Grinch

Happy new year everyone. 

So much has happened since last year. I have a post still in draft about my trip to Europe including 5 days in Paris and some fabric shopping but life has been pretty busy and at times very cruel so I just have not had the time to write a blog post let alone sew. I'll get to that later.

One of my sisters wanted a Grinch t-shirt for Christmas but she couldn't find one (although she did later) and she bought a plain t-shirt and a kids Grinch t-shirt asking if I could sew the print onto her shirt. The black t-shirts were a good match. I cut an oval shape around the print to make it quick and easy as time is a valuable resource with not much spare.  Even in real life it's hard to tell it's sewn on. I did put a stretch interfacing that I had in black on the back just for a bit of stability but it worked out perfectly. I sewed the little label on the sleeve. She really liked it and it will be worn for many Christmases in the future.

My Dad and his only sibling, a brother, were orphaned in WW2 when about 7 and 9 years old and came to Australia just before my uncle who was the elder) had to do national service at 16. It was a very tough life for them but lived happily in Australia. My uncle's wife died on 14 November which is my uncle's birthday, the day before her funeral, 22 November which was my Dad's birthday, my cousin called and said my uncle had died and it would be a double funeral. It was sad but the nature of life. They were 89 and 91 respectively so had long lives. My uncle and an aunt in Cyprus also died in the previous weeks and since my my passed away on 22 July 2021 I have had 14 members of my family or very close people pass away. It's been very difficult but not as difficult as the latest.

Just two weeks later, my older sister, Maria, passed away. She had a rare blood cancer that she was fighting for 6 years or more ... she was just 62. She was a single parent to a 17 year old young man. To say we are devastated is not even touching the surface. My nephew's Dad is around as are his 4 aunts... but no one can replace a Mum, and especially after he has been caring for her for so long from a young age too. 

My sister called my nephew her miracle. I won't go into it too much but basically she had gynaecological issues all her life, her gynaecologist (from 12 years old), started a very successful fertility clinic and was very caring but as her knew her for so long would not contemplate IVF so she believed she could never have children. At 45, she was lecturing in Goondiwindi  and had severe pain. She was flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to the hospital. When she was stable, they advised normally for a woman her age they would suggest a hysterectomy however as she was pregnant.... that's how she found out.. so a real miracle. 

Vale Maria... my beautiful, intelligent and truly unique sister. I miss you so much.

So I am hoping for an uneventful 2023 if you get my drift.