It's Spring and time for a catch up 😃

 I received my Spring newsletter this morning from a South Australian author that I follow: Tricia Stringer. I always look forward to her correspondence that is full of life's highs and lows but sprinkled with joy and delicious recipes as well. So it prompted me to do this post to you our friends, quilters and Morris devotees far and wide. So maybe this is also our Spring chat and we will come back when Summer starts. It is almost three months since I last posted and an awful lot has happened. I might get over the "low" side of it first and finish with some "highs".   The daffodils will give you a hint as to what is to follow.......

Just over 5 weeks ago we were given the news that Larry has bladder and kidney cancer. The specialist told us it is "complicated" and has continued to use that term ever since! Larry has had four procedures under anaesthetic in the last month and 10 days ago two surgeons spent a very long and unexpected seven and half hours operating on him. We were told it would take three hours and they didn't start until 6pm as that was the only time both surgeons were available, so it was a very long night for me sitting by the phone. Apparently it is very rare to have two different primary cancers at the same time so it has been a rather challenging time. We are being optomistic and know we are in good hands. It is almost four years to the day that I too was diagnosed with cancer and I can completely empathise with Larry knowing it will be a long and challenging 12 months or more of procedures and treatments ahead. Larry has two more stints in hospital over the next week and then in six weeks he will start immunotherapy. So together we will face what is ahead putting on a brave smile and taking it one day at a time. We are so grateful for family and special friends and were extra grateful for our son in law Brett's cooking skills....what a thoughtful thing to do for us so the freezer is now full of nutritious meals......

Larry received some very special cards including these handmade ones from Beau and Maisie and take an extra look at Maisie's words.....so precious and they certainly say it as it is......

So that is the low part so on with the "highs". Larry actually had a very special birthday back in June and I am so glad we didn't know what was ahead......

Maisie also had a birthday in July and being school holidays she spent it with her best friend and cousin Wade. They are all growing so fast and Beau is now 5 feet 6 inches and way above me and he's only twelve.....

 

I've kept myself busy as it is good for the mind and I've become quite obsessed with making these wool felt bears from a designer on Etsy that you can see here: Amuru toys. They have made great gifts for special people.....

I also found a lovely owl pattern that I reduced in size and gave to a special nurse in hospital. You can find that pattern here: My Felt Room

We've also had the SA Quilters annual quilt show in July. I haven't entered a quilt for over ten years but this year decided to enter as it was the 40th anniversary with a theme of Red. Larry actually decided on what I should make using William Morris' Brer Rabbit pattern that he also produced in red and white. I was chuffed to receive a 1st place and we took Maisie and Wade to see it all......

I've also been stitching goodies for our Local Red Cross branch to sell at our fund raising events.....

Our small friendship quilt group are always busy and I made a doll/teddy themed quilt for one of our members for an event coming up for her. I've also finished quilting several quilts for palliative care and completed the pelican quilt designed by Julie Haddrick that one of our members never finished before she died. That is now going to be a prize in the Red Cross raffle.......

One of our group had a sale many years ago when she was downsizing and moving and I bought one of her woollen wall hangings that I am embarrassed to say has languished in a cupboard for many years. As we all get older there seems to always be things we need to get rid of and I really didn't want to get rid of this quilt. Having no room on the walls I decided to cut the hanging up and I had just enough to make each of our group a small zippered purse. So we all have a little bit of Lessa's handiwork that is in Morris' words..... useful and beautiful......

I've been planning in my mind which special things I will leave for the grandchildren so I had a talented woodworking friend make me these beautiful memory boxes. I will fill them with photos, letters and special trinkets and memories from our lives and their great grandparent's lives. I was so thrilled with how they turned out.....

I will leave you with some images of a local florist's window in a nearby shopping centre that we saw some weeks back. Mr Morris seems to pop up all over the place! Until my Summer post take good care........