Fiddling

 

Just fiddling a little...no real purpose. I had an asthma episode on Friday, which led me to use my rescue inhaler. On Saturday at work I kept thinking my glasses were misting up. Sunday...well Sunday what can I say. Headache central set in with nausea. Possibly a side effect of the inhaler coupled with frustratingly still wearing a mask at work. Hubby thinks that as it was a bit warmer on Saturday I may have become dehydrated as well. Whatever it feels as though the six nations rugby teams have used my head as their practice ball. Really trying hard not to feel sorry for myself, however I am slightly fed up with January and hope for much better health in February and beyond.

Really ought to be thinking about wedding plans, and finishing the decorating upstairs. Not just yet though. All in good time as they say. How can a head become so sore though, seriously. The sun is just poking out a little and is a very welcome sight, though too much and I'll be reaching for dark glasses! Just no pleasing some people is there!

Hopefully back soon in better form.

Blessings, J. x

First Stirrings

Already in January signs are evident of the shifting seasons.

Birds are singing.

Bulbs are popping up, seemingly unharmed by the cold of Winter.

The cats...they are spending more time outside, and less time sound asleep in one of their various favourite  nesting spots.

The first snowdrops will soon be opening

Wilbur spending some time near the pond

And us...well yesterday I along with my two daughters and two grandsons enjoyed a first outside hot chocolate on the patio in some beautiful sunshine after having taken a short walk. 

But what a difference a day makes. Today is grey as can be with regular light rain showers. I have brought in just a few armfuls of logs. The fire is already lit. It's been a muddle through day so far with no real purpose. I have the boys to pick up from preschool this afternoon.  

I fear my mind to be as grey as the weather...having returned to work I am really rather tired today. My body it seems has been unaccustomed to as much physical activity for a few weeks. Scheduled to work an early shift tomorrow which at the moment I'm unable to summon up any enthusiasm for. Perhaps I should consider hibernating. 

This little ring of beauty is still hanging on our door in from the passage...I've been keeping the battery lights on and will maybe keep it hung up until they run out of power...then again Candlemas beckons next week?! Decisions decisions.

Blessings, J. x

Sunrise. Sunset

Getting up early can have it's advantages...

As can walking outside at dusk

It's not as cold here this morning, and coupled with my late night unwinding after work when I fed the woodburner well into the hours of darkness, I am being rewarded with a lovely cosy fire to feel, hear and admire. The first mug of tea has been drunk, and the first ginger biscuit nibbled.

On my to do list today is making a batch of bread rolls, hopefully a weeks supply. In fact I may make some rolls, and then a crusty loaf of bread as we have some cream that needs using and who can resist fresh crusty bread lavishly coated in cream and jam or honey. Not us for sure.

Both cats have decided as they usually do first thing in the morning to venture outside. However when I am home they both like to play rather an annoying game of let me in, let me out. Wilbur gives me filthy looks through the kitchen windows, and Kitty paws and makes the windows filthy!

I can feel a need for mug of tea number two so for now...Wishing you all a Happy and Merry Burns Night!

Blessings, J. x

This Is It

Having had a less than satisfactory festive season due to work and illness, now I'm really focusing on what is important to us as a family. The pressure, and temptation to take on extra shifts in December was such a strong force and I'm afraid I totally got strung along in it all. That and all the extra preparations for the festivities meant that by the time it was time to have the fun I was totally burnt out and consequently became ill. I feel as though I have been cheated. I know that many many people suffered with illness this Winter, however I look back and realise that I worked through every holiday last year. The lure of a little extra money. Guilt. Whatever. Now I just feel I've been had. It appears that my place of work has changed how it works out our waiting sick days. This is a real thumbs down as I only have two shifts a week automatically on the rota, the rest I pick up. But pick up I do, regularly, so I have been less that enamoured at being told that they only go by the regular shifts we do now. As I said, having worked all through the Jubilee, Queens funeral, most of Easter, Christmas and New Years Days I'm reassessing my work life balance. I had already committed to working part of this next weekend, but next month I'm going to leave well alone and pick up absolutely nothing extra. To be honest I need the rest. This virus and its' effects on my body have really knocked me sideways. Today it's dawned on me that this is it...this is my life, and I'm letting too many things get in the way of enjoying it.

