We had house guests during and after the funeral, for a couple of weeks, and folk have been popping in to see how we all were, which was lovely, but this past week has been blissfully quiet so I have been able to relax and take things much more slowly.
Today I suddenly realised was Monday, and the first day in WEEKS that I have even thought about inchies....not having spent any time in my craft room during the time Dudley was ill, and especially since he came here to stay after being discharged from hospital.
So, although I am way behind, today I have made three inchies and hope to catch up the remaining omissions over the next couple of weeks.
Today's country is Italy. I have done little research for these, just went with the National flower...not even any stories...
My daughter's partner, Karina, totally blew me away by presenting me with a new car! I am now the proud owner of my third Smart car...and what is more, I can drive it! The Smart being so much lighter and maneuverable compared with our much heavier Honda. I have a great deal of my lost independence back again. After only a few weeks of rather tentative, short distance and accompanied expeditions I am getting my confidence back and feel quite comfortable dashing about by myself on short excursions Although I do still have to remind myself that I don't need to wait for the lads to take me to the library, or visit a friend.
What a generous gift from the girls...I am not at all used to receiving presents, and still find myself in disbelief at the kindness of their gift.
We have also started swimming once a week at a small private pool in New Town, Hobart. Again, thanks to Sarah, who heard about the availability of the pool from an acquaintance and quickly let me know about it. I was able to secure a weekly booking...just 40 minutes at present but that is quite ample while I build up strength in little used leg and back muscles. The lads were impressed with the look of the pool and have started coming along as well...it will be therapeutic for us all, I am sure. It may even get Chris interested in swimming once again, all four children were very competent competitive swimmers when young.
Sorell has a small local art and craft cooperative called Three Peaks Gallery, which I applied to join soon after we moved to Sorell but heard nothing from the coordinator...I was finally accepted into the group around the time of Dud's death...I almost missed the emails as I wasn't accessing social media at all at the time, so Chris and I quickly scrabbled together a few completed journals and boxed card sets that he had been offering for sale in his online shop. We attended a meeting that night of this lovely, and talented, group of people and I look forward to getting to know them better over coming months. Of necessity I am now encouraged to get myself motivated to develop new content for the gallery...all three of us are involved to some extent, especially in our rostered periods each month manning the gallery during opening hours...I have yet to learn some new skills regarding lay-bying items, and eftposing etc...Tim and Chris having done the first session.
I am finally getting back into some abandoned crochet and knitting projects...finishing off a trio of blankets and some half finished socks...
The cooking continues as we did not really slacken off as we needed to keep the biscuit jars well filled as my brother had a wide circle of friends who called to see him frequently over his last few weeks. Chris really shone in this department, although we have had to call a stop to the constant replenishing now...it was fine when lots of visitors were helping to dispose of the goodies with a coffee, but now we are back to just us, all trying to monitor out weight, we can do so much more easily without temptation at every turn.
At the moment our kale plants are thriving, the weather having been unseasonably warm and generously wet over the past few weeks. I have been having fun making up all sorts of dishes with these robust and useful greens...including this rather delish kale and cashew dip with seedy wafers.
Bye for now,
Di