How one heartfelt gesture, a friend wanting to help, brought even more tears of thanks
The texts and phone messages were frantic. Friends wanted to know if we were safe. Did we need any help. Offers to get to us, any way possible, to help get our things out of the house.
We evacuated, then came back the next day to gather a few more items. The winds shifted and we knew it was time to leave.
The call came the next morning that our house was gone.
Set up in town, we are safe and our support team is taking good care of us. We'll be spending the next couple of years relying on the specialists to help guide us on this journey.
New texts, now:
"Let me know what I can do for you"
"Do you need shoes/sneakers? if so sizes?"
"You help so many, it's time for you to let us help you."
"Heading over to the hotel this afternoon. Going to put everything in a suitcase. Clothing is all clean. Hands were sanitized before folding. Suitcase cleaned as well." Then, "Just dropped off a suitcase and bag at the valet stand. There are wipes in the bag to sanitize."
Wendy had delivered clothes to us in her suitcase. The suitcase that should have gone to Italy with she and her husband earlier this year, just after Covid-19 spread. The suitcase with her luggage tag and red ribbons on the handles. I had tears in my eyes as I unzipped the suitcase.
Toothpaste and a package of toothbrushes were on top. I lifted the floppy sun hat and saw the rolls of t-shirts. Men's clothing on one side, women's items on the other side. And, a tube of her favorite hand lotion - a luxury that she said I needed. I reached for a Kleenex as more tears came.
I saw something - what was that?!
Lovingly tucked, between the yoga pants, a selection of t-shirts, tops and shorts - a sewing kit. I burst into tears and started sobbing. I held it up to show my husband. "My sewing room - the first item for my new sewing room!" It will go with my Featherweight Sewing Machine that is still in the trunk of our car.
Not much survived the fire - the heat was so intense. I recognized the metal blob of the Royal typewriter in my studio. There was no trace of my trusty Singer sewing machine or ironing board. I did find the pair of Gingher pinking shears that were on my sewing cabinet. They are fused in position and not as thick as they were when new.
An invite from a quilting friend (who was also evacuated) to come up when this is all over and sort through her fabric stash to start my new stash. I can still see my 365-day Button Project hanging on the wall, my button collection in the vintage vases, a paper-pieced project on my layout table, the log cabin quilt top for a girlfriend, and the fabric collage cat artwork - all digitally saved in this blog.
The new techniques learned, and so many creative hours spent designing . . . all have given me the inspiration to move forward - to learn more techniques and to keep creating. Happy tears now for what will be; all centered around the sweet gesture of a small sewing kit that has filled my heart with gratitude.
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