so many gifts

first the gift of another birthday.....always grateful for each and every one.

all the other gifts are from the army of caregivers who got me thru this recent medical crisis...so many went above and beyond using training, skills, over-and-above compassion and patience...keeping me as comfortable as possible, orchestrating care and follow up across state lines, getting me ready to fly, fixing many night-time mini crises and comforting barrels of tears, many many prayers along the way....angels every one.

still housebound tethered to the wound vac leash, finally making steady healing progress, finally able to see beyond the hardest part. nurse says halfway home!  God is good all the time even when His plan is known only to Him.  things slowly going south in the complex....more pot smoking doubly dangerous to me now.  devastated...like how do i get into these unsafe places?  

birthday surprise

it isn't until wednesday but i justified it was needed.....

a blue purse for essentials has been on my want list awhile and getting a package that wasn't medical supplies seemed a good idea....and it will take the place of the wound vac at some point.  this is from portland leather and much more reasonable than dooney or coach.  

another good report from friday wound change....all indications are should be free of the machine and leash sooner than first quoted.  so thankful for millions of prayers offered on my behalf and for a God who answers...have a blessed day....PS hunt and peck typing with 2 hands now!!!

slow and steady

 it seems as if madame arm is now in full healing mode...still months to go but all caregivers declare healing in progress, wound clean and pink....

see how pink the entire hand is now when previously swollen and quite purple....the bandage has been abbreviated a bit as well and pain with dressing changes down a bit...

i showed this gift before but now i have plenty of time to read in depth....i do not yet have mojo to tackle any projects right now...

once my fine motor grip and strength improves some i should be able to get back to sewing....i am a lefty thank goodness!   

quick update

after 4 weeks, 4 different hospitals, several ER visits, tests, scans, am finally home now.  wound vac back on monday for what i am hoping is the smooth road to recovery without interruption.  while i know many suffer much more, this has drained me physically, emotionally and yes tested my faith a bit.  but once rested and nutritionally solid again, will be ready to take it on.   a shower and shampoo today was the best beginning.  all medical people say it looks very good. healing evident and very pink.  my right hand is nearly all pink and all fingers move freely. so very thankful to all caregivers north and south.   prayers still needed to keep spirits up coping with limitations and for transportation to various appointments...and i will paraphrase here..."i thank my God for you..."  can add in my daughter struggling with annoying health issue herself......blessings!

The un-vacation

 Arrived in maine july 22nd, whisked off to ER with spontaneous bleed right arm....thank you coumadin!   A few more ER visits and finally transfer to maine medical center for immediate surgery...thankful a very skilled team saved my arm function...remained there 8 more days with some annoying setbacks, finally cleared to return to MD.  One more ER visit and now hopeful for uneventful, lengthy recovery with skin graft ahead...discouraged, disappointed, yes depressed and dejected...no beach, family fun, lobster, day trips or quilt show.  Aside from heart surgery, MD has not been kind...even my daughter has some chronic issues that seem to defy resolving...so MD has not been kind to either of us.  So more life adjustments with likely jump in insurance premiums...very disconsoling after herculean efforts to improve quality of life...Has shaken but not broken my faith...God sees the tears and hears the cries...i have no answers only that He will get me thru and has a purpose...and i hope that includes some fun for a change...

Two for Two

the two solids tops made in june have a home!  both went to the friday group to finish and donate to the vets' hospice...the bright solids top has gone home with someone to add borders but i can show you the finished top of the plaid triangles...

it has now gone home with the quilter for finishing...added the simple squares border of the sewing table pile that hadn't got put away yet...good thing...the peeps seemed to like it, proclaiming it ideal for our project.  

aside from working on 'wildest dreams' this week, spent two days with a friend making stockings for her church's holiday fair.  she originally planned to make 5, but might as well make 20 i said...she gasped a bit but teamwork got it done....

she was kind enough to pick me up and serve me lunch both days, and we both declared a job well done.  it delights me to share my talents with others for worthy causes; thanks be to God for his provision of my abilities!  

other than this bit of sewing progress, mostly stayed inside out of oppressive heat, did some house chores and cooking.  our building had 2 deaths last week who actually lived across the hall from each other, so 2 long-waiting individuals will be joining us soon.  

we have a newish tenant with a connection to free produce, and the other day he arrived with about 12 boxes of various items, most welcome.  unfortunately, a certain few took advantage but thankfully the manager saw and spoke to them.  they seem to have little regard for others in the building, which rankles many and rightly so. 

