The long dark tea-time of the soul

Monday. 

Had a quiet day pottered about, doing loads of colouring of the images I cut out on Sunday I'm going to put them all in a box and use them as I need them. 

We watched a bit more of the Umbrella Academy. I've got into more now and I keep guessing the plot lines which is always a sign I'm enjoying it. 

Tuesday.

Up and showered, Clair from Physio came and has basically discharged me. We went for a walk out with my walking stick and was very pleased with my work and progress since she saw me last. Obviously if I need her I can ring her and she's given me targets to hit in the time before I go back to work. If I am at all concerned about anything to do with my mobility she is just on the end of the phone. Great news though and I've worked hard to get as much mobility back as I can for now. 

Having said that, I walked over 5,000 steps today, but I knew I had I had to stop a few times and sit, and I was glad to get home and soak my feet afterwards. I'll have a rest day tomorrow, she did say to continue to do that. And to listen to my body when it's had enough. I'll keep building up my stamina in the time I have off in order to be able to cope with getting to and from work. It does get a bit frustrating having to say enough is enough and sit down, but I'm probably doing more now than I was before the accident. And that's what I need to remember... 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Saturday.

Kev was back at work, so I set to and did some pages and lined a couple of cards. I watched a bit of throwaway TV and gave Willow a lot of fuss. 

Chatted to Karen while I did some card inserts and then later on settled down to watch the live with Tim. 

The stamps and the makes were amazing. I can't believe how quick that four weeks of Halloween releases has gone by. I shall miss nit tuning in at five. 

Sunday.

Kev got up at 6.45 and I got up not much later. He went for the bus but it was a no show, so he came back home rather than sit for an hour for the next bus. He went back out at 8.45 and this time it did come. He was late for work, but at least he went, and he let them know what had happened in advance so they could get some help until he got there. 

I stamped a lot of my Halloween stamps in preparation for my pages in October, and other projects and then used the scan and cut to cut them out. I shall now take my time and colour them in and pop them in a box, to use them as I need them. I hoping that despite the Postal Strikes that the new stamps arrive this week. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Friday.

As it was the only chance we had to go out and celebrate my birthday with Charlotte we got ready and headed for town. Looking for somewhere different we decided that The Slug and Lettice would fit the bill, plus it has quite easy access ( I am still practicing with walking with a stick) Stairs are a bit of problem, so we knew it would be easy for me to move around and they have a disabled loo which is easy to get to. All things that have to be considered now, when we head out any time. I was always a bit of a darlek when it came to stairs, but now it's even worse. 

Anyway, we sat at a table and had some lovely food and I allowed myself a cocktail, well they were two for one, it would be rude not to! So both Charlotte and I had the botanical bubbles yum yum... 

After we'd eaten we nipped along the road to. Tesco to fetch my lunches for the next couple of days that Kev is at work. I also nipped to the chemist earlier to pick up more pain meds. I'm only taking them once a day now and if I've overdone it, so I think that's a big achievement in itself. If I'm honest my left leg hurts more than my right, but that's probably down to it having to do more now. I try and even out the weight balance, but old habits die hard and the hardest part of learning to walk again is not to automatically rely on my right leg to take all of the strain. I'll get there, and for six months in I've done great. The consultant was expecting 9-12 months, so it shows what a good job they did in putting me back together, and how hard I've worked to get back on my feet. I don't often praise myself, or give myself enough credit, but only I know how much I have put in to be back out of a wheelchair and move independently. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Thursday. 

Just another day of exercises, doing pages and sorting stuff out. Kev has rung them to fetch the loo raiser seat back as I can manage without, Kev's finished the pumpkin truck with little signs on the truck and a couple of skulls tucked in with the pumpkins. I think it looks fabulous... I love the way Kev thinks of a project and follows it through to the tiny details. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul.

Wednesday. 

