I have been getting some really nice comments about my blogs and this is so lovely. I was scared that people would just see them on their pages and push past them and in most cases this appears to not be so. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and thank you for these comments, they do make my day.
Will these be the pressies from hell?
When out with some of our friends yesterday we were fortunate to meet with one of our neighbours who is an artist and she was about to go into her studio, part of a whole complex of arts and crafts. Linda was very welcoming and asked if we would care to look around and of course we all said YES.
What a super time we had. We were amazed at just how much is being done there. There was a section where people could be taught the art of creating the most beautiful glass jewellery, so pretty we could hardly believe that we too could be shown how to do this. Onto the arts rooms where they had beginners and then progressions up to the high level my friend is now at. Other rooms were taken over to the still life paintings, one of our friends said he would volunteer, very much tongue in cheek. My husband said he would too were he to be able to be holding the hand of another model, a very beautiful naked woman! We then progressed into the small one man studios where we saw so many different styles of painting, so diverse and all so beautiful in their own forms.
On visiting my friends station she was not doing art at this moment but instead pottery. We were all stunned at the beauty, not the normal pot vases and mugs going on here but intricate hand painted bowls and busts of people, animals in all shapes and sizes and everything just sensational. I was shocked, as indeed we all were at the beauty of these and almost fell over in surprise when she told us this was only her second term of pottery. Feeling encouraged by this, though she is in fairness arty to begin with whilst I am more a clod hopping kind of girl I decided to sign up. Classes begin mid November. Bet my family are dreading this as they will be sure I shall bombard them with clumsy attempts of making pretty things. They need not worry. I shall be happy enjoying the experience. Should I be fortunate enough to throw anything worthwhile I will most likely keep it for myself as a testament to what man can do if they really try!
We were also told we could try a session of the glass making and for sure I am going to attend this one, So pretty were the things and I am assured that I shall leave with something at the end of the session,,,,,,,,, watch this space.
Colin too was impressed and he is going to enrol on a course of sketching. He felt he could never do art but a holiday whilst living in Spain with another member of his walking group proved otherwise. His friend, also called Colin, taught him a great deal about how to see perspective and to sketch and he came home with some very credible drawings. I feel sure sessions with real artists helping him to see through an artists eye will help him tremendously and we both look forward very much to these classes.
The beginning of my ph journey after diagnosis left me just lying on the sofa for a year, yes feeling sorry for myself I admit but in fairness waiting for the meds to do their work. Take heart newbies as to where I am today. Fighting ph, of course but living a life too. I am doing, or going to do things I maybe would not have ever got around to doing had I not had ph. The fact that my illness took me past this art gallery with good friends that day is a fact. Were I in really good health this would not have happened as the group I was with would not have been formed. Not only would I have missed out on such opportunities but would have missed out on the friendship of this so lovely group. Try to look for the silver lining, there generally is one.
Two minute video to help the newbies
As I always want to help and encourage the newly diagnosed I was so pleased and delighted to be asked by our PH Society if I would take part in the raising awareness for ph. This for me means a two minute video, I feel there are to be five of these in total. These videos will hopefully encourage the newbies to see that there is life after the diagnosis. I hope I use my two minutes well and that what I tell them about my experience of life after ph helps them whilst living in the world of ph. I feel sure it won't be forever so convinced am I that the cure is around the corner. On the Friday of the conference weekend I am to meet with Shaun Clayton who is the Director of Membership Support and Andrew who is the cameraman. I don't photograph well or video well so this will be a bit of a trial for me who tries desperately to avoid cameras but in this instance I am so happy to help.
Weekend away with good friends.
There is nothing nicer than being in the company of really good friends. Ones where I can feel comfortable if I am having a bad time, ones that have no great expectations of me and understand my condition can change so suddenly.
So it was that Colin and I and four of our really close friends went away for just one night to Sherwood Forest. We stayed in a nice hotel with enormous rooms and decent furnishings. On the way down we stopped off at Hardwick Hall for lunch and to look around the house. Lunch was amazing but the house, oh those stairs! I was expecting some but just how many I could not have comprehended. Did I get up them all, yes I did, did I pay the price, of course I did! The house was not to my taste being not cosy at all and filled with tapestries everywhere. I could not have ever visualised myself living here though I did love the kitchens {woman know your place} They had a lot of apples on a table of different varieties and a lady cutting us off pieces that took our fancy. We had never heard of any of these apples but believe me the blenheim ones were so delicious. We were told that we could walk into the orchard and pick a few so of course we tried. They were so high on the boughs it was impossible and when I walked under one tree and enormous one fell on my head! It was diseased though so I could not even have the joy of eating it, it was not fit for eating.
We decided to go on to the Tram Museum on the following day at Critch. Just before we arrived it happened, yes the nose bleed again. It was everywhere and it was what is called a rolling nosebleed meaning the drops were huge and thick and fast. I must confess to both of us beginning to panic as I had, on previous occasions, been admitted to hospital with such bad bleeds and had to stay in overnight. I used up all the tissues and hankies in the car and then resorted to the newspaper. My trousers and jumper were soaked and Colin was just about to take me into a cottage hospital when I felt it slowing. Just as we reached the car park of the museum it stopped. My friends came to the rescue with more tissues and wet wipes as my hands and face were covered. Not being daunted by this though we continued into the museum and had a really lovely time. Homeward bound we decided to head off over the Strines, a really lovely way to go home with the beautiful vistas all around us. We all had a thoroughly good time and are so looking forward to our next jaunt. You can't beat good friends.
Great news for our ph community
We heard that Steve Horn is home after his successful second operation to remove the clots in his lungs. Steve and Aimee have an integral place in our Facebook community and I have had the pleasure to have met them at a conference. I am so pleased and relieved to see he came through this operation in such a great state and he is now where he belongs, safe in the bosom of his family. As a father of two young children there will be huge relief all around. They are hoping to attend the conference too so that will be so lovely to meet up with them again.
Oh my word what horror is this! We don't feed our families this!
Reading the newspaper this morning I came across a snippet and a photograph. This showed the tail of a furry animal that was tipped out of a bag of frozen vegetables bought from Iceland. The mom was cooking dinner and as she looked into the pan where she had poured the veg she came across this horrible sight. In shock she threw them across the room. Hopefully nobody was in the flight path but it has put me off frozen veg for the time being. Of course the mom complained to Iceland from where she had bought these veg. She received an apology and the store asked her to return the veg and the packaging plus the foreign object. Bet she never buys that particular brand again.
Must go now as I can smell the flapjacks cooking. These are for my taxi driver Dean who does an amazing job when I am trialling to get me to and from the hospital stress free. He takes a big weight off my mind on the early morning trips and then he is always around to bring me home, well worth a few flap jacks wouldn't you agree.
Have a lovely day and hoping to meet up with many of you at the conference this coming weekend.
Carole xxxx
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