Angel of Grace - started

Despite the fact that L&L's Angel of Grace has been on my lap-frame for days, I've had very little chance to stitch on her, so very little progress to show this week - just some of her hair stitched. I hope to have more stitching time next week. The Angel of Grace is my project for the 2010 Christmas Design SAL.

I've had a less than ideal start to the New Year. My 87 year old Dad, who has severe heart failure and a number of other health issues including early dementia, had a very difficult time today. He was so very distressed and depressed, in such a state that he felt he had no options left and wanted to die. His thinking was very disturbed, and I found it hard to manage his distress. I'm sure that he was in pain, though he didn't complain of pain as such. I gave him some extra pain relief tablets and eventually got him to settle in bed and have a sleep. Fortunately he was much brighter and more his usual self when he woke up this evening, so I feel happier about him now. I hope that he will have a better day tomorrow.

In between spending time with Dad I did manage to do my traditional New Years Day jobs - cleaning out the linen press and my wardrobe. I do like to start the year with a tidy linen press and a neat de-cluttered wardrobe, even if I know that I won't be able to maintain the same standard for the whole year - or even the month of January, unfortunately (I'm better at cleaning cupboards than I am at keeping them organised and tidy). Right now I'm feeling very happy - there's a lovely odour of fresh camphor coming from the bedroom level, I have a nice big bag of discarded clothes for charity, and a pile of new rags in the rag bag.

We're expecting a new addition to the household tomorrow - a new washing machine. The old one died earlier this week after a troubled life with us. We got to know the repairman quite well over the last ten years, and though he did his best to keep her going, she just came to a grinding (and noisy) halt on Tuesday last. At least she had the grace to go at a good time - right in the middle of the post-Christmas sales! I had a pleasant surprise to find that the bigger, better, more water and electricity efficient washer we decided on is actually cheaper now than our old washer was 10 years ago, and as an added bonus, we'll get $150 cash refund from the Australian Government for purchasing a water-efficient washer. We're expecting the new washer to arrive around lunch-time tomorrow, so think of me tomorrow afternoon as I try to reduce the mound of dirty laundry that's accumulated during the week.

Happy New Year! I hope that 2010 brings you and your loved ones a year of good health, good fortune, and contentment.