Getting Out

Last Tuesday afternoon, we received our second Pfizer vaccinations. Though to find appointments we had to drive 72 miles each way, to another county, we're glad we did.

When we got home, I promptly sat down to make this "I've been vaccinated" tag to wear when I'm in group situations. I made it with a piece of Kraft-tex. Using 28-weight Aurifil thread, I stitched the letters and design on my Bernina 770QE. It took me a bit to work out how to affix the tag to my clothing, but I figured out that a double-layer of fabric, made like a pocket for the inside of a bag, that's sewn to the edge of the Kraft-tex worked great. I stuck half of a Sew-Tite (magnet used for English paper piecing) in the pocket and the other to the back of my shirt. It works. (This morning, my cardio-vascular doc admired it when I wore it to my six-month check-up.)

Other than both of us having tender arms after the first vaccine, we felt good. I didn't have such a happy experience with the second dose though. By Wednesday morning, I began to experience four of the possible eight side effects. By 4:30 pm I was sleeping under an afghan on the sofa, feeling chilled and drained. I woke by 9-ish to go to bed and sleep another nine hours. Thankfully, Thursday morning I felt right as rain, and rarin' to go. It was my birthday too! Time to celebrate!

I did so by returning to a recreational center for a 7:30 am line dance class. Until March 12, 2020,  I'd been attending those classes for seven years, so it felt good to be back! I discovered that though I wasn't familiar with the newer line dances, my brain remembered how to memorize the new routines. And funnily, when we later began dancing to old routines, as soon as I heard a song, my feet remembered the steps! I dance the entire 1 hour 40-minute class.

As soon as I returned home, we headed out to do what I wanted to do on my birthday: visit Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. I hadn't been there since I was a child.

Much of the land leading up to the tower is planted in orange groves. Fruit was ripe and being picked.

A bit of interesting information, learned in the museum: Edward Bok, the creative man behind building the tower, was a journalist who worked for Ladies Home Journal. Bok included Frank Lloyd Wright home floor plans in issues of the magazine, and he (Bok) is credited with coining the term "living room." 

The tower, which was built between 1926-1928 is still a beautiful site.

The "Singing Tower" contains 60 bells that are played by a carillonneur who manipulates a keyboard-looking line of wood handles. The first carillonneur lived in residence for 28 years. Now there are half hour-long performances at 1 and 3 pm daily. 

It was surprisingly busy for a Thursday, but I reminded myself that this is spring break week in Florida. 

Blooming azaleas were gorgeous.

We ate a light picnic lunch while on the grounds. 

On the way home, we stopped for dinner in Clermont at The Crooked Spoon. Hubs gifted me with some lotions and body sprays; and at various times throughout the day, I talked with both our kids; all five grandchildren; and received texts from my closest friends. It was a good day, and definitely a much better celebration than last year, when March 18 fell in the middle of our first week of lockdown. Yay for vaccines! 

For me, being able to get out again will likely signal a slow-down in making. While I'll always have WIPs, they won't be tackled as often because I fully intend to have less at-home time. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

The only thing I've accomplished at home since my last post was to do some wall rearranging to put up a couple quilts. I took down an old quilt from 2012, moved a 2017 quilt into its spot, and moved a 2020 quilt into the 2017 spot.

Jazzed, in the entryway

I moved two framed pictures to another wall, moved a 2013 quilt into their spot; and put a 2020 quilt into the 2013 spot. Makes complete sense right?! 

Hole Punch Ribbon in the chat room

I only need to find a place for Zing, my latest finish. I really want to hang it as it is a testament and reminder to me of how much work it takes to create an original design!

Gosh, I don't even have another book recommendation to make - another indiction of actually living life again! Linda