Lonely

Still. I seem unable to get to grips with the blogging part of my life.  I just don't seem to be able to get that part of my brain functioning properly, even though I'm missing it greatly.  I'm missing reading through all your bright, fun and inspirational blogs every day.

And the reason for this....

Above was the view I had from my hospital bed last week.  I went in for a review of my medication and the usual IV steroids to help with my fibromyalgia.  I was also due to get some tests done and for seven days I was prodded, poked, x-rayed and scanned and still left none the wiser.  Right now it is not something that I would really feel comfortable discussing here right now as I'm still awaiting more testing to be arranged in a different hospital.

The waiting is probably the hardest part but at least now I'm home with my family all around me.  During the week in hospital I was all alone because it was too long for the Hubby to drive with the kids after school.  And seeing no familiar faces made for one very long week!!

But being me, I didn't waste my time and worked hard on the squares for my blanket.  Lucy had wound some smaller balls of yarn for me to bring along so that I would have a variety of colours with me.  Such a thoughtful little woman!

As you can see, I did manage to get quite a few done!  And now I only have a few more squares to complete before the time to join them all up begins.  That's the fun part!!

I was really delighted, and somewhat surprised, to see this months copy of Reloved in the hospital shop.  It was great to get thinking about decorations for the Easter holiday while I was in there.

One final thing before I go.  There is a sign on the wall of the hospital that is so true, I just had to take a picture of it and show you.  The photo quality is not great but to me it makes little difference to the meaning.....

Hoping to have a more cheery post soon with a nearly finished blanket.

Rosie xx

A Pause For Breath

Last time that I posted was in January (I can hardly believe that it's been so long) and I sad that my New Years resolution was to get out and about more and get as much as possible out of every day.

Well I sure have been doing just that!  And that is what's been keeping me from my beloved blog.  I have been out walking as often as possible with little ol' Molly but always along the same stretch of canal. And as the weather was bleak a lot of the time, I wasn't at all inspired to take pictures and I was sure that you did not want to see a constant repetition of a grey dull canal walk.

Thankfully we have been getting much better weather lately and I did take a few piccies on my last outing.  The picture above is of a silver birch.  Unfortunately you can't see the striking metalic looking bark on the above photo but still I love the contrast of the tree against such a stunning blue sky.

In this photo I adore how the sky and bridge was reflected perfectly on the canal.  Here the canal a  looks a rich sapphire blue.  Natures inspirations.

I have also been spending a lot of time working on the studio in the garden.  often with the help of some little hands.  I did take some photos today of it but they turned out horribly and so now I think that I'll wait until it's all finished to show you.  I'm really pleased with how it has turned out so far and I can't wait to get settled in there.  We were in and all ready to go when I realised that there was on oil spill on my work bench.  It all had to be sanded down and now it just needs to be painted. But to be honest, I don't mind so much as I've really enjoyed the decorating aspect of getting into the studio because here is where I have been able to put my stamp on it.

Pardon the poor photos here but I took them on one of the more wintry mornings.  I've been working slowly on a new blanket for the studio.  I wanted to go for a vintage selection of colours which sadly the real colours can't be seen here. I've used a lot of Kerry Woollen Mills aran yarn which I've had lying around for a long time while I looked for it's perfect project.  I'm really happy now where it has ended up.  The squares are a delight to work and only take a few minutes from start to finish.  Hopefully the next time I get some pictures from it the light will be much better.

With the spring beginning to appear here in Ireland.  I feel like I have more energy and want to get out into the garden and slowly tidy it after the winter.  Already I can see new growth appearing.  So when I'm finished in the studio that will be my next big task.

I'm also hoping that when I'm in and settled in the studio that I will be able to get more sewing, knitting and crochet done in my own little space.  at the moment there is no room for anything and so my stuff is just stacked up in the corner looking messy.  It takes me ages to find anything and that is really putting me off doing any real work. So fingers crossed when all is sorted out I'll have a lot more crafty stuff to post about and not just pictures of the canal again!!!!

Heading off for now.  Slowly trying to catch up on some of your wonderful blogs.

