North Carolina: Fun with My Sister

I arrived at my sister's close to midnight on Tuesday, March 10 for a week's visit and she picked me up at the RDU airport. Of course we stayed up and talked just a bit (about two hours!) but the next morning was our first outing – to the grocery store to pick up a few items. Only sisters can invent fun at the drop of a hat. At the entry to the store was a big carton of colorful balls. It was significant to come upon this at the start of our visit. Just like at the start of a baseball game they cry out "Play Ball!" we started horsing around. This is a G rated blog so I omitted the more risque photos and the accompanying dialogue I texted to Frank. I will leave that to the reader's imagination. But in my defense, I will protest that my sister egged me on.

We went over to my Dad's house, relived some memories, sorted some papers to take for shredding, and carted a few remaining dilapidated things to the "Citizen's Convenience Center". Now isn't that a nice, quaint, politically correct name for a town's dump? We returned later to packed up some items to mail and take a few photos. But more on our dad's stuff in my next post.

Here is my mom's crystal that Maxine and I unwrapped to inspect, counted, and rewrapped so we could take it to a UPS Store for shipment to me in California. I counted 118 stems, Maxine counted 120 stems. We were not about to redo our efforts to settle the discrepancy. It was close enough at approximately twelve each of the nine crystal sizes shown in the photo and twelve ruby goblets, not shown. We also shipped to me two of our mom's straw hats, still in their octagonally shaped millinery boxes labeled Elizabeth, NJ.

In the evenings we looked at knitting books at her house. I took many pictures of patterns I liked and might want to make. A good percentage of these potential projects will find their way into my DianeLoves2Quilt blog. But for now, here is a sample of one baby hat that I found adorable with the accompanying instructions to make it some day, soon I hope.

At we also looked at Maxine's extensive jewelry collection, oohing and aahing. She and I are both suckers for bargain-priced costume jewelry. I had to be careful if I oohed or aahed too much though, because she would give that piece of jewelry to me.  Here is a lovely seaside themed necklace that made its way into my suitcase home. I love that it is red – so unexpected after the normal sand and blue colors.

On the weekend we went to a matinee showing of the new Disney Cinderella movie. The gowns were stunning and the movie enchanting. The lead role was played by Lily James who we is fantastic in the role of the young and exuberant Lady Rose on the British TV series Downton Abbey.

After the show we clowned around in the lobby taking photos of each other by the movie posters and displays. In this selfie my arms were not quite long enough to get our heads the same size as Cinderella's. The gorgeous young maiden, as she gazes downward, looks like she is accepting the tomfoolery of the two elderly ladies below her just fine.

Maxine looks happy by Cinderella. I jokingly tried to talk her into seeing Fifty Shades of Grey next in a neighboring theatre but she refused. " I do not want to spoil the feeling from Cinderella" she said. 

We did have some fun posing in front of other posters. Here I am in front of the poster for Home, an animated movie not due out until March 27th. I think the purple guy is named Oh and is a loveable misfit from another planet. I just thought he had cool blue eyes and loved the kitty smirking above him.

SPY is a comedy action movie not due out until June. Maxine looks awful blasé with her hands raised in front of gun point, even if it is made of cardboard.

I, at least try to look shocked posed in from of the poster pistol.

We visited Pier One just to look at the pretty decor. I took some photos of what I liked. This is definitely the best approach to shopping. Nothing to carry back in my suitcase. Nothing to break. I can look each item it and enjoy it repeatedly. I do not have to dust it. It does not take up space in my home. I've gotta remember this approach more often. The colors in this pitcher are so springlike!

This white bird is so pretty and would go with any color scheme. Hmmm. Maybe I will investigate at my local store...

My sister was hunting for pin dot fabric in a specific color she was fixated on to make co-ordinating dresses for her granddaughters. We had to go to many, many fabric stores looking for it, hunting in vain. Just like Brer Rabbit pleaded to Brer Fox "please don't throw me into the briar patch" I reluctantly accompanied her to each and every fabric location. It was so tortuous I will continue to look for her in some California stores for that elusive pin dot fabric. And yes, a few yards of some wayward fabric and a Simplicity dress pattern did make its way into my own suitcase. Some orange and white stripe fat quarters I bought will appear in my quilt blog I am sure. One particular piece of fabric is designated for a new apron for Maxine. The night before I left we were making a pattern of her favorite apron by tracing it on some newspaper. I brought that hand-drawn newspaper pattern back with me, will sew the apron, and send it back to North Carolina. That will be an apron with a cosmopolitan, well traveled, flair. In our final quilt shop visit, I took this photo of a quilt I liked - in a fabric that, not so surprisingly, is one I already own.

Evenings stretched into late nights. One night we spent two hours after midnight watching sequential shows of Dog Whisperer featuring Cesar Millan, the dog trainer. Maxine also introduced me to a television show, Idiotest. I am not fond of the host, but the show and puzzles are fun. Given that there is a time constraint, they can be challenging, too. We must both be idiots. We spent two hours after midnight watching reruns of that show! Give it a try.