Yesterday I had a phone call from our Bessie mates, Jan and Trevor, asking us if we would like to go out for a drink with them.
The last time we had been out together for anything, had been before the Christmas before the one just gone. Over a year, due to their daughter Jo falling off her horse, which ended in her spending 6 weeks in a coma and the subsequent time regaining her movement and speach. No its not like on neighbours where the coma patients just sit up and demand to know whats happened in the last 5 episodes, and then are up and playing footie in the next episode. Recover is a very long, slow and d painful recovery. Jo is so determined to recover though.
We had not had a progress report from them since October and although we exchanged texts at Christmas, with me having flu for so long, we had not had chance until last night to catch up with each other. We knew that things must be much better all round for them though, that they felt they could leave Jo in the capable hands of her other half Ross to come out for a break.
And it is brilliant news.
Jo no longer has to use her wheelchair, in fact for the most part she is getting around on crutches all day now. She can managed stairs, and at weekends when she comes home from the unit, is able to sleep upstairs instead of in the lounge. But best news of all, her physio is, for the first time, starting to talk of a full recovery!!! We are just sooooo very pleased for them all. Jo herself has said that she is going to run the marathon not this year but next, she is so single minded about her own recovery. I for one shall be there to cheer her on!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Too much? Too little!
It either seems there is too little going on in my life to blog about, or too much and so I dont have time to blog it.
On Tuesday Martin was off, and I had read on UKS that Ikea had the small 8 cube Expedit units on sale with a £20 reduction. Now we are not normally Ikea people, Martin hated the place with a vengence the only other time he went, and I have only been one other time with Kelly.
I managed to persuade him though and he agreed to come with me to buy two of the units to replace the rather sad and untidy wire cube system that was kinda holding up my stash (albiet with a slight list to the left). Martin was rather impressed with the 93p english breakkie that was still being served even though we arrived 15 mins after the offer ends (they had cooked off too much and needed to get shot), and more than happy with his free bottomless coffee via the family Ikea card we picked up at the door. He was less pleased with the walk round the store, especially as he insisted that the large red arrow on the floor pointing to the market hall was the correct way to start, leaving us stood at the checkout area without having been round the furniture and kitchen section.
Luckily the place had litterally hundreds of the units and they were all stacked up in the aisle rather than us needing to hunt through the warehouse. Still cheerful and despite his 'sonic' screwdriver having no power he put both units together and also put up the cd rack and the two spice racks that have been sitting on the floor for over 2 years! By 7 that evening all my stash was rehomed, the room hoovered and I was ready to rock!
New units
Spice racks and cd rack full of paints and glitters
Old bookshelf full of photos in RUBS now looking lots tidier.
On Wednesday we had booked tickets for the whole family to go to the annual Pantomime in Whitstable's Playhouse. As children this was traditional, and in the 90's the show held immense popularity with people queuing down the highstreet from 6 am to nab their tickets on release day. The box office issued tickets first on Saturday mornings just before Christmas so it became a town event with carols and toast being freely distributed to the fans. We would send Martin down to get our tickets as we needed matinee times with the kids being so little. I'm not sure if it is such an event nowadays but since we dont now mind when we go, we book online and collect the tickets on the night.
Anyway, I had a phone call from Kelly late in the day to say her and Ollie had to work back so could not come, but had passed on their tickets to her bessie friend Helen (a lovely girl) and her babe, 3 year old Ethan. A shame Kelly and Ol missed it because the show itself (Dick Wittington) was as brilliant as ever, but Ethan was a dream to sit next to, totally in awe of his first live performance, so much so that at the interlude he looked at me and said 'I want to go home to bed now'. Bless him!!!!
Yesterday I finally got offered some work - it was 25 miles away in Ashford but as I have not worked since the start of December I didnt feel I could turn it down, especially as they sounded so desperate. It was a lovely school but it did take some finding, and some driving in the torrential rain.
So with all that I have not kept up my blog, my 365 photos or my scrapping. However here are a couple of LO's I made last week, full of excitment and enthusiasm for usin gmy cricut and new SCAL software.
