A Final Act of Revenge, in 33 words

I feel like I'm still complaining a lot lately, not so much here, since I don't post as often as I could, but in emails or talking to certain people in my everyday life.  I realized last week that a big part of my complaining is just a means of escape from constantly thinking of what my sister is going through.  Another way for me to escape reality is to write, especially about topics that aren't my sister.  With this realization comes yet another attempt to get back into regular blogging, which brings us to the second challenge in a row that I am participating in.

This week's challenge at Trifecta is to use the third definition of the word bitch creatively, in 33-333 words. The third definition of said word is:

3: something that is extremely difficult, objectionable, or unpleasant

I tried to stay away from this overused cliche, but I just kept coming back to it and finally gave in.

She clutched the pillow 

tightly

and waited 

for the last sign of 

resistance,

before 

softly whispering

the words 

he had told her

every 

time 

she 

cried:

"Life's a bitch,

and then you die"


(I made my husband read this, he said I can't sleep with him tonight!)

Trifextra-Pigeon Poetry

This weekend's Trifextra challenge uses a photo prompt.  There are three photos for us to choose from, and I have chosen this one to inspire my 33 words:

Photo credits: ZeroOne / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Sometimes I perch

And contemplate:

     A step forward-

          A rush of wind upon my face-

               And then-

Nothing.

Do not worry though,

Those moments are fleeting,

I know 

my wings

Prevent my fall.

This weekend I am linking early enough to encourage you to join in the fun too!

A Hope Deferred

This morning I was high. Higher than I have ever been, especially on an emotion as fickle as hope.  I usually stick to casual optimism, a well-guarded heart, etc, etc. In my experience, hope leads to disappointment.  This morning, though, I couldn't reign my optimism in.

I started the day off knowing that my sister would get the results of her latest scan around noon. If three rounds of chemo and six weeks of radiation did what they were supposed to do she would be well on her way to remission. If not, three weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, with me tagging along as her caregiver, surely would do the trick. 

I couldn't control the hope that was filling my soul today. The buoyancy of it made me giddy, and I am not one to ever "do" giddy. I could barely sit still, I talked to a couple co-workers about the news expected, I swear I was having hot flashes even.  I tried to resist it, I fought it as best I could, all morning. I checked out the updates on a few bloggers who have recently endured hard times: all of them had at least semi-positive news.  I reminded myself numerous times of the tragic nature of hope. I pictured myself floating atop a geyser powered by this optimism and the outcome when the well ran dry, so not pretty. But still, my hope lifted me up.

It wasn't long after noon that I started to feel deflated. Between the lack of news, the sentimental songs on the radio, and the typical come-down effect of such an overwhelming amount of emotion, I began to realize I had been right all along.  Gina wouldn't return my texts. She wouldn't answer the phone.  To be fair to her though, I tried not to be aggressive and only called twice and texted only a couple times.  In a last ditch effort, I drove to her work at six, still hoping for good news.  And she wasn't there, but my mom was, and she had a little bit of info. And around 8, my sister was finally ready to give up a little bit of info as well.

The tumors in Gina's lungs have pretty much disappeared. Unfortunately, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in her abdomen.  Instead of the more extensive, fairly invasive, treatment at Mayo which would have destroyed the cancerous tissue in her lungs, she will soon begin a fourth round of chemo, more intense this time, as well as radiation to both her chest and her abdomen.  But she is expected to be in remission by April.  

A mix of good and bad news. 

There is still reason to hope.  

There is still a need for a guarded heart.

List & Resolution Limericks

This week at MadKane's weekly Limerick-Off, there are two different themes to play with.

Her normal first line challenge is to use one of the following lines as the starting point for the limerick:

"A fellow was making a list"
or
"A woman was making a list"

Her second option this week is to create any limerick relating to New Year's resolutions.

This week, I am entering one of each. First, my resolutions related limerick:

Every year a man made it his goal
To see his team win the big Bowl,
He'd be ever so cross
when they suffered a loss
And would take weeks just to console.

And my list making limerick:

A woman was making a list
of reasons to avoid slitting a wrist,
or sitting on the edge
of a high window ledge,
and realized her point might be missed.

If I was in the resolution making mood, I'd resolve to enter the Limerick-Off sooner than two hours before the deadline, but I'm likely to break it. :)

CQJP13 January Progress + Another CQ WIP

I am currently working on my January block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013. I had thought I might be done with it this weekend, but last night was in a bit of a funk and undid the same seam treatment three times. Then I gave up and went to bed.

I also wanted to remove the lace piece I added, as I have decided it is too white, but first I am going to try and dab alcohol inks onto it while still attached to the block, since I did a really good job of sewing it on securely!


Another crazy quilted project I am working on is repairing a purse I made ~8 years ago. It is the very first, and only, CQ project I have completely finished. I have several blocks completed that are waiting for just the right project to go into (like 99.9% of all my crafting supplies), but this is the only one that has been turned into a finished product.

A couple years ago it was used as a chew toy by my brother-in-law's dog.

I circled a few of the seam treatments in need of repair. Something I didn't take a picture of was the damage to the lining-completely destroyed.

I'll post the finished January block sometime before January 31st!