Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has spared a thought, a prayer or sent a hug to my dear friend Myra.  Last night I got a call from her and she sounded fantastic!!  Wow, I said - it's the old Myra!  Today she is going to her home with the Occupational Therapist and the Physio to see what aids she needs in the house to keep her safe and enable her to achieve independance.  I AM SO WRAPPED... I HAVE BEEN SO WORRIED SHE WOULD HAVE TO STAY IN THE REST HOME.  

Myra is finding it a little easier to put her 'dead' foot on the floor and is walking with a walking frame.  Yesterday she needed some washing done and decided to do it herself.  When I asked how she managed carrying washing and a walker she just said "I managed".  haha.  that's my friend Myra. 

Hopefully if all goes well she may go home this weekend.  Just depends on how long it takes to put rails by the door steps etc etc. 

But thank you.  I know the power of thought and prayer works and I totally believe sharing has helped me and Myra.  And in 9 more sleeps haha I'll be up there to help for a whole week.  I can't wait. 

Life is so precious. 

Hugs Hugs and More Hugs

This is the lolly jar - the 'not so collectable' but pretty buttons  to play with?

I know it's been awhile since I posted on my blog but I have no excuses except being tired for the last few weeks.  I had great plans for using my time off work like sewing and sewing and reading but it was way more painful than I expected and then I fell and hurt my foot so I did get one job done.. I put all my historical buttons onto cards.  So my collection really looks good now.

Myra and I at a Button Show last October

Last week after being sick for several days Myra was admitted to hospital.  She had been vomiting non stop and after some tests the Dr's admitted her.  I flew up on Friday after the family were told the cancer may have moved into her stomach.  I was so glad to be there, it is so hard not being able to help when you're so far away.  


The Drs decided she could have a blocked bowel and it turned out to be so.  After a lot of medication and painkillers etc Myra felt a lot better but...

On holiday in Wellington in January

Because she had been so sick for a week (and been to the Dr twice in that time!) she was dehydrated and her veins collapsed.  Her left foot has not improved and she has no circulation in it.  It is very very painful.  Myra is in rehab now to regain some strength and see if she can return home to that beautiful house she moved into a few weeks ago. 

While I was at the hospital a new nurse came into the room and asked whether we were sisters or mother and daughter.  I chose to be the daughter haha but Myra "We are like sisters!"   Isn't that gorgeous.  We might as well be too.  We have so much in common and she has taught me so much over the years.  

So send your telepathic hugs please to Myra.  I'm sure they will reach her somehow.  Just knowing other people care can help sometimes and I'd love to see her back home enjoying the rest of her life if there's anyway possible.   I will be back up there for Easter for a week and it would be wonderful to help her get settled back into her home, if she can.

The little things in life

I think this one is just gorgeous.  What a beautiful wall hanging it would make.

The highlight of my days at home on sick leave has been watching the caterpillars on my self seeded swan plant outside my lounge window.

My neighbours plant was eaten in no time so she has put her caterpillar babies on mine.. It is now covered in them, and crysalis's and day to day beautiful monarch butterflies.   

Another great achievement was to put some more of my buttons on cards.  Most of my buttons I've found in cheap bulk lots of buttons from Trade Me so I'm really wrapped now that I can fill up some cards.  Here's two (just so I don't bore you all). 

Silver and Blue on black glass.

Gold on black glass. 

The photos don't do them justice. I've also spent time looking through my magazines from Germany which Martina sends me often.  They are full of beautiful and colourful projects.  So many of them I want to do.  But everytime I look through a magazine I notice something different.  Here's some lovely quilts and bags I'd love to make ONE DAY from the magazines.

 Yesterday I started feeling normal again.  16 days after surgery and no pain.  I am on the second course of antibiotics and they appear to have worked.  Touch Wood.
Last night I fell down the stairs at my friends house and woke during the night with a very sore and swollen foot.  Have had xrays but nothing is broken thank goodness.  Just a very bruised and swollen wrenched 2nd toe which is now taped and bearable.

