Land of the Big Sky.

The sky today has been awesome.

As you can see here on the lower Prom there has been plenty rain.  Not while I was there.

It was bitterly cold.  Bit of wind.

The clouds were very low over the land and sea.

The top Prom where I walk also showing puddles.  I do occasionally get down to the lower Prom but then have the struggle to get back up again.  Although I could walk to the other end where there is a slope.....but it might be a step too far...

T

Here you can see rain falling .

Very moody.

On the beach the only birds were Blackheaded Gulls and there were quite a few of them.  Here a group of three.

Preening.

Posing.

Now what is this at the side of the Shedudio?

Well it is a Pop Up Hide with chair!

Strategically placed logs that have grown their own photogenic fungi!  Bit of bird seed.  Sit in hide and get close up photos.  Simple.

Later the hide was removed to the garage to dry out!  One wouldn't get wet inside it, but it is a new toy so will now dry out.  Ok?!  The DP is a happy man.

I am still amazed the birds were totally unfazed.

I am alive.

Feeling rejuvenated!  No more hospital tests looming.  Crack on.

Washed, moisturised and dressed by my lovely carer who has it all done in 30 minutes what would take me all morning.  Compression stocking off leg seen to and stocking back on.  The DP is getting much better now and he too can put it on with little struggle.  So happy me.   I did all my pulmonary physio exercises.  Including sit to stand, I wedged the wheeled chair!!

After lunch off to the Prom.

Windy and cold.  I got out of the car.

Nobody else around.

Not many of the Gull Gang.  The tide was beginning to go out.  Then it started to rain.  I did a very short walk.  Pacing myself as instructed....then back to the car.

Back home I cleared the decks and replaced the table cover with the new one.  These are washable material you buy from the roll at the local garden centre.  I have had better but the choices were limited as they had brought in the Christmas stock.  I couldn't stand looking at Reindeers and Father Christmases, so this was the plainest.

So all tidy.  For now!

The Brown Hare progressed a bit more today.  I also received some new watercolour pencils from the postman.  Very fat leads so be interesting to see how I go with them - 72 of them -  every shade of every colour - what fun!  I must finish the hare first.  I must finish....

Bit of a downer - our washing machine packed in rather dramatically.  And suddenly.  I have had washing machines packing in from bearings or whatever but this sounded like it was washing bricks and when we tried to move it on to spin it shrieked!  Rather than go through the wait for an engineer, and no idea how old the machine is as it was in situ when we moved in 7 years ago, we have decided to replace it.  

Argos came in cheapest as they take away the old one and fit the new one and its coming on Wednesday.  Currys etc the machine was cheaper,  but their charges for removing the old one and fitting the new one were then far higher than Argos.  Not something you want before Christmas but fortunately we have an emergency fund.  Just hope the cars or anything else doesnt start to scream!

I may be feeling better - mentally and physically - but I still do not have the breath to scream.

Onwards and upwards.

Hour long drive to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.  In pouring rain.  I am sure some years back lorries had to have special wheel flaps to stop spray?  It was awful.  Totally blinded when you went past one or vice versa.

It is a very big hospital.

Miles of corridors.  I had to smile that the Respiratory department was the furthest I had ever walked at ARI!  Or on the Prom! (But then there was no wind or rain!!)

Staff all amazing.  Everything explained.  I had to have blood taken from an artery in my wrist.  Arteries apparently move around and are difficult to get at with a needle.  Hmm. 3 goes including two from a doctor.   As the nurse had to admit defeat.  It hurts far more than extracting blood from a vein.  The blood is then put into a machine which gives oxygen and CO2 levels.  More accurate than the finger clothes peg effort.

Guess what - it was in the tolerances for someone at my stage of COPD.  I just felt relief!  

I had to march up yet another corridor with the peg on me finger then sit and she watched the oxygen level  go back up and it went back to where the machine had put it.

So - advice given.  I have to pace myself!  Slow down.  Who me?  Do breathing exercises on a regular basis, without raising or using shoulders which is counter productive.....  I know but its difficult.  Other than that I am doing everything right, the pulmonary exercises, getting out and walking, having stopped smoking, even my art they were impressed with.  Did I feel I wanted any medication for depression.... Do not want to go there.

We set off from home at 10 a.m.  We had lunch on the way home, just on the edge of Aberdeen and were home for 3.30 p.m.  Oh, we also had a quick visit to a garden centre to buy a new plastic covered table cloth for my work table.  One has to have a reward for being good.  Pictures tomorrow.

Here I am having me lunch.  A bacon sandwich.  Ahhhhh.

Absolutely shattered!  But now I can just get on with it!!

Bruised but thats not going to stop me.  Tomorrow the Prom, tonight,

Stir Crazy.

