Family Lore

Books

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Do you know the CBC radio show Q? I seldom listen to it because I don’t particularly like the host. While we were on Texada I heard an interview with the author of this book and the topic of a living wake intrigued me.

Flor, Matilde, Pastora and Camila are sisters born in the Dominican Republic but who have since moved to New York. The other main characters in the book are their daughters, Yadi and Ona. Each of the sisters has a special talent but Flor’s talent is predicting a death. So when she decides to have a living wake everyone is concerned for her.

I found the story a little hard to follow. The story switches from the Dominican Republic in the past to New York in the present. I also had trouble keeping the characters and their talents straight.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

It’s been an odd day

Journal

Monday, January 15, 2024

I was barely up in time to sign on to our cousins’ chat. A cup of coffee was all I managed after dressing and combing what little hair I have. When the call was over I needed to get a move on to get my parcel ready for today’s mail. I had a box that was the perfect size but it was full of Christmas wrapping paper and all our recycle bins are full. We’ll have extra bins to put to the curb tomorrow. I found a bigger box than I needed but cut it down (not very neatly) and I think it will hold together long enough to get to its destination.

It was almost ten before the package was wrapped and the hockey game was just starting. It was a morning game in the West because it is Martin Luther King Jr. day in the States so an afternoon game on the holiday. Pat drove me to the post office and we were home just a bit after the game started – just as the Canucks were scoring their first goal. They lost in overtime but at least got a point out of the game.

After the game it was time for me to get to the tasks I generally accomplish in the mornings. I sorted the laundry and got a load going. I sewed the binding on the quilt and got it ready to take to the Guild tomorrow. It is the middle of the month so my monthly computer clean-up was due.

I’m done all that now (except for a couple more loads of laundry) so I’m going to relax in my chair and play a few games. This was supposed to be a reading week for me but there was too much to do today – maybe tomorrow!

Near finishes

Journal

Sunday, January 14, 2024

I’ve made progress on projects but I don’t have anything actually done today.

I finished the quilting on the donation quilt shortly after lunch. I trimmed the edges and prepped the binding. I have enough binding to hang myself; I hope there is enough to go around the quilt. I’ll get it attached to the quilt tomorrow so I can do the hand stitching at the Guild on Tuesday.

I checked my tablecloth last night. I have two different motifs of Mum’s but the way I added them into the tablecloth looks weird. So I’ll be crocheting some more and adding another round to the whole thing; this last round will include Mum’s squares. I really wanted it to be done but I also really want to incorporate Mum’s original work into it.

I’m almost finished a library book so I’ll take the rest of the afternoon to read and perhaps I’ll get it done tonight.

Catherine

Quilting
From Little Handfuls of Scraps by Edyta Sitar

January’s project from Little Handfuls of Scraps was not my favourite when I looked through the book. But I’m doing the patterns alphabetically and this one was next in line.

I was pleased that I had enough strips from a neutral-coloured jelly roll to use as the background. There was a lot of tracing, cutting and bonding to do but it really wasn’t difficult.

I originally thought I would machine appliqué the pieces but by the time they were all cut and placed on the background I realized that would be a daunting task for such a small project. I used the mattress stitch on my quilting machine and I’m very happy with how it turned out.

Now that it is done and hung, I think, so far, this is my favourite project from the book.