First off, Both Kev and I are sad and shocked to learn that another of our Whitby Goth Weekend friends Monty has passed away. The last time we saw him was the last time we met up with Trish in York, which was 2019. He was always lovely to us, and my fondest memory of him was in his leather skirt,  veil and holding his fan on the dance floor at The Resolution. His look was iconic, and unique. I suppose we are reaching the age when we will start to lose friends, and Monty did have health issues, but it is still a shock. 

In other news we both had a rest day, Kev did have to fetch my not fit note ( hopefully my final one) but apart from that, a quiet day. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Tuesday.

We got up and ready and went into town. This time I just took my cane. I did really well, but by the time we headed back to the bus I was done. I powered through the pain to get home, I knew that I got to my limit. Now I just have to learn my limit and stop. We did have a number of sits, and one was to have lunch, we bumped into Kelly that used to work in bakery with Kev, and we sat outside the big Maccys to have a catch up. Lovely to see her. She looks so much happier than she did when she worked at JS. 

We nipped into TKMaxx and I found some tea plates to go with my Halloween set and a beautiful little crooked house that lights up. 

It does mean I will have to sit down and go through m decorations when the box comes down from the loft and I'll be getting rid of some of the older pieces... I know a couple of people who will love them as much as I have,

to pass onto. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Monday.

I had a rest day after the weekend. Did all the usual stuff. Received another couple of cards, one from Carol and Paul ( family) and one from Jen and Scott. 

Busy day craft wise for both of us. My TK Maxx order came, one set of mummy's were intact, the other broken. I rang them and they said to return it inshore for a full refund. I said I thought we could fix it, So, she offered me £5 discount if we did that. So trusting Mr B's repair skills I agreed. He did a marvellous job and I think Rah! Looks better than he did before. Kev grunged him up a bit Holtz style and now he looks perfect. All it took was a couple of bandages and some resin. 

The Other of his projects was a vintage truck which came pink, Kev painted it purple and gave it a skull hood ornament, and stuck some pumpkins in the back... It looks fab, and because it was a planter it has solar headlights. So it is now on the window sill delivering pumpkins to the pumpkin house which will delight Sadie and crew as they can cadge a lift and go glamping for Halloween... 

I made another Halloween card which took an age but looks well worth it, it's an idea I had while I was stuck in bed. Turning Pumpkinhead by Tim into Beetlejuice....

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Sunday. 

Another beautiful day. We took pleasure in being able lie in on a Sunday. And didn't get up until gone 8.30pm. Showered etc ready for Sue and Pete to pick us up to go to the golf club for lunch. We were booked in the carvery for 12 noon. 

The food was just as good as it was the previous time I went with Charlotte. AndvI actually managed more because Kev fetched my plateful and didn't overload my plate, which can put me off. 

We had a very relaxed time, and it was very busy.

Another achievement today. We finally took the wheelchair back over to the centre as I think I can manage without it now. Its been a Godsend and I thanked Anne for the loan of it. Its nice to get another piece of equipment gone and out the way. Plus it marks another step forward in my recovery. 

After lunch, Sue and Pete bought us home, we gave Pete some of the cake. 

We had a little nap, food overload I think, and I set too and did my pages. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul.

Saturday.

I woke up at Sue's after sleeping the sleep of the dead. I blame the prosecco... I'd managed to somehow lock myself in the bedroom. Not sure how so I text Sue to let me out. Lol. She had woken up on the sofa after helping me upstairs she must've gone back down and dropped off bless her. Both of us are lightweights these days, compared to how much we used to drink. 

Stephen came round to take his Dad for breakfast it's a Saturday tradition, which I think is lovely, how many kids take time out to spend time with their parents like that. 

Then our Justin came round, he bought me a lovely card which touched me very much. Just a simple Auntie card bit it meant a lot. I haven't been around much since he was little for various reasons. And that little gesture hit me in the feels. 

