RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

MY INTERESTING RETURN TRIP BACK HOME

When I go home I usually drive since it's only three and a half hour car drive but because of bad weather in the forecast, I went with my brother and decided to come back home on the bus 4 days later. I had a good time at the family Christmas party. Usually, I can never attend the Christmas party because of work and we connect on the phone or facetime.



Not a very good picture of me and my sister Therese. I still had a wee bit of yellow tones from the bruising but's it's all gone now.

After a 4 day relaxing visit with my gracious sister in love, Theresa and my brother Gerard, I  boarded a small bus and I thought that I would die of heat... By chance, we were all senior women and one lady declared that we were all running away and everyone burst out laughing.

When we got to the next bus stop, some people got off and others got on. This beautiful petite Romanian woman was trying to contact her family in Toronto but her iPhone was dead and she didn't have a cord to charge it. She was asking everyone if they had a "plug it" for her iPhone. Nobody could help her... As she approached the front I told her that I had a cord that she could use. She came and sat beside me in the front but the plugs didn't work. She tried several plugs on the bus but none worked. I told her to wait till we get to the next city and she could charge her phone at the bus station.

In the meantime, she is not giving up trying the plug outlets, but of course, they didn't work. She asks if I would let her use my cell phone, I said sure, as long as it was not a long conversation. She was so grateful. She had two short calls to make, one to her parent and one to her friend in Montreal.

She explained that she hadn't seen her kids for a month and she was just getting out of jail because of immigration difficulties. She had lost a lot of weight while in prison as she couldn't eat. She cried a lot... She said that she prayed to Jesus for help, that she believed that He would help her and that she told me that she was Catholic.

We talked and she was very pleasant. She told me that she is 20 and lives in Toronto with her parents and she has 4 kids and her youngest was only 2... She got her first one at 14 and they were allc-sections. I asked her why was she going to Montreal since she lives in Toronto.

She showed me the court documents that said that her friend in Montreal had signed and paid her $1000. bail and the judge wanted her to go stay with her friend in Montreal. She had no money so I slipped her a $20 that I could spare and she said that she would buy a cord to charge her phone... She was so grateful that she wanted to give me her sandwiches, her bottle of water and an orange. I said that she would need it but she wanted me to have them. She was very insisting so I took the orange. She had a cheap ring on her finger, and she also wanted to give it to me. She said, You like? I want you to have it. I told her it was nice but I didn't want to take her jewelry. My daughter Nicole left me some of her jewelry and I had enough.

Her jailer had given her two paper lunch bags that contained bologna sandwiches, some fruits and one bottle of water.  On her bus ticket, it said that she would arrive in Montreal at 6:30 am the next morning. She had a 5-hour wait at the bus station before boarding her bus to Montreal. I had a short wait for my bus to get home and would arrive at 1:40pm. My heart just melted when I realized that she has 5 hours stop over before continuing her trip. I gave her my iPhone cord since I could pick one up once home.  You would have thought that I gave her the moon. Her smile was from ear to ear as she talked to her mom and her kids. It made my day and we hugged and said goodbye.   It was just meant to be. I didn't understand a single word she said but she was very happy. All in all, it was a most pleasant bus trip.

My son Vaughan picked me up at the station and when I told him my story, he said, "Mom, I would have done exactly the same.


Lauren from Rugs and Pugs must have been very happy for my retirement because she sent me two cards, not just one but two and also a wonderful silver spoon that says Retired Hooker and it has a little sheep pendant at the top and a keychain with the most beautiful ornate spoon handle. I just love these and I'm so lucky to have such a sweet and generous friend.
Thank you so much Lauren. I'm planning on joining a rug hooking guild in the near future and I will wear the necklace proudly.


That is so thoughtful of you Lauren. I'm so happy to be retired too. I never thought it would happen.



Update on my Julia Chicken rug that is long overdue. I finished hooking it last night and today I serged the edge and now I need to bind and whip it. I ran off of the background color and dyed some more that wasn't exactly the same shade but it worked well enough. I think it was one of the reasons that I stalled on finishing it.
Thanks for reading my bus adventure.

Stay warm and safe, Christmas is only a week away so you better be good.
Hugs, Julia




14 comments:

  1. So wonderful you got to go back home to family.
    you are a kind soul that young woman will remember you forever.
    Cathy

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  2. Oh, how kind of you, Julia! You were in the right place at the right time! I LOVE your rug!

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  3. You are a Good Samaritan, Julia! And I am not surprised.

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  4. Julia, Oh my GOODNESS! What a Christmas story you have shared. I enjoyed reading it and I know you touched her heart.
    I loved what your son said when you shared the story.
    xx oo
    Carla

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  5. What a beautiful story Julia. I could hug your neck.
    Rick

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  6. That poor girl. My goodness, I would have wanted to do those same things. I am so glad you were right there.
    What a neat story. Your God appointment. I hope her life works out for her. She is so young. I am so glad you are retired. I love all of the goodies from Lauren. Your rug is awesome. So glad you finished it. I hope you have a lovely Christmas.

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  7. Bless you sweet Julia...in my opinion that whole situation was divinely planned. Love your Julia Chicken rug. Glad to know you are back home safe after getting to be with loved ones for awhile. I think the picture of you and your sister is a good one. Happy to hear the bruising is all gone now and I hope you have no more falls. Hugs and Merry Christmas to you and your family sweet Julia

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  8. That poor young woman. Four kids by the age of 18. I don't mean to sound cruel but I hope she has figured out where babies come from. You definitely were her Christmas angel ❤️
    Sweet chicken rug. I am so happy to hear you are joining a hooking guild!
    Yes, I am VERY happy you are retired. It is long overdue and you deserve to finally have time for yourself.
    Merry Christmas, my friend.
    Love,
    Lauren

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  9. What an experience your bus trip was! A great story to share....especially at Christmas! I agree with Lauren tho...I do hope that young woman has figured out the birds and bees... ;-) It's nice to see that you are back to hooking! Love that Julia rug! :-)

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  10. Yay!! Your bruising is fading glad to see!! Oh my goodness what an experience on the bus and what an amazing, wonderful, thoughtful person you are to have been so giving and helpful to that despondant woman. She will never forget your generosity. Hopefully she can get her life in order to take care of her children. You and your sister look so happy to be together, man there is nothing like having a sister!! You both are so beautiful and have the same lovely smile.See now that you are retired you will have time to join the guild and be more involved with ladies who love to hook like you do. Speaking of rug hooking, your chicken rug is darling and the colors are perfect! Well done my friend!!
    Have a wonderful, Merry Christmas Julia
    Love to you!!!
    Saimi

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  11. First of all -- everything has been breaking down around here, and every time I felt like complaining, I though about your November and all that bad luck. I knew then that what was happening to me was minor and could be fixed. So happy to hear about your retirement, your visit, and your fabulous bus trip. You never have those experiences while driving along in your car. I used to take the bus to work in Los Angeles and loved it. So many weird, fun, and interesting people that one could meet or just observe. I'm so glad you made that young woman so happy.

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  12. Oh Julia, I sure love your stories! You were an angel to that woman. Have a merry Christmas, Cheri

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  13. wow what an interesting bus trip! i often feel things are ment to be and i think you are just what that young gal needed! im sure it was nice for you to visit with your family! im trying to catch up and feel bad that you fell and got bruised.. you look great tho in this picture! also yes very thoughtful of Lauren to send you cards and retirement gifts! she is a sweetie just like you!

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