Happy Valentine's Day

I have my suspicions, but nobody has really claimed responsibility for this little project, hearts just started arriving in my home.  Sometimes carried in by a friend, sometimes delivered by the US Mail.  It has been great fun.  I have amassed quite a collection and I am so very grateful. It has been sweet to receive each and every heart, some of them took quite a bit of work, I imagine and they all carry with them the kind thoughts and healing prayers of the quilters in my life.

Melinda went out and bought me some ribbon (those of you who read her blog will NOT be surprised to hear that it is red with white polka dots) and teeny tiny clothespins with which to attach the hearts to the "clothesline".  I am planning to take this with me to UAMS for my surgery.  They may not let me hang it up in the ICU but Lynda will make sure it is hung up as soon as possible.

Not all the hearts were signed, but I want to give thanks to the following ladies who have gone out of their way to encourage me since my last surgery:

Stella (one she made herself and one that is from both Stella and her wonderful husband Charlie)
Barb
Michelle
Karen
Wendy
Jan
Pat
Jo Ann
Carol
Barbara
Carolyn
Marty

 I am blessed, indeed.  Thank you, all.

The Lost Weekend

The neurosurgeon, in his wisdom, said "Sure you can go to Amicalola Falls with the group from Tiny Stitches the weekend after you have brain surgery, if you feel like going."  Now, let me just say this.  In a week when I heard a lot of no, including "no, you cannot take a shower" and "no, you cannot leave your room" hearing yes meant everything to me.  What he knew but I didn't, was that there was no way I was going to be able to go.  He wasn't worried I'd get to the mountains and be far away from medical professionals because I wasn't going.  No. Way.  Have I mentioned how much I love my neurosurgeon?  The things I like best about him include his sense of humor and his ability to empathize with my desire to live as normal a life as possible.  (That and the whole "I can cut into your brain and not cause major damage" thing is pretty cool, too.)

So... Melinda and Stella and all the other Tiny Stitches ladies went off to the retreat while I lay mostly unconscious and certainly too drugged and weak to care.  I was looking forward to making the mystery quilt, which I have enjoyed every year that TS has been doing this event, but Maetha, who owns the shop always comes up with all kinds of fun side projects and goodies to give away and I was missing that too.  Or so I thought.   After the retreat was over Melinda came by and brought me a great stockpile of goodies.     Stella had, in addition to everything else she worked on in the weekend made me an apron, I got a pattern and fabric for making some pretty napkins, too.  A little bucket with my name on it that I know I will use for toting tools around in the future.  Somebody made me a beautiful black and yellow thread catcher, plus Robin's pattern for that project.  Quilting girl socks, a name tag made out of "Georgia" fabric printed by Hoffman for the Quilt Shop Hop last year.  Melinda even brought me candy, which Maetha sprinkles around the tables a few times a day during the retreat.

I feel so loved!