I was up very early this morning as the new deal is that I go and get mum's breakfast and help her have a wash on a Monday morning. Last night I posted a few drafts, just with a picture, so that I have some available for the days when I do this from the iPad. Pleased to see that it worked. And yesterday I had a lovely walk with OH and we stopped by at The Farmhouse for a drink on the way back. we both had coffee!
It's funny how things often work out for the best. Now that, by mutual consent, mum isn't coming to stay overnight anymore, we have been spending more quality time together, on the phone as well as with me going over to hers.
Back in the 1980s there was this sci-fi series called Max Headroom. I have always thought I would like to watch it again but it never came out on DVD. A couple of days ago I discovered that the whole thing is on YouTube. I love modern technology.
I'm in an "up and at 'em" sort of mood today!
Stuff in my garden is growing. I have a handful of blackcurrants plus quite a lot of peas and broad beans, a few strawberries and lots of flowers on the tomatoes and chinese gooseberries. But the slugs ate the beetroot before it could get going
A bit of rain and some cooler weather. The flowers will grow, the grass will stop being brown and Janet will be able to get lots of jobs done.
This picture is one I actually painted with paints and a brush, it is dated 1998. Maybe I will get round to having another go one day.
I was given some advice. I chose to ignore it and follow my own instincts. I was right.
While singing hymns and eating strawberries in church yesterday afternoon I met two ladies who are involved with Suffolk Family Carers. I do already belong but they gave me a lot to think about and it was very kind of them to talk to me about things for quite a long time afterwards too.
I had a pretty well perfect day yesterday. The walk was great, although the route had to be changed at short notice due to a sign going up saying there was a bull in one of the fields we were meant to cross. Then we ended up the wrong side of a big barred metal gate that was locked so we all had to climb over it with the help of two gentlemen of the party. Some of us took a shorter route back to Bucklesham Church while the others went up to Brightwell. Some risked the field and had to run away from the bull and the cows that were with it! I got to know a couple of people walking and another two during lunch which was just fab (although service rather slow) I had lambs liver and bacon and mash and beer battered onion rings followed by a chocolate marquise with orange sorbet. I got back about 3.15 and put my feet up on the settee for a while and pottered about a bit and then in the evening me and the OH watched a DVD of Morse and I had some cheese and biscuits and a lovely glass of Old Rosie. The picture is a screen shot of Google Maps satellite photo of where we walked. I think I did a bit over 2 miles in the end and it has encouraged me to make the effort again.
As part of the "Holiday at Home" that St Michaels organised, I am going for a three mile walk today. I am looking forward to it, and the pub lunch that follows. I feel like I am going to manage it. Here's hoping I am right.
Yes, it's a fflooffy kitten. Kittens make me happy.
The cherry tree that was much too close to the boundary was chopped down yesterday. I bought a fancy thing to hang the bird feeders on and took some delight in watching the sparrows, clearly bemused, but then deciding that it probably was still safe.
My friend (the sparkly one) sent me a pin which led me to a fab book of line drawings to colour in. I bought it and downloaded it and have been fiddling about with one this morning. Very relaxing. But I haven't finished it as I have to go and get on with my chores, so I am showing you the WIP. THIS is the book, by a lady called Thaneeya McArdle,
I like this poem. I know that not everyone who reads these posts shares my faith, and I hope I never try to force it on people, but I will talk about it. Some of you know that the last few weeks have been quite difficult and, while I don't exactly feel that I have been carried, I certainly have felt God very close to me and known that he was ready to pick me up if I needed it. It is a blessing that comes with troubles, feeling His presence. It has been there in quiet times on my own and there in the huge support I get from some very special friends.
I've been trying to find a picture like the one I had on my bedroom wall when I was a child. It was a lady in a crinoline watering some flowers, she and the flowers were scratched out off a pane of glass that was coloured black and her dress and the flowers were some sort of silvery paper behind the glass. I gave up in the end. This picture is one I did years ago, where you put down stripes of coloured and then cover them with black wax crayon and then scrape it off to make the picture. I think the date on it is 1979 Anyway, the verse that went with the crinoline lady was
"The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the bird for mirth
One is nearer to God in a garden
Than any place else on earth"
I spent 3 hours yesterday looking at gardens.
This photo is of my dad, in honour of Father's Day. He used to do a lot of amateur Dramatics and this was taken for the front of house in about 1973. He passed away in 1974.
Anyway, took mum home yesterday, she's finished the course of antibiotics so I didn't have to set my alarm for 5.00 this morning. Now for bacon rolls at church and lovely gardens this afternoon
Looking forward to tomorrow. Breakfast at church, which will include bacon rolls and orange juice, light lunch then off to look at lots of gardens in the afternoon. Lovely.
Oops, nearly forgot today, it's nearly 3 in the afternoon, I must have been having fun! I have been trying to sort out old photos but not getting very far. This is my mum and dad on their first proper date, which I think was in Southend. So that's something to be thankful for, 'cos if that hadn't happened then neither would I.
I was reading a post from Suffolk Carers on Facebook yesterday. They invited people to give a brief description of a typical day. I was going to do mine but when I read what other people had put I felt quite ashamed. I have so little to put up with compared to so many of them.
The photo is of lupins in my garden, my hand moved, and I am going to try again deliberately this time, as I rather like the abstract effect
Gold stars for the lad who saw my OH trying to struggle the bin back to the house( I wish he wouldn't!) and offered to help
Although my birthday isn't until next month, my mum and my hubby clubbed together to buy me an electric embossing/cutting machine. Well, I had to unpack it to make sure it worked, didn't I! This die is one that I have never been able to cut successfully with the hand cranked machine so I am very pleased with it.
My poor mum has developed a tooth abscess so it's all hands to the pumps as I try and sort out and take her for an emergency dental appointment. The thing I am grateful for is that it didn't happen while I was immobilised
I can sit comfortably at the PC again! So I got on with some administration type stuff yesterday and then I drew a picture with the Sketch Pad program. And the grass has been cut by the ever wonderful Sally. Win Win Win
Yesterday I had a long relaxed and truly fab lunch HERE with my BFF Heather. We both had paella and it was all perfectly cooked, and then we had naughty puddings and ice cream. It was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours and their chairs are very comfortable so my back didn't protest too much at all. I am now going to try to get back to my normal (?) routine (!!??)
I think my back is near enough better, so one more lazy day today and then back to the grindstone tomorrow
Having the sort of mind that sees absurdity in all sorts of places keeps me amused, even if it simply keeps other people bemused. Whenever I see this on my desktop I think of multi-coloured sugar strands falling from the sky
Oops, sorry, my head has been so full of all the things I ought to be doing that, for a while there, I forgot about my post for today. I hope that, in a way, that is a good sign because it means that I feel like I might actually start doing some of those things soon. And I have had a good rest.
Both my car and I had a service yesterday so the back is a lot better than it was and when I go back on Wednesday I should be near enough sorted. The really good news is that the air con in the car is working again
Here's a photo taken in my garden yesterday. It cheers me up and I hope it does you too
I managed to have a little wander round the garden yesterday evening, this picture was copied from Polyvore but I do have some of these, and a lot else besides
