I have been home, but not. My brain has been racing with worries about my family. My son had an accident with a pocket knife (not his first) and cut his little finger on his right hand pretty good. He only needed two stitches, but there was a lot of panic and his room mate called 911 and he made the trip to the ER in an ambulance. I can't wait to see the bill for that. But in the process he severed two tendons and one nerve. He had micro surgery in a small town in Mississippi without his parents. If you are horrified by this imagine being me. He is very independent and 19 years old and did not need/want us there. His room mate and neighbor have been driving him everywhere. His right arm is in a cast all the way to his elbow. Finally three weeks later I am being allowed to visit him.

My mom turned 75 last week and I drove down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana (six and a half hours) to bring her a cadilac of a walker. This will probably be my last trip for a long time. My mom is mentally ill and also has dementia. She is unfortunately very difficult to be around. I have a live in companion with her for the past year and she is excellent with her, better than I can be. Seeing her is so hurtful that i shut down for weeks before and after the briefest visit. The best thing about this visit was I took the time to drive to the gulf coast area and pick up a friend for a brief visit. We have had two snow events while she has been here and I believe she is enjoying herself.

I am already one purse behind on my purse a week quest and going out of town again next week. I finished up a purse I had started three or four years ago at a Sue Spargo workshop in Houston. I also designed and made a small tote to carry my lunch for brown bag lunch days. The owl large amulet bag is made to fit my cell phone. I hammered and soldered the chain that holds it. It was inspired by my love of owls and by my friend Karen Khale's owl designs. I have another purse made but will save that for another post and I have to finish this weeks bag and will post a recently made bag (December) for my bag next week.