When your get up and go, keeps on getting up and going?

I seem to be having a good day followed by a bad day, while today was an inbetween, half good and half bad. Had to finally get this appeal underway, been trying to get an appointment with the CAB, but for last couple of weeks they've had a shortage of staff. Tried on Monday, only to be told they had their quota for the day, so went back today, was there for 9.15 a.m., with a grey slate of a sky, and found a queue! Luckily I did get given a number, phew, tho it was a long wait. While the in the queue I couldn't help but overhear a young girl speaking about her debts, and how she wanted all her credit card debts cancelled.... I may have had more sympathy had she not been dressed in designer gear, and then produced an Iphone, and then a second high end mobile... I felt like telling her that debts are not cancelled, but her friend was assuring her that all would be okay, that all the credit card contracts would be cancelled - oh no they won't!

It took me back to my old days as an advisor, I had a lot of sympathy for those who found themselves in debt, usually due to loss of job, death of a spouse etc, but not a lot for those who'd run up huge credit card bills. I hated debt counselling, much preferred to work on the welfare side. Anyway, finally got to see an advisor, and he's arranged an appointment with a legal eagle. The advisor was horrified at the ESA medical report, it was a load of rubbish, they had me down as being able to walk over rough ground (I was never asked, and it should have been obvious that on a crutch I wouldn't be able to), and able to sit and stand normally, no I can't, I can't use my right leg to push up on, so have to haul myself out of my seat. Plus the knee injury has aggravated my back injury, which has made life worse. I would like to seize several politicians by the throat right now. I see so many junkies round here, and alcoholics, all on benefits, and none of whom have ever worked... and I'm the mug for having worked and paid her taxes to support them, but when I want help - !$%******$$%%&*****

Then today another computer, government cock up... in form of DVLA, who had sent me two reminders to tax my car. I thought second one was just a mistake, so never opened it, but luckily I didn't shred it. Cos today when I went to post office I found that I wasn't allowed to tax my car, I had all sorts of horrible thoughts, that the car had been cloned and the false plates used in a crime.... so got home, was about to ring DVLA, then opened second reminder to discover that they'd messed up some renewal forms and they'd sent me a replacement. Well hows about they had put something on the envelope to say URGENT READ THIS. It would have helped. Not even post office were aware of the glitch till I went back and told them.

No crafting, defrosted freezer, cleaned out fridge, there were a few things lurking in there....

Stay dry this weekend and have a relaxing time... thanks for stopping by

A busy day

I'm glad to sit down and relax, been on the go since I got up. There was a pile of washing to do, well two piles, then some housework, then I tidied up my bedroom and gave it a good clean. Finally got to sit down at 2pm, switched on QVC and... no craft show! Felt robbed.

So got on with my Forever Friends box, really enjoyed making this. Pic is of the middle layer, think the outer layer still needs a bit of work, left two sides blank and can't decide whether to stamp them, or decorated them. But I got it all finished, so now I've got 4 exploding boxes, and nearly 100 cards, still got more to make then I'll be attempting to sell it all at a fair of some sort. Thinking of making up some baby exploding boxes, one of each...

Also got my Big Shot ready to sell, took photos of it and all the dies I've got. Think I'll just bung it on ebay as a job lot. Also thinking of selling my robo and investing in a silhouette, the robo is such a beast to get to learn. The silhouette looks much easier, I know it shouldn't be as they are the same thing, but it just seems that way.

Oops, being skyped, gotta go.

Weekendimebob

Have you checked out www.comparethemeerkat.com for the new bloopers? It's poor old Sergio who is featured, but it is still verrrrry funny. Just the thing for cheer up.

Been bootiful here, a true summers day - and not before time. So I washed the car! And gave it several layers of polish, so it is all nice and shiny red again. Yep it will rain, but car at least looks decent.

Had to go craft shopping yesterday, needed a few bits and bobs for an exploding box. Didn't get exactly what I wanted, but did get some useful stuff. Was annoyed tho, got some peel offs, just the alphabet, but when I came to use them to spell a name... grrrrrr... there weren't enough of the same sized 'r'. Did get a few bargains in The Range, had a good old delve in a bargain basket, came up with some gorgeous flower brads and some very useful stamps. Then popped into Dobbies, but as usual their craft department, such as it is, is still pathetic. It isn't even half hearted, there is just nowt useful.

Almost finished box, just need photos to go in it, and to finish off the front bits. And to fix some ribbon back on, what is up with sticky dots? My last batch haven't been very good, stuff has fallen of cards, boxes... good think I have a supply of photo glue.

Pic is of my nephew, papers are Sarapapers, a boys kit (from QVC) and flowers from another QVC kit, gromlets by my Big /Bite.

