Trapped in a top!

Posted on July 17, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bin, Cotton, cut, frozen shoulder, golfers elbow, Loss, Scissors, Struggle, Stuck, top2 Comments

I’ve worn this top for years, in fact I was a lot larger when I first got it. But I like it and it’s served me well. But I’ve noticed lately that because of a frozen shoulder and golfers elbow in the same arm I was struggling to bend my arm enough to take off my top.

Tonight was worse. I tried and tried but it wouldn’t budge from my arm. My elbow would not bend and I felt like I was strangling myself. It called for drastic action. Luckily I have a strong pair of scissors. So starting at the wrist I cut up the sleeve. Gradually releasing the pressure. It was particularly difficult as I reached the neck. I was trying not to cut myself! Eventually I was free, but my old cotton top is now in the bin!

Breakfast

Posted on April 1, 2024April 1, 2024 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Breakfast, Cat, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1895, Food, hour, Poem, Poetry, Porridge, Struggle, Tablets, Tangled, Time, wobbleLeave a comment

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

The excitement of porridge

The joy of tablets

A cool shower

If I can afford it

Trying to get dressed

Without getting tangled

Feed the cats

Work out what I can do today

It all takes time.

Wobbly arms and leg

Don’t help my balance

Feel like I’m moaning again

Let’s just go back

To bed…..

Not everyone can answer this.

Posted on February 13, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1847, Death, Family, Life, Memories, parent, Passed away, Prompt, StruggleLeave a comment

What were your parents doing at your age?

Having a parent die early is awful, but a lot of people have this experience with either one or both of their parents.

In my case it was one, and the other was still working to support themselves at my age now. Income can drop drastically when you lose someone. My siblings and I did part time jobs to help support the family. My parent worked in two jobs to care for us. We mostly managed, and had to learn to be strong in the face of adversity. Sometimes we got help, but mostly we coped. Using a coat as an extra bedspread was a normal experience, and cold food more often than not saved money.

No one wants to lose a parent, or parents, and I’d give anything to speak to both of them now as the remaining parent passed away at a relatively young age too. It worries me because I don’t think we are a long lived family, but I want to be around for a good few years more.

Cat with allergy

Posted on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Allergy, Car, Cat, Driving, Life, out of hours, Outside, stressed, Struggle, veterinary4 Comments

One of my cats has become allergic to certain foods. The trouble is we don’t know what. I’m concerned it might be cat treats because he’s had something different recently.

I rang the vets, they were closed so I got an emergency vets number. They would see him but it’s 5 miles away. I haven’t been out the house for a month or driven so my stress is really high. I asked about pet transport but non of them were suitable. One wanted £90 to come over from Lichfield. Another was fully booked. Friends were out. I couldn’t get any help.

I could have waited till tomorrow, but the cat needs seeing. Finally I decided I would take him. The step out of the front door was a challenge and I took my crutches. We had to go on a big main road and I managed to drive OK just very nervous and driving below the speed limit!

So I’m sitting waiting with hubby. It’s going to cost a lot but it needs sorting out…

He’s been seen, he’s been given an injection and a gel for his damaged skin where he’s been scratching. Only 1/3 of the cost was the medication, the rest was the out of hours consultation. I won’t say how much… 😭

Got home, it took me ages to get back in. But I feel happier now, and the cat is sorted out.

I’m not conservative

Posted on August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged belief, Change, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2015, Memory, Money, Remembering, Struggle, Thought, Time, traditional ideas6 Comments

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

My family were traditionally conservatives. I was bought up to think that socialists were bad and would lead to serious problems for our country. But when I left home I started to see things in a different light. I had to look at how other people lived. There had been a lot of strikes, and people were struggling to survive. I found out things that had never been discussed at home. Thinking and listening to the words of John Lennons song Imagine really got to me. The struggle to manage when I was out of work for a short time. It made me realise how hard life can be for others.

My traditional upbringing included religion. The rules were set. Money had been important, but listening to Jesus teachings after I left home gave me more concerned belief that people deserved better. I became interested in equality for women, and I also supported charities that worked to save nature. I think leaving home gave me insights I would never have had before. It led to arguments with my parent, but I hope I changed her opinions too.

It’s a ligament

Posted on August 1, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Foot, Healing, Health, Life, ligaments, Medicine, not broken, Pain, snapped, Struggle5 Comments

I have pulled a ligament in my foot. I had the ambulance service out. The paramedics were lovely, but they could not take me into A&E. I’ve pulled a ligament so I they won’t xray me or put a plaster cast on. I’ve just got to bear weight on my foot and leg. I’m hobbling around. I’ve got a chair half way to the bathroom to give me a rest. Trouble is I’m drinking plenty of fluids! On painkillers. 😭

Jupiter tryptich

Posted on July 31, 2023July 31, 2023 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Brightness, Colour, Contrast, Jupiter, Photo, sore foot, stick, Struggle, Studio, tryptic2 Comments

I just went to my studio to take a photo of this tryptic. I’m afraid the light was bad, so I don’t think I’ve captured the exact colours on the paintings, but to be honest I’m walking with a stick and everything feels a bit “off” so this was the best I could do. I’ve adjusted the colour balance, contrast and brightness.

Three hours sleep.

Posted on March 29, 2023March 29, 2023 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Brain, Dreams, Emotions, Fire, Insomnia, Mind, Poem, Poetry, Sadness, Sleep, Struggle, Tired6 Comments

Grey Dawn awoke me

Went to bed at three

Read a book to soothe

But could not grasp sleep

Dreaming the word eluded

My mind on fire

Swirling like smoke

Snap a nap then awoke…

I want to find a way in

To oblivion.

I can’t talk

Posted on September 23, 2022September 23, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged coping, Death, Hidden, Home, Life, no energy, Sadness, strategy, Stress, StruggleLeave a comment

There’s people I need to speak to, but as the days go on I get less likely to reach out. Its like I’m encapsulating myself against the whole world. Retreating into myself, hiding away? So nothing else can hurt me. Keeping busy where I have to, but really all I want is to put my head under the covers and escape from the world. Self protection, I hope it’s not selfishness. I don’t know if I will feel better soon. Am I being lazy? No, definitely not. Just torn apart.

Book finished

Posted on April 20, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Book, Design, Drawing, final major project, Illustration, Jpegs, Pictures, Struggle, tiff files, Work4 Comments

Today I put childrens book together in a site called Blurb. I had saved all my files as .tif files and it needed them as .Jpegs so I spent HOURS swapping them. A lot of the jpeg files were not able to open. It meant that I had to change some of the pictures for different ones. I’ve ordered a one off copy for my course. The only problem is that it might arrive late so I’m going to have to take the photos to a printer and mock up the book as well.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Struggle