Five on Friday ~ A Girls trip to Wells

Hello Bloggy Folks!  I hope you are well and enjoying some relaxing time in the sunshine.

My week has been consumed with visits to Doctors, blood tests, visits to hospital, steroid injections and lots of bed rest so I thought I would share with you a few photos that I took during a visit to Wells with Little Lady a couple of weeks ago.

Amongst my favourite moments were:

#1  Quaint Stone Houses

There are various quaint stone, terraced cottages leading in to the centre of this city.  They are so cute with low front doors and smaller than average sash windows.  There are no straight lines and in my view this adds to their charm.  There are a number of Alms Houses too that remain simply stunning now.

According to the Wells Tourist Information:

"The history of Wells goes right back to Roman times when we know that there was a settlement, probably because of the springs that bubble up here. Wells gets its name from these springs which can today be found in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace".

Such English heritage in these walls.., if only they could speak and tell us their stories.

#2  This Wall did speak to me

As my daughter voiced her frustration "Please Mummy; can you just stop taking photos now?"  I noticed this stone laid into the masonry of a corner store.  I love that historically being a dealer in 'Pepper and Snuff' was important enough to be flagged on a stone plaque.  A moment in history captured.

#3  St.Cuthberts Church

 

Apparently, this is the largest parish church building in Somerset.  As we passed on the Sunday morning, the choir and congregation were singing and could be heard from the street.  It was so lovely and uplifting.  The stone work in this church is very detailed and the original building dates from the 13th century.  It states in the information leaflet that the church often gets confused as Wells Cathedral by tourists because it is so decorative and ornate - a real visual treat.  

#4  This Door!

I fell in love with this wonderful little original door with its stone carved frame and carefully shaped oak front.  I tried to get Little Lady to stand in the doorway for scale but due to the aforementioned comment and the whole fact that Mummy's can be soooo embarrassing with their cameras... I failed.

However, the door reminded me of a Hobbit home.  So cute and short in stature.  Even myself at 5ft 2 would have to stoop to get through (another reason to love it from my perspective!)

#5  Wells Cathedral & Castle

Wells Cathedral and Castle are enormous in stature and very impressive!  In the fore ground you can see a traffic warden - he had already given two cars tickets when we arrived.  This is normally the marketplace for the city and usually bustles with thriving stalls and people.  I was surprised but secretly happy that many of the shops were closed on a Sunday.  Many are small independent shops which remained closed - only larger chain stores were open.  Whilst there is a discussion ongoing in England concerning longer opening hours on a Sunday I was happy to see that most of these independent stores had their day of rest.

Whilst we didn't explore the Cathedral and Castle on this occasion, they dominate the skyline of the main street.  Wells is "the smallest city in England with about 12,000 inhabitants. It can call itself a city because of the famous 13th century Cathedral".  It has a lovely market town feel - not at all like the larger cities I've visited and was perfect for some quality chatty time with Little Lady.

We have one week left of school here before the Summer holidays start.  We are all on count down and simply cannot wait for this valuable time to come!  I have another course of 3 weeks of steroids so am hopeful that my health will be at its optimum for managing this time too.  I do so hope you are all enjoying whatever makes you happy!!!  

Today I'm delighted to be joining in with Amy's Five on Friday Linky party!

Take care until next time, 
J9 x

Five on Friday

Just a quick post from me today.  I thought I'd share five happy moments from the last 24 hours and join in with Amy's Five on Friday party...

#1  Weston Sand Sculpture Festival

This years Sand Sculpture Festival is based upon a theme of celebrating the sculptures of the last 10 years.  I had purchased a Groupon pass for us and it was a great value experience.  I will post about this visit more fully next week and share some more of these sculptures - we did really enjoy the Festival.  I have to say, in my opinion, the sculptures weren't as intricate as they have been in previous years and I do prefer a specific theme to the creativity.  However, as a family day out the sculptures were enjoyable and fascinating none the less!!!

