DO PEOPLE FEAR A PERSON'S GRIEF?

 Being in a grieving process, the avoidance is loud and clear. 

Call me if you need anything. True friends and family call you.

Sure COVID-19 has made things different. Hard to go out and visit. Or have someone just drop by.

Some neighbours were very kind. Others waited weeks to see me in a public place to say anything. Some that knew about Adolph, said nothing.

My immediate family is my lifeline and I am theirs. My daughters and I can talk anytime. My grandchildren can express their feelings too.

The tributes on the funeral home website and facebook links were sweet. But like someone said many people feel a little condolence in comments is more than enough. Easy. Done with it.

Reaching out means a lot. It means effort.

I have sent emails to relevant people who cared and receive good messages back. I reach out to those I can trust. I do not trust everyone at all.

In many ways I am not surprised. Many people avoided us during Adolph's illness. Again it is common to be dropped by people. To feel uncomfortable to have to see someone. Those that did phone or come for a visit are lifelong gems in my mind. 

I realize too that over the years when I would offer support in various ways that maybe I was one of the rare ones. The kind one.

So I try not to judge but I do take note of it all.

#grievingprocess#peopleavoidyou#noteveryoneiskind#peopleavoidyourfeelings#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

COVID -19 AND MY THERAPEUTIC SEWING PROJECT

Winter was a tiring time with my care duties, pending lock downs for COVID-19. Sewing machines that needed adjusting. So I decided to make a wall hanging that could use hand sewing skills.

As a craft person I have lots of fabric, buttons, ribbons, wool, numerous other items for crafting.

So deciding to use orange/coral and purple shades as my base along with some green that blends nicely with those colours.

 

Looking through my stash to find the fabric. What combinations would work?

 I brought out more than I knew I would need.

A piece to be used for the base of the hanging.

I loved the circles.

 Ah circles to use up my buttons! Always a dilemma! What should I do with all my buttons? Finding all the purple misc buttons for this square.

Good wool woven along the the square for texture.

Yes it will look good on the piece.

What pops out at me?

Using little clusters of purple wool. Crochet and knitted items.

So sewing along the edges to make each piece ready to be joined on the larger hanging.

One orange square with wool hanging outside the edges.

Making cushions to fit with the colours and using some of the same fabric.

This project has been laid to rest for now. It will be part of a new room one day. I am working on a blanket and bedspread with purples, orange/coral and hints of green.

Orange and purple are healing colours. So I guess I gravitated to those colours as part of my healing process.

#COVID-19wallhanging#purpleandorangearehealingcolours#usingdifferentmediumstomaketheproject#buttonsaddinterestingtexture#sewingaprojectthroughCOVID-19#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

NATURE CALMS THE SOUL-A SMALL WATERFALL

                                              Water, earth and babbling water are so peaceful!

To stand and embrace the moment. To find solitude. To know there is a quiet place.

#nature#ababblingsmallwaterfall#findingquietspace#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

AUGUST-WORKING ON THE MEMORIAL BLANKET FOR COVID-19

 COVID-19 brought a number of deaths to Canada.
A group of knitters in Lindsay Ontario have a project of making a knitted blanket to honour those that passed away.
https://covid-19memorialblanket.ca/the-blanket-pattern/
Lindsay Ontario knitters and the COVID19 blanket
Basically it is a 12/12 square knitted with an edge so the name of the person can go in the middle.
When finished it is mailed to Fenelon Falls for the volunteers there to piece it. A message can be sent with the square.
Mine will say something about how my spouse died as well but not from COVID-19.  And done in his memory.
memorialblanket#knittohonourthosethatdied#covid19tookitstoll#knitforothers#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro#COVID-19

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

 Life goes on with birthday celebrations and anniversaries. Remembering to celebrate all the good times.

Last goodies for Adolph on Father's Day.

A Barbecue toast of orange crush- his favourite at his Celebration of Life tribute.
Celebrations big and small are so wonderful and help to make life so happy and enjoyable.
So August brings several family birthdays and an anniversary. Time to pause and enjoy the moment.
#smallcelebrations#enjoyingthebirthdaysandanniversaires#timetoreflectandenjoy#atoasttoadolphoforangecrush#togranpa#atoasttogranpa#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

AS AUGUST MARCHES ON SO DOES LIFE

 Learning to adjust to my new status during the summer is a blessing. Enjoying the beautiful August days with my loss makes it bearable.

Organizing little corners of my life slowly. That is good for grief. No pressure.

A couple of grandchildren sleepovers brought lots of noise to the home.

Garden is still a jungle that may be a September job.

Family history stories are coming along. 

COVID19 limits how much travel can occur. But family took me on some short day trips as well as a day out with friends. Of course several lunches with daughters as well as a dinner or barbecue.

A quick trip to a local farm for some local fresh produce.

Day trip to Port Perry. A favourite place for Adolph and me. Now it is popular with the grandchildren 

A beautiful Lavander farm near Milton. TerreBleu!

A day downtown with friends. Eating at La Vecchia- Quatro Stagioni pizza.

The view from the restaurant of the Toronto Skyline. Mimico!

Vincent Vam Gohn Immersive Exhibit.

The walls move and merge with the mastery of Vincent.

Family and friends make life enjoyable and bearable. Of course with my friendly camera- my norm- it gives me a chance to take some pics.

Coming home and no one to tell about the day is my new norm. I miss Adolph!!

#dayout#gettingthroughgriefwithfamilyandfriends#vangohnimmersiveevent#sleepoverswithgrandhildren#portperryontario#lakescugog#missingmyhusband#griefsucks#Ifeeltired#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

Dealing with grief brings lots of trite remarks about how the grieved should be viewing everything. Like the Circle of Life comments.

Do you know some people actually said everyone has to die sometime as a comment?

So be careful what you say as is not always good!

#circleoflife#lifeanddeath#reflectivethoughtsbybarbara#barbaradimambro