Cat

Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

Ultimately I’d be a cat because I know them the best. I might have chosen tortoises, goldfish and stick insects, all animals I had as a child. But cars have been with me in one way or another for over 40 years (not the same one obviously).

Cats are loving, so am I,

Cats love sleeping, me too

Cats like playing, yeah to some extent

Cats like eating, no argument there….

Cats are graceful, well I can’t compete with them!

Dear Me

Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.

Dear Me.

I’m surprised I’m still alive, I didn’t expect that!

After Trumps final impeachment the world turned upside down for a while, then the whole “asteroid” thing in ’32 gave us a real scare. It was then that the world rallied and instead of warring turned our nuclear missiles at “the BIG ROCK”. Luckily it was forced off course and is likely to pass out of the solar system in a few years.

After that? Well you know what happened, climate change, another pandemic. That takes us to today, my 80th birthday. Only twenty years till I might reach 100.  I’m glad that new medication to cure various diseases has just been announced. I just hope they also rejuvenate people and turn back ageing. It’s strange to think in a few years time my body might be physically younger than I am now? Great that some dementia has been reversed too. Maybe I’ll have to work a 40 hour week when I reach the big 1OO! Life is strange. Good luck and look after my future self. Live long and prosper! Nanu Nanu!

Regards,

Yourself  xxx

Working in a care home

What experiences in life helped you grow the most?

Understanding how people cope as they grow older is important to me. I worked as a carer after I finished college for a few years. When you work with people doing the job you learn about aging, mental health issues, loneliness, coping with disability, loss and other issues. You also find that some carers are more caring than others. Some people should not be allowed in to work with clients.

I worked in two different places and the clients were more disabled at the second home, but everyone worked hard to support them. My favourite memories were shows we put on for the residents. One Christmas we did a talent show. I wore a fur coat, tinsel, a home made tutu and blue wellies. I then tried to dance the swan lake ballet, at the end I had someone come on and shoot me with a pretend gun! I came second to two carers miming “sisters” from White Christmas. They were dressed up and were very good, but one of their wigs fell off and I think that’s what won it for them..

When you are on a low wage, part time contract, you really understand how hard life can be and caring for older people teaches you how complex life is.

Alone

I look at the bedroom window and see my hubbys cask of ashes there. I tell him it’s a sunny day and I wish he was here. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this low, and I’ve spent most of the day in silence. I spoke to a neighbour and had a brief chat, but that was like a tiny sticking plaster trying to cover over a deep gash in my flesh. It was never going to hold for long.

I’m sitting quietly, the TV is on. I just watched a show where a nurse recently lost her husband in an accident and the tears started filling me up. Like an ocean overtopping flood defences. Now I feel tired out and just overwhelmed with sadness. I need to get out, but I won’t ask anyone. I need to talk but I’m struck dumb, I need to feel better but I feel so low. I’m saying these things here to get them off my shoulders and mind. Things have got to improve, they must.

Car issues again!

I went out in the car tonight and the drivers rear passenger side door won’t open from the outside. I usually put my walking stick and bag on the back seat. I think I might have caught the button that locks all the doors? I don’t know though because the door at the back nearside still opens. Maybe it needs oiling? Or maybe if I leave the window down and try leaning in from the outside I could get it open? I will try and ring a friend for advice.

Auroras again?

I could see an odd colour in the sky last night at about 4am , just vague because it was cloudy. So I took a long exposure (60 second) shot.

I posted this on Threads and someone then told me it’s not possible to photograph an aurora through cloud? But I don’t know how thin or dense the cloud was and also my camera shake makes everything look extra blurry.

If this isn’t an aurora, (maybe reflected through gaps in cloud), what has caused this?

Fish cushion

Embroidered fish cushion. 1st normal, 2nd short 15 second  night exposure, 3rd put through photodirector.

You know when you see something and you just have to take a photo. Then I was explaining how to take a long, 60 second exposure to someone but it was bright enough at 15 seconds. Finally I used the photodirector app again to add some texture.

This is not my embroidery, it’s a kneeling cushion in the local church. I thought it was really interesting, and had to take a photo.

Strawberries and Cream

It’s not Summer, not even Spring, but Strawberries are out in the shops and are quite tasty. I had some tonight for tea with cream. I did sprinkle a bit of sweetner over the top of them.

I did think of adding a few blueberries to the fruit but there was enough with what I’d already prepared.

What I do like is the way cream fills in the little pores of the strawberries, it makes a nice pattern and could be cropped and put together as a collage. I might do that. Red is a favourite colour and this with the contrast of black and white makes a fresh looking image.