Monday, August 21, 2017

dog days

Busy times and utter chaos this summer -- I'm embracing the dog days and looking forward to crisp autumn days, cozy cardigans, and fall colors. My older brother had a stroke and has been in rough shape this summer -- a month in the ICU, life support, pneumonia... I've been traveling back and forth to Minnesota a good deal. The upshot? More times with family and friends, progress on cleaning out my parents' old house, and best of all, my brother has really turned a corner and is on the upswing.


 Sugar enjoying "my" reading chair in our new Craftsman bungalow

 a good book and the start of a North Shore pullover for E


 cocktails at Grey Ghost in Detroit

 my neighbor's cheerful zinnias


Thank goodness for fenced yards, water tables (busy, happy kids!), and sparkling rosé. The bag is from Better Life Bags, a neat company based here in Detroit. You design your own custom handbag either in the store or online, then each bag is hand cut and hand sewn by women facing economic challenges here in Detroit, a city where resources and opportunities can be pretty tough.

crafting on with Nicole et al.

6 comments:

Shannon Meyer said...

So sorry to hear about your brother. That is a tough thing to watch a loved one go through. Happy that he is on the mend!! Your knitting looks really good:)

Ravenna said...

Glad to hear that your brother turned that corner. Hopefully it is all good news from here.

A fellow Detroiter? Well, I'm in the 'burbs, and don't actually get into the city much myself, but it's always fun to know someone's close by. :)

Caffeine Girl said...

I am so sorry to hear about your brother! I am glad that he's doing better. My younger brother had a stroke when he was 39 and had a full recovery.
I miss those summers with little kids. We went to the pool just about everyday, where I could chat with the other moms while the kids got really tired.
That bag company sounds really excellent. I'm going to check it out.

Tracy Altieri said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your brother's health, but glad that he is improving. I too am looking forward to cooler days and have the very same book waiting for me on my bedside table!

karen said...

Oh, I'm sorry your brother has been having health problems, I bet he loves you visiting, I hope he recovers soon. I'm more than ready for fall!

Sharon said...

Boy, what a summer for you. I'm glad your brother is recovering well. No one expects a stroke, especially not in a young person. Enjoy the wine and zinnias. You've earned it!