It had to happen

I had to go back & check out the cheap bookshop again. This time was much better as it wasn’t crowded & I was able to have a really good look. Mind you my knees weren’t overly impressed with all the bending & crouching that had to be done to look at all the interesting books. Getting old sucks, but the alternative is far worse…….

Do you ever scan a shelf of books & have the horrible feeling that you’re passing by the most wonderful book in the world??? Just what is it that makes you pick up a book & read the blurb? For me it’s the picture on the cover, then I check the author. The title isn’t overly important, often it gives no clue to the plot of the book, so I bypass it. I quickly scan the blurb & if it seems interesting I read it properly. As to plot, I do love a good murder mystery, I also like books set in wartime England, as several of these books are.

I don’t mind a bit of romance but I need there to be more happening than that. Some of these are romances I guess but it’s the era they’re set in that interests me. I’ve never read a Mills & Boon & I never will, just not my thing.

I love really big, fat books, you can really get into them. Best of all you can lose yourself in a book, if life’s a bit sucky you can stick your head in a book & blot it all out. I also sleep better if I read last thing at night, I tend to think about the book as I’m dozing rather than going over & over something negative as I have a habit of doing.

I’ve thought about the electronic readers & they would be good if I travelled, but given the fact that I’m at home, there’s nothing nicer than the feeling of a book in your hands. Sometimes I need to flip back to check something I’ve read & I think that would be trickier on a reader.

Anyway here’s today’s treasures……………

& this one caught my eye just as I was leaving. Who wouldn’t want to be ‘Gorgeously Green’, mind you not if it meant I was Kermit the frog!!!!

I now officially have enough books, & enough craft projects to keep me going for some time, so I’m planning on hibernating.

Is it Just Me?

that has trouble with those little ‘word verification’ boxes? You know, those random mixes of letters & numbers that are supposed to weed out the non-humans. My brain always wants to turn the mixed up letters into a word & I really have to concentrate to get it right. Perhaps I’m not human that’s why it fools me. 

A Booklover’s Dream

I called into the shopping centre today & spotted something that made my heart beat faster. A bookshop with nearly every book $5!!! The only exception was a small table of books near the door for $10.

I spent about 45mins browsing & ended up with 4 books & a boxed set of cards. I plan to go back soon for another look, as they have more pallets to unpack. They say people don’t read anymore, but the shop was packed. They also had a limited range of random dvd’s for $5. Rowan was rapt to find a Rush dvd & a John Lennon dvd.

The 2nd pic is a box of cards. You get 20 cards & envelopes, (2 of each design.) They had several different themes of cards. All $5 a box.

Rowan & I both wanted the Crime Investigation book. Today he received his Year 10 selection handbook for next year. One elective he hopes to take is Forensic Science. They didn’t have interesting subjects like that when I was at school. I hated school & the subjects were so boring. I only enjoyed sewing, no surprise :-), & English, though our novels were awful. Cry the Beloved Country, Lord of the Flies, Among the Trumpets. Probably brilliant books, but not to a teenage girl. These days they tend to get choices, as it should be.

Colourful Fridays–Sunsets

Well I’ve came up empty handed with this one as far as photographing a sunset as we’ve been overcast & rainy all week here. I had it all planned too, we get a great view of the sunset from our upstairs bathroom window, but the weather didn’t co-operate.

Still, not to be beaten, I will post ‘my’ sunset.

I designed & taught this years ago.

All Finished, All Good

Home from the colonoscopy, HUGE sigh of relief to have it over. I hadn’t been to this facility before but I have to say they were very nice & professional. I didn’t take anything to do, as I thought I would pretty much go straight in, but they were running late so I sat & twiddled my thumbs for a while. Once the process started it was all good & fast. I told the anaesthesiologist I had a rotten headache & he put a drip in to rehydrate me, which was very nice of him. I remember the needle going in with the sedative but not coming out, lol.

I got a report as I left, 1 small, 3mm, polyp removed, results next week. & the best part, I don’t need another colonoscopy for 5 years. YAY!!!!!!

