Stacy-Lee Lessell

29th July 1973 - 30th September 2017

RIP My Darling Younger Daughter 

I love and miss you beyond words can say

Hi,

I know it's been a really long time.  But I know a lot of you know how ill our younger daughter had been.  I'm really sorry to say that she passed away 6 weeks ago and was in hospital for 3 weeks before that in the Intensive Care Unit of Watford General Hospital, who were exceptional and really tried their very hardest to save her.

To say we are gutted is putting it mildly.  She was my baby and my best friend.  I know we really looked alike and were very alike, so we really shouldn't have gotten on but we so did.  I miss her so much and really have had my moments.  I think about her as I wake up and for the rest of each and every day.  It's so very hard because it's not the way it's supposed to be.  I'm the mother and Larry is her father and we should have passed away first.

I got a phone call from the hospital at 11 am that morning to say that she just wasn't going to make it and to come as soon as possible.  The problem was James (her brother) and my lovely daughter-in-law and younger grandchildren were all in Synagogue and I had no way of getting in touch with them then because it was our most religious day of the year - Yom Kippur which also happened to be a Saturday.  I knew that although it is a fasting holiday the children wouldn't be fasting and Danielle would take them home and feed them.  So I got hold of her an hour later and she got a message to James and they and our elder daughter Sara-Jane and her ex-Husband and children joined Larry and me at the hospital.

Stacy was laid to rest the following Tuesday, which isn't as fast as we usually bury our dead but it just couldn't be helped.  And whilst we would normally sit Shiva for 7 days and evenings which prayers at around 20:00 each evening we could only sit Shiva for 1 day and night because the next day at sundown Sukkot  started and one is not allowed to break the Shiva for a holiday and then start sitting again after the holiday finishes.  Wish we could have because one day wasn't really enough. But rules are rules.  Anyway my Mom passed away on first day Sukkot so I had to light yet another Yahziet candle in remembrance of her death.

There were in excess of 200 people at the funeral and the even more at the Shiva.

Sara-Jane is on the Left

Dad is in the Middle Top

I'm in the Middle sitting

Stacy-Lee on the Right next to me

James is on the Left next to me

See you soon Patricia xxx
American by Birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way

I know this isn't soon but ....

Hi,

I've really been away from here, except for the odd post but now I'm really back and sewing on my newly opened sewing machine that I purchased about two and a half years ago. It's been quite a trial with it I can assure you. I have been using sewing machines on and off for a very long time.  I don't suppose you remember but I purchased a Brother something or other 30 and it is now obsolete. If I was sewing clothing on it, it would have been perfect. Or if I'd opened it up when I bought it I could have returned it for something more suitable for quilting, but I didn't!

I have bought more feet for this machine because it came with nothing quilting related!  I purchased the feet over the last couple of years and some more than once and some are useless. Anyway I found out that a quarter inch foot, of which I bought many are no good anymore as you really need a scant 1/4" for all the patterns that are about. The last but one thing I bought was this

But it didn't work, because I had no way of making sure it was a real scant 1/4" and guessing isn't my best thing.  Finally, I found a thing that works beautifully and some tape that even with my shaking I am able to sew perfect scant 1/4" seam.  YAY!!!

Onto the next.  I have been in a quilted postcard swap which I didn't need a scant 1/4" seam for and the first one I sent out last month was this one which was meant to represent summer holidays.  Well seeing as we aren't going anywhere this year I figured that a garden scene would be perfect and I absolutely loved making it and the receiver of it said nothing has fallen off (which I was worried about) and that she loves it.

This months, which is being posted on Monday are these two.  They are supposed to represent song titles.  One is really easy

Whilst the other isn't - except to say it was written and sung by Cat Stevens:

You can guess the titles if you feel like it.

I am so glad to be back and sewing again.  

Stacy still isn't good but she's still here with us for which I am eternally grateful.

See you soon
Patti xxx
American by birth and MOUTH
but British in every other way