Eternal Refuge

I posted the 2 entries yesterday, and was due amend my main post to comment about VJ Day, to answer your comments, check on your posts etc ... and my computer totally froze.

I was more than frustrated ... but then it worked out for the best, for me!

I went downstairs to get a cup of tea to see if the computer would reset without a restart ... and realised that the VJ Day commemorations were just starting.  So, in the end, I watched that and ate lunch, before heading off to work.

It was good to hear actual memories of those difficult days in the "east", and I certainly think the hardest to hear were the 2 ladies who had been prisoners-of-war for the whole time ... however one was 5 when "captured", the other 9. 

So ... a very special service overall.





Work went well ... nicely busy, so that the time drifted alomg OK.

I have done  bit of housework, and picked up some shopping, now want to try and get some photos edited from our girls day out.  Then, am off to work.

So ... will get the questions for the weekend up ... and get on ...








16. It’s National Roller Coaster Day – are you a fan of roller coasters?
I don't like heights, so travelling alone on a roller coaster is not for me. Although, when I was in Disney I did go on one on each of the 2 days I was there!!

17. Do you make your bed every day?
Yes




Right, I must get on

Wow, I had plnned to be here earlier, but things always take longer?  I was busy with some housework ... I have made a large pot of beef "base" to then eat with pasta, potatoes, etc ... so a portion for soon, and the rest portioned and froze.  I did some cleaning, as well.  I probably should not have done that as I am meant to be taking things slowly.  I promise to be a good girl tomorrow!

I am going into work again later.

I had a good day yesterday but speaking to the security team on duty (they are next to me), they had a truly stressful day, so was glad I was unaware of the 2 scenarios that I missed.

I haven't sorted out the photos fom Satuday, but am almost up to date with my A to Z  (I am still missing Z, A & B) ... but here are the missing ones othere than that -

Week 25 – Jun 15 Y is for YEAR

This is a perpetual calender ancient Egypt style.  We had it explained to s on 2 or 3 locations, and it all made sense at the time, now, not at all!  The hyroglyphs to the left spell Deborah.

Week 29 – Jul 13 C is for CURL

My latest giraffes ... a birthday present with their necks curled around each other.

Week 30 – Jul 20 D is for DECK

When I was 10 Mum & Dad bought me this deck of cards, and for years it was the pack I always used.  Now just kept stored in the tin.

Week 31 – Jul 27 E is for EYES



Sadly I don't know their names.  They were always on a chair in Mum & Dad's spare room, and I know Mum had given them names.  Now they sit on the cabinet in my lounge ... but, yes, their eyes certainly pop out at me.  The dolls are 1930's ... or earlier.

Week 32 – Aug 3 F is for FAKE

When Mum as 80 friends bought her the pictures, and I bought her the frame with a photo of the 5 of us ... it is now in my spare room.

So that's me almost up to date ... now I need to get the rest of the photos sorted, so I shall do todays question and get on -







12. Do you own any sunglasses (and if you have prescription glasses, do you have prescription sunglasses too)?
Yes - and yes.
My ordinary glasses are reactolite, as well.
As my damaged eye has no light reaction left on the retina I have to protect my eye.








Right - let's get on x

... both with all your news, but also with both my photo challenges.

I have decided I just need to make a list of the missing prompts for the last few weeks, and then head off with my camera in my hand.  Ironically I make like harder for myself in doing that.  As I am a keen photographer, I always have hundreds of pictures on my computer that would fit all the prompts.  I do that with my Photocrowd competition entries.  However with the LJ prompts I always take the photos as new for that week, so that will keep me hunting round my house, and the local area to see what I could find.

I want to catch up with you, both your posts and your comments to my last couple of posts.

However, whatever else I have to remember that although I am slowly getting my "normal" back, I must not push myself.  Chronic Fatigue is a pain, but luckily I have been given some good "rules" to help me cope with things.

Yesterday it was a tough shift as it was raining everyone seemed angry, and somehow much of it seemed to be my fault!  I am clever, but even I can't add parking spaces to a busy car-park, I can't clear roadworks, etc, etc!  However the lovely thing was that one of the volunteers brought in a large bag of plums from his garden, and the other volunteer didn't want them as they were windfalls ... so I came home with them.  Yum, yum!

I am off to work again later.  So, let's see what that brings!

Before that -






5. How often do you check what paid subscriptions you’ve signed up for (e.g. an App on your phone, a TV channel, a subscription to a magazine, a membership to an organisation).
Photocrowd & LJ are the only ones on my computer I pay for  ... and yes, I check them as much as I can.
I get a quarterly magazine that I read cover to cover and I get a monthly crossworpuzzle magazine that I work through cover to cover.



Right ... let's get on

Wow, that’s been an odd week.

My Chronic Fatigue kicked in so I have been sleeping almost 12 hours a night. Luckily, as I have been “trained” by my consultant, I also remembered all my “rules” so was able to continue at work.

