How Can I Give Back?

When I started thinking about blogging my focus was on needle crafts, art journaling, scrapbooking, gardening and a few thoughts on life in general tossed in every now and then.  It seems as though the thoughts on life are presently taking all of my energy...  

Our family is going through a difficult time with the extreme illness of my sister, Jerrette.  She was diagnosed five years ago at the University of Michigan with a rare tumor, a pancreatic endocrine neoplasm.  Her first treatments were radiation therapy at the University of Michigan.  And she did pretty good for about 3 years; then the disease reared its ugly head and began its slow, unceasing destruction of Jerrette's body.  The past 6 months have been nothing short of a night mare for her and her devoted husband Dan, their daughter Kelly and son Dan Jr.  Loosing a sibling is no easy feat.  My other sister, Onna and I are constantly trying to figure out what we can do to help and possibly ease the burden for the immediate family, knowing full well there is nothing we can do.  As in so many, many cases, cancer is going to win this battle.  We grieve for them and we grieve for ourselves...our loss is devastating.

Jerrette, Onna & Me (Helen) many, many years ago at Kelly's wedding

When I found out that Jacquie Fisher of BlogKC was putting together a group to "give back Kansas City" I knew immediately I wanted to be a part and I knew exactly how I wanted to give back.  With so many lives touched by cancer as well as other catastrophic illnesses; we as caregivers are always searching for outside help and comfort.  Turning Point, in Kansas City is one organization devoted entirely to the support, education, and comfort of those faced with debilitating and often times life ending diseases.  When she was able, my sister attended the Monday morning support group, restorative yoga (I was able to attend with her) and we also took part in many of the educational workshops.  I had an earlier connection to Turning Point when my husband, who is a cancer survivor, was part of one of the very early support groups lead by Moira Mulhern, Phd.  We have never forgotten her kindness, generosity of spirit and her gentle ways.  When Jerrette was diagnosed we encouraged her to seek out the support available at Turning Point.  She did and has made several, good friends and found comfort in their camaraderie.

One of the ways I am giving back is by knitting and crocheting adult & child chemo hats and prayer shawls for Turning Point to give to those in need.  It doesn't seem like enough to me; but, I don't know how to cure cancer, I can only do the little things that might help ease someone else's pain and suffering even in the smallest way.

If you would like to help out, please click the link for Turning Point.

This post is part of a blog hop of Kansas City bloggers looking to give back to the residents of the Greater Kansas City area.  We all hope that you will share the information contained in these blogs and help out in any way you can.  The kindness of strangers goes much further than any of us can ever measure.  Your loving thoughts and well wishes do make a difference.   Thank you from all of us and Happy Holidays.

To learn about other Kansas City charities and how you can make the season brighter for others, visit these great blogs:

Everyday Truth --- Bear Hugs

it's me, debcb! --- Safehome

Back to Allen --- The Children's Place

Whatcha Makin Now --- Wayside Waifs

Soleful Suitcases --- KC Rescue Mission

Wayward Dogs --- Midwest Adopt-a-Bull

Sarah Scoop --- Toys for Tots

Laughing Cat Creations --- Turning Point

Blogchickabowow --- Jewish Family Services

Healthnut Foodie --- Veronica's Voice

Raising the Barrs --- Hillcrest Transitional Housing

KC Edventures --- Salvation Army

The Happy Family Movement --- Rose Brooks Women's Center

What's a "Laughing Cat" ?

"Here's looking at you, kid"

 What is a laughing cat?  Well, if you've ever lived with a cat...or should I say, if a cat has ever chosen you to live with, then I don't think you need to ask this question.  Cats are pretty much laughing at us all the time

To say I love cats, might be an understatement.  While I am a huge animal lover in general, cats rule and all others....well...what can I say?  They come in second.  Currently we have Thumper (and if you heard him walk you would know why we call him this).  He chose us one Saturday afternoon at a local pet shop when Way Side Waifs had a big adoption program going on.  We had lost our other cat of 18 years about 8 months before and I just had't had the heart to look for another cat until that afternoon.  We walked around the store, playing with all the kittens (I was thinking I should take all of them home).  I didn't see the right one, when I looked up and there on top of all the cages in the "Cat Room", this fella was staring down at all the people fawning over all the other cats in the place.  He looked down at me as if to say, "Well, lady, what are you waiting for?  I'm the only one in here for you."