anyway another cloudy day, sporadic rain and thunder showers i guess but still hot...so what else but keep cool and sew on!  

chookshed challenge met

 it doesn't seem like much but did meet the challenge to get the first row done....

this is the middle center row, 3 more top and bottom....all hand pieced, which does take some time but no rush on this...summer isn't over yet and plenty more blistering days ahead to sew....

other than 'alaska' not too much going on.  one of my old throw pillows needed a wash and ran it thru but got damaged...the fabrics were given to me and came from the ex's grandmother, the sewist in the family.  both sides were patchwork, so did my best to rescue with an orphan block....

brother #2 and one of his sons, soon to be mustered out of USAF, took a trip to see this....it's the USAF 50th anniversary quilt....really pleased he thought of  me and sent it along....this nephew is a twin, his brother in the USN....couldn't be more proud of their service to our country....my dad would have been busting with pride.  

one of the blogs i follow is www.quiltinspiration.com....along with a gazillion free patterns in a multitude of categories, she often features quilts seen in her travels.  this week it's been modern quilts and she posted this recently....

made by sue erdreich...it's off the bright meter chart but wow, so exciting.  not something i'd attempt but it is gorgeous in my book.  can't you just imagine it hanging in a large, well lit space?  yowza!!!

another week of summer...did manage a few nights with windows open but not for long.  now that my challenge is complete, the remainder of july will be working on 'dreams'....a christmas stocking work day coming up and hoping to complete all 20.  spent half a day sorting the baggie of christmas scraps and there is enough for a christmas top the group can sell.  also, we just got another request for more lap/twin quilts for the vets' hospice...reminds me of the excellent care my mom got so i am more than happy to contribute.  summer nearly 2/3rds over, at least the worst of it...so keep cool and quilt on!

scraps revisited

the friday holiday was an uber sewing day for me...remember that baggie of christmas scraps?  pulled them out, sorted by precut squares (4.5"), biggie scraps, smallest unsuitable for my purpose and others used for strips.  got 5 stockings done to the point of adding cuff, lining and hangers. 

had so many santa scraps, made 2 with just those scraps.  my co-sewist has the other 15 waiting for backs, lining, cuff and hangers.  a sewing day is planned to get them all done. 

then, took the precut squares and pieces that could be cut for a scrappy top for the center to sell.  not nearly enough squares, so assembled some from the gazillion 1.5" strips left from the stockings.  

 

enough christmas!!  pulled out the 'alaska' project.  here's the layout of the blocks...still far to go but did finish another baggie of 4 blocks.   

the center block.  the next 2 baggies will finish the center row, which hoping to have by end of july.  would consider that significant progress albeit not anywhere near finished.

this is entirely hand pieced and will be hand quilted of course....other than this sewing, not much shaking here in 90s maryland...this week more vacay prep with haircut, cleaning fridge, mail my quilt off to maine quilts...this week really must get back to quilting 'dreams'....

counting my blessings and paying homage to this genius....

Three Cheers!!!

for the red, white and blue....

ignore the politics, blustery rhetoric, partisan wranglings and just bask in the freedoms and the sacrifice of those who have made them possible for nearly 250 years....researching my ancestry gave me a greater appreciation of ordinary people who did extraordinary things to protect their livelihood that led to the formation of our republic.  they could not have imagined where their actions would lead.  hoping you take a moment to reflect on all that independence means and how important it is to preserve a government of the people, by the people and for the people....

be patient disgruntled and dissatisfied Americans...from ev'ry mountainside, let freedom ring!  

a new challenge!

 

Deana has selected item #9 for the July challenge....my #9 is designing a small whole cloth quilt and getting it going--however, since i am struggling to finish 'wildest dreams', swapped #9 for #1 which is....

A is for Alaska....a gorgeous pattern by Edyta Sitar...was gifted the templates and i've got the pieces cut and sorted into baggies...a project that needs attention!

the baggies are stuffed into a project bag...it's the perfect take along project...i know it won't be anywhere near the flimsy stage, but if i can finish a few of the block baggies (4 to each), that'll certainly be progress...

since it's now officially july and the hottest maryland month, have been working on those christmas stockings for the church fair...my homework is to complete 5 before next meeting, july 11th...

in the baggie of scraps were several twosies and hoping there are enough scraps to make a couch throw the center can finish and sell...at some point it should get cooler here....

and will close with a chuckle for you...

Be cool and sew on!