Tuesday To-Do #35: Closings


It's probably bad protocol to start one's post out with
depressing topics but here I go:
"WHY??!??"
 <me falling to my knees and grasping at the air>
Last week I got word that our favorite local restaurant
is closing.  A Wichita icon for 40 years, DeFazio's was the
place for more of our dates than hubs and I can count.
(Owners retiring)
Life will not be the same without their manicotti carbonara.
I ordered it every. single. time. we went.  Forever.
I'm so grateful we met some friends there just weeks
ago.  We sure had no idea that would be the last time.

Another "last time" that's getting me right there
was my last trip out to my quilt shop yesterday.
You'll all know the feels on this one for sure.
That's right:  my quilt shop is CLOSING!
(Owner retiring)
There will be one left in our city of a half-mil.
(not counting all the suburbs).
We used to have 5!

If you are curious, here's what I picked up:


A couple kits for quick little projects:
*Top left, a charm pack with a pattern included.
(I should have taken a pic of the sample quilt they had.)
*A book and the lower right fabrics to make the
little star quilt on the cover (near center).


The sun was shining on these here but they are black.
This is perhaps my favorite color to put in a quilt
because it has a way of adding such a wow-factor.
I'm running very low so 2-yd cuts, please!


I picked up 3 yds of this chicken print (a border?)
and a yard of the stripe.


I have two FQ sets of the line--pictured above--so clearly
 I'll need to get something fun made out of all of this.


I dipped into one FQ set when making my
Positively Fearless quilt but there's still plenty
to work with.


These gold, red and orange 1-yd cuts are for my
fall quilt making which is always my favorite so
I can't go wrong adding to this right?

Did I need these things?  Nope.  If I'd adhere to my fabric
 tracking system (which is in dire need of an update but
if that happens, I'll see just how off-track I am!),
I'd have gotten at least several large quilts popped out
 before I bought any of this.  But you all know how my
fall sewing has been completely thrown off this year.
I just wanted that one last spree through the store; then
I said my goodbyes and walked out with a full bag of fabric.
By the way, I stumbled across a great idea:
If you're gonna say goodbye, do it with a fabric purchase.
It brings a nice positive vibe to the whole thing.

Bad things always come in threes so I have yet one more:
Last year we discovered the a new Indian restaurant
in Omaha near our son's house and let me tell you,
it rocked.  Hubs, who has been to India, vouched for
its authenticity.   With nothing like it here, we were
really looking forward to this meal but....they had
closed.  In the restaurant world, it is just so hard to
get on your feet but I'm sure the pressures of the
current times didn't help.  We didn't even get a 
chance to make this place a thing.
(I should have taken my advice and made a fabric purchase.)

Change happens.  I get that.  I do see it as a great
reminder to enjoy our moments and the people around
us because you never know when the next last time
is taking place So [segway alert], what enjoyable
moments happened for you last week?


We had a lovely, though quick, trip up to Omaha to visit
our son and treat him to some birthday golf and dining.
[Memories!]


Oh, and some apples from an orchard we hit on the way.
Always break for apple orchards!
[Memories!]

Hubs and I tried to take in more golf back home but
after 5 holes, the lightning and rain shut us down.
[Memories!]

In the quilt room, not a lot happened but I have a
finish so, linking up to Texas Quilt Gal's Tuesday To-Do,
let's move on to that to-do list:

1) Find my lost mojo--sort of


2) Get my WP quilt labeled, bound--done
and listed--almost done

West Point Stars
70 x 55

3) List Positively Fearless--almost done

4) List September Glow--pics taken, still working on it

5) Update Etsy pages--some done

6) Make progress on my fall quilt--nada

Basically, I made some decent progress...
but just not enough.  I'm actually going to be home
this entire week so I'm thinking it should be better!

To-do's for the coming week:

1) Finish the listings

2) Work on current fall quilt.

Enjoy the moments and happy quilting!

Comments

I hear you on the closings, especially the restaurant you loved so much. Well, the quilt shop, too! At least they're retiring, so off to happy and relaxing times for these owners, I hope! Hope you're finding your mojo again - maybe that sweet little star project from the book you bought will be the key.
grammajudyb said…
We, too, have lost some restaurants in recent months. And a quilt store several years ago! The closest small shop is 20 miles away. Then the next nearest is 100 miles. We are used to that, in sparsely populated Wyoming. But it is difficult. Makes you want to fabric shop every chance you get!
Hope a week at home will have your mojo returning! And I hope our current snow storm doesn’t come your way! Have a good week!
Vicki in MN said…
It's always so sad to see a store closing, but a quilt shop closing always gets to me:( We have lost so many in the last 5 years. I am glad you were able to feed your stash a bit first! Love your selection of fall fabrics.
Linda said…
Oh man what a bummer about your go-to restaurant and the new one you were looking forward to. And man, your town should have a lot more quilt shops! You got some good stuff to remember it by. West Point Stars is gorgeous!
Thanks for linking to To Do Tuesday!
piecefulwendy said…
We've lost some really good shops around here too, and it always makes me sad. Losing good restaurants is a sad thing, too, especially when they've become like family :-) I hope the owners of the restaurant and the quilt shop enjoy their retirement; I'm sure they've earned it! You came home with some really nice fabric in yummy colors. You are making progress with your list, so I expect you'll do fine this week!
chrisknits said…
Wonderful advice. We just buried my youngest cousin yesterday, victim of ALS, and he sure lived that motto. I need to take it to heart and do all the things that are on my list. We are never promised the future.
Home Sewn By Us said…
Hi Cheree! What a bummer about the restaurants and even more so about the LQS. Boy, that photo of the WP quilt with the authentic cadet hat -anyone's you know??!! - is such a great shot. I need to check out your Etsy shop link! Happy Saturday to you. ~smile~ Roseanne
Needled Mom said…
I feel your losses. It is so hard to say goodbye to our favorites. Restaurants have been especially hard hit these past two years. I heard that over 30% have had to close. Quilt shops too. With the increase in cotton costs, I think we are going to be seeing many of them close too. It's crazy. Love the photo of the quilt with the hat!!