WOYWW 779

No snappy title from me this week.  Not even any photographs this time.  Nor a desk.

The saddest news - on Thursday 2nd May, 2024, my beloved mother finally joined my father in eternal rest. Her passing was not unexpected, not a shock.  We had been expecting it for some time - she was 92, after all, and in September 2020 diagnosed with chronic cardiac failure.  She'd been in and out of hospital since September last year, and the last two months were spent in a lovely care home in Braintree, Essex.

The Friday before, Mum was admitted to hospital again for the sixth time in 8 months, with her heart rate and BP  fluctuating quite wildly.  Ultimately, by the Tuesday she had contracted hospital acquired pneumonia, and at 19:20pm on Thursday breathed her last.

My sister and niece were with her at the end, and she went peacefully and quietly into the arms of her God.

I feel honoured to have known her, let alone be her daughter.  She was not without her quirks, but she was steadfast in her faith, and had love for all (occasionally a somewhat judgy quip too but we won't dwell on that!) opening her heart and her door to many through the years. Grandma to all children - even those not related to her - and as my eldest niece put it when she was a small bean "Grandma from London has sweeties in her bag" generous to a fault.  

Mum was very much a creative herself.  A demon with the knitting needles, she taught herself to crochet much later in life, and took to it like a duck to water.  She wasn't adverse to wielding an embroidery needle, and stitched a few beautiful pieces with enthusiasm if slightly lacking in skill.  Mostly, she was an adept on the sewing machine.  I don't believe she ever had any formal tuition, but her entire life she made clothes for us and costumes for the stage school and amateur dramatic society she ran.  Mum rather jealously guarded her machine, and whilst she - without hesitation - encouraged us to sew and bought me my first machine, it was more than my life was worth to ever risk touching hers! Mum also painted during my childhood, reasonable works of art (though no great master) in oil and she loved Nancy Kominski's tv programmes. A genuine and happy dabbler in most things, card making included.

Mum missed my father greatly, and when the time came, confirmed to us that she was ready to go. She will be so very missed by us all.

Constance Ware (Fenn)

1931-2024

WOYWW 778 - Did ya miss me, briefly?

Ha!  I'm here.  I kind of forgot last week, and didn't have very much to show really.  So I skipped a week but I'm still here.  Heheheh

Today's gratuitous desk shot - more of the same really.  The needleminders all have been resin'd and magnets attached, and the scissor fobs made.  All bar one.  I was short by one solitary 4mm red, faceted, crystal cube.  So naturally I bought a couple hundred.  LOL.  I could have bought a single Swarovski bead for about £4 including postage but imagine if it didn't turn up, or wasn't the right size.... or was the wrong colour?  So I bought two job lots in two colours and the rest will go into stash. I'm sure I will use them before long.

Stitching wise, this month's WIPGO is now complete with 5 days stitched on this Spooky House design by Sandra Parlow, charted by Xs and Ohs. I started this back in 2022, I think, so you won't have seen it before.  Here's a shot of what it looks like currently, and one of what it will look like when done.  The windows and the moon are stitched with glow in the dark Kreinik braid (the devil's floss) and look fab for all of 9 seconds after the lights go out.  A bit of fun nonetheless.

The WOCS SAL moved along and I have completed part three - still three sections behind but I'll be cracking on with those shortly.

The May WIPGO was called and it was three numbers - 5, 13 (spare square) and 19.  For me that means I have two more - and different, for a change - works in progress to work on, The Pirate and Alluring Sorceress, and a new start. The new start will be a blackwork piece which I'll commence on Saturday for Star Wars day. :D

Speaking of May 4th, tomorrow I start a few days' holiday and will be heading up to North Wales for that stitching retreat with friends that I mentioned last post - it's suddenly come around very quickly, and indeed, our Michigan friend starts her journey tomorrow with the first of three flights.  Once in the UK she'll be having to navigate London to get a train up to Chester where I'll be meeting her.  Brave lass!

So, that's my two penn'orth for this week.  I'll say it now, I don't think I will have time to hop around the blogs this week because today is a full and extended working day, tomorrow is shaping up to be manic, and after that I'll be busy socialising (how very dare I?! LOL), so please accept my apologies for not paying you a visit.

I will be making an ATC or two, by the way, although I'll not be able to join the Crop this year, sadly, so do let me know if you'd like to swap ahead of time and I may just get myself organised enough to do them in a timely manner.

Happy Hopping!

Morti

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