I think I must be a Drama Queen. I have felt sorry for myself and wondered if I was ever going to feel better but I am also inpatient.  but I do realise this is nothing compared to what others are suffering.  

Please say a prayer or send positive vibes to my friend Myra and others who are suffering right now.  I wish I could do something to stop this horrid Cancer that is ruining the lifes of people I love.  But for now I can only support and love them and stay strong.  

I'm going to check my lotto ticket numbers now.  I'm sure I've won and then I can book flights to see Myra tomorrow, complete with walking stick, haha.  And maybe I won't go back to work on Monday... won't that be nice!

UPDATE:  Not even close!

Rest and Relaxation?/

Friday Day 11.  It's taken me all day to post this as I had to download a new version of Google to do it??  So hopefully this works.

Day 10 today and I'm starting to feel like I have more energy.  I've been out to a Quilt Club tonight and there's another local one on Saturday... I had the 'dangly attachment' removed on Monday so I can go out now.  Turns out the catheter was causing all the problems but now I have to heal from the damage it did!

So what have I been doing... Resting a lot.. but having a great time slowly looking through my Patchwork Magazines from Germany.  My dear friend Martina sends them to me but you know what it's like.  You can look at a magazine over and over and always see something new.  I thought I'd share some of the gorgeous patterns in them (which I intend to make one day!!).  I've also put some more of my vintage buttons on cards in themes and I'm wrapped as they're no longer sitting in a box.

I hope to be a little more energetic over the next week and go for short walks each day, AND do some more work on my quilt..a little each day while I'm off work.

I hope you've all had a wonderful week.  The days are going too fast but only 42 days now and it'll be Easter and I'll be on holiday again with Myra.  Can't wait hehe!!
UPDATE Saturday Day 12. Found out yesterday that my employer can't pay anymore sick leave so I'm faced with going back to work this week.  I don't have any Annual Leave left apart from my trip to Myra at Easter so really don't have any choice.  So I went out to Quilt Club today and had to organise names for our bus trip to Tote and Gloat in May.  I was absolutely stuffed.  Hot, weary, pain and so tired after one hour, not sure how I'll cope with a day at work.

The one thing I've learn't from this is dont get cancer or hospital infections, you use up all your sick leave at once for 10 years!!  This op was also one I chose to have done and I probably would have put it off for a couple more months.  Because there were complications I had to have a catheta in and come home with it, but it was not good because it aggravated my bladder causing it to bleed.  HEAPs.  .  It was so incredily painful. I was so pleased to have it pulled out last Monday.  But it all takes time to recover and I think I am so tiired because of the blood loss.

However, Cinderella will be back at work on Tuesday with a fudged brain and all.  haha..

 

Valentine's Day Op

I always think I'm SuperWoman being the single, independant, stubborn girl I am and so I expected to bounce back out of hospital and get a lot of sewing done and things sorted.  To enjoy my time off and catch up with friends.

Well, my simple operation has caused complications and I'm stuck in my chair with attachments waiting to go to the urologist on Monday for a Cystoscopy.  3 weeks off work, but I didn't want to feel 'blaaar".  Haha.

I am NOT feeling sorry for myself.. I Swear I'm Not!!

But there's so much I wanted to do.  so if I don't post for a few days it's cause I'm buggered... It's never taken me so long and worn me out so much to have a simple shower!!  It's times like this that I wish I didn't live alone but then my two ex husband's would have gone to golf or work as usual... Hopefully the only son will be here soon to make my bed and move a few things for me.  

I'll be back!

Treasures or rubbish... ??? Share it

A friend made a comment this week that I'm not blogging enough.. haha.. and I have to admit to being rather tardy of late.  So I will try harder to blog more often and keep you all entertained??  Now that my son has moved out and Myra has been to stay I decided to move some furniture and tidy up.. for a Day!!  One day .. that's all it was going to take.  Well, it was a long weekend in New Zealand (3 days) and I still had one room to finish last night before company came!! 

Gorgeous ah.  It even opens.  Purely ornamental though so it's gone on Trade Me

I shifted stuff and sorted stuff even my bead collection...WHAT THE ????  So I've ended up with heaps of treasures on Trade Me.  That's like New Zealand's EBay.  I have TOO MUCH.. STUFF!!

