I'm really here!!

Hello...

At long last I'm coming aboard and catching up.

My name is Anita Maher-Lewis. I live in Ames, IA. Some of you know that as you've mailed me blocks and are patiently waiting for me to send them back! I'm working on them, I promise. :)

I am a quilter, a gardener and a knitter. I pay for these projects by doing environmental engineering/consulting projects during the day. I'm self employed. I dissolved my partnership in a mid-size firm in Des Moines IA about four years ago because I was tired of the constant traveling and the loooong weeks which no matter how often they told me would end, didn't. Well, I made them end. I took a couple of clients and went to my own sand box. It really has worked well for me.

I am a wife to wonderful man who manages a project management dept for a local agribusiness firm. I also have a beautiful 24 yo daughter. I'm also mom to 2 dogs and 2 cats.

I apologize for being absent for so long. I could tell you that I've been buried under 3 feet of snow that is just now starting to melt...which would be the truth. However it just has been a hard three months. My father died suddenly late last year and then my mom got really sick. Probably as a result of being so sick, she had a couple of small strokes (TIAs). She is doing better now. But unfortunately they both live(d) in Phoenix (with separate partners) so dealing with all of this has been very strenuous and stressful as you can imagine. I'm coming up for air now and so grateful that spring is around the corner.

I was in Phoenix this last weekend to check on my mom and for a very very joyous event. I and my siblings joined my grandma to celebrate her 90th birthday. She is hale and hearty. I love her so so much.

Thank you for your patience and I'm excited to be here.