I even learnt how to download free clipart and using photoshop, inkscape and SCAL cut out the chipboard snake!Hissing Sid
Bazille Cardstock Pinecone
Chatterbox papers, Chateau stripe, Courtyard flowers,
Scenic Route Jargon Rub on Alpha
Barefoot You & Me quote
7 Gypsies Memories stickers
Prima printed flowers
Buttons from stash
Daisyd stitches roller
Snake cut on cricut using Animals2 Dingbat font
I also decided that instead of getting rid of my MM scrapbook calander from last year I would go through them again for more inspiration and actually DO the LO's. This one is a scraplift of 31st December which was trying to encourage me to use the packaging from my scrapbook products but as I havnt bought any I just used the LO as it stood. Look I cut out all the deckle edges, the circle and the star on the 'bug'!
Hide and Seek
3 bugs in a rug jovial-cheeryo
3 bugs in a rugh groovy-love beads
Bazille Tropicanna from Gold Fors
Bazille Pink Blush
Cosmo Cricket buck naked chipboard buttons
On Tuesday Martin was off, and I had read on UKS that Ikea had the small 8 cube Expedit units on sale with a £20 reduction. Now we are not normally Ikea people, Martin hated the place with a vengence the only other time he went, and I have only been one other time with Kelly.
I managed to persuade him though and he agreed to come with me to buy two of the units to replace the rather sad and untidy wire cube system that was kinda holding up my stash (albiet with a slight list to the left). Martin was rather impressed with the 93p english breakkie that was still being served even though we arrived 15 mins after the offer ends (they had cooked off too much and needed to get shot), and more than happy with his free bottomless coffee via the family Ikea card we picked up at the door. He was less pleased with the walk round the store, especially as he insisted that the large red arrow on the floor pointing to the market hall was the correct way to start, leaving us stood at the checkout area without having been round the furniture and kitchen section.
Luckily the place had litterally hundreds of the units and they were all stacked up in the aisle rather than us needing to hunt through the warehouse. Still cheerful and despite his 'sonic' screwdriver having no power he put both units together and also put up the cd rack and the two spice racks that have been sitting on the floor for over 2 years! By 7 that evening all my stash was rehomed, the room hoovered and I was ready to rock!
New units
Spice racks and cd rack full of paints and glitters
Old bookshelf full of photos in RUBS now looking lots tidier.
On Wednesday we had booked tickets for the whole family to go to the annual Pantomime in Whitstable's Playhouse. As children this was traditional, and in the 90's the show held immense popularity with people queuing down the highstreet from 6 am to nab their tickets on release day. The box office issued tickets first on Saturday mornings just before Christmas so it became a town event with carols and toast being freely distributed to the fans. We would send Martin down to get our tickets as we needed matinee times with the kids being so little. I'm not sure if it is such an event nowadays but since we dont now mind when we go, we book online and collect the tickets on the night.
Anyway, I had a phone call from Kelly late in the day to say her and Ollie had to work back so could not come, but had passed on their tickets to her bessie friend Helen (a lovely girl) and her babe, 3 year old Ethan. A shame Kelly and Ol missed it because the show itself (Dick Wittington) was as brilliant as ever, but Ethan was a dream to sit next to, totally in awe of his first live performance, so much so that at the interlude he looked at me and said 'I want to go home to bed now'. Bless him!!!!
Yesterday I finally got offered some work - it was 25 miles away in Ashford but as I have not worked since the start of December I didnt feel I could turn it down, especially as they sounded so desperate. It was a lovely school but it did take some finding, and some driving in the torrential rain.
So with all that I have not kept up my blog, my 365 photos or my scrapping. However here are a couple of LO's I made last week, full of excitment and enthusiasm for usin gmy cricut and new SCAL software.
