Thursday, November 09, 2006

A Little Tease....

Here's a little tease on what I'm sewing for our Market Review party....








Yeah, it's just a table runner, but it's quilted and bound!

Remember this? The last time I showed it, it was just the appliqued middle. I bordered it with squares and actually HAND-QUILTED it! It's been finished for a couple of weeks, and since I had black thread on the machine from binding the table runner, I went ahead and bound it too.

I lost most of yesterday. I went to visit my grandmother for what I thought was going to be a couple of hours. It turned into way more than that and ended on an ugly emotional note. She is 90 and has always been a controlling, domineering personality. Let's just say that she has not mellowed with age. Even though I KNOW how she is, how can she still have the ability to cut me to the quick and hurt me? I left her house in emotional shambles. I was just too exhausted to function once I got home. I know many of you have taken on the responsibility of caring for aging parents. And some of those parents are difficult to deal with due to personality, age and dementia. I admire all of you who have chosen to do this on a daily basis. You are truly saints. I thank God daily for my loving, understanding husband and friends who support me when I've been beaten down. I hope all of you have these kinds of wonderful friends in your life.

Enough drama - back to work for me......

14 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some people truely get worse with age.

10:32 AM  
Blogger Hedgehog said...

I love the colors in your runner.

11:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

{{{hugs}}} to you Susan. I have to long-distance care for my Auntie who is in her 90s. But she is a sweetie, thank goodness. I go to Denvertown every 2 weeks to do housework, errands, etc. And you are right, you lose the day(s). /paula the_quilter at yahoo dot com

3:11 PM  
Blogger Joyce said...

The table runner looks good. Too bad your Grandma is like that. I am a grandma (but not 90 yet) and I would hate to be mean to my grandchildren. My Dad is 92 and his grandchildren love to visit him and hear stories of the old days. Hopefully I will be more like that. I suppose having someone like your grandma gives you an example of how not to age.

4:06 PM  
Blogger Linda said...

I can relate entirely to your experience! My mom has had to move to a nursing center due to depression and mild dementia. i am the only child, and the scrape goat for everything. I come home as you put it beaten down and hurt often. I pray that I will be a "happy demented old lady". I am pretty much that now! Hang in there -
Linda in Texas

4:32 PM  
Blogger Patti said...

I'm sorry you had such difficulty with your granmother. Keep on hanging on - you know your own self worth. I know - it's so easy to say and so very hard to do. There is also the guilt - feeling guilty because we know we should love them and having such a very hard time doing so. So very many of us will deal with this sooner or later. I was one of the lucky ones - I didn't have to deal with my parents in this way. Unfortunately my mother-in-law - who was always self-centered and spoiled also turned really bad with age. My husband told me many times I didn't need to come with him to see her - for which I was grateful. We loved 3 hours away so only went once a month or so - I felt for his sister who was there so much more often and bore the brunt of her behavior.

4:33 PM  
Blogger quiltpixie said...

Sorry you weren't able to lmit your visit to a couple of hours... Its so hard when family are trying as they know so well just the buttons to push.

I love the applique -- the colours are so vibrant

9:03 AM  
Blogger Gail said...

LOVE the applique- I am working on a little one now and haven't been happy with my choice of fabrics/colors. Looking at your piece gives me some ideas to improve mine. Thanks!!

9:53 AM  
Blogger Angie said...

Gorgeous colors in that wallhanging! Love it!! I'm so sorry that you have such a difficult grandmother. Lord knows there are a lot of people in this world like that. You do what you can do...and try to leave the ugly thoughts and feelings behind when you get back home to your friends and family. Sending warm quilty hugs your way. :)

12:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Susan, you have my complete sympathy - my paternal grandmother was always "pushy, tried to control all of us, etc. When we'd go to New York to visit I always made JP stay with me and not leave me alone with her. she was much nicer with him along. Oh, my kids already fear how I will be -- thanks for sharing your open feelings because I am sure many of us have been there. carole

5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you had a difficult time with your grandmother, give it some time. I love your little applique quilt, I love how the black background really makes the colours nice and bright. Hand quilted too - good for you :-)

7:15 PM  
Blogger YankeeQuilter said...

Fun applique and runner! Thanks for sharing. I find friends and chocolate help with tough times!
Sio

6:19 AM  
Blogger Rae said...

I think the runner is darling. I also like the applique.

As to your grandmother...... My DH and I are the caregivers for my mother who is 94 and up until my father died in Feb we were his care givers also. The last 5 to 6 months of my father's life he was falling deepper and deepper into dementia. So, I know from experence what your are talking about. I found that with my dad I would know that this really wasn't my dad. Arguing is fudal. Know who and how you are before walking in the door. Don't let them convince you that you are other. If I was too tired or upset from something else I would shut down my emotions before I walked in. With my mom. I do simmalarly. Remind myself that she is going to see & wish to control what she wishes. I am my own, no one elses. I chose weather I will buckle or not. Again, arguing is fuedal. I hope some of this helps. I know it is trying.

Rae

Feel free to e-mail or chat with me if it would help.

3:49 PM  
Blogger Shelina said...

I completely feel for you and understand here you are coming from. My mother always means well - telling me how I can improve myself, but it always comes off as criticism. And it is hard to defend yourself against someone who means well. When she found out about my car accident, she wanted to help me clean my house, and when I said no, she came over anyway, to offer me advice about how I could take care of my dry skin. When I got irritated about that, she told Sushi for half an hour what Sushi should tell me about how I should take care of my dry skin. I know she is feeling powerless right now to help me, but this lecture just makes things worse for me.

7:26 PM  

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