Sunday, May 1, 2011

What's black and white and worn all over?

This is Mario's latest summer shirt.  Personally, I find it a little frightening, but he loves it.  

Go figure. 

It's KwikSew 2935 again, which is faster and easier than my standard KS men's shirt pattern.  The collar is a one piece instead of a collar-and-band, which I think is acceptable for a casual shirt, though I'd never do it for a dress shirt.  Only 5 buttons and buttonholes.  It feels almost like cheating, it's so fast.

My favorite part of this shirt (actually, probably the only part I really like) is how well I managed to match the print up the front.  Amazing what taking your time will do, huh?

Not a lot of sewing going on besides finishing the shirt.  I got a call Tuesday at work that my aunt had fallen.  She's 86, so even a minor fall can have major consequences.  She wanted rest that night, so we went up Wednesday after work and she seemed okay - bruised and sore, but able to get around and having, I thought, the sense not to push herself. 

Then the phone rang Thursday morning at 5:30.  Two more falls, refusing to go to the hospital, shoot me now.  By the time I left for work, she had given in and was being taken to the hospital, and I got to do the thing I do best - call people on the phone and pester them into doing what needs to be done.  Talked to the hospital, her doctor, her social worker at the seniors' apartment complex.  Called her stepson in Florida, a couple of friends who normally drop in to check on her.  Only person I didn't talk to was my aunt, who was sulking because I put my foot, and my medical power of attorney, down and made her go to the hospital.

Turns out she has pneumonia, which might account for the weakness that caused her to fall.  She's also got a Hawaiian sunset of bruises up one side, but they're giving her antibiotics for the pneumonia and Percocet for the pain, and it's done wonders for her mood. 

Interestingly, she finally apologized for not coming to our wedding.  Then she blew the apology by saying she hadn't wanted to come in case I didn't go through with it.  Hey, at least she suspected me, not Mario.  Oh, well.  Old people.  What can you do with them?

They're probably going to keep her through at least Wednesday, and then she goes to rehab for a week.  By then they'll be able to evaluate if she can continue to live independently (hopefully she'll regain most of her strength and just need to pay for hourly help when she needs it; the assisted living facility at her complex is obscenely expensive and she would probably outlive her savings at that price - and she doesn't need to worry about money on top of everything else, since she's already a natural worrier). 

We did get up to NYC yesterday for a brief visit.  I did a little shopping with Elizabeth (fabric photos to come - though isn't too much to show), saw the latest exhibit at FIT, met up with Mario for lunch (he was off on his own wanderings in the morning) and took the bus home again in time for dinner.  It was a beautiful day - I think spring has finally arrived.  I think.

Woke up this a.m. with a scratchy throat and the sneezes.  This did not stop me from finishing his shirt, but it may keep me from starting another project tonight as my head is feeling very heavy.

11 comments:

Tina said...

I can't imagine what it is that you don't like about that shirt. I think it's pretty great! You did an awsome job of matching the print too! Congrats!

Kris C. said...

AWESOME job on the print matching. I'm with you - it's a little...interesting...to look at, but I'd totally be amused by it on someone else. And good for him being excited about it!

KayY said...

I'm with Mario - I think it is an amazing print and you did an amazing job matching across the front. I'm impressed that I can't see a repeat on those graphs on the back.

daiyami said...

I like the black and white! It's cool.

Marie-Christine said...

You did a great job on that shirt, and I love the print.
Bummer about the aunt, especially about her getting mad. In my experience, pneumonia makes people want to stick very closely to the couch, it's a natural physiological reaction to the lack of oxygen, even a good one before the invention of antibiotics. I've seen 3 (younger) people get very resentful of the people who saved their lives by getting them off the couch though. So try not to take it too personally, and explain the physiology to her, in case she's in the mood to listen..

Also though, if I may slip in a bit of scary advice, make sure she gets checked for a potential stroke specifically. It can often be the cause of the initial fall, and can wreck havock if it's not addressed while it's still at the warning level.

Myra said...

Awesome shirt - I love it. Glad he does too. Sorry to hear about your aunt - it's hard when things like that happen.

Pam Erny said...

Fab job matching that print!
Great looking shirt!

Debbie Cook said...

I love the placement of the perfectly-matched large headline across the chest. It's not a shirt to wear to every event, but it does have a kind of cool factor going on and, really, Mario loving it is all that matters, right? Well done!

Good luck with your aunt. I hope her recovery is without incident.

Journeyin' Lady... said...

GREAT job matching! That is definitely NOT an easy feat!
Good Luck with your Aunt - a difficult time of her life which is making your life very challenging.

SEWN said...

I love the shirt! Mario's a lucky guy and you can tell I said so. Also tell him I missed seeing him on Saturday. Soooo good to see you. I can't wait to see you at PR Weekend. Soon, sister in sewing... soon!

TE said...

Honestly, I think we are sisters separated at birth. Or cousins? Your aunt "is" my mother.

And, I have rain barrel envy! I have one from a big box discount warehouse - because here west of everywhere (or at least west of the Blue Ridge Mountains) I couldn't find proper barrels to make my own. Your two-tier system is so cool!

Finally, we just added a new cat to the family. March was a rough month - our youngest died of kidney failure; oldest died of a probable brain tumor.

Cheers, relative in absentia!