Bethany is 30

Today my neice-in-law is 30. She is feeling old. I am not sure I can have much sympathy for her as I stare down half a century and would give anything to be at my 30 year mark rather than pushing 50 in a big way. I have gotten to know her through her wonderful ramblings on her blog. Thus she has inspired me to do the same with my humble blog as well.
Her post today is heartfelt and once again shows the depth of her thoughts, memory and emotions. I could not begin to cover each year of my life with such thought and conviction.
Tomorrow she and my nephew Andy arrive in DC/NYC for a whirlwind tour of 2 major cities in 4 short days that will zoom. How can you do DC/NYC in 4 days. Not sure but we will try and succeed to our contentment. I am so looking forward to being able to spend time with her in person and get to know the woman she has become. As we celebrate her 30 years of life and 10 years of marriage to my nephew Andy.

Are we really 50?

This is a monumental year for myself (much later in the year) and all my dear friends from high school and back to elementary school. We are all turning 50. I've made a small investment in every 50 year old Hallmark card and others that I can find in hopes of making this transition easier for all of us. Last year my best friend in the whole world, Pat, turned 50 with such dignity and ease that I know I can too. My dear friend from the Lake, Lee Ann turned 50 as well last year. We share the exact same birthday, she always breaks the ice for me to enter the next decade with as much ease as she did.

So all the locals we could gather on any given Saturday in April did. We met at Sandy Postmans and Yannis Antoniadis home. A wonderful place for gatherings. They do them so well. We chatted and had a pot luck dinner.

Here below you will see all of us. I'll try to get our names to appear correctly as we are lined up. We together have been friends for over 40 years. Sandy and Ron twins born in March 1960. There are so many more who should be in this photo with us. But just a start to many events of the year as we all become half centurions.



Keith, Francene, Sandy, Stephanie, myself (Heidi), Roseanne, Laurel, Tracy, Jim, and Ron

Ten of us equals 500 years of knowledge there! YIKES!

You see our birthday cake there with the candles lit, we would have set Sandy's house on fire if we all had our own set of 50. I think there are 10, each representing 5 years!

Panel 3

So, we are moving along.
Panel 3 is above, minus the borders, they may all look alike to you, they should. But Mom and I can see major differences. I am not sure we will get panel 4 done by May 4. But we will be darn close.
Bethany and Andy arrive on Wednesday (YIPPEE!)and the week will zoom and I'll get nothing done!

I was looking at all my stained glass posts and I see I have the Iris in the winter, here they are in the spring. I'll have to get summer and fall too, though the difference will not be so noticeable.

The first quarter is done with foil

This is funny how photos load in the opposite order you down load them.
Anyway. Below is the second quarter that Mom and I finished tonight. I cut about 40 dome pieces and Mom was a grinding fool!
Tiffany used to sand his pieces by hand with sand paper.





We have this groovy grinder that Mom and I both sit at and grind our 664 little pieces.

This is where we were when we started tonight.


From point A to point B. Here is what we took to class last night. Mom finished the first panel in foil. The class was properly impressed and we got a few pointers as to how to make the glass seem more 3-D rather than flat on the dome. Now on to the foiling of the second quarter of the lamp and to get started with the third quarter!
Even though it looks cool on the dome, the glass really comes alive with light behind it. That is why you see us grinding and working with each piece individually on the light table.



The foil in process.



This is just the beginning of the first quarter foiling.
Very fun. Lots of work. But fun.

Happy Easter

We had a small gathering of Mom, Kate, Garry, Karen, Drew, Tim and I. Pat is in OC with Joan who is not doing well.
A relaxing gathering where we all appreciated a beautiful Spring day for Easter. A feast as usual, and everyone went home with leftovers.

Happy Easter Everyone.