A bit of a sad craft year for me.

A couple of pairs of socks, one pr in black which was difficult to see in artificial light. I kept going wrong and then blow me, my #1 son and Gf split and it was she who asked for black socks!! And a blue pair for my youngest GS, who took off a pair I had knitted for him and put on the new ones right away!

 These look blue here but they were black!
 

And I managed to machine the rest of my tulip quilt.

The hardest bits were the tulips, which I had done 2 plus

years ago.. #2 son and Dil has asked for it. If you want to

hear about my life in the last year you will find it here.

To all my blogging friends...

XX

PROGRESS

For the first time for months, today I have been able to wear knickers!! I wasn't able to pull them up before, because it was too painful, but today I could.
And today I've bought a Crochet Mag as it had a block for blocking out granny squares and I have a pattern in mind. My arm is feeling that good!

Yesterday I was supposed to go to London for physio, but because of the weather, we cancelled. We were eight  hours doing a two and a half journey home from Coventry 9th December and no way were we going to risk doing that again; it was horrible!!
We still have our Christmas decs up, we always leave them till 12th Night. We enjoyed our Christmas and our weight shows it! But we have started today, we're back on the Slimming World plan.
What about you, do you need to lose your Christmas weight

I did this a few years ago and could have done with a block then.

XX

I feel I could fly!!

I saw the senior registrar at the hospital on Tuesday. I used to think that this meant the Consultant couldn't be bothered to see me, but no... she had already looked at my x-rays and my shoulder replacement is ok, my bone transplant is good too, I am healing, I am going to have a working arm in 2018!! Yeah!! I can't believe it after all this time, 2 years and 9 months! And I have just an ordinary sling, the wedge sling was binned.

But after my good news,  I didn't sleep all that well that night, neither did DH, we were reading in bed at 2:00 am. Then my lovely man helped me get comfortable with my four pillows and one under my arm and I slept till gone 8..
I had a wonderful shower in the morning, first in 6 weeks, actually 6 1/2 weeks as I didn't have a shower in hospital! I still have a slight arrow mark on my arm after two showers; this morning I stood under that shower for a long, long time, bliss. I am excited but worried that my arm will still be awkward.. physio starts 27th Dec.. until then only passive exercise, so using my left hand to lift my right to bend at the elbow. He did say  I could try to eat with it in a week's time if I could, but I 'll try to clean my teeth first using my left hand to lift my right.  I can try to crochet, get back to that Sunshine and Showers CAL...And on the basis that I can use my arm I have bought a book with knitted little Christmas people!

But still the strict instructions, no extreme movements and no pulling, lifting, no arm behind my back, or using my arm to get up from a seat..but I feel ok and not too much pain and I feel like flying! 

xx

A Weekend Away, but Hairy Scary Journey Home.

We have had a good weekend, lovely to see DH's girls, they were 16 when we married, so we had some air clearing moments at first, but now young women. #2 twin's bump is a nice round shape and she looked well. Looking forward to finishing work in two weeks.  The baby is due January.. #1 Twin's engagement ring is very pretty and they have been looking for wedding venues in 2019. Some are booked up already! She loved the picture we gave them as an engagement present, it was a print of a Sarah Reilly water colour, two cute little rabbits sitting heads together staring at the stars, I liked it myself! Sarah Reilly is a Suffolk artist and I bought it from a shop in Halesworth called, ' Pretty Things' (It does have some very pretty things) We'd all met up for a family get together, planned and organised by twin 2.. nice to see everyone, we were 11 altogether. The meal was so so, we've had better. The veg wasn't al dente, it was raw! I complained and they brought us more, but just as bad. It was nice to chat to everyone. 

But our journey home was horrendous; we woke to a winter wonderland.. left at 8 and then inched our way in second gear to the M6, only 5 miles, but it  took us 40 mins.. then we sat on the A14 for hours.. we got to the new McDonalds where we had planned coffee and a shared wrap for breakfast, but as it was gone 1:00pm we had a burger and chips, under these circumstances the diet went out the window, would you blame us?.. very slippery in the car park, there were people pushing cars and lorries parked in the driveway and stuck, quite hairy scary!! We were very glad we had bought the more expensive all season tyres last year, as the grip was great.. DH helped push a couple of cars with other men, one just stuck and it was a BMW, but our trusty Clio was there out in front.

