A Deceit by Chocolate

For a week where I wasn't expected to do anything or go anywhere, didn't have any doctor's appointments or have anywhere to really go, I was really busy.

Monday was my usual art class. But I felt sick the whole time; and just came home hibernated for the afternoon. I didn't know why I was sick, but I was. My guts were going backflips and I was sweating like you wouldn't believe. I kept thinking I was going to have a seizure - but it never happened. I also didn't want to eat, and couldn't sleep.

Something was up, and it was in my food.

So, I sussed out what I had been eating since last week... and you know? It was the new Lindt Orange chocolate pillows. I read the ingredients, didn't know half the numbers and started Googling. Oh... My... God! You wouldn't believe what those new number meant! 

I found numbers 211 and 401 weren't what I thought they'd be. One of them were to preserve jellies and fruit colourings (which is what was inside the pillows the chocolate - the orange substance) and 401 was something that caused cancer and both of them were Halal Certified! 211 could cause all kinds of problems with nausea and causing your body to not absorb nutrients properly and other bigger problems - like dizziness and confusion. 

Exactly why did they put this shit into this particular chocolate then think it was okay to sell it to the public??? I have Googled around again and again, and still come to the same conclusion about these two additives - they are not good for us; whether they have the E on the beginning of the numbers or not... don't eat them! Here's a site for you go to where you can read all about what these do to you... it's really unsettling.

After I threw out the Lindt Orange pillows, and went back to my ordinary chocolate, I was fine within 48 hours. I started eating better, sleeping better and not feeling so sick in the guts. Now, all I want to do is catch up on my sleep... I've lost about 3 nights' worth. 

Catching Up

As you all know, I've been crook as a chook with laryngitis... but then, a youngster coughed on me as I was getting over that and I caught it again! Well, a cold attached to that darned laryngitis anyway.

So, off to the doctors I went again and I was giving more antibiotics again and I was stuck at home - again - with a horrible cough, sinus and unable to sleep at night. 

Thank the Gods that happened before it got really cold!

Now, I'm catching up with the vacuuming, the housework, the gardening and the cleaning of the car. It's all slow-going, but I'm happily just doing a couple of loads of laundry, putting it outside in the hopes it'll dry (and it doesn't) and then pulling it in and putting it all on the clothes horse, once I pull the last lot off there. It's a never-ending circle of damp laundry in the house where I'm constantly running into the clothes horse.

I can't wait until it's all under control and I don't have to do so many loads of laundry every week. This is what happens when I get sick, everything gets so set back because I become lazy.

Anyway, I'm also working on the garden after the Logan City Council killed off most of my lawn. The lawn food hasn't done anything to fix it; so it looks like I'll have to get in and buy some lawn seed and work on it before Spring comes by. Jeez, I hate that... just when I thought my lawn was going well, somebody comes by and kills half of it off. 

Well, I've been reading again too - mainly in bed just before I turn out the light. Yep, I've gotten into the habit of not being on the computer late at night because it's causing sleeping problems for me. So, once I've finished watching television at around 10pm, I'll turned it off, clean up the living room, wash up the last of my tea and teapot and make sure everything is locked up. Then, I'll turn out the lights and get ready for bed (aka: P.J's, brush my teeth, put on the coconut oil and brush my hair and take my calcium pill) and then read a book for around an hour; and this is a real book, not a kindle. I don't like those things. They're too delicate for me. I have a tendency of throwing a book onto the floor before turning out the light. A kindle will only put up with being tossed like that before it breaks... so a real, paper and cardboard book is for me. I sleep better when I don't hit the computer at night; especially if I'm not feeling all that great and am battling a cold. 

So, it's been been three weeks, of me reading a couple of chapters of a book and so far, I've read one book, started another and am well on the road to my recovery of my reading slump. Not a bad run really. I'm starting out small and am building up to bigger books; all at around 11pm at night. 

Well, that's what I've been up to lately. I'm also catching up with my letter-writing. I'm writing a nice newsy letter to a friend in Toowoomba; and including photographs too. You see, she's an elderly lady I've known for years, and she doesn't like the internet or have a Facebook page. So, I've been writing to her twice a year or so and sending her lovely photos of my garden, my house, and my car, and where I go every few months... she loves it all, as it's just such a lovely way of keeping in contact. And besides, there's nothing like receiving a letter in the mail, is there? Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

This Week

I've been busily working away here at home with all the housework... and yet looking longingly at my painting to work on it.

Yep, I'm not well again and still want to work on my Tuscan Garden. I just wish I knew how to do bricks... they still look flat! Oh well, I'll get it.

This week, I bought a new set of sheets, have done loads of laundry, washed up a lot, put out plenty of rubbish and sorted out a lot of other things that needed sorting; and yet feel as though I've gotten exactly nowhere with anything around here.

I've still yet to journal some books for release for tomorrow at a coffee shop I'm going to meet up with a friend at, and figure out what I'm going to wear to that meet-up as well.

