I’m often asked if I miss Instagram. The answer is that I do and I don’t. I just elaborated at length about what I don’t miss, and then I erased it because I think I’d just be part of the problem, right? 😂

I miss chatting with my friends — sharing my day and reading about yours. I miss having fun and laughing and being silly. Quick back and forth exchanges.

Yesterday I received a note from the dentist’s preprinted specialty pad that let me know the kids had gotten a “Flouride” treatment. Today my husband got his first (last) Stitch Fix box and they sent a Canadian tuxedo. Stuff like that you can’t blog, it’s all lost in the wrong format.

So yeah, this is not Instagram and I miss you. Even though there are things I don’t miss hearing about (still not going to go into that), I always liked seeing how high the snow measures on your quilting ruler, or whether you won thread chicken, or what pile of fabric your cat is lounging on today. Really I did. I called you my friends because I considered us friends (even if some of you weren’t wise to our friendship).

Unfortunately, my inability to be moderate has stuck me with this blog instead, and it’s now my only outlet to show you the beautiful things I have received from those of you who for whatever reason not only acknowledge our friendship but celebrate it by sending me nice things ❤️

That gorgeous cork and Rifle bag above is from Emily. It’s all my favorite colors, it matches my pale pink purse exactly, it holds as much as Mary Poppins’s bag, I love it, and I carry it all the time. She sent it to me ages ago and you know that I’ve thanked her personally; it’s just that I have been remiss in showing you.

This amazing thing is from Jenny. I basically want to be Jenny as a quilter, so I was pretty excited to receive this. It is reserved enough (in its fabulosity) to go in my office, I think, so I have been saving it for when I finally move in. In the meantime I just look at that spot where the dark brown tiny gingham meets the black mid-size gingham, and I giggle at the audacity. It’s my favorite of all my favorite parts of this quilt.

Thanks to those of you who’ve checked up on me by email and even by snail mail. I received a cheerful, encouraging card from Sandy, and I’m ashamed to say I had my head stuck so far down in the sand that it took an obscene amount of time to respond.

Today the mailman brought me a big box from Michelle 😳 It seems she took a sorry old pouch off my hands a while back and wanted to make me something in return. One: She already did me a favor by taking the pouch. Two: This is an exchange?? A darling, absolutely perfectly executed Modern Hexie pillow in my favorite fabrics? I know exactly where it has to live: on the Denyse shelf with my Chicopee teddy bear and Picnic & Fairground Scottie dog. What a lovely and fun surprise.

Maybe someday I can come back and have fun again. All seven of you who see this post should please extend my best wishes to everyone else 😄 Until next time . . . .