Priorities

This weekend I took a Basic Motorcycle Safety Training Course. It all started with a test on Thursday to renew my permit, which I aced. That was followed by evening classroom instruction, and a test, which I aced. On Saturday morning I was the stellar student on the driving range, feeling pretty good about myself and a little too smug, perhaps.

Sunday was my dose of humility. I think I will blame it on forgetting to take my blood pressure medication. I was miserable in the rain on the course and was clutched up with too much feedback and too many instructions and techniques crowding my brain. This confusion in the little gray cells bled down into my shoulders resulting in a tense neck and an unsteady throttle wrist. Then they made us ride these tight u-turn, figure-eights in a little painted box on the pavement marked with tiny little "cones," and they kept saying "DON'T LOOK AT THE CONES, DON'T LOOK DOWN!" But if you run over a cone or go outside the box you might not pass the test for your license. I tied myself into a really good knot by the end of four hours when, in the drizzle, my cheerful, encouraging instructor, explained that he now had to switch roles and become the "objective, state test dude." I launched into full blown, hyperventilating, test anxiety. No shit!

But I don't really want to talk about that. It's behind me. I need to move on.

So when I got home my kitchen was filling rapidly with Skovs, all invited to come and help with the Garden Window installation in the kitchen. My brother-in-law, Larry, is pretty handy with remodeling projects and agreed to come help us with this one. The window looks fantastic. I really hope the siding and the wall around it improve as the week goes on. But I don't want to talk about that either.

The priority for me today was to complete the never-ending birthday sewing project I had initiated to make lunch totes for our twin goddaughters, Karen and Grace. (It was only never-ending due to my busy-ness and prioritization. So I designated today as THE day to wrap it up and ship them out.)

So the pattern (Wine and Dine) found Dale and me as we were wasting time in Cannon Falls at Fourth & Main Fabric. It's a great little quilt shop and more. They have this very cool fabric that is already laminated so that it's easy to wipe clean. And there is an amazing assortment of zippers to match all shades of color. Dale chose the lunch tote fabric and I chose the accessories. (I think Dale's choice was inspired by the ice bucket he won at New Year's Eve Bingo!)

I constructed the bags themselves, wove the lanyards for zipper pulls, and found water bottles, sandwich containers, "sporks," toothbrushes, hand soap, and ID tags at a variety of my favorite retail haunts including REI, Target, and Coborn's Foods.

Sewing and making fun things for friends and family have always been passions of mine. I hope and pray that Karen and Grace enjoy the lunch totes for awhile, at least. I certainly had funworking on them.

What?

Oh!

Yes, I passed the motrocycle license test. Thanks for asking :)