A number of our family members have been hit with varied health issues over the past few weeks and we're all tired, recovering or still managing illness at the moment.
None of us have the same malady so it's rather befuddling that Blossom, Mr E, Rafaella and I have each 'come a cropper' (as my dear Pop would say) at the same time.
Little Rafaella was our biggest concern though. As I mentioned last week she was taken to hospital with a very high fever and later discharged when it began to subside. Unfortunately everything flared up again within hours and for the next six days she was a very sick little girl.
Blossom had been unwell herself and sleepless nights take their toll so as Mr E had finally recovered from his own battle with a nasty infection I brought Cully May over to our house for the day in the hope that Bloss and Rafaella could sleep.
She was wonderful, a live wire as always, but wonderful. She did some shopping with me and we posted parcels away, then home to play. After an hour playing with her sticker book (she LOVES stickers) I brought out some big beads and pasta for her to thread...
This engaged her for another hour, the threading and re-threading being far more important that stopping for afternoon tea although she did request a 'coffee' with her Poppy and I.
I make her a milk latte and she drinks it from her blue sippy cup, convinced its loaded with coffee. LOL!
When she was finally happy with her necklace I asked if she'd put it on so I could take a photo and she happily obliged but only after making sure I knew "It's for mummy"...
Blossom loved her necklace, though next time it may need to be a little longer.
Rafaella slowly recovered over the course of a week and when Blossom sent me this photo of our little angel up and about with her dollies and pram it was relief all round.
While my own health challenges are taking a toll life has slowed and this is why you'll notice the lack of blogging. Even this week's book study post was rushed and I apologise for not replying to comments and emails lately.
I spent all day yesterday in bed with the worst migraine in a decade praying for a reprieve, which actually came today. Thing is, the day after a migraine I feel as though I could conquer the world so naturally I set to work catching up on housework, baking, sewing and business responsibilities.
I have a few different types of migraine and have managed to handle them due to 50 years of enduring them. With seven babies I had no choice but to cope and my pain threshold became naturally very high as I cared for little children during my many migraine episodes.
I have food triggered, light triggered, noise triggered, hunger triggered, weather triggered and fatigue triggered migraines - and have had so for a very long time. Some I can avoid with careful planning or diligence to circumstances, but others arrive with no avenue out.
(Truly, I have tried every 'remedy' and medicine known to man but to no avail...even my neurologist can't help)
Now a new migraine has joined the gang, facial migraine, and it's the worst of the lot because it causes every bone in my skull to scream with pain, while at the same time my 'regular' migraine is rocking my head and eyes, causing nausea and partial blindness. I started getting these one about a year ago but only once a month...now they come 3 to 4 times a week.
So all this to explain why there's a lot of enforced slowing around here at the moment, and why I do as much as I can on my good days. Like today.
We've decided to go back to being gluten free for 30 days just to see if there's any affect on the new migraines and as my beloved enjoys a sweet treat with his morning tea, afternoon tea and for dessert at night I made a big batch of gluten free rock cakes and a gluten free choc-caramel slice...
Both are delicious and we all know "happy husband, contented wife" right?
We're praying that being strict with GF will make a difference.
I was going to make my own GF bread as well but decided this is not the time. When things settle down I'll do that but for now the store bought GF bread is fine toasted and smothered in avocado.
Oh, all those pills in the photo are vitamins in case you wondered.
Every day we take vitamin c, niacin, magnesium, vitamin e, phosphotolide choline and a multi vitamin. The only medication we take is Thyroxine because we both have Hashimotos, an auto immune disease.
CROCHET...
I'm using the Hydrangea pattern from Lucy of Attic 24 to use up all the leftover yarn from Rafaella's birthday blanket and as there's no rush or deadline it's very relaxing to do a row each morning as I ponder the day ahead.
SEWING...
Rhonda from the Down to Earth blog has an apron sew-a-long at the moment and as a number of my aprons were destroyed by mould in the January/February floods I thought it was a wonderful prompt to make some new ones.
I went through my rather large box of stitcheries and chose these little redwork motifs, which I'd designed about five years ago but never used, to go across the apron bib.
The apron was to be completed by now but life stepped in. Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow as I'm in dire need of some pretty new aprons.
DESIGNING...
I'm still working on rows of tulips when I have a chance...
...and I've only a few rows of cross-hatching to do and the final block of Phyllis May's Kitchen will be complete!
Next week, God willing, I'll be putting all the blocks together in one very special project and by the first week of May this long awaited BOM will be open for sign-ups.
Forgive me for putting so much into one blog post but as things are right now I'm wanting to do what I can when I am able.
The May issue of the Rewind Stitchery Club has six sweet stitcheries and a bonus mini quilt pattern...
Membership runs for 12 months and in that time you will receive twelve complete issues of The Rewind Stitchery Club with at least 5 patterns in every issue.
All new members receive a joining gift within 24 hours of their subscription and this is one of my old favourites, the Morning Glory Tea Set which includes a tea cosy, coasters and a foldable tea bag cupboard...
I hope you'll consider joining the fun.
Last night as I lay awake for hours, my head not giving me rest, I prayed for everyone the Lord brought to mind and you know, my heart was overflowing with JOY and I couldn't stop smiling.
It was the most beautiful few hours and I honestly don't have words enough to describe the experience.
Pain can be a shackle to your heart, a cage around your mind, and lend your emotions to moods you'd rather not remember when the pain has passed...but like Jesus as He prayed and sweat beads of blood in the garden on the night before His crucifixion, when we are suffering we only need ask the Lord to send a ministering angel to strengthen us and He will be faithful to do so. It allowed Jesus to get up and walk forth unto Calvary (Luke 22:43-44) and God loves us no less so when you need help just ask.
I am praying for you tonight, that Jesus would meet all your needs and fill every empty space in your heart with LOVE that knows no bounds.
hugs
