Hi Tina,
Fab that you got the rug finished! Would love to see it. I got quite a bit sorted today with choosing fabrics for a series for my Womanhood Collection, getting boxes down from the loft and sorting through all the offcuts from previous projects. They say a change is as good as a rest and I do feel energised because I’ve achieved something today. Have to measure, cut and pin it all now. Quite a task and then they all need hand stitching. I get bored doing the same thing each day so I work on different projects at the same time so they are at different stages in development to keep the creative juices flowing. Will try for a swim tomorrow and then get cracking again, hopefully.
That is a real shame having to get your rings cut off. You could take them to a jeweller to get a bit attached to extend the size. You could also wear them on a chain round your neck. Mam had to stop wearing her rings because she had arthritis too and her fingers swelled up. The weather / heat and cold can affect the joints. Be good to get a test done to rule it out.
Zoe loves pinching your things because its a game to her when you have to get them back off her. Sounds like you’re her favourite playmate! Porscha may be demanding for food and attention but she’s quite contained (when she’s not being sick on purpose!) I’ve noticed Hilda 2 runs and hides under the filter when I go in the room, and at feeding time. Hope she doesn’t think I’m going to take her away. She’s settled down nicely.
Thinking of doing a stained glass window image for the diamond art kit. Mam would have loved doing it. Will have a look at my photos but also Google for really old Cathedral windows. I’ll add it to the shrine as a permanent feature because mam believed in Heaven. Sometimes she feels very far away from me. It’s like I can’t get out of my sleep fog. Had to check what day it was today. I’m so lost with being so tired all the time.
Going to have a quick look on Tik Tok for the diamond art kits.
Lots of love xxx
Hi everyone
Had a great , if a bit tiring ( in a good way) day yesterday.
First stop was one of my bucket list venues, the Garden Cinema which is a delightful hidden gem tucked away down a side road in near Holborn tube. Saw the film Tar and Cate Blanchett should be a certainty for an Oscar playing the fictional conductor whose life slowly unravels.
Then on to the West End show top of my must see list. Jersey Boys lived up to my expectations. Bargain seat made it even better. I do like the Four Seasons music. We were allowed to sing and dance for the final number!
Included a few pics.
Sending you all love and best wishes
Neil x
First Garden Cinema
And pics from Jersey Boys
Hi all, happy Friday!
@NEILB72 I love the look of the Garden Cinema. Very deco style and those geometric shapes inspire me as would look great in fused glass.
@christine51 yes definitely keeping busy though my concentration is just poop (I blame meno brain mixed with grief fog!). But doing lots of little tasks at work helps and also nice that so many if them at the moment are creative and you have something nice to look at at the end.
Can’t remember if I told you but my boss in Spain, who has been so wonderfully supportive of me, sadly lost her Dad between Christmas and New Year so I’ve been returning that support and my grief wisdom if there is such a thing.
The crochet, definitely more fun the chunkier wool you use! Made this pattern up as I went along to make this scarf for my Mum’s cousin
Now I am going some simple granny squares and will join them together to make a massive blanket for myself.
I’ve started watching The Last of Us - can’t beat a bit of dystopian apocalypse!
Some more emails to finish up and then back to my crochet (I think I may be addicted 
)
Beki xx
@NEILB72 i am in love with that cinema 
I must look it out when I’m down in June as just so quaint 
I have heard she is excellent in the film and although I reckon Brendan Fraser is an almost certainty for the male role Oscar she may get the ladies (or is that a thing nowadays that they separate them 
) x
Never seen jersey boys but glad you enjoyed it as I know my mum and her friend loved it as they really like that era music x
Really nice to hear of you having a great day out and really hoping the weather doesn’t turn like the forecasters are saying it might x
What have you got planned for the weekend? I’m catching up with a friend tomorrow and we’re going to get brunch…feel so sophisticated lol x then up the Loch in the afternoon x. On holiday this week so going to have a ‘do what I want to’ week and if that means not even getting dressed then so be it lol x
Anyway love seeing the photos and hearing about your day out.
