Phew.

I seem to have a hectic social life.
OK, so it's all based around hospital appointments but just let me imagine it's a social life please ...

I have lost the usual few days to the meths as expected and have also had the extra delights of being bloated up like a pink haired balloon by the steroids. Thank gawd they have ended now, I really hope the extra weight starts to come off soon as it's just one more misery on top of everything else - nothing much in the grand scheme of things I know, but it isn't just looking larger (and at just under 5ft I cannot carry off any extra weight) but the fact I feel so solidly heavy and round - it's uncomfortable, not just wibblywobbly fat.

And the sweating, oh dear lord the sweating! I assume it's the steroids, I spent the weekend drenched.
Nice eh - I cannot understand why I am single, who could possibly resist a short, fat, shuffling and limping woman who feels sick and farts and belches all weekend whilst dripping with sweat??

Hey ho.

I was at the Drs Monday morning for blood tests - my lovely mum came through for the day and came with me, then it was on to the hospital for Occupation Therapy in the afternoon.
Long long session BUT with the most fabulous woman ever, Lynn is a total star and gave me a huge hug as I left and announced loudly 'I really like you!'
Well Lynn, the feeling is mutual.

Amazingly the first of the 'aids' she suggested arrived the next morning!

I am officially 93. I ain't admitting what she sent just yet as I am still struggling to find the funny side of it ....

In a desperate attempt to convince myself I am actually gaining something from this enforced 'rest' I have pottered about today taking piccies - ironically some of the very quick point and shoot photos have come out better than when I fanny about fiddling with knobs (oo er!) and dials.

I have taken advantage of the lovely sun outside and the fact that my legs and hands appear to be working today to plant up some more veggies and salad bits. The lettuce has been gazing at me in a pitiful manner asking to be planted up, there's also coriander, basil, dwarf beans, peas and spinach. Will give it a good water in an hour or so when the suns gone down a bit - there is another similar but larger planter full of pretty much the same that I planted a while ago but it isn't exactly thriving.

The teeny tiny garden continues to give me a lot of pleasure, things are sprouting all over the place.

and

(the world's smallest honeysuckle) - and incredibly it looks like my hydrangea plant will flower!

All in small pots and all seem happy.

I started doing a cross stitch of some stargazer lillies which are my very favourite flower, but have had to admit defeat for now on the grounds of poor hands / eyes / concentration. BUT it seems I CAN do tapestry - it's light enough for my hands most of the time and much easier for me to see / concentrate on.

I treated myself with my birthday money and bought this kit:

These are selling for an incredible £495 when completed - when I say 'selling' I mean that's what they are advertised at - whether they actually sell for that I don't know. I am thoroughly enjoying this, much more than I thought I would. Plus I can do it whilst navel gazing or watching telly.

YES I KNOW IT HAS MISTAKES! No, I don't really care. I will mend the blue bit that's a bit iffy but other hiccups can damned well stay there. What I have carefully cropped out is the scrunched up, grubby looking bit of waste canvas to the left where I gather it up in my mitts whilst stitching ;-)

I like this so much I bought Emily's new book:

which, although I like it, isn't all to my taste. I do however very much like this one from it:

I do like the way the book is a mixture of needlecrafts and not 'just' cross stitch based. The flying heart towards the end is superb too.

Very little knitting has taken place - I made something cute for a swap but it has not yet arrived and of course I didn't take any piccies of it. Grrrr. I got bored with my crochet (fickle, that's me) but have started on this:

Out of the depths of my imagination. Ha.

I have a DLA assessment tomorrow which I am truly dreading, then the consultant next week. See, my social calender is overflowing.