Musings from the homefront!

Cold and Gray February - just some musings from the home front here at Holton House in Indiana

Recently have been undergoing a chemo treatment on my face in an effort to manage some of the defective pre-cancer cells that sporadically appear on my nose,cheeks, forehead, chin.  It involved 28 applications (one each morning and each night for fourteen days) of a cream that brings out the cells and 'burns' them.  Ouchy.  I looked like someone had thrown grease at my face or that I had been bobbing for french fries in hot oil.  My face hurt, burned, throbbed in heat, was puffed up and red, and my lips swelled and cracked. One night I awoke dreaming that someone was rubbing sand paper all over my lips.  Blood on the pillow.  Lips too sore to smile and made eating a challenge.  BUT it is now over and I am in application of the heavy healing cream for five to seven days .... and already I am seeing much improvement.  I keep telling myself it is better, much better, than having cancer and undergoing surgery on my nose or something.

Needless to say, because of the appearance (I thought I should wear a sign saying I was not contagious or leprous), I kept myself inside the house as much as possible.  Pretty much a self-imposed quarantine within the four walls.  The plan was to undergo this treatment when it was cold and awful outside, which it usually is in February.  We had some snow and some frigid days, but we also experienced some unusually mild ones during these past two weeks.  Today since the burns are receding, I went out with neighbors and took a long walk in the sun.  First of all I lathered on the sun screen.  It was a little chilly but oh so beautiful and fresh!

Anyway, during my two week 'imprisonment' I took some photos of Wally.  The sewing/quilting/crafting ladies also met with me, and am sharing some photos of the latest quilt by Constantly Joyous.  

Here is Wally eyeing the plate of cookies ready for the quilting ladies to arrive.  He decided to hop up on the stool to get a closer look.

Does he think he is going to take a bite????


Well, the ladies arrived and we ate dinner.  Then Constantly Joyous brought out the quilt she began and then has been ignoring for the past year (she says maybe as long as two years).  Have you ever started something and then just lost interest in it?  You did lots of other projects and creations and kept just ignoring one you started long ago?  Well, this is what has happened with this particular quilt.  It has been unfinished.  So, we laid it all out on the floor and talked about what should go where.  Should there be a border between the flying geese and the main body of the quilt?  What color?  What should go on each corner?  Is there enough fabric to make flying geese all around?  We discuss things, move pieces around, in general have a great committee meeting to make decisions.  It's a beauty, though, I think!

Wally likes it!!!!!

Too much socializing with those ladies; Wally has to take a nap to rest up!

Here's a photo of the Amaryllis that finally bloomed in February.  Actually, this is LAST YEAR'S plant.  It bloomed like crazy last Christmas and I decided to try to save it.  I kept it in dirt in the basement ALL YEAR and then brought it back upstairs at Christmas to see if it would flower.  It grew and grew and grew - got all green and tall - but no buds or any sign of flowers.  THEN all of a sudden, when I was just about to shuck it all in the garbage, it blossomed.  Wallah.  Had to take a photo to show you.  Just one puny little blossom.  It's going in the compost after this.

One of those what are usually cold February days, it got up to the low 60's.  Goodness.  I opened up the kitchen door and let Wally out on the screened porch.  Let's get some fresh air.  This is like a GIANT BIG SCREEN TV for Wally.  He leapt up onto the ledge and had a great old time viewing the birds and critters out there.  Got pretty intense at times!

I will close with photos of gorgeous miniature deep coral roses that Wonderfully Kind sent to me during my self imposed imprisonment with the fat burned-up face!

Aren't they lovely?  I am so very blessed with friends that truly care .... and do the kindest, nicest things for me.  This cheered me so much.  And they are so beautiful.

Blessing,

Janet