Planet Nilknarf

March 2015

Welcome to Planet Nilknarf

Cover Story:
The Aboriginal Quilt is FINALLY FINISHED!!! I started it last spring when I was studying Aboriginal
Beliefs at school but had to put it aside for awhile because I was falling behind on other priorities,
mainly Joey's project, pictured above.
I was in Niagara Falls when I finished the penultimate square and started the last one...

I think it's kind of fun to start a new tradition by sharing pics of some of my works in progress while I
am on location. You can read all about that trip right here:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/254493955/The-Febo-Trip

As you can see, it's been a pretty busy and productive time around here. Here I am stitching away at
the Aboriginal Quilt with unfinished carousel horses hanging from the lampshade in the background.
And here are all those horses completed!!They'd been awaiting trappings since well before Christmas!
I decided I was tired of waiting for someone to take me to Fabricland so I ordered two king-sized rolls
of quilt batting from Connecting Threads! Two roll s there are probably cheaper than one roll at
Fabricland anyway!
Once the quilt batting came I got right to work and the first thing I did was finish Jan and Fede's little
wall hanging!

That rectangular frame has been worth its weight in gold!!! So much better than when I used to use a
big, wooden embroidery hoop!
My fitted sheet was wearing out so Dave bought me a new set of bed sheets. Of course, I wash new
sheets before I use them for the first time, but instead of throwing the old sheets away I unpick their
hems and reuse them on the backs of future quilts. The top sheet will be the back of a full-sized quilt
and the fitted sheet will likely be for one much smaller because of where it's ripped. Anyway, here's the

final product!!!

I am also happy to announce that I've gotten back to work on the Inspiration quilt, latest in the series
of the larger Carousel of Friendship Quilts. The Blue Bunny represents four quilts that have found new
homes, the first one being the Easter Bunnies quilt which I gave to my friend Richard Concepcion for
his birthday:

The fact that it's blue represents the True Blue quilt which was bought by Linda Berquist at this year's
National Carousel Association Convention during the auction at our annual banquet (left). The peace
sign in the background represents the Peace quilt that was won by Joanne during our lucky draw at
the most recent Autism Celebration (right)

The white crayon and the dripping paint brush are references to my very first quilt, Victory which I
donated to the 2014 Geneva Autism Symposium for their raffle. The white crayon represents the need
for teamwork.

A white crayon all by itself is pretty useless and probably the least used crayon in the box. Unless, that
is, it is teamed with other crayons in the box in a way that demonstrates its full potential or painted
over with watercolour paints.
The Bobcaygeon horse illustrates this idea quite nicely. I originally created the Bobcaygeon horse
back in the spring when I was doing my show at the art gallery and had my group of guests gathered
around the art table to design new horses of our own.
Only two other guests created horses but at least everyone enjoyed my PowerPoint presentation and I
had fun demonstrating my technique. The Bobcaygeon horse is an excellent example of the Crayon
Resist method, using yellow letters and white stars. When some people think of Bobcaygeon, they
may think of stars, because the band Tragically Hip wrote a song about Bobcaygeon that mentions the

constellations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6QDjDPRF5c

And, of course, last but not least I've started working on the horse Wendy designed last time I visited
her.

The Breadless Generation

Just about everyone by now have probably heard of the sandwich generation. The Sandwich
Generation is comprised of many a frustrated adult who have to deal with not only being parents to
their children but caregivers for elderly parents.
It has come to my attention that I, and several friends, family members and acquaintances belong to
what I have come to refer to as the Breadless Generation. We are a demographic of people whom
through choice or chance have no children of our own. But we have also reached that point in life

