Deep In Thought

Tito was deep in thought yesterday morning. It seems to be the prevailing mood in this crowder as of lately. I think it has to do with the heat and all the hours that I have been spending hand piecing. When a pattern works out well, and once one figures out the piecing sequence, one can let the brain start doing its own thing while the fingers stitch. As it often happens with a brain like mine that tends to jump from one thing to another in a very disconnected way, thoughts of summers of years ago came to the forefront. The one thing I can remember most fondly was summer letter writting.

Different holiday destinations meant that my friends and I had to spend at least a month away from each other. So we wrote each other long summer letters. The contents were pretty much inconsequential, the message that one could read between the lines was simple: we missed each other and we looked forward to being together again. I remember writting during afternoon nap hours, when it was hot and the radio was keeping me company in my otherwise lonely beach vacations. Two or three sheets of paper and a few cents for a stamp gave me a thrill every day there was one waiting for me when we got back from the beach. I wish I would have kept them. They made me laugh, made me long for their company, made summer a little more bearable in the angst of teenagehood. I remember one particular letter from Antonio. It was hilarious angst at its best. I read it to my mother and both of us were in tears by the time the elevator had reached our floor. Antonio Moñete, El Legionario, if you are out there, your letter will never be forgotten :)

A lost art, long letter writting. I couldn't help but ponder what it would be like today if we had to live it all over again with mobile phones, internet and laptops. I don't consider myself much of a sentimental fool, but I had to go dig out old notes just to see my friends' hand writting and remember what it was like being back in 1981, even if for just a little while.

Now, back to the present and the Mariners' Compass. It's nearly a top now. Since the picture was taken yesterday morning (Blogger was being stubborn and I gave up on it), it actually has to of the corner blocks done. I'm moving a little more slowly than I had wanted to, but I think a couple days of hard work will put me right back on target.

PS. Phoebe loves the new ironing board. Here she is, enjoying the new board with the old cover!

PS2. Blogger is being stubborn again and I can't upload the last two photos. I'll try again later.

Tito estaba pensativo ayer por la mañana. Estamos todos más bien pensativos ultimamente. Creo que tiene que ver con el calor y con el hecho de estar cosiendo muchas horas a mano. Una vez que te haces el esquema mental de cómo se cose un bloque, el cerebro se puede poner a pensar por su cuenta mientras los dedos cosen. Un cerebro como el mío tiene la mala costumbre de empezar a saltar de tema en tema sin mucha conexión, y recordé los veranos del pasado y recordé con mucho cariño las cartas largas del verano.

Ir de vacaciones a sitios diferentes significaba pasar por lo menos un mes separada de mis amigos. Y nos escribíamos cartas largas. El contenido no tenía mucha importancia, lo que se podía leer entre lineas era que nos echabamos de menos y que estabamos deseando estar juntos otra vez. Recuerdo estar escribiendo a la hora de la siesta cuando hacía tanto calor con la radio haciendome compañía en mis vacaciones solitarias de hija única. Dos o tres folios y un sello me alegraban el día cuando llegaba de la playa y tenía una carta esperando. Me hacian reir, me hacian recordar lo que les echaba de menos y sobre todo me hacían llegar a finales de Agosto sin volverme loca del todo en medio de mi ansiedad de adolescente :) Recuerdo en particular una carta de Antonio. Era pura ansidedad cómica! La estaba leyendo en voz alta a mi madre en el ascensor y para cuando llegamos al piso, nos estabamos las dos partiendo de risa. Antonio Moñete, el Legionario, si estás por ahí, tu carta no se me olvidará jamás.

Un arte perdido, el saber escribir cartas largas. No puedo evitar pensar como sería ahora con los teléfonos móviles, el laptop y las conexiones a internet. No me considero muy sentimental, pero me encontré rebuscando viejos papeles para ver simplemente la letra de mis viejos amigos y recordar lo que se sentía siendo una adolescente en 1891 por unos minutos en 2006.

Ahora, vuelta a la realidad. El Mariners' ya va siendo un top. Desde que hice la foto ayer tiene ya dos de las esquinas terminadas (Blogger estaba cabezón y no pude cargar nada ayer). Voy un poco más lento de lo que quisiera, pero si éstos dos dias me pongo a ello, tendré el centro todo cosido.

PS. Phoebe se ha enamorado de la nueva tabla de planchar. Aquí está disfrutando de su nueva tabla.

PS2. Blogger sigue estando tonto y no me deja cargar ni la foto del Mariners' ni la de Phoebe. Luego lo intento otra vez.