Good news...

I'm a little late writing this post but better late than never! In my last post I wrote about DH and the health dramas he was enduring. The good news is that the Angiogram showed no blockages or damage to the heart. The cardiologist suspects that there was a temporary blockage to the blood supply to the heart when maybe some plaque broke away from the artery wall, but that it cleared itself . So late Monday morning we were able to take DH home.
After the angiogram ( which DH described the machinery used as 'being as big as Maria's car' ..a Micra!), the cardiologist wanted an echocardiogram done as well, before DH went home. The equipment came to DH's bed! I took this photo when The technician had to take a phone call from a cardiologist. 

After being a 'stand up comedian' with his constant patter of jokes, (albeit lying down in bed)  and keeping the staff and visitors entertained in the hospital for 3 1/2 days, the reality of arriving home saw him become much quieter. He admitted to being tired and a 'bit unwell', so it's been easy getting him to rest as requested by the doctor.

Next week, he has an appointment with the GP who will organise referrals to a Diabetic Educator and to a Sleep Centre to help sort out the Sleep Apnoea problems. These issues, when managed correctly should lower the risk factors of more heart problems. That, and attention to some dietary issues...yes the giant double choc muffins and caramel slices with coffee at local cafes will have to go. lol.
The following week, DH can start back on those daily walks plus his golf days.

A big thank you to all those lovely readers who left messages of support in the Comments. These meant so much to us. I particularly appreciate those who reminded me to look after myself and I suspect some of you had firsthand experience of how draining it is to have a loved one in hospital...it sure knocks you about. Thank you again everyone. 

Some changes to plans...

Unfortunately, while out on his usual daily 75 minute walk on Boxing Day, DH collapsed in a suburban street. Two young women rushed to his aid, and when he admitted to them that he wasn't 'alright', one of the women ran to the nearest house to get help. As luck would have it, a nurse lived in that house! An ambulance was called, and because for once, DH had his mobile phone with him, he called me. He was just a suburb away from our home but the ambulance got there before me! 

DH was taken to emergency, all the time saying that he was just dehydrated...after a while in the treatment room with blood tests and even chest x-rays, he would be admitted to the hospital upstairs for observation The A/Professor who was the doctor on duty in Emergency had said he suspected a heart attack. DH still stuck to his dehydration story...and so did the cardiologist who was called in...at first.  

Blood tests continued and the 8pm test showed that the level of the enzyme troponin, had doubled in the hours since DH arrived in Emergency. Yep! He had suffered a heart attack. The only apparent symptoms that he had, were nausea and fainting. Many years ago a first aid trainer I had, 'harped' on the nausea indicator often being overlooked...especially if there are no chest or arm pains. 

So you can imagine that things are a bit different around here...the children and our friends have been wonderful and while I 'stumble around' feeling quite surreal and dislocated, I've had heaps of support. Even Eduardo the cat senses something isn't quite right and is sticking close to me when I'm home. 

DH himself appears 'chipper' despite being connected to a heart monitor and with his repertoire of jokes finding a new audience with all that staff in the hospital :-).

 I'm typing this at 5 am as I will be going into the hospital early this morning. At 6.30 am, DH will have an Angiogram which will reveal what damage has been done to the heart, blockages will be identified and stents put in if necessary. We may even find out about the Lifestyle changes that now have to occur.  

( Showing how much I love DH, I gave him my iPad so that he can Skype Miss Nikki [so hard for her being so far away] in Canada...but he's Facebooking and having all sorts of fun, as well! lol) 

The Chookyblue Secret Santa Swap...

Today I opened the parcel which my swap buddy Isabel sent me; the parcel which, for a number of weeks, has been sitting under our Christmas tree and I've been wondering about what was inside! lol.
Isabel had written inside that she had made me a knitting needle case...how pretty is that fabric???it's beautiful!

Undo the clips and open the case up...

Fold back the side flaps of this stylish case...

All those 'pockets' that would be perfect for circular needles...
This is how I've been storing my circular needle sets as they don't fit very well into the traditional 'roll' type needle case...yes the old ziplock plastic bag!

Now look at the needles...perfect! And there are still some pockets to fill :-)

Thank you Isabel, for my lovely gift...I shall treasure it!

The year is winding down...

The end of year celebrations have revved up a notch in the last few weeks...

Wednesday of last week was particularly busy. In the morning the Albany Creek Knit and Natter group celebrated at the last meet up for 2014...

Barbara brought along her beautifully knitted Santa...

And the sweetest little bunny...