Sue and Pete bought me a fantastic Easter Island head statue for the garden. I've always found them fascinating. We've named him Dumdum like out of the night of the museum film. I have another in the garden that we bought called Eddie ( because he is in the space-time continuum, but I'm not sure where his sofa is!) If your not a Douglas Adams fan you won't get that. I want three altogether because as a crafter I know the power of three, not only that but I think they'll look amazing in a group like they do on the island. 

I had some gorgeous gifts of some lovely friends and not

previously mentioned are Kev had my Alien bottle refilled, bought me some sunflowers, and a birthday cake. 

I had a lovely makeup palette, candle and voodoo dolly from Trish, some flowers and sugar free sweeties from Ian. I think that's covered everyone that I didn't snap photos of.

I was a very lucky lady. It made turning 59 not so bad after all. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Friday. 

Had a relax and chill out before the evening out.

Charlotte popped round for an hour or so, and then I got ready for Sue and Pete to pick me up. Which they did at six thirty. I took just my stick. 

Pete dropped us off at Carlton Square and it was just a short walk to Steve's bar. We got in and secured a seat near to both the loo and bar. 

Kay and Margaret ( Sue's friends) turned up and Justine ( Sue's daughter in law) and Kate another of Sue's friends. So it was a very jolly bunch and the bar was busy and buzzing. 

They played a great mix of 70s and 80s music until the ABBA Tribute came on. For one person she did a cracking job, playing all the best known songs. 

It was so good to have a night out, and I will be forever grateful to my Sister Sue for giving me the opportunity to go with her and her friends and stay overnight at hers. It's been a long time since I got dressed up and although I couldn't get up and dance, I gave my lungs a good workout singing along. Justine kindly did my share of the dancing for me bless her. And I loved the fact that she went to Tesco to buy prosecco glasses because they didn't have any behind the bar. She is a one. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Thursday. 

One of those days that took me ages to get going. Rainy, but not cold. 

When I did get going I had some pages to prep in my dyalog a memorydex card to do for a swap and I also made a couple of Halloween cards. I'm almost done I have 28 done and I need 30 for posting. I also have another 10 to make that are not posted. 

We couldn't make our minds what to watch so we didn't watch anything. Just had a chill out and I read, Kev killed some aliens ( as you do!) 

The long dark tea-time of the soul.

Wednesday.

George's funeral. We were going to go to the Welfare and then we thought about it, and decided that we didn't think it was us really. We have long believed that funerals are for family and really close friends. And while Isobel and George have always been friendly since we moved here, we don't know them enough to warrant turning up at the wake. Its not really our thing, so we respected him by thinking of him at the time and stayed home. There are always hangers on at those things and we didn't want to be one of them. 

My cane came which is a day earlier than we thought it would and I've been using it around the house a bit to get used to it. It's another step forward in my recovery. 

Like last week I had a bit of a rest day after the walking on Tuesday, still doing my exercises and biking, but a lot less walking. 

I saw Tim's new stamps on pre order and went for the ones that I think will be the best for me. My dyalog for Halloween will be mainly his stamps, Dyan doesn't really do Halloween and last year I adapted a lot of hers into horror icons, so this year I will use a mix of the ones that I already have and new ones that fit the dyalog pages. It will mean not posting on the dyalog group for a month, but that's OK, my dyalog is for me at the end of the day and it has to reflect my interests and what I'm about. Halloween is more important to me than Christmas ( although that means more to me than it used to now I have family and friends to share it with) and everyone who knows me knows I decorate for Halloween all year round. At Christmas they all get santa hats and a bit of tinsel. Tim Burton once said "Halloween is every day for some of us" I totally agree mate... 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Monday.

Hot and muggy day. I thought it might rain but we got bugger all. Kev went to the post for me as I had a couple of things that needed to go and I didn't fancy walking in that heat. I'm sweating when I walk enough as it is, it got up to the late 20s early 30s again and it is touch too for me at the moment. We watched the last Sandman. I feel bereft now, I loved it so much. I will need to rewatch it again in a bit. In the meantime We've found a couple that look promising. One called Midnight Mass.

