Diana Helen Glasspool, (nee Simons) 1944 - 2021

It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my soulmate of over fifty years.

Diana passed away in the early hours of this morning, succumbing to her cancer.

We met on the island of Jersey when we were both on holiday, her with her mum and dad, me with my mate from work. She picked us up when we were hitch-hiking across the island and that was it! Met in the September, engaged in January, married in March.

Didn't quite get to the telegram from the queen, as it would have been 50 years in March 2022.

The last five months have been a whirlwind of hospital visits, every test and scan possible, and diagnosis of lung and brain cancer. She was never a smoker.

Her love of crafts, lacemaking, knitting, crochet, embroidery and quilting helped her make friends across the world.

She will be sadly missed by many people.

Christmas Day

The family arrived just before 11am and Richard had cooked the turkey and Gammon joint at home, before bringing it in a Hot Box here. The family had prepared all the veg.. so it was just a matter of sorting it all in my kitchen. They did a brilliant job and the meal was wonderful.

My phone camera somehow was stuck on video so the photos are not that good.

Richard, Eleanor and Jacq

Chris, Abigail and Christine [Jacqs sister]

After lunch we had lots of laughs and a fun raffle ticket game, that Chris had organised.

When i came downstairs about 8am this morning Chris was in full swing with the Lego kit my sister Debbie sent him

He still has a much larger Lego kit that the kids and I bought him, so should keep him happy for a while.

My Christmas presents mostly consist of pretty candles… we will need the fire brigade if we light them all!!

Happy Boxing Day.

Happy Christmas

I hope you all have the best day possible, even if it has to be a Zoom meeting because of all the Covid.

As a family we all took tests yesterday to make sure we could meet, and Richard and family are bringing the Christmas lunch here to cook as it is difficult for me to travel.

Chris brought me the traditional Christmas breakfast, pork pie, in bed this morning. It has been a tradition in my family to eat pork pie for breakfast since before I was born !!! Goodness knows why !It is nice to keep some of the old traditions alive.  I did however have a Persimmon for something sensible to eat.

It was delicious washed down with a Barley Cup.

A really rough week followed by a sock finish

My Tagrisso pills were due to run out yesterday and i had a call booked after a lot of hassle to the hospital,but no one called. Even the District  nurse called ! Eventually i got through to someone and they asked me to rush in for a blood test , ECG and some other tests. After two days of being messed about i was in rather a state..  three hours later we left the hospital and was told we would get a call next day. We got the call and all my tests were ok and Chris could go back to the hospital to collect another 28 days of Tagrisso.

It has taken me a while to get over all the hassle but today I completed the last stitch in my knitted sock Mystery SAL with the Bakery Bears.,

The turquoise wool is Definitional Sock Yarn by Artesano colour 6705 Azure

The pink is Truly Hooked Hand Dyed Yarn colour Dusky Pink.

It was all based on a book by Laura Ingalls Wilder.. Little House in The Big Woods.

I have loved working on the sock but should have made it larger as my feet are so swollen. I think I will just keep it as a sampler.

We have just taken a covid test, as will the family before they visit tomorrow. Happy Christmas Ev

Bakery Bears Mystery Sock

Yesterday was part 8 or 9 of the mystery sock along and i managed to get completely caught up.

This has been such an interesting project and i have learnt many new things.

The photo was taken next to my Native American Nativity that friend Jane from the USA made me years ago.

Dropping another .5 Steroid today for a week, hoping my feet stop swelling so much. Started at 16mg now down to 2.5mg.

Planning to work on my cross stitch today.

Busy week

This coming week leading to Christmas seems very busy.  I have a chiropodist coming to sort out my feet, the district nurse, a call to my surgeon. Tesco delivery and the car goes in for a service plus someone is coming to trim the hedge and a friend is visiting. My guess is this will all be added to. Life is never dull.

I have been reducing the steroids I take, started with 16mg and I’m down to 3mg, 1/2 a week reduction, but i am feeling better for it, however i am on lots of other pills, I rattle!

The Covid situation has meant different doctors and surgeons have changed from my visiting at the hospital to phone calls. I am trying to stay as safe as I can and pleased not to go out. 

Richard brought over a load of Christmas gifts and i can hardly get in my Happy Room now, it looks like Santa’s grotto. The family and Jacq’s sister, are coming here for Christmas Day and bringing all the food with them. They will all take the Covid test before they come.

I have been working on my Victorian Sampler and the mystery sock.

Pleased with the progress I have made. In fact I managed to get the w x z in pink sewn before I came to bed.

Loved Strictly  Come Dancing this year and so pleased Rose, who is deaf, won the glitter ball, she has done so much for the deaf community in taking part in the dancing.

Almost time for breakfast and today I think I’ll have porridge and a Persimmon [i love this fruit when it is in season].

Evenweave linen

I Have been buying evenweave linen for about £15 to £20 a piece, but i happened to see a posting on Ebay for a whole bundle of linen mostly the size i like to use, so i treated myself and it arrived yesterday.  

I am thrilled with my £50 purchase. Such a selection of colours and different makes for me to try.

I will not need to buy any more linen for a long time.

Crafting update

I am suddenly becoming a Serial Starter. Usually I am monogamous with my stitching, but hey ho !

My main project

Could not wait to start St Francis Prayer.

Just received this today and just could not resist making a little start.

Bakery Bears Mystery Advent sock knitting. I have managed to keep upto date and cannot wait for tomorrows part.

A nice visit from Dorn and Bill plus the best lemon drizzle cake this afternoon, thank you.

A difficult few days

I have had a few difficult days, starting with a District nurse trying to get blood out of me unsuccessfully, which meant i had to go to the surgery [which is not easy for me]. The next day i had to go back to the surgery for another treatment which now means i have to take antibiotics.

