Surgery and a sad day

Had my surgery on Monday of last week for carpal tunnel release on my right hand, all went well and I had this done with local anaesthetic, which was great for the fact there is no drowsiness as with full sedation and no totally numb arm which is the case with a full arm nerve block. Surgeon did warn me that when they put the local in the area to be worked on that it would sting. Not to worry said I, had locals before for things like a punch biopsy, not the same she said by sting she meant REALLY sting! Wow, was that an experience and for good measure she put three lots in! Usual procedure with a tourniquet on for a set time so that it would be easier to do the surgery dry rather wet, and within 15 minutes I was reclining in a great chair with a cup of tea and bikkies. I am still padded and bandaged but sutures are due for out on Thursday, looking forward to that. Nightmare with my right hand out of action and can not do any quilting. Told no lifting anything heavy for four weeks.

The good side to all the above is no housework, no cooking and once I had better use of my fingers was able to order some gorgeous batiks from BatiksPlus - they are currently on their way to me. I have also decided, more or less, to get a hold of an Accuquilt Go cutter. We have access to the Go or Baby here in NZ so have been researching the Go, if any of you out there have a Go would you mind telling me what you think of it please. I am hoping that by using one I could cut down on hand stress. I would be probably using squares, half and quarter triangles and of course strips, probably go for a 1.25", certainly a 2.5" and maybe one in-between, also maybe a tumbler and I haven't yet looked to see if they have the dies to make the kaleidoscope pattern.

Three sets of Kaffe Fasset sampler strips from Terri at Quilternity's Place are still sitting on my table whilst I decide what to start with some of these

On a sad note, those of you who have been reading my blog from when I first started may remember a quilt which I was making for a friend, I said she was unwell, the quilt was called "Vintage" from a Kaffe Fasset book. She was actually fighting metastatic breast cancer (she had been clear for 13 years until 3 years ago) and the secondaries had spread to very many organs, but she was thrilled to be able to use her quilt for two months whilst undergoing more chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was with her two weeks ago and had arranged to visit again Thursday last week but she deteriorated quickly and went into the hospice that day and  passed away on Saturday. She was a darling friend for 33 years and I and our little patchwork group will miss her dreadfully. She loved to wear pink in all it's various shades and decreed that the flowers on her coffin should be nothing but pink! So in memory of her I have two pics of flowers below from a small group which my husband bought for me last week. 

Hopefully back to my sewing machine next week as I am really getting withdrawal symptoms now, I need to be working with yummy fabrics which is great therapy!!!!

Have a great week