Tuesday, April 07, 2009

A lesson Learned!


I am posting, finally, a photograph of the finished vegetable quilt I made for my Dad. I forgot to take a picture of it before I left, but my cousin sent me this one. It’s such a cheerful looking quilt that I would actually like to make it again for myself! And I’m stashing some of the best fabrics so that I can!

Now….Here’s a little story for you all to learn from! It started innocently enough….I am going on a trip to Pittsburgh and New York City this spring. Two girls I know but who don’t know each other are meeting me there. Last Saturday one, who lives way out on one of the Gulf Islands, came to town and dropped over for coffee. I called the other friend to come over and meet her while she was in town (otherwise it involves a long drive and a boat ride across the Gulf Channel).

In anticipation of these two coming to visit, I cleared off my kitchen table and put a pile of things that were destined for my sewing room and office in a basket. I keep this basket behind my chair to put our recycling in and carry it up and down the stairs. We had a great visit and are positive we’ll have a wonderful time together. They left, and I went on with my day, shopping and gardening.


Three days later, I took everything downstairs and set it in the garage for my husband to sort. I’m a secretary, but he has no faith in my ability to file the garbage so he always does it. I came down a little later, we hopped in our vehicle and off we went to work.

When we came home that night, I saw my portfolio and a cookie box on his work bench. I asked what that was doing down here. He replied “It was in the recycling and I couldn’t believe you were throwing that out. I hollered up the stairs to see if you really wanted to but I think you were in the shower so I figured if you wanted to toss it, it could go out next week. I felt sick to my stomach and I think perhaps looked it as well because he said “What’s wrong?” I told him that portfolio has my tickets, my itinerary, AND my passport in it. All the stuff in the basket was just to go to my sewing room and I had put it there when I cleared off the kitchen table for Linda and Angela! He was concerned that it would be bills that were lost. I told him not to worry, those get sent again! I know there was no money in it….I had to think hard and could not sit still so I took the dog for a long walk. I’ve figured out a few things that were in that basket…..some transfer image samples on silk, some more pictures to try the technique with, a couple of bills….but I think I am very lucky because he somehow managed to pull out the most important item! Imagine writing to say I need a new passport because mine went to the dump by accident! They wouldn’t think I should be allowed to travel!

But the lesson learned is not to put valuables in containers normally used for disposal! And this is the second time in my life I’ve learned that lesson….but that’s another story!