Need to write

Posted on August 15, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged 2000 words, Challenge, frustration, hand writing, Life, Parkinsons, Thinking, Words, Writing2 Comments

I’m in a writing group and I hand write stories and poems. But our latest challenge has me worried. It calls for us to write a piece 2000 words long! I suddenly feel like I’m back at school or college writing essays.

You need to understand that my computer is bust and I type all my blogs on my phone. My Parkinsons makes my hands and arms shake and my hands cramp up, so my jottings are usually brief, maybe too brief. But I like to be concise.

I find hand writing suits me more because I can place a note book on the arm of my chair and write things down as I think of them. But 2000 words? I can’t do a word count unless I add up say every 20 or 50 or so of them. Then total up the numbers at the end.

The other thing is reading out. I stutter now. My speaking voice is affected by Parkinsons, it’s frustrating when I want to get a good delivery of my words.

Oh well, I must keep going. X

Bad day

Posted on August 10, 2025 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Aching, Cat, Cheered, cramping, Hidden, Illness, Life, Parkinsons, Sad, Thinking, Tired, WorryLeave a comment

My day has been spent shut inside the house. Not wanting to go out, shaky and achy. My feet are cramping, my hands tremble and twist tightly. I started doomscrolling which was a mistake. I also wanted to keep out of the heat and humidity.

This is the reality of a bad day of Parkinsons. Quiet, just mooching, worrying, thinking about the future. Things I can’t do. Fears of what I need to be careful about.

I need to put washing on the line, I really need shopping. But I had trouble washing my hair. I’m not supposed to get water in my eye because of the surgery, but leaning backwards in the shower feels very unsteady.

Reading about other people’s problems makes me realise how much people have to put up with. Life isn’t always easy.

BUT my Cat just jumped on my lap. She’s happy and purring… Not so bad then..

Digital drawing

Posted on August 4, 2025 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged ArtRage app, Doodling, Drawing, Face, Life, Metallic colours, Parkinsons, Sketching2 Comments

Trying to do a digital drawing after my cataract op and shaking from Parkinsons. Using Artrage drawing app.

It’s a bit rough but at least I tried.

Cat not well.

Posted on July 30, 2025July 30, 2025 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, cataract, Driving, Emergency, Illness, Life, Parkinsons, Stress, Tuxedo cat, vets, Worry3 Comments

My Cat started breathing fast this evening. I’d taken him to the vets yesterday and he was fine. They gave him some meds but I don’t think this is anything to do with this. I think he might have a fur ball. He sounded a bit wheezy before his breathing changed. After about an hour things have settled down and he is sleeping.

I rang the vets office anyway and they said they would call me back. I dare not drive to the emergency vets because of my Parkinsons and cataracts. They are on the other side of the city and I don’t want to put him or me at risk. So I’ll stay up with him and take him down my local vets in the morning.

It’s frightening when you live on your own and things go wrong. If I can’t rely on myself I’m in trouble. Age and the aging process is a pain.

Singing

Posted on July 19, 2025July 19, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Classical music, Health, Learning, Music, musician, one to one, Opera, Parkinsons, Singing, song, technique1 Comment

I went to the one to one session with the opera singer. I explained that Parkinsons affects your voice and throat muscles so I’m trying to keep singing as much as I can. She got me to warm up my voice, showed me how to stick my tongue forward to relax it and allow myself to hit higher notes. I was surprised at how high I could get.

Singing in front of a professional musician was nerve-racking but she was so kind and very complementary about my voice. I don’t think I’ll ever be professional myself, but it taught me ways to improve my technique. And it was wonderful to try something new and exciting. It also made me feel less anxious about my health.

Opera workshop

Posted on July 18, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Breathing, illnesses, Life, Mental health, Operatic voice, Parkinsons, physical health, Project, Singing1 Comment

Yesterday I went to an opera workshop as part of the project I’m in. My breathing can be bad because of my illnesses so I take any opportunity I can to keep my throat and lungs clear.

I’ve known for years that I’ve got an operatic voice somewhere inside me. Yesterday it escaped! We sang part of Nessun Dormo, which is actually about a man trying to get married to a Princess but she keeps killing off her suitors. She has to guess his name but he’s not sharing. I think she is called “Turendot”.

I managed to get a really high vibrato. I surprised myself because I got there late and hadn’t warmed my voice up. I’m amazed and going to do another workshop on a one to one basis but I’m not well, My Parkinsons keeps flaring up, I have various other illnesses. But I’m pushing myself, probably too much. I don’t want to just sit in front of the TV. I want to live as well as I can for as long as I can.

Rakes progress, after Hogarth

Posted on July 13, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on board, Art, hogarth, Painting, Parkinsons, scenery painting, Sketching, still me1 Comment

With poor brushes you can still paint. This is about A4 size. The trouble was when I painted this, I couldn’t get a point on the brushes they provided. That made it hard to get detail on the faces and hands. It ended up looking very sketchy but I did my best. This took about 2 hours to knit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Hogarth would be spinning or laughing in his grave! Acrylic on board.

By the time I finished I had to be helped up off my chair. My left hand has been cramping up ever since and my left leg is in spasm. I’m hunched over after leaning in to add details. It’s been a hard, hot day and my Parkinsons is making me shake like a jelly!

Still me

Posted on May 27, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Colour, Face, Fine Art, Painting, Parkinsons, self portrait, three counties entry4 Comments

My painting “still me” is finally finished. It’s a self portrait about the fact I have continued to create despite my health issues. My hands still shake but I concentrate and it’s not too bad. I don’t know what I will do if my Parkinsons gets worse. I don’t know how I will cope. But I will try to fight it and remain “still me”. I’ve just entered it to a local art exhibition.

Learning a tune!

Posted on May 19, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Alto, Bass, Choir, Friends, Music, Parkinsons, Photo, Singing, Soprano, Sound, voiceLeave a comment

A few weeks ago. I usually sing alto at choir practice but recently I’ve been trying to explore my voice. It’s helping to keep me going dispite the Parkinsons disease and shortness of breath. Sometimes I sing up higher, as a slightly squeeky soprano, and also as in this photo as a bass if they are short of singers. Here me and the only bass singer that night were trying not to be distracted by the altos tune which was very similar. My friend was laughing at us and took this photo of us trying to avoid hearing the other tune.

Sketching today

Posted on April 16, 2025 Posted in Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, craft group, Drawing, fine line pen drawing, Parkinsons, Portrait, Practice, SketchingLeave a comment

Quick portrait I did today at a craft group I go to. I took my sketchbook because I just wanted to practice drawing. I find I get a lot of tension in my arms when I try and draw or paint theses days. It’s because I shake so much with the Parkinsons disease but something takes over when I’m being artistic. But if I hold a sheet of music when I sing I can’t stop shaking. Weird.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Parkinsons