Tuesday

We got up late after a patchy nights sleep only 9am, but late for us, we both got ready and went into town. I took my walker and I managed ( with stops) 4, 997 steps. I did buy some Solpadeine tablets which once they got into my system helped a lot. 

We went to TKMAXX and I got a couple of candles, One Scarlett Pumpkin, One called Vampire and an eyeball bauble, for the window display.

I have also bought a walking stick online for when the walker is too bulky, I'm thinking when I'm back at work, it's a classic canes one and has tiny bats on it, which will make me more willing to use it. 

On the bus home my ankles, (both of them) cramped up and I was grateful to be home. 

Kev did us a foot spa when we got home and I found it helped. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Sunday. 

I'm fed up with this heat, Willow doesn't know where to go to get cool, bless her and camps out in the hidey hole in her tower. She is eating and drinking OK though. 

I'm drinking but not eating much. This heat plays havoc with my diverticulitis and most days I'm dealing with its effects. 

I got up and showered after doing my routines. And because it was too warm to make anything hitting 32° in the afternoon I sat in front of the chiller with a pack of collage and my scissors and just fussy cut enough out to fill a box. I love Dyans collage and can fill a dyalog easily by tipping the box out and randomly putting bits together. A cutting session like that will yield at least the rest of this months book, perhaps next months too... I often put images in way in advance these days because I'm less hung up on the images needing to mean anything. 

While I was doing all that cutting I was watching some serial killer documentary on discovery plus. What a cheery way to spend an afternoon. I did learn something useful though, if I'm ever killed and dumped by a serial killer they will be able to identify me because I have metal plates and pins in body now, because each one had a number stamped onto a ( excuse the pun) serial number, which is unique to me and can be run through a medical data base so they can find out who it belongs to. One benefit to having mechanical bits I guess. Unless of course there is a secondhand ( or in my case,

secondfoot) market for body modifications out there. "Ere, mate want a state of the art ankle? One user, not many miles on the clock" LOL. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Friday.

Another hot day. I did my exercises and then showered. No sooner did I step out the cubicle than I started sweating. We kept the blind drawn and ourselves hydrated. 

Still just picking at food or eating fruit or salad. I made a few bits and later we watched another Sandman we have one left to watch. I keep doing my exercises, but I'm not doing any outside walking in this heat. Following the email Clair sent saying to curtail any outside walking until it cools down... I wonder if the metal expands in my leg, or is affected by the heat... I know it feels weird in there, like it's part of me but not... 

Saturday 

Another blistering day. All the same routines, blinds drawn chillers on, I can sit and create at the desk for so long in a morning then pack up after lunch.

There was another Tim live on at 5 so I watched it with Karen watching her end and us chatting along online. 

Charlotte came by later in a very pretty sundress. We caught up and had copious amounts of non alcoholic drinks... A very pleasant evening.

The long dark dark tea-time of the soul

Thursday

Too bloody hot to do much. I like a nice day but this is ridiculous... 

It upsets my tum both feet are swollen and I'm not sleeping properly... 

We aren't going out in it, Clair said not to attempt walking in it, and to just do the exercises instead. 

We have both chillers on, changing the blocks regularly and are drinking loads of water, cold brew coffee and pop. I'm not eating much. Salad mainly. 

I'm not crafting much either, early morning when it's cooler then in the afternoon I'm reading more or watching TV, mainly Netflix at the moment because there is bugger all on TV...

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Wednesday.

Rest day. In pain so proof that I pushed it too far. 

I didn't do any exercise or biking. I went barefoot round the house which is what Jack said is best when my ankle is hurting. Apparently it rebalances the muscles and bones in the feet and that helps the ankle and knee recovery... 

So I sat at the desk and did some cards and pages in my dyalog. I had frequent breaks from that as it was bloody hot. 

In the late afternoon I started trawling around looking for a weekend break for us all for next year. I eventually found and booked something late evening. 

We also watched another couple of episodes of Sandman. 

