Walking Around Las Colinas

Mallards

After driving to Dallas on an errand to drop off an old TV at the E-Waste Recycling Center, I delayed going home and drove through Irving and the area around Las Colinas.  It's an interesting area. Las Colinas means "little hills" in Spanish, but I have yet to find the little hills. What you do find is an extensive planned community that started in the '80's and then developed over the years in fits and starts. A focal point was this man-made lake and canal around which corporate office towers, hotels, apartments and condos, and now a major convention center have sprung up.

Going to Dallas

 I needed an adventure to shake off some of the post holiday winter doldrums. I couldn't have picked a better remedy than to head for the Dallas Art Museum for the an exhibit of this incomparable designer's works. Standing in line to enter the exhibit we noticed several groups of school kids also waiting to go in. We commented about it being a good thing the kids were at the museum and that maybe they would actually see some things to make them think. Well, I can tell you that I saw very many things in the Gaultier exhibit that made me think. And I'm still thinking about many of these things 24 hours later. How he described finding his inspiration, the sheer perfection of his work, his achievements at a young age, how he grew and changed as he aged.   I just found a weblog review, with great photos inside the exhibit, and more comprehensive than anything I can put down here at  Glassfire.

Christmas Letter

Dearest  Friends and Family,

Seasons Greetings!  Another year is history and I’m looking forward to 2012 with both anticipation and trepidation.  It will be a milestone year for me in two ways ~ my 60^th birthday on March 5 and our 25^th wedding anniversary on July 24. To commemorate the big Six-Oh I plan to walk the Breast Cancer 3-Day  again, possibly in DFW but I may strike out to another fun city like Washington DC or San Diego.  My motto is Sixty Miles for Sixty Years! We don’t know yet how we’ll commemorate 25 years of wedded bliss. It may be a fancy trip to another continent or a Texas style backyard barbecue. However, the latter is unlikely during the heat of summer.  Maybe it will be the purchase of a big diamond ring for me, something we’ve never gotten around to all these years, but definitely long overdue!

We’re at what we hope is the end of our Aneurysm Year.  Many of you know that Kim was diagnosed with a Triple A in October 2010. His treatment culminated with emergency surgery to repair the ruptured aorta on October 7, 2011. It was the fourth, and most invasive of vascular surgeries to treat his condition. He survived like the champ he is and we are truly grateful for the gift of life. He continues to recover at a rate all the doctors say is remarkable. He has returned to work at Bell Helicopter, where coincidentally, he observed his 20^th anniversary of employment this year.  We both feel as if things are getting back to normal and we can start to experience our empty nest and what the future holds in store.

We shared in a lot of family good times this year, too.  We were with Kim’s mother Doris in Champaign for her 80^th birthday party in March. We attended my stepson, Loren’s graduation from college in Amery Wisconsin in May.  Our youngest, Matt graduated from high school in May and started college at the University of North Texas in August.  Our oldest, Casey is thriving at work in Austin and a job with benefits, as he gains experience in the world of work and contemplates his next move. All four of us traveled to Cleveland for the annual Thanksgiving gathering at the Meehans. And, no less, we attended the Ohio State-Michigan football watching gala at the Ieros in Copley. Best of all we had quality time with my mom Eileen, age 93, our beloved matriarch.

I keep on quilting to stay sane. Although, some of you might say it’s kind of insane to cut up fabric and sew it back together again.  Whatever, we wish you peace and happiness now and in the coming year!

Mary and Kimmel

 

IQF in Houston 2011

From the window of my bus I snapped photo after photo of the Houston skyline, excited to be getting there. I embarked Wednesday morning with the Happy Johns tour group from Arlington and my friend Kay Scheffer for the 37th annual International Quilt Festival, the granddaddy of them all. I have mixed feelings about Houston. There's lots to love (architecture, IQF, museums, the gulf-coastiness of it) and not love (hot, humid, ugly freeways, gridlock, sprawl).  My first plane trip ever was in '66 with my family to Port Arthur Texas. I think we took a flight from Columbus to Houston and then a puddle jumper to Port Arthur. Every time I drive around Houston I think of the Spaghetti Bowl. Back then, this is how the convergence of all the interstates and highways was described in downtown Houston by our guide.

We arrived at our hotel out on the southwest freeway with enough time to spare to eat dinner at the Olive Garden before we headed over to the George Brown convention center for Preview Night.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday