Life Is Difficult ...

Hello,

My sister was admitted to TMC Wednesday afternoon (2-24).

Abdominal CT shows a large necrotic abdominal mass, grapefruit-size. It's a long story but they put in a gastric tube and are pumped her stomach contents which was full of blood and other really gross crap...

She hasn't eaten since last Thursday (best we can tell, it could be longer), she is slowly losing her mind said really bizarre things totally out of context but that could well be a side effect of starvation.

When we were in the ER (I called 911 to pick her up, she had rubber legs and couldn't remember how to work her portable oxygen tank) she was hallucinating said there were bugs on my shirt collar and cuffs...it's bad.

She can't go back home. I asked her today if she thought she could take care of herself alone and she said 'no'. I called Hospice and they are going to do an assessment today. I'm also going to check into Group Care Facilities, as well as Handmaker's nursing home and some others.

I've gathered all the bills which she stopped paying in January. I have to file a tax extension. Her toilet is leaking, the garbage disposal isn't working...it goes on.

I took the dog to the vet; he's 18. She wasn't feeding herself and the dog was half-starved. He's blind, deaf and old - Bruno is too playful and I have the pool - blind dog & pool without a fence don't mix. When I took Buddy to the vet her suggestion was euthanize, which I did with an extremely broken heart, but I can't tell my sister right now - it would be too much.

Her cancer is 'gone' per Dr. Ketchel (Oncology)... I have the pathology reports it spread a bit (but 'a bit' as far as cancer goes might as well be 'a lot'). But the surgeon, Dr. Lowell, was clear, in October '09, when he said "I got all the cancer in the area I was in". I knew then it had spread.

The hospitalist, came in to see me (I have POA) yesterday morning and when I said I didn't believe we should go through surgery she agreed. The hospitalist said "her cancer has spread to the point where doing surgery on the (large grapefruit-size) mass would be futile." I really like the Hospitalist she doesn't beat around the bush and definitely tells it like it is --> she's the first in the past year!

She has a bled and Dr. Peterson (GI) is going to run a scope today to see where it's coming from.

Your prayers would be appreciated. I knew this would come and even if one is prepared it's just hard.

The hardest part was telling our father....no one should ever have to bury a child (he'll be 94 in June and my sister is 71) and honestly it broke my heart.

I'm sure I rambled a bit and I apologize. Your prayers would be appreciated.

My Animals Are Taking Over

Have you ever thought your animals secretly speak to each other? I'm absolutely sure these two do. This isn't the first time I've caught them together...LOL

Bruno and Turbo

Earlier this morning I was cleaning my butcher block off and sat the empty bread basket down on the table. When I went to grab it a little while later the cat had taken domain...see what I mean? He was telling me the basket has definitely been taken over and he had no intentions of moving out soon...LOL

Turbo Talking

Our animals bring us smiles and ask little in return but Love, they are so huggable and loveable who can resist?

Bruno the Flying Doxie

Sewing Room ReDo

Although I didn't get much done in the way of quilting, I was productive :D  I rearranged my sewing room - it's an odd-shape room 16' long and 9' wide.  At times I feel like the walls, literally, are closing in on me especially when I sew and then want to press.

Next on my list is to take the garage over Again!  I don't remember why I moved out of that 800 sq foot room into this tiny thing...must have been a Middleheimer's moment..LoL

BEFORE

 

  

Note the ironing board at the right forefront of this picture, I had to move it out of the room when I was sewing..my cat absolutely loves the top of my ironing board.  I always have a roller near :D

AFTER

    

 

 

Essentially, in my book, I got a lot done. I wasn't feeling particularly well and didn't think sewing was in my best interest.

I have more room now between the sewing table and the ironing board, which now doesn't have to go in the dining room.

It will be so nice when I move to the garage, but I'll need help with that room so when my DD comes to visit next time...she has no clue what mom has up her sleeve.. 

  cleaning is coming early...LOL

Crazy Hearts Just in Time

Just in time for Valentine Day..

Here's a picture of the Crazy Heart pattern (blocks) we made in class today. They are trimmed up because they (get this) don't all come out the same size but average 14 to 14-1/2 inches. You lay one atop the other and cut to the smallest one...we will see.  For the borders Anna (the teacher) suggested making strips and cut the strips into say 2" pieces and then sew those together end-to-end (oh shoot, the lightbulb just went off) and for the binding make a solid color or make bias strips of all the colors, or ...whatever 'crazy' thing you want :D

They were crazy but fun, after I got over my frustration with switching because I had too many black fabrics (duh!). People used lots of color combinations - I just followed the instructions, no 'out of the box' thinking for me on this one evidently; next time I know better ... LOL

On my design board.  The other picture are the material stacks on top of the pattern.  The bumpy piles are the sewn strip pieces.  I found it was quicker and less frustrating for me to strip piece by group, rather than 1 block at a time.  Other's were making one at a time but I couldn't wrap my mind around it, too many pieces...LoL 


 

Just When I Thought .... Random Thoughts

Just when I thought I found a good substitute for the polka-dot (PD) fabric for my "Pink All Around" and as I posted on my 'What's on Your Design Wall?' blog, I saw an on-line fabric sale! 

