Time Out

It will soon be 4 months since I started chemo treatment and the lingering and unwelcome effects continue to haunt me so I've come to realise one just has to face it full on and decide how to manage it. So with that we decided to go for a two and half hour drive for some "time out" away from home.......

The seaside always beckons so we found a holiday house for a couple of nights away. Last night we thought we would go out for dinner but after an hour I was fading so most of my meal came home in a takeaway container so that will do for tonight! In three sleeps (and who is counting??!!), I'll be in hospital for my first lot of cancer surgery so I am also trying to keep my thoughts elsewhere. Home is always the best place and our small back area has been a sanctuary with the warmer weather. The two ficus trees are at least 20 years old and the maiden hair fern has to be even older as it belonged to my late mother......

During the past week the get well gifts have continued to flow so with all this love and support I know things are going to be okay next week and beyond. Sue made me this beautiful coat hanger covered in Morris hexagons and tucked inside the package was also a magnetic ladybird bookmark.........thankyou so much Sue x

And another package from afar from Rosie in Sydney......some Morris hand creams and I love them as they also came in a gorgeous big box that can be reused. Thankyou Rosie x

I caught up with a friend during the week who has been through the same surgery and she also presented me with even more Morris hand cream.......how wonderful....I won't run out for quite some time! The morning I was due to meet Heather I woke to an image of an angel on my curtain. At first it took me aback and I then came to realise it was the morning sun shining through some small contemporary William Morris designed stained glass pieces that I bought in the UK some years back at Red House. My meeting with Heather was quite emotional but so supportive so she truly is an angel to me.....so this was my angel sign that morning......thankyou for it all Heather x

More joy arrived in the post from Maureen. A most beautiful zippered pouch that she made and it is just the right size for a hand stitching project.........I love it and it is in my all time favourite Morris print too. And a lovely colouring in book that Larry has already got his eye on for future use. And a new diary for next year too! Just what I needed so I am hoping it is not jam packed with medical appointments next year! Thankyou Maureen x

I have a dear friend originally from the UK who now lives in the beautiful Adelaide Hills and she has the most glorious garden and is also a talented seamstress and stitcher who will often be seen in vintage style dresses that she has made herself (or that Mark her husband has found for her at vintage fairs!!). Valerie is also an "English Pre-Raphaelite Beauty" as she has long flowing red hair and a house full of Morris! In fact if you were lucky enough to get a copy of my May Morris book the photography was done in her home. I missed Valerie and Mark's visit as I had medical appointments but when I got home two huge bags were waiting for me hidden behind our birch tree. And my goodness all these gifts that she must have been collecting for ages with a card attached to each filled with thoughtful words...

There was a plant that is now hanging outside and a wonderful magazine from a mutual friend tucked in one of the bags. (Thankyou Carolyn once again x) The magazine is in my bag ready to take to hospital with me.........

Two more magazines were from Valerie and are delightful. They are so very British and when I looked online I found out it is the longest running UK ladies's magazine dating back to 1885! The vintage covers are very "Valerie"!......and some books to add to my reading list and a delicious smelling soap.......

Also tucked inside the bags was this gorgeous figurine called 'Everyday Blessings' and she is adorned in a very Morris like pattern........I certainly feel very blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support. Valerie also knows how much I love my nightly soak so this will be most welcome when I can once again enjoy that little pleasure. And as well as all this I unwrapped the most glorious book full of Pre-Raphaelite letters and pictures......Larry has enjoyed looking at it too. Thankyou for it all Valerie x

So I think my birthdays and Christmases have all come at once for many years to come! I decided some time back that I couldn't be bothered putting up the Christmas tree this year as it might be difficult to pack up after surgery but I succumbed! We knew that the family were coming to visit last weekend so I thought maybe the youngest members might like to help. Well the boys were busy doing boy things so dear Maisie did it on her own! And what a fabulous job she did too. So now it feels like Christmas at home.............

It is nice to get the candle spinning reindeers (no idea what it is really called!), out while remembering where I purchased them in Finland back in 2010. And Emily found this lovely gold reindeer planter for me complete with a miniature poinsettia......

We will be heading home again tomorrow from our two nights away but today we decided to visit the "local" quilt shop - Heart and Soul Patchwork and Larry always needs to visit the bakery!! When I arrived  I received the most enormous heartfelt hug from Michelle (with two "L's"!!) who owns the shop and Covid or No Covid hugs are the very best.....thankyou Michelle xx. Her shop is in a charming old building in the Main Street of Minlaton on Yorke Peninsula and it is full of treasures......even William Morris mugs! It is worth the visit and if we lived nearby I know I would be in there often. It also has a great workspace out the back and Larry popped in to have a look and he was impressed too!........