Helen had been busy joining squares...a never ending job! Lol

Then it was time to head off to my next stop

Sisters of Stitch, the fortnightly craft group at Chermside Library were celebrating with a Christmas party on Wednesday afternoon...the buffet table had quite a sumptuous spread...

 Saturday was the next busy day for celebrating...

Grovely Knit and Natter in the morning...

Always lots of fun at Grovely...Lorelle keeps us all in order though...lol

I 'annoy' her by always taking lots of photos...

Then my friend ( from my school days) picked me up and we both drove to Shornecliffe a beach suburb of Brisbane. Our destination was this place...

But it's not a Masonic Hall any more...it's a lovely restaurant called Matthew Thomas. There were four of us school mates meeting for a Christmas lunch. From our table we could see the sea...

We may be ladies in our 60s but we do what a lot of young people do...take photos of restaurant and cafe food! Lol.

And here's my delicious lunch...Noosa Whiting and salad...it was beautifully cooked.

Valerie gave each of us a beautiful wooden reindeer ornament...we lined them up for a photo...of course! 

Lastly, more photos before we headed for home.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. DH and I will host a Christmas dinner for 2 of our girls with husband and partner. On Christmas Day DH and I will celebrate with his brother and his family. On Boxing Day we will celebrate with my brother and any of his family who are around...phew...but there's more! On Boxing Day DH's eldest and her partner will arrive to stay with us until Jan 2. Because they will be so busy catching up with her Brisbane friends and her mum,  Christmas dinner with them and a few other rellies, won't be until Dec 29. 

Merry Christmas everyone! 

FNSI...

Last night was the last Friday Night Sew In for 2014. When I signed up over at Sugar Lane Quilts, I left a comment to the effect that  I was looking forward to some 'slow stitching' after the busy, busy time of sewing gifts. 

Well it turned out to be very slow...after just over an hour, I realised that I needed an early night. Hot, humid days tend to have that effect on me, lol. 

So this is what I did get done last night...

I finished putting together this heart shaped Dresden, but as the photo shows, I still have to choose a fabric for the heart in the centre. (The pattern is on Craftsy and is from Carolyn Hughey of Quilting Up the Creek)
And...

This will be a mug rug for Lucy and Max. It features a pocket where letters to Santa can be left, as well as room on the rug for a few biscuits and a cup/glass of Santa's prefered drink. I cut those 1 1/2 inch squares one at a time out of small scraps...tiring in itself! lol. I still have a lot to do before I hand it over before Christmas Eve.
The next photo is a phone photo of the screen and it's a bit fuzzy but it gives an idea of what the finished mug rug will look like.

This pattern is also on the Craftsy site a Pleasant Home design by Jodi Nelson.
Thank you to Wendy for hosting FNSI and here is the link to check out what other people worked on for FNSI.

Some places of historical interest seen from the Brisbane River...

Way back at the beginning of October, DH and I went on a cruise up the Brisbane River and I've already written posts here and here, about that day. But we saw so much that day, that there are at least another 2 posts I can write about it!

In this post, I'll share some photos of places that are part of the history of my city. 

Where we boarded the boat at Hamilton, we could see the old nurses' quarters of the Royal Brisbane Hospital high on the hill at Herston.  These 2 towers of 8 storeys each were built in the 1930s. As a child, I could see these towers (from the other side) from our house...and often wondered what it was like inside them...probably pretty spartan, despite their grand name of the Lady Lamington Buildings! lol 

 Needless to say, nurses' quarters haven't been needed for a long time and these heritage listed buildings are now used for other purposes including a museum of nursing. 

Using the zoom, the towers still stand out on their hilltop position on the left mid ground. 

Just like in many cities around the world, large rivers were used for wharves and docks, so too, Brisbane. Around the New Farm and Newstead Reaches of the river were many wharves for handling produce. 

Set back from those long gone wharves, there were streets and streets of warehouses...big brick buildings, most being woolstores. 

 These buildings are no longer woolstores...most have been converted into very swanky unit (apartment) blocks...

 Along the river bank, lots (and lots) of unit blocks have been squeezed in on the river bank after the wharves were demolished. 

Another old brick building...the old CSR refinery (sugar)...now redeveloped as units, with unit blocks built on the land that surrounded the refinery building. 

In New Farm there is another old brick building which is huge, but it's not a former woolstore ... it was a powerhouse, specifically power for the trams that used to run in Brisbane. 

This building now has cafes, restaurants and theatres...and magnificent views of the river!

The Powerhouse Complex is nestled beside New Farm Park. This space deserves the term 'historically significant' as it is the site of the 'new farm' in the days of the Moreton Bay penal colony. The first farm was the area which is now the Botanical Gardens in the city. As well as a farm, the area had also been used for horse racing with punters arriving by boat on the river. Trevor, from Your Brisbane:Past and Present blog wrote about the history of New Farm Park here. 