#2  Weston Air Festival

This annual festival takes place this weekend and we decided to coincide our visit to the Sand Sculpture Festival with the event to make the most of the experience.  The Red Arrows unfortunately were cancelled today as the clouds descended but they are due to fly tomorrow.  The above photo is from the display of kit planes who are self funded and had only been doing displays within the last year.  They were of a great standard considering they were over 50% kit planes!!!

#3  Brother & Sister time

Bickering has been in full flow over the past couple of weeks between these two.  Nothing serious just little annoyances being aired - largely I think due to tiredness and readjusting to being back at school after the half term holiday.  I find they always need a bit of time to readjust once they are not with each other 24:7.

This photograph captures a lovely moment from earlier today though.  They were sat laughing, chatting, picking grass seeds and throwing them in the air whilst also watching the different air displays overlooking the sea front.  It's good to remember these moments during those times of readjustment when my patience is tested!

#4  Tree Climbing

Little Lady's places of choice seem to be a) in a homemade den and / or b) up a tree.  These don't seem to change.  Either place is a happy place for her and she physically seeks them out.

#5  Park Play

We had parked a little way off the sea front - so as to avoid the volume of traffic and people.  After leaving the hub bub of the main arena we decided to sit and enjoy one of the town parks that we were walking back through towards the car.  The boys played football and Little Lady climbed trees.  I sat happily on a park bench watching the activity - sometimes watching them and sometimes casting my eyes skywards to the various planes and helicopters in flight.  A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

So those are my Five things.  Simple enough but they made me very happy.  I do hope you have a wonderful Father's Day for those celebrating tomorrow.  The boys are off to a football tournament and Little Lady and I are planning to peruse the lovely shops in Wells (where the tournament is taking place).  We've then been invited to a BBQ with friends so fingers crossed the weather stays dry.

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.  Take care until next time,

J9 x

Five on Friday ~ Thankful through Challenging Times

Hello Lovely People!

How are you all doing? Good I do so hope.

As for myself, I've kind of lost my Bloggy mojo.  I had no idea what to share today and so I just started writing some thoughts down.  Mainly along the Project Gratitude line... plus the lovely Amy's linky Five on Friday party gave me some structure.  I'm going to use archived photos too just to ease me back in to the process.

I really felt I had nothing to share or anything interesting to say.  Perhaps I don't... but I've come back to write this intro to collate these thoughts all together and I'm glad I have created this post.  So, thank you for stopping by.  Normal jolly service will resume I'm sure.  In the meantime, here are some things I've given thanks for this past few days:

# 1 ~   Family Firsts

Well, half term absolutely flew by. We had a fab time staying away with friends and family for the first few days.  Then we spent a few days in London doing all the touristy things with the children for the first time, which they completely LoVED. I will write a separate post about this as a journal of this Family First.  It was also the first time I've done London in a wheelchair and needless to say it was very, very challenging.  A great experience for the children and I am completely delighted to have shared it with them... But my goodness it was hard.

Please don't ever underestimate the wonder of legs that work and the joy of movement without pain.

# 2 ~  My Mum

My mum came to stay on Sunday for this past week.  She instinctively helps with so many of the everyday things, getting breakfast, the school runs etc while I am confined to my bed. I am so very thankful for her love and support.  Perhaps I am even more thankful for her relationship with my children.  It is magical and born from helping me and my children long term as occasionally I've had to divert energy in order to overcome physical challenges.  Hours of care, play, love and reassuringly 'being' have made their mark on their hearts.

She has her own health issues but is a generous soul who will help whenever she can.  A day does not pass where I do not feel enormously grateful for her impact on our life.

# 3 ~  A Lucky Escape

Source

Also on Sunday morning, the Hubby called to say he'd had another puncture (the third in as many bike rides) and was stuck somewhere on Cheddar Gorge.  This is his new exercise having had to stop running since his achilles rupture.  A learning path I guess.  I loaded the kids in the car and left a note for my mum who was supposed to arrive any moment... myself moaning about however were we to get the bike, him and the kids in the car with myself so unwell.

