All Clear

We got great news from Skip's doctor this week that there is no evidence of cancer as a result of his treatment through last summer and fall. This means we can go south again this winter. Yay! We are very relieved. Although his treatment was very painful, it was non-invasive and didn't require surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. He'll have a checkup in June. We are cautiously optimistic he won't have to deal with it again.

I did a lot of stitching this week and only have 3 elements left to stitch on the 'Heaven and Nature' sampler. Then I'll go over it carefully to finish up any little bits I may have missed and get it sent off to Teresa before year end. I'll also take a tally of how many skeins of each colour are required. Teresa sent me two of each of most colours. I only used one skein of some colours and more than two of two others.

I have really enjoyed stitching it. I was glad I tackled the house in the middle first. It alone took 1.5 skeins of the WDW Brick stitching one thread over 2,  but once it was completed, it was a great reference point for everything else around it. I also stitched it all in hand as I had to work quickly so I 'darned' the stitches (down and up in one stroke) rather than 'stabbing' where the needle is poked down then back up through the fabric in two movements.

Teresa featured a 'sneak peek' I sent her a couple of weeks ago in a previous FlossTube episode. Skip ahead to 15:30 for it.

Teresa posted this photo on Facebook of the 'sneak peek' photo I sent her this week so I guess it's OK for me to post it, too. The pattern will be released at Market in Nashville at the beginning of March. In the meantime, she's going to be releasing the Bee Kind sampler I stitched for her in the fall and a bunch of other patterns on January 6. Stitching shops will be able to order from her then.

The big red thing at the bottom is only a small part of the house in the centre of the sampler. I'm really looking forward to it being released next spring.

Thursday, I did housework like a fiend. Skip's birthday was the next day and I had invited his brother and sister-in-law from 150km out of town to join us at our lovely French restaurant in downtown Whitby. They were invited to spend the night so I had to prepare Scooter's room for them. I also borrowed an air mattress so Scooter would have a place to sleep in my office. Skip didn't know our guests were coming so he was very pleasantly surprised when they showed up. The 5 of us had a great time at dinner. Although Skip is in regular contact with his brother, it had been more than a year since we'd seen them so there was a lot to talk about.

Andy and Nancy ended up driving back home after more after-dinner chatting as the road conditions were clear and dry and freezing precipitation was scheduled to start during the night. I was sad they couldn't stay but glad they got home quickly and safely and Scooter got to sleep in his pristine bedroom after all.
I still have some Christmas shopping to get done. After I post this I'm heading out to do that. Once school is out, traffic will be a challenge so I've got act while I still can do it easily.

Catch you later!