My uni semester finished 2 weeks ago.  I finished the semester early as I had no exams, all my assessments were written assignments. Some of my friends are still studying for exams and will be doing them over the next week.  I've filled my time ensuring that all my notes are up to date, that I have downloaded all the learning materials and readings, just in case I've missed the odd thing here and there in the business of the semester. I'm usually pretty good but had missed some updated notes that were put up on Blackboard after our workshops.  In addition to this I did a lot of sleeping in the first week of the holidays.  My body needed rest.  This has been my best semester so far as far as my health and energy goes.  I've been on low-dose Naltrexone for 6 months now and it has definitely helped with my ability to cope physically as well as assisting my cognition.  I'll write a post specifically about Naltrexone over the next few days.

As I've mentioned previously, taking care of myself, in addition to taking all of my medication, is vital to me being able to be independent and to cope with uni. With that in mind I regularly prep food so that I always have healthy, nutritious food on hand so it takes little to no effort to throw together a healthy meal or snack for myself. I've been gifted some food this week. An abundance of oranges from Mum's tree, lemons, limes, mandarins, lettuce, English spinach, an avocado and a custard apple.  I cut the oranges into pieces and store them in old jam jars in the fridge as a ready snack or to add to Sophie's dinner - yes she eats well too which is why she is in such good shape at 13.5 years old. There is a 9 year old lab called Sally who lives near my parents and she looks considerably older than Sophie, can barely walk and has lived on dry food all her life.  I really think nutrition makes a huge difference.  I've always raw fed my dogs.  Anyway, back to the food prep.  In the fridge I have a salad made up (blue bowl), carrot sticks and cut up cucumber stored in water in jars at the back, orange slices cut up and stored in jam jars at the front and a bottle of homemade hummus made with my friend Tiia's recipe.  I also have a container of berries washed and ready for when I feel like a sweet snack or to sprinkle over my porridge of a morning.

 

It makes it so easy to throw together a healthy meal.  To the salad below I added some parsley and tomatoes from my garden. My tomato plants here grow with wild abandon and I am rarely without cherry tomatoes.  As I'd been gifted so much food I splurged and picked up some smoked salmon which I added to the salad.

Sophie and I take our regular walks most days.  Some days she's a bit wobbly and stiff so I keep her at home but we both love getting out. It keeps us healthy too. That and doing yoga and pilates here at home.  Sophie joins in to these at times which makes some sessions more of a wrestle and giggle fest than an exercise session.

Another aspect of my lifestyle is to reduce my carbon footprint further and I'm very happy to be able to recycle my coffee pods.  I have a Nespresso machine as I knew that Nespresso provided a recycling program.  As there is no collection centre for the pods close to me I can use the Nespresso postal service by putting my pods in their postal bag and simply popping it in the post box.  Very convenient.

Catching up with friends in person has been on the agenda too which seemed odd after being so isolated during the Covid lockdown.  Everyone's lives have been so different, each with their unique challenges.  Today I am visiting my friend Susanna who is one of my friends from uni. Susanna and her husband moved to Australia this year.  Sadly she lost her father during Covid and was unable to return home to his funeral due to the restrictions.  I felt so deeply for her so far away in a new country, in lockdown, navigating her grief.

While I'm out today I'll call into the bulk food store and get the ingredients that I need to make gluten free flour.  Far cheaper than purchasing the same mix at a local health food store and containing far more nutrients than the regular gluten free flours commonly found in our supermarkets.  I'll share some more about being gluten free and the flour mix I use when I write about low-dose Naltrexone.

Blessings of the day to you my friends. xxx

Prednisone, the wild ride

I mentioned yesterday that I wasn't feeling great.  What I didn't mention was that I have had really intense nausea for the past two weeks in addition to feeling not right in the head - sort of dizzy.  Hard to describe.  Well, today I was desperate and I decided to try something a bit left field to try to help. I have motion sickness wrist bands in the car for my niece and sometimes myself. A friend had used them successfully to counteract morning sickness, so I thought... "Why not give them a try?". 

 The white button sticks out at the back of the band and presses on a pressure point in your wrist.  It took at least 1 1/2 hours but I must say it worked.  As the day has progressed I've felt better and better.  Yippeeeee!!  I wonder if they would help people with chemo nausea?

