As I sit in Starbucks with my Venti coffee on this cold (32f), rainy Friday, I marvel how quickly time flies. As I write, Mum sleeps and is getting ready to have a night on the town with our beautiful Fairy (my niece). They have tickets for Andre Rieu and are so very excited.
The freezer is full to the brim with meals for the next month - she ran out of time to do the usual 3 month supply. Even Max grunts and groans when reaching for the ice cream as he battles the ziplock bags of beef stew.
Rose’s room is back in some order …obviously it depends on your definition of order… and in a weird way we both agreed her room seemed empty without Granny lying there under the Jonas brothers doona, with the blankets and hot water bottles.
Max has been looking for Granny (photo taken by max)
and when I put my shoes on this morning he said “granny’s shoes”…ah yes…Mum loved my shoes so much we had to make a special trip to payless to get her a pair.
Neil of course is reveling in the luxury of new undies and ironed shirts and continues to eat the brie that Mum commandeered from the cocktail table at the event (picture a large baked brie the size of a big pizza and only half was eaten…Karenne made sure it didn’t go to waste and has ensured it will go directly to waist!
“Mum” as she was affectionately called throughout the weekend of Art Is…You, was welcomed with open arms by those who met her last year and those who didn’t know her at all. 
She ran around for me, for Ellen and for anyone else who asked. She flogged aprons – even to the in house Engineer who took one home to his wife.
She made sure everyone was looked after. (With the talented CT born, Sydney residing Keith LoBue)
She made sure everyone was registered and everyone bought a raffle ticket …
She looked after me and my friend Ellen - this is one of 54 photos she took of us in the space of 3 minutes…she finally settled for just the face because (apparently) our bums and stomachs were too big.
What I loved the most is that she created and her creativity was celebrated.
Karenne’s Quilt – Pamela Huntington’s Class
Karenne’s Wonderland Hat – Taryn Reece’s Class
Karenne’s journals – Kecia Deveney’s Class
I guess my two favorite memories of my mum spending time with me both occurred whilst at Art Is…You and of course I can only share with you the written version because no photos could do justice.
1. Picture the main luncheon area set for 100 people. A large data projector is set to screen on a 12 x 12. Speakers are connected to the hotel sound system…and lap top connected to all of this…It is 3pm our time…6am Aussie time – SO GUESS WHO DECIDES TO SKYPE? Yes it was Papa in all his glory. Of course, he always skypes before he puts his hearing aids in, so all I got to see was the top of his head because he was leaning toward the speakers to hear my voice. Shall I just say that we all got a little tickled by this episode and I learnt a valuable lesson – turn off all apps when the laptop is in the public arena.
2. Picture Karenne – it is 6pm. She has been walking around selling raffles for the last few hours. In one hand raffle tickets, in another hand a tumbler with wine. She worked out that by putting it in the tumbler, the hotel would think it was apple juice and not scold her for walking around public areas with alcohol. Over her arm she had her pink shopping bag. Up to the registration table she wandered where my beautiful friends Gwen and Doris were. When asked what was in the bag….she produced the bladder of the wine box! Poor Doris and Gwen…the looks on their faces! They truly thought she must have a catheter somewhere and this was her wee bag! It was almost too much for them when she topped up her glass, popped the bladder back into the bag and skipped off to sell more tickets…
And so she is gone for another year but not before she told me that she would be back to take Kecia’s class and not before we created 100 Nanny Magnets for her birthday and not before she stole my favorite hand painted suitcase because it was slightly larger than the one she brought and not before she had packed 3 giant bottles of maple syrup and not before she had purchased Dad’s annual pair of shoes and not before she had got Lillian’s cards, treats for Sue, Mary, Clare and the rest of her apron girls, folk art girls, kelman girls, oh and family…yes you scored a little but you will have to wait till Christmas!
Oh…and the 54 photos of Ellen and Me? Taken on the same night as the wine bladder discovery…
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