Getting lots of TLC

Helena doing a little bit of yoga with Emily and Lauren.

My dear sister Helena has once again stepped into the breach. You may remember when my mum took sick two years ago, my Helena spent seven months with me taking care of our dying mother.  Now she is here with me.   She is my cook, my cleaning lady. my driver and my

coach, helping me back to health after a ten week stay in the hospital with a severe infection which settled in my knee.  Ongoing physical therapy at a clinic twice a week, and a number of exercises at home three times a day, will hopefully straighten out my bent leg.

We are having such fun again together, and yesterday we shopped with a 30% off coupon at Value Village and we both made some great purchases.  

We're both anxious to get into the amazing selection of wonderfully embellished ethnic clothing fabric.  She also did a little grandkids shopping.

Helena's creation

The Gift of Life

Yesterday when I was in the car licence bureau, the clerk in the next wicket asked the customer if she wanted to sign the Organ Donor card.    Without thinking, I spoke out: "It's a wonderful thing, I have a donated organ."

Ten years ago both kidneys failed and I went on dialysis.  After waiting three and a half years, I received a kidney.  I would never know which family's sadness was my family's joy.  Donor families remain anonymous.  But it brought to mind the happiness I have experienced since that day.

During those ten years, seven of my eight grandchildren were born.   And because I am the Nana who bakes cakes, in total, probably I baked and decorated over 33 birthday cakes for these children.  

I've travelled many times  - over twenty  times to visit my friend Mo in Florida, five trips to Colorado, Utah and Missouri to the Crazy Quilting Retreats, to Scotland with my mum at aged 92 to visit her remaining sister aged 96, and many family visits to Quebec and New York.

Life is precious, treasure every day.