More thankfulness

Today was play time!   

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Each month I go to a craft group at Mandy's to make cards and today was the day.  Usually Mandy designs cards for us to copy (but she doesn't mind if we personalise her designs) but today she let us loose to play with her stamps, dies, punches and Christmas themed toys and we made our own designs.

I didn't want to make Christmas cards but I think I have persuaded Father Christmas that I have been good (OK maybe I told a few porkies) so I am hoping he will bring me one or two presents and I made thank-you cards in anticipation.  

Thankful for you

Special greetings today to my American readers at Thanksgiving!  I hope you have a wonderful day.

And extra special greetings to my friend Connie who usually lives here in the UK but is visiting her family in California.  Connie, I shall hold you to that promise of pumpkin pie when you get home!

I have never had pumpkin pie.

The water isn't just indoors

I live about forty miles from areas where there has been horrendous flooding over the past few weeks.  My dining room is wonderful compared with many people's homes.  I have to wait a couple of months for my new carpets but the damage here is minimal compared to those poor people in South Yorkshire.

However, this area has had its own floods and several road closures.  The church where I led worship last Sunday is about eight miles from home and I had to travel fifteen to get around the various diversions.  The river in Brigg is usually a quiet backwater but it overflowed its banks (not too badly) a few days ago.  I didn't visit then but I have visited twice recently.  The sluices were opened to release water a couple of days ago and the Ancholme is now back to something like normal.

Life isn't all a bowl of cherries

Life is not at its brilliant best at the moment.  I've got tendonitis in my left shoulder which means that out of my four limbs only my right arm can be reckoned to be in full working order.  If I forget and raise my left arm to adjust my glasses life is very painful.  I'm waiting for an appointment for a steroid injection.

Then there's the dining room/sewing room/spare bedroom.  It is. to say the least, soggy.  I had noticed a strange smell there for a while but couldn't track it down until I went in bare foot and found myself paddling.  The radiator had been leaking and the carpet was soaked.  The landlord arranged a plumber so the radiator has been drained and will be replaced next week.  In the meantime I've shut the door, opened the windows and things are slowly drying out. I've moved the sewing stuff out and can hardly move in my bedroom! 

But Pollyanna should be my middle name.  I'm using the time while the dining room is empty to sort through the cupboards and drawers.  I've claimed a new carpet on my insurance so for just the cost of my excess I'm getting a spiffy new number although it won't be fitted until the end of January so that should give me plenty time to get sorted.

And even the tendonitis is helping me to think through a few gadgets I will need to help me retain my independence as the years go by.

From one tree to another

Yesterday it rained all day and I would have been happy to stay indoors last night but Caistor WI traditionally has a crafty evening in November and it would take more than rain to keep me away from crafting.  Felting, card making, stitchery and book folding were on offer but it wasn't a free choice - names were drawn for each activity.  I was hoping against hope that I'd be allocated to book folding and I struck lucky!  

This was my first attempt at book folding, an upcycling craft involving old paperbacks and not much more.  It was an ideal craft for WI as it takes very little concentration so we all chatted.  Drawing names meant that the usual friendship groups were split and we chatted with people whom we knew only very slightly.  

A simple fold, repeated seventy five times and my old paperback became a tree.  A star mounted on a cocktail stick topped it and I've now got a new decoration ready for Christmas!

That was October

Well, I've had a lovely month!  I celebrated my birthday.  I visited several friends and went out for lunches with several more.  I still have a house full of flowers. 

I visited Jack!  Actually I visit him fairly often but this time his great grandson was there and his parents (Jack's grandaughter and her husband) were happy for me to bless baby - always a lovely thing to do.  I'm happy to report that Jack is well but at the moment he has considerable family responsibilities so he won't be back on the blog any time soon.  (He still reads it!)

One rather sadder visit was to a friend who has Alzheimer's.  Again I visit most months but it really is a horrible disease.  I can feel my friend disappearing and am determined to enjoy her company for as long as I can.  Visiting people who have dementia is difficult.  C still knows me but her view of the world and the people around her is very strange now.  However, she still likes me to hold her hand and listen.  I hope that if ever I get that dreadful disease someone will do the same for me. 

I've joined with a friend twice for board games sessions.  We have a light meal and a lot of conversation and it's one of my favourite ways of spending a day.  

Health wise it hasn't been one of my better months.  I had a flare up of an on-going digestive problem and I've had tendonitis in my shoulder for several weeks.  This means that of four limbs only one is still in reasonable nick!

I've led worship several times.  Most churches in the area are now adequately staffed but they all need help when someone is ill or needs a break.  As I've been filling in in various places for so long it's quite easy for me to stand in without much hassle,  

So now we're in November.  I've got plans!