I’ve just been marvelling at your lights Christine and I’m astounded. They are stunning. You’ve done yourself and your Mam really proud. I’m really sorry your Niece and Nephew haven’t joined you. I feel sorry for your Nephew, but hopefully it will be different next week. Did I read that you would be trying again on Friday? If your Niece doesn’t want to come it’s her loss but I’m sure your Nephew would be excited. I’m sure your Niece isn’t being difficult or malicious on purpose but due to her age just lacks the maturity to consider another’s situation. I wish I could even remember being 20!
Sounds like you neighbours have surpassed themselves with their antics doesn’t it. They are in awe of you for what you can do as a female I think and it’s flummoxed them by the the sound of it. Sounds like they were being complimentary on your electrician skills between themselves in their own weird way. The Drone is a step too far, it really is. Its like an invasion of your personal space. I think I’d be stamping on it too.
You are probably right about what my Brother is doing and I think part of it as well is like what we do in trying to find a distraction but there is never a distraction that lasts long enough or is effective enough. He’s depressed as well and Im at a loss with what to do. Being the oldest the “buck” stops with me but I’m blo**y exhausted to be honest as there’s only me. (My sister and him have fallen out). Anyway enough of my boring stories
Its pelting down at the moment. Certainly putting some amount of rain down.
You’ve worked hard on your garden Christine you deserve a nice brew and a huge chunk of Red Velvet Cake!!
I just checked the side effects of my new anti depressants I take. (They have changed the brand and I did not notice.) I have just checked, they gave me Citalopram. - Perhaps I will feel better soon when I stop taking the tablets.
Here is the list of the side effects one can have: fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, agitation, hallucinations, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, coma (loss of consciousness) hives or blisters, rash.
Here are the side effect I had: sweating, confusion, fast and irregular heartbeat, muscle stiffness and twitching, some hallucinations, some coordination problems (I sometimes trip over my own feet.), some nausea, some diarrhea, but, it could have be the TV dinners.
I had some side effect that are not on the list: burning skin, I also smelled something that was not in the room, cannot even describe it but it never lasts long. (I do categorize the smell as a hallucination.) I will find out when I stop taking the tablets. - Perhaps my coordination problems will get better also.
Hi Alison.
Thank you. After feeling very sorry for myself! I decided to collect them anyway, grabbing a chippy on the way back so that my nephew wasn’t too upset. Couldn’t have done it because of the bursts of heavy rain. But they loved the lights and the deers. We had fun watching youtube clips with icecream. Will try again Fri after school. Will add spiders and cobwebs to the pathway up to the burners. Feel so much better after seeing them. It’s such a shame about the weather but can’t be helped. I was really exhausted when I left to pick them up but feeling better now. My niece had an appointment and the boyfriend was with her because his granddad died and so he was off work. I just wish she would tell me what is going on and not leaving it until the last minute.
I do hope the rain stays away for your walk on Sunday. Looking forward to the pics.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Tina,
Glad to see you have a better connection, and you did make me laugh with the red velvet cake. Think I’ll get one in for Friday. I was just saying to Alison I felt so close to tears and was ready to just give up but then thought of how disappointed my nephew would be to not come over and so I collected them and we had fun inside with a chippy tea and icecream. It seems my niece wasn’t being difficult but fails to tell me what is happening before the actual day. And her boyfriend was off work because his grandad has just died. I’m not clairvoyant! We had fun and I know my nephew enjoyed it because I got a cuddle through the window when I was dropping them off. Bless! Will add some giant spiders in the arches up the path for Friday. I can hear the rain pounding now. They loved the lights and the deer. I wanted to see their reaction but I was in the sitting room turning it all on when they were already in the garden. I’ll have the other extension box sorted with another two lights for behind the pond for next time. I am pleased with the lights. It’s taken a lot of work but it’s worth it. I’ll be enjoying them all winter. Not looking forward to the electric bill!
I’m not surprised you are exhausted with your brother. He needs something or someone to help him through his grief. His angry outbursts are driving you all away from him when he really just needs a massive cuddle. All you can do is be there and tread carefully. Tina your news is never boring. But you could accuse quite a few of my garden jobs as being very boring! I do like to document every stage of my progress.
Really tired again now so I’ll see you tomorrow hun.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Nick,
I was given Citalopram years ago but I gave up because they didn’t have any impact on my anxiety and the side effects were worse than just having the panic attacks themselves. Sounds like you would be better suited to something else. It can take a while to find something that works for you. It’s not worth persevering with something when they make you feel so unwell. If you let your GP know about the side effects he can choose something different. It will be worth getting it sorted in the long term.
The rain is pounding now. My Halloween party was a no go but I still had a good time with the kids at mine. Was going to give up completely but glad I didn’t.
