My Own Machine! and other stuff

I have a sewing machine!!! Of my very own! It's such a beautiful little thing. Mrs. Burklin fixed up an "extra" and gave it to me, so when I go to Ukraine, I can keep on sewing. :) I'm so thrilled. She also gave me a book with sewing basics and projects like curtains, pillows, and even bath mats. I'm so pleased. I'm starting to feel the sewing coming on; the question is, what? I need to find a curtainless window and some cheap sheets.

The weekend has been a full and happy one...After sewing with the Johnson girls on Friday the three oldest Johnson kids (Rebekah, Matthew, and Sarah) came home with us and we had a fun visit, during which Rebekah taught me to make dainty crocheted earrings. They are really pretty, but I have to admit, her style is a lot more dainty! Mine ended up significantly different sizes! Her stitches are neat and beautiful.

On Saturday night there was more socializing when I went over to the Bourciers for a bit for a girls' party...we played a game called "Signs." The point of this game, as Lauren explained it, is to "embarress one person for the greatest amount of time possible." Fun :)

On Sunday we (is it hanged or hung?) out with Flic and Cameron at our house a little while before going to play putt-putt and slurp shakes together (a colaborated Christmas present from them to their "adopted family.") It was a blast, and I shocked myself by winning at putt-putt, by one point...(I wasn't in the group with Dad, though.) Not that it mattered too much who won, because the point of playing wasn't really to win but to have fun, but winning is so rare for me that I had to point it out...I think I've found my sport :) Besides walking, that is. I like walking. We sat trying to drink our shakes out of the wind, through truly enormous straws, which, though odd, were very clever since the shakes are so thick.

Yes, and then today, Connor and I went to lunch with our four older cousins (Stephen, James, Elizabeth, and Catherine) and Liz and I nearly "went bankrupt," (in her words) splitting the fajita plate we thought would only be $7. It was 20. But they were graciously sharing money that Grammie had donated to the cause, so it was ok. It was so nice to visit with my cousins. Our lives are all changing a lot, and I guess we don't have a huge amount of time left together.

Then I got to go to Mrs. Burklin's for tea and we had the nicest visit. And she gave me the sewing machine. She's such giving person. Her time, resources, everything.

Anyhow, Grammie needs a chauffer to the hair salon tomorrow (her arm is broken and she can't drive) and she insists on shopping as well...

I suddenly feel like my perspective is becoming more like the one I've heard people of some other cultures have, that a day you got to have a meaningful conversation with another person was a good day. I'm thankful for this time to just be with people some.

Must go to bed...today I was so dozy that I sat completely stationary at several greenlights pondering the economy...song lyrics...those s h i n y b r i g h t o b j e c t s g o i i i i n g p a a a s t...Luckily, a friendly honk revived me.