However, I am sure it must have been a week of full moons! There have been some very odd people out and about throughout the week.

One of the many parts of my job is registering disabled badges, and (for example) yesterday I only worked 4 hours, and in that time, I was presented with 5 badges that were out of date … one by over a year. And, all of them were upset … with me. They wouldn’t accept that I couldn’t register an out-of-date certificate. And, so the week continued!

Fortunately, the weekend is a weekend off work, so I plan to do some basic grocery shopping, and then just have a nice walk .. and spend some time reading. Sunday (tomorrow) will end up even lazier, as I shall go to Church and then be lazy. The weather looks as if it’s going to be good, so that means I will gain some vitamin D.

But, even though I haven’t been around, I have no news to pass on. As the week has been sleep & work … repeat!

So, here is the catch up ….




21. Have you ever traced your family tree?
I haven’t although I know much of the history going back to great-grandparents(and one great-great grandfather).
However, Tim did the research and went back on all 4 of our grandparents lines. My mother’s mother was related to Jasper Tudor (Henry VIII’s uncle)

22. Do you know how to play backgammon? How about chess?
I did play backgammon a lot in the 1970’s, and forgot how it goes now, but would love to re-learn.
I can play chess, but not to be able to plan ahead, just to be able to react to my opponent’s move.

23. Do you own a coffee machine? What’s your favourite type of coffee?
Don’t drink coffee!

24. How are you feeling today?
Not bad … after a rough week, it’s good to feel positive again.

25. If you plan a trip away for leisure, what would be your ideal itinerary?
My ideal trip, whether a couple of hours, or as long as I can make it, contains history & sight-seeing,. So anything that has that get’s a gold star from me!

26. Have you seen any good TV drama series lately? What’s the last thing you watched?
Nothing new. I have been re-watching Stargate Atlantis, and some old Hollywood musicals recently.

27. Do you like honey?
No, but use it in recipes for cakes, biscuits, etc




Sorry it’s only a short update, but as I said, no news!

I have got all behind with my A to Z photos and was going to catch up, but have decided it’s probably best to just re-start on Monday.

So I will try and catch up with past comments, as well as any news … and return on Monday x

... And another few days missed.

As ever time got away from me.  I ended up working over the weekend, so life was hectic.  Add to that how hot it was I ended up being lazier than I should have been.  So, yesterday when I got up, I decided housework needed to be done before I went into work.  Yes I was going to drop in here, but really thought I should be a "good girl" and at least now my lounge is clean.

One thing I did manage to do over the weekend was make a couple of icons.  I only have a basic art program on the work pc, so not great, but still I had fun.  These are from the 1952 version of "The Importance of Being Ernest" and are with a theme of "Victorians".

    . . .

I have some more icons to make in the next couple of days ... and I also have the final post of my birthday trips, so am going to get on.

Before that -





11. Have you ever used an old-fashioned typewriter? Can you touch type (type without looking at the keys?)
All my patient’s notes (when I was an osteopath) were written on A4 by hand … but were all in envelopes, that I typed the name & address on the top right-hand quarter.
No, I tried learning to touch-type when I was between jobs … but couldn’t get it at all. Ironically, of my parents, my Dad was the one who could touch-type! He taught himself when he was studying for his exams pre-Theological College. He then re-trained when he was doing his PhD.

12. Do you like sushi?
No (I don’t like fish at all anyway!!)

13. Have you ever tried Tai Chi?
No – certainly not for me.

14. Do you enjoy mocktails/cocktails? What’s your favourite?
Love them. There are very few I don’t like, although would prefer not to have a Mahato. My favourites are Aperol Spritz and Moscow Mule.

15. When was the last time you saw any bees?
Yesterday – I walked into my back garden to hang out a towel to air, and they were around the flowers.





Right, I will try and keep up ... But there again, I have said that before!!

See you soon.

I have decided that despite needing to do some housework, or even to clean some war graves I am going to have a lay day (and thus a lazy weekend). I worked longer hours this week ... and next week am working through, and into the weekend, so decided a day of handcraft, reading, icon making ... and even sorting those missing photos!!

So I will try and catch up with you all as well ... so it should be a good day (I hope!!)

Now -




5. Do you have a favourite gemstone?
I do like emeralds … although pearl is my birthstone (and yes, I like them). In fact, I do like most of the main stones … their colour & refraction etc

6. Ivy climbing over a wall can act as an impressive natural air conditioner, absorbing heat from the sun and cooling internal temperatures by as much as 7.5C/45.5F. Do you like ivy plants?
I like looking at ivy on a house, however pulled it off my previous house as the roots were growing through the render ... so decided the loss of the greenery was better than the loss of the covering of the house!




Right ... see you later x

I am still trying to sort out photos, make icons ... and do housework!!

