More murky weather.
This morning I was washed head to toe and moisturised. My carer has this down to a fine art now and I am done and dressed within half an hour. When I am feeling better than I did today she also washes my hair, with me on a lean over the bath and she uses the shower attachment.
After lunch to the Prom.
Out on the horizon this boat was zipping along. No idea what it is, but not a fishing boat. Probably the boat that catches fishermen doing illegal somethings.
Still hazy close to.
Gull Gang.
These two made me smile. The one thrown about up and down by the surf. And the one with ruffled feathers. Like a skirt.
No dancing today, I couldnt get me boots on. Hey ho.
In the afternoon my friend and fellow artist visited. She is extremely talented, not just as an artist, but as a creator/crafty person.
Christmas decorations from wood slices. Pyrography. They are lovely. I have bought ten. If you go to my facebook page I have given her details. She makes other lovely things too.
Now I am exhausted from talking!
This is Sithcat sprawled in front of the woodburner in our sitting room. He is there. I really must get another rug which is not the same colour as he is!
Goodnight.
After many months the fat leg is beginning to slim down. When I get up in the morning both legs and ankles and feet are the same, small and slim. As the day progresses the left one becomes fat and swollen. This has lessened over the days recently and today I managed to get my boots on!! It is not just the getting on of the normal footwear but now knowing I have not got Pulmonary hypertension and the swelling of the leg is down to harmless Bakers Cysts. Phew.
Despite the above two photographs, which have been digitally enhanced by the computer, it was really gloomy today. In fact it never really got light.
Here we have four Oystercatchers, Great Black Backed Gull and a juvenile. They are paddling in the Kessock Burn where it meets the sea. Most days there are gathered there all the Gull Gang and a lot of washing, abluting and feather sorting goes on, as well as paddling.
Herring Gulls in the flock too. So murky it is difficult to identify.
Splashy bath!
Although gloomy there was little wind, it wasn't too cold, and having the correct footwear meant I could walk further, well a little bit further. And my feet did not get cold.
Home and into the Shedudio. Let the Christmas Card production line commence.
As many of my readers are brilliant crafters who will know what we have here, but for those who do not... The pink thing is a board with grooves, the smaller pink thing scores the groove on top of the card and one then folds across the mark it has made. No idea what it is called. So there you have 30 cards. I then put on a sticky label on the back which has my Buchan Birds and Beasts header, contact details, and advertises my facebook page, Buchan Birds and Beasts. Next job is to get the sheet of photos, the DP has yet to do, guillotine, affix to card. Keep watching. I shall need more than 30 of course. Lots of people use social media for Christmas greetings. But I like to send cards, often with a letter, or just an update written in the card.
Pleased to see our lady Sparrowhawk is still around. The DP saw her take a Goldfinch earlier. She missed on this occasion but had time to pose for me. Albeit through a mucky window.
Still waiting for my compression stocking from the Pharmacy. Once I have that I may be able to dance every day!
Very tired and struggling to do anything as I have to keep gaining the control on my breathing. No way could I have got up the steps to have my bosoms squashed. Will have to see how I am on Thursday, my appointment is at 2.15.
I can never understand how I manage to do my pulmonary physio exercises when I feel this bad. Determination! Also washed my hair.
Ah the Prom. The sea air. Sanity.
B****y cold tho.
Only one surfer, who wasnt that good. But you have to start somewhere.
The light now is amazing. Just look the colours, the rocks, the sand, the water. Brilliant.
Fishing boat heading out on the hunt.
The chap from Sea Shepherd was back. Collecting fishing nets that had been discarded and end up on the beach. This is a very small one, most of the ones he cleared were much bigger. He also has a pile next to him and this other pile further along and a great mound at the side of one of the bins.
Back home and in the Shedudio I counted 13 Goldfinch, on the ground and on the Niger seed feeder. At the moment due to the presence of rats Niger seed and Peanuts are the only bird food on offer. Seeds and Sunflower are too easy for the rats to take. They are now taking the poison. I was reading some scary statistics about rats, how quickly 6 become thousands, no thankyou.
