Come Spring

Perhaps I shall call this piece "Come, Spring" because it certainly looks like spring and I'd like spring to get here! I enjoyed quilting this small quilt (11" x 14") and like the result. Even though I was quilting through layers of tissue paper, sheer fabrics, and 3 layers of WonderUnder, it went quite well. Because I used a metallic gold thread, I had to stop and rethread the machine several times as Bernina sewing machines don't always get along with certain types of metallic threads. I used a Metallica needle which has a larger eye (and thus stresses the thread less) and I ran the machine slowly, but still the gold would periodically unwrap from the nylon core thread and start to fray. It was worth all the trouble, though. I like the results particularly because of the sharpness of the flower images in the tissue paper pieces. All in all, I'd have to say this was a most enjoyable experiment.

I am happy to say I'm feeling normal today. We had a nice evening with Haig and Trish last night and came home at a sensible hour. Then we actually went to bed at a reasonable time but for some reason, we were both wide awake at 3:30 this morning, so we got up. Don has spent a lot of time working on his presentation for next Tuesday's St Fillans Music Circle. I think it's going to be interesting, different from the usual programme, and most enjoyable.

I have had lots of good energy but my right eye is now swollen both above and below the eye and the inside of that eye, right next to my nose, is raspberry. A spot just below the eye, on the upper part of my cheekbone, is turning sort of a winey colour. And the yellow is spreading on both my eye and my jaw. I continue to put snowpacks on and that might be helping but my guess is this is just par for the course after undergoing such trauma. The bottom line is that I feel just great.

One reason for that is I had a bath and washed my hair this morning (one of the ward nurses said I should wait until today and hard as it was, I did). Glory be! I was starting to feel like a greasy mama bear toward the end of hibernation. Now I feel very much human again.

The roofers have been hard at work all morning and lucky for them the temperatures remain up in the mid-40s and there's no precipitation in sight. We have been expecting the joiners to show up and install windows since Wednesday but aside from their lightly installing 2 windows in the utility room, 1 in the studio extension, and the back door (and I say lightly because none of them are sealed or tightly fitted), they haven't been at work more than a total of about 20 minutes this week. We think they're probably waiting for the roof to get put on so they can get the utility room in good shape because the new cupboards and worktops are to be delivered next Thursday. It isn't like there's nothing else to be done, though, at least from our perspective.

Tonight we go to dinner at the home of Margaret and Alec Coll. Don knows Alec slightly from golf and I know Margaret and her sister Kathleen through the quilting circuit. They are both keen quilters and are interested in learning as much about it as they can. We're looking forward to getting to know them better. I phoned Margaret this morning to warn her that when I come to the door tonight, I will look like I've been in an auto accident. That's when she told me two other couples (whom we don't know) will be there! Ah well, good thing I'm not an insecure person, eh?

The snow is gradually melting but there is still a lot of it on the ground. Don won't be playing golf again tomorrow and it is doubtful whether the Comrie Seniors League will be able to play on Tuesday. As Haig said last night, the snow may be melted but the ground will be awfully soggy still. Donald is beginning to get really antsy to be out there and his body misses the regular exercise he was getting.

This morning's mail brought a real surprise package--all the way from Hawaii! Our Albany friends, Andy and Sheila, have been in Hawaii on holiday but have picked up their e-mails. When they saw news of my surgery, they put together a Hawaiian Care Package that was just loaded with goodies, from Kona coffee and pineapple tea to macadamia nuts in almost every form you could imagine. Also included was a brightly coloured pin-cushion in what looks like a wee monkey-pod bowl, a keychain with my name in Hawaiian (Lina), a pen, some stickie notes with hula-dancing cats on them, a lei and a matching flower to go over my ear (silk flowers), and a few other items. Thank you Andy and Sheila! What a lot of fun!

It's a little after 1 pm. Must be time for a macadamia nut, yes? And then, perhaps, a nap might be in order.