February progress report

I managed to finish up the Sam Hawkins heart Santa tonight.  I think I prefer this one to the one I stitched in January over 2 on 24 count evenweave. 

So, in February I stitched and finished a total of 11 ornaments - 10 angels and one Santa.

These are the Angels:

A Santa stitched

It's the second time I've stitched this (Sam Hawkins heart) Santa this year, but this one is much more compact, as I stitched it over 1 on 22 count using two strands of floss and Continental stitch.  It's going to be a Christmas ornament, a gift for the lovely mother (& MIL) of the young couple for whom I stitched the other Santa earlier this year.  The stitched ornament isn't really as distorted in shape as the picture suggests!  I hope to finish the ornament up tomorrow, time permitting.

The last of my February angel ornaments

I am so pleased to have finished making up my angels.  Now I recall why I usually restrict my batch of ornaments to four or five - ten to make up is a little overwhelming.

Yesterday we had a really lovely experience.  I was concerned about how my partner's mother would react when we viewed her room at the hostel, but my concerns were  totally unwarranted.  The room was being painted when we visited, but we were able to measure up and make decisions about what furniture to bring.  Joan loved the whole experience, and said several times "I think I'm going to be very happy here",  She was thrilled to find her room opens onto her own little garden area (actually that was one of the major factors involved in our choice of this hostel), and she was very pleased to hear that one of the residents is looking for a Scrabble partner - Joan's favourite game.  She met some of the residents and got involved in activities, and it all went so well.  So, it's all stations go now.  She'll be moving in next Wednesday, and it will take us from now to then to label clothes and pack.

Five more angel ornaments finished

They're all adapted from TIAG's 1986 Christmas angel freebie .  I still have three to make up - I'll do them as soon as I can.  Then I'm having a rest from angels - back to Santas I think!

Life is pretty hectic in my world.  My Dad's renal and cardiac failure is progressing, and he is so very tired and often confused and a little aggressive.  It is so hard to see him suffer.  He says he has no pain, but I think he must.  In the past he has had three heart attacks without any complaints of pain at all.  He has had enough of this struggle to live.

And today we heard that my partner's mother has been offered a room in the aged care hostel she has chosen to move to.  As soon as we told her the bed was available, she protested that she;s not ready yet - but really, she is.  She has no short term memory at all, and we are starting to be very concerned for her safety as she lives alone and has refused to move in here.  Tomorrow (well, technically today, as I just noticed my clock says 3.52am) we're all going over to view the room and look at what furniture etc can fit in it.  Wish us luck!  It's not going to be an easy time for any of us.

Two down - just 8 more to go

I finished these two tonight.

I'm aiming at finishing two each day for the next four days.  Time will tell!

Six more little angels stitched

Once again, they're (rather heavily) adapted from TIAG's Amish Angel (1986 freebie).  So that makes ten angels stitched  - and none made up into ornaments yet (though I do have all the backs stitched and ready to go).  I now need to make up the ornaments before it all gets out of control!  So I guess that will keep me safely out of mischief for the next week or so.

Four little angels stitched

These little angels will become gifts for four special girls this Christmas. As you can see, the fourth angel hasn't yet had her border stitched, but that will happen soon.  These angels are Told in A Garden freebies - from 1986  and 1987 .  I changed some of the floss colours, substituted hair for the cap on the 1986 angel, added back-stitching, and changed some of the dress detail.  I also used beads for the wings.  I'll be stitching another angel in this batch, and then I'll make all five up into ornaments.

The last of the January ornaments are now made up

I finished up the two Dale Burdett Christmas Teddies today.

So now I can kit up some angel designs for my February ornaments.

My Dad is much weaker today, more confused, but quite happily resting in bed in his pyjamas and enjoying the extra TLC his weakened condition entitles him to.

Another January ornament finished up

This is the Sam Hawkins heart Santa.  It's a Christmas gift for a delightful young couple who married earlier this month.

Just the two Christmas teddies to finish up now, and then I can start on my February ornaments.

I'm feeling very sad today, so it's been good to have something to work on to take my mind off my troubles.  My Dad's doctor rang today to tell me that his renal function is now severely impaired.  He is 90 (though he believes that he has turned 100, and there is no dissuading him from this delusion), and has had chronic renal failure and severe heart failure for many years, so it didn't come as a total surprise.  My Dad also has dementia, and has been in an aged care facility for the past 3 years.  His quality of life is not great, and I know he is tired of the struggle to keep going.  His lips are purple all the time, and he is breathless on the slightest exertion, though he still manages to walk short distances.  He is so very weary.  I am his guardian,  and today I signed the papers authorising palliative care only, and no aggressive medical treatment for his renal and cardiac failure. I know this decision is the right one for my Dad, and I have the support of my five siblings and assorted adult nieces, nephews and cousins, and my Dad's doctor.  But that doesn't make me feel any better about making it, and signing those papers.  Sometimes logic just doesn't help. So I've had no sleep at all, and my mind is running wild.  I hope it settles down soon.