One of the things about being a caregiver is that it is so easy to give everything you have without a second thought without recharging. These days are strange days and we are all operating under a level of stress that most have not experienced before. I, in no way, am trying to say that my burdens and stresses are greater than anyone else's or that my pain is great than anyone else's. Several things have happened to me and my family this past month that are very stressful on their own with the suicide of an aunt and my beloved Lab developed Cushings disease, a pituitary disorder plus a mass murder in my beloved Nova Scotia and tonight, a Canadian Forces helicopter crashed in Greece. Coupled with a pandemic and the very real fear of getting sick because of my job as a pharmacist and this chicken is wearing out on all levels.
I did finally manage to finish stitching this pattern and it is now downstairs waiting to be put in the washing machine before being finished into a pillow. I have been reminded how much I enjoy embroidery, too. Admittedly, there have been many days where I just could not bear to stitch recently and days when I told myself to stitch one length of thread to at least put a few stitches into the piece.
Now that the flamingo is done and I work on getting the finishing completed, I have started to stitch a quilt for my cousin who is due in July. This quilt is a Joan Elliott design that I chose because my cousin is an ardent socialist and feminist and I don't know the gender of the baby. It is a delightful design that is not in pink or blue and does not give me the heebie jeebies like one quilt pattern I found that was kind of culturally weird to me with its representation of native American stereotypes on it. My cousin is pregnant with her first child and has just lost her mother to suicide. I live in Canada and their family is in the US so the only thing I can do these days is stitch this quilt and send emails to support my cousin.
Sorry to be such a downer. I am trying not to beat myself up for not having the perfect house and the perfect hobbies and saving the world during this time of shelter in place and social distancing. I am doing the best I can during a difficult time and it is okay that you are doing the same. Take care and stay healthy, my friends!
