handstories

Seas & Season

"From the Deep"

"Twilight Sea"

"Song of Sea & Sky"

    A sea stitching did happen, with thanks to ThreadCrumbs, Deb, and Tina for sharing their dyeing expertise in the moon, threads, and cloth.  It was nice to do a series, exploring a few wave ideas, and peacefully stitch thoughts of the ocean.  They happened after Moon was delivered to college and K went to visit family for a few days.

    Alone for the first time in a month!  It was swell.  I did miss him in the evenings, but the days... I got so much done, including fall cleaning (which is when I get the urge, rather than spring).  The timer was set for 45 minutes of stitching, then 15 for cleaning.  It worked wonders.  The kitchen counter was completely cleared, weeded, and rearranged.   The flour and sugar canisters are now at the other end of the kitchen, shocking but true.  Isn't it funny how things get set up and rarely change?  The bathroom was scrubbed, boxes were emptied, the studio room floor was found under piles, boxes, baskets, and books that were put away.  A carload went to donations, and a few bags of art supplies were taken to the local elementary school.  K says that he should go away more often.  I said, no, just back to work.  (Both of our fingers are crossed that it will be next week.)

"Spell Gathering"

    This piece and I went round and round.  It was ripped apart twice before we came to an understanding.  I wasn't listening.

    Yesterday was the first day cool enough for wool socks.  I love autumn.

So many feelings

 

"Moon Memories"

    Sunday's smokey sunset.  Glad the air is clear again.

    K. is getting about unaided, feeling pretty good, off all the meds except Tylenol, sleep is improving, and can put on his own cursed compression socks!

    Detail of "So Many Things," a piece that was started almost two years ago.  I've thrown myself back into stitching this week.  It feels good to be stitching for hours again.

    Moon is packing up for his sophomore year of college.  A tutoring job in the math department is waiting for him.  As is an apartment with friends. The plan is to stay until their degrees are done, including summers.  He says he's probably never going to live here again, and so he's putting his life into boxes that will move to the basement or go with him.

    I'm having a whole variety of mom feelings, all over the spectrum.  The last few days have been challenging.  Two more to go.  Neither of us is great with change.  I've seen growth on both of our parts.  I really am trying to trust that it's all good, or at least good enough.  If nothing else, the room will get a long overdue cleaning.

    The "Samar" tree token, the name means 'evening conversations'.

    Detail of "Magic Sky".

    I'm craving the ocean again.  Time to stitch some sea.

Two weeks out

    Stitched the morning before surgery.  Anxiety reflected in the clash of patterns.

    And another round of surgical gown stitching happened.  For luck and love.

    Once we were at the hospital, Jude's gifts of blue carried me through.  All went as well as it could.

    Unfortunately, on K's first morning home, I went outside to fetch the newspaper and locked myself out.  Fortunately, Moon's window upstairs was open, he was only half asleep, and heard me calling.

    Time became charted and managed.  Nighttime prep to make things easier.  Sleep in one to three hour pieces brought back memories of having a newborn again.  Without the joy.  Myriad systems were created.  Some more useful than others.

    Nursing is not my calling.  More of a Nurse Ratchet sort (There are not enough swear words to say how much I hate putting compression socks on another person.).  While I may lack some bedside manner... all of the meds, exercises, walking laps that are supposed to happen, do happen on my watch.

    There was an audiobook being listened to in the first week.  There were seven attempts to hear the last thirty minutes of it, but I kept falling asleep.  I finally gave up and assumed that they all lived happily ever after.

 

    Painted for the first time in I don't know when.

    Quilting didn't happen, but there has been lots of knitting.  Because it can be picked up for a few stitches without much thought and it can be done with closed eyes.

 

    Three days ago, I finally picked up a needle again.

    And then again.  K had a great checkup today, walking without support a little bit, and last night there were five hours of sleep IN A ROW.  Joy.