Hi again!
My mom is retiring soon and some of her coworkers want to pitch in to give her a nice gift. The problem is, no one knows what she would really like to have. They want to give her something she can keep for a long time and enjoy. I don't think they want to do a gift certificate or anything like that.
Mom sews, reads, enjoys music, but mostly takes care of Dad. I even asked him and he couldn't think of a single thing she has mentioned that she wants. I think he would get it for her himself if she did mention anything. He is very sweet to her.
So I thought about a quilting frame because Mom likes to make quilts for the grandkids, but she has to lay them out and match them up with the batting and backing on the floor. She can't get up and down like she used to so I thought it would be good for her and something kind of sentimental because quilts tell a story and it would remind her of a special chapter in her own story. Well, Dad already got her one!
I need new ideas! Anybody have one?
What about a quilting/pattern book? Or a trip to Paducah, KY to the Nat'l Quilt Museum? It's an interesting museum!
Or since you're in Columbia....how about a road trip with her to visit the Amish - up around Jamesport (?).....or to the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Lots of quilt stuff to see in both locations!
Memories in the making.....
I know this will be a bit on the expensive side, but my mom had the wanderlust and loved to travel. If it was my mom retiring and my dad could get around, I'd give them a cruise out of Florida to the Caribbean. You can get a 7 day cruise for two for less than $1000. And I've seen some for less than $700 for two for a 7-day cruise.
It will certainly be something she will never forget. If her co-workers each pitch in $25, it will make a big dent in the price of a cruise.
If you need a website to find a cruise, let me know.
Good luck to you and yours. Hope your mom has a long and wonderful retirement.
This may seem like a weird suggestion but here goes...
A neighbor retired, when I was a teen, his co-workers gave him a puppy. I think it was a poodle, it was a small dog anyway. They told him they didn't want him sitting around all day and get bored or out of shape so they got him the puppy so he would have to go for a walk at least twice a day. It worked he walked that dog every day rain or shine snow or ice they walked twice a day. Helped keep him young.
if she is into sewing maybe a new easy to use sewing mechaine that embroiders and a few yards of different solid colored frabics. or get her yarn and neadles and a teach your self kroche (spelled wrong) book and let her do that in her free time, or something her and her husband can use ourside with warm weather coming like a porch swing with a awning
My Dad's coworkers bought him a Kindle when he retired. He loves it!
If she doesn't have an Ipod for her music, that would be nice as well!
You said she can't get up and down like she used to, does she still want to make quilts or does she still make them? Why don't you get her an easily foldable table she can lay the quilts on to match them up and such? Or make a quilting room? I say that bcuz I know making the quilting table will take up as much space as when she does it on the floor :P
When my mom retired, her coworkers bought her an Ipod. Since your mom loves music, maybe an Ipod and an Itunes gift certificate would be neat. This is assuming she has access to a computer and the internet. My mom wasn't sure what to do with it at first, but once I showed her how to put her CDs on it, and download other songs she wanted, she loved it. She takes it on walks with her, and maybe your mom would like it while she quilted. They also make cheap little speakers that hook to an Ipod, so if she's not an earphone/bud person, she can still enjoy the music. I think they even make a clock/alarm system to hook to an Ipod.
