It's 9pm and we are finally at the hotel. It's been a day . . .
I stayed up a bit late finishing the quilt for my niece that has been my Mom's main caregiver for over a year. I just felt that I really wanted to get it done and give it to her. Though it meant that I got about 4 hours of sleep as I set my alarm clock for 3:30.
We were on the road about 4:45, had things planned on three machines, first the Standard treadle, then head north 20 mn for the Pheasant, the back south east to pick up the MW, then north to the farm to spend the afternoon. With lunch tossed in somewhere, figured we'd be to the farm around 2.
Got breakfast on the road, and my sister texted me asking when we'd be in, so I told her and she said "see you then". then I got a call about the Singer card table, and made arrangements to stop there. It was on the way up to the farm, figured we could fit it in easily.
We were about 1.5 hours away when my phone rang again - it was my youngest sister. My Mother passed quietly this AM. I knew there was no rush to get to the farm, so we continued with our plans. We picked up the Standard. They had purchased it at an estate sale several years earlier, but when their aunt died recently, they inherited her Domestic, and did not have room for both. The Domestic is just like the one I have, and I told them they could easily get the machine running again. Gave them the QB address, plus they have my email, so I sure hope they do get the machine running. They seemed rather excited about the prospect.
Next was the Pheasant. The seller was out of town, but had made arrangements for his son to be there so we could pick up the machine. He told me he had two other parties interested. He had it listed 'make offer" and said he wanted $50. I said fine. We were running a bit late so I called the home number the seller had given me, no answer, so I left a message saying we would be there about 5 mn after 11. We were suppose to be there between 10:30 and 11, so not way late. We get there - no one is home . . . so we left and headed to the next.
The MW is a very nice machine, and the case is in great shape. It belonged to the seller's grandfather, and he was very happy to be selling it to someone that knew about it and was happy to get it.
Then we stopped for the card table - turns out it didn't have the original insert, and was in bad shape. So I offered $50. He said he'd need $60, and I told him that was too much, as for a collector, I'd never find an original insert except with another table, and I'd rather pay $100 for something nicer than $60 for this one. I guess I did too good of a job with that, because the seller did then say OK to $50, but my husband did not, told me to skip this one and watch for another. So we walked away from that one.
Then we got lunch, and it was time to head to the farm. Lots of family already there, and with lots of tears I gave the quilt to my neice, and said my last goodbyes. After some other family members arrived, the coroner was called. My Mom was in the hospice program, so that was already arranged ahead of time.
I was told that my mother was about the same last night, but this AM was unresponsive with heavy shallow breathing, so they knew it would not be long. Since I was already on the road, there was no need to call me. They called others and told them Mom was in her final days, but Mom had other ideas, and with the two sisters that live closest there, she took her last breath, turned her head a bit and finally left us to join her husband.