As we drove up through the Gorge, we found him by the side of the road... as our eyes met, I knew more had happened than a simple puncture.  He had not wanted to worry me over the phone but had underestimated a sharp bend in the road and crashed (and come off) his bike.  Having missed the bend he shot over the the other side of the road and way up onto the verge of a parking area.  Either a car coming the opposite way, or cars parked in the layby would have led to more serious injury.  He was clearly rattled over an hour after it had happened and even though masking it from the children... I knew immediately we were fortunate that he was not seriously physically hurt.  It was a wake up call for us both.  Myself for my fuss at a 'puncture' and him as a speed warning.  I am so thankful that we have these lessons reaffirmed and our eyes refocused on what matters most.

# 4 ~  Medicine

On Tuesday I saw the Rheumatologist again, had a whole number of additional tests and have started another course of steroids (not in the photo which is of my normal routine nightly meds). Relief from my inflammatory flare and lack of pacing will come in a couple weeks if this follows the pattern of previous flares.  So thankful for this medication and the hope that the Doctors have in trying to manage my symptoms more effectively in future.  Hope is powerful in itself.

# 5 ~ Journalling

Thankful that I have different options to brain dump!  Due to the trauma of my original accident, my central nervous system is highly sensitized.  It is ill and this affects so many things; messages to my body from my brain are confused, during flares my brain function is very slow and my clarity of thought is not at it's best.  I have a journal recording my health daily as a tool in managing symptoms.  I have many different options for putting thoughts and ideas down and I am especially happy to have this space to reflect on. To record them seems to make sense of it all in my mind and enables me to reassess the importance of some things and the insignificance of others.

I am quite an introverted, reflective personality and since my accident this trait has become more extreme.  I am aware that I have gone into myself this week.  Into survival mode - just getting through.  I can get anxious leaving the house.  I try to force myself though as otherwise the barriers increase and I'd become increasingly isolated if I didn't make the extra effort.

I hadn't wanted to blog today. I haven't written a post for a while and I was beginning to feel that if I didn't write soon, I may have lost my voice.  I expect this is simply an example of the mental place I'm in.  But I'm glad I have written this. It has calmed my mind and helped me process some negative thinking and on reflection, writing has highlighted the need to value these challenges... providing perspective and changing the way I look at events.

Whilst this isn't perhaps the happiest post I have ever written it does bring contentment to recognise and give thanks for the everyday moments in life - not just the perfect bits.  I've struggled through a painful and physically hard week but I am still grateful.  The weekend is here and relief shall come.

Increasingly, I realise that happiness does not come from having or always being happy. For me it can come as the storm clouds pass and the first glimmer of sun breaks through.  This is the metaphor for my happy moments these past two weeks.  Nothing life changing or particularly eventful.  For now, I'm resting my body and have a new peace of mind.

The sun will shine... but sometimes we need a few clouds to really appreciate it when it does break through.

Five on Friday

The past week has been a tough one for me physically.  I'm not going to dwell on it though.  For my Five Things this week I've chosen to share five of the little things which have made me happy and for which I am ever so grateful:

#1  Morris Men

A quintessentially British tradition of men dancing together with hankies in their hands and bells round their knees.  It can't fail to make you smile.

#2  Stupendously beautiful and aromatic stocks

A delightful 'whoopsie' purchase made in the supermarket whilst I was perusing the "Free From" section.  I often buy reduced flowers partly for budgetary reasons and partly because they are in flower and harder to walk past!!!  These were already in flower and continue to make the whole kitchen smell beautiful!

#3  Kitchen Dresser

I've mainly stayed in the house this week but instead of focusing on what I couldn't do I chose to find something that I could do.  I wanted something that I could come to and leave, which could be split down into smaller parts to make up a whole job over the course of a day and that would provide happiness to me.  Rearranging the display of china on my kitchen dresser always does this.  Part of the joy is in deciding what colours, which plates and items to select and part comes from seeing those pretty things each day on entering the kitchen.  Oh, I do so love a flowery, vintage plate!

