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Friday 16 September 2016

September WIPocalypse Memory Lane

WIPocalypse
WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share the projects we want to complete before the End Of The World.

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "16 in '16" which are 16 projects I particularly wanted to concentrate on in 2016.   The full list can be found on my WIPocalypse page where you can also find my secondary list "16 Series in '16".

My main goal is to keep to my rotation of one small every Friday and the rest of the month working on my focus piece until it is finished.  I also have a number of SALs I want to keep up with:

The Alphabet Club - a different letter on the first Saturday of each month
Gifted Gorgeousness - post anything gifted on the 15th
Hallowe'en Ornie Blog - a different spooky theme each month
Christmas Ornie Blog - a different festive theme each month
Smalls SAL - last Thursday of each month

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I have worked on 2 out of 16 projects since my last WIPocalypse, plus 2 from my series list.

1. Gathering Honey by Jannlynn:


16. Counting Bats by Just Nan:


And for the series:

1. Christmas Cubes by The Primitive Hare:



6. Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooke's Books:


Measi always gives us a topic to discuss:

September - Tell us the story behind a piece with special memories.

The design I've chosen is Angelica by Lavender & Lace.


I was born at my grandparents' house and we stayed there off-and-on until I was six.  When I first started school we lived too far for me to come home for dinner (as most children did back then).  My Dad would drop me off at Nana's for breakfast, I'd go there for my dinner and again after school when my Mum would come and walk home with me.   In the late 1960s my Nana had developed a brain tumour which was operated on successfully but which left her dependent on her family for anything more complicated than light housework, cooking and local shopping.  She also clung to anything familiar which included her oldest grand-daughter (me).  In her final years she was fond of telling people she "had brought me up".

When Grandad passed away she had to learn to live alone which she managed with support from my parents and the "girls" from the Home Care Agency.  She was unwilling to accept strangers into her home but conceded she would allow ones who smiled!  I was working full time (6 days a week) but did my best to visit her regularly and when she went into hospital again I spent my day off travelling to visit a very grumpy old lady who did not understand why she had to stay there.  "My sisters will look after me" as they did when she had the first brain tumour.  Well, those sisters still with us were in their late 80s themselves and not able to!  Eventually I had a cunning plan and introduced her to "my friend Mandy who has a house where ladies can live with her".  Nana decided any friend of mine was OK and told her social worker she "wanted to live with Mandy"!   The residential home was only 5 minutes from my house so I was able to visit more regularly for short periods of time.


At this time I was stitching Angelica by Lavender & Lace, the Easter weekend was spent working on her over-one face.  When the care home phoned me to tell me that Nana had lapsed into unconsciousness and the end was close, I brought Angelica with me to work on while I sat with her.  Nana passed away very peacefully just after teatime with me holding her hand and talking her through all the people who would be waiting for her.  I don't know exactly when I finished Angelica, it was some time later that summer so she appears in my Happy Dance blog on Nana's Birthday.  Nana would have been 101 this year!

Finally, Measi's suggestion of a memory post brings me nicely to tomorrow!  This blog will be hosting a Retrospective View of The Days of Jo's Life featuring Guest Bloggers from Around the World and their Memories Based on Anecdotes from Jo's Life and  Appropriate Stitching.  Or a Big Birthday Blog Hop for short.  I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully will manage to visit everyone by Sunday evening.


20 comments:

Sara said...

You worked on a lot this month :) Well done!!! And your Angelica is stunning and it has such a sentimental value for you :) it's such a sweetbway to remember you of your Nana.

Vickie said...

Jo your story was very touching. Thank you for sharing about your Nana. I am so glad you were with her at the end. Angelica is truly spectacular.

D1-D2 said...

I love your story Jo. You were so lucky to have been able to live near enough your Gran to see her almost every day. I lived an ocean away from both of mine and they both passed away before I got the chance to go see them again as an adult.

CalamityJr said...

Oh, Jo, I love your Nana memories and stitching. I spent every summer with mine (she lived six hours away) until I was 16 and started a summer job, and there are so many wonderful memories from those days. Thank you for sharing!

diamondc said...

Jo: What a lovely story about your Nana, she sounds like a beautiful Lady, I am so happy you spent time with her, as I retied from Healthcare I had over 23 years seen so many people who had no visitors from Family members until they got sick, I am so happy you and your Family took care of her.
Beautiful Angel love the frame and mat board.

Blessings
Catherine

Mini said...

Such beautiful memories of your Nana.Angelica is splendid. Nice progress on your other projects.

Bea said...

Great stitching on your WIPocalypse projects and thank you for sharing your Nana story - Angelica is lovely and the memories that go with her are priceless.

rebelrosecreations@gmail.com said...

Jo Such beautiful story of your Nana. I'm happy you were able to spend time with her and be with her.You have been very busy. Well done! I always look forward to seeing post. Happy Stitching! ~ C's Cross Stitch Creations ~ http://christiescrossstitchcreations.blogspot.com/

Linda said...

What an awesome story Jo. Brought tears to my eyes. Angelica is beautiful.

Linda

OhSewCrafty said...

Thanks for sharing the lovely story about your Nana, it was so touching and how wonderful that you were with her at the end. Angelica is gorgeous, the over 1 face is incredible.

Sarah in Stitches said...

Lovely stitching progress! And that's such a sweet story of your Nana. It's so wonderful that you have these memories of her!

Julie said...

A lovely memory post and Angelica is stunning.

Katie said...

Great stitching! What a beautiful memory you shared. Beautiful.

gominam said...

That is a very sweet story (reminded me of my sister, being the first grandchild, my grandma always doted on her, but i was too young to care, Lol). I'm sure your Nana's proud of you. Angelica is really a special piece.

Brigitte said...

Great progress on Gathering Honey, a piece that I always love to see on your and other stitchers' blogs. And a great finish with Counting Bats.
Isn't it strange that some stitched pieces that we have are so full of memories of the time when we were stitching them? I can also remember the circumstances of nearly all the big pieces that I was stitching in the past. The memories that come to you when looking at Angelica are very special.

Stitching Noni said...

Oh Jo.... your story brought tears to my eyes. Angelica is a beautiful finish and the memories that it has wrapped up with it are very special
Hugs xx

Tiffstitch said...

Lovely stitching on everything and what a great story about your relationship with your Nana.

The Crafty Princess said...

Dear Jo, what a beautiful story of Nan. Unfortunately I'm reading it whilst at work and I have tears streaming down my face. My colleagues were a little concerned but I told them your story and they all teared up. Bless. Such a beautiful and in hindsight appropriate piece for you to be working on while visiting Nan. So happy you're cunning plan worked. Great post Jo, thanks for sharing.
xo Alicia

Leonore Winterer said...

What a beautiful story, and what I wonderful woman your Nana must have been :) I'm really glad that, although you worked on it in such difficult times, this project also carries so many positive memories for you.

Heather said...

A wonderful story :). Angelica is beautiful