I'm back!

Hi everyone:

Wow, it seems like forever since I've published a blog post - or at least a few weeks! I must apologize for disappearing for awhile, but sometimes life takes an unexpected turn and throws you off your regular routine. I have lots of quilting items to share with you in a future post, but this one is personal, so I beg your indulgence while I explain what's been happening in my family's lives.

This September was busy with the start of a new school year for me (September and June are the busiest months for school office staff) and new schools for both of my children: Jamie in junior high and Sarah in high school. Throw in a visit from my parents, who live 2,000 miles away from us and it made for a busy September. 

Mom and Dad September 2011

My parents love to drive and drove from Ontario to Calgary to visit for a few weeks and then left on my Dad's birthday, September 19, for home. Rather than the 3 days that they usually take to drive home, they took an extra day, arriving home in Bracebridge on September 22 - I suppose that the fact that my Dad was a bit more tired than usual should've been a warning of what later happened. 

Dad celebrating his 78th birthday September 19, 2011

  

On September 26 - a week after his 78th birthday - after washing the car and only 3 holes into his regular game of golf, my Dad went into complete cardiac arrest. Fortunately, one of the grounds crew was trained in CPR and the course had a defibrillator, which he used to restore my Dad's heartbeat before the ambulance came. By the time my Mother arrived at the local hospital, he had already been put into a medically induced coma, cooled down and was being prepped to be taken to a facility in Newmarket, Ontario (two hours south of their home). 


I was on the way out the door to work when the phone rang that morning. I can't describe the shock and fright I felt when I heard my Mom's voice on the other end of the phone telling me what had happened. I don't wish that feeling on anyone. Several phone calls later, I was able to determine that my Dad had arrived at the Southlake Regional Health Centre and was in the Cardiac Care Unit there. Over the course of the next few days, he was gradually warmed up and brought out of the coma. Thankfully, due to the immediate attention that he received at the golf course and the care he received in the hospital, he didn't suffer any brain damage. Next came an angiogram, where it was determined that he had several blocked arteries and needed a cardiac bypass - or CABG - as it's called. He underwent a quadruple bypass on October 11 and was released from the hospital on October 18.


My brother lives in Ontario and had been looking after my Mom, visiting my Dad in the hospital and generally handling things, while still working (thanks, John), so I flew out a few days prior to Dad's release date so I could drive him home and help my Mom with household items. It was a busy week, but we managed to take care of many items and I left them with a frig and freezer full of healthy food. Dad's doing well - walking and eating lots to regain his strength. 

John, Mom and Dad October 23, 2011

I flew back home on Sunday night and am now back into my "normal" routine. I'm grateful that my Dad is still with us - things could've been so different - and appreciate the excellent care he received in the hospital. The nursing staff were very caring with Dad (who had never been in the hospital and really didn't want to be there) and always took the time to speak with me when I called from Calgary to update me on his condition. I'm also grateful to the staff at South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club who helped my Dad when he needed it the most. Dad works there part-time in the summer and I know how concerned everyone there was about him. My parents are fortunate to have many close friends and I appreciate their visits to him in the hospital (often driving several hours to see him), their calls to the house and the cards we received. 


I also appreciated the phone calls I received from my friends who were concerned about Dad, and me, as well. I have to thank my quilting buddy, Cathy Keevill, who generously let me use her machine to quilt my dad's quilt on a Saturday afternoon (he loved it, Cath). You truly discover who your real friends are when an event like this occurs. 

"Out of the Rough", the quilt I whipped up in 3 days for Dad
Thanks to Cathy Keevill for the use of her machine to quilt it.
The pattern is "Chock a Block" by Chatterbox Quilts.
The quilt is folded back at the top to show the pieced top of the backing.