Now...I had called the LQS, where I found a piece 'like' the original PD, desperate to see if there was at least one more piece which there was...Yea!!  I had them hold it for me and picked it up, happy as a clam that even though it wasn't 'like' the other pink it would 'work'.

Then last night I found an on-line fabric sale and guess what...lo-and-behold I found a fabric so-so close!!  And, yes I succumbed and bought some. While the background pink is a bit darker I think it will match better - and, if not, then I've got some extra PDs.

                                

Original Fabric

1st replacement







 New find !!!




Please, leave a me note and let me know which would you choose?
Scroll down a bit and click on "Links to this Post" [which will open in a new page], scroll down and leave me a Post :D

Excellence vs Perfection - Random Thoughts

I was reading through some e-mails this evening and came across the following saying.  It really made me re-think what I said about my block earlier today ... "it's not perfect."  I stopped and really thought about the words I was reading the meaning behind them, so from this point forward:

I will quilt, "reaching for excellence one block at a time".

Did this make you think twice?

Arizona 2 Star Quilt Block - Finished

I just finished the block for an on-line quilting group.  We aren't swapping blocks rather each group member makes a block using the pattern for that month.  This month I picked a star pattern as I've never made one, love them to "pieces" (pun intended) and wanted a bit of a challenge for myself.

I've been making quilt tops for a few years now; however, I've rarely worked with half-square triangles. I made some mistakes (bias...argh!) and although it's not a perfect block, it's my block and it's a learning block.  I'll never know what I'm capable if I don't try, right?

On to another project for yet another on-line quilting group using Bonnie Hunter's Crayon Box pattern, make 12 blocks by April 25, 2010...I've got time :D

What's in your oven?

Oh yes...the smell from the kitchen is wonderful!  Three loaves of banana bread, they look so pretty...DONE....going to be yummy my tummy :D

It was a dreary gray day, rained off and on and the bananas were saying 'use me' (or throw me away tomorrow..LoL) so I decided to bake.  The oven helped warm up the house. 

While the bread was baking I was working on the Arizona 2 block for an on-line group BOM.

I guess I felt rather ambicious this morning...or maybe it was just too much caffeine...either way, I got a lot done!

Design Wall Monday - NEW BLOG Address

Around 11 PM the other night, a lightbulb went off in my head !! I've been trying to figure out how to make two pages in Blogger ~ while re-reading the blooger tutorial I realized I can't make two separate pages. I must make two separate blogs...and then I said DUH!!
So, I posted the articles for "What's on Your Design Wall" to a separate blog ... the blog has moved.  Please check out the new Blog, thanks!

 http://whatsonyourdesignwall.blogspot.com/ 

In doing so, however, I mixed up the posts a bit. I'm going to go back and see if I can't back-date them so hopefully they will end up in the right order. Now, I can get back to business of sewing blocks...the house will wait. I am doing laundry in-between.

Another setback or is it an opportunity?

I got up this morning all ready to complete the PP blocks.  I pulled out all the pieces (yes, I put things away when I'm done for the day) and lo-and-behold...I didn't cut enough of one fabric and guess what ....??  I don't have enough material to finish!!

I don't truly believe in tarot cards and horoscopes but there are days when the message seems to fit the current situation, perfectly. With that said, my tarot horoscope for today says I am to have a good day...LOL

Keywords: victory, (material) success, mastery, graduation, completion
Description: The Chariot symbolizes enthusiasm, competitiveness, and triumph.
Success and victory are achieved by employing all powers at his disposal, physical, spiritual, and intellectual. The positive sides of the self, being strong and self-controlled, balancing conflicting emotions, triumphing over obstacles, and sustaining an effort, support attaining goals, thereby leading the way to transformation and self-knowledge.

I'm hoping to triumph over this obstacle (as the tarot card said) by trying to use the small piece of the one material I'm short on, cut it smaller than the PP pattern leaving just 1/4" on each side and see if that will work for me.  If not, then I guess I'll have to find another 'pink' in my limited pink stash, finish up the 3 blocks I have started and make one more velum to get 4 blocks.  That's my obstacle for the day.  I'll let you know if I succeed!

I guess I was most amazed by the fact that I didn't have enough material.  I'm a give-me-a-yard girl, usually I get 2 yards...so what happened ???