It took us just over 8 hours to get home.. we were so relieved. No snow here but bitterly cold.

How is the weather where you live?

XX

Good News!!

Good news my shoulder x-rays looked good and the muscle is pulling the replacement into the correct position. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel at last, except I am anaemic, so to see my own Dr about an iron supplement, hope it will be better than the bombs they used to give when I was pregnant in the sixties!!  I saw the Registrar who I saw in the hospital, who was sent for when I was groaning in pain after my op. when the shoulder block had worn off. I didn't really see his face as I was hanging my head down groaning!! It seems I am 7 days older than his mother, so I said I hoped she was in good health for her age!!

I am to keep this huge sling till I am seen again 12 December when I 'll have physio at the same time, so an immense relief. Thank you to you all who have remembered me in your prayers.. 

The whole day was really difficult, even though we travelled 1st Class and we were so relieved to get home.. and relax... whew!! An easy day planned for tomorrow we will shop local in Saxmundham and browse the high street there...

Yeah I am going to have two arms again after all this time, more than 2 1/2 years!!

XX

Two weeks ago

It was two weeks ago today that I had my op. and today we have done our weekly shop but I struggled a bit towards the end, so had to go and sit down, perhaps I was pushing myself too much  and I had a 'to-do' in Tesco. Some man whizzed past me with his trolley and altho' he didn't touch my arm I felt the breeze as he whizzed past so screamed and then burst into tears. Just thought of someone hitting my arm sends me into hysterics! I seem to be very hyper sensitive where my arm is concerned. It's not just the pain of someone hitting it, it's the thought that they could dislocate it. An afternoon of doing nothing followed, resting my arm on a pillow, I have cut back on my painkillers, as well so asking a lot of myself.

Our weather is very pleasant,  12C and sunny. We drove to Beccles along the Suffolk lanes so very pretty with the autumn colours. We do like driving about, so much to see.. Blythburg area is a pig farming and to see all the pigs with their piglets is amazing, there's 100s of them, all very pink. They all have houses for the summer as evidently they can get sunburn!  

I fancied a nice film, DH found a nice one for me on Netflix the other afternoon and I slept all the way through!!

I am enjoying this new laptop even though I am still getting used to Windows 10 and the key board; the keys are just slightly wider so I keep hitting the wrong key as I am still typing left handed!

But I am beginning to feel better! I looked at a whole load of stitching blogs and realised how much I missed xstitching.. can't wait now to get back to crafting!

Loved stitching this

xx

Week 2 day 2

I am finding the sling very uncomfortable, especially at night but I am persevering, although I feel like screaming.
We have found a way to wear clothes. The straps of my spaghetti strap tops cut enable my tops to slide up under the sling straps and then tied on my shoulders.  And a tee shirt cut up the right side allows the sling to poke through!

The strap that goes under my left arm rides up and cuts me, very, very unpleasant. This op had better work because I can't do this again! Looks very neat on this model but not like this on me!
Chrisxx

I survived another 6 1/2 hour op.

 I have just got home this afternoon,  after my op last Thursday

The pain this time was awful  after the shoulder block anaesthesia wore off Friday afternoon, I was groaning for an hour and a half, it was my own fault I had been offered pain killers, but said I  was ok, then the pain hit me, so one tablet wasn't enough. I can't have morphine because it makes me sick so no injections. DH talked me through it with scenes of the sun glinting on the sea at Southend, the walk along the prom and that gentle breeze we loved so much; then picturing our favourite café smelling of coffee and the sounds of the frothing machine, with its delicious Italian ice-cream, a chocolate flake  and the crisp biscuit and rubbing my back, to try to take my mind off it, but it was the worst I 've ever had. I can't do this op again.

 I have come home with a huge wedge thing in a sling, so I can't put my arm through a sleeve? The wedge sling will be a nuisance but I can put up with it, if it means I will have my life back, it's only for 6 weeks. I was very wobbly this time, much more than before. Goodness knows how I will dress properly, at the moment my right droopy booby is exposed!!

