Alzheimer's, Stitching and Estate Sales, Yay!

Dear friends,
I have tried to write a blog post many, many times since my last post.  I have so much to say and to show you that I just get overwhelmed.  And, I'm tired.  So, I do nothing.  I'm going to try again by taking one or two bites out of the elephant and then, if successful, I'll come back and do it again. 

Sometime. 

Soon. 

Maybe.

First - thank you to all of you who have asked about my parents, and my mom, in particular.  They have settled in nicely and we've all gotten into a pretty good rhythm and are enjoying each others company.  My folks pretty much have the house to themselves during the day and in the evening, we are there to socialize and offer whatever help we can. 


This is the former dining room turned bedroom for them.

My mom's Alzheimer's has progressed, and is continuing to progress, faster than I would have thought.  I was sure I had a pretty good understanding of how retched this disease was but until seeing it day to day, I didn't have a clue.  

What I really hate is when she smiles and waves at someone, and they don't respond in kind.
It's hurtful.
It's sad.
I want to punch those people in the throat.
Sorry, but I do.

Not only are the memories of who we are fading from her, but her memory of how to do things we think so simple and ingrained are becoming a mystery as well.  My goal is, and has always been, to protect her and to make sure she never feels embarrassed, humiliated or without dignity.  I try to remember to ask if she'd like assistance with a task before jumping in and just doing it.  I don't always remember.  Simple things are becoming a challenge.  I try to remember to cut her food for her before serving, so she's not embarrassed that my dad or I have to cut it for her, in front of others at the table.  I offer to help her select her outfits hoping she'll know that I enjoy doing it.  I gently remind her that I am here for her, for whatever she needs.  We all are.  She was in the hospital last week mainly due to dehydration.  I beg, plead and cajole her to drink water but as with many, it's hard to get her to do it.  The hardest times though are when she wants to go visit her parents, who have long since passed.  She misses them terribly.  I wish I could find a way to ease that pain.  That aside, there are plenty of happy moments that make us smile and be happy that we are all together and we cherish those moments! 
I'm so glad they are with us.

Now... for some stitching related news!

My Joyful World SAL is coming along nicely, I think.





It's sitting in front of my little fairy garden, in a galvanized bucket, that Julie gave me last year for my birthday.
If you're part of the SAL on FB, I apologize that you're seeing this picture again! 

I changed the January, April, May and August blocks to suit my own personal taste.  I also decided to add our households names and birthdates under their birth month block and I have to admit, I love how it looks.  I hope to have the outline completed for September before the 10th, when the next pattern is released.  We'll have to wait to see if I decide to keep that block as designed, or change it up a bit.  This has been a fun project and it is stitched on 35 count, over one, with various DMC, silk and over dyed flosses.  I'm not really keeping track of colors.  If I use one, I toss it in a bag and I may or may not use it again.  If I want to add another color, I grab one from stash.  The August block is from a Cricket Collection Scottie mitten freebie.

I have managed to get a small bit of work done on Plum Street Samplers A Yuletide Welcome.  I can't wait to get this one done and really, just love everything about it.  I have debated and debated about how to do the grassy area because even though it's a Christmas sampler, I'd like to leave it out year round (if I can find wall space).  I think I've resolved that - but a pic will have to wait till next time.  I started the grass area during the Olympics and my goal is to have it done by the time the Olympics are concluded.  I may just stitch till then and call it done, regardless of what's been done.  

I almost hate to show you all the stitching related estate sale finds I've stumbled upon recently!  Seriously, fabric (more specifically, lots and lots of cross stitch linen), buttons, bed linens (glorious, hand embroidered and pieced together linen sheets and pillow cases), DMC thread boxes and lots and lots of floss, ribbon and old embroidery hoops and all kinds of other goodies.  Far too much to show in one post so here a few pics of my finds.

First, this is the home of the most recent sale I went to in Grosse Pointe.  Quite the grand house and not what most of the estate sale homes look like, but it's always fun to go in something this big, just to see the house and decorating.  The gardens in the back were absolutely spectacular.

I was so excited to find all of these calico buttons!  Aren't they pretty? 

What shall I use them for?  Any ideas?

                                                           More buttons I found.  I think the card was maybe a dollar. 

I might put these on a sweater. 

I thought these embroidery hoops were amazing and for a quarter a piece,

I couldn't just leave them there, could I? 

Some are marked... some not.

                                                     

More estate sale finds next time.

Finally, Rob and I went to a concert last week and had a great time although the concert (Brian Ferry of Roxy Music) wasn't all that great.  The music doesn't always have to be great to have a great time, right?

