Not a good day...

Poor Mum finally got her operation today, after a couple of weeks of pure mental torture where they prepped her for the operation to repair her leg but didn't carry it out. Well today she had the op, but it has not gone smoothly. She is tonight in intensive care having lost a lot of blood. The shock has affected her kidneys and there is serious concern that they have been damaged.

All we can do tonight is hope that she picks up and stabilises over night. Its been a dreadful time for everyone involved. Please say a prayer or two for Mum.

On A Roll

Yesterday was another beautiful day, not so warm but sunny and a little sun just seems to lift your spirits. A little sun also helps dry the washing and again this weekend I have have had loads and loads of that as well!!

I have been busy bead making, its fast becoming an addition, I make one bead and then think, I'll just do one more and before you know it you have been there for a few hours!! Yesterday I found a lovely black glass which melted like a dream and behaved beautifully on the mandrel. This glass made bead making easy. I am now the proud owner of a dozen multi coloured beads.

Laura came over for lunch and she asked me to make her a pendant, so I am pleased to show you her pendant made with my own hand crafted beads!! Basic but its a start.

Been Creating!!

Yesterday started off on a downer, I had planned on going to London for the March, but got up with a pounding head and feeling quite sick. I didn't feel up to getting the train and such likes so decided to watch it all from home. I dosed myself up and waited for it all to go away. The night before Carl had been rough, high temperature and shivering and then boiling hot. By the afternoon I was feeling a lot better although still not right. Poor Tom had to do the shopping and I didn't feel like cooking so in the evening they all had a Chinese and I didn't feel like it (I know unheard of!!) Today I feel much better. I just have to get myself organised to do the lunch, roast pork, Mmmmmm!!!!

I bought some new glass during the week and I tried it out and managed to make some beads that go together nicely as a set. I have some plain white beads that I can add and I plan to make them into 'something' later on!!!

Carl has a few things planned to publicise his sponsored climb, he has a mail shot going out to all the parents who have children at the church scouts,cubs and beavers. He is looking at other ways of getting his name out there. Thank you to everyone who has sponsored him, I know times are tough but its a good local cause that will serve lots of kids. If you are able to sponsor him please check out the following link -Kilimanjaro

Thank You.

Not Sure What is Happening....

Mum is still in hospital, they still have done nothing since she was admitted over a week ago. On the night she was admitted she was X-Rayed and since then nothing, they have told her that she would need a scan and an operation, in fact they have prepared her for an operation 5 days this week and nothing. We have no idea what is happening and no one seems to be able to tell us. Keith is going in this morning to sort things out, but its madness. I would have thought its in their interests to get her up and about and out of bed, they are always moaning about lack of beds. My concern is that they don't seem to have a plan of action of any sort. I will have to wait for Keith to report back...

Yesterday I had a very nice time playing with my glass, I now have some other things I'd like to try on the glassy front. I tried out a brass glass press, which was quite hard to start with, but I did get better the more I tried it, I will have to keep at it.

Beautiful weather today, bright and sunny. I am off to capture some blossom shots!!

Carl Davidson is fundraising for 1st WGC (StFrancis) Scout Group

Carl Davidson is fundraising for 1st WGC (StFrancis) Scout Group

Carl has decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise funds for the 1st Welwyn Garden City Scout Group. The group would really love to restore an electricity supply to the Scout hut in Brockswood lane, after the spur supplying electricity to the hut was disconnected by a neighbour. Previously the house had been owned by a family who were more than happy to allow the hut to be supplied via a spur on their land. The new owner is not happy to allow that hence no electricity. So please support Carl in his effort to raise around a tenth of the total required to electrify the site again!!!!

Good Weekend.

My Babies !!!

This weekend has been a pretty busy one, hospital visiting and making beads. I am not really sure what is going on with Mum and I don't really think she knows for sure either. She has been in bed since she went in last Thursday and one Doctor has said they need to operate and another has said that they don't. The latest plan is for them to do a scan today to see what is happening. On the positive side she doesn't appear to be in a huge amount of pain and she seems to be 'with it' which helps as she can fight her own corner a bit more.

