Eternal Refuge

This competition is for retro_icontest 

I was given 20 of my icons, in pairs, and had to create a new one based on each pairing ... I will admit on a couple I am not completely happy ... But, here goes -

1. ........


2. ........


3. ........


4. ........


5. ........


6. ........


7. ........


8. ........


9. ........


10. ........

As ever, all are snaggable, but credit would be appreciated. The credits are available over at my icon journal - d4s_icons

Yesterday I didn't get on-line, but I did manage to get a lot of things done before work.  Washing, cleaning & shopping.  So although I didn't get here, I was being busy.

Today I am here, although I do have the ironing to do, and hope to get it done this morning.  As ever I am at work later.  Yesterday was an odd day, it was actually fairly non-busy, which considering it was a Wednesday that was odd.

Tomorrow I am also working, but am leaving early to catch a bus to the city centre, to catch a bus to Bristol, to catch a bus to Bath, to get Brenda to pick me up.  Bus was a third of the price of train and actually not much different in the timings.  I had left it a bit late to book as I had hoped, initially, that I would be able to drive ... but then wondered whether Tim would offer me a lift.  Actually, in many ways, I am happier travelling by myself.

Anyway I am going to Nick & Brenda's for the weekend ... as are Tim & Claire.  Last Monday it was Nick's 60th, and his boys helped him celebrate last weekend, it's the siblings turn this weekend!

I remember thenight he was born ... Dad had taken Mum to the hospital in the late afternoon and by the time he got home, I was in bed (my neighbours had come round to sit with me).  He then phoned the hospital and they said Mum was in late stage labour, so if he wanted to drive back he would be allowed to see mother & baby  (neither he, nor mum, were able to see me until I was 2 days old ... so he returned.  I then got up and sat with Auntie Doreen on the landing, looking out of the window waiting for Dad to return.  I had prayed for a brother, so I needed to know whether it was a boy or a girl  ... Nick!

So, it's good to remember 60 years ago ... and to celebrate 60 years on.

I hope that you have a good weekend - will look forward to reading about it when I am back on-line on Monday.  But, before that -






4. How old is the oldest book you own?
I have a couple of Bibles from the mid 19th century ... and some other books, such as Pilgrim's Progress, from the late 19th century.  The oldest is a small novel called "The Little Christian Hero" with a handwritten inscription of "Christmas 1835"

5. It’s the 60th anniversary of the game ‘Twister’ – have you ever played it?
No
Maybe we should play it this weekend!!!!!

6. In 1869, Harper's Weekly published the first picture of Uncle Sam with chin whiskers. Do you know anyone with a beard or a moustache?
Nick ... a shaggy beard

7. Is there a subject at school which you disliked, but you would consider learning now?
Geography - I hated it then because we seemed to spend a lot of time debating rift vallies etc ... I want to learn about locations etc

8. How often do you read fiction?
I read fan-fiction all the time




Right, Iwill try and catch up with you all ... then see you Monday!

The bad weather continues, although there was some dry weather this morning, so I managed to get a walk done and stay dry. However, areas of the city where Tim walks at lunchtime are under 4 feet of water!

But the upside is that occasionally we get the beauty of a rainbow. This was taken from my front door, and you could almost see a shadow of a double one.


Washing is up and around the house … so the day is progressing well. However, when I went to log on this morning there is some trouble … so am typing this on Word, and then will copy & paste over, hopefully later today, if not tomorrow when I get home from work.

Hoping to post later I will catch up until then -



30. In 1873, Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne was published in France. Have you read the book or seen any of the films?
The David Niven film was a family favourite, so while Mum & Dad were alive we must have watched it at least once a year. Since then, I have seen it a few times. It’s a great film – especially for noticing the film star cameos.


