Another mixed bag.......

And on the subject of bags here's the latest one I've made

Totally free as the beige fabric front and back is the two back pockets of old jeans, the brown is some leftovers after making lounge cushion covers which was from my stash anyway after making trousers with it about 40 years ago lol, the zip was cut down to size from an old mac and the handle was once a belt, even the lizard and starfish I've sewn on to show me which is front were given to me as a gift.

Also had a crochet play and made myself a fedora style hat that can screw up in my bag but pull back into shape. I was really pleased with myself as I still find crochet patterns completely foreign so just made this up as I went along and only had to undo half and try again when the increases didn't look right. I'm hoping it won't be warm and I can wear it as a sun hat too.

As you can see I'm still into all my crafting and always look forward to our monthly gathering at Acorn Village at Mistley. Although most of us do more chatting than crafting lol.

This Monday was also our monthly coffee morning at home, yes they are still going, think there were 12 of us round the table. Lovely to have one of our old neighbours pop back to catch up with us too. Unfortunately Hubby hadn't been feeling well since Saturday afternoon so he stayed upstairs in case he had anything contagious.

That afternoon Hubby was still feeling rough enough to go and see a doctor who diagnosed suspected food poisoning and gave him antibiotics. I'm not convinced that's what it was but happy to report by the end of this week he is feeling about 80% better.

I've got a bit of a medical issue going on as my recent CT Scan showed a little something on my left kidney and because my right kidney was removed four years ago they want to further investigate. Not urgent so could be ages before I mention it again here.

More fun and games to report, as we had a rough evening and night Tuesday night as M's son D got rushed into hospital and had surgery to remove his appendix at about 10pm. Of course everyone was in different places and poor Daughter drove miles and miles all on the same roads getting different people where they needed to be and take food too. Op went well, and Wednesday morning Daughter was back at the hospital, I had O and he's a live wire as he is the only one who went to bed before 1:30am. Hubby did of course as he wasn't well so he was up before 6am which woke me so I was quite tired yawwwwwn. Op went well and D was discharged Wednesday, amazing!

While O was here he was showing me what he'd learnt about freeze frame animation then went off to make his own. I'm amazed at the understanding and knowledge of use by an 8year old. This one was my favourite.
https://youtu.be/3DxQmeMbI-M

And now my birthday which hasn't turned out to be the quiet day I thought it would as gradually it included a little childcare, catering for extras,  courier service, taxi service and barber! So many cards and social media good wishes, some lovely gifts and lots of them floral. All rounded off with a meal out with Hubby, our children, their partners and our grandchildren (all bar one). I'm very lucky!

Did you notice the candles?
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Where does all the time go?........

Will try to remember what's happened since our holiday but too much to write in full so excuse the jumble of short memories, but I'm quite relieved I could remember as much as I did to record it at all (head been quite fuzzy lately).

Inevitably after a holiday follows laundry processing! Along with what was left in the laundry box it was three machine loads, lovely weather so all pegged out for a very full line, and just as I was adding the last few socks the line broke and I caught it then had to hold it up off the ground while Hubby did a quick knotting fix. Our line is the longest retractable cassette line that also hooks onto an extension. It was very heavy! Before the holiday Hubby had planned to reclad the shed as it was taking in water, however a lot of the frame turned out to be rotten so a much bigger job than expected. So after being interrupted for line fixing Hubby continued to rebuild the shed.

Hubby has also been busy with SERV Bloodrunner events. He always comes home amazed at how generous people have been......then has to count it all up and get it to the bank.

As an update about our friendDJ, while friendM was on holiday then we were on holiday friendDJ had been moved out of the hospice and into a nursing home in another town, because his first floor flat was no longer suitable. So friendM and I met for lunch then to visit friendDJ. Sad seeing his deterioration and his world reduced to that small room at the nursing home. We wheeled him out to sit under the trees by the pond. The staff seemed really friendly. On our usual Wednesday gathering this time we took fish and chips to the nursing home and took over their dining room so with DJ there were eight of us. We lifted his spirits. We also lifted the spirits of a few other residents who passed through or entered and stayed, possibly more entertainment for them than normal too. One lady looked fitter and a little younger and was totally intent on getting us recruited to help her put on a Christmas show. When she left the room briefly to get her dolls to show us another lady who was old, frail but bright as a button, laughed and said "take no notice of her  (the first lady) as she's totally bonkers".

Another update on a long story, this time my ongoing bp and joints problems. Early May my GP sent a referral to the hospital, this week I checked with them again to be told that appointments had now extended to 24.5 weeks waiting from referral, which means I'm unlikely to get an appointment before mid-November! So I phoned the surgery who had no doctors appointment so booked me in with the Nurse Practitioner. She actually couldn't help as it was such an ongoing problem that she made me an appointment with the Doctor for the next day. Doctor has now sent a letter asking the hospital for an urgent appointment. She also doubled the dose of my beta blockers so I'm back to taking my bp often and recording it.

Wow M had been nominated for a BAFTA (not the film one, the gaming one) so Daughter&M were invited to London for  the awards. Have to say he didn't win but we were all so proud of him even being nominated :-)  We were having the children here for the day, some of which E was at rehearsals with County Youth Orchestra (for their imminent tour in Germany). End of the day they all went home except O who had asked for a sleepover.

It was another very warm night and all the windows were open, and we could hear really loud music. At first we thought a neighbour was having a garden party then realised it was much bigger than that. It was the first of two nights of Jimmy's Farm festival. Jimmy's Farm is about four miles away from us!

Poor O nearly had his sleep over, all settled into the middle of a double bed, having had a long story read, then we had to go round the house shutting all the windows to reduce the outside noise......but he couldn't settle so mum came to get him.

Sunday was another lovely hot sunny day. Son and fiancé had arranged to come for lunch and O wanted to come back early (as if he'd really slept over) to make our desserts, Daughter and R came too after taking E to another rehearsal day and staying to help. So food on the table inside but all sitting outside for a real summer lunch, followed by afternoon tea,  and sat there through to the evening in the garden, lovely!

And today we have come full circle by doing three machine loads of laundry and pegging it all out on the new repaired washing line. While Hubby continued to rebuild the shed.
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Giving a little back.....

Our doctors' surgery is a teaching one and this week some student doctors were discussing gynecology.  As I've recently had a cervical polyp removed by day surgery they asked if I'd come in to be one of the case studies and I was very pleased that I had the time to say yes.

When I arrived there were four of us real patients and I think there were eight 4th year student doctors.  We had two sessions of half hour interviews with two students each time, so each student saw two patients. Our head GP was flitting between rooms overseeing everything.

They asked about everything so they got a full medical and social background too. They all took copious notes and told me they have to write up reports and discuss later.

I found it all very interesting and I'm sure for them meeting real patients helps them understand a different side to each problem/condition compared to or to go alongside what they learn at a lecture.
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