonfly quilted into her quilts and now they are considered highly collectible!" That comment blew me away!


It is fun to have this little something extra in my quilts. It is like a little added blessing to the quilt.

Jeannie's Quilt Blocks 9 & 10

Ruins of Jerico on left, Stockyard's Star for Nebraska on right.

Feature fabric for both is easist to see on outer edges of the Star for Nebraska.

These are getting easier. However, I'm making the 12 1/2" blocks. I can't imagine making the 6" blocks! I know one day I'll get confident enough to try smaller blocks, but the time isn't here yet!