A Mixed Bag!

A fairly ordinary, but OK, week had a bit of a 'mixed bag' ending to it - some sadness, some fun friendship and some productive 'stay home' time.

Thursday was a bit of a tough one for me at work. I've mentioned before that I work as an Admin Assistant in the office of a retirement village. Now this means that all of the residents are 65 years of age or older, so I knew when I took the job that part of the reality of it would be having to cope with the death of residents. Knowing that and dealing with the reality are just a bit different.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, one of my 'favourite' residents went home to be with her Lord. Her name was Meg and she was so special! She was one of those wonderful people who light up a room just by walking into it and having survived at least two battles with breast cancer and all the associated treatments, she was a frail little bird of a lady - but had so much LIFE!! She was 82, you'd never have guessed it! It was not at all unusual to see her on her wheelie walker, toddling off down the road to visit someone who was a bit down or unwell and she often slipped Tony (our groundsman) a Crunchy or Cherry Ripe chocolate bar to thank him for his work around the village. She was such a sweetie who referred to me as her 'Sunshine' because she said I always brightened up her day, but I think it was she who was the brightest ray of sunshine. Meg always took time to say something encouraging to people she met in here wheelie walker adventures and loved a good laugh, firmly believing that there was something humorous to be found in every situation to help deal with what life threw her way - we were kindred spirits, I think! I often joked that I was going to organise a wheelie walker race down our main entrance road and put my money on her, because I thought she'd charm everyone else into letting her win! And though I am so very sad that I won't see her smiling face anymore or hear her cheerful greeting of "Good morning, Sunshine!", I feel so privileged to have known her for almost a year and through the tears, I can't help giggling at the image of her scooting past St Peter at the Pearly Gates on her wheelie walker, challenging him to a race! I'll miss you, Meg - save me a seat!!

So, that was the 'sad' part of the end of the week. Friday, however, was another fun-filled day of friendship, as I once more toddled down the hill to Brisbane, this time to hit the Stitches and Craft show. Now, Lynette and I had been hanging out for this craft fair and had plans to explore it together as usual, but when neither of us has seen any advertising for it, we organised last week's play date and visit to Lilly Cottage. Then, while we were chatting to the lovely Lilly Linda, she happened to mention that her across-the-road shop neighbour was going to be having a stand at Stitches and Craft the next week! Hmmm ... so it was on after all! Lynette and I didn't really like our chances of managing two Friday play dates in a row, but after assuring my beloved that I would be 'good' (Boy! Did THAT take some time to get a satisfactory definition for!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I headed off down the hill to collect Lynette and hit the convention centre. Both husbands shuddered at the potential for mischief! :0)

Although it seemed to us there were fewer exhibitors and fewer visitors this year (which did make it easier to see things!) we still managed to enjoy ourselves and both spent some play money. Here's what 'followed me home'!


Some pretty new fabrics to play with - they were just so CHEERFUL!! The two pink ones on the left (I know, there I go again, the 'Anti-pink' buying pink fabrics!) have already had little pieces put to use in the quilt-design-in-progress and I'm playing with a few ideas for the others. And do you see the YUMMY dark red rick-rack? I found that at the Giggle Buttons stand, where Lynette and I introduced ourselves to Sonia - who was having a grand old time!! It was lovely to be able to put an 'in-person' experience with the cyber chats and blog photo with our catch up and after seeing Sonia's DELICIOUS ceramic buttons in person, I'm already starting to toy with including some in future projects - just as soon as I save up some more play money after my Lilly Cottage and Craft show blow outs! Tee! Hee! Hee! And with the show over, I bet Sonia's at home with her weary feet up, snuggling with the new kitty in their household - who is yet to receive a puuuuuuuuurmanent name! :0) Sorry - couldn't resist!! Thanks for the chat, Sonia! Will look forward to catching up again soon.

And as to Saturday and Sunday ... I've done a few boring 'household' chores, but mostly I've got in some seriously productive stitching time, which has been GREAT! The quilt-design-in-progress is ... progressing! And I'm really happy with how it's coming up. Now I DID promise another sneaky peek, so ... are you ready?


Aaaaah ... another pretty butterfly! Are you intrigued yet? No? I'll just have to keep showing teasing sneaky peeks then! :0)

And just before I sign off, I HAVE to show you the GORGEOUS surprise that arrived in my mail box on Friday from Teresa! I popped in to visit Teresa at the end of the month earlier in the year to check her OPAM Challenge finishes list and saw a photo of the most GLORIOUS Celtic Cross bookmark! I left a comment telling her what a FABULOUS job she had done and how I'm addicted to Celtic designs of all sorts - a lot of my jewelry features the intertwined Celtic knots ... and I have a soft spot for traditional Celtic music, too - must be the Scottish blood coming out! Well ... Teresa decided to surprise me with a cute card and this ...


Isn't it just GORGEOUS!!! I think Teresa has machine embroidered it onto netting and then starched it or stiffened it somehow! Thank you soooooooooo much Teresa! You really made my day!! And the great thing about receiving a bookmark of any kind - I'm a voracious bookworm, so am always in search of bookmarks!! I've told Teresa I think I'll have to make sure this is the one I'm using if I take a book to read in a waiting room - so I can show it off! Tee! Hee! Hee!

So ... there you have a wrap up of my 'mixed bag' end to the week. Hope you've had a good one and if yours was a bit of a 'mixed bag' too, then I hope there was plenty of friendship and fun bits to help balance the 'not-so-fun' bits'. Oh ... and a quick "CHEERIO!" to my blogging buddy Kerryanne who has had to visit Dr McDreamy again for a follow up hospital stay following her bone graft surgery earlier in the year. I know she's still off the air for a couple more days, but pop in and leave her a 'Get Well Soon' message to cheer her along in her recovery! Til next time ... Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS