Overcome with Sadness

Again, I turned away from the computer and the following post was just a draft. I must post this, not so much for those who may read, but for myself. I am still so sad. So angry. So depressed. Will try to get back to water aerobics this week, if I can drag myself out of bed at 5am.!!

I have come to write several times this week, and turn away from the computer. I am overcome with grief and despair, wrapped up in guilt and anger.  On Monday, my mother passed away after nearly 90 years on this earth. She missed her 90th birthday by 1 month and 5 days. I was holding her hand as she make her hard journey from her earthly home to her heavenly home.  The last 2 years had seen her not so gradual decline of her body. So hard for those of us who love her, hardest for her. The undignified happenings of immobility, loss of body functions, and just plain old age. She maintained her stoic Norwegian demeanor until the very last. "I'm OK" were probably her last words spoken to my baby brother about 2 weeks ago.

The burden of arrangements, funeral and gatherings have fallen upon my sister and brother, as they live in our hometown. My baby brother and I live hours away, making it hard to "be there". Therein lies my guilt. I want to be there too, but have obligations at home in these next few days. We have moved my mother-in-law from her home to a retirement center in our town. So now we have added responsibilities, financial and physical.

I am still trying to read Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. It is a great story, but a large heavy book. Everytime I start to read, I get sleepy.  Almost done listening to Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I am enjoying it too, have been following along with a paper copy. That is fun, to hear and read the old English words. I am determined to get back to being ME.   !!!!

Mailbox Monday - July 16th

Mailbox Monday is on tour for the month of July at Mrs. Q: Book Addict.

Last week in my mailbox I received a copy of BETRAYAL by Michele Kallio. It was a giveaway on Goodreads from the author.  I am really looking forward to reading it. The author asked me to do a book review and I am looking forward to doing that, but a bit apprehensive about it. 

Lydia Hamilton was a modern woman,happily in love and living in Canada...until the nightmares. Following the death of her father, Lydia begins dreaming of places and people she doesn't know. When she closed her eyes, she sees a bloodied, severed head. The images are confusing and unclear, but she knows one thing for sure: something bad happened a long time ago. And why only now have the dreams begun.?                   

This week our son is visiting from Arizona. We enjoy having him here with us, even if it for just a short time. The end of the week, I am attending a State Quilt Guild gathering. I am taking 2 classes. One from a local teacher ( a lunch bag that makes into a place mat) and one from a national teacher (adding pieced borders to a quilt).I am looking forward to both classes and the time to fellowship with friends from around our state. I hope to even get some quiet time to read.  Wouldn't that be nice.? 

Oh My Gosh!!!!

Where have the last 8 days gone?  I have been too too busy!  Tuesday this week, I had a regular Quilt Guild meeting, a meeting for our area Quilt Show, planned for October, a rescheduled Stitchin' Club picnic and a regular monthly meeting of our GWRRA group!!  Whew, I made them all, just not for the whole meetings. !! Did I get pictures ??? not a single one. !  What in the world was I thinking.

Tomorrow I must finish cutting my 5" squares for my class at Quilt Wyoming next weekend. And get at least one friendship block completed!.

We had a tiny scare with my MIL today. Her blood levels were off according to the nurse and the doctors. She is on a blood thinner. So they took her off til her reg  appt next Friday.. She is feeling well, just noticing bruising etc.

I am still trying to listen to Wuthering Heights and read Fall of Giants.  Both of them I am enjoying.  Also got my giveaway win book in the mail.  Will tell you more about that on Mailbox Monday.  

First Tuesday in July/ July 4th Rolled into One

I have been away from my computer for a while.  We spent most of last week cleaning out my mother-in-law's house and moved her to an assisted living facility nearer to us. She was in a very bad situation and we needed to act quickly. It was a monumental task. She is settled now in her apartment. We are dealing with the next large project of changing all addresses and automatic payments and deposits. Phone calls, some easy, some very difficult.
When I got back home and logged on to Goodreads, there was a message that I had won a giveaway of

BETRAYAL  by Michele Kallio. It was such a nice surprise after a stressful week. I am really looking forward to reading this new novel. She asked me to do a review and I will give it my best shot. I have never done a review before, but am anxious to learn how.

 Now is the holiday week, 4th of July here in the US and tomorrow we will take in the local parade.  They have cancelled the regular fireworks display in our city. We have 15 fires burning in Wyoming as of tonight. Very Serious.
Next week our son visits for part of a week, from Arizona and the next weekend I will attend our State Quilt Guild annual gathering in Sheridan Wyoming.  I plan to have lots of pictures to share.

I am still reading A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. It is very good.  I also checked out the audio edition of Wuthering Heights. I have not read it in the past. I am looking forward to listening to it.

I will let you know what I think of it.

Snapshot Saturday - Ancient Tree

Saturday Snapshot

is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.

Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

This tree is located at Montezuma Castle in Arizona. We visited Arizona in December and January. We loved the weather there that time of year. I really like the looks of this ancient old tree. It's standing tall and fairly straight, unlike me who feels ancient and time and can't stand straight and tall. 

Summer Reading Challenge-No Mailbox Loot - Finished Quilt

I have joined a Summer Reading Challenge hosted by  Reading Writers . Yesterday, Sunday, I read #1. An unfamiliar genre. I picked one REALLY outside my comfort zone.  Graphic Fiction.  A friend loaned me a copy of Tales of the Vampires ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic #2). My kids watched Buffy on TV when it was on and I thought,"how bad can it be?"  Well, I can tell you.....it is bad!!!! I read it, but it was awful. Not so scary or horrific as stupid and pointless.  All I can say is 1 down 7-9 to go. Hopefully I'll make it to the bonus titles. If not by August, I will continue as they are titles I want to read.

I don't get books in my Mailbox unless I order them, and I am trying to read what I already have on my TBR shelf. So I don't have a Mailbox Monday today. Mr. Busy mowed the lawn this morning before it got hot. I did a bit of trimming, then we ran some errands. Bought a birthday card for our brother-in-law. Not that he isn't worth it, but yikes the card was $7.95. It was one of those singing types. Then it required another $1.95 to mail it because it was over the 1/4" depth limit of the USPS. Like I said, he worth the 10 bucks, but you no longer can send "just a card" and feel guilty!!!  Also mailed the quilt to DGD in Colorado.

The quilting was done by a friend and it is awesome. All batiks, some have leaves, some ferns, some geese, elk and evergreen trees. The colors are blues and browns. It is a design called Shadowbox from Mountain Peak Creations, in Centennial Colorado. I love it and I hope she does too.


Until next time
Stay Busy and Stay Happy
Judy

Single Sunday

This is the quilt for my grand-daughter, Kelsey. She requested blues and browns, and when I saw the fabric I thought of Colorado and hoped it would help remind her of her hometown, as she travels around the country. It was custom quilted by a friend and she did an awesome job, as usual.

Today I will spend by myself. Mr. Busy is gone to a "fly-in". He flies RC controlled airplanes and is with friends in a neighboring state. Then he will visit his mother for an hour or so. 

I am going to finish reading "Love in the Time of Cholera". It is a difficult read as it is a translation. I think "somethings get lost in translation" or at least made more difficult to understand. The story is compelling though, even if some of the wording seems frivolous. 

I hope also to be able to get to my sewing room and gather some supplies for Quilt Wyoming in July. I have several other projects started, so I can work on them too. 

Until next time,

Stay Busy Stay Happy

Judy