Random Witterings!

I slammed my thumb into the ball at the end of the bannister and bent back half the nail and stunned the joint, now can’t bend it properly.

OUCHIES!

… since I updated my personal blog.  Most of my blogging efforts have been spent on my book review website at www.bookthing.co.uk and I just realised I’ve let this one lapse.  Oops!

Today was a bit of a milestone for me.  20 weeks ago, I asked my GP about the ‘Exercise on prescription’ scheme I’d heard about (also known as GP referral at participating gyms).  Luckily the closest one I could go to was West Park Leisure Centre, which is just up the road and also a place I had been to before when I was in one of my less agoraphobic phases, so I was able to keep a lid on anxiety.  While I didn’t know anyone, I was so fed up of my grumpy back and that my weight loss had halted, it gave me the courage to say yes when they contacted me to sign on to the scheme.

Today was my last session under the scheme and I feel really proud that I managed to stick not only at the gym once a week but also take a chance on something I’ve never done before which was Aqua-aerobics.  End results have been around a stone in weight loss and 4 inches off my tummy which is probably the hardest place for me to shift any fat.

The scheme itself was brilliant, the lady who manages it at the leisure centre was lovely and encouraging and the gym instructor who is trained for it was just awesome.  Additionally there was an NHS lady who can ‘buddy’ with you on any activity you wanted to try (it was she that got me into Aqua-aerobics) and I can’t express how much that helped.

For someone like me who has mental health problems the whole thing has been a godsend.

The biggest impact I think was one I didn’t consider and it surprised me.  Suffering from S.A.D. on top of everything else just sucked and I wasn’t looking forward to going into hibernation again.  This year has been the best winter, ever!  Even though it’s been the worst cold/rain/snow wise.  I still have my dysthymic days, that’s unavoidable, but no hibernation or hiding away and my energy levels have been so much better.

I am my worst critic and find it very hard to feel proud of myself no matter what I do.  But for once, I really do

So lately I’ve been getting a bit of a tremor/twitch thing going on which had really started to bug me and after a really bad day of it, finally went to the doctor’s.  Most likely it’s to do with the OCD side of Dysthymia but best to check there isn’t a physiological cause.  Even if it is an OCD issue, there are things that can help.  Anyway, have been put on Betablockers to see if they will do the trick and it does seem to have calmed down a bit.

Yesterday evening my back started to get a bit stiff and sore without any cause I can think of, which means it’s either going to get really grumpy or will just return to it’s normal achy state.  Sure enough, got up this morning and couldn’t stand up straight. Aaaargh.  This has happened a few times before and is excrutiatingly painful for a while before it eases up and I have to do an odd hunched shuffling walk to get around the house.  Outdoors I have to rely on my trusty walking stick which I am now very glad didn’t get thrown away when I lost enough weight to be able to walk unaided.  I’ve lost 6 stone overall!

Anyway, I had a blood test this morning to check for physiological things causing the tremors and shuffled into the doctors surgery and asked if there was a chance I could see someone about my back.  Luckily there was a cancellation just as I asked and was able to see the same doctor I had seen yesterday.  She took one look at me and said ‘you didn’t look like that yesterday!”.  Just call me Igor

She thinks I have a slipped disc and it’s caused the area around it to spasm so I now have some great drugs and if you shake me I rattle!  Tony also keeps laughing at me cos I am smiling amiably at everything.  *hmpf*

I’ve been collecting Fimo Polymer Clay stuff with the desire to try and make some little cat fridge magnets or something like that.  I’ve never tried using Fimo before nor really done much in the way of sculpting so have been putting it off until I had some inspiration… or bravery

The mood struck me today so I got everything out then decided I really needed to learn about it first – how it feels, how easy it is to manipulate and how it looks after it’s been baked.  Since I like making jewellery I thought I would have a go at some beads.  I’d received a free heart mould when I’d bought some Fimo so thought I would use that (I also had a nice red Fimo clay).  I’m actually really pleased with the way they turned out.  They looked how I wanted them to, I could envision a use for them and most importantly, I learnt a lot about the clay.  My fingers ache now with all the kneading but it was worth it

Here is a pic of the finished beads!

Usually the the week before my birthday I get a little down and aware I will be another year older, but no further forward in my bid to achieve some mental stability.  I try and be positive about it and Tony always helps a huge amount and I end up having a good day.  I really didn’t expect this year to be any different.

I was wrong!

I’ve had an utterly fantastic day, been spoiled rotten and had some really lovely cards and wishes from friends and family.  I am now the proud owner of a Dell Inspiron Laptop, some clothes and some books.  Woohoo!

The laptop is very shiny…. my precious….

Thankyou so much Tony, for giving me a wonderful day and making me very happy

I hope you enjoy your own shiny birthday present Mr iPhone! =D

I decided to do the rounds of charity shops this morning looking for books.  Specifically I was looking for the 4th book in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich but it was not to be.  I did however get a fair few I wasn’t actively looking for   Heeeeeeee!

Today’s haul :

Hard Eight – Janet Evanovich
To the Nines – Janet Evanovich
Motor Mouth – Janet Evanovich
Love Overboard – Janet Evanovich
Darkly Devoted Dexter – Jeff Lindsay
No Rest for the Wicked – Kresley Cole
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night – Kresley Cole
Knight of Darkness – Sherrilyn Kenyon (writing as Kinley MacGregor)
Dark Fire – Christine Feehan
Dark Challenge – Christine Feehan
Immortals: The Crossing – Joy Nash
Immortals: The Haunting – Robin Popp
Immortals: The Redeeming – Jennifer Ashley
Heat (Buffy/Angel) – Nancy Holder

Definately time to cull my collection again, I am out of room on the shelves!

• Happiness is…. snoozing with a cute kitty curled up on your pillow on top of your head. #
• not so much happy when said cute kitty smacks you on the head when she’s dreaming… #

• My back is grumpy after I didn’t see a step down when I was coming out of a shop. *mutter* #

I like making the odd bit of jewellery, mainly when I come across something I would like to use and inspiration strikes.  I also love making chains.  I could sit for hours (and often do) linking rings together into a kind of chain-mail style chain.  I use a 2-in-1 or a 4-in-1 pattern depending on how wide I want it to be.

Last time I went over to Hobbycraft I found these lovely leaf shaped beads in a variety of colours.  I found the autumnal colour ones the most attractive and decided to make myself a set of earrings, necklace and bracelet.  These are the results!

I finally got the rug properly finished, I used an iron on binding tape for the edges on the underside which worked really well.  Both cats have had a go on it and Bubbles thinks it’s her new love rug (she stands and kneads on it for ages while purring her head off).  Really pleased with the finished result and it’s great seeing it down in front of the fire and part of the room