Lots of travel this month.
Several trips to Palmerston North & Upper Hutt plus further afield.
Also a very sad month, but there were some happy times too.
The sadness was due to us having to say farewell
to one of Keith's lovely sisters, Bev
after the discovery of cancer a couple of months previously.
The first of Keith's siblings to pass away.
A few days prior to her passing we visited with her
and her final words to us were, "I'll see you in glory. Bye for now",
and she began singing an old hymn we used to sing in church,
some of the words being,
"When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there".
A woman of great faith. We will miss her.
As you can see from the photo, she loved her garden.
Her garden was often visited by gardening groups
and over the years featured several times in the NZ Gardening magazine.
The happy time was that another of Keith's sisters, Dulcie & her husband, Stan,
travelled home to NZ from their home in Canada
to see and spend time with Bev and visit with the family.
Over the previous eighteen months Dulc had had an operation
followed by chemo and radiation.
In addition to all the family being at the funeral,
there was also a special get-together in Upper Hutt
for all the extended Whiteman family plus friends of Dulc & Stan's.
We were four days in Upper Hutt.
During that time Keith and I spent an evening
with my lovely cousin, Kevin Pepperell and his equally lovely wife, Merrill
to celebrate a belated 50th wedding anniversary,
and I met up with primary school friends, Jocelyn & Marie,
(Marie, Jocelyn & myself)
visited my 92 year old aunty at the Hutt Hospital
and lunched at Kev & Merrill's fabulous café - Café Blume, *
(Anita, Kevin & granddaughter, McKenzie)
meeting up there with two of their three daughters,
Lee and Anita
(Lee, Merrill & Anita)
and I spent a morning at a wholesalers ordering lots of lovely new Christmas items
that I think visitors to the gallery will love to purchase this coming Christmas.
* Since writing this, Kevin & Merrill have sold their café.
Returned home from Upper Hutt late one evening
and the next day Dulc & Stan arrived to stay with us for three days.
They left today to stay with another of Keith's sisters, Mave & her husband, Dave,
who live here in the Hawkes Bay.
Last night all six of us met at the 'Mission' to celebrate an early 70th birthday for Keith.
In two day times I leave for the States to attend the Needlework Trade Show
at Nashville, Tennessee.
I am SO looking forward to this trip as have not been for the past four years!
As for stitching on the plane,
I'm taking a companion piece to
'Tidings of Joy' and 'O' Christmas Tree'.
I began stitching this a few weeks ago.
Design Title: Joyeux Noel
Design Code: JBW 336
Price: $21.50
I should have lots of news for you next time.
Till then, sincerely hoping you have been able to have some time
with fabric, needle and thread in your hands.
We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful pastime.