Let's talk about Morpheus shall we. As a long time Neil Gaiman fan I can't put into words how the choice of actor was important. They've got this so right, his snow white tan, 80's Robert Smith haircut slight amorphous figure and rich voice is perfect and when I fell in love with the character how I imagined him. Those eyes, and yes they probably are contacts but they've made them look like frozen chips of silver. 

Death is pretty spot on apart from her skin colour ( I'm a goth not a racist) so for me her skin should have been the same snowy white, but the actress playing her is doing an excellent job of it... Death was the main reason for my obsession with Ankh necklaces. So yes, I'm loving it, and forcing myself to watch only 2 episodes at a time, and yes like Good Omens and Stardust will get rewatched. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Tuesday 

I slept like a log. I did my exercises and before I knew I was out cold. Even though it was warm it didn't wake me. When I did wake up it was gone 8.30 am. So I set to and got ready to go out and meet Sue and Pete for lunch. Again I used the walker. I'm getting a little better using it, but its amazing how many people walk into you, because they're not looking. It never ceases to amaze me how many people walk around staring at their phones and not aware of anything around them. 

We had a nice meet up, and we parted company as they still had shopping to do. I was beginning to struggle by then and needed to sit. So Kev and I had  an ice cream in the shade of the tree opposite the church. Once we had those Kev nipped to Sainsbury's leaving me there and got what few bits we still needed. We then went for the bus. 

I was knackered by the time I got home and my leg felt uncomfortable. We soaked our feet in cold water to bring down our temperatures a bit. We watched a couple more episodes of Sandman, I am not disappointed...  And the guy playing the title role is the perfect embodiment of the graphic novel character I loved and still love. I am trying not to watch to many episodes in one go as tempting as it is. But it is beautifully done. 

We tried to stay up later in order to sleep better, but it's not much cooler even with the chillers on. I had to get up at 5ish in order to take some pain relief as my ankle has decided I've over worked it, and feels like it did the night after the second operation. I think tomorrow will be an exercise and bike day with little walking. I'm trying to listen to my body, even though I get frustrated by not having the mobility I would like yet. So a rest day it is. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Monday.

The alarm went of at 7.30am and we got up showered and got breakfast. The bus picked us up at 9.30am. I managed the step up on to the bus fine. I took the walker, and it was stowed in the back. The weather looked promising as we set off, but was cloudy as we approached Lincoln. When we hit Fantasy Island the coach dropped off one family then the rest of us headed for Skegness itself. It was red hot and the sky was a blue I can only remember seeing abroad. We walked to the edge of the beach but stopped short of tackling the sand. My walking is hard enough work as it is, wading through sand is a step to far at this stage. 

We found a seating area and had bought fish and chips, or chips and whale it was massive. I only had about half of it as my appetite is still not back fully. But I'm not using the calories so it won't be. 

We walked back towards the main street and found some seats and had an ice cream while people watching on the outdoor pool. 

We went to the arcade and spent some time luxuriating in the air con and playing the 2p falls. I won a few tickets and got a squishy bat for my trouble. 

After sitting by the fountain for a while we found a pub to get out of the heat, and had a cider. It just so happened it was right outside where the bus was picking us up. 

We set back at 4.30pm. Got home around 6.30pm.

It was a lovely day out and so nice to have a change scene when you've spent 8 weeks in the bedroom and four months inside apart from going to the hospital etc it was most welcome. 

It was an emotional trip for me, in many ways, its hard work learning to walk again, and I'm very slow, and I can only go so far before I have to sit, it's frustrating, but amazing too, when I first had my fall I was thinking I wouldn't walk again, especially when they said they might have to amputate my only good foot... So proud on one hand of how far I've come, but I cant wait to be able to walk without help and to the level I was at before. 

 

The long dark -tea-time of the soul.

The weekend 

Saturday and Sunday were early starts for Kev. For me too, but at least I can either lay in and try and drift off to sleep again. Saturday it just wasn't happening so I got up around 7.30am. I didn't waste the time though, as soon as I was done with all my usual things I set to playing with the new stuff I had from Tim Holtz in anticipation of the live later on... I managed another couple of cards and cut a few elements. 

