Hummm

This is a moaning post, please ignore. 🤪

When the porridge boils over.

3weeks into c-virus quarantine-

I will post some photos soon. I am quite busy with a project. And just somehow lacking motivation when it comes to posting.
I hope you are muddling along where you are.
I guess we find ourselves looking at what others are doing, how they are managing their new situation, and it is easy to get caught up in that.

For Instance, in my case I already stay at home working to deadlines and trying not to be overcome by fibromyalgia.
And now my changes seem to be the reverse of others who are excited about having extra time and now we have a blossoming of  free workshops and challenges that I would be glad to take part in. But I have already got a schedule to work to and tasks to complete.
And people are finding the leisure of having space/time to make, but I have one scientist and one technical author working from home...in my space. So, my quiet thinking and solitary working is invaded somewhat. Yes, sounds a bit selfish, but adjustment required. Questions to work through, am I on call all day? Closing my studio door seems to invite more interruptions than leaving it open! I am glad they have both settled in ‘offices’ upstairs.
More effort is required from me to feed three, than if it is two of us. ( one still needing all of whatever it is that weight fitness demands.) Why do ‘simple’ pressure cooker stews, And even bolognese ;etc take an hour just to do the chopping?. I come to the dinner table in severe pain just from 1-2 hours making food!

But...still,
-I can look at the pictures of other work while continuing to do my own.
-Very grateful for some kind of harmony here that hasn’t necessarily been easy to find at other times. We even agree on evening television viewing!
-And I don’t need to stand in queues for shopping because the Thoughtful Man does that. I just have to write the correct thing on the list.
-Also, the weather has improved, so I can choose to eat lunch in the garden or maybe even today go out there to do the hand stitching needed for the project.

So really, it is not so bad! Perhaps being outside is the answer. I am tired of breathing the same air!

Apologies for unloading here.
At least I haven’t got the responsibility for 45 people in lockdown, most of them children, most of them under 8, with a leopard and a python hanging about! 😱 This is the situation for my friend, Karin in Ethiopia.
Perspective
And so, I am off to get some progress with this project.

Thankful Thursday on Friday

What fun!

I found a choir when I was making salad the other day!

I wonder what they are singing?

For more Of what people like this week, the link is on LeeAnna’s blog.

I started this post, but wasn’t able to get back to it.
Today is a special day. A Thankful day. We are recently back from a service to remember God’ Love through Jesus on the cross. Looking forward to Sunday to remember He is alive.
As I read somewhere: It isn’t about the bunny but it is about the Lamb.
Not sure what you have for a belief, but this is very important to me a a big part of my life.

I like these reminders of new life all around.

Thankful Thursday

oops this one nearly slipped past me. I have been trying to get some order to my studio. However, I have to wait til the ceiling where they took the plasterboard is replastered at the end of the month.

Holly waiting for something interesting to happen in the kitchen.

I just was out with Holly, which is a bit of a circus when she goes from the right to the left and gets tangled round the walker...and will not reverse. She doesn't like reversing if she has decided she has to smell something.
Anyway, I tied her to the metal fence near the shops while I picked up my subscription at the chemist. Like I have done all these years we've had her. Mind you I don't do it often because of the circus stuff I mentioned above! It is Easter holidays, so 2 boys came by with scooters as I came out of the shops. She wasn't too sure when they started coming to her because she wasn't to sure about the noise of the scooters. As I was getting there, I asked if they wanted to pet her. I was about to say to rest their scooters and come to her on their own so she wouldn't be afraid.
I had seen a police car come into the shopping car park, but thought they were just doing rounds. Next thing I know, they walked up behind me and said. "Whose dog is this?" 
'Mine!' I said. Oh. (I never did work out why they thought there was a problem.) I asked if it was alright to tie her there. (my husband ties her right in front of the grocery shop) They said it was ok. Still they seemed like they had expected something strange was going on
Anyway, they went away and the boys got to pet Holly. I don't know what that was about!

Holly back home and back to her important day job.

