Just in time….

 to get my only blog post in for 2021.

Made a lot of felt and then ..

Made a lot of brooches. 😍

I used to make ceramic mushrooms at college so I thought I’d just give them a go and they’ve been a great success.  I’ve sold a lot of brooches this year which has been very useful as we’ve had car repair bills and dog-dental-bills. 

I have a lot of super loyal and generous followers on my Facebook page who already know all this! 

Unfortunately this hasn’t left me much time for making larger pieces, so I’ve nothing much to show on that front, but each little brooch has been a distinct and unique  work of art.

I’ve read a lot of books, 43,  but not as many as last year  for obvious reasons.

  I also decided that’s it’s ok to give up on books you aren’t enjoying and I returned at least 10 to the online library unfinished.

The stand out book of the year for me was ‘Piranesi’ by Susannah Clarke  

It enthralled me. It’s weird but wonderful  

Via the U3A, I rang handbells weekly and played croquet, and occasional table tennis, went on social outings and went to the drawing group alternate weeks.

When there were social distancing rules we rang the bells outside, near a fishing lake  

This proffered trout was an unexpected bonus for one of our ringers one day. I might have snaffled it but I was walking 2 miles home in blistering heat, up a steep hill  and I don’t think it would have been very nice. 

 

I tended to my Mum’s needs (a lot) and tried hard to be patient, and took her to many many appointments  

I had my cataract operated on , my ‘second’ eye.

We managed 3 nights away in Northumberland and two in Malvern  our Scilly Isles holiday was postponed again and we hope to go in June  

Our usual Ireland break at the end of February was cancelled but we are hoping to go in 2022. 

However I have to consider my Mum who relies heavily on me and lives alone. 

We almost lived outside during the Summer and I enjoyed the garden particularly when it came to my70th Birthday  when we could socially distance outdoors and we clung to the shade it was so hot .

I like this 70 th Portrait of me because there’s no visible chins but one and my hair is no longer coloured. 

Most of our family are men! 

We had a toast to ‘absent friends’, my dear Cousin and my Sister in law who both left us recently and are greatly missed. 

But the best thing….the very very best thing of 2022, was this little sausage. Born mid October and delighting us. 

I didn’t think all the fuss people made about their Grandchildren was real but believe me it is a wonderful thing even though I’ve had to wait until the Grand old age of 70.

That green blob is an enormous stegosaurus my husband bought him for Christmas  

He is a wonderful little man and gives us hope and purpose. Seeing him is like having a ‘fix’ I think.

And he loves his Uncle Fin! 

So, just before 5.30 pm on News Years Eve I’ve got my blog post in. 

I wish everyone a happy and an especially healthy 2022. 

And if you haven’t….

GET YOURSELF VACCINATED. 

XXXXXXX