Beth Ferrier’s Blog

Here it is, six hours shy of a new year. Not a new decade, as mathmatical purists will point out, but close enough. No more “two thousand and” to name the year, we’re familiar enough with this century to use its nickname, twenty-ten.

Astronomers tell us this is an extra special turn of the calendar. A blue moon will light our festivities. (Unless of course if you live in Saginaw, which has more cloudy, overcast days than Seattle. Fact.) The last time we had a blue moon on December 31st was way back in 1990.

That year I was 33. My oldest son was eight, my youngest just two. We were living in our new house in Wind Lake, Wisconsin, we’d only been there about eighteen months. Our lives were full with Cub Scouts and school projects. Life was pretty wild. All four boys are ADHD (really, really). Ours was a noisy, rambunctious household. Nobody walked if there was room to run, and there was always room to run. Anything with give was bounced on, including brothers sometimes.While “inside voices” were often requested they were as rare as tonight’s moon.

I’ll admit there were days that I thought I’d never survive them, the authorities would find my quivering body buried under a mountain of laundry. But mostly there was joy. Four healthy sons, four creative souls entrusted to us. Each day was an opportunity to help these precious monsters grow into the best they could be.

Nineteen years later, not only have I survived them, but they’ve survived me. They are all grown, and mostly launched. They have terrific humor, they work hard, they are good to their mates. On this Blue Moon New Years I’ll be relaxing with my best friend, probably watching old movies until it’s time to watch the ball drop, and then we’ll head off to sleep. We’ve done this new year thing a few times, after all, together for almost forty of them.

I’ll be an old woman, God willing, for the next Blue Moon New Years, nineteen years hence. When I look back at my middle aged self will I smile fondly for the choices I’ve made? Or, will I shake my head in regret for the chances not taken? It’s something to think about, on this special new year’s eve: where I have been, and where I will be. For now, I think I’ll go get started on those laugh lines around my eyes.

Have you heard of it? Quiltposium is a super deluxe, on-line quilt magazine. It’s full of great articles, quilt related and quilter related. I was invited to share one of my favorite Christmas traditions. (My article is on page 78.) There are some really nifty quilt patterns in this issue too.

Kent and I were married in 1977. I was a mere 19 years old, Kent just six months older. Now that we have children that age I understand better the terror our parents felt at the time. But we knew. We knew that we were meant to be together. We knew it would be tough at first, being married while in college. We knew also there was nothing we couldn’t do as long as we were together, and we were willing to start small, make do, and work our way forward.

Our first tree was so humble. We could only afford a few decorations, a couple of strands of tinsel garland and two strands of lights. A bag or two of cranberries, strung on crochet cotton, filled in some of the gaps. Homemade ornaments dotted the tree. On our way to our parents’ homes downstate at Christmas break we bought our first annual ornament. The little wooden train, bought in Christmas, MI, still graces our family tree each year.

This is our first kitten, called Radar because of his big ears, lounging on my very first quilt. It really was an awful, humble quilt. Cobbled together, all stitched by hand, cut from what ever cotton fabrics I could lay hands on. My skills left a lot to be desired.

But we all have to start somewhere, don’t we? Looking at that quilt it would be impossible to guess that I’d end up a professional in the quilt industry. No matter what we choose, our first steps are bound to be wobbly. It’s hard to remember that in our hurry up society. Giving ourselves time to practice, learn and grow is the best gift we’ll ever receive.

Oh, hello again!

I keep thinking that I need to update the blog, but then, for the life of me, I can’t think of a single clever thing to tell you. Life has been rather daily here lately, which, I must admit, has been devine.

After a small hiccup the last of of the pre-publication orders has been shipped. I placed the order for the magical Wash Away Applique Sheets and then left town for a week. Somehow the order was mixed up and didn’t ship until more than a week after. Geesh. But the box has arrived (and nearly emptied, thank you very much), and at last we are caught up with the early orders. Thanks so much for all your patience.

 On the home front, we’re busy celebrating birthdays and decorating for Christmas. My youngest son has just turned 21. He is a sweet and tenderhearted dork who can’t seem to get out of his own way. He still hasn’t learned, despite all the supporting evidence, that his mom is always right. (Not that she would ever say “I told you so”.)

We’re also celebrating the 21st birthday of my third son’s fiancee. Elaine has been a part of our family for a couple of years now, and we couldn’t be more delighted. She’s smart, hardworking, creative and absolutely perfect for Caleb.

And it’s a milestone birthday for my parents, who turn 75 (my mom) and 80 (my dad) today. Still active and vital, I wonder how old they will have to be to be old people.

I have been recently horrified to learn that I am fat. It’s amazing what a series of candid photos will show. This has come as quite a shock because, because, I have to tell you, I look pretty great in the mirror over the bathroom sink. I go for a routine colonoscopy on Thursday. I’m thinking it might be the perfect time to consider what kind of stuff I will put back into my newly cleaned system.

We have been busy decorating the house for Christmas.  We have five full size trees and several little trees, almost a tree in every room. I’ll post pictures in a couple of days. We’re hosting a family party on Sunday. We are supposed to get snow this week, just in time to set a cozy Christmas scene.

So there you have it. Daily life in the Ferrier household. Pretty boring and loving it.