May was full of sadness, happiness and numbness

 May has had so many ups and downs and with it went my stitching bug - I've not put floss to linen almost 2 weeks, so don't have a lot to show.

So at the end of each month we post our progress in WIPocalypse which is hosted by Measi and her blog can be found here.  https://measi.net.  Each month we also get a question to answer for May this question is How do you determine if a project is a UFO or a WIP?

Well for me it's location, location, location.  If the WIP has been banished to the basement, it is definitely a UFO - I don't think about it and don't work on it - unfortunately there are way too many projects that have been banished to the basement for one reason or another - mostly because I've lost interest in stitching on them - but I haven't totally lost my love for them and one day they will come back and be worked on - but not today.    My WIP's have two locations upstairs - one is on a small shelving unit and within easy access and the other is in a foot stool - I have to say the ones in the foot stool don't tend to get as much love as the one on the shelves, you know - out of sight, out of mind.  However they do get touch each year - but maybe not for a full week, sometimes only a day, but they do get loved.

Each month the WIP WARRIOR has a challenge (ok they have many each month, but I tend to only do one).  It's a focus, where you spend 4 days working on one project.  

I pulled out Put a Bird On It by Modern Folk - I'm using my own colors with no real plan other than using the dark blue or the light blue as the bases in each motif - well most of the time, you know how the best laid plans of mice and men go.

this month I manage to do the three motifs at the bottom, I think I did a little bit more than what is showing, so that will be shown off on another day.  This is a SAL with the goal to be done in December - but I'm thinking I can have it done before then.

I also participate in WIPGO and each month 4 things are called to work on - I do two projects in each square and there are 2 squares pulled each month (with the exception of one month we'll have 3).   I had already stitched on 1 of the 4 before May - so that left 3 to work on in May.  I managed to work on 2 of those 3.

First up was A Mind Independent and Free by Carriage House was called.  I managed to get a page finish - boy there were lots of words to stitch and then the alphabet down the sides.  I really like the saying on this one and can't wait for it to be done.  It will be long and skinny.

I also worked on Happily Ever After by Rebel Stitcher.  I'm doing this one for my middle daughter who got married last November.  Once done it will be for her home.  The needle minder is placed on the offensive word on the chart.  If I was doing this for me I would have replaced that word, but for my daughter it is fitting.  Not sure where my kids learned the words they use, they certainly didn't get it from me LOL - maybe hubby, his language can be very colourful at times.

There were the only things I really put any time and effort into this month.  As said in the title this month has been a roller coaster of emotions for me.

My Dad passed away this month - he was 95 and had a good life and until the last 6 months he was pretty independent, but things changed and it was suggested that he should be placed in hospice.  I resisted for quite awhile because things were going OK between the Home Health Services, myself and the assisted living, but then the Home health decided that they couldn't continue giving him the same level of service he had been receiving.  I think the nurse that had been seeing him either quit or was re-assigned to someone different and the new person didn't want to give the same level of service.  What can I say our healthcare system sucks.  So in order to continue getting him the help he needed I agreed.

In retrospect, I think I picked the wrong agency - he was only in for 2 weeks before he passed and it was a fight to get any services out of them.  They talked a good game before we signed him up for the assistance, but when it came to actually do anything it was like pulling teeth with tweezers.  If you need services - talk to several agencies and look them up on CMS's website and ask other people about how well they do.  While my head knows that it was my Dad's time, my heart keeps asking if I did everything I could have done.  I those self doubts come from the agency's nursing telling me that I should have done more if I didn't think they were doing what they should have done.......So I will struggle with those words.  Other than my one sister who thinks I should have done more, most people that know me know that I've been diligent with both parents' care.  

This month we watched our granddaughter graduate from high school.  If I were a peacock my feathers would have been display for all the world to see just how proud I am of her!!!  She is my heart beat and has been since the day she was born.  

She graduated with honours, which was amazing given her Dad doesn't believe in women having an education and certainly didn't help her achieve that honour.    She has been accepted at University of Louisville and will go into their nursing program, I've told her she is only limited by her desire, we are so proud of her.  

She will come and live with my daughter in our house (which we get to visit periodically) for the summer until she can move into her dorms.  We will be close enough that she will have someplace to go on long weekends and holidays.  I, of course with raw emotions from my Dad, cried, tears of joy as well as tears wishing her Mom (my daughter) was there to see her graduate.   But I believe her Mom was watching over her.

My Mom is doing OK, she has dementia and while she knows something has changed, she really isn't aware of what changed.  I'm glad she is in the assisted living and will have 24/7 care and I will continue to go and see her daily.

So going to get out some stitching and see if I can't get back into stitching again.

Sandy