Have a good weekend all.

Going wireless

Hooray I'm going wireless! Nope, not in the computer sense, but kneewise. My surgeon finally agreed that the wires in my dodgy knee can come out, then he told me that it might refracture... gulp! He did then add that he had to give me all the bad news.... but it can't be any worse than this, with wires bulging out, and it being so uncomfortable.

So I'm officially booked in for 28th August, but could go in before that. Hope so, the sooner the better. But it also ends my saga with the ESA, they now have to reinstate my benefit. This is what I told them a the medical that it was highly likely I'd be having further surgery.


Oddly enough ended up seeing my surgeon again, but i wasn't the patient, my mum was. Talk about keeping it in the family. And my dear mum, having told me that she was seriously considering having her other hip replaced, backtracked big time when confronted by surgeon. Not sure who she is kidding, herself, or is trying to. For an intelligent woman she is being very silly, but I am steering a wide berth away from her negativity, it ain't doing me much good.

I had a lovely meditation last night, which then led to a weird dream, really wierd, and then did another on waking up, that was delicious as I felt so positive. Tho mum's negativity invaded it after a short while. I does my best to steer clear of it, but it does tend to waft in from time to time.

Did at last make a start on the golden wedding box, got the box cut, and found a few fairies to adorn it (which is what was wanted), just need a few more bits and bobs, plus photos and it will be done. Not sure tho my mind was on my work, as the outer layer box ended up with very odd measurements, I can luckily still use it, just have to trim on side of it to match the other 3. Think i got a bit baffled working with A3 card and then moving to 12x12 card... bit more than my little brain could take.

Not been that bad weather wise, did look grim this morning, but since then it really perked up, and has been dry... that hasn't happened in days!

All for now....

Think my mojo just crash landed

I dunno, you struggle all week, sense that your mojo has upped and gone on holiday, then it comes back, with a bang! I scrapped 3 pages today, unheard of for me to do 3 pages in one go. Tho they did sort of fall together.

I used a birthday scrap kit, but ended up hacking the papers to bits, felt they were far too busy to use as backgrounds. This is one example, it was a page of balloons, so I cut a line of them out, then some from the bottom of the page, then arranged them, next I used my cupcake stamp, and some sakura pens. Then haphazardly put in the lettering.

All this while also watching the golf, I was a bit torn, wanting a Brit to win, and Tom Watson, the oldie to also win. In the end it was another yank that won! But it was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Tho it was also very chaotic, I was crafting in my bedroom, on my bed, with a craft table nearby. Had to haul all the stuff into here, there was stuff everywhere, and of course once I started crafting the mess got worse! But I did have lots of fun, felt much happier, far more so than I've been all week.

Been on a real downer this week, not in the mood for anything. Even the corner shop chap commented on how ill I looked... great cheer up that was! But have gradually crawled my way sort of out of it, not quite, but almost. Think it is time I got my life back on track. Up and at em... LOL

A great day for crafting

When it is bucketing down, and windy, and cold, there is only one thing to do - craft.

Set myself the challenge of making some aperture trifold cards. Luckily I had some A3 card, but was only working on my small craft table! So a bit of juggling was needed, but got there. A couple of years ago I wouldn't even have attempted this, had no confidence in my measuring skills.

I'm keeping all the cards simple, don't think they need much more on them.

Did try another bookatrix card yesterday, but not sure bookatrix is my thing! Can't get the hang of the board at all. It all just looks very shoddy.

Had to also search for some photos which I've put somewhere 'safe', so safe I can't find them! Pity cos I was in the mood for scrapbooking. Will just have to keep on looking.

The weather is still grotty, had to believe it is July, more like mid winter. Little wonder the Met office folk are looking sheepish, all that talk of a scorcher of a summer!

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Raspberries

Not the edible kind, but to the DWP... their ESA department is swamped, the result is chaos, claims not being dealt with properly, paperwork being lost, not being returned and other stuff going astray. Read in the paper today that the government are claiming that over a third of ESA claimants are fit to work as they have failed the medical, well you do need to be brain dead to pass it. I do want to work, but I would also like to access the specialised help to get a suitable job, and not be thrown into the general mix. My own job advisor said I was not fit to work... she couldn't offer me the option to sign on, but some nurse is given the power to decide my future. Sorry but I prefer to put my trust in a well esteemed surgeon who knows all about fractures. When will those in charge wise up and stop penalising genuine claimants! This is a good sign cos I am now getting mad.