I do have quite a bit of discomfort and I am still a bit wobbly, my legs feel as though they don't belong to me!!  The op took 6 1/2 hours this time. 

 I am to visit my Surgery weekly to have the nurse check the dressing and any serious sudden pain to phone the hospital, which I should have done before.. so strict instructions to do nothing at all that will involve putting a strain on my operated shoulder.. can't shower this time, so only strip washes.  Criky hope I don't get smelly!!  LOL

DH has an annual Dr's check up tomorrow and then we're popping to Saxmundham's Waitrose for a beef joint as #1DS is coming to try DH's cooking on the new cooker. Yes, we have had our new kitchen fitted. It was hell for 2 weeks and 3 days! But worth it and it looks spectacular.. pics are on my other blog. www.perhapslivingthegoodlife.blogspot.com

We think if we alter the bathroom, next year we'll book a week away when it's being done. We are still putting stuff in the kitchen and pantry and we still have the blinds and an open shelf to put up. 

At the moment we're not having else done, so we can have a rest from workmen and we're having a quiet Christmas, we just need a rest from everything. The three bedrooms are decorated and new carpets etc and the loft bedroom is fine, so no need to do anything else for quite a while.

Thank you to all my blogging friends for messages and emails, I feel truly blessed that people feel concerned for  me.

Love to you and remember you are lovely!

I had such joy when we swung into our driveway and relief. We love it here and so glad we moved here.

 XX

Will I have my op or not?

I had a horribly stress day yesterday; the hospital phoned in the morning to say they had had the results of my urine sample, but wanted it path lab tested not just by the nurse,  so could I ask my surgery for some anti-biotics as a prophylactic!! Honestly it totally freaked me out, as I am fine, no infection.
I might as well have asked for gold, they waited till 5:50pm to fax the prescription to the chemist. I had to phone them 3 times to ask for it and then phone the chemist to ask had it arrived. DH went to the chemist and waited to get it as it arrived!! The hospital phoned me 3 times!! If I didn't have it my op would have been cancelled. I was a nervous wreck! We were in Southwold when they first phoned enjoying a coffee just about to have a walk along the front, so we walked after we got home and had been to the surgery straight away, to make sure they had had the fax about the anti-biotics. I didn't have to explain to the receptionist, because I think if she had queried it, I would have burst into tears, fortunately the fax explained it all.
It was a lovely walk, across the fields which is out across the road from our house, the leaves were golden in the afternoon sun. Nell loved it, running free.. she is still has fleas from the kennels we think. We've had the stronger treatment from the vet and she is banned from upstairs, clean bedding every day and in the kitchen at night. Dino (Dyson) stands guard by the door to keep her in the kitchen at night. She is afraid of the dyson!
 
I am looking up an independent GP I can't be doing this all the time, apart from that I didn't want any more anti-biotics I feel my body has had enough of everything. I must have had at least 100 x-rays over these 
2 1/2 years, plus ultra sound treatment, CT scans and MRI plus 3 ops.. so enough is enough. I am going privately if I can find a female one. There were 2 in Billericay.. and this op had better work. I am fed up!!! I can hardly use my arm after this last op, much too painful.
So that was my miserable day, I was weepy all afternoon!
This morning when I checked my phone, the hospital had phoned at 8:05, don't they realise  I am retired, I get up when I wake and then shower, sometimes it's gone 9:00am.. and I don't keep my phone beside my bed! I suppose they are covering all the bases, but the whole thing freaked me out. So my op. is booked for Thursday 2nd Nov.

XX

A big disappointment.

My op was cancelled because last evening I developed a UTI, I am screaming inside, but I now I can have a go at my CAL blanket. I am to be phoned in two weeks time and as long as everything is clear I shall have my op then. The surgeon was very nice and appreciated my feelings of disappointment. I was hoping to be really using my arm by Christmas.

XX

 

Just a little crochet

I have been able to do some more of my 'Sunshine and Showers' CAL blanket.. I did frog the 'puffs' twice. I wasn't happy with them and also the turquoise colour either side of the puffs, because although I followed the pattern exactly, it didn't look like her sample. So I did it till I was happy with the look. It is growing very slowly and as I am back into hospital this Thursday for the surgery all over again, I doubt I 'll be doing a lot after it. I shall try, but it isn't easy if every movement is painful. 

