Making Faces

With all the worry about Gizmo last week I concentrated on making faces (as well as pulling them!)  Using a mould, air dry clay and mica powders I made the embellishments in the photo above.  I am not quite sure what to do with them yet but found the methodical process of just making them quite therapeutic. 

Faced with a very traumatic couple of weeks I found that the way I cope with stress is by keeping my mind occupied on something unrelated to what I am worrying about.  I guess that I detatch myself from the problem by immersing my thoughts into something else.  I can be quite productive when under stress!!!

Thank you all  for your concern for Gizmo.  He is back to his normal naughty self again.  Long live naughty!

The Emergency Vets Continued

Gizmo is home.  He did not have an x-ray or an operation. An over zealous private veterinary practice told me he would need emergency care and x-rays and most likely an operation as he was still being sick after being treated by them.  They said he could have an internal blockage caused by a foreign body or possibly a tumour. 

They reprimanded me for not returning to them sooner and said as it was a weekend (early Friday evening) he would now have to be seen by Medivet and we would be looking at a bill in excess of £1000.00 (bearing in mind we had already spent almost £300.00 with them).

I broke down crying (much to my embarrassment) and when the vet realised that I didn’t have the funds to pay for such drastic treatment she gave me details of my local RSPCA emergency veterinary surgery and said for us to get there immediately.

The RSPCA took him in, put him on a drip and monitored him for four nights. 

Today we went to pick him up. The bill was less than £30.00.

I don’t know if Gizmo’s troubles are over yet.  One thing I do know though is this: if Gizmo is ill again I will go straight to the RSPCA.  The building and the surrounding area may be dire and depressing but I felt that they gave my animal due care and attention.

I will not be returning to the private practice that has had many years of my custom.  I feel dismayed at their treatment of me and of Gizmo.  Their behaviour was unscrupulous, scaremongering and greedy.  They should be ashamed of their conduct.

The Emergency Vets

The rain lashed against the car window on a dismal early evening in June.  We were driving into unknown territory amongst  towering council flats and red routes to locate the emergency vets.

Inside the environment was hostile.  The smell of a flatulent dog pervaded the room and a sickly automated air freshener competed with the dog’s anxiety.  Reception was unstaffed and we stood with our cat in his basket staring at the other blank faces and wet cheeks peppered around the waiting room.

Everything was in slow motion.  No one would know this was a place of emergencies.  People and their pet’s just waited patiently, in turn and waited and waited.

Casualties included a blind cat, a whimpering Shar-Pei that had received eye surgery, a Westie that had been hit by a car and left for dead, and a man and his dog that had both been bitten by another dog in the local park.

As if by magic a member of staff eventually turned up at reception asking pertinent questions such as whether or not people were on benefit.  Personal details became apparent to all as this wasn’t a place for discretion.

Shortly, a distraught woman came in to collect her cat.  It was evident that English was not her first language as she tried to describe her situation and sobbing through it all.  She claimed that the surgery had called her and said that if she didn’t collect her cat immediately they would ‘make it sleep’.  My gut wrenched as I heard her sorry tale and wondered what kind of a place I was entrusting my cat to.

Time passed slowly.  Fluorescent lights showed up peeling posters and hair covered chairs and faces full of angst.  I escaped for a time, through the security doors and out into the open.  I breathed in the smell of the rain and then went back inside.

This event happened yesterday evening.  As I write I don’t yet know the end of the story.  Gizmo was kept in overnight and put on a drip.  Today he will have x-rays.  The likelihood is that he will need an operation.

To be continued………………………………..

Home Again

Firstly having loads of trouble with Blogger again and trying to upload photos. Had to revert to 'old' Blogger settings hence the strange writing and photo sizes. Gizmo is home again. He has a bandage where he was on a drip. The Veterinary Nurse said I may be shocked when I take the bandage off, as his leg doesn't look very nice. She had trouble putting the drip into him as he is 'feisty'. I dread to think what I may find!

