hewoo one and all
way long time back I said I would put up pics - slacko me didnt quite forget but I have this past week or so just ooking at this block to see if its done or I need to add more, I could be looking at this forever more I am not sure if its done or  not but here it is. this is a block I made when someone said no putting patterns together, and that sounded like a RULE to me, and in crazy quilting there are NO RULES well theres a few but......... So pattern joined pattern and then I had to stitch the block so its been a case of making the patterns blend and drag the eye away so noone notices that nearly every piece of material joins another patterned piece be they heavily pattern or not.

So theres heaps of new seam treatments, and not much SRE (or silk ribbon embroidery) but hey the next block is covered in ((SRE). that''s later on here it is for better or worse the pink block

please let me know what you think  of the pink block from hell VBG!
love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxoxo

Oh deary me!!

Hewoo one and all,
I'm just popping to say hi  and I am alive, sorry I've been catching up on my daily lives, in case you didn't hear I nearly lost my better half he was in hospital and we've had some close calls  before but this was the scariest and Col was so critically ill, but once the hardworking Drs hit the right button and found the problem (and this is normally found on autopsy ) his recovery was phenomenal. now Cols just got to replace the weight he lost and muscle strength etc and he will be so much better.

So what have I been doing of late well very little, but have finally picked up my needle and thread and will show very soon what I am working on. It's a block that I was making for a friend but I have struggled with this block, and why has it been so hard I just don't know but I am stitching on it again. Will scan it and you can see where I am at with this block.

Now the other thing I wanted to say was I have put my blog comments onto moderation. I really hate doing this but I refuse to people commenting and then leaving their web Addies or a promotion of some product that they feel needs to shown here sorry, it hurts even when the person leaves a really nice comment but then puts on the advertising etc, sorry not happening here and I really do hate doing this and I really hope that you will all forgive me doing this,

Love n hugs bear xoxoxo

Goodness it's February 2013 already oops a

Hewoo there and goodness gracious me lets see now how do I do this again...

Well Happy Xmas 2012

And

Happy New Year 2012/2013

There now that's covered the basics u think???? I can hear some saying where u been and some know bits n bobs, well Col became very ill and we very near lost him, but thank goodness a couple of special people finally worked out what it was and now he takes a couple of pills and he's a whole heap better, not only that but he's also in very special company cos the likes of Abe Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and also Helen Redy ok not sure who Helen is she is the lady who wrote and sang "  I am woman", there's quite a few more names but the best thing is he's alive and taking over the jobs he had to leave because he was so damn ill.

Now then wot have I been doing, much praying and believe me I cannot get down on my knees these days to pray anymore anyhow a whole heap of worrying, and not much stitching at all but the time has come to do some more normal things. Although I did keep up with my reading and also would allow myself to wander through some others blogs and web pages when I needed some quiet time.I also allowed myself some retail therapy that's always good for the soul got some lovely 7 mm ribbons from  one of my favourite Aussie firms Colour Streams (www.colourstreams.com.au)  no commercial interests just a very satisfied customer.They have some of the most spectacular colours and  also have the colour through a range of  4mm and 7 mm ribbons through to different sizes threads etc fabrics and patterns etc. When I need cheering up yup I head off to the website allways works for me.

Then just todayI received a very small packet from another of my favourite web shops no names here. I was so disappointed  not with the quality of the threads, not with the price of the threads, they were on special and I only paid $2.00 for Gumnut Stars and also Gumnut buds, okay so what was I disappointed with??? the postage and packaging price that was $9.60. Seems to me to be a bit overcharged. My threads cost me $10.00 and it was almost the same again for the postage and packaging. I have learnt my lesson ( the hard way) and won't be shopping there again hummmph!

Enough of the whinging, my colourstreams ribbons are so pretty and ever so lovely to stitch with, and make some very pretty roses, or peony, or lilacs, or what about some pansies mmm I think I can feel an idea into my tired and addled brain of what to use them for oh yessiree I think I for it, an idea is blooming I gotta go and draw this down before it goes, remember my old brain is just not what it used to be.

Anyway I'm really sad that I didn't blog over the Christmas/ New Year and also January, Col wasn't in hospital all that time but when he was home I just couldn't function well enough to write I know others have had similar and can understand I sincerely hope those who haven't been  through this  type of experience never have to, it's not great. Anyway here's hoping that all of you out there in blog land had a wonderful Christmas ( or what ever you have in your time and religion or not) and I really hope that everyone had the most  fantastic New Year and that 2013 is a whole better year then 2012 was for most people. 