#4  A Special Treat

When I saw what Jooles of the lovely blog Sew Sweet Violet shared some pictures of her recent Liberty fabric butterfly makes I completely adored them.  They really are my kind of thing and are so exquisitely sewn.  I felt that a naughty treat was just what I needed during a physically difficult week and it's true that the anticipation of a beautifully wrapped purple package winging it's way to my house was part of the joy!  I completely love this canvas and can't wait to hang it in my lounge once it is decorated.  Watch this space!

#5  Sports Day 

It seems that both of my children are Queen and King of the traditional "Egg & Spoon" race! (Both of my little winners are on the left of the photos in caps).  The school is divided into tribes named after different tribes in Kenya (Maasai, Luo, Kikuyu & Kamba) and each wear their tribe colours.  My children are part of the Kamba Tribe and so were wearing blue T Shirts.  These connections are made throughout the education within the primary school as it is twinned and contributes to schooling with one in Dabaso, Kenya hence the names of the school teams.  We fundraise through school events throughout the year and connect with some of the students attending the school in Kenya so this is a fun, educational and inspirational thing to be part of.

Last year the school sports day was rearranged 3 times due to weather issues meaning it had to be postponed on each previous occasion.  This year the first date was a beautiful sunny day - the days either side of it were torrential rain and wind!!  On the day in question though, the weather couldn't have been more wonderful and it meant that the end of next term won't be quite so manic with celebratory summer term activities.  My lovely Mum was up staying too and so she was able to watch the little ones race.  My children are very outdoorsy and athletic and competed with gusto on the day. The occasion provided so many things to be grateful for.

I hope too that there have been many Simple Things which you too have been grateful for this week.

I won't be around in this space much over the next couple of weeks.  We have half term next week here and we are away visiting family and enjoying a special visit to London too!  This will be the Little Ones' first visit to the 'Big Smoke' and they are very excited!  Of course I'll share some pictures on our return!  I know that this will impact me physically and so am just going to take the following week to help recover.  I've started instagram though - my brick sadly had to go to phone heaven and so I have succumbed to the android smart phone generation!  If you would like to see some pictures whilst I'm away I am @j9shappiness I am finding out that the camera on it is fairly pants but I'm enjoying seeing what some of you lovely people are doing in such an accessible way.  The laptop which I use for blogging is quite old and slow now and I tend to binge read on blogs a couple times a week as a result.  I love this little bloggy community though so after my little break I shall be back!  There are a few things on the hook at present and I can't wait to share!!!  

Enjoy the weeks ahead... until next time!

Today I'm delighted to be joining in with Amy for her Five on Friday linky party.

Happy Weekend Folks!!!

J9 x

Five on Friday

I thought I'd share some of the crafty things I've been enjoying over the past couple weeks.

#1  Coastal Target Square Blanket

This blanket journey is nearing it's end.  I have been off my legs this week and have spent some of this time sewing squares together.  I'm sure there is a more efficient way of doing this than the process I've adopted!!  I think the border will have the mid shades of blue in to pull it all together.  I'm looking forward to completing this one and giving it a full Ta Dah moment!!

#2  Crochet & Embroidery Cushion

I've completed the crochet elements of these cushions and simply need to transfer the image in my mind to the linen I've selected.  Easier said than done I think and as I have been bed-bound for large parts of the day this week I haven't been able to start the embroidery / applique bit.  It will come though...

#3  Crochet Cushion Gift

I needed a simple and repetitive pattern to work on this week at various points when my brain was just too foggy.  I had this project in my mind.  I plan to gift it to my friend's darling boy for his first birthday.  I have started it with plenty of time to complete it with yarn from my stash.  I hadn't crocheted a circle for a while and so refreshed my memory using Attic24's flat circle tutorial.  Once started it was surprisingly quick and easy to work up.  The fun bit of creating its face and putting it all together is yet to come!!!

#4  Square cutting for Quilts

(No pictures as yet but as soon as there is something worth photographing I promise I will share!!!)