Take care and much love x
Hi Christine:)
Her driving lesson went well and apparently we have another one on Tuesday lol x
I heard about the AutumnWatch and think it’s about the sett at Edinburgh zoo…a very well established one I believe x
Your next craft venture sounds interesting and you may know an answer to this. Cal keeps scraping off all the wallpaper in my kitchen and hall just cause he is a dick lol so I thought about putting up sisal rope on those bits of the wall so if he scratches them no more damage done but what do you think I should put the sisal up with? I don’t want to use a strong glue or sealant or that cause when I want to take it down I don’t want the plaster damaged….you any ideas what I could use? x
The bad weather forecast for next month can bugger off as I am so sick of all this weather and yes I got petrol money for having to go to the other store x I’m heading to another one on Monday so will get more expenses lol x
I do hope you have managed to get a swim as it does seem to do you well. I was taking through some of mum’s things today but must of lifted something in an odd way as my back is niggling a bit so gonna have a bit cake x
Take care and chat soon 
x
I think shrines are a lovely idea! have my husband’s ashes home with me. The plan is - when I go, his ashes will be placed with me & then both our ashes scattered in our favourite holiday destination.
With his agreement I have arranged to have a necklace made with his ashes.
Am also having a teddy (so I can cuddle him) & a picture made including his ashes.
I am slowly building a ‘shrine’ for him.
Also planning a tribute tattoo for him (not a photo or his name - he wouldn’t want that)
See may feel that’s extreme? … Me, no, he was/is my soulmate x
Hi everyone
Had another frustrating week at work, auto ordering for toner has failed on the new photocopiers. We tried doing a manual order and the company keeps cancelling it as we had auto order. So today both of my copiers have ground to a halt as they need toner. This is not doing my blood pressure any good. I just rang the engineer and asked him if he could get me a emergency supply. See what happens Monday.
@NEILB72, what an interesting cinema you went to. I remember Doug and I went to a quaint timber built one in Frome on our honeymoon, I would imagine it’s not there now. Last year on holiday in Cornwall went to one in Wadebridge, the seats were so lovely and plush inside, real retro. We had gone to see the latest Thor film, I do like a bit of Chris Hemsworth.
I’ve not seen the Jersey Boys, my friend has been and said it was good. I sorry to hear about your friend’s results from his hospital appointment, but like you said they have caught it early and I hope he doesn’t have to wait long for treatment.
@christine51 I’m intreaged by you womanhood collection. It reminded me of when my daughter had a sex education lesson at school. Her teacher got this giant piece of paper and asked the class to shout out all the slang names they used for both male and female body parts, you can image what they come up with. He was a lovely teacher, the kids loved him, he’s retired now.
I’ve started my Harry Potter jigsaw at last, struggling to get the border to join up, so moved to the middle with the faces. I had to glue two A3 box lids together as my table isn’t big enough. The puzzle is a panoramic view almost metre long.
It will take me a while, Doug was the jigsaw king in our house, a talent he has passed onto our daughter. She often completes a thousand piece in a couple of days.
It’s my eldest granddaughter’s 18th birthday today, she is having a party for family and friends tomorrow at local SASC. Doug would be so disappointed he didn’t see her become a lovely young women.
Our youngest granddaughter is getting a gekko soon, she wanted a snake, her dad and mum said no, this is a comprise.
Catch up with you all again later.
Sending love
Debbie xx
Hi Neil
Sounds like a fab time you had!
The photos of the the Garden Cinema are quite interesting. The outside looks 50/60’s but the inside looks 40’s. The outside picture looks brilliant it’s like it’s straight out of a modern history book.
Bet you’ve already got the next one planned!
Much love xx
Hi Debbie
Love the little theatre. Looks intriguing but not so small looking inside
xx
Photo looks a bit dark and murky as flash wouldn’t come on. It looks much better in reality!
Hi Christine
Just thought I’d drop a picture of my completed rug. I’d finished just before I’d well and truly wrecked my fingers. Fingers haven’t got any better but no worse either which is a positive! Just feel bad though now after cutting my wedding ring off and wondering if I’d have waited whether it would have been necessary or not. But we can all be wise, or at least less stupid after the event. I’ll know better next time!
Had a text this morning for a blood test
It’s for Diabetes and they have been sending one to everyone over a certain age so I have booked that one in. I don’t fancy haviñg Diabetes and not knowing about it.
Hope you are ok today. Did you pick a diamond art? I believe you can get one made from your own photos but I’m not sure I’d do that myself.
I’ll say hi again tomorrow as I must go and see if Zoe will wee and then I’m gonna go bed I think.
