With Gratitude

Hi everybody, I'm back :) I can't believe it's been a week today since the surgery, it seems like ages. Everything went very well, and I thank you all again for your positive thoughts and prayers. The cancer was confirmed as being in an early stage, and radiation will not be necessary (yea!) I have a row of gleaming staples running from navel to groin, but everything is healing as it should. When you have a health issue, it is amazing how your world shrinks to the management of tiny things. Becoming so helpless is very humbling, and I can only be grateful for the excellent care I have received.

My Easter weekend was very quiet as I was newly home from the hospital, but I did have several visitors and received some very nice get well wishes. Jen sent me a lovely postcard in soothing colors and Marlene sent me an exciting little packet of embellishments. I have also received many emails and good wishes, and I am overwhelmed and grateful.

In our living room, which is quiet and centrally located, there is a lovely window bed which is the perfect spot for rest and recovery. It is actually a huge window seat which we have outfitted with an extra long twin mattress and it has served us well over the years as an extra sleeping niche for guests. It is flanked on two sides by ceiling height book cases, and so it makes the perfect reading and napping nook. Proximity to the window gives a lovely view of the sky and the neighbor's lush avocado grove. From that spot I can also see the huge picture window across the front of the house. The trees we planted on the half acre slope in front give privacy and a beautiful green view. Right now we have plum, apple, orange and cherry trees all in fragrent bloom.

I am feeling a little stronger every day, and I am happy and grateful to be home.

My next art quilt?

It has been a busy weekend. My surgery is not until this afternoon, so I will go off to the hospital around 11 am. I expect to be in about 4 or 5 days, and I doubt I will have any time with the computer. This weekend I spent some fun time with family and did lots of errands. By late Sunday afternoon I was filled with nervous energy that had me doing yard work and cleaning the house like a madwoman. At one point Jerry looked at Andy (our son) and said "Your mother is possessed". Relaxation tapes just weren't doing the trick anymore.

I also spent a little time with the sketchbook and have three possibilities for projects when I get home. I am hoping that I will feel well enough during my recovery to spend a lot of time creating. I like these three, so at least one of them should make a jumping off point for my next art quilt.

From Gerrie, A Quilt For Healing

Gerrie has been kind enough to loan me her quiltlet for inspiration and healing. It was made for her when she was facing the challenge of breast cancer last year. When I unwrapped it, I just sat down and cried for a minute, overwhelmed by the love and strength of its message. I'm not sure I have the words to say how much this means to me. Thank you Gerrie from the bottom of my heart.

Wow, it has been a busy week. Still more medical stuff and endless paperwork to prepare for absence from work. I rather naively thought a few days back that it was going to be simple. Everything is fine, there's just a lot more bureaucratic nonsense than I expected. I had to run around town, file this, file that. I'm off to work shortly, my last working day for six weeks.

My neice and her family are in town for two weeks and there will be a big family gathering this weekend. It will be great to be with everyone and fun to see the youngest family members. I can't think of a better way to spend my last day before surgery, which will be Monday, 1pm Pacific time. Thanks for all your prayers and positive energy for healing.

Thank you Shirley

What a lovely treat arrived in the mail! A pretty card, terrific postcard and hand dyed "striped" fabric from Shirley in New Zealand. These are all so special. Thank you so much!

Today was a fun lunch and sewing day with quilting friends, always one of my favorite things to do. The sun was shining and it was just a beautiful day. Carla made a wonderful chicken pasta salad and green salad, along with freshly baked herb bread. To top it off, there were some very good homemade cookies for dessert. Yum! We spent the afternoon relaxing and chatting and generally forgetting about anything else we had to take care of. When I got home tonight, Jerry was just in the process of heating some leftovers for dinner, so with the addition of a nice salad we were good to go. All in all, a very fine and relaxing day.