At the start of this year I set myself the target to make as many birthday gifts as I was able.  I have three boys birthdays looming in the next month and have decided to make them a single quilt each.  I'll have to do this on days when I am well enough to sit at the sewing machine but I plan to create them in a mini production line style!!!  I have some fabric stashed and also I saved many of the Little Man's shirts over the years which I plan to cut up and use.  This will be time rich but a thoughtful and thrifty gift I think.  I'm looking forward to using the sewing machine again.  It has been a while since I've used it creatively.

#5  A Project to Makeover

This is another skip type rescue - I actually was walking Milo and as the gent was about to put it in I asked politely if it could come home with me!  These parts actually make up a vintage sewing box.  I really love the shape of it and it shouldn't take too much to bring it back to life.  This little makeover will be my May Pretty Me project and I'm yet to make a start on it.  I have it in mind though, waiting for me to bring it to life again.

I hope you are enjoying this fine day.  I am completely shattered at present.  The slow release steroids have ended plus I'm fighting a viral infection which has all my glands reacting and swollen.  I have glands swollen where I didn't know I had them - I think that's the lupus!  This shall pass... and I'm due to have a review at the Rheumotology clinic in early June so I should get some more steroids then... so positivity to come.  

I hope you have a joyful weekend and have many happy moments in the week ahead.

J9 x

Today I'm delighted to be joining in with Amy and her wonderful linky party

Five on Friday

In the last few posts I've talked about how well I've been feeling in myself on this new medicine regime and with the positive effects of the 'free from' diet.  I knew it would happen, but I had a reality check again this morning.  FACT ~ I have a sick and broken body.  When I say I'm good it's more that I am at my best 'new normal'.  After feeling so positive after the Easter break - instead of taking the opportunity to rest and replenish when the children returned to school, I tried to push through.  Unfortunately, the inevitable circle of overdoing things lead to a flare and ultimately a crash emotionally and physically.  

I must do better at listening to my body and applying pacing plans again.

This has happened before (and of course it will happen in the future!)  I just need to be mindful of the fact that I have a whole host of health issues that I need to manage each day.  Sometimes it sucks.  But of course, there are always things to find in amongst the challenges.  I choose to find happiness in those Simple Things!!

Five things that have made me happy this week:

#1  Little Lady was awarded her Rookie Lifeguard trophy after completing her bronze, silver and finally gold levels.  

This is a big achievement - CPR, swimming in clothes, swimming with a dummy, rescuing people from drowning etc.  It started as something different to do because she loved swimming and had completed all the learning stages.  She's delighted with her trophy and did show and tell at school with it this week.  I'm a very proud mummy.

#2  The blossom on my apple tree is in bud.  

For the last couple years we've had minimal crops but the blossom looks promising for this year.  In the meantime, the flowers are beautiful.  As is the gorgeous blue sky in contrast against it.  It has been a gorgeous week of blue skies here which is good for the soul.

#3  Slowly growing piles of crochet Target Squares. 

Enough said.  These squares are very soothing and I have taken them on travels recently!!  In long car journeys, at the park, waiting for the school gates to open at pick up time - you name it!  Can't wait to start joining these beauties together!

#4  Enjoying beautiful colours and flavours in a pretty bowl.  

So appreciative of reading The Immune System Recovery Plan - and feeling the benefit of my new regime.  It's by no means a cure but the Hydroxychloraquine and elimination diet have seen my symptoms reduce from 9.5/10 to 7/10.  When I've been in flare to that degree for around 6 months even this reduction is life changing.  Still a challenge but there is hope - and for that I am ridiculously grateful.

#5  Forever grateful for my Family
The understanding of my children and Husband of my physical limitations and impacts of chronic pain.

I have grieved for the life I should have led.  For a family who is physically active my physical ability could be an issue and I won't lie - for me it always will be.  But I am so grateful for my Hubby doing those things with the Kiddie's.  For cycling, running, climbing, trampolining, hiking... and so much more.  Regardless of the weather.  Striving to do what is good and not taking the easy option.  I know I do other things with them and together we provide a good balance.  But we are a tight unit - perhaps even more so due to the health challenges we've been through.  It takes strength to fight on... and together we muster just about enough.