So we took him home and 11 years later he's still my big baby.  Now, as far as my crafts go, that's when a lot of "laughter" can be heard.  Naturally he adores attacking yarn and even enjoys trying to catch a knitting needle every now and then.  As far a beading, look out, he always knows a much better arrangement than I do.  Scrapbooking is an adventure, all those pieces of paper and stickers and embellishments, oh my!

We have recently inherited another kitty, GLaDOS; she is living us with temporarily while our son is between homes.  There were a few cat spats in the beginning but the two of them are getting along quite well now.  And GLaDOS certainly enjoys playing with all my yarn as well.  She especially likes to drop her little toys right in the middle of project!

I can't promise that you can hear a cat laugh, but you can certainly feel it, and oh what fun it is!

Another Day of Cleaning!!!

Today, I'm trying to get our office/computer room in shape so I can actually get to the computer without tripping over things so I can continue my blog.  Getting ready, getting ready takes longer than I figured.  And where did all this stuff come from anyway?  I really do believe it multiplies during the night.

Last night,we rented the movie "The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel" in which one of the main charters, played by Dame Judy Dench started a blog when she moved to India.  She certainly didn't some across as being very "techie' in the beginning but she had no problem sitting down at her computer day after day creating fabulous content and sending it out for the world to enjoy...I was just a little jealous....why did it seem so easy for her...well, I know, it's the movies, but still...

Attending my first BlogKC meeting tomorrow evening and looking forward to being a sponge and soaking up all the wonderful insights that the "seasoned' bloggers have to share.  I'm determined to make a go of this, stumbling blocks and all.

Well back to cleaning.  I'll keep you "posted" on the progress...ha!ha!  Hey, if I can't laugh at myself, who will?  Till later...Ta,Ta.

Inspiration?

Inspiration, where does it come from and more importantly, where the hell does it go?  Boy it's great when the ideas come rushing in like a flood; but, when you reach the desert it can make you wonder if you've ever had a creative moment in your life.  My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was maybe 6 or 7; my mom taught me to knit and sew at the same time.  Both of them have always been an inspiration to me and sometimes all I have to do is think of the times spent with them, watching, practicing and attempting to make my work look like anything close to theirs.  And then there are those times when nothing makes the needles fly and I simply have to leave what I am doing and come back to it at a later time when the creative spark is fully ignited.

Something that has been helping lately is recalling and revisiting in photos the amazing trip that my husband, Bob and I were able to take this past August.  Bob's brother Sean and his wife Jane invited us to their home on Pender Island in British Columbia, Canada.  Above is the view from the back patio and actually from every window along the back of their home.  They designed the home to take advantage of this amazing view.

All around the house beautiful flowers, plants and trees greeted us every day as we would make our way around the island.  Most every day we took the boat out to view Pender from the Gulf or to make our way to one of the other islands nearby.  Probably the best day we had was boating over to the Farmers Market on Saltspring.  The food, flowers, crafts and musicians were amazing.  I don't think it is something I will ever forget.  And on our way back to Pender we stopped at the spot where we had dropped a trap earlier in the day to pick up our fresh crab for dinner.  It doesn't get much better than that.

A tree native to the area, the Arbutus was all over the island.  The bark is a cinnamon color but when wet turns almost lime green.  Amazing.  Wish I could grow one here in Kansas.

Just looking at these pictures reminds me what a wonderful world we live in and how fortunate I have been to visit and enjoy this picturesque part of the Pacific Northwest.  And whenever I end up in the desert of lost inspiration, all I have to do is pull up these photos and know that if I wait a minute or two the road to creativity will present itself and I will be on my way once again.

I hope that you have something that feeds your creative soul and makes it bloom!