Saturday 21 February 2015

Its the BBC again.

As Fraserburgh holds the record for the highest wind speed at low level in the UK (123.4 knots or 142 mph, on 13th February 1989)recorded at Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, we had a team from the BBC programme The One Show.  I will let you know when its to be on. Next 4 weeks apparently.  An item on severe weather.



This is the team on the roof of the castle through which was built the lighthouse.

Although I was there and introduced to the Director, her in blue, or was she a producer?  And the cameraman.  Sadly I was not required at the other side of the camera.  Unlike my main claim to fame last year.


When I was the token English woman on the Scottish Independence debate with Janet Street Porter.  Sheesh do I look scruffy.  I was mid way through a chest infection.....out of sick bed, on tele, back to sick bed. 

Back to the mundane.  

Lot of talk in blogland about this new decluttering person. Kimono?  Anyway I watched a video on how to fold your knickers today.  Thankyou Mums Simply Living blog.  Which did not inspire me to change my way of slinging said knickers into a drawer, much quicker.  I did, the other day, do as advised by Kimono? to empty my wardrobe onto the floor.  Enjoyed that.  But then I had to fold and roll everything into drawers.  Well I dont have drawers. Apart from the small ones that knickers get flung into. Then bras, then tights. So I am a lost cause. Although I did fill 2 bin bags for the charity shop.

But was all fired up and it felt like Spring so I went down the shedudio and swept, cleaned and moved stuff.

 

Including my work table to face out of the side window. The sunset has been curtailing my art as it shines directly into my eyes.  Seemple, face in another direction.  A bit distracting with birds and counting mole hills.

But managed to finish this.


Watercolour, pen and ink.  You can see it in stages on my facebook page.

But not as yet on the BBC.


Sunday 15 February 2015

Oh boy do I need that.

Some of my readers will remember I have attended Pulmonary Physiotherapy Sessions which have been of great benefit to me.  I really need that.

The good news is that I am on another round.  

It was picked up by the physiotherapist that I was now using my shoulder muscles to breathe instead of the chest ones.  How come I never noticed it?!


So I got plastered.  

Which 2 days later was removed. This hurt......I did not need that.

Verdict after much tapping of muscles was it was working.   So I was replastered. ( I had also noticed that I was 'better'  - more puff.)

I had to remove this second lot myself.  Advised to use baby oil.  This I had to google.  As I didnt know whether you soaked the plaster in it or what.

 Apparently you put the baby oil on afterwards to remove any bits and to sooo-ooothe. And boy did I need it.  The soothing.  The plaster goes right up to the back of your hair line and above.  My hairdresser was horrified.  She could not do the usual neck clipping.  She didnt need to worry, when the plaster is removed it does a more thorough job than any clipper. ....Plus you have to be very careful not to aim the hair dryer at the plaster.  I can only assume it sets it in concrete.  Which would be even more painful.

Furthermore baby oil is the most difficult thing to remove.  The removal of plasters  was carried out on Valentines Evening.  I then  dropped the bottle of wine......just slid out of baby oiled hands.  And boy did I need it.  

Fortunately my reflexes are still good and the bottle was regrabbed before too much spilled.  

Red wine is very good for getting rid of baby oil too - now who would have known that! Unless they dropped the bottle and quite a lot splashed over ones hands.

So no plaster but my sub conscious is in play and I remember to drop the shoulders and breathe from the diaphragm.  Though I have to have the plastering re-done on Thursday. Better make sure the Dawn Patroller takes care of any bottle pouring when we remove the next lot.

I have had to remember whilst painting to stay erect, not slump, and use the diaphragm and not the shoulders.  (Another bit of useful info is that with my disease your diaphragm thins and is not as effective. My knowledge of the human body knows no bounds.) 

Not sure my painting is any different.

 
This Whooper Swan landing seems to have everything controlled.

And cats always appear to have everything under control.
 
And boy do I need that. 

Sunday 8 February 2015

February - already?

The days are now noticeably longer.  

The sun sets.  You can just see the shedudio at the back of the photo.  Earlier the sun was shining right into my eyes....Photograph taken from our dining room patio doors. And yes I am still learning how to use my new camera.....

 
Here is a similar timed one taken by a proper photographer.  This is Kinnaird Head Fraserburgh.  The original Lighthouse came into being in 1787.  Only lit on special occasions now.  To its left is the working lighthouse, boring wee edifice but necessary.  To the far left is the Fog Horn.  Which is a listed building, but sadly does not work anymore, not even on special occasions.  Pipes gone.  A bit like me.



 I have had an extremely tiring month.

 This chap's fault.  My mate I referred to in a previous post and some of you thought he had died.  Well he didnt.  He went on to another job in a much bigger museum than our Lighthouse.  

Though some of the cursing I have done since he went he should be pushing up daisies by now. 

 Full time job and more it has been managing the Museum.  In the last few weeks I have felt as if I was totally on my own.  Chair of the board sadly ill. Me - vice chair. Get on with it!

Howsomever. Tomorrow we have a new Museum Manager starting.  I can resume my normal life.

Filling up space in the Art Gallery at the Museum. I managed that. Tick.


Also the odd painting.



A Mountain Hare.  From a Photo by Paul Cain.

 

 And the Torville and Dean of the Swan fraternity.  From a photo by Avril Reid.

I am blessed with so many friends who are photographers and allow me to be inspired.

Not only that through being able to paint when possible has kept my sanity, well only just.

Then I realise - its February. Already.