Hope you have had some happy moments this week.  Take care until next time,

J9 x

Today I'm delighted to be joining in with Amy and her Five on Friday Linky Party

Five on Friday

Happy Friday Folks!  Firstly, thank you for your kind thoughts and support on my recent posts.  I really appreciate each and every one of them and they have given me a lift when I needed it most.

Due to my health, I've had a lot more time online this week (as I've not been able to do a lot else).  I've enjoyed blogging a bit more regularly although I've not enjoyed not being able to craft - especially crochet.  The steroids are doing their thing though and I've improved so much since Wednesday.  I'm really positive about this new phase of managing my chronic conditions over time.

Today, I was catching up on some of your lovely blogs and realised that Amy is holding a Five on Friday linky party.  I know for a while that she has been working on doing this type of theme with a range of bloggers but somehow missed her first party last week.  Amy is such a genuine, friendly and supportive blogger I simply had to join in!

As you may have realised, I'm not up to much presently but thought you may like to see my Matryoshka Doll collection - my Five on Friday.  My little dolls I'm sharing here are a mixture of carefully crafted traditional sets and modern takes on the theme.  There is just something about them which I completely love.

Wikipedia  explains a bit of the history - A matryoshka doll also known as Russian nesting doll, refers to a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other. The first Russian nested doll set was made in 1890. 

::  #1

This is probably my favourite set gifted to me by my lovely Mum as she knows I have a weakness for them!

They are much more rotund in shape - wider at the base and smaller at the head than my other sets.  These are painted beautifully; their faces are super pretty and the scene on the middle is wonderfully detailed with highlights in gold.  

There are 8 dolls in the set and the smallest is as small as my finger nail.  

They are currently housed on my dresser in the kitchen and bring me a little pleasure each day. 

::  #2

This set is really colourful - an unusual shade of dark blue as the main colour.  My Mum gave these to me one Christmas - as I love blue, flowers and Russian dolls!!  These are the shapes that are more widely available although I have never seen another mainly blue set.  The smallest doll is tiny and doesn't stand on its own.  I usually keep it inside the larger doll so it doesn't get lost. I especially like their cheerfulness, rosy cheeks and jolly colours.  These also form part of my current display on my kitchen dresser.

::  #3

These were a gift from my sister and actually started life as bottle stoppers!  I knew that I would never use them for that purpose but really liked them.  To make an effective use of them I chopped off the cork stopper bits and simply use the doll parts for display.  These are resin and don't nest but I love the pastel colours and their size is super cute.  The largest one is not even 2 inches tall!!

::  #4

This set I picked up at a charity shop for pennies - mainly because at the time my Littlie's were obsessed with putting my other sets of the dolls in and out of their nesting sets.  I hadn't wanted my favourite set (which is a little more delicate) to get damaged and so picked this up as it was more robust.

I later found that each of the nesting dolls were painted differently - initially I was attracted to the strategically placed strawberries!  I love how the smaller dolls have flowers painted on the top of their heads - so cute.  I adore their simplicity and natural charm.

::  #5

These are my most modern type of Matyroska themed decoration.  I really like them - they are functional and pretty.  The blue and green shades in the background of the two larger tins are my two most favourite colours.  I bought them for myself in a little shop in Wadebridge in Cornwall probably 10 years ago and they are still one of my favourite purchases.

I wouldn't part with any of these Matryoska sets.  Not for their financial worth but for their sentimental value and their suitability to my taste in decor.  I hope too that they will prompt memories of happy play times for my children in the future.

Hopefully next Friday I'll be able to share with you my latest Works In Progress - yes there are currently five of them.  Naughty me!!!  I'm hopeful that my hands will be able to crochet tomorrow given the present level of improvement.  Each project is at a different stage of development but I hope to make some progress in the days ahead!

I do hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Take care, 

J9 x

Joining in with Amy and her Five on Friday Linky Party