Some of you may have noticed that I have been absent from the Temari community since September 2003. I got some bad news in October of last year. My little brother, Eric, only 42 years old, was losing his battle with brain cancer and was going to die.
When he first got ill, about 18 months before, he came to stay with me. The brain tumor had already caused some damage and he was hemiplegic (the right side of his body was partially paralized). In the evenings or during the day, I would work on Temari while he practiced walking without a walker or writing with his left hand. For almost a year I took him to 3 to 4 medical appointments a week. Held him when he had siezures and comforted him when he became discouraged. With Physical therapy and steroids, he did recover somewhat. He was undergoing chemotherapy which seemed to have stopped the growth of the tumor. We were hopeful.
He eventually made other arrangements and moved out of my home and into the home of Elizabeth, his girlfriend. In August 2003 he married Elizabeth. He was so happy on that day. We thought we had plenty of time.
In October we learned what Eric had been suspecting for some time, that the chemotherapy was no longer working; the tumor was growing and that there was nothing more anyone could do. The Temari I had been working on languished in my work basket. In fact, it languishes there still. On December 19, 2003 Eric died. From the time I learned he was dying to this day I have not done a single stitch on a Temari. I have rarely even visited the boards. I have not even updated or looked at my own board. Until now.
I have agreed to teach the craft of Temari at Jubilee, a local Adult Girl Scout learning event and I am hoping it will trigger my passion. I am looking foward to it. My daughter has agreed to assist me, not only in teaching the class but in preparing the take home instruction sheets. She is going to take the photos I will need. It will be a lot of fun.