Making Progress

I’ve made good progress on the new issue of the Gypsy Journal the last couple of days, and by the time I stopped working at 11 p.m. last night, I had 12 of 36 pages finished. That’s a good feeling.

While I was busy with that, Miss Terry spent much of the day watching the DVDs that came with her sock knitting machine. That darned thing’s got more cogs and cams and gears on it than an old Model T Ford. But since it was made about the same time, I guess that makes sense. I’m not worried though, I know Terry, and when she sets her mind on something, she figures it out and makes it happen.

I did take a break for an hour or so yesterday afternoon when Terry’s parents came by for a visit. They sure like having her back in town for a while! We’ll be getting some more family time in the next couple of days. This afternoon we’re having dinner with Terry’s sister Lisa and her husband Jim, and Saturday there will be a family dinner at her parents’ house.

Of course, family is not just the people we are related to by blood. Many times, friendships can be just as close, or even closer. A good example is the story of Rosie Gilbert and Sondra Feemster that blog reader Tiara Blue (yes, that’s her real name) shared with me yesterday. The longtime pals have relied on their friendship and quilting to see them through some very rough times. Check it out in Tiara’s blog post, titled Quilting Memories. It may bring a smile to your face, or a tear to your eye. Maybe even both.

Speaking of bringing a smile to one’s face, I received an e-mail yesterday from a nice couple we met years ago when we were teaching at Life on Wheels in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They sat through my Reluctant RVer seminar, and it was the husband who was hesitant to take to the road. Usually it was the wife who expressed the most concerns in those classes, but Margie was all set to go the minute they retired, while Wayne wasn’t sure he was willing to give up his workshop, his fishing buddies, and his job. He said at the time that he really didn’t want to retire, and that he would be just as happy to keep right on working another fifteen years.

Well, Wayne did retire, eighteen months ago, and he agreed to give fulltiming a try if Margie agreed that they would not put their home on the market for two years, in case it didn’t work out. They said it was rough the first few months because Wayne is a Type A kind of guy and didn’t know how to relax. Who knew retirement could be stressful? But Margie said she knew he had turned a corner when he discovered geocaching and caught his first marlin on a charter fishing trip out of Islamorada, Florida. They have a contract on the house, Wayne has lost 25 pounds, and Margie said he’s a new man. Yes, life on the road can open up many new doors!

Thought For The Day – Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim.

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