I have not been outside the door today.  The weather yesterday was bad, but today was terrible.  The DP went out for some shopping and came back with these photographs.

The Golden Horn at the entrance to the harbour getting battered.

Big time.

Bigger time.

Along with 36 mph winds there was also heavy rain which most of the day was horizontal.

I never even managed the Shedudio.

Fortunately my hairdresser, who is considerably younger than I and fitter, came in the afternoon.  So thats me with the ears lowered.  Short back and sides.  The colour red will be reapplied in January.  So far I am still red.  Done well.

I did my pulmonary exercises and have my clothes sorted ready for tomorrow.  We aim to depart at 10 for the 11.30 appointment at the Respiratory department at Aberdeenshire Royal Infirmary.  So of course the rest of the day I stressed.  Everybody thinks I am really laid back.  Ha.  Would that I were.

See you all at the other side.

The rain it raineth.

What a day weather wise.  Sheesh.  High winds 22 mph plus and increasing.  Ninja showers.  They are the ones that creep up and blast you.  And no sun.  And cold.  But as I was clean, washed and moisturised and someone else had put my clothes on for me I could face the world.  So I did.

Just a piece of sky with a bit of Rainbow.

Lots and lots of Gull Gangs.

The sky was changing by the minute.

Then came the Ninja shower so I got back in the car.

The fly past of Starlings was a real bonus!

Through the windscreen of the car.

Its not just the breathing Duta but my sanity boost too.

Back home and down to the Shedudio.  Nice and cosy.

Darker earlier and earlier.  I need to adjust my activities to take account of this.  I did some painting but not a lot.  And have to admit the stressing about Thursday and the visit to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and my assessment for Oxygen Therapy is not helping the creative juices.  I stress when I am not in control.  Anyone else familiar with that?!

The rain it raineth.

Monday.

Flipping cold today.  Brrr.  Gave myself a star as I did my pulmonary physio exercises, been a while, hangs head in shame.

Answers to questions first.  Jacqui asks if I paint in watercolour.  Yes almost always although I do enjoy pen and ink. 

Jean queried our putting food on the ground.  Well normally, without rats  around,  we use hanging feeders.  Seed, sunflower hearts descend to the grass ground and then along come the rats and hoover it up.  So anything that goes onto the ground anyway we place in a flat tray so the birds can feed while we are present it then gets removed when we are not.  And nothing is left for the rats.  It works very well as for the 2 hours I am watching the birds all get plenty grub.  So no rats been seen.  But the black boxes keep being emptied.... so they are still around.

We now have regularly visiting a Brambling.

The Brambling is a winter migrant from Scandinavia.

To the Prom, booted, coated, hatted and gloved.  It was freezing with a horrible icy wind.

The Gull Gang gather and ablute.

Fisher Boys coming into the harbour.  The boat turns to port (left).  Heeling over.

Then swings starboard (to the right).

Then aims for the entrance to the harbour.  Choppy sea.

Redshank on a march.

Blackheaded Gull marching in the other direction.

A charm of Goldfinches.

Blackbird having a bath.

With all that feathered activity out of the window its a wonder I did any painting.  But I did - a bit.  Can you see the whiskers?!

Weather forecast is not good for the next few days, I may walk around a supermarket and buy a new hat.  But still go see the sea.

Birds.

Most people who read my blog know I love birds.  Although my facebook page on my art is called Buchan Birds and Beasts, there are far more birds than beasts get onto the drawing board.  Reasons are I can see birds when I go to the beach.  I can also see birds from the shedudio window.  Little effort required for either beach or shedudio.  The Beasts I have to use others photographs from which to paint.

So lets go to the Prom.

Sunday is a day for dog walkers, so not that many birds are left undisturbed.

At the waters edge are Oystercatchers.

Redshank.

Both birds I have painted many times and never tire of portraying them.

Back home.  Until we are sure the rats are no longer in our garden we have cut back on feeding the birds.  This dish of seed is put down while I am in the Shedudio and then removed.  Pleased to say the birds are still there and our offering remains popular.  One of the Great Tits.

Coal Tits.

Blue Tits.

Robin.

We have many Goldfinch and their Niger seed is still out on a hanging feeder.  The very tiny seed that drops would not be noticed by a rat.  Nor the peanut feeder as there is little of them that falls to the ground.  Once the boxes with the poison in is no longer being taken we will know we have said farewell,  for a while,  to the rats, and can return to feeding everything.  Which will be good as winter draws in.

Today we had a visit from a Tree Creeper, which eats insects, grubs etc from the trees.

As I walked back up to the house there were masses of Pink Footed Geese returning to roost at Strathbeg Bird Reserve.  Should have done a video as they are quite loud!  Magical.

Meanwhile here is a beast progressing on the drawing board.

Brown Hare.