Is There a Sadder Sight?

Is there a sadder sight?
Not if you are a sewist/quilter.
And especially not if it is a week or so before Christmas!

Have a stack of about 10 items to be sewn and embroidered for Christmas gifts.
However, had three charitable events to sew/embroider for during the last 3 months or so.  They had to come first.
And then, I handed in the last item and began my own sewing.  I got three table runners sewn together, and two embroidered.  Good.  Next up, quilt the first one.  I had two short seams left when there arose such a clatter!  It was, frankly, a bit more like a scream of pain.  Upon close scrutiny I realized I wasn't the one in pain.  It was my Ruby!  She was dying.  She wasn't quiet about it either.  I asked her forgiveness and quilted the last two short seams and saw her off to the variegated thread bridge.
She is in the shop now.  She awaits a heart (motor) transplant and I've little hope of completing any more of the stack of Christmas gifts.
The one completed runner got off to Australia in time to arrive before Christmas....after all, what good is a Christmas table runner in January.
I don't mind giving the adults on my list an IOU...but what to do with the 6 youngsters?
Believe me, that picture above is very, very sad to me.  
But....there are some very real problems in the world, and I don't have any of them.  For that, I am deeply grateful.

27, 28 August 2017 Day at Sea

We had two days that gave us a chance to kick back and enjoy our time at sea.  It was amazing how big the ship was and how packed!  It was pretty much impossible to sit near the pool, in fact, it was almost impossible to simply find a comfortable chair anywhere!

We had discovered upon boarding that the crowded conditions meant that we were even unable to make excursion reservations for one of our days - our day in Portugal....very disappointing.  But we knew we could make the best of it..and we did.

Cruise Day 2, Tour day 28, 26 August 2017

This was the day the cruise was for.  Going to Normandy.  Larry has wanted to get me here in honor of my dad's landing for many years.  It was such a meaningful day.

 Le Havre - France

 We were booked with an excursion for the full day.

 Bomb crater

 Bunker

 Wanted a "selfie" from the location, but the sun sure makes it tough.

 Our guide

 Some of the cliffsides the landing troops were faced with.

 Homes that once housed Nazi officials

 I brought home a small bottle of sand to share with some folks we knew would appreciate

 One of the most profoundly moving places I have ever visited.  No one raises a voice, everyone seems to feel the same overwhelming sadness and need for respect.

KNOWN BUT TO GOD

 A bit of a story on this one.  I was standing behind this cross and had no idea of the name engraved on the front.  Suddenly it was as if the cross was demanding, "take my picture."  I had to call out to Larry to wait for me, this...of all the crosses, was asking to be noticed particularly.  I walked to the front and was surprised - shocked, even, to see William E. Davis, Jr.  Pennsylvania.  I keep meaning to try to find out something about him.  But here he lies, and I know he wanted to be singled out.  God rest his soul.
Added Note:  Found this:  http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=106996 and
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9170/42861_647350_0538-01966?pid=6305&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D9170%26h%3D6305%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DIjr1155%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Ijr1155&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

 Tears flow easily (man and woman) in this field of remembrance.

 There was a common theme to the day...thankfulness for the hand America (as well as others) leant in the liberation.

 Back aboard ship, to relax and mull over the emotions of the day.  It was a truly wonderful excursion, and we would highly, highly recommend it.