Here is the present I sent to my sister for Valentine's day. I had fun making these "ruby" earrings and necklace. She had made a dress some time ago which she thought would be appropriate for our costume night during our trip to Scotland, and was looking for a ruby necklace to thread on a ribbon for her neck. By way of explanation, my sister has been undergoing chemo for over a year now for cancer in colon, kidneys, liver, and has been doing very well. She gets quite ill for a few days after each treatment but bounces back during the week "off" her chemo. When she was diagnosed in October 2005, prior to surgery, I had told her about a wonderful series of books that I thought she might like. Diana Gabaldon's books, (there are 6 of them now), starting with the Outlander are books I have enjoyed and thought my sister might be able to find some escape through these wonderful historic novels. Well, I never expected her to love them the way she has. She has read all six books (in paperback, they are over 1,000 pages each) five times! I expressed the idea that maybe someday we could go to Scotland together. Well, wonder of wonders, I checked and found an Outlander tour! We are booked to go and one of my dearest friends, who has also read the books and loved them, is joining us. Judy Lowstuter is the tour director and she has been absolutely wonderful thus far in arranging all the details for the trip which includes my sister leaving from Providence RI and my friend and I leaving from Wilmington, NC and linking up with my sister is Newark, NJ for the overseas leg of our journey. If you go to Judy's photo site, you will see pictures of previous tours and the special costume night at Culloden House where we get a special private presentation of the Jacobite rising and Scottish entertainment.
I have been entertaining my sister with little surprises to keep her spirits high as she continues her treatments and anticipates our wonderful trip together. In her Valentine present package I included some delicous chocolates and a copy of Scottish Life Magazine.
Here is a bulletin board I made up for her:
My sister sent me a photo of her dress and I "pinned" it to the board. She also sent me pictures of a calendar a neighbor bought her of the Castles in the UK, I had such fun using my Photoshop skills to create the board for her and she loved it. She also does Tarot Card readings and will bring along the deck for "fun."
I hope many of you will explore the books, the story and the fantastic history of the time. The last several books have particular significance to me since they take place in colonial North Carolina in the few years leading up to the Revolution. In fact, one of the last battles in the saga takes place at the Widow Moore's Creek which is just 20 miles from where I live. I am trying to talk Judy Lowstuter into exploring the possibility of a North Carolina "Outlander" tour which could be fascinating and fun.