New Farm Park along side the Brisbane River...

The next photo is taken looking towards the northern end of the Story Bridge (Fortitude Valley end )...old docks and sheds are visible...

And there are more of the same on the righthand side of the bridge. These were originally old naval stores; a bit derelict apparently. During WW2 some air raid bunkers were built in this complex too. Not long after  DH and I spent that day on the cruise,  it was announced in the media that the redevelopment of this area would go ahead. 

The old dry dock area of South Brisbane is now the Maritime Museum...

 An old steamer which is part of the Maritime Museum...

Nearing the City Reach of the river, the beautiful old Customs House is on the northern bank of the river. There used to be wharves near here but now they are long gone. Customs House is now owned by the University of Queensland and is a very grand venue. 

The next photo shows an old gas stripping tower that was part of an old gasworks on the southern bank of the river at West End. 

Once again, Trevor has already written about this in his blog, so if you would like to know about this structure and see a closeup photo, go here. :-)

The next photo is farther up the river at Dutton Park...yes it's a cemetery. It opened in 1866 and was originally known as the South Brisbane Cemetery. DH has many family members on his mum's side buried there.  

The next photo is the old wharf at Seventeen Mile Rocks (or what is left of it) for the Queensland Cement and Lime Company. Behind this and hidden from view of those on the  river, is a big waterpark known as Rocks Riverside Park. A redevelopment initiative of the Brisbane City Council it is very popular with families of course. As well as the water park, it is possible to walk around and look at remnants of the infrastructure from the old cement works and the docks. DH and I did just that a number of years ago. 

The water park is completely hidden from the river ... 

I've already shown photos of Newstead House and Shafston, but they both played such important roles in the former colony...so once more, here they are seen from the river.

 So that's some of Brisbane's history seen from the river. 

My Day with Lucy...

In a previous post I wrote about my great niece Lucy, asking if she could come over one day and do some craft. We settled on last Tuesday but between Thursday and Tuesday is a long time for a 'nearly 5 years old' person to wait. So I had at least one phone call initiated by Miss Lucy, whereas her long suffering mum put Lucy on the phone to ask whether she could come 'that day ' ! Lol

Miss Lucy arrived earlier than expected but all was in readiness for our day...first we did some collage...

My art lecturers from my college days would have been horrified by our use of stickers, but I know what children like! :-)

All artists should sign their work was something I always told my students, and Lucy certainly knows that...

Next we decorated some baubles to make Christmas presents for Lucy's mum, dad, little brother and friend Ruby.

We had started filling the 'take home box'...

We found some special heart stickers to make mummy's bauble...the teacher in me was impressed with Lucy's fine motor skills...

Then it was time for some play dough....

Lucy made a family of snowmen...pink and yellow...

I had showed her how to make curls with the pipe cleaner and a pencil, thinking it might be a bit tricky for her...she kept practising until her curls were just as even as mine!

We had a stop for morning tea when my neighbour and her grandson came over to visit. Then my neighbour Judy suggested that Lucy might like to see the little kittens at Judy's house...so off we went.

Lucy didn't seem to have experience with cats...so to see these kittens was a new experience.

Judy's grandson was a lovely host...

Jay showed Lucy how to tickle the sweet mother cat, Snowball, under her chin...

When we came back home, Lucy wanted to work on her snowmen and her collage...lovely independent play...

After lunch, I invited her to help me decorate the little Christmas tree that I had left until Tuesday to decorate...so we got out the box of decorations and the little step to stand on...

But then Miss Lucy found the angels in the box...and tree decorating was forgotten...

Lucy played with the angels, firstly on the window sill; then into the hallway which became an 'angel school'. Finally the game moved outside where the angels were joined by Mary and Jesus from my knitted Nativity set. I loved listening and watching Lucy while she chattered, playing the part of her characters. She did this for a good 45 minutes! 

Miss Lucy doesn't have a daytime nap but she was getting a bit weary...when I suggested story time she wasn't impressed with that. I started reading out aloud and it wasn't long before she joined me on the sofa and snuggled up while we read lots of books! 

My niece was an hour or so later than we expected coming back to collect Lucy because Max slept longer that expected.

During the day Lucy and I had called out to Eduardo but he stayed skulking under the house...as soon as the little family drove away, he emerged. 

Here he is lounging beside the basket of picture books...he had not been impressed at all with our little visitor! Lol

Later the little tree was dressed in its decorations...most of them from swaps.