Thursday, August 29, 2019

Are We in a Time Warp?

Wow, the last couple weeks just seemed to speed by. But if you asked hubby Bruce, I'm sure he would say just the opposite. For two weeks he had his right hand/arm sewn to his abdomen in order for a skin flap be to acclimated (my word, not the doctors') and then grafted to his forearm, where the cancerous tissue was taken. Anyway, the flap and arm were "detached" yesterday, and he is beginning the healing process. It remains to be seen how much hand function he will retain (it looks like most, but not all) because he's still swollen and sore. But he can now get it wet and we can change bandages here at home until his follow-up visit in two weeks. The light at the end of the tunnel is here, and it isn't a train!!


During this two weeks of self-imposed hibernation for us (it was hard and uncomfortable for Bruce to get around a lot), there was still a lot happening. The back basement door for my studio, which was ordered back in April, finally arrived and was installed.  Now, I know it's just a boring, two-panel door, but it is So.Dang.Exciting to me. The old door was beyond ugly and plain, and the screen had seen better days forty years ago. So, now there's this lovely, clean, wooden door (not steel to draw the cold in) with a lock and dead bolt. I still need to do some touch-ups around the frame, and then we'll be cutting out the carpet around the door to do a small tile entry, probably over the winter or in the spring.






Here is the back door open with the new storm door visible. We can open the screen from the bottom up, which the kitties love. They can lay in the sunshine even if the view is only the basement stair landing and some sky (and a phony plant for some color).

We plan to get a new light fixture out there too,  but that will also wait until spring.


Another happening had to do with the apricot tree.  After the deluge of apricots this year, we were curious to see where all the branches reached when not laden with fruit and propped up with boards. Well, they reached into the power lines, over to the eaves and a bedroom window, and across and into the neighbor's yard (even though we had cut them all back two years ago). The rest of the branches (two of them) reached up waaaaaaay high or else out across the grass area (admittedly rather small) and over to the garden. Bruce had trimmed the lower, diseased branches out near the tree crotch during the apricot season. Anyway, we decided it was time for the tree to go.  It had grown way beyond its described growth when we bought it as a sapling fifteen years ago. Any future fruit would be unmanageable (especially given our aging and health issues). Believe me, this broke my heart. Our yard guys, who are arborists, felled it and cut it up in an hour flat. They left the stump at my request, so that I could put a bird house on it. We do plan to replace it next year with something smaller.


I miss the shade and protection it offered. I'm sure the birds do, too. Boomer's grave, at its foot, is no longer sheltered. My granddaughter London cried when she saw it was gone. She remembers her pre-school days here at grammy's when we used to play out in her kiddie pool and have an apricot drop right in the water for us!

London in 2014 singing "Roar!"
I've been doing some small baby quilt quilting for Quilts for Kids. I've also got three kids quilts I've sewn up from scraps that are basted and ready to be quilted. But first, I'm working to get my August One Monthly Goal finished by month-end on Saturday.

This Firefighter quilt is made from a wonky, misspelled panel (I fixed the misspelled word by taking a tuck to hide the errant letter). The design is my own.  Currently it's basted and about 25% percent quilted. I'm doing some free-form flames. I'll talk more about it when it's done.


We so appreciate all the nice messages from those of you who have taken time to see how Bruce and I are doing and to express kind wishes and words of support. It warms my heart and means more to both of us than you can know. Thank you! So now I'll just the "Publish" button and get this update on its way!

16 comments:

  1. OH wow...that is quite a procedure on your dear one's arm! Praying for fast healing! I like your new door!

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  2. Glad the procedure went well -- what an experience! ("Let me give you a hand . . . oops!")
    The new door will make you feel happy every time you go in and out. There is a reason that orchards have carefully pruned and managed trees -- at different houses we have had both a pear tree and an apple tree (and when I was a kid, a cherry tree) -- none of which were pruned. As a consequence a lot of the fruit went to the birds or dropped to the ground over-ripe.

