Bob, Bob, and Mike

Last evening as Mike and I were driving home from a meal out, I asked him to give me some ideas for blog topics. He thought for a moment or two and remarked that it might be good to talk about stitching as a metaphor for life. Actually, it is a good topic, just not something I care to deal with this morning. But what I did get out of our short conversation (we went on to talk about the marvelous sunset and the lavender skies) was that he was again willing to help me out in this long needlework odyssey that I embarked on thirty-odd years ago.

This year I have been lucky enough to spend time among stitchers from all across America. I taught in California and I attended the EGA national seminar in Louisville. Because of those two events, I met two men who, like Mike, were always ready to help out. One is Bob Gomola, husband of Marsha Papay Gomola a national teacher. Bob is a member of EGA and, as far as I know, he does not stitch. But he is the support group for Marsha in her endeavors and he is the jack-of-all-trades for helping out in general. The other is Bob Dam, husband of Carol Dam, the current president of EGA. Bob seems to be the official photographer for EGA. He made his presence known at the national seminar and practically lived at headquarters. Bob is also a member of EGA

Study in Scarlet (detail)

Blackwork that is not black

This is a sampler on the methods of shading in blackwork.

My own husband has cooked, carried, entertained, babysat, and went on directed vacations helping me with my EGA-related stuff. And now I have him doing the hard work--thinking. He even good-naturedly takes ribbing about being Mr. Shirley Kay. One evening several years ago in Denver we were hosting a dinner party for some non-EGA people. I overheard him in the sitting room explaining to a friend about blackwork, what it was, and why this particular piece of blackwork was not stitched in black. I had no idea that he had absorbed enough of what I did to explain all this! I was so pleased. He is my greatest supporter.

So today on my mother-in-law's 83rd birthday, I want to celebrate her oldest child's life within EGA. And Bob G's and Bob D's. Thanks, guys, for making the path smooth and taking pictures along the way.