Anyway enough woe me...we have a glorious if finger numbing day to enjoy here today. I'm having a steady morning as I went back to work yesterday and will be doing a late shift this afternoon/evening. Oh but the sun. The frost. To see shadows, yes shadows made by the amazing sunshine! No I'm not going crazy and heading out for a romp as I will need all my energy later having had a really busy shift yesterday. On Sunday hubby declared we were going for a walk, I think he wanted to check my fitness level really! Anyway we wrapped up well and took hot tea and a snack each and headed to the Tarka Trail. We ventured to a place called Yarde and had an enjoyable if longer walk than I would have chosen. Hubby walks at hubby pace, so especially on the way back I kept saying slower please! Needless to say having done not an awful lot in January I keeled over on the sofa in the afternoon. It was lovely though. Many times I thought to myself I should be snapping some photos, but it was just sooo chilly I didn't want to take off my gloves.

The woodturner is lit. A stew concoction is bubbling away on top. I hope to take some for a very quick pitstop style tea. I don't officially get a break today but hope to shovel something down my neck in order to stop myself from keeling over. Tomorrow I've allocated myself the task of baking bread. See, slow and steady!

I had to return to the doctors surgery on Friday. Luckily the results of my ECG and bloods were normal, but I've been given an additional preventer inhaler. The rescue one is great, but gives me the shakes. They say it could be two weeks before the preventer one takes over from the rescue one. I'm just really grateful they exist to be honest. January certainly hasn't been my finest hour!

This photo doesn't do yesterdays sunrise justice 

Well I must away and have a quick pick up before lunch. 

Blessings, J. x

Almost Locked Out

I feel rather on the edge of Blogger at the moment. The other day I updated my computer running hard/software, and although I have signed into Google, Blogger and just about everything else I am unable to get Blogger to let me comment or reply to comments normally. First I noticed I could do so through Firefox rather than Safari, or I could comment as anonymous through Safari. Today however Firefox is a complete not on your nellie kettle of fish. Meanwhile I have at least added WintersEndRambler to a reply instead of being anonymous on Safari. Is it just me or is anyone else having problems?

Frustrated blessings, J. x

Doing It My Way

Well it has been a glorious but cold day here in North Devon. Being home I have been able to fully appreciate the clearer skies and chill crisp air.

Thanks to my inhaler I feel much more able to breathe. Though the downside at the moment is getting the shakes. I hope this dissipates with time. Conscious at being told firmly yesterday to rest I have paced my activities today. A couple of loads of washing. Some hoovering. Lighting the fire, and making a Stollen have all been achieved without too much drama.

It has been many a year since I last made Stollen. I wanted to mark Old Twelfth Night with something a little special as I seem to have missed rather a lot of the fun of January up till now.

Anyway into the bread maker went the ingredients for a rich dough plus some grated orange rind. I forgot to add dried fruit so kneaded mine in before rolling out. I had every intention of waiting until this evening to have a slice but I'm afraid temptation got the better of me. This is my version of Stollen, and I have strayed from the recipe. However (licking lips) I can confirm it tastes really lovely and went down a treat with a good mug of tea just now!

The dough was really soft

In went some sultanas

Then the marzipan

And flop it over

I put the icing on before it had cooled down...not necessarily a good idea

So...looking somewhat akin to a dogs dinner...but my it tastes good!

I also decided to honour the fruit trees in our garden. All of them. And I decided to do it before darkness. I didn't do the traditional Wassail and all that entails, however I took out a can of cider and poured some over each tree thanking them for the previous harvest and for that to come. Hot cider may feature in our lives this evening. Something has to be better than nothing I'm sure, but it didn't seem wise to be out in the cold after dark given my airway issues.