Love n hugs bear xoxoxo

Come back soon I am going to have piccies to show xoxoxo true I am

This Year Is Fast Disappearing

Hewoo all
well where has this year gone to???
Colin and I are doing his dialysis at home now, I find it tiring and at times very emotional, I cant help but blame myself for  not taking better care of my body and therefore a kidney would have been his for the taking but for now we wait his turn for a second kidney hopefully he will receive another one.

So apart from that life goes on I have not been embroidering very much BUT I have completed a few of those 6 inch Meaning of Flowers that I have been making- they can be bought from  Miss Valerie Bothell  such a lovely experience shopping at the Pink Bunny I also have bought some gorjus laces there as well as threads. I have a couple of PINK do u believe it - PINK blocks I dont know what came over me but hey there U have it PINK anyone would think I am joining the girls brigard at this rate, I will take some pics of them one day soon LOL that means months no doubt at this rate am so looking forward to next year its got to be a better year then this one has been!

                                          the pink one above is Camellia

                                         
                                       
                                              This lovely little one is of Water Lillies

  This is Queens Annes' Lace and has not been completed as yet loads of beading to follow this block

                                                andThis lovely cheery block is a Christmas one
                                                 
                                                 (NO ur kidding arent u bear???LOL)

 So finally I have been to my poor neglected blog I am so sad that I haven't been here much this year. All I can say is maybe next year will be such a better year for the family of bears - and I will be able to get my mind working to do some more embroidery. It does help my jagged nerves to sit and use my needle and thread to create something pretty.
I will be back much quicker then I have been this time - I am working on the PINK block at night so I may even finish a PINK block sooner rather then later. I really wanna share these pink ones gggg

love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxooxo

Hewoo I am about again

Hewoo one and all
sorry to have been missing in blogland, but Col finally gave in and began dialysis again. -24 years, 2 weeks and some days after transplant it (the transplanted kidney that is) had officially failed and he was recommenced on dialysis. spent some weeks in acute and maintenance dialysis, which settled him back into dialysis and we waited for our turn to join the Home Dialysis training which was a shock to the system but finally we got it together and came home to begin dialysis at home 2 weeks ago my where does time go. Its just flying by, how are we going well it gets easier each session the training prepared us for many things and most have happened in the past 2 weeks but hey we have managed to survive and we are both here so we are doing fine I guess. Col is looking so much better and says he feels a whole heap better and its so good to see him regaining weight no more throwing up at the mere thought of food for him LOL.

So what have I been doing - well I have been doing some embroidery as you can imagine I haven't had a whole  heap of time but when I did have some spare time I embroidered some more of the wee squares for the language of Flowers series - all I have to do is get some photos and scan them for you all to see what I have been playing at I will try and do that in he next couple of days. I also have added some more flowers to the Boho bag well the first one that is - I couldn't help myself something just didn't seem right so I had to add on, I haven't even looked at the pink Boho bag for an age so that will no doubt have much to tell me when I do look at it no doubt hey??

So dear friends just a short note tonight-- I wanted to let those who have hung  about here that I am alive and I am surviving and will get back into the groove of embroidery and blogging now that we are not constantly in the car going somewhere to do something. Thank heavens for that it is really very tiring driving here there and everywhere. LOL

I promised to get those pics done soon as and I will post them quicker then I do normally - promise!!!

love n hugs always Bear xoxo

hewoo again Who feels like a GOOD News story????

Well finally the prayers have worked and yes Virginia there is a Santa as well - I not  ashamed to say I asked everyone..

Okay yesterday was the stress Test with another drug apparently the Cardiac surgeon is doing a study on renal patients using this method and is happy with the results then the other way etc.So off we trot to the hospital again- I am there more then when I worked there I am sure at present.- no not true- I worked full time nights so I was there heaps more ggggg but I guess you all can understand what I meant cant you?? Col was nervous I was stressed to the back teeth and then some remember last time he wound up having a lousy time and then all the fun and games later on etc so neither of us was feeling like a happy camper etc.

I delivered him to the MRI unit and the lass toook him straight in- come back in about 45 mins- so I added another 1/4 hr to that and went back in an hour- back round the corner the same lass looks out ans says hes still on the table- EEK! U can imagine my very overwrought overactive over to many years ago registered Nurses brain went well into overdrive and was imagining the terrible things going on in the Unit- the only thing I was sure wasnt happening was he was vomiting cos they would have had to pull him out of the contraption  in that instance..