Take care, speak soon
Much love xx
Hi Neil,
Brilliant you were allowed to dance for the final bit! Tina was right about dusting off your dancing shoes. Always love seeing your pics and fab that you crossed another off the old bucket list. I like the Garden Cinema with it’s vintage decor. Is it 50’s or 20’s? Love the carpet! I think it’s amazing that you continue to enjoy what you love. I’ve said it before - an inspiration to us all. You certainly know your way around London now. Do you still collect all the flyers? You must have a great chunk of them now. You could collect them all in a scrap book. Something to enjoy between your outings. Anything booked up for the coming weeks? And do you still chat with your ballet friends? Hope so. I suppose it goes a bit quiet after xmas.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Becki,
Love your colours for the scarf. I learned to crochet when I was about 3. I would do the little centre pieces and mam would finish the granny squares. I wrap myself in the massive blanket she made years and years ago with all the bits and bobs of wool. I keep meaning to repair it and did buy some wool but still haven’t refreshed my technique (you tube video still waiting for me). I love crochet especially because it is so effective and very soothing with the repetition. Have you chosen your colour palette for the blanket? Check out lovecrafts.com for offers on all sorts of wools with a good colour range.
Saying you made it up as you went along reminds me of the Starsky and Hutch wool cardy jackets my Grandma made me and my sister just from watching the telly. She could recreate any pattern, especially the intricate Fairisle. So clever. We come from a generation of women who were so gifted. If they were young today they’d have their own businesses and be selling on Etsy.
Got another batch of patchwork surrounds cut and pinned. Takes forever and I didn’t get started until 2 because I got up so late. Every time I get settled Porscha demands food or wants to be out or sits on my work. She ended up vomming in the kitchen because I told her to wait.
Will you be doing the RSPB online thing over the weekend?
You are kind to take your boss under your wing. She’ll need all the support she can get, especially trying to keep the business going. Can’t begin to imagine how she keeps focused. I find I’m ok when I actually pic up a piece of work to do but it’s getting to that point that is the hardest.
Will have a look at The Last of Us. I love end of the world stuff. Sure I’ve heard of it. Have so little motivation at the mo I’m not even into watching films. Just need to snap out of it but can’t. Like you said, brief fog.
Enjoy your crochet! You could create a fabulous gold blanket for a bit of luxury. Mam made herself a little gold bolero when I was little. I rescued it from her things. Very glam.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Suzanne,
Why you off to another store on Monday if you’re having a week off? They don’t half take the mick!
Great idea about the rope for Cal. A free standing thing would be good. Imagine a chunky boot rack - buy and cut up a chunky fence post into 4 pieces (2 long and 2 short to create an oblong) and secure them together (using 8 metal corner brackets on the inside and 8 on the outside edges). Wrap the rope around the structure and secure with metal tacks. Or you could stitch the rope using a thick thread. . A modern version of the old fire screens. An organic rustic creation. And the more Cal scratches the greater the textural effect. You could easily secure to the wall with a small drill hole (plug / screw) to the central section just so it is held in place and Cal doesn’t pull it over if he gets really excited! Really easy to create. It’s the same as when I cut the garden table down and reattached the legs. I posted pics in the summer.
Another thought is wrapping the rope around a large frame, instead of making one. But whatever you use as a structure I do think you’ll have to attach it in some way unless it is very heavy so Cal doesn’t pull it down on himself. You could twist it through Apollo’s cage at one end to create a woven structure. The winding or weaving through is the same principle. It’s the structure you have to be thoughtful of. A small table with tall legs would also work.
Hope the weather holds off for you up at the Loch and for the driving lessons. Haven’t been swimming any more. Have lost my oomph.
Off to watch something gory.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Debbie
Sorry to hear youve had a frustrating week . I can quite understand. I find I can get frustrated and upset over the slightest thing now where I didnt before when Mum was here. I have been told thats normal but what is normal any more ?
Loving your cinema pics too. I think the smaller venues have that extra character about them that multiplexes dont and they screen a far more varied range of films too.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x
Hi Tina
The Garden Cinema proving quite popular when I posted on social media. When people mention a bucket list for London they usually list all the big name places ( although I have one or two of them on my list too) and the tourist traps. I like to discover some of the more interesting and unusual places , the hidden gems.
Got a classical concert booked in a couple of weeks at another bucket list venue but will post more about that nearer the time
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x
Hi Christine
Jersey Boys is such an uplifting show. Been on my list for ages so delighted Ive seen it at long last. Mum knew I really wanted to see it.
The Garden Cinema is a real hidden gem and its nice to discover somewhere like that and recommend to others. Its tucked right away down a side road.
Still speak to my ballet friends. Theyve just been on a break after the Nutcracker at Xmas. They are starting Sleeping Beauty now but I have seen that in recent years so wont be seeing it this time. Looking forward to the new production of Cinderella near my birthday with so many grear casts.
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x
Debbie the one in Frome was still there a couple of years ago as mum and I went to see like Toy Story 4 in it lol c