So, how was that an I like? Before we had gone to the shops, we went to the library. I wanted to pick up the rest of a series by Edward Marston from the local library. I got onto a different author for a bit, because I had to request these as they were held in other libraries around Bracknell. So, I am looking forward to reading them. This series is all about the Railway Detective.

That will have to be enough for today, as I need to go make dinner. We are having friends come for a meeting later this evening.

Go check out LeeAnna's blog!

Seeing things

I think some gnomes or fairies live here.

I like Thankful Thursday

Phewww! I really, really like that I can work on the computer without getting nauseous!
I have a collection of photos I have been holding back for I like Thursday. Being the type of post that wants several photos, I just wasn't managing to face the computer for them.
I like to resize my photos so it doesn't take up so much room in the random place where blogger stores them. And not so much data for viewers to download. But, so far, I haven't worked out how to do this on my phone. I take pretty much all of my photos on the phone now.

Besides that, I like that I can do a bit of word processing to get my posts just right, without going insane with the way that it is either Very small, or it jumps around on my phone when I try it. Tada! Lots of sorting done at a size I can manage!

So... for today.
When I went for my glasses the other day, I saw this lovely lady in Princess Square.

This week is half-term. In Bracknell town centre they have set up a Fantasy Fairy Trail. I don't know what else was involved, but I loved this lady sculpted in greenery. I didn't touch her, so I don't know if it was real shrubbery (isn't that a fun word?) or not. Either way, I think it is cool.

As you know, I like Amaryllis flowers. This one was given to me by a friend at Christmas.

It has been amazing. This is the 3rd flower shoot!

Since I missed posting after Valentines day, you can see them this week.
I like how Thoughtful the Thoughtful Man is...
Dark red roses... ✔️

Card and chocolates...✔️

heart-shaped microwave heating pad ✔️✔️ Hurrah! Great for the neck when it is causing a headache.

I like it when I 'see things' that are unexpected. Such as a face in the minute steak I cooked for our Valentines Day meal.

Meet the man in the meat!

As usual, check out more of the other likes from the links on LeeAnna's blog.

fruit stack

The fruit I was having the other day just looked like they would stack up.

and they did!

Plum, satsuma, and nectarine.

Breaking silence?

Couldn’t get into blogger yesterday.

Something like an update.
a good thing.  I got the all clear from the hospital that my eyes 👀 have healed fine from the cataract surgeries.
However ... I am still seeing double. Advice: see the optician.
Another good thing. Optician is very thorough with all sorts of tests.
Diagnosis: I can’t remember technical terms, but basically one eye is seeing lower than the other. “Look at the dot.” “There are two of them. One above the other.”
This was consistent throughout. So, she’s had them do some magical things like prisms and other things about astigmatisms.
In the meanwhile...
Seeing double. New glasses ready on the 18th February.

Thus why I have been avoiding the computer. It harder than the phone. But I haven’t worked out how to resize photos on the phone.

But I did help my friend to find buttons from my stash for the new cardigan she knitted!

One colour looked good on its own but not in multiples. The other colour was the same. And only a subtle difference. So we decided to alternate them! And you really can’t tell when looking at the whole cardigan with its lovely stripes. 😄

I am managing the bead project with plenty of lighting and even magnifying glasses. I expect because I’m not looking in one place for a long time. 

So, counting the days to the glasses! 🤓 and also sunglasses 🕶! But she did say it will take some time to get used to the prisms. So it will be a bit longer before I can drive.

I like Thankful Thursday

So, here I am post-op

now I am recovered/recovering... wearing sewing glasses with one glass removed! for sewing it isn't so great, but reading and computer, not so bad. And for long distance - my long distance glasses with the right glass taken out. Although the eye is not yet at full strength, it is so much better than before the op it is amazing.
The surgeon wants to do the other because of my shortsightedness and a 'mild' cataract. So, when I see her in Dec, we will find out how and when. I do know the difference between the 2 eyes is like seeing with the brilliance of LED lights and seeing with incandescent lights. One has a blueish hue and the other is definitely yellow.
I am doing a lot of winking type of activity!

