Missing Famalam, fed up of lock down now.

 Well Christmas has been and gone. Has it really been that long since I posted ! I usually love Christmas, but this year was difficult to say the least.  Boris granted us our family time but we decided not to use it, so I didn't get to see my Mom and Dad, Christmas day was very quiet just me and Steve and Stacey and David around the table.  Stacey came home for Christmas which cheered me up somewhat.  I made a Christmas dinner for my Mom and Dad and froze it with every intention of taking it over as soon as I could, but as we are now in February and in lockdown I haven't been able to, so I am afraid Steve has eaten one of them.  Justin and Megs came round Christmas Eve to see us with Albie and we exchanged presents, but they only stood in the porch.  The dogs were the only ones allowed a cuddle. 

So I am trying my best not to let it get me down but I am really missing my family.  I try to be positive and think there are people who are far worse off, who have lost family due to this horrid disease but sometimes I just can't seem to find my positive panties and have to have a good cry.

Woody enjoyed Christmas though 🐶

Anyway positive panties pulled back up....

I am now 5 months into my Nursing.  I have been on placement for 4 weeks which was great.  We were all so worried that they would be cancelled, but those of us who were not high risk were allowed out.  As I worked all through the pandemic anyway I was desperate to get out on the wards and would of been really upset if it had of been cancelled.  Unfortunately quite a few of my peers caught Covid, and also quite a few staff went down with it while I was on placement, we had an outbreak on the ward with staff and patients which was scary.  I don't want to tempt fate but I have no idea how I have managed to dodge the Covid bullet so far because I have been around it so much right from last March. I am pleased to announce that I passed my first assignment 85%, yeay go me 😊 Did not enjoy that assignment at all, the subject was so dry all about professionalism and the code and ethics and evidence based practice.  I really struggled with it to be honest so I was shocked with my grade, I was expecting to scrape through in the region of 40%.  It has given me encouragement now to start my next one which is due in April.

I had my hair cut off, I was fed up and feeling old.  My hair was so long and I have to wear it tied up all the time and it was so heavy, it gave me a headache ! and I hit 53 in December and decided I didn't need hair hanging down my back like a Barbie doll any longer.  Gave the colour a rethink too, that was a major decision because I have had my trademark red hair for such a long time.  Steve calls me Red which I think is cute but I just wanted a complete change so I went for the chop and coloured it myself and I haven't looked back, I wear it down so much more now whenever I get the opportunity, whereas before I wore it up even when not at work. 

Before 

After

I have included quite a few Woody pictures here, he is such a character and seems to have taken over our house.  The spots don't get a look in now, he follows me everywhere.  It has been nice being at home more with them. We had a scary time last week he had developed a lump on his back which started off pea size and then grew to three fingers breadth.  It was starting to bother him too and he had a good chew and made it bleed while my back was turned.  So off to the vets we went, £138 later and talk of cancer ! armed with antibiotics and pain killers we returned home and next day it burst.  Touch wood the vets seem to think it was some kind of cyst.  Hopefully that's all it is.  

I did get to practice my bandaging skills though.

We managed to get out in the snow before lockdown had a lovely walk over Peak district and took a flask and mince pies ... my favourite part of the walk. 

I have been practicing the art of calligraphy too ( as if I haven't enough to do lol ) It's quite difficult and I don't think it will be an ongoing thing that I do regular, I have too much else to do and it doesn't quite grab me the same.  Still I did manage to send a few lovely halloween cards out that I made and I made a few Christmas cards.  Also had a dabble at Pebble pictures. 

This was the pebble picture I made for Justin and Megs, Its meant to be Justin with his arm around Albie, Megan, Bentley the Beagle and our old Sparky who we lost last year.

I have quite a few current WIP's, I started crocheting a jumper that I have been wanting to do for such a long time, The Sensum Sweater by elevenhandmade.  I don't know where I went wrong but just couldn't seem to fathom it out and have shelved it.  Then I started on a jumper of my own design in Scheepjes Cahlista but I have also shelved that I am afraid.  I get so bored easily.  I have tried to master mosaic crochet quite a few times and always failed so I was determined to give it another shot after watching a few you tube videos by tinnahekl, I am really pleased to say that I think I have cracked it, and I am currently designing my own blanket in Stylecraft special dk.

Roary giving my mosaic blanket his seal of approval.

Current progress.

My jumper that I have shelved, Woody always wants to get in the picture.

I did get quite far with my jumper, I may pick it up again at some point in the not too distant future.

I have learnt to Tunisian crochet too, It is quite addictive,  really really pleased with how this turned out,  This is my Coastal Cardigan, it is a hooded cardigan crocheted in Tunisian Honeycomb stitch from Paintbox Cotton Aran.  I am a bit of a fan of cotton yarns. I am currently writing up the pattern for this cardigan, I need to get on with it but have so many projects on the go and so much studying I keep getting side tracked.  I have worn this cardigan quite a lot already, I am guilty of making garments and never wearing them, so I am pleased that this is a wearer. 

Coastal Cardigan (because I started it on holiday last year in Cornwall)

Another piece of exciting news (well exciting for me anyway) is I have finally managed to use my spinning wheel.  (round of applause please)  Steve brought me this as a Christmas present Christmas 2019! and I have spent many an hour cursing and sweating over it, I have oiled and brought replacement bits and pieces and had no luck at all for such a long time, and as usual other events took over and I didn't have the time.  After my placement ended at the end of January, I just thought I am going to give it one last shot and if I can't work it I was going to list it on Ebay, so I set about watching a few more you tube videos to refresh my old lady memory and I have no idea what happened but I finally got it going.  My yarn is very much work in progress but I was just so thrilled to have mastered it.  I think it knew it was heading for the Ebay sales.  It's not going anywhere now, in fact I have put my name on it in gold lettering, "Mother Bear" 😆

I even blended some different yarns and made my own rolags ! 😲

Woody in an old T shirt to stop him chewing his cyst.

Excuse Woody's nose in the picture, he's having a good sniff, he can probably smell sheep. 🐑

Just thought I would throw in a few more animal pictures in here because I can. 😁

I have never had a dog who watches TV before. 

Woody and Flo our deaf dalmatian.

He knows he is not allowed on the sofa, Dad spoils him, as do we all ! 

Our Roars. 

So finally to end todays Blog, For me, the most painful part of the last 12 months since Covid hit us has been that I have missed so much of this little Man's life.  Here is lovely Albie, he will be 1 in a few weeks and I have missed so much. 

But hey, plenty of time to make up for it I hope.  This Nanny Bear is looking forward to lots of cuddles and play time. 

Thanks for dropping by and taking time out to read my Blog. 

Happy Crafting. xxxxx