Right, let’s get this posted, whenever I can!


~~~


Well in the end, I didn't turn on the computer over the weekend. When I got in from work on Saturday I realised that I had to get some shopping done ... I was almost out of milk, and if I couldn't get a cuppa then we were talking major crisis.

I hadn't long got in when a friend phoned, and after chatting for a long time I decided not to go upstairs and switch on the PC. So had a lazy evening, just reading.

Sunday, still can't get to Church ... but my lazy afternoon was changed as someone cancelled their shift (after it was due to start), so I ended up going into work to cover. So many people covered me when I was off sick, it was nice to be able to re-pay the boss. The other fun fact about a Sunday late is that there is a large Pizza delivery for the doctors ... and the company always bring another (family sized) one in for whoever is on the reception. It started during lockdown, and they have kept it going. Won't be easy getting it home, walking with crutches ... but it will be worth the slight struggle!

And, now it's Monday, and, as usual, I am due in work later, but I have catch-up to do ... so ...




31. Do you like hot chocolate with or without marshmallows?
I do like it occasionally ... preferably with! After all, if I am going to indulge, let's do it all!

1. What’s your favourite hot beverage? How do you make it?
Tea ... if I have white tea, I have it strong, if black, very week. However both are English Breakfast Tea.

2. When was the last time you saw an original hand-painted painting?
When I left the house. I have them all around the place, as Mum loved painting, it was one of her hobbies.



Right, let's get this posted, at long last. Hopefully I shall be able to catch up with you all, as well.

I am not meant to be working a full week to allow my leg time to heal ... so my Wednesdays are days to do assorted things.

Yesterday I had a frustrating day. First I wanted to go to my large supermarket, which is now too far away to walk to ... so bus. Great ... I got to the bus stop to find a man fuming as it had come on his app that the bus was cancelled. So half hour wait ... I got out my Kindle and settled down. About 10 mins later the man is angry ... the next bus is cancelled. As he said this I saw a bus approaching the opposite bus stop going into the city. One of the things I wanted to get I knew I could pick up there ... so OK, change of plans. When I got there there was a diversion so a longer walk, but fine ... nice and dry. And, so, shopping done, and home.

After lunch I needed to post Nick's parcel and drop off Claire's ... Back to the bus stop to find I had just missed one and had a half hour wait for the next, so decided to walk. Was I aching by the time I got there. Parcel sent, and round to Tim & Claire's ... Tim was working from home as it turned out, so nice to have a 5 minute chat with him, and actually got the feeling back in the leg before the walk home. After the walk I felt really positive again.

That is until the company that I work for rang me to book my training ... most is on-line but some is face to face. I managed to put off booking one of the trainings ... but I don't know how long I can get away with that. So annoying ... one of the courses has to be in a classroom ... I have a choice of venues ... London or Manchester. It took me all my time not to hang up on them at that point!

So after that plans to check in on LJ went out the window ... my book, then an episode of Stargate Atlantis (hence the icon)& my jigsaw called.

In the evening I did see a fascinating documentary on the Aztecs ... and for anyone who has read/heard "Changes" in the Dresden Files it really brought that section of the story more to life.

Now today, I have done some housework and off to work soon. But before that -




28. Have you ever played a kazoo?
No - Tim had one, but I never played it.

29. It's Tom Sellek's birthday - have you ever seen him in anything you've enjoyed?
I don't always automatically recognise the actor's names ... but Three Men and a Baby/Little Lady are a fun watch




Right, that's me up to date

Have a fun day everyone

Challenge #10: Big Mood (Board)

CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND CREATE A MINI MOOD COLLECTION OF THREE (or more) ITEMS THAT EVOKE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT IT. You don’t have to limit yourself to visual media, or collect the items into a special format like a square (though you can if you’d like).





I have never thought about doing something like this, so hope that I have managed to capture the story of John & Elizabeth on Stargate Atlantis

Challenge #7

LIST THREE (or more) THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF. They don’t have to be your favourite things, just things that you think are good. Feel free to expand as much or as little as you want.


I decided to do this as I am not great at being positive about myself. I am great at cheering others on, being positive about what they are up to, whether friends, family, or just people I see in passing. So maybe I should list this as #1!

#2 ... I am happy being by myself. A lot of people find that they can't cope unless there are people with them. I don't need to go out to meet people to make a day seem fulfilled. Life is good, the day passes easily.

I can survive without my phone .... I don't need modern technology to survive. Yes, if someone were to give me a fancy TV, I wouldn't turn it down, but my old one works ... why change it. In other words, many people seem to want to update their tech every few months ... can't walk up the road without checking the phone. Yes, I have a phone, although not an iPhone, and yes, it's useful. But if it stopped working tomorrow I am not going to panic ... a bit of an odd choice as my #3, but there it is.

