Sooooo Sorry!!!

Our hearts cannot understand

how

in this day

such an awful attack should have happened

to ordinary people

enjoying an evening of music.

There are no words to convey what is in our hearts.

To all affected

not just those who were there

but the wider society

of families, friends neighbourhoods

and those dealing with the awful aftermath

we send our heartfelt love

and support!

Sunrise over the mountains.

A start of a lovely day!

Today...

We had to travel

100 miles to the hospital where 

I had major ankle surgery

last December

for my final check up.

The surgeon is very pleased and

I've been discharged

so that is good.

What is even more good 

is that for the first time in 9 years

I can walk without crutches.

Something to celebrate!!

I have continued doing voluntary work

at a local castle.

I started last year just to get me out of the house and

meeting people again

and loved it!!

Last year I also

started training as one of the 

Castle Guides.

I have always loved visiting

the castle and its

beautiful grounds.....

in fact...

I have shared many photos from

the gardens in the past.

So it is a no-brainer

that I love 

introducing people to

the castle

and its history!

As we walk through the arch

and see the start

of a castle built

in 1300s

the story unfolds....

It was actually attacked

in the Civil War

and there are many

tales

of rich and famous!

What else has been happening??

Well

I had a pergola in the back yard.

The operative word being HAD.

I decided to strip

all the plants and climbing roses off it

as they had gone 

well past it.

I went to work

and came home to discover

that hubby had decided to'help' me!

Which apparently meant

firing an arrow 

over it to carry rope

and then attaching it to the car to pull

et voila!!

A half down pergola

He pulled the rest down the next day!

Such a good help.....

NOT!!

My university course

starts again this weekend.

As you may remember, it is a distance learning one.

I was in my fourth year last year

but

was so unwell 

after my ankle op .....

that

I just couldn't keep up

and had to defer to this year!

I love the history component and probably

could have managed that

but the Latin

I just floundered at!

Ah well

Let's hope I do better this year !!

I am continuing to 

enjoy working in my planners...

decorating etc

Especially in my TNs.

I enjoy finding quirky pictures 

and sayings to use

I particularly enjoy

using questions from people like

@theresetgirl

to stimulate thoughts and ideas!

So....

that's me....

at the moment.

What about you.....?

I think it's time that I closed the computer

and started visiting!

 

 

 

September Already!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I last posted at the end of May...

 

I fondly imagined

that I was going to start blogging again

at least weekly!!

 

But ....

within a few days....

I was back in hospital......

this time for 2 weeks!

 

 

It was all a bit shocking

as ....

I had taken my husband for an appointment

to investigate whether he had had

a TIA a few days before....

 

My asthma was not good....

but

it happens!

 

 

The registrar took one look at me....

practically pushed my husband out of the way....

took out his stethoscope....

and told me he was admitting me immediately...

shouted for a nurse to get a wheel chair.

 

 

So.....

I was in hospital for 2 weeks!

 

I didn't get to answer your lovely comments.

 

I am soooooo sorry!

 

 



 

 

 

It was so encouraging to read.......

that so many remembered me..

and had been wondering what had happened to me!

 

Thank you all so very much!

 

I intend to try to post more often ....

and visit....

and reply to your comments!

 

This last time in hospital was such a shock

as I thought that at last

I had finished with all the orthopaedic operations.

 

I was off crutches for the first time in

9 years....

and then.....

I ended up back in hospital!!

Ah me....

 

These pictures were taken yesterday.

It was a lovely afternoon

so we enjoyed the sunshine in the

walled garden

of a local castle.

 

 

How has the summer been for everyone?

I have to say

that, here in Wales,

it has not been very good.

Have felt so sorry for the holiday makers.....

particularly those with young children!

 

The coast is wonderful in good weather......

but it must be awful trying to entertain

young children

in a tent, or caravan,in the rain!

 

 



 

 

Last week seemed to have been one for

animals breaking out!!

 

First, on Tuesday,our own cattle

broke out of the back field onto my front lawn;

then, on Thursday and Friday, our neighbour's goat

got out and, as it was a billy goat,

put the fear of....

into a friend who was helping me in the garden;

then, on Friday,

our other neighbour's cattle broke into our farmyard

(luckily I had shut the farmyard gate

the night before!!