This week has been a week of me going to the doctors, taking antibiotics, making sure I'm warm, well-rested and not going anywhere much - just hanging around the house. In other words: boring stay at home stuff. Normally, I'm barely home and out and about doing all kinds of things. This week, I've caught up with so much, I'm amazed that there is still so much to do around the place. 

I think it's the gardening which has really caused me to be that busy. In the next week or two, I'm going to be getting in and working on it more and more, getting another larger pot for another plant and moving plants around the place, making the garden transform yet again into something else completely; compared to last year's effort. 

Well, they were forecasting rain today, but the skies are still bright blue outside. I think I'll leave the laundry out for a bit longer. I have a photograph to take for my next painting... and a canvas to look for in the next week or so. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Been A While

I'm sorry. It's been a while, and I haven't written anything here. It's not because I haven't got anything to write - or say - I do.

It's because I'm not happy in myself and I don't really want to burden you all with it.

I hate depression. It really does get me down and I wish it would go away; and normally it does. However, this time it's sticking around longer than it usually does. And I know why. 

I'm not happy with where I'm living. I've lived in the same place for almost 15 years and I really don't the space to do what I want to do around the townhouse. Every time I want to do any sewing, I have to move things off the kitchen table, open it up, pull down my sewing machine and do my sewing all in one day. Then after I'm finished, I have to put it all away so I can eat dinner at the same table. 

If I want to paint, I have to do the same thing at the work bench. There's only so much room I have around me before I have to pull out another table, move the chair - and I can't get around the extra table to get to the toilet or outside. Then, when it's time to finish up, I have to pack every last thing away so I don't trip over it later that night.

There's simply no room for me to just leave my gear where it is and go into another room and let it all alone for a day or two. 

Another room... now that's what I need... a 3rd bedroom so I can have a craft room where I can have all my things out and ready to use; where I don't have to put them away all the time, where I can just sit and sew or paint and draw or read art books and magazines. However, to have that 3rd room, I have to move out of the complex.

Herein lays the dilemma. I can't get out of here without a bank loan - which I'm unable to get from any bank; believe me I've tried. Nobody will lend me the money to buy a house off my own bat because I don't have collateral (which I'm still fuzzy on what that is exactly). I don't have any debt, no credit card, and paid off my last car in record time; so why I can't get a loan is beyond me if my credit rating is perfect and I'm unlikely to lose my pension anytime soon. And speaking of which, I'm unable to get a deposit together because the pension doesn't really allow you to save anything up - unlike the normal pay packet - it only just covers what you need to live; and that's it. So, how am I supposed to get a place of my own without relying on renting off somebody else? 

This means I'm stuck here until further notice... I hate this but it's true. I want to move, but can't - not won't - and am hating my position in life right now. 

So, this is why I haven't written for a while. This is heavy shit that's been on my mind for a long time; and is bubbling to the surface. My brother has been talking to me about it and knows I want to move as well. So he's more than glad to help me out with this too. I'm so happy he's on my side... but this will take time. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. 

A Strangely Busy Month

It's been a busy time for me this month; so much so, I haven't really had time to write here - or even in my journal. 

I've been decluttering in the biggest way: with my furnishings. Half my living room furniture has been put on Gumtree to be sold off to the highest bidder and I'm looking at revamping my living room with really nice, second-hand chairs; making it more streamlined and feeling more homey. I have no use for my sofa-bed and so that's on Gumtree, so is my large 1970's coffee table and the hat stand I got when I was 16 years old... all three items were put on there over the Easter Long Weekend; and I've had people looking at them.

They will stay on there for the whole month for the free advertising; and if they don't sell, I'll try out the adverts on the Logan Sell, Trade & Swap Facebook Page... if they don't go on there, I'll get Life Line to pick them all up. But I'm sure somebody in Logan City will buy them off me if they see my advert.

Anyway, I have been looking at my house and wondering what else to toss out into the charity bin. I have my bigger things to get through - seeing I have the cupboards already working for me. But really, the furnishings are the one thing that are going to be the biggest things that I really am going to be working on.

I'm also working on my social life... I really haven't had one for over a year and so I've gotten my butt out there and have made an effort to mingle with the arty types. This meant joining the Logan Artists Association and getting in and working with my friends I've known for years. I'm looking forward to doing more courses there as this place is an art school, and I feel comfortable going there. 

I'm also working on publishing a book later this year. Yep, I'm back on editing and writing again. This does mean long hours on the computer editing my work - that is if my monitor doesn't burn out on me before it gets finished. One of my art friends told me about a self-publishing site where I upload my book, they help me work on a cover and I get an ISBN and it get published through Amazon and anyone who wants it can download it as an ebook or print on demand... I'll see how I go with it. I'm going to do my Flash Fiction first, the ones from 2015 first and then work on the ones from 2016 in a second book and so on... seeing I have over 100 flash fiction, and they're all on my blog, I've decided to write an alternative ending to quite a few of them... to show my readers how it turned out if the story went 'the other way'. I do have alternative endings for some of my stories; but just don't use them. It's always fun to keep 'em guessing, right? 

