And about time too! (A surprise in the post, Canada and other things..)

Hello folks!  Hope all is well with everyone.

Little by little 'things' are getting bearable and sorted here.

I MUST sincerely thank everyone who has either commented or emailed me recently, you have lifted my heart and spirits, your words have been appreciated more than you could ever know.

I've also been amazed/pleased to see some more new followers, thank you for joining in, hope to 'see' you again soon :o)

As you know I've been missing for a while, and most of today I've been having a play about with my layout hoping to trim and improve.  I've finally managed to magic up a blog button, so feel free to use it if you wish - I think it all works correctly!)  Let me know if it all looks okay please.
I've also added a side-bar link to my lovely, talented daughter's new craft blog 

Now, to finally get back to 'normal'.  Just before (the dreaded) Christmas I received a surprise parcel from sweet Mary the U.S.  I was amazed to find inside these dear...

Porcelain hedgehog measuring cups!
(I meant to say that Mary got them from Anthropologie)
Mary had treated herself to a set and decided to share them with me as she knows how much I love the little critters :o)  Thank you so much Mary, sorry it's taken so long to post them.  They are sitting happily on the bookcase in the kitchen, I can see them from here and they make me smile.

As you can imagine, for the sake of my sanity (!) I have been popping into the charity shop as I've been passing and found one or two little bits and bobs that I can now share with you all.
Bronze figures are amongst the MANY things I collect, though you probably didn't know that ;o)
and last week I found this sweet pair of bears.  They stand 1.25" tall, and cost the princely sum of £1.

Now, you KNOW I LOVE blue and white, so it will come as no great surprise to this addition.

An 1960's vintage Enoch Wedgwood Schweppes Willow Pattern advertising 4" dish (75p)

My fascination with glass continues (despite myself!) so when I saw this perfume decanter that stands around 6" tall for £3.50 you just knew I'd find it a home.

(It has a little condensation in the base as it's not properly dry yet.)

When I 'popped' in yesterday I was taken by this unusual owl, it stands 5" tall

I just love the expression in his eyes.  Another one at 75p.

In the 80's Hubs and I visited relatives in Ontario.  We had a wonderful, memorable holiday and travelled throughout Ontario.  I fell in love Canada, and said if I ever went again it would be on a one way ticket!  So, occasionally I see something beautiful that reminds me of our holiday.  In the last few days I've been in seventh heaven with the following three true works of art.

The wood duck and Canada goose were made in places we'd visited on our travels, which makes them special to me :o) and they only cost £3 each.
  But, by a sheer fluke I happened to be in the shop as the manager was putting out the following item, a TRUE antique.

A small, delicate wall hanging, hand painted with an Indian chief on leather.

Hard to photograph, but it says 'Vancouver 1912'

and on the back (it is attached to card)

The message reads

'To Tom

From Loll

Xmas 1913'

And the cost?  £2.50!

It is now wrapped in acid free tissue paper and safely stored in a beautiful box :o)

I admit to being totally flummoxed that people can discard such old family 'treasures'?

Well, that all for now.  I shall hope to be posting as a blogger should, but please forgive me if it's still a little sporadic at times.

Wishing you all well.  Stay warm!

Best wishes

xx

A bit of an explanation.

Hi folks, hope you are all well recovered after all the festivities.  I'd again like to thank you sincerely for the supportive comments and emails I have received, you ARE such lovely, lovely folk - you really have no idea how much I have appreciated them.
I'd also love to welcome my new follower :o)  (Waves hello).

Thank goodness, I'm back to firing on all cylinders (except I appear to have almost completely lost my sense of smell), and hubs is feeling a lot better and is going to attempt going back to work (again) tomorrow - he did return last Wednesday but had to come home again as he was still suffering with breathing problems.

I feel I should now share with you the main problem that is affecting us, though I do not wish to appear hard or even feeling sorry for myself - I'm not one of natures nurses and am finding it incredibly difficult to deal with all of this....
 
My Mother is still suffering from a chest infection with a hacking cough even after two lots of antibiotics and cough medicine.  Sadly, this is not the only problem...she has been showing more and more symptoms of dementia since the start of her illness and her depression (which she is treated for) is certainly getting worse.  We have never had a close relationship and the advancing symptoms are making this relationship even harder - she has a lot of verbal aggression if things are not exactly as she wishes, and can be very demanding - especially of time.  I can be with her for a number of hours and then when I return home she will have rung before I've even got back.  There have been days that I have had in excess of 20 calls from her even though I've been to do jobs/care for her that day, because she needs to talk to someone - I'm afraid in exasperation I've even given her The Samaritans phone number to try and lighten the demands on me.
My brother lives 170 miles away and was very shocked when he came to see her on Friday at the way she treats people that are trying to help.  (He last visited on the 21st December - her birthday).  When he comes she is normally all sweetness and light with him and his wife, but this time he saw her 'normal' behaviour.
She moved to sheltered housing in the village five years ago to be nearer to me in her advancing years and lives less than a mile away.  Once she moved here she insisted that we sorted out an 'enduring power of attorney', which looks like it will have been a blessing as things will, no doubt only get worse.

I am doing my best and I'm trying to get some further support arranged for her, which should be easier once she has been back to the Doctor for a full medical assessment (which I requested on our last visit on New Years Eve).  One of the problems are that now she says she's not going back to see the Doctor, so it looks like I have some cajoling to do - I will however see the Doctor on my own beforehand to try and explain the situation as I can foresee all sorts of difficulties when she does finally agree to go back.

Well, that's it in a nutshell.  Now you know why I've been lying low, and will not be about very often for the foreseeable future.

I sign off wishing you all well.