So I walked back around the corner and sat - found a Womans mag to read and lo and behold it had a Xword to play with- well I had left my book down in the car with Kieron (he came down with us in case Colin was anywhere like he was the last stress test!) It took another 3/4 of an hour before my darling finally came around the corner and I got a weak smile out of him.

So tonight we finally made it to the cardiac surgeon's office (after a crawl from Gepps coss Junction all the way up to the turn off for North Adelaide- why well there had been a car prang - 4 cars and an articulated Bus- one of the Biggie Busses had all run into each other- took us 45 mins to cover the distance thatnormally we would do in 15 mins. oh well anad I was so good I didnt even freak at the site of the car prang- but it did remind me of the day when 3 cars ran into mine and wrecked my kife. enough of that !

So we are called into the mans office and theres no smiling- had he heard what a cow I had been  re the test and why Col had to do it - whatever he read his notes looked at his computer turned to us both and finally smiledd anad says these are totally normal results of a Dobutamine Stress Test - there's no sign of Ischaemia adn I am quite happy to say you dont need to have the Angioplasty and also I will write to the renal Fellow and tell him I am happy for you to go onto the Transplant list. YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!  RELIEF finally that dread feeling is lifting I may not be any good but someones got an organ for him someone has I hope

We Col and I floated out of that office Colin was beaming  and so was I --- finally finally all the testing is OVER???? Well I hopes so----- I hope this is the end of the testing for him until THAT call comes to say there's a kidney organ waiting for him.

So thank you all ---Kerry,Leslie, Maria, Bluebell, Faye, Viv --please forgive me if I have forgotten an name you are alI  n my heart and I thank you all for your support -- everyone who prayed for us or thought good thoughts , who sent us good vibes---- something finally has gone our way. I say OUR way as I cannot imagine a time without this crusty old man of mine, hes one of the good guys (even when I am so cranky that I yell at him ggggg)

Now to wait our turn (our means Him and I cos it does affect the other halves )-  after transplantation life is so damn good I do remember that from all those years back its been a real let down for me and our kids watching him slide back to having failing transplant). All we have to do now is wait and hope and Keep Colin kinda healthy enough to have the darn operation when its comes up! So please keep him in your hearts and thoughts and prayers or whatever. Not just Col but other who are waiting also especially a dear friend in the UK> whose hubby is also having the same sort of run!

That's it for now though nighty night - and again THANK  YOU ALL for being there!

love n hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxo

I am so pleased that I did say something...............

Hewoo one and all

I thought long and very hard about saying anything re Cols renal failure and my ""failure"" to be his donor. The fact that 2 of my friends have decided to talk about organ donation  to their families has made that  difficult post of mine worth the agony.

 To Kerry and Bluebell thank you both and Bluebell if you think the talking re organ donation is hard now think of how hard it is on families of someone who is dying in hospital but would be suitable to donate their organs. I worked in an Intensive Care Unit many long years ago and absolutely adored the work it was interesting, never 2 days the same,I learnt so many things, it could be hard mentally and physically but I always always wanted to be at work and I can reassure you that the Transplant Coordinators and Doctors and senior nursing staff talking to the relatives of someone who is so very  loved and who is dying  is so much harder on the Family. I know that these discussions are done as gently and always with the family wishes adheared to but its not easy on family and sadly in Australia the relatives can veto the organ donation even if they know their family member wanted to donate organs.I hope that this is changed and soon!

Bluebell in answer to your query as to how I am getting over this well I have cried Buckets (No Colleen I am ok truly!!) And I am so cross with myself but I will get over it eventually and lets face it I can help my man in many other ways during this period in our lives.

I can only hope that many more will think of this subject and maybe slowly our attitudes will change - Donation is not scary and it does give the person receiving the donated organ a new lease on life Cols last 22 years have been fabulous for us.

 Again thanks to you both -Kerry and Bluebell and also to any of my other  followers --who take the time to chat to their family re this subject. but haven't said so on a comment. Thank you all!

Much love and hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxxo


Ps I didn't do anymore to the Boho bags but I promise really I do that I will add to it tonight and will scan it tomorrow --- I think I have all my trims for the purple one- goodness what a hard colour to accessorise that has been oh well     -   " Life was not  meant to be easy""    -- (Malcolm Frazier - Prime Minister of Australia back in the 1970' and 1980's I think gggg crazy statement hey??)