He was admitted to the surgery for observation as he was vomiting (excessively) after eating. I explained that he was vomiting about half an hour to an hour after eating. So, I find out that they gave him anti-vomiting injections and put him on a drip. He hadn't eaten any food so he wouldn't vomit would he?

He's back home now after two nights away. He came in and ate a spoonful of the 'special' food they had made up for him. Within half an hour he vomited. I have paid not far short of £300.00 and we are back to square one. He is due back at the vets on Friday. He seems well in himself so I am in no hurry to rush back to the vets at this point.

Today Gizmo received a timely gift. He received this lovely handmade cat toy all the way from the U.S.A from my lovely blogging friend Judy. Thank you Judy it was the tonic that Gizmo needed! Thank you also to all my Blogging pals who left messages on my last post. You are always there when I need you. I thank you for that. x

In Limbo

Furniture has been rearranged.  Cushions have been plumped.  Blankets are folded.  Tables are cleared.  Keeping busy.  Trying not to think.  Must clear out kitchen cupboards.  Hen house needs cleaning out.  Don't stop.  Don't think.  Don't read.  Keep on keeping busy.

Gizmo is at the vets on a drip.  Tomorrow he will have x-rays.  Can't stop now.  Must keep busy.  Mustn't think too deeply.  Need to re-arrange kitchen shelf.

Arty Crafty Continued

In my previous post the backgrounds look very harsh and much too dark for my liking.  The colour palette above is much more me.  Soft and muted colours are where I am happiest although I admire strong colour in the work of others.  I still have not perfected the art of brayering (using a roller and ink pad) but I am sure my technique will progress with practice.

Arty Crafty

I don't define myself as an artist but don't really fit into the craft camp either.  Is there such thing as a craftist?  By that I mean someone who combines art and craft together. If so then that is what I am!

The above photos (I don't define myself as a photographer either!) were made using various techniques such as :

• brayering
• rubber stamping
• masking
• doodling
• paper piecing

I really do enjoy combining various techniques to reach the desired outcome.  I know the detail of the balloon is obscured by the flash in the picture on the left but it made me think of the sun shining down onto it.  The sun has been in short supply for most of June so it is a nice reminder of carefree sunny days watching the balloons up in the sky and sharing a picnic under the shade of a tree.  The leaves rustling in the warm breeze.

A Significant Dream?

I do dream a lot.  Last night I don't remember dreaming but as I woke I had three words in my head. I quickly wrote them down.

MARY. PENELLY. WATER.

These words hold no significance for me.  I don't think I have even heard of the name Penelly before.  Anyway, I did a quick Internet search to see if it would throw up any light on these words and to my surprise I found that there was a woman named Mary Penelly* who was born in Bideford in Devon in 1838.  I suppose the water connection is that Bideford is near the water or maybe she had a fear of water?  

The reason I found this interesting is that I have ancestors that came from Bideford.  I started wondering if she knew them or was neighbours with them, if their paths ever crossed.  

Do these words have any significance for you?  Do you know anyone called Mary Penelly with a connection to water?

* also written as Pengelly.

UPDATE I have spoken to my sister who has been researching our family history.  She found a person called Mary Pengelly on the 1871 census who was born in Devon and lived in Marwood.  She worked at a property as a domestic servant.  Another girl at the property who was also a servant was named Elen Woolacott.  Woollacott (different spelling) is the surname of my ancestors who came from Devon.

Caught in the Act

She decided to plant up my basket so it is only fair that I should make use of one of her seed trays.  If I keep my eyes tightly closed she won't see me.

 Drat!  I think I've been spotted.

 S-t-r-e-t-c-h.

 Even bigger s-t-r-e-t-c-h.

 Yawn.

 Just have a bit of a wash and brush up.

All done.  Now let's see if I can go and find some hens to tease.

Delight in the Unexpected

 The self seeded poppy in my garden revealed itself!  What a surprise!

'She' looks almost out of place in my 'wild' patch and ever so demure and delicate next to the huge thistle that has planted itself nearby.  He is much too unattractive to grace the pages of my blog!