I am being a terrible LJer aren't I?

Anyway I saw the physio yesterday.  I had been steadily getting more problems with my bad leg, despite continuing to persevere with my stretching and my exercises.  Anyway, the physio was OK with how things were.  The blood clot is mostly disperced.  Although there are still some residual clots distributed throughout the calf.  I am not in pain now when the calf if touched, in fact I have been able to massage it quite firmly, so that's a tick in the box.  The muscle still doesn't want to stretch, despite me doing the exercises, so that's a negative!  However I can stand on the one leg without anything to balance me, I can raise the weight up on the toes with support through the arms ... so more ticks.  However the leg just feels disconnected from me.

The physio has decided, and I agree with her theory, that it is nerve damage.  With how much damage was done to the muscles, and how much blood was in the leg, there was a lot of pressure, so all the nerves were totally crushed.  Now I am more mobile I need the nerves to react in "normal" time ... and that's where the problem is.  The nerves are so bruised that the messages are passing up and down, but not correctly.

Anyone who has had an injury, or has studied anything medical will be told that blood vessels, muscles, bones ... they all can be stuck/sewn/rested and will easily re-grow.  However healing time always depends on nerves ... if they are severed then that's where there are major problems ... luckily mine are full intact ... just bruised.

So, the good news is that things are progressing ... the bad news is that I have a long way to go!

So, yes good news - bad news.



So other than that I don't really have any news.

The bugs are mostly gone, although the asthma is not great ... but I have a couple or personal/private things going on, so that isn't helping.

I am back at work - great.  however there's very little heating.  Yesterday the temperature was between 12 - 14'C.  My boss' boss walked past and just said that I shouldn't be there as it was below legal requirements, but they didn't have any other heating options.  So, yes working, but cold.

More good news - bad news!



Day off today - and icon making is calling me!

Will try and catch up with you all, as well.

Write a love letter to fandom. It might be to fandom in general, to a particular fandom, favourite character, anything at all.

Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it.

Thank you Fandom

Without you I would not have the hobbies I have, I would not have the friends that I have and I would never have dared to push my own personal boundaries.

At school I was told that I should never bother writing down anything, as I was no good at written English. Then I saw BtVS .... and as I watched the finale I wanted to give it a different ending. So, I wrote my first fan-fiction. I have since written other stories, and added a finale to Stargate Atlantis!

In looking for an outlet, I found fan-fiction, and LiveJournal ... and found I needed an icon to decorate the pages. I started by cropping images ... and gradually learned about Photoshop. Now I am colourblind ... and again was always told that colour etc in art would be impossible. But, again, I have Fandom to thank for the multiple icons I have produced, and continue to produce.

I have met some of the people off LJ ... good friends.

Thank you Fandom

However my LJ is not just dedicated to fandom - but through the links I have seen and shared phots, I have learned a lot about history etc, and when I have had some bad days I have had somewhere to let off steam.

All thanks to Fandom.

Thank you

Well the bugs are still around, although I am feeling a lot better than I was.  The trouble is, as my doctor reminded me, there are 2 main types of antibiotics, and I am allergic to both of them.  So, while I am coping and slowly healing then things are OK.  I suppose it also shows how often treatment is given when it's not truly necessary, although it does take a lot longer.  I know over the years super-bugs develop.  So many people expect medication if they just have a "sniffle" ... something I have never accepted, anyway.

For some unknown reason my leg has been very sore over the last couple of days ... although I am continuing to get to work (I am not up to full time hours anyway).

I wish the weather would make up it's mind.  Yesterday was icy, cold, sunny ... winter.  Today is warmer ... but chucking it down with rain.

Although I haven't had much  internet time, I have done a few of the Snowflakes ... I will post them separately.  I just wrote them as an email while at work.  I have also done this set of icon ... with a theme of "Christmas Red" and all are from Stargate SG1

1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15

As ever, all are snaggable, but credit would be appreciated. The credits are available over at my icon journal - d4s_icons



Well I am due in work soon - but wanted to get something posted, so this is it.  I know I won't have time to get caught up with you ... hope to soon though, honestly.

Challenge #1

The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.


I will admit, I am only going to dip in and out this year. Previously I have done all the prompts, but this year I am fairly happy with where I am, however if there's a great challenge, then yes, I will be tempted.

Good luck to all the mods ... and to all those who will do each challenge.