Well, crap, just crap.
This Diva group is an interesting animal. Believe me it lives and breaths, at times, as one being, on heart, head and pair of hands. All together.
I don't think it's like too many other quilt groups or guilds. Some of us have know each other all of our lives, sisters from the same mother; some of us have know each other for almost 40 years and have dragged each other along, kicking and screaming into all sorts of adventures, Adventures that usually were based around fiber of some sort. The group itself came together via interaction at Erie Street Quilts. Working there, teaching and taking classes, the Friendship group that some of us dragged others into, the Quilter's Development group. But there were a lot of other people around that are not part of this group. This bunch. We found each other, spotted each other and came together. We knew each other before we knew each other. The tribe. Sisters. Not all of us have birth sisters but in this group we found real sisters with all that entails. The harassing, The supporting. Growth and change. Challenge. Laughter and tears and Candle Salad. Thick and thin we have been there for each other. And we know it's special.
And now we are one fewer. The light of that Candle Salad has flickered out.
Our Judy is gone. I call her Our Judy because a couple of years ago, when cancer moved in we, of course made her a quilt. All of us. I tried to pay Laura for the quilting but she said, " No, it's for our Judy". That quilt was a riot to make. First we decided to take a bunch of stuff we had already cut and sewn to make a disappearing 9 patch. Ruth made us start that back when we were still in the basement. Syd dragged out the pieces, told us what we needed to bring to add to it and we gathered at one of our retreats. But we had to work on it after Judy went to bed. She usually went to bed early but not that year. We sewed like maniacs. Syd had old blocks from something that we knew we had to use in sort of an asymmetrical border. It was up and down from the design wall many times when a lookout would call, " Judy's coming, quick, hide it". We finally gave it to her and of course she loved it, it was so Judy. Then her eyes light up and she said she knew something was up and had been feeling sorry for herself because she hadn't been included. She knew those nights we seemed to want to get rid of her. But we only wanted her gone, peacefully sleeping, those nights.
So, her body has left us now. We are weaker than before but we will heal and be stronger. Her laughter and insight will be missed but we will always know what she would have done or said. Or wonder. " I wonder what the heck Judy would think of this". She was such an artist.
She was a person that was "game" for anything. Always there, always pitching in. I don't know who is going to help Dianne load the dishwasher now. I know it won't be me. We will still have food art, I am sure because it is so much fun.
Judy was part of a lot of groups. She was a joiner. They will miss her too.
But not like we will.
A light is gone from us but I know a brighter light is shining someplace else because of her presence there.
And damn, I missed my first walking dot of the day. I know that would make her laugh because she thought I was nuts.
And I am.
