I’m leaving on a jet plane…don’t know when I’ll be back again.  Well, I really do know when, but I am not thinking about that.  What I am thinking about is seeing that little girl again. I am thinking about all the fun we will have … And being surprised by how much she has grown and changed in just 2 months.  I can’t wait to knock on the door and see her little face when she sees ours.  I can see her little eyes sparkle and that little smile of hers that says she knows exactly who we are and she is just as thrilled to see us as we are her.  I hear her say in that questioning little voice, “Popo?”  I am not sure what is on her mind when she says it like that…there is never a question after it.  Sometimes, I think she just wants me to know she is thinking about me.  Well, Sojo…we are sure thinking about you and trips to the many playgrounds around your house, the pool, Villa Market, the lake to watch the fish jump, to feed the fish, the beach and whatever else we can think of to do.  Oh, and there is that 3rd birthday to celebrate and Baba’s too (not his 3rd…but 42nd).  Whew…are we going to have fun.  Counting the hours…

Well, there will be no prizes won at the country fair for sewing, but I do think that one little girl in Thailand is going to love the super hero capes I made.  There is a bit of puckering and because I am not a perfectionist and get a bit in a hurry with my excitement to do something, I did not wash the fabric prior to the project.  Hence, there will probably be a bit more puckering when the capes have to be washed.  It really didn’t take that long either.  Here they are:

First the aftermath on the table:  And now for the finished product:  Drum roll, please…    Reversible Super Gong Gong to the rescue.  I hope she enjoys the capes and that the puckers are few and the felt stays on.  I hope there are lots of hours of imagination between her and her friends.  I have to say, I had the best time making these little capes for sweet Sojo.  SUPER SOJO!

Is there anything a grandparent would not do for their grandchild?  I think not.   Just to fill you in on some history of this story…I am not very creative…I am not very artsy, crafty.  I am no Soule Mama or African Kelli (super creative and talented ladies who have amazing blogs). I want to be…kind of like I want to like eggplant, but I just don’t.  That doesn’t stop me from trying though.  And so the story goes….

About 6 months ago, I thought it would be fun to get back in to sewing.  Which I have not done in over 30 years.  My very nice and kind of expensive for it’s day, vintage 60’s Kenmore sewing machine has been sitting in our shed for years.  I thought it would be fun to make some little things for Sojo. 

My machine needed some work to say the least.  So, I see this Singer machine in Target on sale for $65.  Now the more expensive ones at Joanne’s looked so much nicer, but they were upwards from several hundred to several thousands of dollars.  I think not.  So, the bargain priced one came home with me one day, only to sit in the box for 6 months before I took it out last week and made a bath/beach hooded towel for Sojo out of one bath towel and a half of a hand towel, using the other half to make 2 bath mitts.  Not bad for someone who hadn’t touched a sewing machine in all those years.  I might add, it took me longer to thread the bobbin and needle than it did to sew the darn thing.  And I thought sewing was like riding a bike…you never forget. 

The other day, Tara mentioned that Sojo wanted a super hero cape.  I just happened across a toy store yesterday that had one.  Happened on…who am I kidding, I went out of my way to get there. It was $18 for the cheapest one and I thought to myself, “surely, I can make one cheaper than that”.  I mentioned it to Tara and she said, “go for it Mom and by the way, Sojo would love a big “S” on the back”.  So, off to Joanne’s this morning.  4 pieces of assorted colored fabric and thread to match, felt for the “S”, Velcro, binding (just in case), that iron on sticky stuff for the felt “S”, a pattern, etc.  I walked out spending $37.  Wait a minute…what happened to the saving money?  Oh yeah, “homemade by Popo”.  Plus, I will get two capes out of all this, so she can share with a friend and have some rip roaring super hero fun.

I came home and didn’t like the pattern…too many pieces for such a simple project.  So, online I went and found one at Etsy.com and could pay my $5.95 via credit card and have it downloaded immediately.  Instant gratification…worth the cost and no gas to go out again and buy a pattern I might not like. 

Here is the progress so far…stay tuned for more tomorrow.

Funny how music has weaved its way into our lives.  Neither Ron nor I are particularly talented in this area, though our kids seem to enjoy it more and more all the time.  My Dad had a bit of the talent I think, but then he was a jack of all trades and master of none, so to speak.  Talented in many areas, but some how never developed them.  I think Matt is doing that…developing his talent through this band. 

Matt’s musical interest began back in grade school when all kids are given the opportunity to test the waters of music by “picking” an instrument that might interest them.  Matt brought a “horn” of some sort home just like his brother had done at that age.  I don’t remember what “horn” it was, nor do I remember Sean’s horn of choice.  I think it might be selective memory.  The squeaks and squeals coming from their rooms were deafening.  Neither of them lasted more than a semester with the horn.

Matt picked up the guitar in high school.  If truth be known, I think he tried it because he was sure it would be an easy A compared to his other studies.  I think it was and he developed an interest in music.  That is always good.  From there, some years down the road, after school, he joined a band and eventually the guitar moved on to the drums.  That seems to be where his love landed.  His wife Cathy plays the base guitar and plays in the band too.  I love watching them together, with occasional smiles toward one another.  Those kinds of smiles you know can only be generated between two people who know and love one another from their core. I love to watch Cathy’s easy movement with the guitar and Matt’s wild and crazy bouncing on his chair and his hands flying across the drums.  They are both comfortable with what they do and the enjoyment shows.   They both have good voices.  That was a total surprise to me from Matt.  I had never really heard him sing.  I especially love “Day After Drinking Blues”.  Not that I think he or his siblings ever had this (hee…hee), but it is a darn cute song and he is a darn good singer of it.  He wrote the song.  All the songs the band sings are their own.  They are either written by one band member or are a collaboration.  There are 3 other members, Paul, Robert and Anthony.  Paul and Robert on the guitar and Anthony on the harmonica and sometimes he hits the squeeze box.  They all sing, but Paul is the lead.  Robert and Anthony sure know how to move their bodies while they sing. Trey was one of the original Blazing Edisons on the keyboard, but having moved to Phoenix and having a wife and son, it is very hard to travel down the pike to play a gig in Tucson.  Can he ever tickle those keys. They are all talented.  They all sing…some more than others.  They work well together and are a pleasure to listen to.    

What I loved about this particular gig was that it was outside and a family friendly event.  They even gave out little instruments to kids at one point and had the kids come on up and play.  Wives and kids of the members and others who were there.  It was all fun and all good. 

The pictures I am posting are not the best.  Maybe it was the time of day, maybe it was the photographer.  Sean is their official/unofficial photographer and he did a much better job. 

I love music and it is always fun to see and hear my kids in action making music, having fun, loving life.  Counting my blessings once more….Blazing Edisons….you ROCK.  And and big congrats to the CATS for winning their first game.