September Already?!

 I'm not even going to try and do a review of the last few months...but just look forward, although will look back to 29th August when I was taking Peter for his walk we came across this buzzard on the path.

I tried to move it out of the way so that no loose dogs would get it, as it didn't want to fly off.  I managed to get it through the fence into the field with a bit of coaxing, but thought I would return with some gloves when I was walking Simon and if it was still there I would move it where it was safer.

On my return I saw a man and his dog and asked if he had seen it, he said no, so I thought good it had gone.  However, upon walking a little bit further on it had come back through the fence and was back on the pathway again.  Now I know it couldn't walk very fast, so I am astounded the man didn't see the bird!  Probably fortunately he clearly wasn't very observant.  

I tied Simon up, put on my gloves and carefully picked the bird up and put him up out of the way behind a stone walk and tree.  He was amazingly light.  I checked the following day and the buzzard had gone, and there was no trace of him, so I am guessing he was just drying out, perhaps his wings had got too wet and he was exhausted.  Once he felt better he flew off.  That is what I am hoping anyway.  He had the most amazing blue eyes.

So on to today, Monday 1st September, he was absolutely chucking it down with rain this morning and the gutters were overflowing again.  They have now been cleared out.  This seems to be a monthly job!

A little later I managed to get a photo of the garden.  The grass looks a tiny bit greener.

The sea was pretty rough today.  Amazingly by mid day the sky had cleared somewhat and it was just windy, but we had some blue skies and were able to enjoy lunch outside at a cafe we enjoy going to.

The triffod is growing well...actually it is the kiwifruit vine.  It is now completely covering our bedroom window, so once the kiwifruit are ripe we will cut it right back again.  We give it a harsh pruning every year.  The people before us really planted it in completely the wrong place, but I am not sure how successful we would be at moving/transplanting it now. 

I think we must have almost 20 fruits on the vine which is a first.  We have only had two or three before.

The blueberry is still producing.

Up in the orchard we have loads of apples, pears and plums, which I have been picking and giving away.  I still have a freezer full of apples, and a pantry full of jam.  We obviously eat some of the fruit as well.  I need to learn how to 'can' (using jars) fruit.

It is nice to have the fruit, especially considering I haven't really been able to do any gardening because of this thyroid illness and then falling severely back in June, which I could have done without and am still in a lot of pain as a result of the fall.  The rest of the garden was rather a flop.  I think I must be the only person that can't grow courgettes successfully...the look good, but then never amount to anything.  I have had a few beans, a couple of sweetcorn and that is it.

Oh and we had the most amazing crop of apricots this year, over 40, this is some of the first lot that I picked.  We completely enclosed it in a special strong net this year so nothing could get in at the fruit.  I really enjoyed these very much.

Forgot to add these couple of pretty plates I got from the charity shop.  

I am going to start to collect a few plates for use to replace the old chipped ones we have, so when I saw these two lovely plates, I thought they would be perfect.  

The end of February

Staying with my son, daughter in law, and little grand daughter for a week while I have more tests and a dental visit, it is nice to hear the wonderful birdsong in the garden.  Something I do miss on the Island, as we just don't get anywhere near the birdsong down there as we got up here.  

It was lovely to see a pair of woodpeckers in the garden

The following day we also saw a flock of long tailed tits.

We had one outing while up here, visiting the Verulamium and St Albans Cathedral.

We had a wander down and up to the Cathedral

Part of an old Roman wall.

You can't walk around the lake and haven't been able to do so for many months since before last summer I believe.

It is very badly flooded.  I do hope they will address this problem, as it was always so lovely to walk around it.

It was lovely to see a blue sky for once too!  It seems so long since we last saw one.

Well better news, than at the end of last month.    My latest results have improved to what they were the time before last, so that is good, even if the improvement isn't what the doctors hoped for.  I won't know the full results for a week or so.  It seems that yet again they might have missed out doing one of the tests, even though I reiterated to both the check in person, and the nurse who took the tests that could they make sure that every test was done, as they missed one last time.  I also asked the doctor I spoke to the following day if he could make sure the test was done. I mean how can they miss out a test when they have collected a vial for it and stuck the label on??

February!

Well it is February already.  January went quickly it seems.  Perhaps because I had to spend some of it on the mainland having more tests.  Looks like I will be having tests once a month for a while.  Hopefully next time they will show improvement.  

I should have taken a photo yesterday, quite the contrast to today which is as you can see overcast, dreary and damp.

I thought I would take a few photos of what is flowering in the front garden.

A rose!

You can see the buds coming on the rhododendron.

Catkins on the Hazel trees.

New Zealand Hebe which grew from a cutting of one of the first plants I bought when I came to England almost 30 years ago!

Some snowdrops. (Although not technically, I can't remember their official name)

Adorable, but naughty Peter.  Actually he is good at home, he is only naughty when he sees other dogs.  He is doing well at agility group, and is starting to calm down a bit quicker...maybe one day I will be brave enough to upload a video of us.

Simon who wouldn't stand still for a photo.

Well just a short post to give a bit of an update.  
I can't sit at the computer for too long as my back hurts and my arm starts flaring up.

So ta taa for now.

 

January 25th 2025

I started writing this blog post on 25th January.  

Warning:  Not the most cheerful of posts. 

Well not such good news with my latest blood tests...my thyroid levels have gone up again.  This is really disappointing as I was making good progress, hopefully it is just a 'blip'.  But looking at the positives, my liver levels have continued to reduce which is good news. 

Another bad news front is I had a Dexa scan and I was shocked to get the results that showed I had severe osteoporosis.  This feels like a real kick in the teeth.  I walk 3 - 5 miles everyday and have done for years, and the last five years has been mixed terrain through the woods, up and down hills hiking etc...  I also garden (although admittedly haven't done much in a year due to hurting myself last year) and it is not easy gardening either as we have a steep property.  It involves much of what I thought was weight bearing type exercise.  So I will have to work on trying to get my bones to strengthen up again. 

After doing some research it seems all the different drugs I was given for the chronic neuropathic pain from 2009 - 2013 when I stopped them can damage the bones.  I was never told that they can cause osteoporosis.  

We are addressing this with collagen, calcium, the Vitamin D3 and K2 that I have been taking for years, special exercises and I now walk with a weighted vest.

As a bit of 'retail therapy', not something I am usually into doing, we went out yesterday and I came back with some lovely books, two novels, two art sketch books and a journal.  I also got some lovely boots (dress boots, not walking boots).  I needed the distraction after getting bad news.

Two really beautiful books.  My Dad and Mum took my sister and I to see Tess of the D'urbervilles in 1979, so when I saw this book I just had to get it.

Sometimes though I just feel like giving up.  I try so hard to be positive but at times it is very difficult to remain so. I can't sleep yet are constantly tired. I hurt all the time while I walk.  I have no energy.  Peter still pulls constantly and it seems that no amount of training him not to pull and walk to heel works.  He is also still extremely reactive at other dogs.  Today I came home and he had pulled my sleeveless jacket off the chair and chew holes in the pocket.  My fault I guess, I shouldn't have left it in the kitchen.  

Yesterday I went walking with my old walking group I used to belong to which was lovely.  It was nice to catch up with them all.  I try to meet up every time we have to go up to the mainland for tests etc... Back in November and December I was strong enough to walk with them, so this is an achievement and progress. 

As you can see the weather wasn't the best and it was very muddy, but still fun.

A lovely sun day at my son's place.

And lastly a lovely sunrise on 16th January