No denyin' it's Spring-time

My backyard, full of wisteria,

daisies,

roses

 

and plum blossoms...

Spring and a smile

We are home and it feels so good. Although it has been a difficult couple of weeks our darling, patient and brave Mr 17 is recovering slowly. Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and good wishes. They are very much appreciated.

In the preceding days, and even though we had a huge hospital window overlooking trees and a park, I did not see a single bud. These days were dim and cloud-filled. On the morning drive home from hospital, our son safely bundled beside us, I could not help but notice an overnight explosion of all varieties of flora creating spectacular arrays of textures and colours.

It is Spring.

Blossoms, birds and butterflies in abundance. Our son is smiling.

What a beautiful, beautiful day.

Mervat.
xo

Revision Surgery

As some of you may remember, our darling son, Mr 17 had scoliosis correction surgery exactly 3 years ago. His two major curves covering 11 segments in his spine, were corrected with rods, screws and bone grafts. Yesterday his annual X-ray showed that the bone grafts in his lower back have not grown to form a single bony structure. This structure is supposed to stop the curve from reforming. His back muscles that support the spine are pulling in one direction and the instrumentation is tugging in the opposite direction. No bone mass to stabilise his spine. I can only imagine the pain he has been living with, day after night. Our son needs revision surgery involving more instrumentation and more bone grafts. And soon. Next week soon. Too soon.

Your thoughts and prayers will be much appreciated.

The following posts (in chronological order) refer to our scoliosis surgery experiences I wrote about when I first started this blog:

Your typical Saturday...not so
Coffee?? Maybe not.
Anterior, Posterior.
Professor of Fashion, Form and Fit.
A joke and a prayer.
His shoes are bigger than you!
Change and New Heights.
Khazakstan and Lebanese Food
Exposed on all levels
It's still me.

Story Competition: Matching Velvet

Image from: http://treasureupwisdom.blogspot.com/2009/10/since-you-went-away-wwii-letters-from.html

She sat in the cafe feeling very self conscious as she wrote the last few words of a sentence she had been struggling with. That will do, she thought to herself. She looked the part but did not feel it. Her coffee had become cold. She did not know why she had ordered it. All she felt like doing was lying down and placing a pillow over her head. Deciding to leave she secured her hat and uncrossed her legs, her suede pumps brushing against one another. Her left hand caressed the lush velvet of her skirt. She stood up and, walking into the crisp Autumn air, she saw his eyes. He was alone. He looked a little scruffy yet appealingly handsome. She pictured him in a vest matching her skirt. Silly thought, she cursed herself, but, cute all the same. She slowly walked over to him, fearing he would turn away, her heart beating in her ears. His eyes pierced hers. She paused. Could she? Would she? If the most outrageous thing she had ever done was team a leather jacket with leopard print then this would be worth it. Yes, she would do it. She picked up that handsome puppy and took him home with her!

Have you written a story about a particularly interesting picture you've seen?

Celebrating: (almost) 10% of my book, Draft 1.

I have written almost 10% of my book (1st draft) and I would like to celebrate by devouring these Parisian delicacies and drinking the best coffee.

But, considering that the cafe where I had these last is a little out of my way

(oh, about 20,000 km), I guess I will have to settle for...

Image from www.ohhowposh.com