Back soon,

Blessings, J. x

Blessed Relief

This morning I secured a phone return call from the on call surgery team. They requested I go in to see them again and so as hubby had commandeered our car due to his van having a brake pipe failure I asked youngest daughter if she would mind taking me in as it was her day off. Thankfully she seems to love me and readily agreed. This time I saw a nurse who did a more in depth examination. She couldn't hear anything on my chest or lungs but declared it to be too quiet. Whether the virus has triggered asthma remains to be seen. She prescribed a Salbutamol Sulphate inhaler. Next step trying to source one. Two chemists later we gave up. I went back to rest at daughters house until this evening when eldest came to pick up her children whom youngest looks after on a Monday, and she took me back to the chemist that said they were waiting on a delivery of them. Thankfully this was a successful mission and as soon as I reached the car I administered my first two puffs. I'm sure that already my chest feels a little better. Boy am I sore though. I hope that after another two puffs at bedtime and four doses tomorrow I will be well on the road to recovery. I must return to the surgery on Wednesday for bloods to be taken and an ECG. 

Luckily tea was just a pop some leftover stew from yesterday on the wood burner. No roast as we had eaten roast for the previous two days thanks to son being home and having a family gathering on Friday. Sadly there was no way I was fit enough to attend the Wassailing at Rosemoor yesterday. If at all possible we'll do a little something tomorrow evening at home. Let's see how it goes. The 17th being Old Twelfth Night hopefully we could appease the gods of the harvest to come.

Hubby has gone out to play skittles. I am enjoying the fire, pretty lights and something about wildlife in the Atlantic on 5Select. Oh and this didn't last long!

All that frothy hot chocolatey goodness...and the chocolate lolly dunked in was really delicious. My stock of them is vanishing quickly so I may need to hide some from the boys!

Blessings, J. x

Evening Musings

 

Sitting by the glowing embers of our fire, toes toasting, mug of tea to hand, chocolates luxuriously wrapped and shining invitingly in a beautiful cut glass crystal bowl on the side table. Bliss.

Earlier this afternoon we gathered together to say our goodbyes to a very lovely man. My husbands Uncle. It was a beautiful service and fitting tribute.

We have eaten our fill of pizza this evening, though after the funeral tea to be honest we didn't need much at all. 

Yesterday afternoon I realised I was at last beginning to feel more alert, though the rib area pain is still very much in evidence. I have a very hot, hot water bottle close to hand which seems to relieve it somewhat.

Kitty seems to be enjoying herself...

The garland gives a real glow...

Early morning on January 2nd...whilst at work...

Wondering if soon the rain will be replaced by snow again...

Blessings, J. x

Home Alone

Yesterday I could definitely tell it was January. The woe me set in a little. Dreary weather, off work (Dr. thinks the virus has inflamed the muscles around my ribs) and I generally felt somewhat hacked off. I decided to ditch the robin jigsaw...well put it in it's box anyway. It just wasn't making me happy having to try each piece in turn. Out came the one youngest daughter gave me for Christmas instead. Eldest has been in this morning with youngest grandson. She coloured my hair and ended up staying as a thunderstorm ensued and she hates thunder, the electric went a few times. I have since managed to nip out to fetch in a basket of lightings and back we are to thunder rain and hail again. 

I have heard talk of the weather returning to cold next week sometime. My guess would be around the time of the new moon. That's what Mum always said. Come to think of it she was always big on the moon. So was Dad. He'd never want to see a new moon through glass and would go to the top of the garden path and turn the change over in his pocket when he first saw it. To see it through glass would be bad indeed.

I have completed a few small tasks this morning. Son is coming home tonight to attend a family funeral tomorrow. I do hope the weather isn't quite as rough as it is right now. He says he doesn't want any tea, though I plan to cobble together a stew. His partner and her family call it lobby. I suppose you just lob in what you have so that makes sense.

This afternoon I may do some jigsaw. Or I may just relax in my armchair. Still rather out of puff and resting with a hot water bottle against my back really soothes the pain. It is rather inconvenient as there are many things I should like to be getting on with. OK, so blog hopping and Pinterest perusing can be good fun, but hardly productive.

I think I'll strike a match to the laid in fire soon and just see how the feeling takes me. It really couldn't be any drearier if it tried. I am trying to embrace dreary and enjoy the day for what it is. I should also be grateful for the enforced rest I suppose. I really am trying to do some things that I can enjoy whilst a bit crook!

