Double Fanfare, Please....

Quite a bit has happened lately, so where do I start? LOL

First up, thank you for all the reassurances about the waffle on my blog, it helped me to get things straight in my head and decide that I would continue in my usual way on here (I wouldn't want anyone to feel deprived LOL) but that I would also go ahead and start the second blog anyway. That will be a purely no stitching, in-depth waffle blog....... so it's up to individuals as to whether or not they want to go visit that. For those that would like to have a nosey you can find it here.

The weekend was a mix of busy and quiet spells. Saturday saw us finally getting rid of some of the bigger pieces of our clutter via the local amenities site (more about that on the other blog), some pruning going on in the garden and some stitching going on in the house. As DS had been shopping at Brigg Farmers Market when he came home there was also that little lot to inspect and put away. I do like a fridge and cupboards full of tasty foods from there. :0) Sunday's bit of excitement consisted of a Tesco delivery. LOL DH and I weren't feeling 100% all weekend (he's still adapting to the new tablet regime and it's taking a while for his system to get used to them - I was still recuperating from the cellulitis & flu bug) so it was about all we felt up to coping with. It made a nice change and gave us time to recharge our flagging energies.

I'm still watching the Most Haunted Live week long marathon - I'll probably be all ghosted out by the end of it but those four hours each night have done my stitching production a power of good. :0) The Heartwarmers Bellpull is now finished and I completed making up the actual bellpull yesterday. So...... Fanfare number 1 please:

Design: Heartwarmers Bellpull

Designer: Lorri Birmingham Designs

Monday I managed to do most of my usual jobs, although Alex didn't come for her visit as she's still recuperating from her op and it's half term break so her children are home. I do miss those visits though - for the general chat and for our shared love of needlework.

Today I had to go to see the Nurse at 9.10am for the second blood pressure test. It's still over on the high side so she wants me to go back again in a fortnight's time, this time for fasting blood tests and another BP check. Oh, joy! Yes, weight was mentioned and so was medication. I am not happy going down that route at all, if I can avoid it, as I saw what those meds did to my Dad..... and I said so. Guess it's a case of seeing what the outcome of the blood tests are and see what she (or the Doc) has to say next time around.

Afterwards DH drove us to a nearby Post Office so I could send a couple of packages then, as it was a sunny day and I felt pretty good, I asked if he'd drive back to work via our local High Street and drop me off part way down. Yes, folks, second Fanfare, please......... I have been out on my own again! WhooooHoooo! And I enjoyed myself big time. LOL First off I called at one of the flower shops and bought a small bunch of beautiful bright yellow carnations, so we'd have a little sunshine indoors. Next I called in at the RSPCA shop and spotted these two books:

They'll do nicely, thought I, especially when told they were 20p each! Next off was the Hospice Bookshop. It's never been open recently when DH and I have been in the vicinity on a Saturday, so I decided to take the opportunity for a good browse. It also ended up as a good spend too and here's what I found:

Yes, Karen and Julie, that is a Barbara Erskine book on the left, unfortunately the only one they had in there. That'll be going on the Swap site when I've read it. The Jean M Auel book is the most recent one in a series set in the Stone Age and that's going in my permanent collection, along with the others I've already got. The one on the end is a Non-Fiction book about Elizabeth I and Leicester, the Royal favourite - anything to do with the Tudors being another one of my interests, so another to join my collection. Think we could do with another room adding on the back of the house at this rate! :0)

I also couldn't resist these:

Both new authors to me, so it'll be interesting to add them to my reading list and see what I make of their styles. The two by Paul Doherty sound like they might be leaning towards the Gothic horror genre, though set in the medieval period - normally I don't read horror books but as Julie and Karen recently read a scarey book I decided I wasn't going to wimp out but would give them a go. LOL The Ann Cleeves book is another murder mystery. Yes, I do seem to be reading quite a few of those lately so I'd just like to take the time to reassure everyone that no, I'm not developing any homicidal tendencies......... well, not until the next time either DH or DS ticks me off big time, anyway. LMAO Once read all three of these books will probably be going on the Swap List too.

After browsing the fiction books I wandered over to the Non-Fiction section. That's where I got the Elizabeth I book. As my eyes wandered along the shelves I did a sudden double-take at what I spotted next. Eyes opening wider I went for yet another look....... yes, I did see what I thought I saw and I quickly grabbed and added it to my haul:

This book is one of the crystal bibles, written by a crystal worker, and usually costs a small fortune to buy new - if you can get hold of it. Not only is it the updated version but I paid a grand total of........... £2.00 for it (bear in mind it's big doorstop size too). I almost danced out of the shop, despite the weight of the bag I was carrying. Funnily enough, just a couple of days ago Jane had mentioned wanting to know more about crystals and I had thought about that and this book, one I've wanted for a loooong time. It had only come into the shop recently - this was the first time I'd been in there for quite some time. Don't you just love those moments when you know Fate has stepped in and given things a little helping hand! :0)

The morning wasn't over yet. After dithering a little I decided to call in at Il Sorriso for a cappuccino and a toasted tea cake, as breakfast had only been one quick slice of toast and half a cup of coffee. I sat on a table for two, at the back of the cafe, with my back to the main body of the place - anti-social I know but it's one of the coping strategies I've developed and it helps not to see how busy a place is and how many strangers there are in there. Good job I did as it quickly filled up after I'd ordered. I dug out my crystal book and started reading and continued to do so all the time I was in there - it was enjoyable and I'd like to do it again some time. That's another first. :0)

As the Alternative Therapies Clinic was just next door I though "what the heck" and popped in there to ask about alternative treatments for high blood pressure. I got to talk to the herbalist herself, a very nice lady, and she gave me a quick run through of what a proper consultation would involve, the types of things she would check for (including allergies and candida), treatments and what the cost would be. It was interesting and, though it will be a little costly initially, I think the long term benefits will far outweigh that. I will wait until after the blood test etc and the chat with the GP before making a final decision but have to say I feel much happier at the thought of taking a holistic view: treating the whole body and mind and putting natural remedies, rather then more chemicals, into my body.

I made my way home after that but after dropping off the books I popped back out to Simpson's (just on the corner a few yards away from our house) to buy some feed mix for robins/songbirds, as well as sunflower kernels, for the feeders. Back home I sorted out containers for the new bird foods then filled up all the feeders - those ram-raiding sparrows are gobbling up everything that's put out, fattening up big time, so it looks like they're expecting a bad winter.

All in all it's been a very good day and several barriers were broken through. Yes, when I make up my mind to go and do something I don't do it by halves! LMAO

I did stitch for UFO Night last night but I won't post a pic until tomorrow as I want to stitch some more on the piece tonight.......... and this post is already a large mug of coffee and doorstop slice of cake long. ROFL

Many thanks for taking the time to visit, for the lovely comments you leave and for getting this far - please award yourselves a well earnt medal! :0)