 There are many more buds about to burst forthwith!

 A sheer delight to find on this overcast evening..............

talking of which..........yesterdays overcast evening.  My unique day yesterday ended with a rainbow.  Truly unique as I haven't seen one of those in years, especially not at my doorstep.

Three Things Unique to Today

• I rescued a stag beetle that was walking along the pavement.  I was worried in case it got trodden on.  I picked it up on a stick and was amazed when it started to walk backwards, up the stick towards my hand.  I swiftly placed him in my front garden.

• I helped an elderly man when he fell off his bike.  He was in front of me in a pedestrian walkway and he was trying to get on his bike without much success.  As he tried to swing his right leg over the saddle he lost his balance and he fell to the left in slow motion with his bike landing on top of him.  I do hope that he is OK.

• I baked a batch of chocolate brownies with chocolate chunks. (pictured top)

There it is.  Three things unique to my day. Was there anything unique about yours?

Edited: I will put up the Brownie recipe on my Linden Grove Kitchen blog sometime this week.

Cross-Stitch and Clutter Before the De-clutter

I completed the cross-stitch that I showed a few weeks back.  I just need to find an appropriate mount and frame for it now.

 I have a nice new cross-stitch project to work on using linen instead of aida.

I am looking forward to using my lovely new skeins of thread and gold plated needles.  It will be such a treat to start on - but not yet.

Remember that I said I need to de-clutter?  Well I have purposely kept these photos dark because I am ashamed.  I am ashamed that I ever let things get to this stage.  This is the craft/computer room.  It is where I sit and read all your lovely blogs.  I have so much stuff hidden in piles and mountains of paper.  I can never find anything.

Here is another view of the room.  Now this room is bad enough but it is the tip of the iceberg.  I do not have the courage to show you the state of the other rooms yet but when they have been tidied I will show you some before and after photos.  I have a man coming tomorrow to collect a van load of 'clutter' for our local hospice charity.  Today I have sorted out two sock drawers.  I have a huge mountain to climb but I am sure that I will feel so much better when I can walk into a room and actually put my feet down without having to step on or over something.

A Creative Need

A few posts back I mentioned that I found a dead rose head in my garden that I felt the need to paint.  Well, I didn't paint it but decided to sketch it in coloured pencils.  The colour palette was limited so the rose doesn't look quite as I had envisaged.  A few years ago I would have torn up the paper and been most upset that I couldn't replicate the rose exactly.  I am neither happy or unhappy at how the picture turned out.  I feel I have captured the essence of the rose but I could have taken more time over the drawing.  I didn't use an eraser or spend too much time over the detail.  I wish I could be the type of person that deliberates for hours, days, weeks over a painting/drawing until they get it 'right' - but I am not.  My drawing had to be instantaneous.  Observe.  Draw.  Move on.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the amount of projects that I want to do such as my cross-stitching, rubber stamping, painting, drawing, beading, sewing, crochet, gardening, baking etc.  It is so difficult to fit in all these pastimes with a family and make sure their needs are met and that they are well cared for as well as Gizmo and the hens. 

Although I show you parts of my garden and occasional glimpses of my home, I can assure you that both are as cluttered as my mind.  I find it hard to settle on one subject, topic, interest.  I want to explore them all!  I am gradually de-cluttering my home and garden and eventually my mind so that I am not floundering in a sea of ideas and projects.  Watch this space!

Edited: A close up of the picture can be found on my Mutant Trees blog.

June Magic

June is a magical month in the garden.  Overnight, June's spell ripened up a handful of raspberries for me to pick.

 The Calendulas (Pot Marigold) opened up their petals to face the sun.

 Beautiful purple flowers intertwine with the fern to make a striking display.

 A self seeded poppy looks ready to burst!

 Miniature apples give a taste of what's to come.

I have a long way to go to get my garden full of flowers yet this year, but it is coming and I have many things coming on in the greenhouse.  It looks promising.  This year, I WILL have a garden full of flowers.