August 23, 2023

Dear Friends,

Linus day was this past Monday, the day when volunteer workers come into the shop to make quilts to give to first responders to give to kids in need.  Jo Ella is a steady worker in this charity cause and she frequents Fox Country Quilts for other reasons as well, such as renting one of our longarms for a day and for teaching bag classes one day per month.  She was the second person to arrive at the shop this morning.

Donna mentioned to her that we needed to order more layer cakes and more jelly rolls for the shop, and immediately Jo Ella started salivating.  It was the most perfect Pavlov response ever seen.

Then come lunch time.  I gathered orders from everyone to see what they would like from Lulu’s, and everyone except Jo Ella wanted a BLT.  Jo Ella couldn’t eat bread or iceberg lettuce, so would like just a hamburger patty with cheese on it.

I couldn’t help but ask, “What’s up with that?”  She then listed for me numerous items that are now totally off limits for her, mostly really great stuff, like ice cream, water melon, bread, and other crave-worthy foods her medical doctor said are now off the table for her.

Turns out, Jo has developed some sort of unusual medical condition.  Judging by her list, I concluded she is no longer allowed to eat anything.  She must take in her nutrition strictly by smelling her food, thereby pulling in few stray corpuscles.  This is worse than diabetes.  Apparently there are certain enzymes that just aren’t going to allow her metabolism to function properly.

Here’s what an enzyme is:   Enzymes are complex proteins that, as a catalyst, help speed up chemical reactions in our bodies. Enzymes are essential for digestion, liver function and much more.

How Jo Ella went afoul of them, I don’t know, but anything she eats that contains some very specific enzymes . . . .   Well, they are out to get her.  This isn’t the last you’ll hear about Jo Ella.  She is our resident bag lady, and I’ve interviewed her in that capacity.  So hang on for a later e-mail with the continuing adventures of Jo Ella.

The call to action this time is, you need to sign up and attend one of Jo Ella’s bag classes.  Perhaps before you do, you’ll want to come to the shop and view some of the bags she made, and no they aren’t for sale.

Chip