A Knit and a Natter!
Thank you as always for the lovely comments left - I always click publish unless it's a personal message.
One of my lovely bloggy chums asked what have I been up to, as I hadn't posted for about a month!
I do need to apologise for that...
Regular readers know that I have a mental health condition that can tip me into the realm of the 'black dog'.
Luckily I didn't have many days like that the last month, but I have been using my talents and doing what makes me feel good - giving.
I spend a couple times a week at the care home.
one lady is crocheting like a pro now after just an hour of one-to-one, and another is knitting squares to be made into blankets. This week I'm running an art therapy session using coloured buttons, and next week it's a quiz with prize bingo!
I continue to collect used, clean underwear for the homeless shelter. My family think I'm totally bonkers - and they are quite right!
Craft-wise; I'm knitting a cardigan for the shop, I'm working on the
50 shades patchwork for Man Wonderful et moi, and have started - at long last - the passacaglia paper-pieced patchwork. (The real name is Millefiori Passacaglia. If you haven't seen one, google it. They are simply stunning.) I'm using up lots of pretty odds and ends in this beauty.
I've also been investing time in me and my chap.
We've had a lovely couple of trips to St.Ives, and are off to Devizes this week with his exam board work. Although he is retired, he gets asked to advise or moderate each year and can
pick and choose what he wants to do.
Tomorrow, for the first time since I can remember, I am going to the hairdresser!
My hair is .. well .. naturally curly, thick, big, and very easy to live with. I wash it only in conditioner, about once a week, and it air dries. To style it I add a bit of water and use my fingers to move the curls where I want them. I've cut it myself since I was 14, and its either long, shoulder length or short...and big and curly!
My grey hairs have come through like natural highlights and I love them.
But I wanted to spoil myself, so I went to speak to Charlie the local hairdresser, and we pored over vegan colour charts with a cuppa each.
Tomorrow I'm waving goodbye to a few greys and hello to a little colour for the first time!
Yesterday the little dog had a visit to the local vet. She is fine, but had some essential treatment done under sedation. Luckily as we pay monthly into their scheme, it cost nothing, and we also came away with her three month dose of worming and flea
treatments.
It's been glorious weather again.
My salad leaves are sprouting away, and the herbs I'm growing this year are doing very well on the shelf in the shower room. Yesterday Man Wonderful treated me to a posy of pinks from the corner shop, and they are filling the lounge with their spicy scent.
We're tracking our spending this month, like my chum Sam over at the ninetofiveish blog.
Everything we spend I'm writing down, along with where we bought it.
We are not changing what we usually do, as it is to enable us to look at how we spend.
We think we live fairly frugally, but not as tightly as we did a few years ago when we wanted to pay off our mortgage. We will see what the book shows at the end of the month!
I'm off now to look at the Turner prize shortlist.
Enjoy your day, and leave me a message if you'd like to - I always write back!
Tracey x
One of my lovely bloggy chums asked what have I been up to, as I hadn't posted for about a month!
I do need to apologise for that...
Regular readers know that I have a mental health condition that can tip me into the realm of the 'black dog'.
Luckily I didn't have many days like that the last month, but I have been using my talents and doing what makes me feel good - giving.
I spend a couple times a week at the care home.
one lady is crocheting like a pro now after just an hour of one-to-one, and another is knitting squares to be made into blankets. This week I'm running an art therapy session using coloured buttons, and next week it's a quiz with prize bingo!
I continue to collect used, clean underwear for the homeless shelter. My family think I'm totally bonkers - and they are quite right!
Craft-wise; I'm knitting a cardigan for the shop, I'm working on the
50 shades patchwork for Man Wonderful et moi, and have started - at long last - the passacaglia paper-pieced patchwork. (The real name is Millefiori Passacaglia. If you haven't seen one, google it. They are simply stunning.) I'm using up lots of pretty odds and ends in this beauty.
I've also been investing time in me and my chap.
We've had a lovely couple of trips to St.Ives, and are off to Devizes this week with his exam board work. Although he is retired, he gets asked to advise or moderate each year and can
pick and choose what he wants to do.
Tomorrow, for the first time since I can remember, I am going to the hairdresser!
My hair is .. well .. naturally curly, thick, big, and very easy to live with. I wash it only in conditioner, about once a week, and it air dries. To style it I add a bit of water and use my fingers to move the curls where I want them. I've cut it myself since I was 14, and its either long, shoulder length or short...and big and curly!
My grey hairs have come through like natural highlights and I love them.
But I wanted to spoil myself, so I went to speak to Charlie the local hairdresser, and we pored over vegan colour charts with a cuppa each.
Tomorrow I'm waving goodbye to a few greys and hello to a little colour for the first time!
Yesterday the little dog had a visit to the local vet. She is fine, but had some essential treatment done under sedation. Luckily as we pay monthly into their scheme, it cost nothing, and we also came away with her three month dose of worming and flea
treatments.
It's been glorious weather again.
My salad leaves are sprouting away, and the herbs I'm growing this year are doing very well on the shelf in the shower room. Yesterday Man Wonderful treated me to a posy of pinks from the corner shop, and they are filling the lounge with their spicy scent.
We're tracking our spending this month, like my chum Sam over at the ninetofiveish blog.
Everything we spend I'm writing down, along with where we bought it.
We are not changing what we usually do, as it is to enable us to look at how we spend.
We think we live fairly frugally, but not as tightly as we did a few years ago when we wanted to pay off our mortgage. We will see what the book shows at the end of the month!
I'm off now to look at the Turner prize shortlist.
Enjoy your day, and leave me a message if you'd like to - I always write back!
Tracey x
Hi Tracey - lovely to hear your news. I so wanted to crochet and tried and tried but was absolutely useless - you have made me think I will give it another go! Best wishes to you and yours. Laura
ReplyDeleteI love to knit and have been looking for a Knit and natter group. Unfortunately, they all meet when I'm on night shift and too bagged to attend.
ReplyDeleteI've been colouring my hair for years. It's my one real treat. A couple of hours at the hairdressers every other month.
We finally have double digit weather!
I've noticed a chance over the years in peoples blogs. Some almost were "I'm poorer than you but I'm awesome" almost a completion. Now there seems to be more of a let's see what I can do with what I have without pushing the boat out mentality if you know what I mean.
Good to hear from you again
ReplyDeleteGlad you are finding a balance to your life, continue with the crafting and teaching. I am sure your efforts are really appreciated, I am still crocheting squares and knitting baby (premmie) blankets but now we are back working there is so little time!
ReplyDeleteGood for you getting your hair coloured-I intend to go down fighting and at 67 still have blonde highlights! Like you, I do a few voluntary roles but this last 3 Thursday I have been on a First Aid for Mental Health course and have found it so interesting. It has increased my knowledge greatly and also I hope given me the skills to help someone to seek help and also to be more empathic with people who are having a mental health crisis. It has also given me a much better understanding of my DH's feelings of anxiety and depression which have increased with age. It's lovely that you have been getting out and about, and also keeping busy giving of your time and expertise where it is needed. I also collect undies for a homeless project in Glasgow but my friends are all so used to me now that they actually bring me pants and socks on a regular basis! Catriona
ReplyDeleteWow, busy lady :) I hope the hairdressers treatment went well, I'm very interested to how you like the vegan colours.
ReplyDelete