In the gaps between visiting I have been fiddling around making beads. I definitely think I am making steps forward, on the plus side I can make 'similar' sized beads, although patterns are a bit more hit and miss, but practice makes perfect. I just want to be able to make pretty beads NOW!!!!!

Another thing to learn is colour combinations, some glass changes when it is heated and others interact and make pretty effects, so its trial and error until you find something you like. At the moment I am liking dark ivory and turquoise, it goes all crackly and lovely.

In my attempt to run before I can walk I have tried out silver wire (they grey and black beads in the middle) Again that is much harder that it looks. First of all I managed to vaporise most of the piece I was using then I got a load of squiggles, eventually I made some stick and melted it in to silver spots. Nearly melted my fingers at one point!

The one above are the ugly ones, the ones only a creator could love and to be quite honest I am not that struck either!!!Particularly ugly is the one on the far right, its huge, its orange and its UGLY!!!

This last lot are some of the first off of the production line (apart from the eye one which snuck in) You can see I hope that I have progressed from this motley bunch of odd shaped glass blobs.

Hope you all have a nice day, off to work, preparing for an office move which is the 4th time in 2 years, its hard labour, I hope this is the last time.

Here We Go Again....

You know how it is, just when you think that things are getting back on track and you can relax and have a few evenings to yourself again, bang it all goes wrong . On Thursday evening I got called around to Mum and Dads as Mum was having bad pain in her leg and couldn't walk on it. We eventually had to call and ambo and mum went to A and E at the QE2. I stayed with her all evening until around 1am, she was waiting for an X ray but at that stage they suspected that something had gone wrong with the repair.

Eventually she was Xrayed and the repair had shifted and needs to be done again, so she is back to square one, she is now waiting for the warfarine levels to reduce so they can operate safely. It is likely to be Monday before that happens. Its such a shame that we are starting over again.

I was not very impressed at the way she was walking her left foot instead of pointing forward was splayed out at a right angle so I am sure that must have been putting a huge amount of pressure on her injury, he leg was twisted and to be honest its no surprise that she has done further damage, I am not sure why they didn't try and correct the twist, Mum has tried to tell me that they were happy with her posture, I just can't believe that.

This week has been a tough one so I am going to chill out and make a few beads!!

Made something half reasonable!

I have spent sometime this weekend  bead making, Its a real learning curve trying to work out how the glass reacts to the heat and to other glass. I think I have just about mastered the basic donut shapped and round bead, so the next thing is to experiment above are my first attempts at making a cup cake bead. I have the basic idea but the execution needs refining!! Next time I will try a different technique and see if I can make the bead more ballanced.

I am pleased with this little lady, again I need to refine the choice of glass and frit but again its a start and hopefully I can only get better.  I think next time I may well start with an opaque bead underneath and see if I can encase it in a clear glass. Thats another art I am yet to master.

Last night we had a great night out with Raymonde and Colin, we went to a quiz night where we amazed ourselves and came joint second out of 15 tables. We may even have won if we had read the question catagories, because then we would have seen that there was a round on Fruit and Veg which without a doubt Raymondes specialist subject. Anyway when that round arrived we were handed plates and boxes containing all sorts of fruit and veg to identify. Raymonde did a fantastic job and identied every single one of them (we should have saved our joker!!) Anyway Beth decided to play a trick on her, while all the produce was being handed around she made up one of her own by taking some lettuce from the buffet and putting it on a plate taht she numbered herself. She handed that to Raymonde and she identified it, the only thing was it wasn't on the list that we had to choose from. Raymonde was very enthusiastic and just didn';t hear me telling her it was a joke!!!eventually she realised, so we handed it on to the next table for them to identify!!

It kept us laughing for the rest of the evening (hysterically!!!)

Another course???

Last Sunday I went on another course with Debbie, who in her own words is a professional course goer!! This time we went on a ceramic button making class. We had a very nice day from 10am to 5pm we made and decorated a variety of things, buttons, plaques, letters all sorts. Its a very absorbing past time. In the afternoon we decorated the mornings work and they will be fired during the week ready for collection on Saturday. I am sure that this will be something else to get into as you could do the shape making while chatting and drinking wine, although the wine may effect the quality of those products!!!Can't wait until Saturday to collect the results.

