Day 18 - Bloody Drama!

KTT and I had a lovely family trip to the hospital today (said no-one - ever!) as we both had to go for blood tests. We got called at the same time so after checking with the nurse that it was okay to leave him I went to my cubicle. 

To me blood tests are a part of life and I accept the fact that the phlebotomists may be digging around for ages trying to find a suitable vein.  The last time I had to have blood taken I had a bruise on my arm the size of the Isle of Man! Its always Doctors who have problems getting blood out of me.The sweet blood taking ladies always manage it first time and and with very little inflicted pain. The Doctors seem to try to burrow through to the other side of a limb to get it! Oddly enough, today it was very quick and I was able to go back to KTT to see how he was doing.

Erm. Not good.  My big brave rocker dude 6ft 15 year old was chalk-like and faint and had lots of nursey people fussing around him, making him lie on the bed, drink some water and putting a fan on him.  Thankfully after a few minutes he was sitting up and laughing at his predicament and ten minutes later he was drinking coffee and eating a Mars bar in the canteen.  The little bugger!  He put the fear of whatsit up me!   Apparently he'd been asked to hold the three phials of blood whilst the last one was taken and he'd started feeling queasy.

Drama queen!

And just to prove that I am a brave soldier this is proof of my Isle of Man sized blood test bruise from last time!

Day 17 - Be a Rainbow

I was sad to learn of the passing of Maya Angelou this week.  She was a truly inspirational lady and left us with some wonderful quotes.

One of my favourites:-

HAPPY WEEKEND TO ALL OF YOU RAINBOWS XXX

Day 16 - Just Lion Around

Yeah I know.

Ho. not very Ho!

I'm tired okay?!

Aren't they gorgeous tho?  Mr and Mrs L.  Just doing their own liony stuff.  Just another couple of pics from Cotswold Wildlife Park.  Be prepared for more animal snaps very soon! I had a new camera to test y'know!

Day 15. What's my name again?

What a mental old day. I worked until six thirty then I crossed over the road (my friend) and put on my caring head to do my second mentored shift at Samaritans.  I fell into a heap in my armchair at half past ten with coffee and toast. Man had had to work over this morning so came home after I had gone to work and had to leave for his next shift about twenty minutes before I arrived home this evening. We're like ships that pass in the night!

Now instead of being completely knackered I'm feeling wired and wide awake. This does not bode well for a restful night's sleep. Where's that mallet?!

Day 14 - Things that make you go ... awwwww!

Sometimes, when you're only a ickle bit of fluff, being gawped at by cooing visitors is all far too much for one.

Yep - I'm very cute, but I'm also very, very tired.

No really.  I can't keep my eyes.... o....

Zzzzzzzzzz

Day 13 - Pottering Day

I'm thrilled to see that I have two new followers. I'm terribly sorry that I can't say hello personally as Blogger is apparently sulking and is just giving me numbers and not names. How rude!  Hello to you both anyway and a warm welcome to you. 

I love being at home. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to travel and visit new places but the man and I are home birds at heart and are more than happy to be pottering around the house doing odd jobs here and there, nattering over copious amounts of coffee or doing our own thing in our respective sheds(!). 

Today's potterations (yes I made it up, good word methinks!) included tidying up the craft pod which was a disgusterous mess. From this:-

To this:-

Erm ...  

And then back to this ...

Oopsie!  I got distracted ossifer!

I've potted up my acers in their posh new pots. 

Man's potterations included fixing up a mirror in the hallway, deconstructing the bird table as it was quite flimsy and kept blowing over in the wind. Then reconstructing it into this rather nifty deluxe bird feeding station! 

He's a clever un!  

In other news, Sol has taken up residence on the pod where he can glare accusingly at me when I forget to take the keys out of the lock! 

Hope your bank hollibobs have been terribly spiffing too. 

Day twelve - Sunshine on a rainy day

Hello! 

A little bit of sunshine brightened up the holiday weekend today by way of a new 'Sol' wall plaque. Not sure whether he is shed bound yet or whether he will be hung up in the living room so we can see more of him. 

One of my cousins is fifty next week and his parents had asked Mom to see if she could pretty up a little photograph slip album for him. Well. When I saw it I was panicking a little. It was literally a horrid shiny little thing with some clear inserts in the middle and not much else. After pondering for a little while I set to with Gesso, acrylic paint, inks, papers and embellishments and turned it into this. 

Not the best but at least not looking like something that came free with the free paper.  

The clock paper is actually the same front  and back so I'm not sure why it's showing it as two different colours.  