The Short Eared Owl is almost finished. The two potential Christmas Cards - well there is no way I can have them finished before I have to start the production line of making the cards. So - this is to be this years card - one I found in the drawer and had never used.
Its early for me but I am away to my cot. Night night.
The DP and I married in 1980. For what seemed like the next ten years I was pregnant or giving birth. Then I took him to the vets.
Four kids under 5 is not exactly ideal.
Now all gone through Uni and working, not always anything to do with their degree(s) we have three in Edinburgh and one in Lincoln. Before the grandkids -6- we lived in a much bigger house than this and all could visit at the same time. When we moved here we had some in the 2 spare bedrooms, some in the Shedudio and one in a tent! Since then they visit individually during the year. Well individual families. One is single.
The DP has just turned 70 and its my turn next year. So I thought it would be nice if we could get together. So I have booked Cortes House. It is just up the road from us. Self catering. Still waiting for full details of what is involved but it is booked for April half term.
Back to the present.
To the Prom. Very windy and earlier very wet. Tail end of Storm Oscar. But when I went it was less windy than back here. Not cold. So a win situation.
The sea weed is back and no doubt after these winds more will be dredged up. Never sure why the wind affects the uplifting of sea weed but it does.
Many Gulls.
Lots of Great Black Backed Gulls.
And a few Oystercatchers.
Not much else, hardly anyone walking dogs, and very few cars in the car park.
The DP has had his photo of the Oystercatchers put on a canvas for me! Still to be put on the wall but thrilled with it. It is huge!
Bed time. Night.
This afternoon was our 'wash up' meeting following FASE 5, this years visual art exhibition. The meeting went on for a long time.....
Our Best in Show, visitors vote, Photograph was by Michelle Emslie.
Best in show painting was Adele Mackie.
So they were happy.
We had a lot of discussion about how to improve and make it all better next year.
After the meeting I went to the Prom, leaving the DP to go to the bank and sort out the mandate so he can sign cheques as Chair of Fraserburgh Art Group.
As you can see from this picture it was much later in the day for me to visit. The sun had almost gone. It was cold, but there was no wind, so it was quite pleasant.
Just the two Oystercatchers. Of course, as soon as I got back into the car, the whole flock flew in...
Plenty members of the Gull Gang.
Most of the sea weed has gone back into the sea.
Getting darker, and colder. So I went to collect the DP and come home.
We have the remnants of Storm Oscar tomorrow. Fairly high winds in the day and rain before dawn. Hey ho.
Still no stocking. So it will be Monday.
Today I booked Cortes House which is just up the road for April next year for all my kids and Grandkids. I have warned them I am spending their inheritance! Will do another post about this and show you what the house is like. Altho you can always google it!
G'night.
The year has flown by!
My day started with yet more stress from the medical bunch. A phone call from the surgery. What sort of compression stocking was required and by whom. I will not bore you lot with my reply. The end of the conversation was that the surgery could do nothing without a letter from the consultant. Deep breath. I then phoned the surgery to ask to speak to the practice nurse who deals with chests. Why? Because I need to know about this compression stocking. "Oh its all sorted. Be at the chemists this afternoon." Would she have told me if I had not phoned ??????
P.S. When the DP went to the chemists he said I never said it would be here, we have had to order the stockings, hopefully tomorrow.
Vitamin Sea and Sanity. Deep breaths.
The beach is covered with seaweed.
Unfortunately now our seas are full of plastic so is the seaweed.
The couple you see in the first photograph are collecting the rubbish. Is not that wonderful!
Quite a task. Wish I was fitter.
Two Skurries (HerringGulls), Great Black Backed, and a juvenile in the water.
The Redshank, there were two.
A Red Legged Partridge begun. A very cold one, very fluffed to keep warm!
The sun begins to set while I am in the shedudio now.
Because of the tilt in the earth(?) it is now more to the left. Going to be a cold night. Mormond Hill in the distance is already looking misty.
Night night.