I seem to be taking SO many pills. Some have which have been changed and i need to get used to them.

The BakeryBears Mystery sock knitting gave us part 5 today.

I am hoping the heels are next.

The mystery is based on the book, Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

Mystery Knitting, X Stitch Progress and Lego

The Bakery Bears have an Advent calendar and each day produce another part. A theme throughout is a mystery knitting pattern.

I decided to work on the knitting pattern and it turns out to be a real learning curve for me.

Part One was a twisted rib, part two was a fancy pattern

Today we were given Part Three and it represents tracks in the snow.

I dont know why but I undid more than I sewed working on this, but I am loving the Victorian Sampler

And cannot wait to get to the animals and trees at the bottom.

Chris has a new Lego kit to keep him busy

He has always loved 007 James Bond and this car even comes with guns and an ejector seat!

Ten Pills and a haul of x stitch patterns

Yesterday i took my tenth pill, and so far no side effects, which I am very great full for.

A couple of days ago i bought on Ebay a few new patterns that I intend to get kitted up.

My first Blackbird design

Love this

If anyone knows the conversion to DMC threads please let me know.

Love the Prayer to St. Francis

My fifth purchase

Floss cards

Yesterday with the help of Chris I turned the many Get Well, Thinking of you, and Birthday cards that I had received in November into Floss cards.

I purchased a floss card shape for my Sizzix machine but am waiting for a hole punch for the base of the cards.

Thank you all so much for the cards.

I cut the cards, using the pretty parts, and then Chris ran them through the machine.

The Kingfisher is my favourite, but i love them all.

Advent Day 2, a new x stitch start

Yesterday I prepared to start a x stitch that I had managed to buy on Ebay as a complete kit.

The fabric included was Aida and i prefer to work on 28 count evenweave linen, so I substituted it.

I purchased a pretty set of floss holders from Etsy.

Sorted all the colours out and labelled them on the back with their colour and symbol.

The pattern I chose.

Made a start along the borders, with my Penguin needle holder to keep me company.

Advent Day ONE

Christmas now begins. We usually put up the decorations on December 1st but as I cannot help we will go minimal this year.

I opened my Cadbury’s Advent Calendar 

The first chocolate, thank you Dorn for the calendar 

I completed my latest x stitch, The Lacemaker’s Cottage.

 

The Pattern by Stone Street Stitch Works [free] and the evenweave linen I used

Snow, cake & X Stitch

What a day we woke to snow, and the garden looked pretty for a while but it did not last long.

Chris decided to make his first cake using a cake mix. 

It was lovely carrot cake.

Plus I have worked on a new small x stitch.

This was a freebie I found called the Lacemaker’s Cottage.

I only have the final flower to work. 

Please ignore the personisations [mistakes]

Specsavers

I had a visit from Specsavers this morning, I never knew they did home visits and i was very impressed with their check up.

New glasses will be with me in three weeks.

Chris managed to find a frame for my latest Sampler.

Eliza M Stone 1881. The pattern comes with lots of information about Eliza and Tinsley Park School.

I love reading the stories behind the Samplers.

Day ONE of lung cancer treatment

Today I start my treatment, thank you all for your prayers, cards and kind words.

Another delay and a bouquet off flowers

Yesterday I went for an ECG at the hospital, this is always difficult for me as getting from the car to the wheelchair is not easy. 

I was about 40 minutes on  the table and i didn’t realise she only did a echo cardio gram. This has delayed the start of my treatment as i have to go back for an ECG that they should have done in the first place. I was due to start my new treatment tomorrow. Really fed up with the delay!

However out of the blue an old friend sent me flowers by post, that just arrived.

There is nothing i like better.

Nicely packaged

A beautiful arrangement from Diana and Trevor, thank you so much for cheering me up.

New Start and bouquet

On my birthday I received a beautiful surprise bouquet of flowers.

Thank you so much cousin Helen.

A fairly quiet weekend and I started a new red sampler 

Found a Lacemaker’s Cottage pattern and thought it would be something different.

Monday I have an ECG booked at the hospital and i think that is the last procedure before I can start my treatment.

77 today

Last night the family came to visit and we had KFC to celebrate my birthday.

It was a lovely evening and lots of reminiscing plus cake !

During the day I had visited another Consultant for some general advice.

The best news is I completed my

Eliza M Stone Red work.

I am so pleased with being able to sew this. The pattern was offered free with a donation to Breast Cancer.

I will have to see if Chris can find a frame for it.

It always amazes me how young the children were that made these samplers, and the stories behind them.

I have kitted up another x stitch project I hope to start today.

A new me

My friend Ann arranged for me to have a home hair cut with her hairdresser, and I cannot tell you how delighted I am with it.

Feels so good and i love the cut.

A gift from my sister

A parcel arrived yesterday from my sister, Debbie.

 

Diana’s Delight Clematis. I will ask my daughter in law to plant it next to tree in my front garden.

My early morning visit to the Hospital for a CT scan meant we were home by 9.30, but these early morning visits take it out of me.

In the afternoon Ann and Peter called around and brought us our first mincepies of the season. Yummy .

I sorted out and ordered most of the Christmas presents and tried to get everything in square boxes to make it easier for Chris to wrap. I also ordered Roy. Castle lung cancer Christmas cards. Every little will help their cancer campaign.

Work on Eliza

I managed to get the border done on my Cancer sampler yesterday.

I was pleased to get this far and now like a jigsaw I just need to fill the rest of the words and letters in.

With the last Tesco delivery we had a little treat a cream tea.

Yummy.

Late yesterday afternoon I was called in to the Hospital for another CT scan as they had a cancellation at 8.30 !! 

So i better get a move on. This will give me a base line for the new pill treatment.

I also had a visit from Palliative Care.