Hope he likes it!  More to the point I hope my aunt and uncle don't mind me altering their perfectly serviceable photo album!!

Day eleven - Be wise, Improvise!

We were waiting for a cab earlier today in the middle of a cloud burst when we spotted a woman with a proverbial bag on her head.  Respect to this lady for wearing emergency rainwear! Home Bargain Carrier Couture could catch on!

Day ten. Baby shopping

Man has a grand baby on the way circa early September.  I can play at being step nanny!  Said baby will be of the boy variety.  We can't wait. 

Wonder whether we can get away with buying him this little collection?!

Day Nine. Baby trees

Hello Bloglies!

The cheapie supermarket has Japanese maples on offer from today.   They're my favourites so I indulged in a couple. 

They're beautiful arent they?  The red one is called Bloodgood and the green one is Katsura. They're around three years old so hopefully will come along nicely when they're potted on into large patio planters. 

 

A bright pink gerbera in a bouquet of birthday flowers for a friend. Such a happy flower. I don't think you can be sad with gerberas in the house!  

Day Eight looking over the gate!

Poor neglected dog. Protesting his annoyance at the fact that I was daring to communicate with the cat without first seeking his approval. 

Bloody hooligan hound! Meanwhile Charlie cat was happy in his shrubby den safe in the knowledge that Harvey has yet to work out how to undo the latch on the gate. 

Probably just a matter of time tho eh?

Day Seven - Eye Eye! It's Time for a brew

Hello there from the still dicky tummied one!

Yesterday I had to go for an eye test to see whether my headaches were being caused by eye strain and the dire need for a new prescription. My eyes were checked thoroughly, my eye health appeared to be fine, pressures within usual limits, but as expected my middle distance vision has deteriorated quite a bit. I got a ridiculously high quotation for varifocals which nearly had me fall off my chair. My employer pays for eye tests and makes a contribution towards specs but I thought I'd see what else was available in other stores.  As a result I managed to get a mid range lenses, the specs I needed plus a pair of prescription sunnies for over £100 less than I had been quoted just for lenses. 

Whilst I was waiting for my appointment I treated myself to tea and cake in a quirky little cafe which opened recently in the high street.  

As it was quite late in the afternoon I had the place to myself, so enjoyed a hot cuppa randomly accompanied by an egg timer!  I guess this is to gauge optimum brew time!

The tea was hot and good quality. I liked the egg timer quirkiness. The millionaires shortbread was poshly dusted with gold dust but it was thick to the point of breaking me teef! (Ah first world problems eh?!). Great recycled napkins.  Points were deducted for the large chip on the teapot spout.  And I'm not altogether sure why I had two saucers! 

Pretty little place. Just needs a couple of tweaks to make it perfect. :)

Day 6 - The Peg-bag and the shortbread mountain

I'm suffering from a nasty bout of gastro enteritis right now together with rhinitis. Because apparently one can't have too many 'itis-es'.  Honestly,  I think when they removed my gall bladder they also removed my immune system. I haven't been bliddy right since then. As a person who normally enjoys rude health in the main it's getting ever so slightly wearing.

Man has undertaken a baking marathon because apparently one can't have too many pieces of shortbread either!  

Millionaires shortbread with fruit and

Fruit, cranberry and plain shortbread. The house smells delicious. He uses part rice flour to get the crumbliness just right!

In other news, a week ago I met up with a couple of dear friends for the weekend. They're both nifty stitchers, and this was a sweet gift from one of them.

Isn't it adorable?!  Oddly enough just recently we had been looking for peg holders but could only find rubbish ugly plasticky ones. This is farrr more elegant don't you think?! I love it!

So, here's a question for you bloglies. If you were a peg on the washing line of life, what sort of peg would you be?

;)

Day five. Smiles on Sunday

Hello!

Sunday smiles included:- 

First BBQ of the year and blooming lovely it was too. 

A smiley old toothless cat stretching out on the bench in the sunshine. 

A catch up with my friend. Much needed. 

How was your day?

Saturday smiles. Day four.

Well now. The sun has got his proverbial hat on and it's Saturday. What's not to like eh?

I think people seem so much happier when the sun is shining. During our regular foray into town this morning, fellow shoppers seemed so much more relaxed and smiley, dressed to suit the weather in bright summer colours. 