I even learnt how to download free clipart and using photoshop, inkscape and SCAL cut out the chipboard snake!Hissing SidBazille Cardstock Pinecone
Chatterbox papers, Chateau stripe, Courtyard flowers,
Scenic Route Jargon Rub on Alpha
Barefoot You & Me quote
7 Gypsies Memories stickers
Prima printed flowers
Buttons from stash
Daisyd stitches roller
Snake cut on cricut using Animals2 Dingbat font
I also decided that instead of getting rid of my MM scrapbook calander from last year I would go through them again for more inspiration and actually DO the LO's. This one is a scraplift of 31st December which was trying to encourage me to use the packaging from my scrapbook products but as I havnt bought any I just used the LO as it stood. Look I cut out all the deckle edges, the circle and the star on the 'bug'!
Hide and Seek3 bugs in a rug jovial-cheeryo
3 bugs in a rugh groovy-love beads
Bazille Tropicanna from Gold Fors
Bazille Pink Blush
Cosmo Cricket buck naked chipboard buttons
Monday, January 19, 2009
Better
At long last (despite a hacking cough) I finally feel much better and last week even managed to do some cleaning and housework type stuff, and walk Bailey dog. Being poorly did mean I didnt manage to keep up as well with my 365 photos so hopefully I will catch up those this week and get back on track. Here are a few I did manage though.
Day 7 'What's for dinner today?' Actually not a lot as I have been busy making the invites for the wedding. These still have tags, and inserts to add but although Laura chose what is really a simple design, they were not simple to make. Every letter needed to be glitter glued, left to dry and then glued on the other side to stick on the card blank. I tried xron but the letters were too small for the glue to stay on all over. 50 of these little darlings means no tea cooked!
Miss a few
Jan 10th Something Pink
My new slippers which are really snuggly and even though I only got them at Christmas are looking well worn already.
Jan 12th 'What is it'
The sea defences at Herne Bay - great pattern!
Jan 13th 'Cute'
OK not so cute as he has been a bit of a pain this week, slipping the lead and rushing off to try playing with other doggie friends - or in the case of Bruce the Bull Mastiff maybe not so good a doggie friend. Yeah alright, he still is cute!
Its been freezing, recording -12 temps in some parts of the country. So we dug out our Indian blankets (oxo blankets because of thre pattern) and put them on the bed. It must be really cold because Martin has not moaned about it (he is always warm in bed, me I am always freezing) but has snuggled down under them too.
Jan 16 Its Midday - What are you doing
Walking the dog, and passing this view. Hampton Pier. It looks far better in the summer but then I have to share with the tourists.
Jan 17th What have you bought this week
I know its a pic of my Cricut which I bought earlier but despite, or because of the cheap price I had to buy new mats, and with all those wedding invites already one mat is in need of new glue. Plus I finally got my SCAL software and have been busy using it to cut all sorts of things up - more about that in my next post.
Day 7 'What's for dinner today?' Actually not a lot as I have been busy making the invites for the wedding. These still have tags, and inserts to add but although Laura chose what is really a simple design, they were not simple to make. Every letter needed to be glitter glued, left to dry and then glued on the other side to stick on the card blank. I tried xron but the letters were too small for the glue to stay on all over. 50 of these little darlings means no tea cooked!
Miss a few
Jan 10th Something Pink
My new slippers which are really snuggly and even though I only got them at Christmas are looking well worn already.
Jan 12th 'What is it'
The sea defences at Herne Bay - great pattern!
Jan 13th 'Cute'OK not so cute as he has been a bit of a pain this week, slipping the lead and rushing off to try playing with other doggie friends - or in the case of Bruce the Bull Mastiff maybe not so good a doggie friend. Yeah alright, he still is cute!
Its been freezing, recording -12 temps in some parts of the country. So we dug out our Indian blankets (oxo blankets because of thre pattern) and put them on the bed. It must be really cold because Martin has not moaned about it (he is always warm in bed, me I am always freezing) but has snuggled down under them too.
Jan 16 Its Midday - What are you doing
Walking the dog, and passing this view. Hampton Pier. It looks far better in the summer but then I have to share with the tourists.
