When all you need is a needle.....

When all you need is a needle to spend an evening relaxing and then you realise that even when you find said size 26 needle for the amazing kit which has been gifted you, your fingers don't work.

Ah well, you have to laugh don't you?

My fb friend Lynn kindly gifted me this Dimensions Kit. It's the first time since my diagnosis that I've done any crafting at all. It's  called A Kiss for Snowman.  It isn't the easiest chart in the world but the picture looks so much like my granddaughter that I'm determined to finish it!

The chemo brain and nerve damage to my fingers isn't helping but hey, just a stitch at a time right?

What also helped me was receiving this lovely package.  I actually received it around the same time as my diagnosis so it was put in a safe place and forgotten about. I know, it sounds terrible but please bear in mind it is quite some journey being told that old age is no longer an option.  I was also trying to help all my family who had to hear this news plus worse,  for a second time.

Anyway, it was found and Kim (Kim McCool Designs) was thanked and it got me to thinking that it's no good waiting around to die: I have to be getting on with things or it's just time wasted right?  It's the strangest thing: you go into 'mourning' mode before you've even popped your clogs!

Kim sent me the most amazing things.

I have to admit I don't know what the little wooden things are but the sentiment is universal. Live, Laugh, Love, Blessings.  Every day has 'perfect moments'. They just have to be looked for sometimes.  And life is indeed a blessing.  I've seen lots of USA stitchers use the little paddles.  It's a shame we can't get them in Ireland.  This one has pride of place on my bedside cabinet.

And then I had even more crafty blessings.  I'd had a  huge sort out and found a quilt top I made er, three/four years ago. Yes, I know...I should have finished it but I didn't.  I also found the quilt top I was going to make for my granddaughter after daughter said 'no pink!' (and ironically the baby is always in pink now!).

Well, I decided to clear everything out waiting for my impending death (which hopefully seems to be going to be late but shhhhhhhh, I won't tell if you don't) and so I gave these away to my most amazing friend Mona who has loads of grandchildren.  I thought she would put them to good use.

Well, she didn't.  She popped round last week and she'd finished them all for me.  Quilted, bound and oh so perfect.  They must have taken her ages!

I was so amazed I cried.  It's just wonderful having something from my 'nearly' quilting days to leave behind for my husband and granddaughter.  Thank you Mona. You are a star!

So with all this craftiness going on I also managed to finish one of Holmsey's Hymms ornaments which has now been released.  Little Town of Bethlehem is, I think, the last one.  I'll have to have a sort through. There are still some waiting to be finished but the days just seem to fly by and what with having my daughter and granddaughter here and my oldest son coming on Friday, it's quite a full house.  I'm determined to be organised and stitch etc more regularly though as mentally it really helps. Swearing at frogs is so much healthier than shouting at the world regarding my situation.

Oh my gosh, I nearly forgot another piece of quite big news.  The second Holmsey Hare book has just been accepted by the publishers.  The illustrator will be working on 'Can I Be A Hare?' next week.  It's for a slightly older age group and is longer.  I was so nervous sending it in as I knew this would depend on actual skill at writing rather than the sympathy ' can I have one for my granddaughter?'   Fergus features strongly in it so he's very pleased with himself.

I decided soon after my diagnosis that I didn't need a bucket list.  I've actually achieved everything in life that I wanted to achieve.  I've no regrets and lots of blessings. I've made mistakes but I've always tried to put them right and do right by the people who have been affected by them. I'm human. No human lives perfectly but I like to think I've learned from these mistakes.

Instead, I shared with my family that I would do things that popped up regardless of what they are.  Opportunities are there to be grabbed and tried right?

My dh and I had a chat and we decided we would have our honeymoon now.  It may be 17 years late but it means you really appreciate it.  Abroad wasn't possible, not while on weekly chemo, so we decided on Mount Falcon in County Mayo which is where we had the stitching retreats.

It was amazing. We had a suite and I'm not kidding, it was bigger than my house.  I felt like we were in Downton Abbey!

There was a huge bathroom and a dressing room, and guess where I finished Holmsey's second book!

Yup, I really did!

We spent a day driving around Mayo and exploring our beautiful countryside.  We even made it to Achill Island which is so beautiful..and bizarrely has sheep absolutely everywhere.  On the roads, the pavements, in gardens and even occasionally in a field!

The ruin is Grace O'Malley's castle.  I won't bore you with endless photos of my 'honeymoon' and will just say it was amazing.  We had a day of quiet in the hotel which is where I finished the book and all I can say is thank you to the staff of Mount Falcon who treated us like royalty!

And with that I will leave you xxx Happy stitching!