where we have lost both our parents. This, no doubt, leads to being bombarded by that nagging
question Who's going to look after you when YOU get old?
Well, frankly WE DON'T KNOW! The name of the game is to network, build support systems and look
after EACH OTHER. As resources tend to dwindle, we have to find ways to figure out the answers to
these questions.
My husband won't be around forever and there will someday come a day when he will no longer be
able to work. I haven't had a full-time job in over a decade and frankly I doubt I will ever be able to
handle one again. My husband supports me, but we also receive monthly annuities from my mom's
estate and I make the odd bundle of cash here and there from the sales of my craft items.
But my mom's money runs out when I turn 65. That's only 15 years away and I'm afraid it's going to
come up fast. What am I going to do between now and then to guarantee security? So far all I can do
is hope and pray that my art becomes famous so that there will be a steady demand for it and a
waiting list of customers.
Janette just lost her dad. In the days to follow she had a major meltdown and had to be taken to the
hospital while we were at Niagara. Her relationship with Mark has been going nowhere for years.
We've begun to doubt if they'll EVER get married. Even before her dad died, Janette has been getting
weaker and weaker and more run down, fed up with supporting herself and wishing she could quit her
job and go on disability.
When all hell broke loose during our Niagara trip she was convinced she'd need several months off.
But now she's still at her job, only working part-time. We still don't know what the next step will be.
My Aunt Anne must be over 70 now. She lives alone and before Christmas she confided to me that
she's been diagnosed with colon cancer. At least it was treated soon enough that she did not need a
colostomy. However, she has had several rounds of chemo and several more yet to come. This has
meant that she hasn't been able to go to Florida this year.
Other than that she has always done well for herself. A retired school principal, she has lived on her
own in the same beautiful lakefront house she and Uncle Mike have had since the late 70's. Her
husband, my Uncle Mike, (my dad's brother) passed away over 20 years ago. And Aunt Anne has lost
both her parents over the years too. But she's never really been alone. She has her sister, Aunt Jean,
who lives with her husband Joe, just up the road from her, even though she also usually goes to
Florida for the winter. She had both my parents when they were alive and she still has Phil. Phil was a
good friend to my mom when she was still alive.
I'll never forget the day when my mom lost her mom. It was New Year's Day of 1986. My maternal
grandmother was the only grandparent I have ever met and known. All my other grandparents died
before I was born. My dad was just a toddler when his mom passed away.
The important thing is that we've all shared an extended family and stuck together one way or another.
Even more important is that we need to keep doing so. We need to stay in touch with kindred spirits
and look after one another one way or another.
I've been stuck at a disadvantage because I never learned how to drive. My husband doesn't drive
either. We can't afford to buy a house. We live in a place we only rent. And it's SMALL. At least it's not
as small as the place where Janette's brother Michael and his wife Margaret live. But it's small
enough. But at least Dave and I each, for various reasons I won't go into, have our own rooms.
And Janette just rents a room in a house. Her days of renting basement apartments are over. I can

see exactly why. I've done the basement apartment thing too for many years. Especially since quiet,
considerate neighbours seem to have gone the way of the dodo. Janette has become pot-bound in
that tiny little room of hers. She has use of the living room but seldom ventures out there because she
feels like it isn't really hers.
And I would give anything for a bigger place where I could have more workshop space for my craft
projects.
I am the oldest person in my Asperger support group, not to mention the only one who's married and
the only one who has lost both parents. Nobody else in my group are there yet. I have very little in
common with other adults my age who are usually parents and (gasp! ALREADY!!) grandparents.
And I consider myself lucky and feel comforted to know that I usually see my parents in my dreams
nearly every night. Usually they are good dreams. Sometimes they make me feel kind of homesick. I
came across this interesting article about the subject:
http://omtimes.com/2013/02/why-the-deceased-show-up-in-your-sleep/

Havarti Har-Har
The other day I was chatting on the phone with my friend Lorraine and she was telling me that our
favorite eatery in Bobcaygeon, the Grilled Cheese Hideaway, received their first bad review for NOT
providing high chairs! Personally I say KUDOS!!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Grilled-Cheese-Hideaway/262373280546226?sk=reviews
Not EVERYWHERE HAS to be family-friendly. In fact this is the BEST NEWS EVER!!! In my opinion
anyway. It's nice to know that some places are STILL considered sacred. I even put in my two cents
worth because, as I mentioned in my rebuttal, I would be filthy stinking rich if I had a nickel for every
restaurant meal I've had (elsewhere of course) that has been ruined by the sound of screaming
babies.
I've said it before and I'll say it again; the only time babies belong in restaurants is if they're part of the
DISH!!!! :P
This no intention of having strollers is yet another reason to applaud and cheer for the Grilled Cheese
Hideaway and give them my personal vote as BEST RESTAURANT EVER!!!
This also goes to show you that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Breeders who insist on
dragging their annoying whiney spawn everywhere may bellyache and be pissed off, but a collective
sigh of relief arises from those of us who are glad not to have to share our space with them at yet
another place where they shouldn't be.
Don't get me wrong. I don't hate kids. I just think that there are certain places kids under a certain age
shouldn't be. Like anywhere within earshot of me and Janette!! So there!!
The-Grilled-Cheese-Hideaway has been one of several entrepreneurs I've studied and reviewed for
the class that I've been taking in school, Be Your Own Boss. Besides having the best food in town and
now earning even more of my admiration for being a baby-free-biosphere, they also promote local
artists. Lorraine has often had examples of her work on display there and this is where we stop
whenever we are in the area for one of our shows! :)