I waited for Paul to come pick me up & a young girl, I say girl but she told me she’s 41, rushed over & sat next to me. Basically she was terrified & wanted some reassurance which I was happy to give. We sat & talked for about 20 mins, long after Paul arrived & I think she felt a bit better. She gave me a big hug as I left so I hope I helped. I hope her test went well.

I don’t like posting without pics, but don’t panic I won’t show you the colour photos they gave me of my colon lol, but something much nicer.

Here’s Molly getting her last clip, she’s due for another. Zaphod had to supervise the whole exercise & enjoyed grabbing the hair as it blew away. Molly quite enjoys being clipped, but she doesn’t like me scissoring around her toes as she’s ticklish.

Jelly for Breakfast Anyone?

No it wouldn’t be my first choice either, but jelly for breakfast can only mean one thing to me, prep day for a colonoscopy.

Oh the joy, a day of clear fluids + litres of laxatives. On the upside it’s a routine colonoscopy, I had one 7 years ago & 4 years ago & it’s time for another. With a family history of bowel cancer, a miserable day of prep & a procedure you have no memory of, are well worth the effort when you consider the alternative. But still, on that miserable day of prep, I have to remind myself of this, often.

I thought about working on my current quilt, but I’m too distracted & would probably make mistakes with the cutting, so I’ll stick to embroidery & TV.

Oh & did I mention the other fun aspect? HUNGER, by the time I have the test I won’t have eaten for over 36 hours.

The first time I had the test I only thought of sweet clear fluids so by the end of it, ugh. The next time I had the bright idea to stir some MIghtymite (gluten free vegemite) into boiling water to drink & it was yummy. But the truth is after all the fluids you just feel waterlogged.

Roll on Friday!!!!!

This is an email I received some years ago & it says it all & is seriously funny.

Colonoscopy Journal:

I called my friend Andy, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy.
A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis . Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner.
I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.
Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons). Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon..
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.'
This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.
MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but, have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep.
The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked..
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep.
At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point.
Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.
There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.
'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me.
'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.
I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood.
Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
On the subject of Colonoscopies....
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous..... A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominately male) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. 'Take it easy, Doc. You're boldly going where no man has gone before!'
2. 'Find Amelia Earhart yet?'
3. 'Can you hear me NOW?'
4. 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?'
5. 'You know, in Arkansas , we're now legally married.'
6. 'Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?'
7. 'You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out...'
8. 'Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!'
9. 'If your hand doesn't fit, you must quit!'
10. 'Hey Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.'
11. 'You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?'
12. 'God, now I know why I am not gay.'
And the best one of all:
13. 'Could you write a note for my wife saying that my head is not up there?'

Tis the Season May blocks

I’ve been working on these blocks in between the pressies I’ve been making.

Update of the Definition of Confident

Well we quickly established that knitting is like riding a bike & Rowan did remember how to do it. He also managed to add an extra stitch after just 3 rows, as you do.

Teaching someone else to knit was a bit of a challenge, especially as the girl he was teaching was left handed, but they muddled on & survived the experience.

Eurovision Song Contest

Eurovision is VERY popular in our house. Rowan & I count down the months to Eurovision & sit glued to both semi-finals, & the final. We record it on Tevo & watch it over & over. I would have to say this year was not as good as last year, just not as many great songs, but we both absolutely loved the Irish entry Lipstick by Jedward. Just brilliant!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXouSYabDig

Cannot get over their energy!!!!

Mother’s Day Gifts

I realised I hadn’t posted pics of the things I made Mum for Mother’s day so here they are.

Mum loves dolls & golliwogs & when I saw some on a stall I thought what a perfect gift for Mum. Of course I also heard her voice in my head saying, ‘You could make that.’ Lol it was a running gag in our house whenever we’d see something we liked Mum would say, ‘I could make that’ & sure enough she could & did. Luckily I inherited the ‘make it’ gene.

