Vale Eleanor....

.......my dear, gorgeous mother passed away peacefully on Monday, 25th November, 2013 at 11.55 am after many long months of illness.

I feel so sad but so relieved that her suffering is at an end.  My dear Dad is very sad but coping so far.  So hard for him to lose the love of his life after 67 years of marriage!

Thank you again so much to everyone for your love, support and prayers - they have buoyed me up during this difficult time.

Blessings everyone,

Thank you to all of my dear Bloggy friends....

I so want to thank all of you for comments and messages of support after my last post.  They mean a lot to me.  I am trying to respond to all of the emails but I am not sure if I am going to be able to get back to you all in a timely fashion. But I do thank you all and I am so grateful for all of your love, support and prayers.

Just to give you an update:

DFIL is coming home (he lives with us) from hospital today - his pneumonia is better but we are still waiting for the test results about the lesion on his lung.

My mother's health is failing even more - each day she is weaker but she is still hanging in there, her will is indomitable!

My procedure went well yesterday - I am feeling a bit shaky after the general and experiencing a bit of discomfort but my doctor seems happy.  I just need to wait for the test results - which I will find out about on Monday week.  So fingers crossed!


Hopefully next post I can share some stitchy progress with you - I have not felt like stitching much, there has just been too much going on but I will back to it soon, I promise.

Blessings on you all,

Overwhelmed by life at the moment...

.... as you may remember from some of my posts this year I am having my "annus horribilis".  There has been a lot of health issues with all three of my elderly parents - my mum and dad and TraderVic's dad - plus my own health issues and nearly losing my job, having to go to court to fight our neighbours who wanted to build a four storey apartment block monstrosity almost on top of our house (we won - yay!) and on it goes...

Well, this week, when I just thought it is nearly Christmas the year is almost over, we have done it, I was knocked flat out by life's next twists and turns......

My DFIL is currently in hospital with pneumonia and the doctors are testing a lesion on his lung for suspected cancer.

The doctors are telling us that my mother's time is very near - her heart is so gravely compromised that they can hardly get a blood pressure reading - it could be only a few weeks or maybe days, who knows with my mother's indomitable will?

Early this week I went for my three month follow up appointment with my gynaecologist after my operation earlier this year.  I told him about another issue I was experiencing and now I am going into hospital TOMORROW for another procedure and for him to have a good look see as he wants to rule out cancer!!!!!

Lastly, I went to see my GP last night to get my blood pressure checked and a new script for my blood pressure medication and it was through the roof!  I told him all my most recent news and then I got worried when he said that he would say a little prayer for me and kissed me goodbye!

As my post title said - I am feeling so overwhelmed.  I also feel so bad as I am involved in some cross stitch exchanges and I am just not getting much stitching done (as I spend so much time running around and then when I get home either TraderVic or the children want to spend time with me - we have tried to do a few nice outings as well to have some quality time) plus I am trying to organise my DS2's 21st (for the 28th Dec), my deadline for my next book is fast approaching, DS2 is graduating soon as well and I am trying to plan our trip overseas for next year - I am losing focus and I just cannot keep up with it all!!!!!


Sorry, I just needed to get all of this off my chest - thanks so much for listening.

Blessings on you all,

Ballarat the Beautiful II: The Quilt Show

.... here is the next instalment of my Ballarat getaway.  On the Sunday afternoon, the fun continued.  My aunt and I went to see the Ballarat Quilters Quilt show.  So many gorgeous quilts on display. These are some of my favourites:

 Here is my aunt admiring yet another amazing quilt.

I hope that you enjoyed seeing them.

Blessing on you all, 

P.S. In the time that has past since I drafted this post and saved it for posting today, my DFIl has been hospitalised with a chest infection. It would mean so much to me if you could send your prayers and good wishes his way (it worked for my mother who, despite being at death's door six weeks ago, is still with us. 

Thank you and hugs, Kaye

Ballarat the Beautiful Part I and another fab giveaway....

.... as many of you know, TraderVic and I escaped to Ballarat on the Cup Day weekend to stay with my uncle and aunt.  As always, they spoilt me rotten and we did some fun things together.  Do you want to see?

[Edit: I wrote a lovely long post the other day - it took me ages to upload the photos and write it all but then blogger just deleted everything- aaaghhh! So, I am starting again and my Ballarat adventures will now be over three posts - I hope that you enjoy reading all of them.]

So, first off we went to the Ballarat Springfest, set around the shores of Lake Wendouree on the Sunday:

Despite just having had breakfast we had to have a Bretzel to share (it was so good that we had to buy some more for morning tea on the way back!)

Then we wandered past all of the stalls.  There was lots to see and admire.  Like these wonderful birdhouses.

Here is my uncle, one of my favourite people in all the world.  He and I have been soul mates forever!

Black swans with their cygnets.  I tried to get a bit closer but the papa swan (on the left) started getting a bit aggressive, so I beat a hasty retreat.

Scenes by the lake.

A reminder that Lake Wendouree was the venue for the rowing at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.

Some scenes from Ballarat's gold rush days.

.... and then it started to rain so we went home to have some more bretzels!

Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having another fabulous giveaway:

You can enter here and you have until the 30th November to enter.  Please tell Nancy I sent you.

Good luck.

Blessings on you all,

Two great giveaways and another quick stitchy update.....

Hi lovely bloggers,

Check out these two great giveaways:

Heather of Heather's Stitching Story is having a Blogaversary Giveaway - look at all of the great pressies.  You can enter here.

... and Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is also having a great giveaway of a sewing necessaire (this pic shows red and cream but there are several colourways to choose from. You can enter here.

......Oh dear, my blogging is getting so far behind at the moment.  I still have lots of Balllarat photos to show you but that will still have to be for another post.  For now, here is my progress on Mary Wigham and on another little Primitive Hare stitch I am doing as a Christmas stitch.


Before the weeekend:

 .... and after the weekend:

..

.... and here is a peek at my Primitive Hare stitching for Christmas.....

Plus, I have stitched lots more of Ladybird Fairy but that will be for another post, too.

Blessings on you all,

Quick Stitchy update....

..... So sorry, no time this morning to catch you up on my lovely long weekend in Ballarat but I thought that I should prove that I have been stitching!


First up is Ladybird Fairy for my JE RR, now you might remember all of the trouble I had with Medusa  
Lavender Fairy last round?  Well, Ladybird Fairy is stitching up a dream!  This is less than a week's stitching with no stitching done over the long weekend as I was away!

This is my current train/car stitching - Silent Night, Holy Night by CCN.  This one is coming along quickly, too.

I also stitched on Mary Wigham over the weekend but I have no pics as of yet - I will give you an update on her soon.

Have a great day,

Blessings,