In the church hall, the monthly vintage fayre was in full swing.  We usually sit out in the courtyard anyway for a breather and watch the world go by for a while between shops so were in the vicinity. I proclaimed that I wasn't going to go in this week as I just get depressed at the acres of gorgeous vintage clothes. It appears these garments were all made for twiglet sized people which leave people of a more Rubenesque design (oh. That would be Me then!) gazing sadly at the rails of eclectic finery, stroking an astrakhan coat and dreaming of being able to wear a Dolly Rockers frock!  

Man rolled his eyes at me however and told me to stop being daft and get in there cos he knew I wanted to really.  Okay, said I. But I'm not buying anything.  I'll just have a look.  Man raised his eyebrow knowingly and tucked twenty quid into my hand. Tee hee. 

It was as busy as ever.  The ever glamorous Vicki from amazeballs blog Vintage Vixen was there with her Kinky Melon emporium, together with lots of other tables of gorgeousness to drool over.  On the first stall I looked at, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. I picked it up, examined it and put it down again.  Then the woman next to me did exactly the same. The very second she picked it up I knew that I needed it in my life! Suddenly my heart started pounding and my mouth went dry.  The Woman turned it over in her hand and held it to the light in a superior "I know about these things" manner. Nooo!  She couldn't buy it!  It was mine!  It had spoken to me!!  

Step. Away. From. My. Precious.   

The woman sniffed in disdain and set the item back down on the table.  

With more speed than was strictly necessary and a dramatic sigh of relief I thrust my purchase at the stall holder who laughed at me and told me she had seen the veiled look of panic come over me when I thought I'd lost it. 

Honestly.  I'm annoyingly transparent.   

Thing is. There was a "sign" on the tag that underlined the fact that it should be mine. A simple little sign but to me it was karmic. It simply said "Go Ask Alice".  A phrase from one of my very favourite songs in the world by Jefferson Airplane. 

I guess you'd like to see my little frivolous purchase wouldn't you?  You're not going to see the attraction I know but hey, each to their own.  Tis but an insane hare brooch made from resin but I loves him!

Enjoy this wonderful weekend and ...  

"Remember what the dormouse said. Keep your head" ;)

Love and light xx

Happy Post Day Three

Dinner with workmates.  

Raucous laughter. Check

Scurrilous gossip. Check

Lots of filth. Check

Yummy food. Check. 

Naan breads as big as duvet covers. 

Check!!

Thanks for your comments about my rash ridden son yesterday. It's come up again this evening at exactly the same time. I don't think it has been as bad.  Bad enough though. Such a horrible thing to deal with. He's not happy at all. :( 

Happy Friday all. Xxx

Day two - itches and rashes and silly selfies!

Hello there.  Sorry I'm a tad late and we are into Friday already. I've spent a very long few hours dodging between walk in centres and a&e departments with my son who had a raging bout of urticaria. Poor lad. Looked like he'd been scalded all over.

It appears to be some sort of allergic reaction and has been given steroids, antihistamines and anti itch cream. Of course seeking a chemist at half past eleven at night wasn't much fun - particularly without a car. Thank 

goodness for patient taxi drivers.  The chemist had only got half of the prescription and so I have to call in a favour fromy bro tomorrow to retrieve the balance. Gah!  Then we got home to find that the instructions on the tablets were unclear. Take six each day. Hmm. In one go?  Spaced out?  Who knows!  So I've spent the last half an hour on the phone to the 111 service who were very good and clarified things for me. Phew. 

Right. Time for a well earned smile methinks. I saw this pic on the web last week and thought it was hilarious.  

If dogs took selfies!  Tee hee!!

Day One of One Hundred.

Hello. Is there anyone there?  I've been a bit distracted recently with goings on far too boring to blog about. 

I've missed blogging. On the other hand I've not really had anything remotely interesting to blog about so therefore my dear readers have been spared the tedious details of hospital appointments, doctors consultations, work politics, teenage angst and a black dog chomping on my arse. 

Tis now time to pull myself up by my boot straps and get bloody well on with it. 

I'm taking a leaf out of a good friend's book and embracing the little things each day that raise a smile. It may be a photo. It may be a just a comment. This is just a challenge to myself and if you would like to hitch a ride then please feel free. 

Here goes then. When I leave work at five my walk through the myriad of car parks and buildings sometimes reveals a tiny glimpse of a more natural world. It may be birdsong. It may be blossom. It may be evidence of the changing of the seasons. 

Tonight it was this little fella. Blithely munching his supper just yards from the concrete jungle on the verge of a car park. I watched him for ages whilst waiting for my cab;  he was totally unaware of my existence.  Bless!

With love from Peapods. Xx