Lastly, ALL Saturday night

our bull

walked up and down the field

under our bedroom window........

roaring and bellowing...

to a neighbour's heifer......

 ...who was obviously in season!!

 

Who would live in the country??!!

 

So......

what's happening in my life?

Well I had to defer

my university course last winter as I was just

not well enough

after major surgery on my ankle.

 

I had got half way through....

but have to say

I was not enjoying relearning Latin.

 

I hated it the first time!!

 

I banked my first 3 assignments as I had good marks.

 

Now I must make sure that I don't slack with the studies.....

otherwise I will find it hard to pick up in February!

Oh joy!!

 

As I'm doing my degree distance learning

it will take me 6 years.

I have completed 3 and was half way through my 4th

when

I had to stop!

 

 



 

 

These last couple of years

I have taken up

scrapbooking and decorating my planners...

I really enjoy it and find it very relaxing!

 

I am going to start a course

for a couple of hours

once a week

on album making.

The examples I've seen are really lovely

but I'm sure that it will take me a while to get

anything like!!

 

 



 

 

I also enjoy

memory keeping/journaling in

my Traveller's' Notebook (TN)........

Sometimes I write and decorate

every day

 

 

 

 

At other times...

it can be quite a few days!

 

 

My family may enjoy reading about me...

and the things I enjoy

after my days..

on the other hand.....

they may just throw them away.

 

It doesn't matter as...

I have enjoyed doing it!!

 

 

So....there you are....

I think that I've about caught up!

I shall enjoy becoming reacquainted with you!

 

 



So Long

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't believe that it has been so long since I last posted.

 

I don't know why I haven't written.

 

 

Life just seemed to get too full and it's too easy

 

to let time without posting....

 

drift by.

 

 

I have had several more operations.......

 

one because the fixing in my back loosened.....

 

so they had to reopen and start again!!

 

 

Then.....

 

I was also studying with the Open University.

 

It was supposed to take

 

16/18 hours per week......

 

I'm afraid I took much longer!!

 

My assessments gained good marks though!

 

 

So, here I am

 

I'm looking forwards to catching up again.

 

I wonder if there are many out there

 

who remember me???

 

These photos are from a holiday

I took in Dorset

 

with a friend

 

 

The top 2 are a beach at Charmouth.

 

Although it was out of season

 

there were still a lot of people scouring the beaches at low

 

tide trying to find fossils.

 

This is an area well known for fossils.

 

I did have a look but

 

ended up buying some to bring home.

 

 

It's so hard to believe that

 

the stone you have in the palm of your hand

 

is an animal

 

that lived 195 million years ago!!

 

 



 

 



 

 

These next few photos are from West Bay.

 

A popular UK detective series was filmed here

 

Broadchurch.

 

My friend was an avid follower

 

 so we had to have a lot of photos taken here.

 

I have to say that the rock face was stunning!!

 

 

 

 

We drove further along the coast to

Hive Bay

and saw the other side of the hill

 

 

 

There was an artist on the beach

 

and he looked so small against the cliffs

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was good to come home again

 

and see our hedgerows

 

full of flowers



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we are just so fortunate where we live!!

 

 



 



 

We even have wild garlic

 

in our hedgerows

 

lovely!!

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I have started to enjoy

 

since I last wrote is

 

scrapbooking

 

 

There's something very calming

 

and satisfying

 

about choosing stickers and placing them.

 

I hadn't realised what

 

a huge community there is

 

of those who enjoy, and take great pleasure in sharing,

 

their finished spreads!

 

 

I love starting with a blank page....

 

perhaps colouring it a little..

 

before fixing..

 

different shapes...

 

and journaling around them

 

This one is particularly pretty.....

 

poppywillowco

 

sells some beautiful foiled stickers in...

 

her etsy shop

 

 



 

 

So....there we are.

 

I think that I've caught up?!

 

I look forwards to visiting you.....

 

and seeing what is happening in your lives!