The garden will be ready for a water when we get home but we are supposed to get a little rain soon? The first flush of roses have all but gone and one or two bushes are showing the second flush but their blooms are much smaller. I do miss having vases of them inside and just recently I came across these blooms in a local gift shop. I just had to have them but only bought two stems as they were a little pricey. But I did go back for a third as one really should have an odd number??!! I am told this is a rule when embroidering so maybe it is with floral arranging too! I am not really one for artificial flowers but these are just so life like and I can enjoy them all year round. So over and out for now and next post will be after my first lot of surgery so onwards and upwards as they say! Take care wherever you are and thanks for dropping by x

Bees, bears and blessings

 Well I've snuck this post in before my recent posts that seem to be running 3 weeks apart.... so the first news is that chemotherapy is now on hold! I was hoping to be jumping with energy and renewed vigour but from what I've been told chemo takes at least 6 months (and often 12), before one feels "normal" whatever that is! I am disappointed with the lingering nausea and never ending fatigue but I have been stitching again so that is a good sign! A few more simple quilt tops for charity and beautifully bound and quilted by Faye...

Unfortunately I also had to have another two blood transfusions so hopefully that is all I will need before my first lot of surgery on December 7th. I continue to be in awe of blood donors who so willingly donate for the benefit of others like me.......blessings indeed. The other blessings I've received since my last post continue to embarrass me but I am grateful for such thoughtful support sometimes coming from afar. It was very exciting to receive two special gifts all the way from Canada! Our friends Paul and Penny were supposed to be meeting us in the UK last month for the William Morris tour but of course that didn't happen. Paul and Penny have maple trees on their property and Paul taps his own sap and produces this liquid gold. So to receive two bottles in the mail filled me with excitement and joy and we were so grateful they made it after many weeks enroute. The package was also opened and repacked by border control and customs twice..............

Paul had also emailed this image a few weeks ago of their glorious Autumn colours and he informed me that the maple on the left is the one that he tapped.........

We also love seeing photos of their property but how about these??! Penny had only just walked the same walk an hour or so before this bear was caught on their surveillance camera and then again one night....

And this lovely image we received today of Penny strolling through their first snow. Thankyou Penny and Paul xx...we are blessed to know you after years of exchanging emails before we finally met in person............

Also from Canada I received an extraordinary monetary gift from Jocelyn who has a blog - Canadian Needle Nana. I was overwhelmed and embarrassed but she said she would have made an anonymous donation if I had had a Go Fund Me page so instead an international cheque arrived. I found it difficult to accept such generosity from someone who I have never met in person, but I have graciously thanked her and said we will put it towards a holiday when I am through the other side of this current health detour. Jocelyn is also experiencing her first snow and this beautiful image was displayed on her last post of their beautiful property.......thankyou Jocelyn for your blessings x........

I am still blessed each day with images from my friend's garden and the hoyas are particularly stunning.......

Just yesterday a beautiful bee turned up in the mail from a friend......a bee to wear on my wrist and not only is this something gorgeous to wear but part funds from purchases go to saving bees as well - a win, win so thank you Vicki x.......

Coincidentally I spied these bee earrings a few weeks ago that I just had to have so bees remain a special passion........

Last week I heard Larry invite a delivery person indoors which I thought was unusual, but this delivery was a from person who is a friend of an interstate quilter that I met some years back. How clever to get her Adelaide friend to purchase these lovely plants for our garden. Corrie has been emailing me for years so another blessing that has come my way....thankyou Corrie x The hydrangea is in a new pot and thriving and the rose will be put in the garden very soon......what an appropriate name for the rose too......

I've also been blessed with some stunning peonies that brought much joy for well over a week. I adore peonies and it was lovely watching them open...........

Thankyou one and all for all these blessings as I travel this difficult time in my life. I am so grateful to have Larry by my side and his patience and support is phenomenal apart from not being willing to jab me with a needle each day!! We are suffering a bit from "cabin fever" but then half the world are with Covid lockdowns but we do go for drives when I feel up to it....and the occasional walk........

2020 has certainly been a year we would like to forget and just last Friday I received news that my 57 year old younger brother had been admitted to hospital with chest pain. He had sustained a heart attack with no history and previously a very active pushbike rider. So yesterday he underwent life saving double by-pass heart surgery so we have both faced our mortality. Sadly no visitors are allowed so I can't imagine how terrified he must have been. The night after we got the news we were blessed with a rainbow at the end of the street.....its time like this that the simple things mean so much. I wish you all many rainbows and blessings from our house to yours........