Tiny paintings

Some mini paintings including  abstracts, I’m trying to get some work done for a small stall at Etruria Industrial museum in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire this weekend. It’s the last steaming of the princess engine this year. I haven’t done anything for months but I finally got some miniature canvases so decided to have a go.

More frustrated

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

Some days I need to rest. I will have tried to be active on the previous day and then it catches up with me. Often I end up playing a game on my phone, or staring into space, thinking about what I want to do, but my energy is too low to do anything. And sometimes I just have to have a nap. That’s when I get brain fog and feel disinclined to do anything.

Moving things around frustrates me. My arms are weaker than they used to be so moving heavy objects, or even emptying the bin? That can be difficult.

So I guess the answer is unproductive, but in a bad way. I procrastinate and just start to worry about it. Maybe I need more help. But I hate to ask.

Comet waiting

The rain and clouds are stopping us seeing an evening comet in the west of the UK as the sun sets. Details can be found at http://www.spaceweather.com

It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful and hopefully naked eye comet although as it moves away from the sun it will fade and rise higher in the sky. I’m not sure but I think it’s come in from the Oort cloud on a long trajectory. I want the clouds to clear, soon!

I need sleep

I’m shattered. I went to an art group that supports mental health this morning and was given some help with something I’m trying to deal with. Then a friend rang and I tried to give her advice, but I wasn’t up to going and seeing her. Sometimes it’s hard to take on others problems when you have enough of your own. Finally I went to choir practice in the city centre. I got a lift there and back, but got soaked to the skin as I tried to get the few yards between the car door  and the front door. I’ve just dried out!

Cats

I wanted to use photodirector to play with my cat images, but the option I’ve been using for months seem to have been removed. I could paint how it would look, but it would take too long to sort it out. I hate it whan this happens. A system functions perfectly well but someone decides to “enhance” it, and takes away the best bits. Really annoying!

Helpfulness

What makes a good neighbor?

Sometimes you need a neighbour to help. Or they need your help. As we grow older you can become more isolated. If you don’t have anyone you might need that support. What happens if you struggle with something? I once had to ask someone to take my handbrake off because I’d put it on too tight and I couldn’t release it. Yesterday I had to park up the hill as all the spaces outside my house were taken. Later when I saw the cars go I walked slowly up the hill to move my car (I had parked outside a neighbour’s house).

I don’t really know him but I was worried that someone was going to park outside my house before I moved the car. This neighbour kindly offered to stand outside my house until I moved it!

Being on good terms with neighbours helps everyone. X

Putting the heating on.

Mines older!

I’m limiting how long I have the heating on each day. I have a timer on my central heating that can be set to quarter hour intervals. I have set it to one hour in the morning, one in the evening and about half an hour at two other times. That way I can get the temperature up slightly for washing up and bathing while I wear warm clothes to stave off the cold.

My oven no longer works and I only use the hob on the top plus a microwave and an air fryer. So I can heat up food, and I have an oil filled heater near me if I’m getting really cold.

Why? My income is too low to pay out as much as when hubby was here. He had a seperate income. But just because I’m a bit cool doesn’t mean I’m uncomfortable. I can cope. Things will change. I will try and manage. I just hope for a warm winter! Not a good idea as the globe warms, but at least my carbon footprint is quite small!