A celebration dinner that I can actually enjoy without feeling ill!  Salmon and chickpea tikka curry with rice, quinoa, fresh coriander (cilantro) and crunchy pappadams.  Yum.  Oh my goodness I cannot describe how good it was to eat and enjoy - which has definitely not been my experience of late.  Now I just have to get on top of the prednisone insomnia.  Melatonin worked last night and I'm lucky to be able to have day time catch up sleeps.  I'm getting through a lot of books though!

This is the latest that I finished this morning.  It's an historical fiction that dips into fantasy as it attempts to describe the spirituality of AD 45 Britain.  I did enjoy it but I must say that the main character became tiresome as she CONSTANTLY ran off and did exactly what she had been told NOT to do.  If ended up feeling like this was the only manner in which the author could make anything happen - change in setting, circumstances, anything.   Not sure if I will read it's sequel.

Catching Up

Today I find the last few days have caught up with me.  We had friends and family over on Saturday night for food and play and glowsticks in the pool (there were 7 children under 12).  Oh my what fun. Oh my the non-stop busyness.  I kept myself small and quiet on Sunday trying to recover energy from the previous night and bank some for Monday's jaunt to the crystal warehouse.  I loved the trip to the city. I loved sharing our home and Saturday night with lovely hearts. Doing 'ordinary' things.  My body has collapsed today under these choices I have made in the use of my energy.  Not that I regret my choices.  I have to live my life as well as manage my health. As I sat this morning waiting as new tyres were fitted on the car I was reminded of spoon theory.  I read this long ago and it was so apt for my own situation...  how I present and the reality of my existence are frequently incongruent.

On this weary day I ache to lie on the earth under my tree (a habit developing of late). To rest deeply and fully.  I wish for a fire. But it rains. So, instead, I gave my sink a shine. Thank you Flylady.

 Watched my succulents swim in the overflow from our decrepit guttering and did nothing about it other than photograph it.

 

Stood on the back deck and gazed longingly at the cavern like darkess beneath our tree, and longed to crawl under and sit by the fire.

 Gazed at the vinca's in prolific bloom by the pool and thought of my maternal Grandmother.  She had vincas on the farm.  Vincas and hydrangeas.  They always make me think of her.  I think of her strong hands as she worked hard on the farm, digging, harvesting, preparing food.  I see her hands setting the table with china teacups with saucers and churning out knitting and crochet projects in great profusion.  All filled with love and her laughter.  Today I feel her close although she has long been gone. 

Even tired days have sweet memories.

Applying Mindfulness

Last Friday I was diagnosed with something new.  Polymyalgia Rheumatica.  I have a very LONG, serious health history with issues that began ..... 17 years ago with an autoimmune disease, followed by cancer and I'll just say etc, rather than detailing my other diagnoses.  It's ridiculous.  I am on long term prednisone treatment now which I'm not jumping over the moon about but I've taken this new diagnosis very calmly. Is this because I basically have been burnt out by the whole health issues thing or is it because I've become a regular meditator and this has changed how I react to things?

So straight after the doctor I came home, did a bit of a google to find out what I had then I spent hours doing a mindfulness meditation.  I worked on a page in one of my Johanna Basford books and used my prismacolor pencils.  Thank you Aannsha for introducing this meditation strategy to me. Very grateful. :)

After completing the page, I allowed myself to think about this new diagnosis and my new medication again.  It changes nothing really.  They don't control my attitude, my relationships, how I choose to manage my life overall. I still have a wonderful husband. I still love where I live. I love my friends and family.  My two sweet dogs remain unchanged.  Beautiful birds still come to my birdfeeder or sit on my window sills and stare me down through the windows.  So much to be appreciate and enjoy.  This is just a speed bump.  I think a much smaller speed bump due to experience and most definitely due to the changes I feel within that I attribute to meditating regularly.  Another thing to be grateful for.

Another baby step back to me.....

Getting back into yoga with the support of Jess.

For the past two years I've struggled with chronic bursitis in my shoulder.  Had a little tantrum (a gentle one) today and decided I'm getting back on the mat no matter what.  Will see if I hold firm to that if the pain comes back!!

Busy days

I love this time of year.  The weather is generally spectacular, my garden looks wonderful and for some reason the days seem long and lazy.  We've been very busy of late getting ourselves ready for the school holidays, dealing with jobs around the house, getting out and about and the like.  Last week I went to see my niece and nephew in their school concert and it was a blast.  Prep to year 6 is involved and it was so much fun.  So pleased that I went.  We also had sports day for the littlies at the school that my other nephews attend (the ones who live with me). 