So, my bedroom is cleaned and here are a few pictures from The Royal Albert Museum in Exeter. I went there on my birthday between brunch and getting home. It is a very eclectic mix, and when I first went was slightly confused by that. However I think it means that you tend to look at more things, as you never know what's round the next corner. For example I love giraffs a,d Gerald is one of the 19th century prize exhibits ... but he is standing nxt to a harpsichord. The display in front of him has some ancient lace ... so, eclectic!!




( Stolling round the RAM )


Hope you enjoyed your peep into the local museum.

Work was truly hectic yesterday - no real reason, but at least the time went by rapidly! Off to work again, later. So, before that -




1. The Delphinium or larkspur is a tall plant with pink, blue, purple or white flowers. Shakespeare called it ‘lark’s-heel’. Butterflies love it, but it’s very toxic if eaten by humans/animals. Do you have any poisonous plants you recognise in your garden or nearby?
I always spot the yellow Ragwort, as having spent time around horses for 15 years, it is extremely poisonous to them. They brighten up a motorway, but sadly spread rapidly and a toxin to horses and other animals.



Right, lets get on

I can't say it's a weekend off, as I have a list of things I want to get done today ... let's see how many I get done!  Trouble is I had a late birthday pressie from nephew #1 yesterday ... a book, the third of a trio he has given me, and I can't wait to start it!

If you are a Star Wars fan then they are a fascinating read ... a collection of short storie filling in the bak stories of all the behind-the-scenes characters in the 3 main films.  So they follow canon, but they also give another depth to the film(s).

... this is the new one!

Work was odd yesterday ... 6 hours, but times when the area was totally deserted, and times when the queue of enquiries stretched out of the door.  But I get on well with the volunteers on a Friday, so all in all an odd, but good, afternoon.

I have already done some shopping, and tidied a bit of the front garden ... now here, and trying to get some photos sorted so I can post them a bit later.

I do want to get some housework done ... and hopefully have a chat with Auntie Mary.

So, will post this and sort photos ....






28. Which is your favourite - white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, silver or platinum jewellery?
I prefer gold to be gold ... although the ring & necklace I bought in San Francisco were platinum. I adore jewellery, and look at design in some ways, more than colour.
The only thing I don't really like is white gold, and would prefer silver (as the necklace & bracelet I have on)

29. How often do you take photos?
Ha - ironical as that's my next task!
In a wekk it would be at least 3 days ... when I am "out" it would be all the time!!




Right, let's edit photos ... and post

I keep promising that I will “catch up tomorrow” … then tomorrow disappears without a chance of spare moments! Sorry

I am working every afternoon and evening, and eat before I go to work, so my mornings seem quite short.

Sadly, shopping and housework always seem to be there.

So, no real excuses, other than life!

I met up with Tim and Claire for brunch on Saturday – their treat. I had looked after their garden/bird-feeders while they were away, so I walked to the city to have food … and hear about their trip. They had a lovely time. They went to Madrid, a city that I have yet to visit. They were really positive about it.

Other than those few hours I don’t really have any excuses for not being around.

I don’t want to lose touch with you all, but at the moment my LJ life might be a bit intermittent, so forgive me for that. I will do my best to keep up with you all, but please do let me know if you have any excitement in your lives.

It doesn’t help that even though I work with computers, LJ is one of the programmes blocked by their virus & SPAM filters.

Still … let’s keep up to date with the questions, so that if I can get myself more organised then I won’t be too far behind …






11. Do you wear a watch?
Yes, always.

12. Do you have some table items you only bring out when you entertain guests for dinner?
Yes – I have a lot of stuff that I love using, but as it’s only me at home I don’t set the table with different things on a daily basis

13. Do you own a corkscrew?
Of course!

14. When was the last time you sorted through the clothes in your wardrobe/closet? Are there items you really should get rid of?
I am not someone who buys new clothes, just to buy clothes, or follow fashion. So I throw out clothes when they are getting worn out, or if they are stretchy if they have stretched too big for me.

15. It’s Nature Photography Day – have you recently taken a photo of anything from nature?
Last photos I took were attempting some close-up photography of flowers.

16. Do you own a travel adapter socket, a travel hair dryer or a portable mini iron?
Of course – I travel abroad, so have the adaptors as needed.
Never ever use a hairdresser, and don’t have a mini-iron. If something is crushable I don’t tend to pack it!

17. Have you ever had a massage?
Sports massage, yes.
Any other, no.




Right, I must get on. It’s my month to find prompts for photo_scavenger so must get that posted.

I will try and keep up … I really will

As I said nothing really to report here - but didn't not want to pop in and say hi ... so ...

Hi

Hope you are all OK.

And, still keeping up -






4. Have you ever made cheese (if you’d like to give it a try there’s a really easy recipe here)?
No!!
Although I remember Mum making some cottage cheese when we were kids.



Right let's see what you are all up to!