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  3. And the proof-reader in me appreciates your correction of the word on the panel! (I have a lively library-theme print that includes a little catalog card -- the book on the card is about sewing. The call number is for U.S. history. I wrote the the fabric designer to point it out. Never heard from her. So I've been fussy-cutting the fabric and using little parts of it, but NOT that catalog card.)

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  4. It is sad to lose trees. I have a huge one that will have to come down in the next few years. I probably will mourn it something fierce.
    Good to hear Bruce is recovering well.

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  5. Yay for great new longed-for doors - but an even bigger yay to know that Bruce is now 'detached' and healing is well on the way. Thoughts going your way for the rest of the process to be speedy for him. So sorry about the tree, but I can imagine the relief that you won't have to be peddling excess apricots to all and sundry next year.

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  6. After reading about your week, I think I'll go review weather reports for tornadoes touching down in Utah. Buddy, Molly and I will now take a nap in your honor.

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  7. Glad to hear Bruce is healing and recovering use of his hand. I bet it was a slow two weeks for him. Your new door is wonderful! My sewing room is in the basement,too, but no walkout with a door to let in the sun like that!

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  8. Congrats on your new door and that sweet new quit top, too!! Sorry about the apricot tree, but it was probably for the best. Best of luck in your OMG and I'll be looking forward to seeing how you do flame quilting!

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  9. Glad Bruce is on the mend...
    losing an old cherished tree must be difficult..but as they say "..everything to its season.." time moves on inexorably...
    Sending more prayers for complete recovery and for you to be able to get back to your glorious projects...hugs, Julierose

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  10. Your new door is pretty...I know doors. I was sorry when we replaced out back hall door with a steel one. My husband's idea. Terry has spent some time this summer making our yard more manageable for him. I'm glad to hear that Bruce's arm healing is going well. Gosh that fireman quilt is cute!
    xx, Carol

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  11. My goodness, Bruce has been through a lot! The fact that the two of you are doing this together sure helps I am sure. Sorry for the loss of your apricot tree. I always hate to take a tree out, our horses ruined a few when using them as back scratchers, so they (the trees) had to go. Eventually the horses all found new homes.
    I love the new door! Your place is looking rather spiffy!

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  12. I'm glad to hear that things are on the mend for Bruce! It must be so hard to be going through this again, poor guy. Your new door looks great and fun for the kitties. That's important! And while it is a bit sad for the apricot tree to be gone, good gardeners know that hard working plants reach their limits. That tree gave its all for a long time. You're wise to know that it would only have gotten harder to deal with for you and Bruce in the future. Here's to wisdom! :)

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  13. We all seem to be reminded lately that change is a part of life, often a difficult one. So now it’s time for you and Bruce to relax and enjoy the new changes. God bless you both.

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  14. At least you have more positives than negatives to celebrate. The door looks great and it's certainly good news that Bruce is on the mend and will have better mobility soon. But, oh the apricot tree! I guess that's good and bad news, too, though since you lose the shade and all that wonderful fruit, but now you will gain time to sew that you would have spent processing apricots and finding homes for the excess. Always gotta look on the bright side.
    Pat

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  15. Hi Kathy! I'm finally able to catch up on email and blog reading, and I'm so glad to see an update from you about Bruce. Now the healing process can really begin, and he sounds like an excellent patient. I'll continue to pray for no infection and good healing vibes. I hope you are both able to rest better as we all know that aids in healing, and the comfort of home is priceless. Oh, I am so sad to hear about your tree having to be taken down. But you sure had a good run of apricots this year! What a cute photo of London in her kiddy pool. How sweet that she cried over the tree - sweet girl! I hope you are enjoying the long holiday weekend. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  16. No, not the apricot tree. I was planning an entire trip to your neck of the woods based on the timing of apricots ripening. OK, that was a bit much but I am saddened too. You may not be a "FireFlighter" but you sure saved us from the horrors of bad spelling :-)

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