We watched the first episode of Sandman when Kev got back and it was worth the wait. 

Sunday I did manage to doze back off after Kev had gone helped by the ever loving Willow, who snuggled down on my legs and off we drifted until about 9am.

Again I did all the stuff I needed to and then sat down to my desk to try out some of the stuff I had watched on the live... I love the skulls folder and it sanded back a treat on some of the card I had from packaging. I used different ink pads to get the effects I was after and I made a lovely poison apple card based on one the makers had done for the live feed... 

It was a lovely day out there and I can imagine it was very busy at Riverside, I wished we could have gone, but like so many things in the last couple of years it wasn't to be. I was thinking today, dangerous I know, that for one reason or another it's like my life has been on hold for a long time. Like I have time to spare! Oh well, let's hope Monday turns out OK. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul.

Friday.

Exercised, showered and ready to face the day. Kev went out to do the shopping while I waited for a parcel to come from Art from the Heart. It was dyalog components and paints, plus the new Halloween dies from Tim Holtz... So, I spent a long afternoon cutting them out, and putting them together. As usual they are colorize dies, so lots of layers and tiny little bits, but once they are made they look gorgeous. 

It keeps me busy, especially when I'm here on my own. 

Good news on the trip to Skeggy its back on, the lady organising it got in touch to say they will pick us up at 9.30am Monday, we can pay on the bus... Fingers crossed for a decent day. I'll take the walker, but the plan is to have plenty of sit downs where possible. It should be OK. 

The long dark tea time of the soul.

Wednesday.

Wash day and it was so changeable that Kev decided not to hang the washing out. 

I was due at the hairdressers for 12 so Kev pushed me down to the precinct as it's still a little far for me to toddle yet. So it was just a cut, I won't need a dye job until next month. 

So that done we came home and I did some pages in my dyalog and other bits and bobs. 

The woman didn't come for the money for the Skegness trip so it doesn't look like we will be going now, which is a shame, if the weather is good on Monday we might head to the "beach" in market square and just have a day out there instead, probably be as good as Skeggy anyway... lol.

We finished watching "From" and all I'm going to say is "what?" There had better be another series because I'm as confused now as I was at the start...  

Thursday.

Charlotte picked us up in the morning and we went to Cherry Lane Garden centre. We had a lovely relaxed potter round and had a meal and drinks in the restaurant there. The food was gorgeous... Kev bought a couple of planters and some compost so that he could transfer some of the plants that need more room... we won't plant them in the garden because the gardeners have killed off the stuff we have done previously. They just hack everything back with strimmers. 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Tuesday.

So because of feeling unwell the day before I didn't fancy going out into the city. I felt OK, but my stomach felt a bit dodgy and I wasn't hungry. 

I eat light and did all the usual. I had a card to make and some more of the new stamps to colour in... 

We went to Heron for a breather and to get me some soup, because that's all I wanted to eat. 

Later on we watched another couple of episodes of From.

 

The long dark tea-time of the soul

Sunday

Quiet day for me, Kev went to work and I showered and tidied up a bit more, then I had a couple of things I wanted to try out craft wise. I did my pages and spent quite a bit of time stamping images for my dyalog and cards. 

Had notification that I'd sold another dress and that Afth parcel was coming tomorrow.

Later on Charlotte  came round for coffee and we made plans for my birthday, and going out on Thursday. 

Monday.

We took the parcel down to the newshop in the village Kev pushed me there and back as there were no buses again and its still a bit far for me to walk. 

We got back and my new stamps came. I set too and had a play with them. They may be Christmas themed, but you know me challenge accepted to make them anything but. 

Later on we watched another couple of episodes of From. I've got a felling this might be another Lost... I used to love that but gave up half-way because it got too far fetched this might end up going the same way.

I went to bed early as I had an upset stomach. I think it was maybe the crab salad.