Welcome home Darren

 A big day today, Darren was  on his way here and will be staying. Lovely for us to be together again after five months. So I made a cake this morning and got some balloons so that we could welcome his return, we decided the office entrance would be the best as you drive in towards it.

While Tina and I were having lunch Pandora settled on the cushion I use as a foot rest.

Then, looking out of the window we spotted a clever little mouse who he worked out how to reach the bird feeder, we have spotted it once before.

Darren arrived soon after 2pm as he had set off quite early. He bought me a pair of earrings made by a friend of someone at the archery club for fund raising.

I did do a sketch this afternoon and used a blender pen for the shading.

We have had dinner and now a relaxing evening. Tina and I are quite tired as we stayed up to watch the football last night.

Library and jigsaw

 I have just finished reading The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett, I had seen the film but the book was better in some ways, and Alan Bennett seems such a lovely man. So I decided to read some more of his work and went across to the library. Which was open this morning. They didn’t have anything by him but are ordering a couple for me.

I started working on the jigsaw this morning, not the easiest one but good fun except when Pandora lays on it!

After lunch I carried on and have finished it. Now I can do the extra puzzles, the first two are using the letters on the racks to find a word that when placed on the board scores a certain amount, so they should get me thinking! The other challenge is to link all the images around the board to one of the answers on the board. So extra fun for your money!

After the family call we went shopping to Perth, it is not so warm but still very humid here. Well, we didn’t go straight away as we had to work out getting my Wimbledon code onto my phone so I had to get an app. Had a bit of a headache by the time that was done!

The pains were a less when we went shopping, I think because I have reqlly upped the pills!

Darren is on his way up to stay here tomorrow which is great.

Biding my time

 I did get stuck into household chores and with the help of pills thought things were on the up. Then I walked round to the local shop and the knee and hip were really painful. I was going to phone the surgery then realised that my phone is playing up and calls are not going through and when they do I cannot hear the person at the other end! I went to use the office phone but that isn’t connected at the moment.

 

I bought some bananas and peaches at the shop and used some out milk to make a smoothie which was lovely. I have had some sitting, one with the cat and have worked on the jigsaw today. Another one that is quite challenging. I have done a bit more now, but it is slow progress.

When Tina got home she gave me her mobile to phone the surgery. I was on hold for about forty five minutes and every ten minutes it beeped three times! I was about to give up when it was answered. The receptionist tried to get me to see the physio but I said I want to see a doctor. I have an appointment on Monday morning, I will continue with the pain diary. 

I scratched inside my er this morning and there was a bit of blood. Thought nothing more of it until I realised this evening I had dried blood down my face from the ear. Tina has tried to stop the bleeding by using some pressure. I will leave the hearing aids out for now.

We had a thunder storm this afternoon, quite close at one point.

Hank it will be another easy going day tomorrow, got to try and be a bit fitter for the Wimbledon adventure!

Taking it easy

 Trying to ease off anything energetic as I need to see if that will ease the pain in my hip and knees. So not much walking and no exercises. It is really hot too so another good reason to take it easy. I did get a load of washing done and dried and have done some sorting in my rooms as they were getting cluttered. Have never managed to stop being a clutterbug!

I didn’t post the picture of the things I bought on Tuesday so will now!

Is hanged the position of a couple of my house plants as I wander the vintage plant holder to be more obvious.

Tina was at the dig again today, this and took a photo of the trench they have been clearing. She is feeling tired but is enjoying it.

After tea I took some jigsaws over to the library along with some used stamps which they collect. A bear has appeared there, quite a striking one!

Things haven’t improved much, if at all with the legs so looks like another day taking it easy tomorrow!

Another good concert

 My inclination was to put a negative heading about my aching hip and knees, but as I made it to the concert focus on that. Tina went off to join the ‘dig’ at the field, I made dinner for this evening before I went out so as we could just heat it when we were ready to eat. Tina sent a photo when she was on a tea break, at least the area they were excavating was in the shade.

I walked to Dunkeld slowly as the hip,and knee were very uncomfortable, but it was worth is as the concert was very good again. The lady harpist was getting the enormous harp out of her car and using a trolley to get it into the cathedral. I took a pic while she was toning the harp and there is a photo of her in the program.

I had a drink and collected Tina’s prescription before walking home. I came through the village as taking the river path would have meant me tackling the the bridge which I didn’t want to attempt today. As it was I had a rest on the one bench en route! I got back at the same time as Tina who had left at the site and strained her calf. So we are a pair of old crocks at the moment!

We have watched some tennis and had tea, I will go out for watering but won’t do anything else.

I have started a pain diary to see if there is a pattern. Leaving the exercises and will stay indoors tomorrow.

Out and about.

 Couldn’t see the hill from the house today, very heavy mist, the heat arrived though!

Tina had appointments today, a hospital appointment in Perth this morning and a massage in Blairgowrie this afternoon so I went out with her. There was a park near the hospital so I took my sketchbook but it was really just grass and a children’s play area. 

Walking back to the hospital I had a sit on this great bench.

The hospital is quite high up, views from them main entrance.

We came home for a while before we set off for Blairgowrie. By then it was pretty hot and I had a very painful hip so I didn’t do much wandering. I took a bag of material to The Nest, the shop that sells unwanted art and craft stuff very cheaply. I bought a couple of bit and will add pics of them tomorrow. I liked these hanging baskets, effective having so many together.

I settled on a bench in a small park to wait for Tina, this decorated bear was there.

We had lunch before we came home. We watched some tennis. Tina has gone to play bowls and I have put the bin out and watered the pots and bonsai plants.

I will finish with pictures from a friend who went to a wild bird reserve.

Trying something new

 This morning I put a trowel and gloves into my bad and walked into Dunkeld to meet one of the Birnam in bloom teams at St Ninians garden. Spent a couple of hours with six other ladies re, weeding and pruning with a tea break and time to chat after the first hour.  They have taken my details and I will go along again next week. One of the ladies mentioned the knit and natter group when I asked her bout craft groups. They meet every Monday afternoon and people take long what they are working on or just for te and a chat. I came home and hd lunch with Tina then sorted out a piece of embroidery which has st in the cupboard for t leat a couple of years to take long with and set off to walk into Dunkeld again.

The light in the hall wasn’t very good but I managed a couple of the blue flowers. I helped with the dishes before I walked home. I will go again next week. It was dry on the way back, it had been raining when I went in.

That was quite enough exercise for one day, although I did my standing exercises while I watch some tennis and will do the lying down ones before I go to bed.