Sunday, February 21, 2010

Sunday-7am

Another dusting of snow up here on a quiet weekend.
I worked on cards again yesterday. :)






The fun for me is in the challenge. Since the scraps that we used are all the same size (we're recycling bookcard scraps) you have to figure out different ways to decorate them. As you've probably noticed, Leah and I both like fairly simple cards, too--and with these cards--it's all about the paper. Ah yes--I am a paper lover--hehe! :)
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The colors! The prints! Calming, nostalgic, invigorating, silly, retro, bold, soft...ahhh! I am so glad I took a leap out of my comfort zone the past couple of years. (Everything I made used to be more like the 4th and 6th cards.) This has been great fun! A kind of spirit stretching--hehe!
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I had a little bit of bleach left and did a little more work on the carpet with the SpotBot. Was getting ready for bed early--and got a call from a friend in Hibbing who has been caretaking her mother who has Alzheimer's. Her mother fell and broke her hip. The hip surgery went well...but then she suddenly crashed shortly afterwards--heart failure--kidney failure--and then she was gone.
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It was actually a blessing. Her mother couldn't always remember where the bathroom was any more. She also had terrible back pain and wasn't happy being unable to do all the things she used to do. So--it was sad--and yet I was happy for her mother--to be free again, you know? I think her mother is probably gardening again right now! :) :)
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We talked over 2 1/2 hours. It will be a huge life shift for her after taking care of someone else 24/7 for such a long time.
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The only thing you can count on in this life is change. And the only thing you can't avoid is death. Looking back--the fuss I made over some things that seemed so important at the time really seem quite silly a few decades later--hehe!
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One day I hope to be sharing and creating somewhere...and I just pray I won't have been too much of a burden before I leave. A comforting vision. :):)

5 comments:

akartisan said...

I know what you mean about a life lift. My Mother had 2 heart attacks 3 days apart, then went into dementia and several other problems and it was a miserable 3 years for her and us before she died. When she died, I was relieved, but felt guilty for being relieved. I'm glad she's finally at peace.

akartisan said...

forgot to say I like the second one with the yellow and the last one with the dress pattern - I do lots of collage things with those and gift wrap tissue that is bunched up and covered with acrylic paint, so the tissue makes a texture.

Hoping to get the photo function working soon on my restored computer.

Rita said...

Hi Sue,
Sorry to hear about your mom. You really do know what it is like to deal with a loved one on decline for years like my friend. It is a blessing when they are finally free of their physical body and brain function losses. Yes--it is a relief, too. Wouldn't be human if it wasn't also a relief. I don't think our emotions are slotted and catagorized. Very often we have many at once--all very real and legitimate. :)

I can see where sewing pattern paper would work just like a tissue paper in collage. You're going to have to figure out how to get a blog going--or make a flickr account for pictures. ;)

AliceKay said...

Sad loss for your friend and her family but truly a blessing for her mother. Alzheimers is such a terrible disease. I wish someone would find a cure for life's horrible diseases.

Nice cards. :)

Rita said...

AliceKay,
Yes--we often wish life could be safe and perfect and free of suffering. Seems like all our big life lessons come from trials and tribulations, tho. Nothing seems completely all bad or all good. Even in what looks like a completely black sky you can usually find a tiny star or two if you look for them. ;)