I like having a go. Here is an experiment I am trying.

seeing if I can grow an avocado plant. I know they don't produce avocados when they are houseplants, but I'm seeing if it will make a new houseplant!

I like random things. When I went to London with my friends, we had a bite to eat at this cafe. Not the greatest, but it has good food and will change your order (brioche instead of bun, etc).

Love, Love the name! and also the phrase on the menu!

I like seeing patterns when I am out and about. I took this photo because I saw a face in the knot in the tree.

But when I looked at the photo, I also saw a doggie waiting to go walkies!

I like WhatsApp.  Now my sisters and I can send random messages and photos and it doesn't cost.
This from one sister

and even a photo of a squirrel's hoard in the outhouse at their camp!


Right, now I need to get on with that Ramshackle project. I have been posting process photos during the week.

Go have a look at LeeAnna's blog where she has links to 'likes' others have posted.

I like Thankful Thursday

I posted the other day that the cataract op was not Tuesday, but the very extensive testing and assessing was. So, having thought about it, although I am still seeing blurry, I am glad to know that they will be properly prepared for doing it right when it does happen.

I like things that have a bit of a funny side to them. I took this photo at the Festival of Quilts. The Quilt Police do exist!

One of the policemen at the NEC was invited to come see the Fly Me to the Moon exhibition. Susanne Jones' husband Todd had been chatting with him and got him interested in the project to commemorate the moon landings. Funny how many people immediately thought of the Quilt Police!

I recently read this book by Jenny Colgan. Somehow I thought I was looking on the shelves for crime fiction, but they had morphed into adult fiction. So, it was a lovely story and the character begins to believe in herself.


I have just read the next one, which, having become fond of the characters in the first one, does cause you to go through a little angst with them. But still, I think I like this format and will look for some of the others about a character starting up a business...especially a food business!


Speaking of baking...
 This photo shows how difficult it is to get a quick photo without being caught at it! Very blurry. Even to my eye!
As I write this, The Thoughtful Man is baking a gluten free and etc free cake! Coconut and Raspberry. Now there is a combination that should be interesting. We will have it tonight when friends come round...including one who is also trying to be gluten free.

I am trying to get back into making work. Most of the summer was too hot. Also, there was the Festival of Quilts and then trying to do things so I wasn't worrying about cataract surgery.

Presently, I have been spending time discovering things on my new phone.
I was already 'following' some artists on Instagram by saving the link on my computer and checking it like I would a blog. Now with a clever phone, I am able to follow properly and also post some of my own. My Instagram found here. I like that it is a lot quicker than downloading from my phone, then editing and sorting the size and then putting them on Blogger.

I can still do blogger by getting those photos and adding others here. I can say more here. But also, I can keep the blog a little more personal and the Instagram a little more professional. It seems there are more responses, too. Plus, I have found loads of art that interests me and I don't have to keep going back to a blog to check what I missed.
sandysnowden5 Yes, somehow I didn't catch that they added the 5. I could have done my middle initial or something. Still, SandySnowden5? at least it isn't something like sandysnowden138!

To see more likes from others, check out LeeAnna's blog.

Well and oh well

The appointment for my cataract surgery today was not, as I believed, the surgery. It was the assessment appointment to be put onto the waiting list. 😕

So, many drops, many tests, many lights shining later, this.

Scary?
What positive?
Ok, you normally don't see your eyes when they are fully dilated, because that is when it is dark and you can't see your eyes in the dark without light, which then makes them not dilated.
So, the photo.
I look like I have cartoon eyes. 😵

After a nap, both eyes a bit blurry round the edges, but I have nearly got the dark red dress done that I didn't finish before FOQ.
and I am trying something to alter a blouse with sleeves that are too tight.
If I have to wait, I will see what I can do to accomplish something sensible in the meanwhile.

