Odds and Ends

Sean and I went to look at a lounge suite he had seen in Folkestone, and he has ordered two new armchairs. They are hand made by a company in Stroud so there was no problem when he asked for them to be an inch higher than the showroom model.
While we were out we noticed that the puddles were still frozen. It is very cold now.

We took some stuff to the municipal Tip - an old computer, a broken vacuum cleaner, some cardboard boxes, an old pram. It is a relief to get rid of it, but I'm still feeling 'cluttered' so I will sort out more stuff that must get out of my house. At the moment, a lot of junk is piled on top of cupboards, mostly to get it out of Wendy's reach. But I am seriously fed up with junk and clutter and it will have to go.

Yesterday I felt quite unwell. I'd be up for a bit, then feel woozy and have to sit down. Even so, I got a fair bit done before Sean came. All was well until I mashed the potatoes. I kept having to stop because my arm wouldn't work. It took ages and then I had to lie down and ask Kate to serve up. I woke up today feeling that I ought to be careful, and I was, but oh dear, I feel awful now. I'm having severe nausea and stomach cramps, plus exhaustion and malaise. I will have to have a day in bed tomorrow. I feel stupid having such an extreme reaction to something as silly as mashing some potatoes! Its so annoying. I'll have to pull my activities right back and slowly build up again. Experience has shown that is the quickest and easiest way out of a relapse.

One thing I did do was this picture of Kate and Sean. I did it in bed on my laptop. The laptop has proved a godsend for times when I'm in bed.



This is the original photo the above came from:



The photo of Wendy cooking chips in the post below this one I made into a postcard and posted it to her Oupa Andy in South Africa. He will get in in a week or so. I was really encouraged by the Christmas cards he sent to the girls and I, and the parcel he and his wife sent for Wendy. Now I know that they actually get the photos, I'm more committed to sending them. Before that, I felt I was sending things into some black hole, so I didn't do it very often. They sent a sweet bear for Wendy and Kate has put it aside for when she is older because it is too good to be ruined, but the other stuff in the parcel - girlie hair stuff and that sort of thing - she loved. It was the perfect choice for her, and it was very nice of them, especially as the South African rand isn't doing too well against the pound. Proportionally, it cost them a lot of money and the gesture is very much appreciated. Annie would have had a big hand in it and it was kind of her. Annie, if you ever see this, THANK YOU. It was big hearted and generous spirited of you.