Most of all, I have to thank my husband, Gary, and my two children, Jamie and Sarah, for managing the household while I was back east. Between the three of them, the house was clean, laundry was done, food was made and in the freezer and they even managed to put up all the Halloween decorations - indoors and out. Did I also mention that they all came to pick me up at the airport on Sunday night? I'm not sure what I've done right in my life to have such a wonderful, caring family, but I'm truly a lucky girl to have them. Thanks, guys, you are the best part of my life!

Sarah and Jamie September 2011

Gary on his birthday October 13, 2011

So that's I've been up to over the past few weeks. I'm gradually getting back to my quilting and blogging, which has been on hold since September, and have lots of exciting quilty-related items to tell you about next time.


Hope that you're enjoying a good fall and all is well with your family.

Fall in Muskoka 2011

Winner of the My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software

Hi everyone:

Just a quick note to let you know that the winner of the FREE My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software is Pam (comment #3). 

Congratulations, Pam! I'll soon be sending this wonderful prize off to you.


For those of you who didn't win, remember that you can still use coupon code STMMMS64292 (copy and paste it to use it) to get a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite version 2 scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - a $20 value! What a great deal!


Thanks so much to My Memories for providing this software to me as a giveaway to one of my blog readers. 


Pam, I know you'll enjoy using this software and I'd love to see what you create with it.

Free giveaway - My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software

Hi everyone:

I was recently approached by My Memories to try out their digital scrapbooking software. Now, as you know, I'm a quilter, not a scrapbooker, but digital scrapbooking appealed to me, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I could play with my photos, without having to purchase card stock and embellishments (as if I'd actually have anywhere to store scrapbooking items in addition to my quilting stash!). Not only did My Memories provide me with my own review software, they were generous enough to give me another one for one of my blog readers. Yes, you could win your own copy of My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software! But before we get to the "how to win" part, let's take a look to see what this software can do.

Using My Memories Suite you create digital photo albums. You choose a theme, the desired number of pages and then personalize your album by importing your own photographs. You can leave the pages as they are or change the backgrounds, add embellishments and add text before you put your selected photos in the placeholders. In addition to photos, you can create slideshows, videos and add narration to your album. You can export your finished album as a Quicktime movie, burn it to a DVD or actually print it out (how old school!).

Toil and Trouble kit by Just So Scrappy available at My Memories
Photo courtesy of My Memories

I wanted to see how easy it would be to use this digital scrapbooking software, so I decided to make an album of my daughter's recent birthday. I chose a theme, deleted a few of the pages, added text, changed the background slightly and imported my photos. Bang! There was my album. Done and ready to be emailed out to the grandparents. I could've played around a little more with it - changed colours or added embellishments, but I really wanted to see how quickly I could create an album. I found My Memories Suite to be very easy and quick. Here's the album I created.

Word art, embellishments and text added to the photograph 

Added embellishments, text and the photograph

A few more flowers and a photo, of course!

One more photo, some text and a couple more flowers and it's done!

Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software provides many options to allow you to personalize your album. If the embellishments and backgrounds included in the program aren't enough (and there are lots of them), you can download more FREE items from the My Memories website. Digital scrapbook pages can also be purchased to use with this software. 

The I’m Falling for You Combo Pack from designer Meredith Cardall includes 15 different background papers, 61 page elements,and monogram set of 46 characters (a total of 107 digital embellishments)and, 

best of all, it's FREE to download from My Memories

Photo courtesy of My Memories

Now for the part you've been waiting for - how to win your own copy of My Memories Suite Scrapbook software! There are just three simple steps:

1. Go to My Memories website
2. Browse through their digital scrapbooking kits 
3. Tell me which one is your favourite in a comment to this post. 

See, I told you it was simple!


The contest starts today and will run until September 27 at 8:00 p.m. MST. I'll be announcing the winner on September 28.


Even if you don't win the free software, you can use this code STMMMS64292 (copy and paste it to use it) to get a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite version 2 scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - a $20 value! Just go to My Memories and enter the code when you're checking out.


Good luck to everyone and don't forget to check back on September 28 to see if you're the winner!