We have another concert coming up this weekend - Sarah McLachlan and Josh Grobin.  Rob is not too excited about this one.  I'm mostly looking forward to hearing Sarah but I love Josh too, so I'm sure it'll be a good time.  We're going to that one with Sheila and her DH, Moe.  Can't wait!

Until next time, have a great rest of summer and be kind to everyone!

Peace,

Terri

I am Blessed

Dear friends!

Life is good.  Busy, but good.  Rob and I successfully moved my folks from Florida to Michigan.  Their belongings, that weren’t transportable by plane or car, will arrive on Friday.  While the transition for Rob and me and the boys has been easy, it has been more challenging for my folks, as I expected it would be.  There’s a lot to get used to – the different climate (cool temperatures and a lack of sunshine are hard to take when you’re used to so much sun), the noise of a busier household, the different routines, the clutter of a busy, still working family, ongoing construction and so many other things.   The house is a noisy disaster as the reno on the bathroom still isn’t done.  There is stuff everywhere, not to mention the constant dust on the furniture and the floors.  It’s very hard for mom to go up and down stairs so once the first floor bath is done, and the dust settles, their life should be greatly improved.   My dad is truly a saint.  Almost every night, and often during the day, my mom gets very disoriented and confused.   The house, the location and the people in it are a mystery to her and I can’t imagine the level of fear and angst she must have on an almost continual basis.  My dad very calmly tells her their story beginning with how they met, married and raised a family to include all the places we’ve lived and finally explains that she has a disease called Alzheimer’s and that he (and all of us) are here to help her remember, when she can’t.  He is the most gentle and loving person and she is extremely lucky to have him in her life.  She knows this, too.  When I am with her for any length of time, and my dad isn’t around, she talks about how wonderful he is.  She knows she is blessed to have him and I know that I’m blessed to have THEM.  I am truly honored that we (Rob and me) have the privilege of having them live with us.    I am further blessed that my Rob is much like my dad – loving, patient and kind.  Yep, even for all that is going on, life and God, are good.

Here’s my progress on the Joyful World SAL by Matya at Snowflower Diaries.  I have changed a lot of the blocks, as you can see.  For April, I changed the bunny to one of Matya’s free patterns that I’ve always loved but had never stitched.  Since she had a bunny for April, I thought it a perfect time to incorporate this cute couple into my SAL.  For May, my changes were a bit bolder.   I wouldn’t say I don’t like cats but I would say cats don’t like me.  They make my eyes all puffy and red and itchy and because of that I guess, I’ve always had an affection for dogs.  So you might think I would stitch Sophie and Gracie, but you’d be wrong.  No, I thought I’d like a polka dotted cow thrown in the mix to prim the whole thing up a bit.  After trying to design my own, and having failed miserably – trust me, it looked really, really bad, I decided to use the cow from the Maria Tilley chart.  I made a few bad alterations and now have something that looks like a cross between a weird looking cow and a not too attractive horse.  Let’s just call it primitive.  Yeah, that’s it.  It’s Primitive.

Our guild auction was a success and I was actually able to attend and bring my mom with me!  The only reason I could do that was because Julie and Sheila and Meghan and Christina ran the auction along with lots of other helpers.  Without them all, the auction would not have been a success. 

The scissor fob sale went pretty well and certainly made more than past bake sales have but I don’t know if it was the huge success I was hoping.  All the fobs brought in were really pretty though – here they are – I’m sorry for the poor pic quality on some of them:

There are Matya’s cute bunnies, again!

                                                                                            

The fob I made is on the top row, middle of the next picture.  There was a small bee stitched on the back, as well.   

 

Aren’t they all fabulous!? 

My mom had a good time at the auction and got the one item that she fell in love with – a quilt!  The perfect thing since she seems to be constantly chilly.  This is a picture of her (on the right) and the maker, Mary holding up the beautiful quilt.  It is folded in half in the pic so it’s a biggie and my mom absolutely adores it!   The auction was a very long day for my mom and she had fun but by the end of the day she was exhausted and pretty confused.  It was my fault – I kept her there a bit too long but I was so happy to share the day with her and to have her meet all the ladies I’ve grown to know and love so much.

 

Today is my Matt’s 25^th birthday.  He has become a successful young man and will be moving into a house, in a trendy little town, at the beginning of June and I am going to miss him terribly. Matt always has a smile on his face when he comes through the door and he is gracious and helpful and kind and I am going to miss having him around. 

 

That’s it for now.  Thank you for all your comments and notes.  I am so sorry if I missed responding to one of you – it has been very hectic ‘round here.  I hope you understand and will continue to visit and leave a note when you can.  I appreciate them so very much!

Be well.

Peace,

Terri