Things have been manic around here - plenty of hand stitching of Liberty hexagons going on but far more time taken up with family things
My lovely dad was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia in the spring so he and mum have needed much more support than before - his condition hasn't deteriorated too badly so far but there are marked changes and he will only go in one direction. I'm just so glad that we moved them to be near to us - we can support them on a daily practical basis
Then just as we were getting used to all that our beautiful son was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder about six weeks ago right in the middle of his GCSE exams
As you can imagine life has been pretty tricky, it has hit us like an express train and lots of the things we like to do have gone by the wayside, precious little time for quilting, but we're keeping our heads above water and hanging on in there together drawing strength from each other
Speaking of keeping heads above water one thing I have managed to keep doing during all this is a sponsored swim that I'd started before the diagnosis - swimming the equivalent of the English Channel in 13 weeks, I'm 161 lengths of the total 1073 away from the French coast now - the escape time at the pool has given me the luxury of being able to just veg out as I trawl up and down the lengths. Nigel has done his chilling on a cycle along the canal towpath near our house - time out together has been pretty rare but we're coping
If anyone would like to sponsor me for my 22 mile swim which I need to complete by 22nd July - it's in aid of Diabetes UK as Nick also has Type 1 Diabetes - please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Anne-Bebbington and add your contribution -thank you in anticipation if you do
So I'll leave you with a picture of my three great gorgeous kids taken last weekend at my niece's wedding in the soggy and stormy Lake District - after all, along with my parents, they're pretty much what life's all about at the moment and I wouldn't have it any other way. However it may be a while before proper quilting content is resumed
