Fun with Cats and a Donkey

The day my father died at the age of 97 - a peaceful passing with his beloved cat friend, Bob, at his side, I came home and decided, in a fairly compulsive manner, to pull out my collection of cat fabrics, and began to cut strips like a mad woman. I got out my grandmothers large wooden clothes drying rack and hung all those strips, and within 2 weeks, I had sewn 20 of these blocks. Every spare minute, between all the funeral arrangements, visiting family, and work, was spent sewing. There was such a peace about the process and I would lay them out and look them over and couldn't quite believe I made them. At the end of 2 weeks, I put them all neatly into a plastic storage box and didn't take them out for nearly 5 years. Oh, yes, I would look at the box from time to time, and then turn away, not quite ready to face the memory. This Fall on Dad's birthday, the time had come to open that box and begin to put the quilt together. Of course, I realized I needed about 10 more blocks, so out came the collection of strips and the extra blocks were made in record time.

The past 3 weeks I have been home with flu that turned in to pneumonia, and each day I've sewn a little. Tonight I finished assembling the top and am just so happy with how much fun this work conveys.  Front and center is my inspirational virtual donkey friend, Simon of Bedlam Farm!! He just makes me smile.