Post Christmas.

My Christmas Day walk.  I finally walked to the end of the esplanade. And could get no further!  My chariot doesnt do sand dunes.

So I have extended the walk in the other direction.  Although the views of the fish factory are not the most picturesque.

Christmas Day was spent quietly.  Just the Dawn Patroller and I. 

Pheasant for dinner. 

And lots of wine.

The weather was totally foul on Boxing Day - as was I - so no walk.

Sunday we had our eldest daughter and two grandsons visit from Edinburgh.

Suitably awestruck at the sight of the North Sea.  

And of Grandma in full walking mode.

Later on in the day I introduced the boys to acrylic paint.  Which has been applied with gusto, so much so it still hasnt dried. And acrylic paint was chosen specifically as it dries quickly.

Number 1 grandson is better than I , my placement of subject leaves a lot to be desired. Spiderman would not have had feet if Grandma had painted him.

I finished the day off with lots of wine sorting the world out with daughter as one does. Especially avec  le vin.

Which meant that today with 34 m.p.h winds and rain and gloom/darkness I didnt do the seaside walk -  again.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Still got New Year to go.  Oh God and the resolutions........

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. 

ARCHIES ART.

ARCHIE's Art will raise funds for The ARCHIE Foundation’s appeal to make Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital ‘a world-class hospital for today and tomorrow’s sick children’.
ARCHIE’s Art takes place on November 12 and 13 at Wood Group’s Trafalgar House, Hareness Road, Altens, beginning at 6.30pm.
Wood Group employees have organised the event as part of their pledge to support The ARCHIE Foundation’s High 10 for Archie campaign, which sets out to raise £1 million to transform the ten key steps of a child's journey through the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital.

Wood Group is proud to host ARCHIE's Art - an exhibition showcasing artists from throughout the North and North East of Scotland and the Western Isles.

Well folks, one of those artists was me.  Most of the artists were Artists capital A. Professional.  I gulped at some of the price tags.  Which had 3 noughts at the end.....

 

As is my wont I let the cultural side down. Do I care?

As the great and good of the art world, and purchasers of !  gathered to view.  Sip their white fizz and indulge in the canapes, and have a good laugh at some of the work on show

Being forewarned that there was no red wine, I brought my own.

  
Chariot is ace for concealing bottles.  And no, the man to my left is not challenging me on smuggling it in.  I was quite honest about my nefarious activities.  I draw the line at bringing my own glass so explained my need of same to (very efficient and discreet waiting on staff.)  (The DP had asked if I would like a box of red strapped on to the chariot.  Perhaps next time.)

Should explain my expression.  This is my usual expression when the DP takes my photo, as he never says 'Smile' just presses the b****y button when I am not ready.

Just to prove it, here is another.  

Hope the local rag got a better one.  At least he said, "Look at me, ready, right."

As you will have seen from the blurb at the top the exhibition/raising funds is on for 2 nights.  One night was enough for me.  It took us almost 2 hours to get from where we live to Aberdeen.  30 plus miles.  I thought they must have evacuated Peterhead.  One expected nose to tail coming out of Aberdeen it being the going home time.  What I hadnt expected was the nose to tail from Peterhead going the same way as us.  No, I wasnt driving!

Now the best bit.

SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   50% of the sale price to Archies.

So I am celebrating tonight, glass of red of course.