Friday, October 31, 2014

More Progress...



Sofar, so good :) 


Am really enjoying watching it grow, and seeing all the colours come together, even the pink :)

Thank You for your lovely comments on my last post... and Adrienne, you are so right with your analogy regarding Pink and the 'bits of life we're not to keen on' ... you have to take the rough with the smooth, the ups with the downs, it's just the way life goes.

Sometimes there is more rough than smooth, but it's only getting through these patches, and reaching out for help, that we can truly appreciate how special the people in our lives are. 

This last few weeks has reawakened some connections, with old and much cherished friends... and I feel blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life :)

Head is still a shed though, but then, nothing new there :P

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Gathering My Thoughts.....

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has been in my corner over the last few weeks. Your support has been amazing, and such a comfort to me, so thank-you all, from every atom of my being ♥

Am back home with my boys now, after spending 3 weeks in Barrow with my Dad. Possibly the hardest 3 weeks of my life, for a multitude of reasons.
One question has been bouncing around my head, 'Now What?'...
This question has so many answers, and I am finding it extremely hard pinning down a definitive response, which is natural I guess.

Doesn't feel very natural though, trust me.

So for now, I have started knitting a very simple garter stitch shawl, 'Not Just a Triangle', a free pattern published by Chrissy at Stitched Together

Whilst in Cumbria, I visited Adrienne at Williams Wools in Kendal, and after a coffee, chat (mostly me talking actually, sorry, and thank-you so much for listening to my babble, Adrienne ♥) I became somewhat mesmerized with a ball of Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn. Don't ask me why, as I am not a huge fan of Noro yarns at all, and THERE.IS.PINK.IN.IT... but I went with it... I mean what is the worst that could happen :P

A plan for it came together in my head, involving the Noro and some Olive green semi~Precious out of my Bakewell stockpile. I was hoping to finish something else before casting on, as I am a serial 'finisher' (mostly), but I felt wholly compelled to start it...

And so I did...

After 2 unsuccessful attempts at casting it on, this is a picture from day 2 (yesterday)... growing in such a beautiful way, the green is truly sublime.

This is the story sofar, day 3... ♥

I am seeing this project as a time to think, reflect on my feelings, even the scary ones. 
I think I will reserve the scary reflections for the pink parts :P
I may finish it, with absolutely no resolutions whatsoever, as a lot of my questions cannot be answered, but at least something beautiful will have emerged from the insanity that is my head. 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

.:: Tribute ::.

First of all, I'd like to extend a HUGE thankyou to everyone, for their heartfelt messages, and all the support and love both myself and my Dad have recieved over the last week or so. It has helped us both more than you could ever know, and boy have we needed it.

It's at times like these that true friends really show up and give you what you need.

It was a very great shock, to both myself and my Dad, to learn about the severity of my Mums condition, as we ourselves only found out she was seriously ill on Thursday the 2nd October.

She'd concealed and carried her burden alone... her final gift of Love.

She had experienced the unpleasantness of invasion and powerlessness for the patient and also the coldness of the institutions, at the end of the lives of both her parents, Norman and Millie.

This was something she definitely didn't want us to have to endure.

My Mum was a homebird. She wrapped her house around her like a protective shield from the world, and treasured it's comfort and order. The house was always spotless, and everything had a specific 'home'.

When I arrived home on Saturday 4th October, with my boys, the final jigsaw pieces had slipped into place. Her home was in order, and she was ready to let go of this incredibly heavy and latterly, corrosive, burden. My Boys had to return to Leicester for school and work later on that day, and all that was left, was us three...

We were here with her, every step of the way, telling her we loved her and that we'd keep her safe until she chose to move on to her next destination.

Her time arrived at 7.15pm on Sunday 5th October. She was exactly where she wanted to be, with the people she loved the most in the whole world and we were all protected by a home she had nurtured for over 40 years.

My Mum got exactly what she wanted ON HER TERMS, something she had fought so vehemently to achieve, and that makes me so happy. She hasn't left me, or my dad, ill equipped. In fact she's taught me how to endure something very painful with serenity, and most of all, dignity.

Another important lesson I have taken from this, is that if you want to achieve something important to you, you CAN make it happen, if you go about it the right way...

My Mum always believed in being the better person, turning the other cheek if you will, always putting others needs before her own...

This doctrine is also central to my role as a human being, and more importantly, as a Mother.

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

'I Sit Beside the Fire and Think' is a song found in J.R.R Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Bilbo Baggins sings it in Rivendell, a few days before Frodo leaves.

I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall ever see

For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door.

Friday, October 03, 2014

Important News

Due to tragic and unforseen circumstances, I have had to withdraw from exhibiting at both The Bakewell Wool Gathering, and Stitch Up 3 at Stitch Solihull. I am really sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me at those shows, but as you all know, my family always come first in everything.

Much love to all