Ready For My Next Life Now Please

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse...they have.

Youngest is in the care of her Father and Social Services and I'm still trying to figure the truth, or what I did so wrong.

So, in an attempt to pretend that I am a normal person I will, for a while be an escape bloggist. If I can't cope with my own life how can I expect yous to? And heck! do I need yous!

On a lighter note, Middlest got engaged to CarBoy during the week and they are delighted with themselves.
I had to laugh when she showed me the ring though; they chose one that was 'inexpensive, easily cleaned and really tough'...Middlest being a Theatre designer and Artist it seems like a pretty wise move.
CarBoy apparently anticipates having to replace the ring at intervals through the coming years!!!

The USB ports on my laptop seem to have stopped working ,so, although I have a number of photos taken, I can't get them up loaded from the camera. Has that happened to anyone else? I think it may be something to do with the dongle I use for Internet access.

Have yourselves a nice relaxing rest of weekend. We have had a fortnight of the most gorgeous, dry, sunny weather we have had in years. Bitterly cold and very frosty, but who cares about that when the sun is shining?!

This Too Will Pass...

A dear friend from E. Africa used to say this when things seemed overwhelming. I never saw it as wishing the time away but as a means of throwing one's heart over present obstacles. And boy! has this week thrown up obstacles!

Last weekend Eldest had a small contre temps with a bathroom door and it transpires that the top joint of her fourth finger disintregated. It was a small knock but the x-ray showed that the fibromalgia has triggered arthritis and her hand bones are fairly brittle. She has her left hand trussed up and in a sling which has rendered her balance worse than ever. She is left-handed so is somewhat stuck- dressing, washing, eating, using her stick, all hopeless.

She arrived with us Wednesday evening and it has taken my Mom, Youngest and I to cope with her. Last night she went to the Hub for two nights.

Monday I received notice on the Studio. The owner has been extraordinarily kind to me as the rent was just impossible to find from mid-December, but its still sad to be packing up. Youngest and I, plus her very generous boyfriend, Scout, are planning to do a coupla car loads this afternoon.

Boo hoo...

There's been other stuff too but we won't go there.

I had tea with a friend on Wednesday afternoon and she sent me away with jam from her garden, eggs from her hens, and mince from her cow! Eldest wondered if L. knew she was feeding us for the week- probably! How very kind people can be- and the jam tastes like bottled summer gardens, as only home grown jam can!

Overheard in the Infant Class

Class Assistant: Have you just had a nosebleed, J?

J: NO!...ummmm...yes?

C.A.: Did I tell you not to pick your nose?

J (indignantly): But I wasn't!

C.A.: So how did it happen?

J: I was just checking...


Gross but true!!

A Rabbit Story

Once upon a time, in the early 1930's, a dear little boy was born. He was the first child of an eldest daughter, and the first grandchild of a very interesting lady. Like many another much-wanted child born into a large family, there was no shortage of presents.

One present, sewn by a friend of the Grandmother, was a linen bib:

It was made with cream linen with a peach coloured cotton binding and a cute embroidered brown rabbit.

The baby boy grew up, as baby boys do, had a sister and a brother and the bib was passed down. After that it was put away safely by the mother until one day her daughter came to visit with her own first daughter. Out came the rabbit bib from its place of storage and back into use it went.

By the time the bib took its next holiday, it had been used by all nine of the lady's grandchildren whenever they visited her. She even had a china rabbit bowl to match it, which was with difficulty relinquished each time a new baby arrived. Both rabbit bib and bowl were treats connected with visiting Granny.

Some years later the daughter's first daughter came to visit from East Africa with her own roly poly baby girl, so once more out came the rabbit bib...and the rabbit bowl. The Granny passed away soon after her second granddaughter was born, but the rabbit bib was sent to the daughter and used for all three of the daughter's grandchildren.

By now the rabbit bit was looking rather tatty and the binding was parting company where the linen had frayed. The granddaughter considered how to keep it and decided not to repair it. Instead, she traced around the shape and then traced the pattern of the rabbit onto paper:

Its such a darling little rabbit!

