This Day

This day, November 11th, holds a lot of memories for me.  As the memories of this day, nine years ago, fade, one thing remains certain.  I miss my mother!  A dear 93 year old resident at Juniper Meadows said to me years ago, "I think about my Mom every day.  We are never ready to lose our mothers."  So true for me!

I've had my eye on this last rose of summer for weeks now.  I'm certain a single rose has never grown so tall on a rose bush.  I hobbled out to the back yard and picked it today because the weather man tells us it will be in the teens tonight.

I picked the roses to honor my Mom, as a way to bring attention to her presence today.
Because, today, I'm visiting Dr. K. and I hope he'll tell me I can walk without the aid of a walker, crutches, or the knee scooter.  I'm sure my Mom would be whispering to the Dr. that it's high time I get up and move around instead of spending so much time doing nothing.

It seems timely that I would've finished a 25 year quilt project just yesterday!  The pattern, double wedding ring, seemed to be one of Mom's favorites.  I know her Mom made lots of them - it was the best way to use up little scraps of fabric.

A local quilter helped me pick out the fabric - can you tell it was during the mauve and blue phase of the 1980's?  I finished piecing it in 1995 and started the labor-intensive process of hand quilting soon after.  It's been tucked away for over 10 years and my recent ankle accident prompted me to drag it out of the basement storage and finish it!

I found these pictures of two quilts that we found in her stash:

I think Grandma Hoene made this wedding ring crib size quilt.  It's quite tattered and torn, but it warmed the little bodies of several Kopczynski toddlers.  I remember it being in the crib in Mom and Dad's bedroom.  I treasure it because of all the love put into it and the utilitarian way Mom used it....no saving this one in the closet.

Pictures on the piano, January, 2006.  I have the big group picture from the Golden Wedding hanging in my stairwell going down to the basement.

This little scene in the basement quilting room always tickled me.  A sign taped over the heating control, in Dad's handwriting, "Don't turn up the Heat."  Mom found another place to stick her quilting needles.  The blue sticky note has the cable equivalent of the TV Channels.  Someday we'll consider the wall hung land line phone an antique!

The best part of this day - I can bear weight and walk again!  I could barely keep from crying tears of joy when I realized how great the news was....  "your ankle healed really well."  I breathed prayers to Mom, Carole, Dad and joined with Sister Petronilla, "Thank you, Jesus!"  Dr. K gave me a stirrup brace, just to give me a little support as I re-learn how to walk.  He suggested I walk around the house, with the brace on and crutches for support, until I'm confident of my walking ability.  Then the crutches and all devices can go bye-by.  "How long might that take," I inquired.  He responded, "it might be this afternoon or two weeks from today.  No physical therapy necessary."  I'll have to wear my hiking shoes because the brace doesn't fit well into my walking shoe, but who cares?