                                           

XX

Feeling good!

I lost this and half as much again... wa---hooooooo

                       

Back on the wagon!

Good results this week I lost 1.5 pounds, which has given me a lift. I have managed to get my head around the fact I am going to be a while losing this weight. I will not lose 2 stone before Christmas which is 14 weeks away, but I will lose weight when I keep to the  plan.. but thinking that is sooooo hard.
This is what I sometimes crave!!

XX

Do you have a weakness??

 

 

Where was my resolve???

Today I fell off the wagon, It started off well as we went out to eat in a fish restaurant. Dh and I shared a mixed fish platter, crab, lobster, cockles, muscles, prawns, smoked salmon, crevettes < huge prawns sp?> cray fish tails, whole prawns and whelks, all very healthy; but I also ate with it the warm crusty brown baguette and butter and a change for me a glass of rose.

We left the harbour restaurant and drove into Southwold town for a chocolate tiffin and coffee at Costa, I felt stuffed and we didn't need an evening meal, just a cuppa and Dh and I shared another cake!
There is such a delish bread and cake shop in Southwold.

But I have put the ladder ready to climb back onto the wagon in the morning, as I have already put in my order for breakfast to Dh for just fresh fruit salad!!

XX

I want to be at my best!

Our Garden

When we moved here, this flower area was filled with 6 or 7 conifers, close on 14ft high, which we had removed. Three months on and we have a garden!

 

 

The small trees, shrubs and flowers we have planted, but the huge sunflowers are from the birds! I don't have to tell you that we sit out here as often as we can. It is beautiful.

Our next project is to have the rickety path re-laid and a summer house sited just beyond the swing seat, which we will have moved to the lower part of the garden which we are leaving as woodland.

XX

 

Sleepless night

Life has been hard this last week. I have had the dressings removed which was ok but oh so much pain. I have cried some days, because just moving my arm has been horrendous. But I have taken the tabs from the hospital that I had forgotten about and bliss, no pain. I only take them at night and morning, and they work, altho' DH and I spent an hour awake last night about 1:00am as he woke when I was struggling to get back into bed, so we lay there talking for a while. Then blissfully I drifted back off to sleep. It's a sun shiny day and I'm looking forward to sitting in our beautiful garden watching the birds on our feeders.

I am just a loser!

Here I am 9 days after my op. and I am still useless. Yesterday, I tried to get a few things straight in the smallest bedroom so we can move things in there,  while the cupboards are fitted in the back bedroom and today my arm has ached and ached. I am still not sleeping well and I can't keep to the SW food plan. I came out of hospital and after just four days I weighed 10 pounds more than when I went in!!. Was it the fish and chips and cream cakes, or the 5 course meals?? Nope because I hardly ate anything. On my op day I was out cold for 8 hours and the other days I either had soup or a piece of toast at meal times. But my legs are like tree trucks there are so swollen, why? It was my shoulder and arm that I had done not my legs. And to make things worse I just can't keep to the food plan. I am not eating huge amounts, and I don't drink alcohol or eat pounds of biscuits, just probably more than I need. It's the old adage I have to move more and eat less I know, so why can't I just do it. A few years ago I was in a stressful job and a bottle of wine each evening had become my 'out.' I decided I needed to change my life. Handed in my notice and stopped drinking, I didn't tail it off, just cold turkey stopped. How did I do that and why can't I follow a plan to reduce my weight? Anyone got any answers?

                                Chris x

At last, they are finished, yeah!!

These black socks have caused me a lot of grief... they don't look very black photographed, but they are! I couldn't see the stitches by the light from lamps in the evenings. The leg section of one is just slightly longer than the other, because we were watching the latest's Jurassic Park film on Netflix and I hadn't realised how much I more had knitted until I had finished the heel and no way was I going to undo it!!

