I had a tremendously productive weekend! I completed the appliqué on all my star blocks, and completed all the prep and appliqué on my basket handles. This would be for the Collection for a Cause Stars and Baskets quilt I am working on. I have started sewing the basket blocks, and for the most part they have been successfully trimmed down to 10 1/2 inches square.
Except for one contrary little guy, which insists on being wonky, and is in grave danger of being taken apart and re-made. It just will not cooperate, and I can't figure out where I went wrong. There are a lot of bias edges in these basket blocks, so the potential for wonkiness is definitely there.
Another task that had me occupied for a number of hours yesterday was cleaning my house. I worked on it for a couple of hours and got the downstairs done except for the bathrooms. Today I need to tackle the upstairs and the bathrooms. I am exhausted and not even half way done.
I have a cleaning lady, or to be more accurate, until recently, I had a cleaning lady. She is such an attractive, gracious, pizzazzy woman. I just loved it when she came to clean. We would visit and catch up on the doings of her kids and mine, vacation plans etc etc. I have become very attached to her and think of her as a friend, as well as being so grateful that every two weeks she makes my house shine. In early March, she told me she was having a mammogram. It was the same week I was having my colonoscopy, and we commiserated on the unpleasantness of both those procedures. Well, the next I heard, the results of her mammogram were not good. She took a week or so off to schedule medical appointments and so on, and then told me her doctor had advised her not to work for a month. I have texted her a couple of times because I am thinking of her and hoping she is doing all right. Not to pry, and certainly not to find out when the heck she will be coming back to clean my house.
It is such a dilemma. I want her to know I care, but am afraid when I ask how she is doing, she is thinking I am frustrated that my house isn't getting cleaned. She has responded to me when I have contacted her, but is full of apologies and seems stressed that she is letting me down. How would you handle such a situation? I want to respect her privacy, yet show her I care. My instincts tell me to stay in contact with her, just by sending supportive good wishes.
I sure appreciate how great she keeps my house, now that I have had to do the cleaning job myself!
Cheers for your wonderful sewing progress, wonky guy aside!
Perhaps you could make your lovely cleaning woman and friend a cheery wee wall quilt or comfort pillow with a quilt block on one or both sides?
Hugs!
Posted by: Barbara Anne | April 24, 2017 at 05:07 AM
Such a difficult dilemma. Just keep texting saying you are thinking of her. She will contact you when she is ready or able too. Sometimes it is hard to deal with everyone else when you are going through a health issue. So just readong a positiv emessage is sometimes enough. House work is always a drag I feel your pain.
Posted by: Helen storer | April 24, 2017 at 05:15 AM
Your baskets are so pretty. Great job. I would just text a simple message and let her know you are thinking of her-no pressure!
Mary
Posted by: Mary Kastner | April 24, 2017 at 07:30 AM
Absolutely keep in touch with her to let her know you are thinking of her. Speaking from experience, I know she will appreciate the support.
Posted by: Debbie R. | April 24, 2017 at 07:33 AM
Great job in the sewing room this week-end! Do you have enough fabric to simply start over completely rather than de-construct the 'trouble-maker' basket? I would stay in touch with your housekeeper to let her know you're here when she's ready or if she just needs to talk. If you're not comfortable calling you can send cheery cards wishing her a full recovery. It's a tricky situation not wanting to appear anxious or pushy!
Posted by: Jan | April 24, 2017 at 07:46 AM
Cards can say you are thinking of her without her feeling obligated to answer. Ones that say Friend on them will get your message across. It won't give you answers, but it will convey your feelings. Quilts are always good as well.
Posted by: Rebecca Ball | April 24, 2017 at 08:12 AM
When you text her, tell her you hope she's okay and not to worry about your house, she needs to focus on herself. Tell her you don't mean to pry, but you are concerned about her because you think of her as a friend. If she chooses to text back, she will. I know that when I stopped quilting for others and the minute I did, suddenly there were a number of people who I thought had become friends, I never heard from again, which made me very sad. Don't lose that connection with her if you can! Your baskets are beautiful!
Posted by: carolyn | April 24, 2017 at 08:22 AM
i would send her a short letter telling her you are thinking of her and hope she is doing well. you could also tell her you miss catching up with her and when she is feeling up to it you would love to hear how she is doing.
i still think written notes are best for these types of situations. just my 2 cents...