This January another granddaughter of the original mother in this story had twin girls, so exciting!

Presents needed....hmmmm....the new fabric has been chosen, the rabbit pattern transferred ready to be embroidered and behold! the rabbit bib will start a new chapter of children!

All this from the kindness of my Great-Granny's friend who wanted to celebrate a new baby...who'd have thought it would become a baby heirloom?

And the baby who originally received the rabbit bib? Well he's heading for his 80th birthday and available for a game of tennis or golf whenever the weather permits!

Verra Dodgy

Now as a staunch Christian I'm pretty sure I shouldn't voice this opinion buuuuuttttttt....do you ever wish for another couple of arms and hands? Isn't there a Hindu goddess with six arms? Wouldn't six arms be dead handy?

If I had six arms/ hands then right this very moment I could be knitting, blogging and drinking soup all at once.

My children give out yards because I like to listen to the radio, watch television and catch up on emails simultaneously and that's with just two ears and two (not so good) eyes, imagine what I'd achieve with two heads....actually, not such a fab idea as I wouldn't have to stop talking then...ha! ha!

Its not that I actually want to be a Hindu goddess, you understand, I'm just commenting on the advantages of multiple arms....

...Come to think of it, is she the blue one with the elephant trunk?

Hmmmm, back to the drawing board.
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Over the last few weeks I have been knitting a slouchy cardigan. Its easy TV knitting, which suits me fine. I've a 'thing' for warm, shapeless cardigans, they are so comforting. Anyhow I've attached the collar and am now knitting the front bands so am almost there. I tried on the partly assembled garment last night and discovered several pins I'd missed removing!! A regular habit of mine!

Also I ran out of wool part way through and so the sleeves are different to the back and sides...also a regular habit of mine!!! Its what comes of generally working with odds and ends and never managing to buy the required amount of anything for any one particular project....ha! that sure sounds Irish!
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Was at the doctor yet again this morning and he said I wasn't to return to work till next Monday. I don't know whether that's a relief or a worry. All three of the girls are sick, two of them are staying with me at present. Youngest is pretty much over the bug and starts her Leaving Cert Mocks tomorrow (lucky dude, NOT) and Eldest is waiting until she is well enough to travel back to Dublin. This winter seems to have been the worst in years for general sickness and impaired health across all ages.

If anyone has some spare sunshine please post pronto?????

Wacky Wee Fillum!

IRISH FOLK FURNITURE.

Gail included the link to this in The Monday Bluesbuster from The Fennel Shed. Quite apart from the interesting subject matter, there's something truly hilarious with all the furniture whizzing around. This is joining my list of gigglers for sure!

Ode To A Friend

Today I attended the funeral of a friend. Like so many, she passed on too soon for too many of us, but after the years of illness it is ourselves we pity, not her. She has gone to her Lord, for which everyone who loved her is thankful. A family friend read out the eulogies from her husband and daughters and she did it most beautifully, bringing back to all of us, I think, the impish vivacity of C. when she was in her full health.

C. had grace in adversity, and boy! has that family had adversity. She was a glass-half-full person. When she had to start using a motorised wheel-chair to get around she was told off for whizzing up and down the corridors of the nursing home. One time, between her enthusiasm and my ineptitude we managed to get the chair (with her in it) wedged in the corner of the bathroom and laughed so hard we were crying (...note- we weren't aiming for the bathroom in the first place...) When she could no longer drive I used to collect her and we'd go places- grocery shopping, just shopping, to the beach, to the pub for coffee. On our return her husband would ask, 'so what happened this time?' and guess what! there was always a story!

I think its the measure of a person when they make a dent in ones life, when they help one see things from a different angle, when they listen with wisdom, without judging and yet without compromising their own ideals, when they don't let their illness define them but laugh and tell stories and encourage friends to do likewise, when even bed-ridden they can uplift others.

C. was special, I knew it when I met her, I know it still. And I am blessed to have shared in her too short journey, her grace, wisdom, wicked sense of humour and shoes with yellow soles!