Carousel of the Month

Hempstead Lake, 1914 M.C Illions
One of the first things you see when you enter the building are these aluminum replacement horses
stored near the ceiling. And then inside the washroom are these exquisite tiles on the walls.

The Hempstead Lake carousel is situated in a beautiful wooded park with one of the best gift shops I
have ever seen. When I was there I bought several booklets of stickers, two patches and a new
mouse-pad for my computer.
A dazzling array of magnificent steeds with shining armor and gleaming gilded manes provided a
magical ride for all who waited in line.

Top: (left) Richard rides the carousel (right) Me, of course, Bottom: Janette and I moments before my
second horrible fall that day. That's what I don't like about this carousel. Staff members aren't

adequately trained and a stepladder should be provided because, like the Nunley's carousel we rode
earlier that day, the horses in the up position are a long way from the ground. Two of the workers
tried to stop me from falling but their ill-fated attempts did more harm than good. Hello? I weigh more
than both these young lads together. It CAN'T BE DONE! I'll only TAKE YOU ALONG FOR THE RIDE!
I ended up with a lovely nasty bruise from where the one on the right grabbed me to try to stop me
from falling.

I probably would have had a better day and not been so clumsy if I hadn't been so sick the night
before. Meanwhile, enjoy some more beautiful horses:

I thought the clown faces on the rounding boards reminded me of a certain masked trio! ;)

Here's some video footage I filmed there that day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-Gv3Q-Sy8

Beetlebomb's Book Nook

Last month I may have mentioned that I've started a new class at school, Be Your Own Boss. My
literary picks for this month kind of tie in with the subject of being an entrepreneur. And these two
couldn't possibly be more opposite!
Me, Inc.: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business by
Gene Simmons is a must read for anyone considering being their own boss. However I must also
warn you that it's not for the faint of heart. Gene Simmons is the quintessential entrepreneur who has
been at it 24-7 pretty much all his life, from the time his father left his mother when they were still living
in Israel when seven-year old Chaim Witz (his birth name) and his buddy Schlomo used to pick cactus
fruit and sell it to the tourists raking in the equivalent of two dollars a day. That was big money in the
fifties.
Since then it's been business non-stop, one way or another. Even when Gene and Paul were starting
up KISS, Gene juggled 2 or 3 other jobs and always had a backup plan! Between being a temp at
Kelly Girls and being a sixth grade school teacher Gene has always had balls in many courts. How did
he seem to do it all and never get tired?
Gene Simmons is involved in so many ventures that he's not afraid to fail. He claims that for every
venture that has succeeded about 14 things have failed! That's pretty amazing to consider since he
pretty much has a disposable income and can afford to throw his money around.
He's even finally revealed it to the public in here about all his charity work. When you're making big
money, sometimes the question is not Which charity will I donate to? but which charity will I NOT?
I admit I had to put this book down for about a week before I could pic it up again and finish it. I felt like
such a lazy procrastinator and under-achiever! However, Gene does say that there is no specific onesize-fits-all cookie-cutter approach to being an entrepreneur. If there was we'd ALL be rich!
And like I've said Boy George, in his book Take It Like A Man, could be considered Gene's polar
opposite. You may recall the unauthorized biography I reviewed a month or two ago that was written
back in the 80's when Culture Club was in its heyday. Well, George hated school, didn't see the point
of it, and didn't get along with authority figures. Kind of a toxic role model for me back when I was in
college, living in a dream world myself. When George decided he didn't want to go to school anymore
his mom said Fine, then get a job! His first job was stacking cans at Tesco's, which he hated and
would always show up late and be sneaking off somewhere to take a nap! George would much rather
dress up and go out partying than work any day. His passion did eventually lead him to working in
clothing stores and getting to know everyone in London's underground world of gay nightclubs before