Mum seems to be doing very well and we are pleased that she is back at home. She has been getting around and is looking forward to actually getting out in the car for a look at the beautiful crocus and daffodils on The Campus roundabout. She has that trip in plan for Friday if she is able to get in the car!!

My First Beads from Home that actually look half reasonable!!!

I like pink and I was very pleased with this pair above, they are 'similar' in size, not too wonky and a nice colour. I encased most of bead in clear glass, but missed a bit near to the hole. I definitely feel encouraged that I have made something half decent!!!

These two beads were also successful (in my book) I made the beads then  messed around putting on dots and the likes. Once I had finished with the dots I poked them around a bit with a metal poker and made swirly patterns.

This bunch are all odd sizes and all an experiment for me! The pink one at the front was cream glass with pink dots I then poked the middle of the spots and covered the hole with clear pinky glass. I need to perfect that technique as I like the effect!. The blue and white bead is made using a murini chip on the base of royal blue. The third bead is a black base with orange opal frit, its all a bit dark, but I am proud of the shape.

The last bead is a spotty job but I am still trying to perfect doing dots. Its a bit like patting your head and rubbing your tummy I either over head the bead or over heat the stringer which results in very big or stupidly small blobs (not spots which are round!!!) I am enjoying having a go and I will perfect it!!!

Good News!!!!

Finally yesterday Mum was released from captivity, she arrived home during the day by ambulance. We called around last night to see them and she was sat in her chair TV on and waiting for the first carer to arrive. She came home with a huge bag of drugs which Dad and I had to sort into the correct boxes so that she knows what to take when.

Mum had her hair done during the week so she looked just like her usual self sitting in her chair . There is now more equipment around house, a commode, a white step thing and a new table she can use from the chair. The carer arrived while I was there and made arrangements for times that Mum would need help. They arrived on time last night to get her into bed, but this morning they were two hours late to get her washed and dressed. Knowing what we do about caring and the services provided this will be exactly what will happen. Second call in and already running late!!!

This week we have finally booked our summer holiday, Hurrah!!! After a lot of deliberation we have decided to go back to Holland. We are returning to Duinrell. As a holiday location it is perfect, there is a theme park for the kids, featuring scary rides and tame rides. There is a big water park with flumes and water rides and all of it is free if you stay at the neighbouring park. To sum it up I'll use Beth's words - Its the best holiday that's not Disney!!! So I feel much better now that its booked .

Finally a couple of shots from last weekend in Ypres, they have lovely chocolate, lovely cakes and I am dribbling looking at them!!!

Look at those lovely lovely cakes .

         This was the best chocolate shop !!!

From The Weekend.

We visited Tyne Cot Cemetery the largest cemetery in the area. On the day that our relative died in August 1917 there were 67,000 men lost. I simply can't comprehend that volume of people. I am trying to think of it in terms of football stadium, it is horrific. We found lots of Davidson's from Sunderland, I expect a fair few of them may well be connected to us as well.

We went to hear the Last Post at the Menin gate. This was a stones throw from the hotel. The Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate every night at 8pm since the monument was built in the 1930's

Belgium is overflowing with lovely little shops and houses, they all look so beautiful, very decorative. These shops are directly opposite the Menin gate.

This week we are hoping that Mum is liberated from the rehabilitation centre, they have told her that she will be free tomorrow, but they have announced today that she needs to see a social worker with Dad in the morning. She is now worried that this will prevent her leaving. Fingers crossed all is OK.

Home Again

The one thing that's makes you glad to return home???? for me its my bed. For years I have had on and off a dodgy back, starting with an operation that I had in 1988. Ever since then I have tried to look after it hoping to avoid any mishaps. For years we have slept on a fairly firm mattress because we were under the impression that was the best support we could have, well we replaced that mattress a year or so ago with a much softer one (accidentally ordered a soft one) at first we thought we had made a huge mistake and we were going to send it back, but by week two we had got used to it and now sleeping on a hard mattress is agony. This past weekend away has been with a very hard mattress, three nights of not being able to get comfortable and tonight Tom is still complaining about his aching back!!

There is loads going on at the moment and not enough time to get everything done. Mum is still making good progress although I am worried that she still isn't walking very far. I do think she will get better once she is back in her own home, something she is looking forward to.

Fingers crossed!!