Ann & Thunder Retire

In case you haven't heard the news about Thunder and the Denver Broncos... 

Our daughter Sarah and her family lived in the Denver area and still avidly follow the Broncos (and the Packers and the Seahawks and...) They took me to the stadium once for an August scrimmage, so I have actually seen the team live and in person.

My classroom colors were orange and blue, too, but actually that is because my college degrees are both from the University of Illinois, a Big Ten team. (If there's anything I will root for avidly myself, it's Illinois basketball! )

But I have another connection to the Denver Broncos - one of  those "who'd have thought" ones.

Denver's mascot horse, Thunder, is ridden by a woman I went to junior high and high school with, Ann Judge.

Ann trains Thunder (not the horse's real name) and is a judge and horse trainer, living in Bennett, Colorado.

She is a year younger than me, but we were in choir, band, and drama club together. I remember her as a very nice gal, one who was quiet and even a bit shy. And, our high school colors are orange and blue, just as the Broncos' are!

I actually remember very little of her horsey side. I think that is because, even as a teenager, she was riding in big Arabian breed shows while I was on a backyard Appaloosa mare participating in local fun shows. She and I were both in 4-H together,  though, attending Horse and Pony Club meetings and showing at the local 4-H fair and show every summer.

Our paths haven't crossed since high school, although her family is still here in West Lafayette.  We are friends on Facebook and share a lot of mutual friends there. Ann is really good about staying in touch with her high school friends.

Some time ago, her father wrote and published a book titled The Bronco Girl. The book is still available on Amazon, and I have a copy and have read it. Ann came back to Indiana and did some local book signings with her dad when it first came out. I thought about going to one and saying "hello," but had a conflict and could not make it.

Here's a fun interview with Ann, Sharon, and Ernie appearing with Thunder(s) and sharing some history on the Thunder Spirit Team.

I usually don't watch much football but when I do, I root for Denver (and the Colts.) And, I am also hoping to catch a glimpse of Ann and Thunder racing across the football field every time the Broncos score.

I'm sad to see Ann and Thunder retire, but Sharon Magness Blake did say in an interview that they were all getting older and that it was time to step down. Ann has posted about it on her personal Facebook page  a couple of times, but I never saw a reason given other than what was written  in the official announcement above.

Happy Trails, Ann!

A Week's Worth of Sewing

It's been a week for sewing, but I got everything made that I'd cut out beforehand as well as things I spontaneously decided to do when I had some extra time.

Pin pillows (the precursor to the pin cushion) were one of those "extra time" projects.

18th century sewists used every scrap of fabric, and pin pillows not only helped them keep track of their pins and needles, they were also a good use for small leftover fabric pieces.

Wool roving was stuffed inside and ribbon or wool or linen tape was used to make a loop so the pin pillow could be hung on the sewist's apron string, ensuring she (or he) always had their sewing tools with them.

Easy to make, relaxing to stuff, quickly finished - the perfect choice for when I want to accomplish something for the Feast or Kalamazoo but don't feel like tackling a major project.

A workable pattern for making a Frances Rump became available a year ago, and the first two I made sold immediately. So, I've made another two. 

Using linen that was embroidered with flowers, I stitched the channels, 

stuffed them, pleated them, and added a twill tape waistband.

The 1775 - 1787 Francis Rump (the one that I am showing) was bigger than the 1785 - 1795 version. (Read about that one here.)

But it served the same purpose in lifting the back of the petticoat up and out.

Unlike panniers/pocket hoops which are worn on the each side of the body,

walking in crowds or down aisles while wearing a Frances Rump isn't difficult.

The bulk is behind you and doesn't bump into things alongside you.

What about this one? Does it make by backside look big?? Hah!

Continuing the white fabric theme...

I also made two chemises, both size XL. 

Gold and "paste" sleeve buttons.

That size and 2XL are my biggest sellers for chemises

 so I want to have several on hand of each size as they usually sell out quickly. 

I had a wool cloak that I'd cut out in March that I wanted to finish. I spread it out on the sewing table and began prepping it, and then my heart sank.

There were small three holes in the fabric. Most likely, that was moth damage - this was a fabric that had been in my mother's stash for decades; my guess is the damage happened when it was stored in her basement.

I was not going to put all that work into a cloak that I would then need to sell for less money as it was defective, so I circled the holes with chalk,

tied it into a packet, and put a note with it explaining that the defect was three tiny holes. I'll sell it for only a couple of dollars, and if whoever buys it can sew, they will have a $175 cloak for nearly free!

While I had the twine out, I folded together other fabric packets to sell. My remnants sell out quickly at events and I get a little money back on my investment in the fabric.

Three more chemises are cut out and will be next week's project. After that, I may take a break from sewing and start making some blackened beeswax ornaments. (Heads up, those of you who won the Highland Cow in the May give away!)