Well, the garden is going well. I have a massive wasps nest hanging off my house and the car had a huge leak a few weeks ago - which Dad and I fixed. I'm no longer going to a chiropractor and I've cured my arthritis with the most simple of remedies - molasses tea in the mornings - and I've lost 4kg over the past 3 months through a very healthy diet and weight training. Yes, this year is about looking after myself, keeping everything as healthy as possible and working on what is good for me and mine. 
So, what have you all been doing for the past few weeks - and months? - that has been good for you in every way? I've gone from 73kg to 69kg almost overnight (in a good way) and I'm feeling so much better for it... I'm drinking more water than ever and have found that my joints no longer ache and my back doesn't hurt anymore. This is a step in the right direction for me. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Today ...

I've been so busy lately that I don't know where to start. Over the past few months, I've been decluttering and so, I thought to clean out the bed and make it nice and fresh last month... this meant getting new pillows. And so, I thought to buy feather pillows.

Little did I know, I'm allergic to feathers; so much so that I break out in hives from them!

So, I took them back to K-Mart today while my laundry was on the line and the bi-carb soda was on the bed - again! - and I bought a new mattress protector (just in case mites from the feather pillows got into the protector; and besides, the old one was looking, well, old). 

Anyway, I thought to pop by my local charity store and I found a whole lot of old gear there! But they had put sticky price tags on things that they weren't supposed to - like the paper 'Phantom' comics they had there which would have been worth a lot of money if they hadn't had the $4.00 sticky tag on it. And now it's worth nothing. The same went for the 1950's Women's Monthly Home Journal... I don't know why some places do this, but it just removes so much of the value on the item.
Then, I walked around and found the best item ever! I found a 'Renoir' easel! It's brand new and hadn't been put together properly... but they wanted $40 for it; even when it had missing parts (like its repair kit of Allan Keys). I talked them down to $30 and scored myself a very cool, brand new easel ... yep, it's never been used! But I knew I just couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with it. So, I dropped into Mum and Dad's and asked them to help me with it. Eventually, we figured it out... and I'll be using my new easel for my paintings in future.

When I returned home, I vacuumed the bed, put the new mattress protector on it, pulled in the laundry, put the pillow protectors (new last week) and made up the bed... it looks lovely. I just hope I don't itch from it all now. 

After a well-earned shower, I'm no longer itchy around my neck from hives; and I'm looking forward to a good-night's rest. Tomorrow, I have to do a few more things before I sleep in on Saturday; and do some decluttering over the weekend and throwing out as well. Then, Monday? Well, Monday is my first art class. I just hope I'm prepared for it. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Been Busy

I've been meaning to come in here and have a chat with you guys. But every time I want to, something big happens in my life and put it off.

So, here I am, sitting down ready to tell you all what's been going on.

Over the past few weeks, I've been working hard on the Lake Como tapestry, and have gotten far on it. About a quarter of it is completely done since December, but it's the fiddly stuff I'm having problems with, as it's about 30 years old and I really need good natural light to make sure I get the right threads in the right places. Otherwise I'm really pleased with my progress. The main thing is that I'm taking the tapestry to volunteer work at the gallery and to my craft group; and I'm also working on it for about 2 hours a night - every night - to get some of it done. So, this is how I'm getting it done so quickly.

I've been working on my clutter and I'm stoked with how well I'm doing. I've gotten the home office half decluttered and I've paused in cleaning it out so I can catch up with the mess I've accidentally made in the living room. Yeah, moving a box downstairs has backfired into making a mess down there instead of making it tidier. So, I'm saving up money to buy a shredder because there's so many bank statements I need to get rid of that I really can't clean out anymore until I get a new shredder. Tearing them up isn't going to work.

The garden it looking good. The Frangipanni has flowered and I've mowed the lawn, then fed the plants Seasol and watered the lawn heavily; as we're not getting the rain we've been promised over the past week. Such a pity it's been dodging us so much. But at least the plants are going okay. 

I've been learning to bake Apple Tea Cakes. I scored a nice little recipe off Mum and made the mistake of making the whole things in a food processor. Yeah, yeah, stop laughing... I didn't think really. It took the air out of the cake completely; as the recipe did say to 'fold the flour into the mixture', which I didn't read properly. So, next time, I'll read it properly and do it right.
I'm also losing weight - just a little - because the doctors have told me my cholesterol is high. So, out goes the 'Naturals' Chips, high fat things and into the house comes the rice chips and more fruits, a lot more water and less milk-based coffee drinks. I've lost a fair bit of weight throughout the heat wave over Summer, but I am feeling a lot better because of the weight lose I've had to do instead of the weight I've had on over the last few months. I'm also doing weight-based exercises and eating less at night; this is helping me sleep better at night. 

This weekend, I'm taking part in an art opening at the Logan Artists Association at Coral Street, Loganlea. It's called 'Black and White' and it's a collection of art by female artists around Logan City and just in time for International Womens' Day. It starts on 4th, March and the exhibition finishes on 15th, March. I have a piece in it and hope to have a great time on Saturday.
I've also joined the Logan Artists Association this year so I can learn new things in the art world. They have lessons going on how to work with clay - something I've always wanted to know - and art lessons which cost only about $20 or so and lectures from artists from around Logan City.

