FOGGY DAYS AND A RETURN TO THE NEST

We have had some amazing foggy mornings this week....

followed by sunny, crystal clear, and quite warm days.

Tomorrow, 1st June, is our first official day of Winter -

I for one can't wait to wear jeans, tights, boots, and scarves ...

 for a precious few months.

Mr C was finally discharged from the hospital, on the 15th day after his knee replacement.  I would like to think I dropped bit of weight walking the corridors to visit him each day....

He is doing well, can walk a couple of steps, carefully, with crutches.

It is a very painful surgery, and rest, elevation, icepacks, and pain medication are the order of the day.

Along with a lot of prescribed exercises, and numerous visits to the therapists each week for the foreseeable future.

Happily, it should all be worthwhile, and we are looking forward to a much more pain-free travel to Canada for Christmas.

Little Aussie came, and visited his PaPa..

I taught him to make red jelly, and we concocted some good desserts...

He enjoyed our visit to the GoMA on the opening day of 

Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe

The exhibition features original comic books, spectacular concept art, props and costumes, over 500 objects relating to Marvel movie characters Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow and others.

To tell the truth, I had never heard of Marvel, or seen any of these movies...

but visual art it is, and I have been learning my Superheros and watching a few of the films.  I did enjoy Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, and having seen some costumes from Thor, I want to see it also.

The exhibition looks behind the scenes, showing us a bit about production, storyboarding, prop and costume designers, and visual effects.  There are fun interactive elements:

Little Aussie meets Groot and Raccoon..

and creates his own Super-hero character..

Aussie had a great day...

(and his Dad and I enjoyed it too).

We will take Mr C when he gets mobile once again.

I made a shirt from this Liberty fabric sourced in London last year.

I think we will be very happy together..

Mr C took this picture from his hospital bed!

I loved the coffee cups, in several colour-ways, at the Hospital Cafe.

So cheerful, when many customers are facing difficult times..

I hope you are having a great week,

stay warm, or enjoy the Springtime, wherever you are.

XXXXX

SPRINGTIME AND GLENDALOUGH

Hello,

We've been home for two weeks now, so time to forget the jet-lag and have an update...

The lorikeets forgave us for going away, and return each day.

Enjoying the sunrise...

The Garden of Neglect surprised us with a Spring outburst..

Both weeds and flowers in abundance, so there must have been rain...

I am still thinking about what to make with these fabrics sourced in London at Shaukat, South Kensington... 

Beautiful Liberty and other fabrics at excellent prices.

Remember how I want to RepliKate a certain blue poppy dress....

Loved the way the signs in Ireland were in Gaelic as well as English.

Try as I might, I never advanced beyond Cead Mile Failt - which I learned as a child from Irish nuns..

We were on our way to Glendalough, the ancient holy place founded by St Kevin (498-618AD) - yes, he lived to 120 years of age.

St Kevin was a hermit here for seven years, in a prehistoric, man-made cave:

Later, followers came and St Kevin became founder and first abbot of a monastery and seminary at this place.

I loved wandering around these ancient ruins...

St Kevin had a great affinity with animals.

It is said that at this spot he milked a doe, to feed the son of a local King, entrusted to Kevin for the child's safety and upbringing.

Usually I have the Christmas tree up by now, but it will be a little later this year.

See the lace shamrocks?  
So pretty..

Back to reality here, and the looming Summer.
We have replaced the ceiling fan which gave up under the strain last Autumn.
And are getting quotes to replace a 20 year old air-conditioning system, which has also called time.

Then there is the clothes dryer which decided to follow the other guys...

I think we are in the midst of a white goods rebellion.

Enjoy the Spring/Autumn, wherever you be..

XXXXX

BACK TO THE IMPORTANT STUFF

July 1st is almost over, and the World of Blog appears to be safe and well.

Today I finished my Birdie shirt - and I love it...

Butterick B5804, with the bow tied front.  

Lightweight georgette from Spotlight, it is too thin to wear in the current cold, wet weather.  But soon it will make a debut appearance.

When does a shoe look like a bird?

When the best matching buttons from my stash were a set of tiny little shoe buttons - perfectly colour co-ordinated.

Here's a close-up...

In other sewing news and in the long-term project area,

I am half-way through my wool tapestry cushion:

happily purchased at Liberty on our last trip to England...

Liberty cross-stitch - happy memories of that wonderful store..

Have a great week, and I hope Blogger and Google are kind to you all.

XXXX

THINK PINK - CHOICES

This blog was designed to feature things which bring joy and beauty to my life;

It has taken me a while to figure out how to talk about something which is going on, and which is at first glance, anything but a source of joy, fun and happiness.

About eight weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the left breast.

My first response was denial (not uncommon, cancer always happens to other people).

I met up with two lovely ladies from the Kim Walters Choices program,

who gave me information, reading material, a special cushion, and a fabric bag to hold drains.  Drains??  What is that all about??

My first choice was to have a wide excision day surgery, followed by radiation.

The wide excision had cancer in the margins.

I was spoilt by so many nice people, who sent prayers, flowers, cards, emails, and rang to check on me. 

 I did find joy and happy times in all this.

I returned 12 days later for further surgery, a wider excision and removal of a lymph node.  This time I was 24 hours in hospital.

While I recovered I made up this Liberty fabric, purchased in London 3 years ago.

At last the time seemed right for a pink floral loose shirt.

Today I saw my surgeon again, and to his surprise there was far more cancer in the second excision than he or his colleagues had anticipated.

It is DCIS, but very widespread.

Once again, I had to face Choices:

Go with radiation, but chances are much higher that it will escalate further in the next year.

Or have the entire breast removed.

That is what I chose.

My mastectomy will be this Friday afternoon.

The silver lining is that there is quite a good chance that I will not need to have radiation therapy, which I had dreaded, nor take strong and debilitating drugs.

Fingers crossed.

My diet is now focussed on careful avoidance of the carcinogenic,

and the consumption of appropriate amounts of high antioxident foods,

like these tasty products ....

Now, back to the fun things.

Her Majesty, looking gorgeous in pale pink last week.

I hope she is enjoying her Jubilee.

And I hope you have a good week too.