Really tired now so I’ll see you later hun.
Lots of love xxx
Just reading about your antidepressant experience. When I lost my Husband I was given them all at different times but took none of them. Not because I didn’t need them more because I was scared of them and still am. Scared of them altering my perception of who I am and life in general. But I can also see what you mean about the side effects, they are pretty nasty aren’t they. Its hard to know what to do for the best isn’t it.
Warm wishes to you Nick
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Just read thay you got to meet up after all. That’s great… Did you get to see your Sister when you collected them?
Went to bed so early and now I’m wide awake! Can’t sleep these days in any particular pattern!
Hope it’s not raining later I’ve got to chop some kindling. It lasts no time at all. We are having logs delivered next week so I’ll be shifting that too! I should be slim and fit but I’m not!
I did all the front of the house a couple of days ago, weeding etc. will do a bit more today weather permitting.
Will still have to ring talk talk later as the new router doesn’t go as far as the other so this “upgrade” has been the opposite. Nothing new there then.
I’m glad for you that you got some enjoyment out of Saturday after all.
Much love xx
Hi Christine
Glad to hear that niece & nephew did get their chippy/ice cream tea & got to see all your hard work & lights. Shame that it rained. It would have helped if your niece had told you what was going on, you might not have been quite so upset if you had been told the full story.
Great that you are re-visiting Halloween on Friday with your nephew, with more decorations. That is something for you to look forward to.
We are not going out for lunch today. But I do plan on doing the walk around the village, will take some pics. Forecast for the weather later is not too bad, it will make a nice change for it not to rain. It seems to have rained every day since I got back home, so gloomy & grey.
Household chores for me this morning. At least I don’t have to cut the grass.
Hope you have a good day.
Lots of love, Alison xx
You are probably back in bed now, snoozing. This clock changing upsets my sleep rhythm - I will probably be snoozing on the sofa this evening by 8.30pm. My sleep pattern is terrible anyway.
Hope you manage to get you kindling chopped today.
Household chores for me today, oh what joy. Then a walk around the village later in the afternoon to look at the Halloween decorations.
Hope you have a good day.
Lots of love, Alison xx
Hi Tina,
Yes, I enjoyed having them over and they enjoyed themselves too. Will try again Fri but if it’s raining again I’ll just show them my pics and we can do it another time. Doesn’t have to be Halloween to do the candles and toastings. I need to relax and not get so upset about things. Like my niece not doing my reference for the RSPCA. I’ve reminded her again. It will get done. God knows when! But I have reminded her that I can’t have any cats until she does it. I never see my sister when I collect them. I wait in the car. She never comes out. She is the one who refuses to speak to me. Don’t even know why.
I was hoping to get my hole drilled for the pond lights extension (it’s set up in the box but needs to get into the house and not through the open window) but it’s raining again. Very dull. But the birds are loving the treats. Been watching them for hours at the window. I enjoy my morning coffees now, relaxing, starting the day with the birds. It’s hard to get going but when I do I’m in a getting things done frenzy! Already caught up with Debbie and done an order for The Modern Milkman, a new thing that came round last week. Quite pricey but I will choose carefully as a treat to myself. Back on the oat milk to lower my cholesterol.
Will you be dashing out between showers to get the weeding done? Every little helps. And it will be worth it when you aren’t slipping on grass / weeds whenever you venture out. Still waiting for my garden plants to arrive. Hope it’s soon as I will have to pot into bigger pots (ready and waiting) and don’t fancy the weather turning from wet to cold and getting snow! I’m determined to look for pansies / violas today and get an order sorted. Been bugging me for weeks.
Sounds like your upgrade is an absolute nightmare! I saw signs up along the road about the full fibre coming here and thought of you with yours. Not looking forward to it one bit. Tech is great when it’s working but when it’s not I become enraged! No patience at all. It means I will be cut off and won’t have any food if I can’t get an online shop. The internet is quite literally my lifeline because f my anxiety about going into a shop and feeling trapped. I did very well going in the chippy and the quick Tesco for bits but I had the kids with me. Boosts the confidence when I’m not on my own and feeling vulnerable.
Hope today goes well. I was up before 9 and still not dressed yet. I’m sleeping well again. Comes in waves, hand in hand with grief. Sleep deprivation and grief are best buddies. I really do suggest you try Zopiclone through your GP, just to get you into some sleep. It helped me when I needed it. And getting back into a routine means you no longer need the tablets. Not sleeping leaves me feeling like a zombie.
The fierce starlings are back. They chase everyone else away, apart from the baby squirrel rummaging through the mix to find nuts and sunflower seeds. It’s so addictive sitting here watching them. And my little Porsch is with me in her photo. Makes me smile but also cry.