Jan 17th What have you bought this week
I know its a pic of my Cricut which I bought earlier but despite, or because of the cheap price I had to buy new mats, and with all those wedding invites already one mat is in need of new glue. Plus I finally got my SCAL software and have been busy using it to cut all sorts of things up - more about that in my next post.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Five and six
Tempted to add another 'garden' photo I finally settled on this
as my photo for yesterday (limited as I was to taking photos from indoors) since we woke to an unexpected layer of snow in the morning. It lasted most of the day and we did have another downfall in the afternoon but luckily (since I hate the stuff with a passion) it had all but gone this morning. It was cold enough to get our 'oxo' blankets out and put on the bed last night though.
Today its a photo of a room in the house, and since none of the rooms are wonderful at the moment I settled on the boxes of Christmas decorations which I have struggled to take down even though still feeling like death warmed up (I am refusing to take any more pain killers, it cant be good to eat that many). Goodbye for another year my pretties!
Talking of pain killers, I have just downloaded a copy of The Killers latest album since its so high in the charts and everyone seems to like them, but having struggled through 4 tracks I think I am going to resign it to the waste bin - this soul loving motown girl thinks it all just sounds like one long dirge!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Worse, not better
The flu seems to be getting worse instead of better and I am now on my fourth pack of pain killers. Its now developed a drippy nose and hacking cough to go with the temp and muscle aches. I am well fed up of spending the day in bed or dosing on the settee - especially as there seems to be nothing but Dr Who repeats on at the moment.
I've had to struggle hard to get my photo a day in as staring at 4 walls in a slightly drugged state doesnt do much for the creative inspiration. Not being able to go out has also meant I have had to play a bit with the monthly suggested list.
Yesterday I took my self portrait .... turn away if of a weak disposition,
and today I had to take the garden from the upstairs window right on dusk. Still at least it shows all the dead looking plants and frozen pond. This will all look so different by the summer.
I think I am going to have to find some 'quick-pages' and scrap these photo's digitally if I am not to fall behind.
Friday, January 02, 2009
New Year, not a good start.
So we started the new year with both Martin and I ill still. Martin had 2 days off and spent it either asleep on the settee or asleep in bed, in between popping painkillers, coughing and sniffing. I had already had the flu like thing at the weekend but last night started with the sore throat and chesty cough.
I so wanted to start on a positive note, but things are conspiring against me. I have spent all week attempting to pay my BT phone bill on line, and then New Year's Eve to pay through Paypal some Cricut mats from ebay. I kept being told there was a problem with my card and it wasn't being validated by my bank. I spent most of the evening changing passwords and trying to buy random things from all over the net, because I refused to believe there was anything wrong with the card. Martin has a second card on my account and only that morning he had been using it in petrol stations and supermarkets so why wouldnt mine work? Eventually yesterday morning, on a premium rate number, I called the card company who after a series of random security questions said 'go try it, it will work now. I had to ask before she told me my card had been selected for a random security check and thats why it had been blocked ... for over a week .... without them informing me or phoning for me to answer the questions! I was fuming, ok I am happy they are checking the security but why not let me know??? And the questions weren't what I would call deep .. which tv company are you paying? Well since there really is only Sky and Virgin I wasnt really taxed was I?
Once armed with my working CC I thought I might attack the sales, and get my self a new camera as although I love my S5100 for outside shots it is very heavy to lug around and its hopeless at indoor shots (as shown by my poor christmas photos). Jessops have a great deal on the IXUS which I have been told is a great little compact but they have none in stock for another 10 days, so in the meantime I attacked my Fuji with the cleaning kit! How often do people remember to clean their cameras? I havent done mine for nearl a year so no wonder it keft the lens cloth filthy and is now resulting in much sharper photos!
Apart from wanting to take some better pictures of Laura's wedding in August, I also want to take part in the 365 photo challenge. A huge comittment to take a photo a day of ordinary life, but to make it more managable some of the UKS girls have suggested a list of 31 topics/themes to run on a loop for every month. I loved the list by Claire on Minty's Magic and hope she doesnt mind me using it.