Anyway, I'm doing well. The heat hasn't done me any favours - as always - and I'm working on a book to get published over the next few months. I hope it works out... there's a lot of editing to be done to it. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Problem Hand and Doctors

This week, I've finally taken myself to get my right hand x-rayed. You see, since I had the sun cancers surgically removed from my right hand last year, the middle finger of that hand has been very painful... the knuckle of what is called 'the rude finger' in sign language (what a great thing to call that, right?), won't allow me to carry heavy weights.

This means I can't pick up bags of potting mix or large and heavy terra-cotta pots without my right hand simply letting go straight away. I've almost dropped a large pot on the concrete in my car port because of this; so I really needed to get something done about it.

And so, this last Friday, I went and got the x-ray done, went to the doctors and she sent me to get an ultrasound... thus meaning there's something the x-ray didn't pick up. 

Well, I received a phone call today from the doctor, she wants to see me next week.

This means, the ultrasound picked up something the x-ray didn't. Bummer. I might need to get surgery on my right hand - I hope not! I'm a writer! This'll piss me right off if my right hand is out of action for another 8 weeks again. 

Well, I'll see what happens, and keep you all posted about it. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

20 Years Ago This Month

This month has been a big one for me in the way of how long I've been around. It's been 20 years ago on 11th, July since I had a 4.3 level Melanoma surgically removed from the back of my left thigh. 

That doesn't sound very nice - and it wasn't - but it got done and I'm glad it did, because I'm alive today because of its removal.

Dr Michael Lanigan did my surgery - a great plastic surgeon - and he saved my life. I was only 22 1/2 and that was considered very young to have a skin cancer of this type. But it was also the amount of stitches I have that shock people - still. 

I got 43 stitches in the shape of a crooked 'S' - which we call 'the dollar sign'. This is because the surgery cost around $5,000 to get done at a private hospital through my private health fund. Sure it was only an overnight stay, but there was all the other stuff I had to get done too. 

My recovery wasn't great. I was stuck in bed for almost a week before I went back and got the stitches taken out. The really shitty thing was that I went into hospital 2 days before my holidays; so I was stuck with a bandage on my leg for a good part of my holidays and working on recovering from major surgery. When I returned to work, I had to put in for sick leave instead of holidays and asked for holidays again in the future - because I didn't end up going anywhere. My workplace let me do this and I ended up going to the coast about a month or so later to get in and do some proper recovery down there.

But first, I had to get my leg working again. I had to get myself walking again. Seeing it was on the back of my left thigh, this meant I was on a walking stick for about a month making it strong again. I was flat out getting up and down stairs; and I had to take the stick to work so I could use it during the day if I needed it.

However, as the last two decades have passed, I have become stronger. My leg has bothered me sometimes, but only to cramp up and warn me of weather changes - like cold snaps, rain and storms. Man, can my leg predict a storm! I've tried everything to keep it from cramping up so much, but not much helps. Yoga and 'Painaway' sprays and creams works. Sometimes a boiling hot shower does too - but they're all temporary and don't last long. Often, I have to just deal with the pain and get up and walk around in the night for hours on end; which does help. There have been times where I've taken a good walk around the unit complex late at night to pull the cramp out, come home and been able to sleep because the muscle is warmed up enough - weird, eh? Otherwise, there are shoes I just don't wear. My friends know I don't wear heels - not on purpose anyway. If I do, I'm in for a world pain the next few days from my feet and from my leg as it pulls the muscle in the wrong direction. So, if I'm going to wear heels, I make sure to wear block heels and not spiky ones.

The one thing that I do know is that I'm damned glad to be alive. I have cheated Death a few times now and I now feel as though I'm playing a game of chess with a whole new set of rules... that life is a party I'm crashing. When you are living a life where you know you're not supposed to be around, you see life in a whole new light. I know that sound morbid, but really, it's something you don't realise unless you've kind of 'been through the looking glass'. It's a weird feeling when doctors tell you that you may not be around in 5 years time; and the next thing you know, 20 years have zipped by! 

All I can say is that I've created a life and a world that I'm damned proud of. I don't care who thinks of what I do with my life - I'm alive because of Dr Lanigan; he saved my life. I'm also alive because I wanted to be here for my family and friends and my wonderful niece, Riley. If I wasn't here, she'd be only hearing stories about me from my family and visiting a grave... something I don't wish for for a very long time to come. 

Laryngitis

Since Sunday morning, I haven't had a voice - quite literally. I woke up and my voice was completely gone! 

I thought that over the day, it might come back. But nope, my voice had packed its bags and taken a vacation from me - leaving me to wonder exactly what the hell happened the night before at my class reunion? I had it then, but now in the bright sunlight, it was gone.

During the day, I called Mum and she was shocked to hear how I sounded; and she ordered me off to the doctors the next morning (as the weekend rates of doctors are disgustingly huge!). 
So, on Monday morning, I was at my local doctor's trying to figure out what the hell happened. Dr. Ross Taylor (a doctor Mum used to work with when I was in high school) looked down my throat, tested out my breathing and felt around my neck and said I had slight case of Laryngitis and to stay home - away from anyone and cancel any social appointments I have this week. Most of all, he said not to talk.