Good luck with those logs. If that was me I would refuse to do it and make it a mans job! (that is hard to say when I am the man and woman of my house!) Get your bro busy with that axe. If he is given a task that is just for him he might actually do it. See how long you have to leave it before he gets busy. And if he doesn’t do it there will be no fire. He’ll soon jump to it if he’s cold. I can just imagine coming round and being a pain, pestering him about getting things done. He’d hate me! How’s he doing now? Any let up in the anger? He needs to find something that calms him, or someone. A special lady who won’t take his nonsense and can give it back to him just as fierce.
Have you been doing any nice things recently with your sparkly bits and bobs? I never did get my garden sparkles made in the summer. That is on my to do list for Spring! Immersing myself in what I enjoy takes away all the clutter from my head. I have 50 new textiles waiting for me to finish over the winter months. So my aim is to be done for Spring so I can get them photographed and then added to the website and do one a day on Instagram. I let all that slide when mam left because I was in the midst of upgrading the website. Can’t bear to look at it now. But I will. Have to if my work is ever to be seen and not just created and stored away. Not looking forward to doing the pics though at the side of the house with, I’m sure, a captive audience! You can just imagine it. All the weirdo’s I am surrounded by who are obsessed with everything I do. Will have to get my niece over to help me just to keep them away.
Hope the rain stops so I can drill that hole. Off to finally get dressed now. Been on the laptop for about 3 hours!
Lots of love xxx
Hi Alison,
Yes, I was just saying, we all enjoyed last night and even if it does rain again Fri I won’t get too upset and will play it by ear with the rain. I have to learn to relax and not get so wound up. My niece is very slow (not literally! she’s very clever) in telling me anything. So I have to try to be mindful that she has her own life going on and I will fit into it along with everyone else. I’ll leave the lights out and replace with battery operated ones or electric (as I have one spare plug on the extension box) to line the path up the garden and adorn the table in light for xmas and winter. I love looking onto the garden, watching the birds etc. I use the natural light to do my sewing / textiles and I’m already planning on getting work finished that I started last winter (for my Womanhood Collection). If it’s ready by Spring and I have good light I will get cracking photographing it all to add to my website. That is a job I keep putting off doing because I was busy upgrading it when mam left and haven’t been able to face it again. But I must. Will try to work on that too over the winter. I find planning ahead not only gets me organised but I feel much more in control with a daily schedule. And I’ll be able to fit in an exercise routine too. Breaking up the sewing is necessary or I’ll sit there for hours not moving! Might need to sort an eye test and new specs before I get going on it.
Enjoy your walk this after and take lots of pics. I’m intrigued with you living in a village. We lived beside Salisbury in a tiny village when we first moved south, before coming to London. I remember getting my roots dyed white ( used to be very glam!) by the local hairdresser and it turned green! Luckily a treatment sorted it out but I was beside myself! I was quite the barbie doll but so much happier now in my kaftans and natural look. I never thought I would grow old (always had a real fear about it) but I’ve settled into my middle age quite well.
I’m going to dash while the rain has stopped and the sun is coming out. Still in my pj’s. Determined to get that hole drilled for the pond extension lead. When I have a goal there’s nothing much will stop me achieving it!
Lots of love xxx
Hi Christine,
Glad you enjoyed last night & all of you had a nice time. Hopefully you will get to have another nice night on Friday.
Since losing Rich I find I get really wound up about things & seem to worry a lot more about silly things, and I have lots of anger. Weird how your personality can change when you lose someone.
Glad you are feeling able to plan your textile work and hopefully start working on it soon. If you get your eyes tested don’t bother with VisionExpress, not at all impressed with them or their customer service.
Been busy all morning, washing, sorting & selling stuff. Now sat watching a Christmas film. I hate Christmas now, but love crappy Christmas films - work that one out??
Love my village, we lived in York for a few years, but we were both from villages so we moved to one at the other side of York 28 years ago. Then moved here to be nearer to mum & dad as dad’s Parkinson’s was getting worse. So glad we moved here, in spite of what happened - it is a lovely, friendly village. So much nicer than where we lived before.
I still try & be glam, even in my charity shop finds. Not glam at all today though slobbing in leggings & a big fleece. Will get changed before I go for my walk. Hoping it doesn’t rain.
Hope you manage to get your hole drilled for the pond extension lead.