eventually meeting Jon, Mikey and Roy and forming Culture Club.
Take It Like A Man provides a detailed account of the club scene and all the colourful, fascinating
people George used to know back in London and all the activities they would get up to. Sounds to me
like meaningless sexual encounters could be considered currency in that environment and more often
than not people would shag in exchange for food or a place to stay for the night. Often they would
camp out in what they called the Squats, abandoned apartment buildings where they didn't have to
pay rent. Once in awhile you'd be lucky to find a place that still had electricity or running water.
Once Culture Club took off they were pretty much overnight sensations and the lack of privacy they
had could be downright overwhelming. George talks about how he ended up becoming addicted to
heroin and how much difficulty he had even admitting that he had a problem. He writes about his
relationship with drummer Jon Moss and how they tried to keep it from the public, and his friendship
with Marilyn and their trips to Egypt and Jamaica.
Even the way these books arrived in the mail felt like a reflection of the people who wrote them. I
ordered them both at the same time. Gene's book arrived the very next day! However I waited several
weeks for George's book and had to look it up online. It said I could finally expect to receive it some
time between February 25th and March 11th. SURPRISE! After that it came the very next day!

Dear Mom and Dad

Sunday, March 1st, 2015

Dear Mom and Dad
How's everything in heaven? I bet you don't have to worry about ice and snow there as much as we
do. At least walking conditions haven't been as bad as they were last year at this time, but we have
had the coldest winter on record in nearly 40 years. I am hoping that by the time next month's issue is
complete, scenes like the ones above will be little more than a memory.
Say hello to Janette's dad for me and say hello to Leonard Nimoy.
Janette and I are going to that Meltdown Workshop on Thursday at Trent University. I remember that it
was supposed to be a couple weeks ago and it ended up being canceled because the teacher was
sick. It was available as a webinar but neither of us could figure out how to access it.
I don't think I've had a meltdown since trying to help Janette control hers that night at Niagara when I
had to have her taken to the hospital. At least she hasn't had any since then either. It's been scary
though. They had been getting worse and worse. Dave is still scared to let me invite her over.

She has been doing much better though now that she's down to only working three days a week. It
took this crisis to bring everything out into the open. Even before her dad died she was getting worse
and worse. New York should have been the time of our lives. Instead there were many times when we
both felt panicky and even suicidal. It seemed like everything at that hotel was designed to frustrate
us. It almost makes me afraid to want to go anywhere together anymore.
We would just give ANYTHING for a peaceful, drama-free holiday without any stupid stuff happening. I
guess you could say Guelph has been one of our best vacations ever. The only time we really had any
drama was coming and going. Union Station is a ZOO!!!
And speaking of peaceful getaways I am so tempted by Carousel West in Asilomar, California. At least
I have a couple months to save for it as long as nothing happens to cost me anymore money. I am
completely broke at the moment. I feel bad because I wussed out of Mel's party last night. I was
embarrassed to admit that I can't afford to buy drinks. I took $60 out of the bank the other day,
horrified to discover I have only $2 left. The money I have on me now goes toward our cab fare when
Janette and I go to Trent University for this Meltdown seminar and lunch when our class goes on its
field trip next Friday.
Next Friday my class is taking a walking tour of a place called the Table, another place called the Gift
House, and last but not least, as was actually my suggestion, Smoke's Poutinerie! I was there a
couple weeks ago after I'd dropped in at Walter's shop to take a couple pictures for my presentation. I
ordered the Hog Town; poutine served with bacon, sausage, mushrooms and onions. It was more food
than I should have been eating but I polished it off anyway. Next time I think I'll just get a snack-sized
traditional with bacon and 'shrooms. Funny, but when I was sitting in that restaurant, I had a strange
feeling of deja-vu.
Well, I can't really think of much else to write about for now. This has been kind of a strange month. I
haven't had much news, just been busy with school most of the time. Did you see my ad a few pages
back? I had to print it and scan it. I couldn't just copy and paste it as a Word document. I thought my
product could do with a celebrity endorsement!! You may remember the book I reviewed a couple
years ago Living Oprah. Whatever Oprah promotes, everyone wants!!!
Part of me still feels draggy and unmotivated. It's been over a month since Janette's dad passed away
and that crazy Niagara trip feels like it's all been a dream but it took time to recover from and it's been
one thing after another this month. Janette was sick and then it was my turn. Beets again. Those
damned Veggie-Stix have beetroot powder! Last Wednesday I was up all night spewing from both
ends and I was too weak to go to school on Thursday. At least I was able to drag myself to school on
Friday but on Sunday night the bug came back with a vengeance. Even if I hadn't been feeling
knackered from being sick all night I had a major panic because my MP3 player wasn't working
properly! The battery refused to charge. The same thing was happening to Dave's MP3 player. It's the
same kind as mine and we both got them the same year but mine is a few months older than his, mine
is loaded to almost full of music, pictures and videos and I use mine every day whereas his is almost
empty by comparison and he usually only uses it on Friday. I went and bought a whole new MP3
player. It's not as nice as Black Diamond, as I call my old faithful friend. It only does music and radio,
no pictures or video. It's basically just a glorified flash drive with headphone jack and volume controls
and when I tried to download music, instead of copying the file from the hard drive to the player, it
literally just clicked and dragged the album into the player. At least I know I can click and drag it back if
need be but I like to leave my files where they ARE. To add insult to injury I almost had a meltdown at
Staples because when I stood in line to pay for it my VISA card was MISSING!! At least I found it when
I got home, right in front of the computer, but this situation was the last thing I needed. The guy
suggested that it might be the cable.
Sure enough I tried recharging my MP3 player using a different cord and now it is working