Beads for Trade Me

And I decided to make the spare room into a 'lounge' and Button Room!!  Have you heard anything so sad.. haha.. but I can easily get sidetracked and play with my button collections so I've moved them away from my sewing machine... hehe.. Now I just have to sort them out and put them somewhere.. one day!!

Old Buckles.. I was GONNA frame them...gone on Trade Me

The other reason I did this NOW was that I'm having an op next week and won't be able to lift or reach, no hanging washing or vacumning ... gee that's sad haha... for 6 weeks.  And I know if I'm home I'll be wanting that stuff that's down there under all that other stuff!!!  Grr I am too independant to ask for help sometimes.  

Not sure why I bought this.. On Trade Me now

This weekend's task now is to get the 1930's finished so that I can sit and do the hand sewing when I get home.  I can't wait to choose buttons to sew on it and I'm going to embroider the wording for the label on a doily.. 

3 Quilt Club Meetings in One Week!1

Monday in Wellington was Anniversary Day so Myra and I went to Palmerston North.  A trip up through Kapiti and Horowhenua ( a couple of secondhand shops were open) to visit friends and go to Rose City Quilters meeting.  I used to live in Palmerston North so it was a great opportunity as I was on Annual Leave, to visit the Club and introduce Myra to old friends.  What a wonderful meeting too. 

Awesome.  WIP by a RCQ member

So much Show and Tell, so much inspiration, and so much love and hugs!!  I felt wonderful seeing everyone again.

Made by a member of "The Mothers" at RCQ.  They all made one in their own fabrics.  Gorgeous ah.

This is a New York Beauty made by a member of "The Mothers".  I'm not sure why Blogger has turned it upside down.  I love the way the background has been put together.

This one's flipped too but the effects that different colours made to the block is awesome. 
And of course it's in Batiks so I love, love, love it!!!



Yum, Yum , Yum, love scrappy and love this quilt.  Awesome (yes, I repeat myself)... I love it. 

Thank you to "The Mothers" and Rose City Quilters for a wonderful evening of colour and enthusiasm.



On the way home Myra and I travelled through the Wairarapa and a couple of visits to shops on the way.  It's such beautitful country through Southern Waiarapa with many last century homes beautifully maintained and lovely old worlde cottage gardens. 


We were welcomed to the Wairarapa by this very quiet elderly couple sitting in the sun.  Sadly their home (an antique shop) is closing down, so I guess they won't be welcoming folks for too much longer.  We had to have a look at the beautiful antique 'everything' inside but I didn't spend anything!!



Myra flew home on Thursday on the windiest day of the week.  She said the worst part was walking out to the plane in the wind, walking up the rocking ladder and sitting on the plane for half an hour while it rocked on the tarmac.  The airport had already changed departure gates for the plane because the wind was so strong they couldn't load the luggage!!  I'm so glad she had a safe flight and is now home relaxing after a very busy week.  So now my home is quiet and empty.  Home alone again. Hmmm

Thursday night I went to Pinestream Quilters in Upper Hutt with June whom Myra and I had visited on the way to the airport.  Thank you June for showing us through your fantastic sewing shed.  I want one!  Visit June and see her blog including her amazing scrappy quilts.  (I have some of Myra's old scraps here and am itching to sew them all together) BUT I've got to finish 1930.  It's looking gorgeous now and I'm inspired to keep going.AND I've promised to have it finished very soon. 

Saturday afternoon was Capital Quilters here in Lower Hutt.  I'm on the Committee for CQ but I didn't get there very early having had a lazy morning reading in bed!!! It was a Stitch-in being the first meeting of the year so no problem.  I don't have any hand sewing at the moment so I manned the magazine table.  We talke our unwanted magazines to the Club, they sell them 5 for $1 and the money goes to charity.  It's fabulous.  I buy some, read them and take them back next month.  Cheap entertainment.

I hope you're having a wonderful 2012 so far.  I'll post more photos on future blog posts.