Sanctuary

Today was a holiday for most, and all my family was home today.  I started the day off having coffee with my friends.  I know I've mentioned them several times before, but they need to be named . . . there is Penny, Tracy, Kassie and Bill.  We also added Azam to our group not too long ago.  Bill and Azam were gentlemen that we met at Starbuck's ... you can only imagine a group of women in there every day and how loud we were.  Of course we laugh and enjoy ourselves, and we drew Bill in ... he takes care of his mother who is 90 something, and so he stops in early in the morning for a quick chat.  Azam we met not too long ago; he is very interesting . . . he is originally from Afghanistan and left there in 1978 when the Russians came in ... the stories he tells are like nothing I can imagine life being like.  Our daily issues are so trivial when he talks about leaving his country because it didn't belong to them anymore, and the horrible atrocities that happened to the people that remained.  I know these stories we hear often on the news, but it is really different when you are talking to a friend.

It made me think about what is important to me.  I have freedom ... it is precious, isn't it?  My friends cheer me, and the little time we spend Monday through Friday together seems extravagant to some.  I have had many people say "every morning?"  Well, yes ... most every morning.  We laugh, we talk, we gossip (but remember my new goal ... I'm not doing it!  My friends think I'm crazy, but I am not participating!), but mostly (is that a word?) we support each other.  We know that we can be real with each other ... because we've spent so much time together (we have known each other for 12 years), we talk to each other like we are family.  Sometimes that isn't the best thing; sometimes we need to be a little kinder to each other.  And of course, we are stimulating the economy!

I ran some errands, and I am just BASKING in the happiness of having that quilt finished.  I have heard so many positive comments about it that it just makes me glow!  I am a perfectionist, and because I have that kind of personality, I always question whether whatever I'm doing is "good enough."  When you get so many compliments about one thing, you have to believe it is true.  I do believe -- in fact I know -- this is the best work I have ever done quilt-wise, and it is absolutely my favorite quilt!

I got to just hang out with my family today ... my son is going back to college on Wednesday, so today was the last day I had him to myself.  Tomorrow I have to work instead of Thursday this week, and then we're going to have a nice meal tomorrow night at a great barbecue place that we have been dying to try.  It was a cold, rainy day in San Diego, and we don't get that very often!  We stayed inside and goofed around with our crazy dogs, and just enjoyed being here.  My home is definitely my sanctuary, and it is one place that I absolutely love to be.  Sometimes all I have to do is just sit in my sewing room and fiddle with something at my desk ... that is enough to make me feel relaxed.  I don't even have to sew ... do you know what I mean?  If you are a quilter, I know you do!