The rain stayed away for most of it.  Master R threw a shoe in both races he ran in and never missed a beat.

It's mulberry time and my tree is simply laden with fruit this year.  We've just had a day of rain and then a day of wind so I have to go down and see if this is still the case.  I'll be bitterly disappointed if the fruit has all dropped.

 Not the greatest photo, taken from under the tree and looking up.  The dogs are spending most of their waking hours here snuffling in the garden beneath the tree and picking low hanging fruit straight from the branches.

I love how healthy the tree looks this year.  It had a severe pruning a number of years ago and has taken awhile to bounce back.

My friend Jodi and I meet once a week to walk somewhere away from our usual walking routes.  We head further afield generally and so far have selected coastal walks.  This week was no exception and we had the wonderful good fortune to see whales off shore (no photos sorry). These photographs are taken on the walk from Mooloolaba Beach around to the rock wall and river.  The path meanders on raised walkways over sand dunes, through parks, and always follows the beautiful ocean.  That's the Pacific Ocean for those who like to get their bearings.

The water was exquisite.  The most beautiful mix of clear aqua, turqoise, pthalo greens and blues.  We are SO, SO lucky to live in such a beautiful area.  When the summer heat hits and the snakes stop waking up and moving around so much, we will head inland and do some bush walks and enjoy the shade of the trees.  There are snakes everywhere at present yet I've seen none in my wild, tangled bush garden.

Hello I'm here....

I feel as though I'm missing in action at the moment.  I've fallen back into a terrible fatigue state and am either asleep or in a fog again. I'm not sure if it's a result of four weekends of open studios taking their toll on my body or if that's just a coincidence.  I haven't even been into the studio this week but I did go to art today.  It felt good to go even if I had to leave early because it was a bit much for me. 

Sick and tired of being sick and tired and doing nothing, I dragged out my crochet hook and some wool yesterday and made myself a wrist cuff. I quite like it even though it's a bit girly for me.  I made up the cuff pattern using simple UK dc and then used Lucy's rose pattern for the floral adornment. A rifle through my odds and ends found a pinkish bead, saved from a broken Christmas decoration - I KNEW it would come in handy, was perfect for the centre.

It was a very easy and quick project, requiring no brain power which was just perfect.  I think I'll make a smaller one for my niece.

Today in art we continued our study of cityscapes. This time our reference included the use of one point perspective.  We began by creating a tonal study of the image.  I used a slurry of burnt umber as my underpainting colour which I think was a mistake as it was too warm.  I should have used paynes gray or prussian blue as my base. 

I then started to add colour while remaining focussed on tone and major shapes rather than detail.

As I brought in the blue I distorted the tonal balance making the road darker than the buildings (see photo reference in picture).  So I needed to fix that up by reestablishing the lighter tones.

This is where I left it.  I was too sore to concentrate anymore so instead of battling it I decided to pack up early and come home for a sleep.  :) I confess to being less than enthusiastic when Don told us we would be studying Cityscapes and am pleased to find that I am actually really enjoying myself and appreciating the subject.  Thank you Don. :)

Thinking of you all, even if I am a bit quiet at the moment. xxx

I'm still here

Yes I still exist. I've not fallen off the face of the earth or been abducted by aliens. It's just been very busy and I am still working out how to get my photos from my new swanky camera to my blog.

Here is aforementioned new swanky camera. It comes in anti-Jeff pink, and is waterproof to 3 metres which is great for all the splashy happiness that goes on there. Looking forward to getting some action shots of the kids in the pool this summer.

Been back sleeping this week, 3 days so far which is something to keep an eye on. I must admit to having been quite busy and active. I've increased my exercise as well as being busy. We had a day at the beach with little M (2), and Miss R (4), then Miss R stayed with us for 3 days. I've had 2 days out attending meetings, getting haircut etc and I spent one very hectic morning supervising a prep class at a local school. I go to help out in my nephews class and supervised the kids while the teacher did some end of term testing. I'd forgotten how full on, quirky and cute 5 year olds are! Fun.

Rob, glad to hear you are feeling better. You'll be horrified to know that I've been given yet another Farah Fawcett haircut. OMG, what was the lady thinking! Why do you and your scissors live so far away!