My best friend

On Sunday, Sept 12, 2010 my husband Daniel passed away. At 10:00 a.m. I went to the hospital, he must have been waiting for me to be with him, at 10:30 a.m. he was gone.

I thank you all for your prayers and thoughts during the past weeks, Friday, is going to be a difficult day, so I need your help to get through that day.

Patricia

Not much sewing being done

Last Thursday, was the first day in a month, I did not visit OH in the hospital. My youngest daughter helped with his lunch and he had a number of friends visit in the afternoon, so he really didn't miss me too much. My eldest daughter and granddaughter #2 went shopping for a dress to wear to granddaughter #1's wedding next month. All three of us were successful and very happy with our purchases.

OH has been in hospital now for 4 1/2 weeks and is currently on another 21 day course of antibiotics, if this doesn't solve his health issues there is not much else that can be done. The prognosis is not good and he will not be coming home.

I am working on the English paper piecing hexagons in the evening, I find the mindless stitching relaxes me. Not much progress is being made however, eventually I will have enough done to start putting them together.

The International Ploughing Match is fast approaching and all the quilts that were in the competition in May have to be taken to the quilt committee by Sept 15. I delivered mine on Monday.

Fall is certainly in the air, cool nights, the leaves on the trees have a hint of colour, the Mums in my garden are starting to open up, and all of the plants that have been blooming are starting to look very tired.

Gotta go,
Patricia

Retail Therapy

Yesterday, a friend called to see if I wanted to go out for lunch. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of months so we had a lot to talk about. We had a nice couple of hours. Afterwards, I needed to take my library books back and get a couple of new ones, and also do a couple of errands. Then decided that some retail therapy was in order, so went to a fabric shop, of course, picked up five more batik fabrics for the Orange Peel workshop that one of our guild members has organized for Nov.
Had a quick dinner, and up to visit OH at the hospital. As of today, he has been in there for 18 days, and no indication as to when or if he will be coming home. Monday he had a problem with very, very low blood pressure, Tuesday was a day when he could not keep much on his stomach. I gave him a bed bath last night, the nurses use the premoistened cloths, they serve the purpose for the time being but, give me good old soap and water with a cloth to freshen someone properly. I had to ask a nurse to find a wash basin!! I used his shower gel and several bowls of water and he said he felt a lot better. He is getting so thin, he looks like one of those starving children from a third world country, at the beginning of the year he was over 200 lbs.
Leaving the hospital last night at 8:20 p.m. I have to drive in a easterly direction to get home. Just above the trees was the most beautiful big yellow full moon, and no camera with me.
Hope everyone is have a great day.
Patricia

Orange Peel Quilt

The majority of the members of our guild have enrolled in a Orange Peel workshop, our first session will be held in November. It's going to be a challenge for me as I have never done anything like this before. Last night several members got together to show the fabrics they will be using. Three of the "girls" present, including me, are using batiks, another Kaffe Fassett fabrics, others are raiding their stash. Our next regular meeting is next month so I am sure others will be showing their fabric choices then.

The city I live in and surrounding area are under a boil water advisory due to low levels of
E. coli being found at the sampling station last night. Do you know how many times you automatically turn on your tap during the day? I lost count, but I did attached a colourful elastic band on the faucet, just to remind me not to use the water. Hey, don't laugh, you do what you have to do. It is an inconvenience having to boil water for a minute prior to using it for everything that goes into your mouth. It makes you appreciate the fact that we can turn on the tap (under normal circumstances) for all of the water we use.

I had to go to the grocery store today, no fish, no deli meat, no meat other than what was packaged prior to the advisory, and no fresh vegetables. Are we spoiled or what. There was bottled water stacked all over the store.Patricia

Asters

I picked myself a posy of asters from the garden this afternoon, the colours are beautiful, what do you think?

OH is improving, he has been very confused, two of the things that did not make sense at lunch time - "did I know that Elvis has just died" and the black cat got up on his bed again". He will be having infected fluid removed from his leg tomorrow, after several days of postponing it due to him not being up to it.

The pneumonia is improving, but now he has "C-dif" which is short form, for a very contagious case of the back door trots, it is a result of all the antibiotics in his system killing all of the good biotic and the bad ones have taken over. Visitors have to wear a gown and gloves to enter his room. Hope this round of antibiotics don't put him over the edge again.

I took three hours and visited my Mum yesterday, her 93rd birthday.

Gotta go.

Patricia

Not a very good week....

I am not having a very good week, on Sunday I had to get the ambulance to take OH to hospital and it has gone down hill since then. Yesterday, being the worst day of all.

Things are a bit better today, and I am now at home for a couple of hours to regroup and get some lunch.

I am glad that I had some paper piecing prepared as I have been doing a bit while at the hospital.

This is what I have done so far, the picture is a bit washed out, but you get some idea of the colours.

Patricia

Two UFO's completed.....

.......finally completed the birth announcement and quilt for my great grandson and his is only 4 1/2 months old!!!!

His room is decorated with animals found in Africa, so thought this fabric was appropriate. The second picture is a close up of the fabric.

At one of our guild meetings in the Spring, we had a guest speaker that brought stamps and fabric paints so that we could all try our hand at making some samples. I used a giraffe and some leaf stamps. Now what do I do with them? I made a birth announcement for the same GGS. Thanks for looking.

Patricia