1st - My weight
2nd - The cat
3rd - The garden
4th - One of the girls
5th - Me, myself and I (self portrait)
6th - The weather
7th - One room in the house
8th - What is for dinner today?
9th - A family member
10th - Anything pink
11th - One of the boys
12th - What is it ? (close up of an everyday item)
13th - Cute
14th - A black and white photo
15th - Anything green
16th - It is midday – what do I see?
17th - What have I bought this week?
18th - The build project
19th - What have I done today?
20th - What am I listening to today?
21st - A tree
22nd - The front of the house
23rd - An animal or bird
24th - Anything blue
25th - What makes me smile/laugh?
26th - A scrapbook layout
27th - Anything yellow
28th - Pretty
29th - What am I reading today?
30th - Anything silver or gold
31st - A card I have made
I've changed a few of hers and my put more than one of the build in, as it progresses. but so far ...... not wanting to start my weight loss until Monday because of all the christmas food still about, yesterday became one of the cat, and a not too brilliant one at that as I was only testing the camera after cleaning, but at least I made a start.
I so wanted to start on a positive note, but things are conspiring against me. I have spent all week attempting to pay my BT phone bill on line, and then New Year's Eve to pay through Paypal some Cricut mats from ebay. I kept being told there was a problem with my card and it wasn't being validated by my bank. I spent most of the evening changing passwords and trying to buy random things from all over the net, because I refused to believe there was anything wrong with the card. Martin has a second card on my account and only that morning he had been using it in petrol stations and supermarkets so why wouldnt mine work? Eventually yesterday morning, on a premium rate number, I called the card company who after a series of random security questions said 'go try it, it will work now. I had to ask before she told me my card had been selected for a random security check and thats why it had been blocked ... for over a week .... without them informing me or phoning for me to answer the questions! I was fuming, ok I am happy they are checking the security but why not let me know??? And the questions weren't what I would call deep .. which tv company are you paying? Well since there really is only Sky and Virgin I wasnt really taxed was I?
Once armed with my working CC I thought I might attack the sales, and get my self a new camera as although I love my S5100 for outside shots it is very heavy to lug around and its hopeless at indoor shots (as shown by my poor christmas photos). Jessops have a great deal on the IXUS which I have been told is a great little compact but they have none in stock for another 10 days, so in the meantime I attacked my Fuji with the cleaning kit! How often do people remember to clean their cameras? I havent done mine for nearl a year so no wonder it keft the lens cloth filthy and is now resulting in much sharper photos!
Apart from wanting to take some better pictures of Laura's wedding in August, I also want to take part in the 365 photo challenge. A huge comittment to take a photo a day of ordinary life, but to make it more managable some of the UKS girls have suggested a list of 31 topics/themes to run on a loop for every month. I loved the list by Claire on Minty's Magic and hope she doesnt mind me using it.
1st - My weight
2nd - The cat
3rd - The garden
4th - One of the girls
5th - Me, myself and I (self portrait)
6th - The weather
7th - One room in the house
8th - What is for dinner today?
9th - A family member
10th - Anything pink
11th - One of the boys
12th - What is it ? (close up of an everyday item)
13th - Cute
14th - A black and white photo
15th - Anything green
16th - It is midday – what do I see?
17th - What have I bought this week?
18th - The build project
19th - What have I done today?
20th - What am I listening to today?
21st - A tree
22nd - The front of the house
23rd - An animal or bird
24th - Anything blue
25th - What makes me smile/laugh?
26th - A scrapbook layout
27th - Anything yellow
28th - Pretty
29th - What am I reading today?
30th - Anything silver or gold
31st - A card I have made
I've changed a few of hers and my put more than one of the build in, as it progresses. but so far ...... not wanting to start my weight loss until Monday because of all the christmas food still about, yesterday became one of the cat, and a not too brilliant one at that as I was only testing the camera after cleaning, but at least I made a start.
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