PERFECTLY! What a relief!! I literally can't survive without my MP3 player. The thought of leaving the
house without my music to protect me sends me into a panic!!
When Janette and I were convalescing at the Falls and in the days to follow it felt like all we wanted to
do was eat and eat. At least toward the end of this episode it was wholesome, nutritious foods I
craved, especially salmon and broccoli. There is a wonderful new buffet place at the Mid-Town Mall. I
pass it every day to and from school. Dave and I went there shortly after Christmas and again last
month. We're talking about going there on Wednesday.
Tomorrow after school I think I'm going to pop into Life Labs and brave my blood test. There's nothing
on the paperwork saying that I should be fasting so I might as well get it over with. I'm supposed to go
for my checkup on March 17th. Oh joy, oh bliss. My favorite thing to do. NOT!!
Mom, I was having a weird dram last night that I knew that you were ill and you would be dying soon
but I was still living with you at Forest Manor and Dave wasn't in my life yet. It was one of those weird
drams that seemed to go on and on. We were working at a funeral home and I kept finding chocolate.
It was also one of those weird drams that when I'm half asleep I feel like I've forgotten where I live. I
have a lot of dreams like that. Sometimes I have my own apartment on top of the old Forest Manor
townhouse, that there's a secret entrance through my bedroom closet. A few days ago I dreamt I had
to move back to Lindsay and work at the Laundry and the two of you found me an apartment and said
I didn't have to pay rent until December.
I wouldnt want to move back to Lindsay or work at the laundry again. It would feel like such a step
backwards. Frankly I don't know what I want to do.
Dave and I went to the mall to get our income taxes done at H&R Block yesterday and the place was a
ZOO!! Saturday at the mall is a nightmare for me at the best of times and to add insult to injury they
refuse to even LOOK at my receipts because I'm self-employed. I've left a message with Kristine to
see if someone from Kerry's Place can help me. I don't want to have to pay anyone because I NEVER
get anything back on my income taxes anyway!! Back when I had a job, either at the Laundry or
working for Maggie, I used to get back around $300 every year. But when Dave and I got married, I
actually had to PAY BACK around $110 that first year. SO NOT FAIR!! At least when I had the Coffee
Cart job and piecework at the clubhouse I'd get back between $2 and $6. Whoop-de-doo, enough for
a pack of gum or if I was lucky lunch at Tim Horton's.
Well, that's all for now.
Take care,
Love,
Margaret