I actually had the pattern for the doll. I’d bought it years ago & never used it. Mind you I will never use it again, it would have to be the worst pattern I’ve ever used!!!! Thanks god my basic drafting skills from high school 30+ years ago came back to me & I was able to sort it.

The little golliwog is actually adapted from a gnome pattern. I simply changed the colours, added hair instead of a pointy hat, a felt mouth & some ‘noisy’ eyes. When my 2 oldest kids were young I made them both a fabric goose. I asked them what eyes they would like & Simon said, ‘Not the noisy eyes.’ Took me a while to work out he meant jiggle eyes, as opposed to non-jiggle, which of course were ‘quiet eyes.

Now I realise that these aren’t considered ‘politically correct’ to some people, but I figure my Mum is 81, she loves them & is probably beyond being corrupted, lol.

She tells me they are good company, they sit on the lounge with her. She said they don’t talk much but like watching tv. No she hasn’t lost the plot she just has a good sense of fun & just like me she quickly bonds to dolls, teddies & the like.

I also knitted her a blue snowball scarf. Mum is a very prolific knitter & crocherer but it’s always for friends, family or charity & never for her.

Definition of Confident

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Definition of Confident

Rowan mentioned in passing that this Thursday the kids will either be teaching or learning something new at school. Sounds cool, suggested things to teach or learn, knitting, sewing, crochet etc.

Today Rowan tells me he’s signed up to ‘teach’ knitting. Well he did learn to knit at the Voldemort School, no that’s not right, he did learn to knit at the schoolthatwillnotbenamed, but this was 7 years ago. Proficient is not a word I would use to describe his knitting at the time. He did produce a dirty cream article that he told me ‘It’s a sheep Mummy, can’t you tell???’ Of course I could tell, especially after he told me.

Then we get to the best bit, so Mum can you teach me to knit after school tomorrow, Wednesday, so I’m ready to teach on Thursday.

Yeah we’ll see how we go. Pity I don’t drink, I think a glass of something may be the best way to start the lesson.

I’m a Bag Lady & I’m Having a Whinge. :-)

I’ve been buying & making bags forever & have quite a collection, the problem has been how to store them all. I’ve been using a hat stand the past few years, which is good, but only holds a selection.

Browsing the Aldi catalogue the other day, as you do, I spotted these yummy cube shelves.

I have a large set in my sewing room & I just love them so when I spotted these at Aldi. I was racking my brains to work out
a) where I could fit a set
b) what I’d put in them

I worked out I could fit a set in the storage area under the stairs. Now Harry (Potter) has his own room it’s used for storage.

Then I had the brainwave I could put my bags in them, well some of my bags. I sort my bags into Summer & Winter so hopefully I could fit 1 season in them.

Ta-da!!!

Here they are, all packed up ready to slide in under the stairs. I managed to fit 2 bags in some cubes. I couldn’t fit all my Winter bags in, but I put all my favourites in here & doubt I’d use the others. I’ll put the one I’m using on top. I packed all the Summer bags away as I’m sure Winter is here with the temps we’ve had this past week. A top of 7C on Wednesday, brrrrr!!!!

I didn’t stop there, I moved all my Summer clothes upstairs to the spare wardrobes & brought down all the Winter ones. I also sorted my hats & scarves & they look great on the hat stand.

Now the Whinge

Weight gain cause by my Fibromyalgia medication mean a lot of my stuff doesn’t fit. I’ve looked in the shops but still haven’t found a pair of trousers/jeans that actually come up to my hips. I don’t have one of those tattoos above my butt & have no intention of getting one, I also don’t plan on wearing a thong, so I don’t need trousers that barely cover my bum! I want some that come up high enough to keep my lower back covered & warm. Is that too much to ask??? As for finding the right size!!! in Australia, where there are no ‘size guidelines, it’s a lottery. Every shop you walk into is a whole new set of sizes. They may say 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 etc but a 10 in one shop, is a 14 in another. Oh but then we have the small, medium, large, ex-large system, which is just as unreliable. I have clothes in my wardrobe 8, 9 (jeans), 12, 14 & 16 & they all fit. I’m a size 9 jeans at Rivers but a 12 at Target. I also range from small to ex-large. Gone are the days when you could buy anything without trying it on. You find something you like, then you have to take it in 3 sizes in the hope one will fit. Oh & what’s with the skinny arms! A 12 body fits but you need a 14 or 16 so the sleeves fit.

