Tuesday, May 24, 2016

I’ve been absent for a few days but I have good excuses. I was sick on Friday night. I was so cold I was shivering and couldn’t stop so when I went to bed I filled the hot water bottle; fortunately I hadn’t left the sink when I realized the rubber had worn out and there was a huge hole in it. We still had a heating pad that worked so I used that. It wasn’t long before I was back in the bathroom very ill and whenever I left the heating pad I started to shiver again. Saturday was pretty much a wasted day as I slept in and then napped on the couch in the morning and the afternoon.

I did do one thing on Saturday that should have made me feel better but it really didn’t. On Friday (maybe that is what made me sick) I drafted a letter of resignation to the Arts Council. I couldn’t resolve several of the financial issues I found in the books and, since no answers were forthcoming from the Board or the previous Treasurer, I didn’t feel confident in the financial statements that would eventually need to by presented to City Council. It was late in the day on Saturday before I proof-read the letter and sent it out. I didn’t feel immediate relief as I feel like a quitter. I heard from a couple of Board members and they were kind, but I still feel a bit like deserting the ship. I’ve passed the few records I had over to the President; since Pat remains on the Board I’ll be able to follow what happens in the next few months.

On Sunday our guests from Fort Smith arrived on the afternoon ferry. We haven’t seen Gene and Jenny for a few years; Pat was friends with them when he lived in Fort Smith. Gene is in failing health and we quickly realized we wouldn’t be able to follow through on any of the plans we made. I worry about him every time he moves from one room to another and don’t even get me started about how I feel when he goes outside. Jenny says he suffers from early dementia but there are times I think it is further along than she admits; he’s probably better though in his own surroundings. They will be with us until Friday and will start their trek home after spending the weekend with family in the Lower Mainland.

Gene is a percussionist and he brought along “a bag of toys” and his bongo drums. We had a few friends in last night for a pot luck supper and some music. I think Gene really enjoyed himself and the drums added a lot to the music. It was a fun night but Gene is pretty tired today. There is one other player on the couch in front of the plant but she is so short she didn’t show up in any of the photos.

I headed off to my quilting, as usual, this morning. I had a few things I wanted to get finished before we head out on our trip. I finished the binding on my first-ever drafted-from-a-photo project; the drafting teacher was at the bee and she said I did a good job so I’m pleased. You’ll have to wait until June birthdays roll around to see it though.

I did the 80th block on my Farmer’s Wife Sampler at the Mount Washington Retreat but it was too small so I did another one when I came home. Sadly, I made exactly the same mistake the second time around. Today I was determined to get that 80th block done – and I did it. I’ve also wanted to get something ready to stitch on the planes when we take our trip so I started cutting out the templates for my I’m A Farmer’s Daughter quilt.