 

They are for DS's GF.. She suggested she'd like some for the boots she has to wear for work, but was horrified to see the brightly coloured ones I had knitted, and said she'd like black! I suppose I should knit her a second pair, I have the wool, but these were so horrible to knit, I don't think I can; I haven't liked knitting them at all!
And then because when you have loads to do, we are still unpacking and getting straight as well as doing the garden, we decided to do a jigsaw! Here it is, called The Potting Shed.

We have thoroughly enjoyed spending evenings listening to the radio and doing this. Tonight BBC4's prom concert is the film music of John William's. A few years ago we actually went to this plus other prom concerts that summer, of course my arm put a stop to that. But we are looking forward to this this evening.
I will be crocheting my blanket, 'Sunshine and showers.'
A warm summer evening, fresh coffee and a chocolate mint choc, listening to music we love, just loving being together, smiling smugly at each other now and then, over Nell lying between us on the floor, just loving everything here. What could be better than that. My heart is hop skippity hop just thinking about it! 

 

            Chris x

Still here

I have had my pre-op assessment, which went very well. The one thing I was dreading was the blood tests, I have become very nervous of needles of late, but I didn't even feel the needle going in! So I am on my way to surgery for my arm and shoulder, two years and three months of being in a sling may be, no not may be, is coming to an end. I will have two working arms again!!  YEAH
I haven't done any more of my CAL blanket because I am knitting socks, black socks, for #1DS's GF. She asked for black and it's really hard to see in an evening by artificial lights. But I am struggling on! When they're done I 'll be back to crocheting my blanket, which is lovely bright colours.
Just thought I pop in to say hello!

Chris x

 

Frogging and arm news

Yes I made a mistake with my Sunshine and Showers blanket! I thought I'd be ready to show the first two sections, but no... so I shall be re-doing it.
I need to be organised as I have had THE phone call and my operation is booked for 17th July at the London Orthopaedic hospital.
I feel 'confabulated' Criky, after all this waiting, it's imminent!!! But I can't go on living with only use of one arm, apart from the inconvenience,  because my arm stays very close to my body, I feel I might over balance when I am walking. I use my pretty walking stick but I am oh so slow. This afternoon we went to Southwold, now just a 20min drive for us. It was wonderful, the sun was shining but on the prom there was a slightly cooler breeze, so very pleasant. I walked nearly 4000 steps( I made it up to 4000 as soon as we got home, just walking down the garden.) When we got home we had a 'mimms' a Slimming World mock pimms. It's lemonade with balsamic vinegar, ice and sliced fruit and it is delish.. yes after a disastrous start at SW here in Suffolk, this last week I lost 1.5 pounds, (3 packs of butter!!!) So I am back in the zone!

 

Chris x

 

Warm toes and starting a CAL.

I finished the socks for #2 GS and knitted a pair of bed socks for 'moi'  I didn't match the wool as I don't mind, they are to keep my tootsies warm in winter and my toes don't  know they don't match!!

 

 And I have started the CAL.. Although we have moved house since I signed up for it and couldn't find the pack of wool I had bought. DH opened a lot of packed boxes to find it for me..and it was in the very last one he opened!

We are loving it here although it has taken us two weeks to get a little organised.. at one time I said..' what have we done?? ' It just seemed so hard to get the boxes  unpacked, but we have left some because we don't need the stuff in it for now, or at least we don't think we do!
I am enjoying the crocheting and our new home.

XX

Keeping ever so busy

 Yes I am knitting socks again, these blue ones are for my youngest GS. Although I am keeping busy I am slower these days, I have to stop to rest my arm.

But this bright colour will be bed socks for me. And knitting keeps my hands for putting food in my mouth!

Yes I am still trying to lose weight and that is ever so slow too. (Sigh!!)

 And I am going to take part in  a CAL with these gorgeous colours. It's by Jane Crowfoot and the blanket is called Sunshine and Showers.

 Aren't these different bands of colour and stitches absolutely wonderful. As soon as we have moved I shall start this. The pattern book has the first five groups of the chart and the rest are going to be on her blog.

I can't wait to get started... but I have my new quilt to do, so I need to keep up with that, it is coming along nicely.. photos next time.

 Hope you too have something that is new and exciting to do? Isn't the flower edging pretty, I love it.

Chris x