Did finally get to finish off my complicated card, it is one that fits into a box, and comes in several pieces, it all has to be decorated piece by piece then put together. Still got to decorate the box, but the card is done. Didn't want to over do it, just used a few peel offs, and a FF decoupage for the centre. Need to get photos processed for next couple of projects, I'm supermarketing tomorrow, so will take flash drive and get photos done there.

Chilling out

Yep, just what the doctor ordered, or he may have done had I asked him. I needed a break from all this rubbish, somewhere to just chill. So where better than Glastonbury? Only one snag, the long drive... it was the heavy traffic mainly that was causing the snarl ups. But it took us nearly 5 hours to drive down... by which time me and my friend were in murderous mode! Tho the last 20 minutes were hilarious, as her SatNav took us on a magical mystery tour off the motorway. Barmy... totally barmy, as there was a more straightforward route at the next junction... but would her SatNav listen.. no.... I am not surprised that people find themselves in wierd and wonderful places with these Gizmos. And that is why I'll stick with a map!

So we ended up at a curry house, excellent food, service... an example of how it should be done. An example of how not to treat customers in a restaurant, promise that although you are about to stop serving food for an hour, you'll still take their order... oh no they didn't! I shall spare their blushes, but I won't ever go there again. Mind you they were not alone, most eateries closed between 5 and 6, even the pubs, well around my part of the world the restaurants at the weekend just keep on serving. That was our Saturday night experience, so we ended up at the chippy, which luckily did have a restaurant, and the meal was excellent, as was the service.

I'd never been to Glastonbury before, but I've never encountered a more horizontal place, well possibly Venice in California, it was chill out time. Everyone just took their time, and it was chock full of characters, which made it even more interesting. I mean it ain't every day you meet a wizard walking down the street! Tho I did once bump into a dalek. No, honest I did.

I'd had a very fed up sort of week, mostly due to the incompentecy of the DWP, not necessarily blaming those at the coal face, but the twits in charge, as in those that sit in Parliament! All very well coming up with fanciful ideas, but you need money to make it work. So will be putting in an appeal... I find it odd that my consultant, my GP, my Occy Health doctor all agree that I am not fit to work in anything other than a sedentary occupation, yet an ATOS employed nurse begs to differ... she said I could do any job... mmmmm... I'm still using a crutch, being treated for depression... am a carer... guess maybe I need to be a junkie, then you get left alone.

So got a week of writing letters... joy, well not me, leaving that up to an expert. In meantime going to play with my new toys, new pendulum, and crystals. And reflect back on a lovely weekend at Jasmin Cottage.

Hope you all had a good weekend.

Busy going nowhere

Just can't get back into crafting, did have go today, see result! It is for a swap, title is 'It's a Jungle out there', couldn't think of much so went for quirky, so we have a giraffe passing a window!

Was going to do a row of monkey's tails, but then thought the better of it, far too fiddly. This was simples, cut a window out of a card, drew the giraffe's neck, then used some foam to make the patches, and then finished it off with a frame of brown and jungly type paper.

Did also start another card, but it is a much more involved type of card, so it will take me time to get all the decoration right. Got interview at job centre tomorrow, a bit pointless since I am employed. And got to get ready for my weekend, stuff to iron, work out routes. Just seen forecast for weekend, it looks rather dire, hope they are wrong otherwise it will be a soggy weekend. It also makes packing a nightmare, got to take stuff for wet weather, and stuff for summer weather. Typical of this blooming country, it is summer yet the weather is more like winter.

Caught some of the MJ funeral, at least it was a memorial and not a huge tacky showbiz thing.

Well best go catch up on rest of e-mails.

Oh phooey....

:-( Not happy, Murray is out, but he did put up a brave fight. He'll make it next year, he's gone one better each year so far.

Didn't think much of the women's final, it was devoid of emotion, even the crowd couldn't get into it. Not blaming the Williams sisters, the rest of the women's tour has to start catching up with them. Now just the men's final to go, think it will be Federer, hope so, he deserves to win.

Arranged a weekend away for next week. Me and my two friends, we were dithering over where to go, in the end I suggested Glastonbury, so that's our choice. Should be fun, just be nice to get away for a few days.

Mind you got some cardmaking to do this week, got to get a RAK made and sent, plus a birthday card, swap card and scrap challenge page designed. Probably just as well that Wimbers only lasts for 2 weeks!

And it was a case of great timing this morning. Got to the car park and went over to the machine to pay and... found the warden covering up the machine, at first I thought it was broke,but nope, it was free parking! Yippee... had I got there ten minutes earlier I'd have had to have paid.

Funny old day weatherwise, it is a bit cooler, but we've had rain on and off all day, but that at least saves me the job of watering the pots. Hope you're all enjoying the sun where you are.