Posted by: ina | April 24, 2017 at 08:42 AM
I love your basket blocks! Hope you get your mischief one to behave;-)
You could send a card and perhaps some chocolates or something small you know she will enjoy and let her know that you think of her and hope she is okay. Perhaps invite her for a cup of tea or coffee? Don't need to be in your house but a nice little coffee shop where you both and talk and relax and have a good time together.
Posted by: Hildy | April 24, 2017 at 09:14 AM
I will put my useless two cents in here and say that I'd encourage you to serve your housekeeper in some way...a meal, flowers, a quilt!! something like that. I don't think that there is a better way to let people know that you appreciate them than to sacrifice some of our time and comfort to help them. Just a thought.
My boys got home last night seriously jet lagged and both have bad colds. They were close enough to the terrorist attack to hear the emergency response vehicles go right by them. They weren't scheduled to visit the Champs, but they had a change in plans and visited it. Scary, scary stuff. Have a great week, Nicole.
Posted by: Tracey Holzer | April 24, 2017 at 09:45 AM
I love reading your blog and seeing all of your quilts and quilt blocks, as well as hearing your honest opinion.
For your cleaning lady, if it were me, I would ask her if she needed me to pick up anything at the store for her, or if she needed a ride to any of her appointments. Maybe take her some kind of food dish, or do you know her well enough to know which books or magazines might interest her? Maybe just a visit from someone to help take her mind off of things for a bit might help.
I do like the idea of a quilt for her, it really lets her know that you care.
Posted by: marcille | April 24, 2017 at 09:47 AM
You have certainly received good advice in the comments above. Lots of choices and how thoughtful of you, to want to keep in touch and keep that friendship. Your work is beautiful!
Posted by: Gloria | April 24, 2017 at 09:56 AM
Hand write a card, Thinking of You. Let her know you have no expectation of if/when she is returning, but assure her you can clean your house and her job is waiting for her whenever she feels she is ready to return. Sign it Your Friend. and then follow up with a few more hand written notes. Also a text asking if she needs a ride to an appointment.(if this is possible for you to fit in) You can always take handwork while you wait Sometimes it would have been nice to have someone come with me when I had 35 trips to the radiation clinic, just for a cofffee afterwards or just to change the subject. I did get very tired of the "how are you doing" as I felt it had become very charged. "hows your day" would have felt better to me. Just sayin'.....
Posted by: Sharon Tucker | April 24, 2017 at 12:21 PM
I was in a similar situation but I don't have a cleaning lady - unfortunately. I'd take her some flowers (I took my acquaintance sunflowers a couple of times just to let her know I was thinking of her) and something homemade - muffins, scones, cupcakes, or my current favourite, baked doughnuts. you don't have to do anything over the top, but maybe emails are stressful and actually putting something in writing is scary. Some people can talk about stuff that is happening to them but writing about it makes it too real and too frightening.Go with your instinct - you know her better than we do.
Posted by: Carol C | April 24, 2017 at 01:25 PM
I think you should especially keep in contact with your cleaning lady. A little handwritten letter or note would let her know that you care beyond that you need her back to clean. If she responds to you & mentions medical appts if your are comfortable & have time offer to drive/accompany her to an appt or two. Perhaps she needs help w/ grocery shopping, prescription pick up or maybe you could prepare a meal.
PS I love your basket blocks!!
Posted by: Penny Holliday | April 24, 2017 at 01:39 PM
She is your friend and she needs you now. I think just some quick but sincere notes telling her that you are thinking of her, hoping she is doing well, and are looking forward to getting together to catch up, would be appreciated.
Btw, your basket blocks are gorgeous!
Posted by: Margaret | April 24, 2017 at 03:04 PM
I have a friend who was forced to quit her much appreciated cleaning jobs to go through lymphoma treatments. It's a huge load dealing with the medical issues, then the hit to the finances from lost work is just more added stress. I'm sure any way you reach out to her will be appreciated.
Posted by: Janet | April 25, 2017 at 09:51 AM
Your blocks are looking so good! Sorry about your friend. I think you got lots of good suggestions on how to handle this delicate situation. You want to show you care, but don't want to appear prying or nosy. I'm sure if you just keep doing what your doing, letting her know when you text her that the house is taken care of but her job will be there if she chooses to come back and if there is anything you can do for her. Sometimes just picking up some magazines or making a little care basket for her could show her how much you care.
Posted by: Anita | April 25, 2017 at 04:00 PM