Something To Make Your Hair Stand On End (But in a good way)

I love this aria.

It was playing as I walked in to marry my husband.

Ups & Downs of Life

Lovely breakfast this morning, a quiet moment without negativity or worry invading my thoughts. These moments are part of the simple joys of life. The aches and pains that have been with me since my 'little accident' in the garden a while back, have started to fade. This was a big contribution to my gayer mood.

Yesterday had not been blessed with the same cheery start. My ole Puss has been unwell since December, her kidneys are failing her. We'd had an emergency dash to the vets on Easter Monday and she has been back another couple of times last week. The night before last I had convinced myself she might not make it to the morning. I slept for a few hours and was up at 5.30 sitting with her thinking that it would be the day we would take her to the vets for the last time. I called the vet and explained, and made an appointment for mid morning. In truth I had been sitting quietly sobbing next to her for a good hour or so. She has been with us for nearly eighteen years, and my do I love that cat.

Well it was as though she heard the call and decided, actually I do want to eat, and I do want to get out of my bed, oh and I fancy running up the stairs to the top where I quite fancy rucking up the carpet with my very sharp claws.
There was a possibility that she had rallied.

Her lovely vet Clare gave her a steroid injection and told her to drink more water. So the ole puss came home with us for a wee while longer. She's in good spirits today and has had a tour of the garden and is now warming her old bones in the sun.

 We're hoping she makes it to her eighteenth birthday on May 13th. We have promised her a banquet.

A Couple of Purchases

I think many of us are without much of an income at the moment and also not really spending on anything other than essential items.

But I have made a couple of cheerfulness purchases which I thought I would share with you.

Firstly.

A delightful bevy of Phalaenopsis orchids. (Yes, I had trouble saying that too). I saw the offer on Twitter, just £20.00 including delivery, which I though was very reasonable. And of course they will last much longer than cut flowers. They are smallish plants but really pack a punch of colour in this corner of one of our smaller rooms. They make me smile every time I walk past them. Britsh grown and available here.https://www.loveorchids.co.uk/

Second purchase was from one of my all time favourite independent book sellers. Much Ado Books.

Beautifully wrapped, with a few special extras. Hand printed bookmark, hand printed Hen gift tag, organic teabag for a cuppa and some seeds to plant some trees. What an absolute joy to recieve such a package. And of course I'm very excited to receive my copy of Barn 8, which seems to be an extraordinary book.

Kimono My House

When I have the time and funds I quite often pop down to London to take in a couple of exhibitions, and if I can I might also have a bit of nosh at The Wolseley in Piccadilly. If you have never been, do go, it's an experience in its self. It used to be an old car showroom, hence it's name.

I can recommend the Haddock Monte Carlo, don't you just love that name? Anyhoo I digress.

So many chances at the moment to 'step' into museums, theatres and exhibitions that we can't physically visit. One that has caught my eye is the 'Kimono: Kyoto To Catwalk, exhibition which should now be open to folk at the V&A.

On the V&A website you will find lots of gorgeous images and if you scroll down the pages there are some extra visuals and information.

One of my favourite people who can really rock a Kimono is Angel Strawbridge of  Escape To The Chateau fame. Doesn't she look a picture?

Poor Dog

My hubby just showed me this. It really hurts when I laugh...

The Old Ways - A little Bit of Magic - And a Little Accident

Today started on a very positive note dear reader, as I languished in bed with a cup of tea and one of my favourite books of all time. I felt entirely removed from the nagging fear of covid 19. The book in question?

It's the kind of story that gives you a warm feeling when you read it. A nostalgic magical tale of friendship and hope. I read it many years ago and remembered that I loved it to bits, but as luck would have it failed to remember the full story line. (You know that feeling surely?)

The making of magical charms, potions and the wine of the book title, woven through the lives of the characters in the book, is immensely evocative and heart warming.

I would heartily recommend it, as I'm sure there are lots of us reading and re-reading books at the moment, such an escape from the relentless news.

If you fancy something a little bit more creative, I would like to share a crafty idea from an Australian blogger Pip Lincolne, she writes a very upbeat blog full of interesting ideas and projects.

At the moment there is a free pattern and instructions on making an Easy Peasy crochet blanket. I think even if you have never crocheted before, you could give this a go and meet with success.

After breakfast, feeling tippity top, I popped out to pick up a prescription for a friend who has torn a ligament in her leg. No sooner had I returned from said mercy dash, and after commiserating with my chum at length about suffering additional pain at this worrying time, what did I do? Tripped over some large wires in our dishelleved garden  and am now suffering similar aches. Ah me, just when you think things are going well. What a bloomin nuisance.

Keep safe dear reader.

Hand Sanitiser Blues

                                                             

I haven't seen hand sanitiser in the shops since the chaos began. It is a worry. I'm only leaving the house once a week to get food and having some sanitiser is one of the things that can take some of the stress out of the trip.

My son who is staying with us for the duration suggested we make some. Wow, it hadn't occured to me that could be a possibility. I did some research and apparently you need three things. Surgical spirit, which I managed to order on line, aloe vera gel and lavender oil, which I already had. I dug out some blue glass bottles that I also had and set to making up a batch.

Now I'm not putting a recipe on here as I can't guarantee it would be as effective as a shop bought product, and I don't want to put myself in the firing line, the information is there for you to find on line if you want to, but for me I figure hand made sanitiser has to be better than none at all.

Has anyone else made their own?