I AM A GRANDMOTHER .... BUT THERE WERE PROBLEMS

I am a Grandmother to a beautiful baby boy AIDAN born 9 weeks early on September 22nd ( 3 days before my birthday) weighing 1.6kgs. Of course there were complications with his lungs, his weight plummeted, his heart valve and many more things over the weeks. He was finally allowed home last week at 7 1/2 weeks and 2kgs. He is so tiny I can't believe it!!!!

You can just see the tip of the little quilt I made him whilst sitting in waiting room at Infants I.C.U. I will take another photo and post soon.

First time out of humidicrib.

Pa doing his bit in waiting room!!!

His first outing in fresh air in Hospital pram. Mother and Grandmother fighting over who was going to push pram. Pa was saying stop it you two or security will think you are a baby snatcher!!!!

I have escaped I am tucked in my car seat going to my new home!!!!!!

I minded him yesterday all by MYSELF. I couldn't resist this photo!!!!

This quilt was on the wall at Hospital. It was strangely comforting for me. There were also some little quilts over the humidicribs that someone had obviously made and donated. It was very nice and made me think how these things make premmie ICU's look better. They are really on a tight budget in these places and have to pay for a lot of things from their meagre budgets. I have been away from work for 8 weeks and am hoping to get back soon but felt it was more important to be with my Daughter and Grandson. Hopefully I will be back on track with blogging too.

DENMARK & SOME QUILTING

We found this Quilt Shop in Copenhagen. It was huge inside with loads of fabric. Kaffes were on sale but I decided as this was the beginning of the trip I better be careful!! A very nice quilter asked for my help with some choices. My Husband came in at that moment and couldn't believe how language had no barriers in the Quilt World and also how calm and gentle I helped her. I told him that is what we are like that it is very rare that a quilter would put someone down in order to build themselves up!!!

This is what I bought.

We went on a Canal trip.

Surprise for Hubby who thought I was sitting behind him!!!!!

These swans and babies were beautiful.

Us outside Amalienborg Palace. We went through Princess Mary's home as they were
away for the Summer. They have incorporated Australia and Denmark in all the artwork there. A nice little story, when we were in taxi going to Quilt Shop the driver asked if we were English. We said "no Australian" and he said "thank you for Princess Mary".

Everyone gets around Copenhagen on bikes as car tax is so high. We took this photo for our pregnant daughter and told her this is her new company vehicle.

This is the very beautiful Dragor. It is out of town a bit and on the seaside.

This was funny. This contraption is so you can watch what is going on in the street. I might install one outside my office!!!!!

Not very close up but this field was full of geese. This was just one group.

Hooray after walking for kilometres in 35 degrees we were finally back at Boat. I was sad I had missed out on the Little Mermaid as she is visiting in China but they have installed a big screen TV where she normally sits and we could see her live in China.

Just in time for Sail Away Cocktails and some hexies.

LONDON AND ITALY 2010

First up, we went to our house up the Coast this weekend and the computer crashed up there. I couldn't believe it!!!! Why does this always happen when I am trying to post my blog. I had typed everything and completely lost it all even though I had saved it. Who knows what happened to it all so I am typing away again. It is very frustrating and almost has me ready to retire from this. My favourite saying is "Never EVER give up" but this has me almost there. Oh well onward and upward ........

Have you ever wondered how people move their furniture out of apartments with tiny staircases? Well this is how! We watched this fascinated from our Hotel room in London. They actually took the window out and then put it back in when finished.

Another grand sight from hotel.

This was my Hubby's grand sight. People pay HUGE money to bring their cars over from Middle East to drive them around London for Northern Summer.

Enough has been posted about V & A but my personal experience was FABULOUS. I dragged Hubby along after saying all the car and boat things I have done with you for years you can come to this. Well he loved it!!!! Especially the quilts made by the Military Men. He couldn't believe all those tiny hexies. He said he loved looking at my face whilst looking at all the beautiful quilts. BUT especially the Sundial Quilt. I have loved this quilt for years ever since my bestie Kim McLean told me about a V & A book she had bought. Of course I bought it and the quilt was in there. I actually felt quite emotional standing in front of it. From the pictures my least favourite block was the ducks but I have to tell you in real life they are STUNNING! I think now what really put me off was the other 3 corners didn't have enough applique to match up with the ducks. Myself and 2 friends are drawing and working on this quilt so I am definitely putting some appliqued ducks somewhere. Here is a photo of my purchases. Who has been a naughty girl then!!! I could have been even naughtier I would have loved to have bought the hexie trolly bag to take to classes.

Flying into Italian Riviera. BELLISSIMO!!!!

A beautiful gate in Santa Margarita

Cinqueterre

Ooh! Who is being another naughty girl in Portofino. Bellini YUM!!!!

We went on this boat to see something that I can now cross off my bucket list. It looks space age doesn't it? I was very nervous that we wouldn't make it as it was rough the day before and we couldn't go out and this was our last day there so it was really down to the wire.

Imagine my wonderment when this finally started to show through the deep, deep water.

The Jesus Statue to protect seafarers.

This is Jamie Packer's Artic P anchored at Portofino. We have also seen it at Koh Samui in Thailand as well. There were some well known guests on board and I am not sure if I should name them so I won't. I know this because they came ashore and had dinner in same Restaurant as us on next table so there was certainly an Aussie contingent that night.

Ah ROMA!!!!!! This is the view from the Terrace Restaurant at our Hotel. You can see The Vatican and the Spanish Steps and for many miles in 180 degrees. Very beautiful especially at sunset.

This is the Terrace Restaurant. The blinds were down as the sun was blaring and then they went back up later. The night lights were beautiful also.

A funny story about our Hotel. When we were checking out I said to Hubby "did you see that old bloke trying to look like Rod Stewart". Hubby said "that old bloke was Rod Stewart".

CIAO BELLA ROMA !!!!

I bought these old scissors at an Antique Market on waterfront outside our Hotel in Santa Margarita. I was a very happy spaghetti eater that day!!!

And just in case all you thought I did was eat spaghetti and drink vino here is my work box I took along. Will post completed work as I go along.

I bought this book today. My Mother-in-law BETTY is teaching me to crochet a bag (yes the multi-colored one that everyone in blogland is making) so I thought I would get her to help me make the tea cosy that Justnat made. We all call her MARDI and she is 89 years old this week and another bestie of mine. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARDI, I LOVE YOU.