Chat soon,
Rosie xx

Out And About

Last week I certainly made a good start to my resolution to get out more and not just hide myself away.  I treated myself to a new hair do on Friday because I was going out with the Hubby.  This mightn't sound much to you, but you wouldn't believe just how often I cancel appointments because I feel like I can't go!!  We went to see Irish comedian Niall Delamare in one of the local theatres.  It was a great night and I laughed until I had a pain in my side.  We both enjoyed it thoroughly, even though the comedian said I laughed like someone strangling an otter!! What I'd like to know is, how does he know what a strangled otter sounds like??

  A break in the bad weather allowed me to bring the dog out for a few walks along the canal.  Molly was in her element and her little tail never stopped wagging from the time we got out of the car.  On the day that I took these pictures it was still only about 1.5°C outside and large patches of remained floating on the waters surface.  Normally Molly would be straight in for a swim as soon as she found a nice spot to climb down the bank but it was just too nippy, even for her.

Not even the sight of the geese in the water could entice her in.  She hopped from one paw to another with indecision.  "To chase the geese or not!  What do you think Rosie?", she asked me with her big brown eyes.  Eventually she gave in though and soon found something else to hold her interest for a while.

I simply love the varying colours of blue in the sky of a clear winters day.  It is nearly as if it had been dipped dyed that very morning.  If you look very closely, you'll be able to see a very faint afternoon moon too.

Another morning I also visited the ISPCA centre.  The national centre is just up the road from us and it really is a great facility.  They have huge range of pets housed there, from cats and dogs to chickens and pot bellied pigs, horses to rabbits.  I wanted to volunteer to help out but after taking a walk around I think that I'm going to have to put a lot of thought into it first.  I broke my heart to see such beautiful animals abandoned and looking for a loving home.  If I was there all the time I would want to bring them all with me and not leave any behind!  The little dote above is called Chloe and has been there for months now.  People tend to look for kittens and puppies rather than fully grown animals but they should look more at the character of the pet first.  This little lady was so gentle and affectionate and just clung to me not wanting me to leave her.  I cried a lot on the drive home that day.

Here is something that cheered me up though.  Can you see the heart shape in the glass of our stove??  It's a heart in our hearth!!  The flames can make all strange shapes on the glass but this was the first heart that we have had.  Love it!!

Rosie xx

A New Dawn, A New Day

Well, that was one fabulous Christmas and I'm quite sad that it has all come to an end.
Being somebody who does not enjoy the stress induced panic attacks of last minute shopping, all of my shopping was completed by the end of November.  This left me all of December to relax and enjoy the important family traditions that make the most beautiful of memories.  And Oh Boy did we have a busy month, starting with the kids singing in a national choir with 3000 other children in Dublin.  We decided to stay over that weekend and had our first clumsy attempts at ice skating, heading home with sore bottoms and faces that ached from laughing.
We spent lovely afternoons baking with my mother (which we don't do near often enough), making decorations for the tree and knitting gifts for some relations.  There was the nativity play and the end of term play too.  Lucy missed the latter because she had both her big toenails removed just 5 days before Christmas.  She cried in the doctor's surgery when she found out about this, not because she was scared of getting the surgery but because she had the lead in the school play and would not be fit to attend.

Christmas week was just as relaxing.  Full of lazy mornings watching tv with the kids, going for walks in the afternoon and knitting while listening to my favourite audiobooks.  I've thoroughly enjoyed getting back to my needles after hooking for the past year.  I hadn't realised just how much I had missed them.  Now I have a long list of makes just waiting to be cast on.
I even managed to get out a few times over the holidays with my Hubby, having dinner with friends and going out on New Years Eve for the first time in 10 years!! To wind up the season, last weekend there was a huge party for my Hubby's 40th birthday and I made the most of the night and boogied my (not so little) behind off.  It was such great fun with lots of laughter and long chats people there that I hadn't seen for a while.

Looking back over the last month has made me realise that major changes need to be made in my life.  The past year I became too tied to my little hidey hole, the house, reluctant to come out more than once a week and quite happy to stay that way.  But I now see that even though I might be content with this, I've been missing far to much of the life that is going on without me.  I love meeting people, whether they are old friends or new ones and I'm never going to do that while I'm stuck here in my rut.
My resolution for this year is simply to get out of the house more. To meet up with friends, go out for dinner, go shopping or simply to go for a walk with the dog.  I want to fill my day the best that my body allows and be able to go to bed at night tired and satisfied that another day has not been wasted.
So for me this is a new start, a new dawn and a new day.  And who knows just where this tiny little change will bring me?

Hope to catch up with you all very soon,
Rosie xx