So, here I am, on Thursday, and this is horrible. I have needed to go out and do things - like to craft group, get the tyres on my car done and tomorrow, I have a chiropractor's appointment - but I have to put all that off until next week! It's not a good thing to be sick; but it's even worse when you can't be around people because of your voice. 

Last night, Mum dropped off some groceries I'd normally go out and buy for myself. She stayed outside while I came out and took them off her. She heard me try to speak and said it sounds like I'm not getting better; but not to worry, I will, and it will happen suddenly. One day I'll be without a voice, the next it'll come back. 
I really hope it happens soon. My life is really quiet at the moment. I don't mind the silence, but I'm really getting sick of my own company... not being able to go out isn't fun. And the car is just sitting there; and yet I don't want to spread this around. It's not something I want anyone to have; and yet I don't know where I got it from.

Well, I just thought to check in. So far, I've finished a dishcloth, done 3 loads of laundry, cleaned up the lounge room, found a diary I've been looking for, written 8 - 10 pages in 'The Red Ledger' about books, cleaned up the office and made the best batch of scones ever (and yet I can't share them with anyone!)... the things you can get done when you're stuck at home, right? Well, at least I'm getting them done. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Over The Weekend...

It's been a very wet and wild weekend here in Brisbane and down the East Coast of Australia. I went out on Saturday night and totally enjoyed myself at my 25 year class reunion for high school. I thought it would be terrible - seeing I had to go stag - but it wasn't. A lot of people went on their own. We had a great time and I left at around 11pm after catching up with so many of my old friends; who all chatted and caught up with me too.

Then, I woke up on Sunday morning without a voice! Yep, I found it hard to sleep in Saturday night, but I thought I was coming down with a chest infection from the last few weeks of not having early nights. But nope, I had caught something in the last week that's taken my voice from me... and after going to the doctors today, I was told I have a mild case of Laryngitis. I can't go out to any of my social places this week - but I can get my car looked at for new tyres - however, there's no Queen Beez Craft Group and no seeing my folks until my voice is totally back to normal. Most of all, no talking or singing (especially in the car... yeah, I love singing to the music in my car). 

Otherwise, while I had no voice yesterday, and it was a miserable day, so I got in and watched a few movies after making a huge amount of popcorn and grabbing a half-bag of chips that were left over in the pantry. Yep, I got right into watching 'The Matrix' Trilogy - and in between the first and second ones, I made dinner and ate it (which was home made lasagne - which was delicious! I have more to eat tomorrow night). By the time 'The Matrix - Revolutions' was finished, it was around 9:30pm and I had to clean up the kitchen from my cooking and the day.
The rain was still coming down and I didn't want to go outside just to put out the rubbish; so I tied it up ready for today. My throat was really sore and I thought to get up nice and early to get myself to the doctors to find out what the hell was wrong with my voice. Thankfully, Laryngitis is only a virus - and like all virus' will go away on its own. I just have to not talk or sing. Well, that was my weekend. I'm off to have my lunch of Lasagne. Yeah, I know, it was going to be tomorrow night's dinner, but I guess I can make more if I need to. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

A Busy Week

It's been a busy week - and has turned into a chilly one as well - showing that Winter is most certainly on its way.

Monday was my craft day where I took my lovely little Craft Box in to show it off to my friends. They all loved it; saying it was about time I bought myself something worthwhile and so pretty. I also grabbed myself some bread and a potted plant; I still don't know the name of. 
I dropped off some bread to my folks on the way home and gave them some capsicums as well - which were free - and Mum and I sat around and chatted until the sun was almost set.

Tuesday had me at my folk's place again as I had forgotten my sunglasses and so I arrived in the dull morning just in time for the sun to push through the clouds. It was a slow day and I was working on another pin cushion and we sat around chatting and catching up on things that had occurred around the place while they were on their holiday.

Wednesday had me out all day taking my needlepoint to the Logan Art Gallery, shopping around for a large pot for the garden and dropping mail off to my parents' house. It was a good day, just very busy and all over the place. I also hadn't had a full nights' sleep with some neighbours waking up half the neighbourhood by having a domestic screaming match outside my house... I mean, what the hell?... anyway, I didn't even get out of bed. I just screamed for them to shut up! After that, I heard them get into a car and leave (thank god!). 

Thursday had me going to my folks' house again. This time, it was unexpected as my Mum asked me to hang out some laundry on the line for her while she was at the doctors. I went over there and did that for her and looked for some stain to use on a little table I had found on Mother's Day. But I couldn't find the stain I had bought (it had a crunched lid). When Mum and Dad returned home, I asked Dad and he gave me another different can saying it was the only one he had. So, it looks like I have a can somewhere here at home; I'm not sure.

