So Long Elsie May

I've been non posting this week, but I have been busy ...

My daughter woke on Monday and said she had a sore throat and had the day off. Again. I am a little over Madam having the day off, but when they say the throat is sore, I have to go with it ... I remember sore throats as a kid and they are horrible. So where was I? Oh yes, I was sewing. I was at Bankstown the other day and having been to all the clothes shops looking, searching, seeking an outfit for the Santa photo for Madam, I was pained to see there was not much available, or of a suitable length for her height.

A trip to Lincraft followed and I bought three lengths of material suitable for Madam and to her liking. Today, I made one into a skirt which she totally loved. Nothing terribly complicated, though I did do a "French Seam" in the join to make it neat and tidy. I even remembered what it was called correctly, because I just googled and found this ... French Seam.

The other reason why I have not posted is my Grandmother, Elsie May, died last Thursday evening at the grand old age of 96. My Grandmother, Elsie was perhaps where I get some of my creativeness from, while it is my paternal grandmother where I get the cottons! She was a home sewer who sewed many of my mother's ball room dresses when my mother was a young debutee, and also sewed for my sister and I when we were growing up, including dolls, dresses etc and even Raggedy Andys for both my brothers.

When my mother was going through Nannie's things after she moved into a nursing home three years or so ago, she asked me if I wanted any of her patterns or material and I said no and Mum donated them to women at her Church who would sew them into items suitable for donating overseas. I am now regretting this a little, but at the time I had a tornado toddler and they would have been hard to hide from him

My Grandmother and Mother had a very strong relationship, my Grandmother calling my Mother everyday when I was growing up at 9.30 am, after we had got off to school for a chat about the daily happenings of my family. It was a very difficult decision for my Grandmother to be moved to a nursing home following hospitalisation and illness as she loved her home and often requested to be taken back there again.

My Mother has spent the past three years since she entered visiting Nannie everyday around lunchtime to assist with feeding her, catching the bus there and back as she does not drive. My Uncle also visited her every day on his way home from work to assist with feeding Nannie dinner, including her favourite of a Peter's ice cream in a tub.

I suspect in many ways, while her death at this age is blessing, my Mother and Uncle will miss the daily routine and the friendships and camaraderie they have built up with the staff at the nursing homes she was in, in their daily visits and also their Mother, whose personality had faded as time had passed and she had become increasingly confused.

My Mother's father, who was dearly loved by my Grandmother, died when my Mum was about 14, so wherever one goes after death, I hope he is waiting for her to be reunited once again.

I've been sewing and I'll post something soon.
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