Tisket a Tasket - October

Wow, I can’t believe it’s time for another block!  I don’t know where the time has gone.  Well…yes I do and I’ll tell you about it after I show you this darling block.   So fun to do in wool too.   By now, you know the drill about heading over to Anne’s blog to get the pattern.  Only 2 more blocks left to go! 

  I think we’re going to look for sashing fabric while we’re at Market, right Anne?

So, on to the reason for my absence.   I won’t go into ALL the details but first want to thank you all who have emailed me to ask about my Mom or to tell me that I’ve been missed.   I really appreciate you all.  Bloggers are just the best!

As you know from a previous post, my Mom got “cellulitis” in her legs and was admitted to the hospital.   While there, she developed a blood clot in her thigh.   She was then treated for that but began getting very weak.   (You need to know that she is 89 years young, and prior to the cellulitis, she played golf 3 times/wk, line dancing 2 times/wk, tai chi, daily walks and….get this…20 minutes on the Nordic Track.   Lived alone in her own house and still drove everywhere.  Now she can’t even get herself up from a sitting position and has to walk with a walker.)

Anyway, after 2 weeks in the hospital, and then 2-1/2 weeks in a skilled nursing facility, she was able to come home but needed 24 hour care.   I provided that for a week until she had to be readmitted because of anemia and loss of blood.  Where was all her blood going?   That was the $64,000 question.    After doing an Upper GI, 2 CatScans, an MRI and Xrays, they still don’t have a definitive answer.  

An oncologist was called in and suspects that she may have “blood cancer”.   Not really sure what that is…and they say they won’t really know until it manifests itself.   If anyone out there knows anything about this…let me know.  

We had arranged 24 hour care for her in her home right before the last admission.  I was supposed to be going to Emma’s 3rd B’day celebration in Seattle, but thought I better stay in Sacto.   My Mom and brother both insisted that I go to Seattle and after much prodding from both of them, I went ahead and left her in the care of her Drs and my brother, telling them that I could hop right back on a plane and come back if needed.   She stayed in the hospital another week and then came home and, for now, has a caregiver she really likes.   

I have to say that if any of you are caregivers or know someone who is, you have my utmost admiration and respect.   It is an incredibly hard job and so very stressful.   Kudos to you!

Now, on to the party.  Emma turned 3 and she wanted a “pinkalicious” party in the park.   She got her wish.  Here she is, swinging at her pinana… Yep, that’s what she calls it.  

We gave her a pink laptop and some fun dress-up clothes and shoes.

 

She wasn’t feeling very well on her b’day.  She’d had a nasty cold and fever AND….decided to share it with…ME!   Isn’t she sweet?   I’m sure I was ripe for any bug to invade my body!   I think it was the worst cold I’ve ever had.   We came home last Monday and I literally didn’t get out of bed until Thursday!   I’m on the mend now and really looking forward to going to Quilt Market with Anne on Wednesday.    After we get back from that, I’ll be heading back to Sacramento to my Mom’s. 

While I was at my Mom’s, I worked on lots of new projects for Anne. (She’s got some wonderful new patterns debuting at Market). What a godsend that was.   I took my sewing machine and supplies and Anne provided me with all the materials.  I didn’t have to make any decisions…I just sewed for her.   It was such therapy, I can’t even begin to tell you.    I would sew when my Mom was sleeping and it would help ease my tensions. 

I did get to work on 2 blocks of my Wool Garden too.

 

Look…we’re almost done!   Thanks Karen for your wonderful choices of cottons n wool!  And, by the way, I can’t wait to see you at Market!

So, that’s about it for me.  If you’ve stuck with me thru this whole post (a really long one for me), thank you.    It’s been a trying time, to say the least but we’ll all get through it.

I can’t end this without showing you a picture of the cutest little guy you’ve ever seen.   I call him “Mr. Happy”.   Our little guy, Mason, is now 4 months old!  He just makes me smile.

Being a Grammy is just the best!