Well, it's today, Friday, and I've had dreadful sinus for the past 2 days. I hope I'm not coming down with a cold. Those change of season colds can be pretty disastrous for the socialising... and I have some of that to do over the next few weeks.
This morning, I got in and did three loads of laundry and sprayed Glen-20 (a disinfectant spray) around the house and on the bed to kill any germs that I might have caught and that might be around. So, I'll see how I feel tomorrow. I'm not feeling horrible, my sinus is all clogged up, that's all. 

It's been a busy week, and next week is just as busy too. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here. 

Busy Week

Today is the only day I've got to myself.

Yep, this week has been busy as hell; and next week isn't going to get any better as it's going to be shopping week. 

On Monday, I had craft day and I could sit and do my pin cushions again. After working on a larger needlepoint for so long it was a relief to get my mind onto smaller things than a larger item. I had put the larger needlepoint into the framers to get worked on. 

Tuesday had me picking up the needlepoint - and did it look lovely! I'm so pleased with how it worked out and hope it is accepted into the gallery. There are a few little things that I have noticed about it that aren't up to scratch, but that's all just in learning about how to get things framed... otherwise, it's well done. And the great thing is that I provided the frame and glass; all I had to do was pick the matte for it. 

On Wednesday, I was at the Logan North Library showing it off at the Embroidery Guild. The ladies were very impressed by it; and spotted the same things I did when they inspected it up close. But when they looked at it from a distance, those little things couldn't be seen. So, that's a good thing. I'll be taking it with me to my to the regular craft group on Monday so the other ladies can see it too. 

Tomorrow, I'm off to the doctors to get my right hand looked at, my medical certificate looked into for my driver's licence and then to the bank to see how much money I have left. Yeah, it's just little stuff, but the devil's in the details - and these details don't take long. 

I'm hoping to get my house cleaner than it has been over the last few weeks, so I started today with cleaning up the piano - dusting it from top to bottom - and putting back on the top only the things that make it look lovely and retro. Before I did that, I went outside and mowed the lawn, pulled the weeds and cleaned up the back yard. It all looks so very neat and tidy now... well, until the next time it needs a trim. The flowers on the Moch Orange are now starting to drop and I can then trim up the shrubs for Winter. That will be next week.

Anyway, I have some more tidying to get done around the place: laundry to put away, the bathroom to clean up, the living room and lounge to tidy and the lounge to find (again!)... and then I'll be cleaning out some bags of stuff I have had around the place to see if I can donate them or throw them out in the bin. I'm in my 4th year of declutter, and must say that as the years have passed, it does get easier. I'm onto the smaller stuff now and so I've become better at this. Mum is just beginning on the journey of decluttering and she's finding it harder as it's a big thing to do still; however, it took a good year and half to get through the big stuff before I got onto the smaller stuff (I call it stuff and not junk or crap as a lot of it is just stuff and only a small percentage of it is junk). I have found that it's best to look at something quickly and know if I'm going to keep it or not, put it into the 'Keep Pile' and move on. If I'm not going to keep it, it gets thrown out or donated... I'll look at my 'Keep Pile' more intently when I have time later on in the day; otherwise it will hold me back from doing what I'm supposed to do.

Well, that's my week. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Up and At 'Em! It's Grocery Day!

I find that the closer we get to Christmas, the crazier it becomes out in the shopping centres.

So, I came up with a plan of attack today - yes I said attack, because there's no better word for it. At this time of year, I find that I have to stock up on everything I need, and some things that are luxury items, so I don't need to go out.

However, just after I filled the car with fuel, I returned back to the unit complex to get my prescription for my Topamax when I spotted the rubbish truck pulling into the driveway... well, I did a u-turn and went up the road and decided against trying to pull in next to that thing! I'll get my medication tomorrow. It's something that's not really that urgent, and I can work with it at a chemist up the road.

Well, I bought myself things I had on my list, other things I didn't - like 50+ sunscreen. I know that seems over the top, but after the SCC's I got cut out recently, I'm not taking any chances on my skin anymore. I'm hoping to buy some driving gloves from Super Cheap and will wear long sleeves when I drive, so I don't get any more of these things growing on me.

It's been a strange day, though. I have bought all my groceries, all my fruit and veggies and petrol too. Then, I came home, unloaded and took a look at my hand. It looks good; even after I wrapped it up for the outing. But last night, I put Coconut Oil on it before I went to bed - and during the night when I washed it off - and it's looking so much better. I hope it heals better and faster with this stuff. 
Well, I'm hoping to get through Christmas with no problems with the others; as they were basic, whereas the one on my hand was more complex

Anyway, with the shopping out of the way, there's still a little to get done before Christmas. I've also got some volunteer work before the gallery closes until the New Year... nothing like getting in some good work there. Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Thursday - Hurry Up Thursday!

I've gotten better than last week, since I had the bandage removed and since I returned home from the coast. 

No, I can't pick up heavy things with my right hand, but once the stitches come out on Thursday, I'll be good to go! It'll be a frantic bus trip into the city and one home to meet my Dad and brother to get a new washing machine into my house... and how good would that be? That's gonna be fantastic!

I can't wait to get that done.