So is it just me with the weirdest figure in the world or are others having the same issues???

Happy Mother’s Day

I hope all you Mum’s are having a great day. Emma came down & cooked brekkies. It was the first time, in a very long time, I’ve had breakfast in bed.

Just a mini mantle for Mother’s Day, I’m just not ready to pack up the street party yet.

Pressie time next & I was spoilt.

All the essentials of Mum’s Day, new jammies & slippers, a couple of dvd’s & a book.

Emma gave me this. :-)))

I love Lego & I love Medieval. Creationary is like Pictionary, though instead of drawing the words, you have to build them out of Lego. Fun stuff. My attempts were pretty bad, they actually laughed at my banana, lol, but how good is Emma’s penguin & Rowan’s bunny? 

Lucky Zaphod was there to make sure the box didn’t blow away. :-)

The icing on the cake was a ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I miss you,’ from ds Simon in Canada. :-)))Also a Happy Mother’s Day from my nephew.

I LOVE MY KIDS!!!!!!

April Books & a Busy Week

I did quite a bit of reading in April which meant some very late nights. I only read when I go to bed & if it’s a real page turner it makes for a very late night. All but the Muriel Spark were picked up in op shops. I was going to say, I wish I’d thought of buying books there years ago, but probably it’s better I didn’t or it would have meant yet another truckload when we moved down last year!!!

They were all very good, but I especially loved ‘The Shifting Fog’ by Kate Morton.

Busy Week

Once I finished the miniature street party scene it was back to finishing off the pressies I was making for Mother’s Day so I could post them. This will be the first time in 50 years I won’t be spending Mother’s Day with Mum. It’s a bit hard to now we live 1000kms away, on the up side, this will be the first Mother’s Day in 8 years I’ll spend with dd Emma .

Mum had cataract surgery this week & the surgeon is pleased with how it went. It will be a while before Mum can tell if it’s made an improvement. She also has Macular Degeneration & this was her ‘worst’ eye. She will have the other one done next month. I posted her pressies off Tuesday afternoon & then it was time to get stuck into cleaning up the disaster area being creative makes.

Wednesday I woke up actually looking forward to getting all the bits & bobs sorted & put away so I could start on the next pressie, then I stretched, big mistake. I managed to pull a muscle in my upper back. OUCH! Extreme pain in my back, up my neck into my head & down the back of both arms, oh joy!!! As if I don’t have enough pain with the Fibromyalgia. :-( Heat packs & Panadol, & the pain had eased off by night so I tidied the sewing room. Woke up Thursday & it was bad again, more Panadol & I could do some cleaning. Friday I did the smart thing & googled ‘pulled muscle upper back,’ I had to laugh as it referred to all sort of exercise & sports induced injuries rather than an injury caused by stretching in bed, lol. Ice they said, why didn’t I think of that???? So I grabbed the ice pack & used it on & off through the day, it really helped, that’s why I’ve got it back on now.

 

I didn’t waste my time though, I finished knitting a scarf for Emma, knitted one for Rowan & did some of my Tis the Season stitchery. Hopefully my back will be ok by Monday so I can get stuck into the next pressie which is a BIG project.

BTW the scarves are knitted with Snowball Yarn from Lincraft. I tried similiar yarn from other shops but this is by far the best. The scarves are so quick & easy to make, just 10 stitches per row on 4mm needles. You knit 2 stitches between each pom pom & before you know it you have a scarf. These scarves were done with 2 balls, but one ball makes a nice scarf too that just crosses over in front, rather than wrapping around.