I am still here!!!!

I know - more than 12 months since my last post.
Sorry!

Ah, what a year. Of change and growth and loss and gain!

I gained 2 grandboys - both born on December 14. But not twins! Arthur was ten weeks early at 11.47 a.m., Elliot was two weeks late and born at 11.47 p.m. The amazingly clever darlings of my two older sons, cousins three months and 12 hours in age difference. They are both doing extremely well, sweet babies!

I had a scary time in April when my belly went from it's usual 'looking eight months pregnant' 125 cm to 85 cm and I lost 13 kgs in one week and was really unwell. Then three weeks later I wasn't unwell at all. Since then I have been remarkably lively. The cysts are still in my liver (and some more in my kidneys for luck, grrr) but not the HUGE pregnant belly I have had so much for the last 2.5 years. And no more surgery - had a second opinion and that surgeon also said he wouldn't operate. But now I am getting back to me!

My darling neighbour Maureen died at the end of  February. She had breast cancer ten years before, and it came back in a big rush and she only had a few weeks of not wearing her lovely hot pink lipstick and she was gone. I miss her terribly, she was a good friend, a good neighbour and always such a delight to be around. Such very sweet memories.

In May I had a Big Oh birthday and settled down to at least a month of partying.
But a week later my Mummy had a massive haemorrhagic stroke - whilst I was speaking on the phone to her. So when she started to not make sense I called 000. Who had to ring 000 in Queensland who had to them call me back in Victoria. Despite that, the ambulance got to Mum before she had totally lost consciousness.
However, she isn't really good - she has gone from being totally independent to the opposite, and is now in a High Care Residential place. One where she used to  'play piano for old people' when she first moved to the Sunshine Coast, so it is all familiar to her. She thinks she is visiting with friends and is very relaxed. (Which may be a function of the Zoloft sheeis now on, and none of the other 19 meds that two different doctors who didnt communicate with each other (GRRRR) had put her on over the last couple of years. :-)
But I miss my Mummy - it isn't the same person on the end of the phone, but is still rather fun talking about all her travels in her mind. Way more distressing for me than for her...

I have now got Alice, a Jack Russell/Fox Terrier cross - rescued from the RSPCA at Christmas. Sh espent her first 9 months in a backyard in Ballarat, no name, not housetrained, skinny and just ACHING to be loved!! She is a funny, snuggly and grateful lively dog - learned her name and housetrained in three days, has added 1/3 of her size since I got her. Inc old weather she snuggled down past my shoulders and stretches across my feet like a little living hot water bottle!

This past Sunday I sang Love and Justice again. This time in Melbourne Town Hall at a celebration for (former Prime Minister) Julia Gillard. Credit Where Credit Is Due was organised by The Victorian Women's Trust - read all about it in the link.
They also commissioned my friend Kavisha Mazzella to write the Love and Justice anthem in 2008 to celebrate the centenary of women getting the vote in Victoria. It is the most awe inspiring anthem - I LOVE singing it, especially in such a huge, dynamic, amazing women's choir!
This performance there were *only* 260 women in the choir. And I opened my mouth and said I would make a quilt for Julia. With signatures of all the women on it.We only had three rehearsals and I didn't think about it until the second one. So only had one rehearsal to gather signatures - and the performance day of course. I think I have it covered.
Am making purple and green Friendship Stars with white siggie squares in the centre of each. Made about 130 so far (half way, WHEW!!) but think the back shall be a chequerboard of siggies with also the words and music of the anthem, and photos of the choir performing.

Been knitting, and quilting (again, hooray!!!), and chopping and stacking firewood, and gardening, and doing little stuff around the house - the lack of $$$ still curtailing my flights of bathroom fancy.

Oh, and the ''Sweetheart'' and I are no longer together. That fell in a heap earlier in the year. Haven't heard from him. But then, he hasn't heard from me, either... :-)

I shall try to figure out how to add photos from my phone to here next post cos photos are a good thing in ablog. My Mac is ailing (a good reason why I haven't posted here) and I am using a loaner laptop for the time being.

Thanks for waiting for me!!!