Yesterday, my hand was hurting me a lot, so I just jumped offline and vegged out on the lounge, watching television. Yep, I was told to rest my hand, so I did. Not a fun thing to do seeing I could see so much I wanted to get done. I ended up watching two movie last night and the beginning of 'City Slickers' and then I washed up and closed up the house, checked my e-mail and went to bed around 10:30pm.

I wasn't so much tired, but I was out of things to do. I'm not allowed to put up my tree or Christmas decorations until next week, and I'm really peeved that I can't do that... I really want them around my house. But I have to put away so many things before I do anything about putting the tree up. Normally, I have my tree up, with the decorations all around the house by now, but the place looks very empty without the tree and pretty decorations up... and I hate that.

Well, by next Sunday, I'll have them up and the place will be looking lovely. I do have the streamers outside and have only just put up solar lights in the garden yesterday; so that's something. But I like to get it all done at once... then when I have to pull it down, it gets done in one day.

Anyway, I hope you're all keeping well. My hand does get sore from time to time, but that's the stitches pulling on the nerves. I can't ignore it, but it's good to know I'm healing really well. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

Going Home, Going To The Doctors...

It's been freezing cold over the last couple of nights, and so we've we bunking down with more blankets and socks on our feet. The rain adding to that has made our stay a little more uncomfortable... but seeing i'm going home today, i'm not complaining. 

on the way home, we are dropping in on my surgeon to get my stitches loojed at. he has an office at southport and so we have gotten an appointment at a good time where we'll be on our way to Brisbane. i hope to have the 'boxing mitt' off when i see him; then i'll be able to go backj home and relax at my place... which was the original plan, but i guess the best laid plans don't always play out, right?

yesterday, mum and i were out and about again around Brunswick township. we had a lovely time at a store called 'Whatever' which is one store where you should never miss when you visit brunswick heads. this place has clothes, furnishings, books, tablecloths, sheets, curtains, lamps, bags and all kinds of other lovely things to dream-fill your home with... you know, dream-filling is where you dream of filling your home with things, but realis you far too much crap already to do that.
well, once i spent some money there, we went and looked aroud some other stores. there are some lovely places here...antique stores mainly that are just lovely, but are far too expensive.

we came across one store where it had a whole lot of retro stuff in it from Stars Wars to old Ham Radios and to masks too... then, i noticed the most gorgeous little cat on the counter who was wearing the cutest little collar with a bow on top with diamonties encrusted into it... so cute. the cat's name was 'Pearl', and she was from South America, so we patted her and i told Pearl that she was beautiful in Spanish - only makes sense if you tell a cat who's from a Spanish country they're beautiful in their own language, they'd understand it better... and you know, i think she knew it too. 

but i was searching all these stores for the perfect gift for my neighbours. i had been out to Mullumbimby and around Brunswick Heads, but hadn't found it. then, after lunch, mum and i went to Ocean Shores and i found the gift in FDB's!!! i found a coffee tin and tea tin, they were matching and very retro as well... and i hadn't seen anything like them in brisbane. i also found a butter dish at Target Country for $4.00... something i have been hunting down lately too.

well, i guess the best things show up at the very end of a trip, don't they? i've packed everything, have been ready to been ready to walk out the door for almost an hour, even though we don't leave for another hour or so... dunno really. daylight saving confuses the crap out of me when you have to keep an appointment. until my next post, take care, stay safe, and remember, i'm always here.

First Wet Day

it's our first wet day here at Brunswick Heads, and after the heat and storms we've had, it's nice to have the rain falling from the skies.

Yesterday, mum and i were at ocean shores for a few hours to do some grocery shopping and to pick up some new bandages for my arms - as the sticky bandages were starting to pull and get messy. we also picked up some tiny pads which made getting the old bandages less painful. they didn't look much, but they melted the stcky crap away easier than ever! i ended up shaving as much hair off my arms as possible, the putting the new strips of bandages on. i feel so much better, and getting dressed and showering is so much easier - and i am so much more comfortable in bed too.

today, we're finishing off Christmas cards to post off, and then we are off to Mullumbimby. this is an Aboriginal word meaning 'place of many birds' or or 'place of pelicans' i forget which. it's a beautiful little town which has been a safe haven for tourists to visit for a long time. it's not like Byron Bay and it's not quite like Nimbin... it's somewhere in between.

i do love Brunswick Heads though. it has a feel all of its own - an arty-farty kind of town, with small-town charm. besides i have been coming here with my family since i was around 6 years old, so much has changed around here - and all for the better!

Well, i hope you love the background - surfing os iconic of Australia, so i thought to use it. until my next post, take care, stay safe,and remember, i'm always here.

Recovery

okay...first things first. 

the punctuation and spelling in thev next few posts might be a bit weird, bear with me. i'm typinh with just one hand - and one figer. so these are going to take a really long time for me to type up, and i'm not going to be fussy over my spelling.

it's day 2 after surgery at Sunnybank Privatew Hospital and the pain is bareable, but is worse at night. so long i keep popping the Paracetamol i'm cruising pretty well. i'm also eating everything in sight! I ate Macdonalds yesterday, and those who know me well, you know i can't stand Maccas. i had fillet'o'fish burger... yeah,weird,hey.

