January 2004

Hello Everyone!  I hope your holidays were merry and bright, and Santa was extra special good to you and your loved ones.  Our Christmas was wonderful.  I wouldn’t really mind if we were to forego all the gift-giving, it’s the getting together that’s so much fun.  It’s loud and it’s raucous, and silly enough to make your head hurt.  We have a lot of colorful characters in our family, and when we’re all together it’s like one big crazy quilt.  There’s my niece Kala, a not-very-subtle 17 year old who has braved life-threatening illness and bounced back even sassier than she was before.  She would be like the fabric on a quilt that would catch your eye the first time you saw it.  You know, the one that seems to be a little more noticeable than the rest.  She gets all the little kids really wound up and teaches them some things that the parents maybe wouldn’t appreciate, but no family gathering would be the same without her there.  My brother and his wife and kids would be the novelty fabrics.  They are really into the western look complete with the boots, hats, and fringe on the outfits.  Dressed to the nines, right down to the little guy.  Then there’s my other brother and his wife and boys.  They would be the homespun plaid fabrics, the ones that go with anything.  Kind of laid-back, not real attention grabbers, but important elements all the same.  The middle sister and her hubby would be like background fabrics.  They’re pretty quiet for the most part but still both have that zinger sense of humor.  Their daughter though would be a floral fabric.  She’s all girl, and “if it ain’t pink, I ain’t wearin’ it”.  Then there’s Grandma.  I would have to put her in the Aunt Gracie fabrics and reproduction prints.  She’s really into the good old days, antiques and all those old time things like soap-making, wool spinning, vegetable canning.  My other sister and her family would be the Thimbleberries tones, deep dark burgundies, greens and browns.  A little more stand-outish but sensible and dependable.  I’m not exactly sure where I would put my family, I think kind of in the brightish juvenile prints or maybe something silly or humorous.  We’re kind of quirky and the kids have picked up that same demeanor, always sneaking in a comment or joke when you least expect it.  When you put all these fabrics together into a quilt what you wind up with is not really a prizewinning heirloom, but more of a “lovey”.  One of those quilts that you drag everywhere with you and snuggle up with when you’re sick or hurting.  It comforts you when you’re down and keeps you warm and toasty.  You’ll never let it go even when it’s worn and frayed, no matter how much it’s been patched and repaired.  Nothing can replace a quilt like that.