Speak later. Lots of love xx
Had just an amazing couple of nights and the ghost walk was brilliant x
We had two booked but because we turned up 1 minute late to the first one they wouldn’t let us in!! Have sent in a complaint as the officious wee cow wouldn’t refund us either so not losing £112 for 1 minute!! Let’s see what happens lol x
The second walk was under the streets of Edinburgh in old passageways and it was spooky as hell. One of the rooms I had to actually leave cause I felt so dizzy x great time x
The concert last night was like just the best. Not my first time seeing them but best I’ve seen them for a while and what an awesome set x
Car should get fixed tomorrow so that should be good as I’m sure I wake people up when I’m driving about at midnight lol x
Hope today is going to plan as you deserve to have a lovely Halloween with your niece and nephew x
I love the photos of the trees and I love taking photos of them x
Don’t know why but my typing screen here has now gone black and it makes it very hard to see what I’ve typed so apologies in advance for the mistakes lol x
Next week a friend and I are going to see Steve Backshall talk about his new book and seen him talk many times and he’s such an inspiration to adults and kids imo…also pretty easy on the eye lol x
Look forward to hearing about your Halloween event as I will wait until Tuesday to observe Samhain…my favourite sabbat of the year x
Hi Christine,
Well the spooky trail in the village was a big disappointment. Apparently you need to buy a map and walk round it during the daytime, not that spooky in the daytime in my eyes. But hey ho, guess the kids are in bed now & it is geared more towards the kids than adults.
A couple of photos attached. The spookiest thing was the moon. Well had a walk, so not a total waste of time.
Went to Paignton on the train, I paddled in the sea, there was loads of seaweed on the beach as day before it had been really rough seas.
Also played crazy golf.
Hi Alison
This morning seems so far away now that I can’t remember what time I was up in the night, a few times at least but I didn’t get up very early at just gone 8ish I think. Couldn’t start chopping at that time so had to wait till 10am in case any neighbours were having a lie in!!!
As it happened my Brother decided he’d buy an electric saw from Screwfix this morning so he cut them up in no time and I just chopped with the axe when they were cut in smaller pieces! Its not something I’ll use myself however as I’m clumsy and it would be far too risky.
At least if you got all your household chores done you can start Monday with a clean slate and your time will be your own.
Hope you have something nice lined up tomorrow. I’m supposed to be going to an Antique and Curiosity store tomorrow with my Sister. It’s quite well known in the North called Bygone Times so we will see as plans have a habit of taking on a life of their own don’t they .
Much love xx
Hope you have been ok this evening with all the stuff you’ve been doing.
Before Friday I would be tempted to text your Niece and ask her to bring the Reference for the RSPCA with her or she could do it when she gets to your House. I think you are going to have to put your foot down with a firm hand or it just won’t get done. I have no room to talk as I’m the best procrastinator ever but I can see how happy a little presence in the house would make you and it seems a shame to delay now you’ve decided.
I was saying to Alison I only got up around 8am. So had two hours doing indoor jobs before I sawed a few pieces, didn’t want to wake the neighbours. Then he decided to go to Screwfix to buy a circular saw so he cut the rest and I chopped with the axe! I can imagine you are a dab hand with power tools. I lack confidence and I am very clumsy so I’ll not be using it lol.
No I haven’t done anything sparkly outside yet since early Summer, just can’t get motivated. I spend about 30mins every day on Pinterest in awe of all the crafts that I want to make but at the moment that’s as far as it’s got. I have done one or two bits for indoors though.
No he’s just as angry I’m afraid. Part of it comes from the Doctors not explaining these results to him so he went in and they ended up giving him a 30minute appt for this Thursday which is like triple gold dust to get an appt at all, so I hope he doesn’t lose his temper.
Violas can be so pretty in huge clusters. They always remind me of cute kitten faces bobbing about in the breeze! I remember when I first bought some gigantic pansies many moons ago now and how taken aback I was with them. Simple pleasures bring the most happiness sometimes don’t they.
I might get the chance to go to an Antique and Curiosity store tomorrow. My sister asked me earlier but whether it transpires into a reality I don’t know. Will just have to see.
I’ll drop by tomorrow and tell you about it if I do go lol.
Much love xx
Hi Tina
Glad you managed to get your kindling chopped up. Now your brother has bought his circular saw he might do the job for you in future. Like you I would not want to use an electric saw, too clumsy by far.
Nothing special lined up for today, might go for a drink this evening to see Alan. Shop this morning.
Just looked at the weather forecast for the week on-line - rain every day. I was hoping to get some more pruning done, but the bushes I am attempting to prune are quite high and I end up getting soaked. So will probably leave it until the weather gets better.
I love antique shops. Antiquing was one of our hobbies, fairs & shops - don’t do it now. Plus I have ended up selling a lot of what we bought, we used to buy things as investments for our retirement fund. I sold a lot of silver the other week at an auction house.
I really hope you manage to get to the antique shop today with your sister.
Lots of love, Alison xx
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Well had a walk, so not a total waste of time.