Anyway, my folks brought me to Brunswick Heads to recover - and because i basically can do crap all for myself without assistance. i can't shower on my own, can't dress myself, can't cook myself a meal or drive the car... and when you're alone, this kind of thing effects every aspect of your life.

like anyone who's just been let out of hospital, i'm in pain, uncomfortable, grouchy and it take freaking forever to go to the toilet when only one arm works. i'm tellin' ya, those Dyson hand dryers - where you stick your hands inside them to get them going -don't work at all for people with only one hand. so, i'll wash my hands at the toilts, only to have to touch that icky doot handle... so back at the van, i'm using bthe sanitising gel i normally use when i'm out and about to eat; as i can't get my bandages wet.

about half an hour ago, i made myself an ice coffee, and ity took me around ten minutes to do it, mainly because the lid on the coffee jar was hard to remove... i nearly flicked sugar to all corners of the brand spanky new van and the milk very nearly became a new style of shampoo of mine (or conditioner). 

well, i'm going to leave you all now. i'd like to stick around say more, but my arm is tired and sore. until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, i'm always here.

Surgery

I might not be here for a little while. This is because tomorrow morning, I'll up nice and early - with the birds - at 5am to head off to the hospital to get the sun cancers on my arms surgically removed.

Yep, they're not going to be burned off as they are under my epidermis - they have to be cut out. I was kind of expecting this. However, if I leave them until next year, they might turn into something worse.

So, you might not see me here or online for about a week - I'm not sure; it depends on how I feel in a few days.

Well, until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.

NaNoWriMo

It's been a busy month already as my car broke down, I've not been well last week (but am better now) and we've had our first storms for the Summer. 

And the best thing is that National Novel Writing Month has started up and this year I'm taking part! So far, I've written more than 6,000 words and most of that is on my phone - which my Dad seems to think I'm fiddling around online with. He asked me yesterday if I've got FOMO... and that was only because he'd only just learned about what that meant in the newspaper that moment. I said no, that I was writing a book for NaNoWriMo (which I had to translate for him). He doesn't understand why I was writing it on my phone, and doesn't understand why people would be challenged to write a 50,000 word book in a month; but I guess that's just him. Being a writer, I love the idea to be challenged this way.

Anyway, not everything is about the written word. I'm also cleaning up the house for next week, and so far, I've conquered the kitchen completely! 

Yay!

I bought myself a new dish drainer and it's completely changed the way I wash up and how everything dries out. It's a double-decker one I bought from a kitchen outlet store where you buy all the bits to build a kitchen from scratch - it's an amazing place on Compton Road - and I have been saving up money for this for a few months an I am happy to have been able to afford one that cost around $50 and is sturdy enough to last me around a decade. My last one was from IKEA and it lasted me around a decade too, but I'm going to scrub that and recycle it for something else.

Anyway, the only things that need to get done until next week are the bathroom and toilets, the floors downstairs need vacuuming and washing and the lounge room needs to be tidy; as Mum might need to sleep on the fold-out. I also have to make sure the sheets for the fold-out are clean too.

Mum is coming here to help me over a few days later on this month as I'm going into hospital on 26th, November to get some sun cancers taken off my arms. It'll be day surgery and I'll need somebody to take me there and back home... also it'll be just a matter of having somebody there to help me with laundry, a bit of shopping, washing up and putting out the rubbish or heavy lifting around the place... nothing too much; until the stitches heal in the first few days. I'll be going under Twilight as these aren't as bad as my Melanoma was in 1996, but there's more than two of them, and they have a blood supply, so they will take time to do.

Otherwise, I'm hoping to get some things done this week, like find a new washing machine - seeing mine has had its day. The timer is broken and if I stop and start it, I'll just break the gear box in it. I've said to Dad it's not worth fixing as I've already spent over $250 in getting the service guy out over the last couple of years here - spending another $100 on it isn't worth it. Besides, the last guy who was here looking at it, advised me to just get another machine when it stuffed up again; that it was on its last legs. And when you think about it, my washing machine hasn't failed me since I bought 13 years ago. I've used it weekly - sometimes more - to do my laundry and it's always done its job no matter what. It's been a good little machine; and it's the timer on it... I can't complain about it breaking now, why would I? And what is the cost of another washing machine? $500 - $600? If I start fixing it now, I'm going to putting money into a machine I could be spending on a new machine.
But until we get a new machine, I'll be going to my parents' house to use theirs on a weekly basis - which is a bummer as it's taking me out of my routine of doing my laundry here. Yesterday was funny though: I showed up at their house at 7:45am and they were still in bed. Dad did say to be there early so I could get it all done - which I did - and he asked how many times I do laundry, I said weekly and he said, 'Oh, okay, you'll have to come here every week then.' I just hope not for too long.

Yep, this is has been my week; and the reason why you haven't heard from me for a few days. So much going on and not enough time to tell you all. Until my next post, take care, stay safe and remember, I'm always here.