A Fairly Odd but Nice Gift

My aunt just gave me, of all things, a sewing machine. She bought a new one for herself, so she decided I should be the recipient of her old one. this was a most generous gesture, but I seem an odd choice for such a gift. I can barely sew on a button. my mom isn't a hell of a lot more talented than I am in that department. Fortunately my Aunt Ilianna (neither a biological aunt nor one by marriage, but a real aunt just the same) is quite a skilled seamstress and lives only about a half hour away from me. She's helping me to make a simple baby quilt. She says I  can give it to the next close friend or relative who has a baby, or I can even save it for the day I have a child of my own, but I'm actually making it for the day when my pseudoaunt and uncle either produce or adopt a baby. I should probably give it to someone else and give them the next one I make, because I'll probably get better as I continue to sew.

Sewing is sort of a relaxing activity, but I don't think I want to sew clothing. It's much easier to sew things that are flat than to stictch things to fit various dimensions and shapes. I may stick to quilting, although as I improve, I hope to evolve to sewing more complicated quilted blocks or appliques. It's nice because it's something I can do if I want and not do if I don't want. I don't have many things in my life that are so optional.

My room in our new house has a perfect corner that was unoccupied and is just the right size for my sewing machine. It's almost like the person who designed my room (my aunt, but not the aunt who gave me the sewing machine)  knew I would need that precise space for something in the near future.

By the way, my new baby cousin Blitzen Manx and his family are temporarily gone. They probably left because they're tired of my dad calling their baby "Mutt" instead of his real name. Uncle Mendel thought it was mildly funny, but Aunt Cristelle, was not particularly amused. My dad told her to remember the Trailer Trash Barbie incident, for which she was largely responsible, and to consider the possibility that they're not even yet simply by my dad calling the baby "Mutt." Mendel says they're not leaving Blitzen Manx with my dad at any time near Halloween or any other dress-up occasion because Dad would probably dress the baby up as a drag queen and take multiple pictures. Cristelle, Mendel, and the baby are in Utah visiting my Uncle Michael and his family. They'll probably see my grandparents and the other aunts and uncles once or twice, but they have about as much in common with the Utah branch of the family as I do. I'm really glad my Uncle Michael and his family are getting out of there fairly soon. Aunt Cristelle, Uncle Mendel, and Blitzen Manx are coming back here before they fly back to Europe so that they can watch one of my play performances, which I consider extremely thoughful of them. I hope my dad is helping them out a little with air fares because I don't think they're rolling in dough, although I could be wrong. Come to think of it, I haven't a clue as to their financial status. For all I know, they could be multi-millionaires. I don't think about those things very much.

Malo e  lelei, which, I think, actually means "hello" in Tongan, but I like the sound of it, so I'll end my post with it even if it makes no sense.