The word enjoy has been my word of choice for this year. To wait for the big stuff to happen so we can enjoy it is really a waste of lots and lots of little things that could be equally enjoyable, so inspired by I live I love I craft, enjoy is what I shall try to do. The sound of the wind howling through the Aga vent pipe is really quite something. Down the chimney it makes a different tune. In the bathroom the hail on the vellux window different again. They are I suppose to be enjoyed for what they are. Part of a very stormy January day. I feel really guilty about being in the warm house doing relatively little when hubby is out trying to complete a shed roof.

So enjoy whatever it is you should be doing...

Blessings, J. x

A Frustrating Feeling

Still home...not bedridden, but there's absolutely nothing in the tank so to speak. I took the grands to preschool this morning and now I'm all in. Rather out of puff and my hands especially feel stiff. Rather like when I had Long Covid. I don't seem to be wheezing, though last evening I started getting pains in my ribs. This morning I phoned the surgery, but leaving it until after nine due to needing to take the boys, and not feeling like I'm about to drop so to speak it has been a case of get back to us Monday if you're still like it. I phoned work to update them. Part of me feels like a fraud as I'm not in bed, or even lying down. But every time I try and do something I get the shakes. Seriously. I've even opened the box of Turkish Delight to have a couple of pieces when it happens. Strangely I haven't been off my food or tea or coffee or anything throughout. See, a proper fraud.

We had an almighty shower last night, just as I went to bed. Rather ferocious indeed. I believe the weather instrument says we have had 25.9mm so far this week.

Having  said goodbye to the Christmas tree...out the front door quite literally...I have been surprised the place doesn't look barer than it does. We have put up lights in various places, and as hubby likes in his words 'a bit of colour' we sought out some in vintage gold and red ones. Only one every few bulbs is red. I have swopped out the cool white sets for these and am getting used to them. We even have a set all around the kitchen which got the thumbs up from hubby and which was about all I did achieve yesterday. Hopefully if we decide to keep them up he will put little hooks around to replace the blobs of blue tack I have used.

Well that's about as exciting as it's getting at Little Winter right now. 

Today I may piece together a little more of my puzzle. 

So I'll leave you with the fireplace decked out in it's new colourful lights!

Can you spot the loving spoon...it was in hubby's Christmas stocking...

Blessings, J. x

And So The New Year Begins

At home, and at work it seems to be a little of the same old same old. Both grandsons, eldest daughter and myself were poorly over the festivities. I managed a few shifts in between two bouts of feeling achey, cold, headache and sore throat. Many have had far worse. Think D & V. Always such a delight to succumb to. Still, we muddled through Christmas one way and another, though never again will I work a full shift on Christmas Day itself. I was absolutely pooped.

The turkey dinner was for us on Boxing Day and very lovely it was if I do say so myself. We held off the pressie fest until the 29th when Sonshine and his partner arrived. Think two hyper little boys who've been eyeing up the gifts under the tree since Christmas Eve but weren't allowed them!

Our plans changed totally on New Years Eve and we ended up going to Youngest daughters and her Caveman for a Chinese. Not a late night as I had an early part shift in the morning to make up for some hours I was home ill in the week. Today is another at home day. After work yesterday I suddenly came over all cold and shivery again. Then the wonderful headache and sore throat popped over to see me just for good measure. It's been a steady day. I'm not bedridden but I haven't achieved an awful lot of anything to be truthful. It is mid afternoon and I shall soon be thinking about lighting the wood burner. 

I have managed to put a few pieces of a really difficult jigsaw in place (I hope). Two robins on a wire in the snow. Many of us tried making the outside but were defeated so I am doing something I have never done before. Started making the puzzle from the inside out. 1000 (hopefully) pieces worth! The rather annoying thing is that youngest gave me a lovely colourful Winter scenic puzzle for Christmas and I'm itching to start that one. It looks easier.

Our festive tree is still up, but I don't have much enthusiasm for it now. I could do with clearing up a bit though the Winter decorations will remain for a while longer. 

I have managed to connect the weather station we gave to hubby for Christmas to the online app that has fancy pants graphs and such like available if you press the right buttons. I know sadly that techno phobe hubby will require me to press these right buttons though or get in a right tizz. He maintains his fingers are too big for delicate buttons!

He also keeps asking why I haven't finished the puzzle yet. I reply so much for the encouragement!

Anyway, New Years Blessings to you all, J. x