Stay 'tooned!

A Word About Flooding

Second Post of the Day

You may have heard about the terrible flooding here in Indiana. It is true - parts of the state are a mess. Yesterday in West Lafayette, we had 4 inches of rain, and more is expected today.

The Wabash River is well over its banks although it is not yet over the highway where we lived.

Those trees line the river's banks and this spot in front of our home is the very first place it spills over the road. That happens when the flood waters are at about 20' (my mother kept the coolest flood record for decades and we soon learned when we'd be flooded in and couldn't go to school. Yeeha!!)

Our neighbor Shorty, whose home was about a quarter mile upriver from us, would then hop in his boat and bring us our mail every day until we could get out again. (His home, too, was razed and is now a site where kayakers can put in to the river.)

The Wabash is up, but the last measurement I saw was 14', so Lafayette and West Lafayette are still in good shape although the river is expected to crest at that critical 20' depth.

Sadly, the story is different elsewhere in Indiana.

This is Fall Creek (a creek!!) in Pendleton, Indiana. Normally the creek is 2 feet deep, here it was measured at 11.5  feet. (Flood pictures from The Indianapolis Star.)

The White River in Muncie, Indiana is almost up to the bottom of the bridges. (I've driven over this bridge; it is right by the place where Allison Pareis and I held The FAMulous Collectibility Show.) It was measured at a record 24.7 feet high. 

Lisa drove over the White River in Indianapolis yesterday and was gobsmacked at how close it came to the underside of the bridge she used to cross it. It's really scary to see water that close to you as you drive over it.

Lafayette and West Lafayette are well prepared having weathered many floods over time. Raised bridges spanning the river are in place and there's a levee so we usually aren't impacted too badly. 

A few people who live out of town like we did may get flooded in for a while but most homes along the river are up on the moraine and the homes remain dry.

Please don't worry about me and my community, but prayers, good thoughts, karma - whatever you are comfortable with is much needed for other parts of Indiana. Thank you.

And it just began raining again...

Acquiring a Service Dog: Pepper Comes Home to Us

First Post of the Day

It did not take Pepper long to adjust to her new retirement home. 

and very soon,

she began following me everywhere. 

She loved being with Craig, too, but our relationship was different almost from the very beginning.

She followed Seeing Eye training and protocol in many ways including going under the table or desk whenever I sat down.

In Sarah's world, that kept her from tripping others or blocking people who needed to get around the room. For me, I had to learn to be careful where my feet were at all times so that I did not kick her.

She adjusted to wherever I was sitting and liked to grab my leg(s) with her paws. Seven years later, she still wants close contact with me, and often is leaning against me, curled up to me hip to hip, or (especially at night) lying side by side, and holding one of my arms in between her paws. 

I realized that she had transferred her partner relationship to me, and that I was her new partner.

During the holidays, Pepper was introduced to our kids and grands. She especially liked Cole, and the joke was that we were going to check his luggage before he left so he did not smuggle her home to Tennessee. 

The grands loved her, and she returned that love. (That's Julie with her.)

Pepper quickly discovered that the best seat in the house was under the grands' dinner table!

Lisa became a great friend and to this day is one of Pepper's favorite people.

The whole family learned a lot about Seeing Eye dogs from being around her.

I love this picture that Mila drew of Pepper guiding Sarah on a windy day.

There were others who came into Pepper's orbit, too.

I introduced her to Abby. I think Pepper was surprised by Abby, although she didn't shy away from her. I wonder if Seeing Eye training included horses and other livestock. (I should ask Sarah.)

Of course, Kathy came over to meet her.

Pepper and Nacho became good friends

and she was a special guest at his retirement party.

Pepper began making school visits, mostly to Lisa's classroom, but to others as well.

Lisa created a reading program where her students could earn a "Pepper Pass" and spend time with her if they'd met their reading goal. It was highly popular with her students, and Pepper and I both enjoyed going to school once a quarter to be with those kiddos.

Tammo came to live with us for a while and is a special friend.

As were Molly

and Millie.

And, of course, Nash who is over here frequently. (Pepper is still unsure about Rosie who has a lot of energy and is still learning boundaries.) 

Highlights of her day include playing with her favorite toys

and heading to the park every morning to play frisbee.

Life for Miss P is good but we are also aware that she is getting older and starting to slow down.

And, she has a mass on her chest that fortunately is a lipoma, but it's not in the best of places, especially should it need to be removed. With Zeus having had a cancerous mass on his chest that ended up taking his life, needless to say I am keeping an eye on this one.

In the meantime, Pepper is a big part, a valued part, of our family and in our lives.

I'll always be grateful to Kathy for recommending us to Sarah as Pep's retirement home and for Sarah for having chosen us to be blessed with our girl.

She's some dog herself!

Stay 'tooned!