Oh dear

and oh my. 😱

good thing for magnets! Only some of them had a very weak attraction to the magnet, so I still had to pick a lot up by hand.
Lets hope I got them all.

Breaking News:
People...We have heat!
Doors are now closed.
Men are not thumping up and down stairs.
Loud growly machine noises, extreme dentistry noises and random pop music tunes have all stopped.

Ok, they have to finish flushing the radiators which need to sit overnight, but it is Done.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Surprises

Amongst the Christmas card, an anonymous gift voucher!

How wonderful! I had just started to try finding sequels to books I liked and have saved if ever I find the rest. But, Bracknell has about 1 charity shop now, and I won't get to the hospital one as often, now that they have done their bit to help my back. So, looking online is now the best option.

So, who this is from, or even if it is from Amazon itself because I was buying presents there... who knows. But I will enjoy it! Thank you!

Posting again

Apologies for going missing the past few weeks.
Cows and beads will return as soon as I can sort the photos.

I have been working on some art which will hopefully go into a book. My contribution is 3 works about some of the human rights needs which weigh on my heart. But, we aren't allowed to post anything til we know the work will be in the book and/or exhibition.

Besides that, I have had a slow time of it because of my back limiting what I could manage. So, by the end of the day (avoiding the computer because I would get nothing done if I went there!) I didn't have much left in me for sorting photos to post. What to post when you couldn't post what you were doing?
And then, the weekends have been full, so though I have been stitching daily beads, I haven't had time to sort the photos to post.
and then everything you need to do mounts up.

Anyway. So, here I am. getting used to changed meds and thanking God for a physio on the pain team at the hospital who listened and has finally, after a whole year,  been the first one who has been willing to do something to work the severe pain out of my back. and suddenly, the flare-up of fibromyalgia has begun to subside.
It could have been a lot easier for me if someone listened all that time ago! Oh well. Now I am meant to be doing exercises to strengthen my back muscles.

So, I am taking this week off to get some of the rest I am supposed to be getting.
I have some things I want to finish/work on to be ahead when it gets to the new year and several things will be due.

And I am taking this rest time to do some blog posting! Some will be randomly gathered.

My special china cup I loved because A Certain Young Man gave it to me. I knocked it off when I was sorting something.

I had to take a photo because I was sad. The young man in question actually gave me a hug.

We have also had the ivy taken off the house. I started these, front and back, with little plants about 6in high. The Thoughtful Man and the Certain Young Man have been trying to keep it from taking over the roof or going into the loft these past few years. But the Thoughtful Man said to me the last time that he would need to get rid of it because he couldn't keep doing that forever. Oh.
Could we get a wisteria? yes. (I hope!)
A few photos of the ivy showing the matted part that was clinging to the bricks.

wasp's nest revealed

and what it looks like now.

One of our neighbours is doing the work. He has managed to take most of it off in very large chunks. Already in the back he has scrapped down the pieces that were still clinging.
I will miss seeing which birds are visiting each year and making nests.

I am here

Having Pain Specialist Appointments, waiting for courier appointments, my Birthday, waiting for couriers who didn't come, Physio appointments, and in-between trying to stitch in short bursts so I won't have too much pain.

I have photographed the rest of July bead packets and will add them when I am not out on the town tomorrow for our 30th Wedding Anniversary!

things have been done ...

but the computer is glitching...
as well as it being a busy weekend.
Normal service will resume when I can!

Getting used to new glasses

Varifocals - these seem better than the ones I tried several years ago.

Apologies for bathroom mirror selfies.

What happens when...

...the apple pie gets soggy because it had a crumble top and other puddings had been chosen during the holiday.

and 2 men come up with an idea to re-crisp the top! Yikes.

It didn't really work. The pie was good anyway.

Something on Saturday

Secret door


Who goes in it? The wee train elf, I think.

Have a Happy Christmas Day tomorrow.

Something on Saturday

A bunny in the washing up bowl.


When God gives you a little something to smile about, you know He is thinking of you.