Gel, greenhouse building and a new bird visitor

One of Tina’s parishioners has had a bad back and bought a different pain relief gel which she found was very good, so I went to the chemist this morning to see if they stocked it. At first they said they didn’t have any but then the pharmacist said he would look out the back and they had one large tube. A bit of a song and dance finding the price but I have it now. Have only used it a couple of times so far and not sure how much difference it is making, but will carry on for a while.

A decided to start working on making the greenhouse, I had thought the most tricky part was over, it seems not! But before that I was going to put the door and pictures in place on the back wall. I had managed to lose two of the paintings, they were just tiny images on paper and I wasn’t too sad about that as I hadn’t liked them and they didn’t seem appropriate pictures for the flower house. So I fpgo my box of stamps out and found some images and made my own pictures. 

The instructions had me guessing, and then I unwrapped the greenhouse ‘glass’ and was even more concerned!

There are two layers to the solid walls and you had to sandwich the ‘glass’ between them. Believe me, at one point I was shouting at it that it was impossible! Then the wood, which had warped slightly when painted, would not stick together, so then it was the weights from the kitchen!

At the moment I have the second piece under weights!

On a brighter note I have still been putting the Bird Buddy out and the starlings and robin have been regularly visiting. There is a dunnock in the garden that is often around, a shy little bird, not colourful but sings beautifully. This afternoon it was brave enough to approach the Bird Buddy, quite made my day!

I am sure I can approach the greenhouse with renewed determination tomorrow!

Boot sale and craft!

Went with Darren to the boot sale, it was a bright morning but quite chilly. Managed to get around with nine today and we were chatting to a man who make great models and uses a lot of recycled stuff as well. Darren bought me one of the smaller ones as an early birthday gift. Really cute.

I took some pics  house and garden for a friend and thought I would add them to the blog.

I started the crafting with finding all the pieces to go on the different display units and got them assembled.

Then I followed the less than clear instructions to place them on the greenhouse base. Three different angles of them assembled.

I finished off one other task, making the bound handle for the little bucket, considered not bothering but had attempted everything so far!

Tv evening now.

Some crafting

I had a rough night and was up early so made the pencil and paintbrush from the cocktail stick that I painted yesterday evening.

Tina was out for the day so Darren and I planned to have lunch out. He was going to the gym and I arranged to walk down and meet him when he was finished. I did walk down but the knee was painful and I was very slow, so haven’t done too much more walking today. We were going to go in the cafe at the leisure centre but is was absolutely heaving so we drove up to Freeport. We had a very nice lunch and then went in a few shops. On the way back Darren stopped at Tesco so that I could get some Greek yogurt.

I fixed the pencil and brush onto the items they were intended for and then sorted out the items to be displayed on one of the display stands I made for the miniature greenhouse. That was actually quite fiddly as well, as the ‘vases, are actually all beads so not a lot of edge to stick down. Have put front and back photo.

Other than that I have had a relatively quiet day, and after a bad night will be back on the recliner tonight.

Building up to walking a bit more!

This morning I went to visit Bel, who was in good form as usual, she does so well for a ninety year old. Took a photo of the magnolia on the way back as the flowers are about to open.

Before lunch I got the wooden parts of the greenhouse done that I had painted before making the accessories and gave them another coat of paint.

After lunch I left early to try walking to Jean’s who lives near the Floral Hall. I had a short sit down in the memorial garden as the knee was a bit sore. 

Some pics of the sea before I got to her house.

We had a nice chat as usual and Terry gave me a lift home which I was grateful for this evening.

I have finished the flowers and most of the accessories for the greenhouse, although I have still to assemble them all together and add some extra bits of greenery here and there, but I haven’t yet made the paintbrush and pencil as ai lost the blue cocktail stick! Cutting the minute piece of paper so that it resembles bristles and then attaching it to the cocktail stick should be fun. Will do that in daylight but have painted a wooden stick ready for use!

Going to attempt sleeping in the bed tonight, so fingers crossed!🤞

Physio reassurance

This morning Tina and I went and had breakfast at Lily’s on the sea front. Tina was off to Mirfield and I had asked her to drop me off by the sea so that it wasn’t quite so far to walk to the surgery. Had an appointment with Emma, the physio there, who had given me an injection in my knee some months ago. A couple of sea shots when Tina left and before I walked up to the surgery. They still have screens up in our surgery, and chairs taped off, and you still have to wear a mask.

I was called straight in and we chatted. She did examine my knees and tested my range of movement. We decided that this was a flare up and would hopefully settle down a bit. She mentioned one exercise which I have done regularly, but not so much lately and one more to stretch the hamstring. She did say I could have another injection when it settles if I want to. But basically it was reassuring and she said to pretty much keep doing what I am doing. 
A lovely tree in the grounds of the cottage hospital, I was a bit windswept!

Very nice post delivery today, some fab chocolates from Mike and the stamps I had ordered, the first special edition to have the Kings head on.

This may seem an odd photo, we have some nuts left form Christmas and now my tooth seems to be stable I decided to have a few. Cannot remember the last time I got a walnut out whole!

When I went into the garden to put theBird Buddy away for the night there was a blackbird up in the tree singing so beautifully! So a picture of a tree, he is at the top!

A couple more photos while I was out there.

No crafting today, I have done a couple of my favourite puzzles, challenging ones, as my latest issue of The Puzzler arrived this week. I will sleep in the chair again tonight and if there is some improvement may try the bed again tomorrow.

Some crafting and a short trip out.

I have been working on the final flowers and plants for the greenhouse. They were more fiddly to the point of being ridiculous so I didn’t really enjoy making them. I am half way through the instruction book and made the mistake of looking at the rest. Making the actual greenhouse is very complicated and had pages of instructions. May have a break from it to build up for another challenge! I will put a series of pics, some of the pieces gathered together as well as finished articles.

I made those two quite early and then had a surprise trip to the garden centre with Angela. We had a nice chat over a sandwich and cuppa and we had George with us, a long haired chihuahua and very cute.

The bed at the front of the house is filling out, and the magnolia in the front is full of blooms. The one in the back garden only has three blooms.

Anya sent me a picture of Peterborough yarn bomb for a change.

I went into the back garden and hoed for about half an hour. Took some pics as it is getting spring like now.

The final plants and bits were beyond fiddly, glad they are made!

I tried using the knee support this morning, it didn’t stay on long as it made the pain much worse! Hopefully the physio will have some suggestions tomorrow.