More Gratitude, Years Later

It's a great day that gets capped off with a delicious meal between old friends. It's a fantastic day that concludes with laughter and story telling. It's a unique day that includes sharing from the heart. It's a memorable day that draws nigh with gratitude and reflection. How fortunate am I to have had all of the above, wrapped up over one incredible Italian meal in a new intimate restaurant? Pictured here is the dear, hilarious, capable and talented Linda Batley.... owner of Sister Bay's quilt shop. It was Linda who was first to hear my hair-brained idea about making illustrations from fabric for this book idea that had been fermenting in my brain. It was sweet Linda who sold me my first ever rotary cutter and my virgin-green cutting mat. It was patient Linda who explained the concept of paper-piecing to me -- the novice quilter. It was generous Linda who loaned me a table in the corner of her shop AND her own sewing machine AND her iron plus her ironing board AND her scissors!! All so that I could get immediately started while the idea was hot and I had vacation-time-to-burn. So I already knew that I liked Linda. BTW: She was also the one responsible for getting me the interview on the Green Bay TV station and she was the very first one to carry my books when they were initially churned out.

But after having spent the evening together with this jokester and her dear husband, Bruce...... Allen & I marvelled all the way down the hill to home about the story of their supporting each other to take a risk on the idea of a shop.... about her leaving her job at the garbage collectors to pursue her dream. She was the first to admit that it was Bruce who created the permission to follow her dream and that Bruce was the mastermind in keeping it "up off the ground" from his position as official 'groundskeeper' of the shopping center. What a team. Now why didn't I think to get a pic of Bruce with Linda? [I'm so new to this blog process...... I guess I'll just have to make another trip to their quilt shop -- to capture them in their local habitat.] Thank you Linda, you hold a special place in my heart. Thank you Bruce. Now I know the rest of the story.