bloggy business

Argh! Just wrote entire post then it disappeared, and auto-saved before I could get out! I shall try again, but may not be as cheerful as the first time (if I get through it at all).

I managed to win a free blog button designed by Mommy Designs Blogs courtesy of Angela over at Becoming Me, which was a surprise - so that will appear at some point! Thanks, guys.

Not sure whether anyone is so devoted to my blog that they would put my button in their sidebar! Well, perhaps one prospective blogger...you heard it here first, folks (unless you're one of the buns over at this blog, where I may have mentioned it in a comment!) - Charlie is in the process of setting up his own blog.

He's very fussy, as you may imagine, but hopefully it won't be too long before he enters the public blogosphere. I've told him firmly not to expect daily posts, since I get the impression I will have to do most of the work. After all, his typing skills are appalling, and just between you and me, his spelling is atrocious, too.

Went to our Chronic Fatigue Group meetup yesterday - not sure what to call us now that we're meeting up under our own steam...not that we have much steam between us! Good to see each other and have some laughs (especially when we forget where we are in conversation and lots of umming and er-ing ensues).

Am intending to write a Good Friday post tomorrow, all being well. Am going to Maundy Thursday communion tonight; not sure if I'll manage tomorrow's services but plan to be there am and pm on Easter Day. Lots of chilling on Bank Holiday Monday! Andy has taken some time off next week to have a bit of a rest, so hopefully it will be a nice relaxing time for us.

Now, for the second time, I am intending to go and tidy the bedroom. Beyond my side of the bed is what I call my Zone of Chaos (cue dramatic music) - need to get it under control for a little while. Before Chaos rules again...

Today: 3/10, medium high

BREAKING NEWS!

The goldfinches are nesting in next door's magnolia tree, which overhangs our garden. Cue breathless excitement and nauseating terror - in case next door go on a pruning spree. Please don't!!

twittering, in various ways

Went to Craft Club at church this morning. A little low on numbers, but nobody seemed to mind. Took my cardmaking stuff (last time I took scrapbooking). Nice to be with others and have lots of delicious S-P-A-C-E. I am perpetually filling up my table in the spare room as it is very multi-purpose! I quite like listening to others chat when I'm feeling tired; very undemanding but still feeling part of things, which is important for me.

The goldfinches have made it to our new nyjer feeder in the garden which is lovely to see. The blue and great tits are frequently up and down the seed feeders and the peanut feeder, twittering away.

Speaking of which, I am now on Twitter, after having no particular desire for twittering (except verbally, which I do quite frequently!), impulsively signed up. Have discovered it may be beneficial with someone with as poor a short term memory as me! Still, I suspect there will be patches I forget all about it! If you want to follow me, you can find me here. You'll get to 'hear' my burbling about the silliest things, no doubt. It's also in my sidebar...

Made three cards this morning. Inspiration was a bit slow in coming, but never mind. It's nice to be creative with other people.

Various jobs this afternoon...must go have lunch. Always find lunch awkward. I feel empty, but can never think of something I feel like eating. End up spending ages hovering in the kitchen, frowning and muttering....

Today:4/10, medium

watching birds

Saw a coal tit this morning on one of the seed feeders. It was only there briefly, but as it was on the feeder closest to the kitchen window I got a good view. Was pleased to see it as I haven't seen one for some time, although there were two of them around last year. Then the blue tits arrived as per usual. They were in turn replaced by one of the dunnocks. Our garden birds are like siblings of a certain age - we have no less than three seed feeders, one very long with ample perches, but if another feathered friend has focused its attention on one, they all want to feed from that one. The dunnocks have mastered the art of perching on the seed feeders despite being ground feeding birds. So has the robin. The robin has taken it one step further and dangles dangerously upside down on the fat-ball feeder, before losing grip. The blackbird, of course, can't manage this but when I had hung up some yoghurt pots with fat cake in them, would position himself directly below, fly straight up, grab a bit, and land back on the ground again. (I get the feeling I've mentioned this before, but never mind.) I had filled up some margarine tubs with fat cake which went down a treat with just about everyone - but haven't made one up for a while.

Well, that was my roundabout way of saying it was nice to see a coal tit this morning. Have not seen any goldfinches in our garden since that one time,although I did see one perched happily in a tree outside Borders when I was in town recently, singing and trilling and hopping about. I stood for a while, looking up in the tree. I don't know what the passers-by thought. But what's life if you don't have time to watch a beautiful goldfinch in a tree, hmm?

Album of the Moment: Muse, Absolution

Currently (re)reading: Jasper Fforde, Lost in a Good Book

when life stinks, laugh at it

Have a perpetual headache. Doctor says nothing is seriously wrong with me. 'It's all fine inside your head,' he informed me. 'Well, that's good,' I replied jovially. (Andy says later - 'He obviously doesn't know you very well.') I am always stupidly cheerful at those sort of occasions. If I'm having an even worse time, it's hard to stop me making jokes every five minutes. He also suggested I might have fibromyalgia whereupon I raised my eyebrows at him. The last thing I need is another illness which only half the world believes in. Dear Lord, am I not sweet and sympathetic enough?!! Do I need yet more training? Saw Sarah recently and we roared with laughter over misery, suffering and life not going how we wanted it. Was highly therapeutic. When life stinks, laugh at it. Laugh at it so hard it feels insulted and forgets to be stinky for a while.


Guinea pig wise Molly is under anaesthetic again. She is not doing very well. I am waiting for prognosis.

Did the Big Garden Birdwatch Saturday before last. Wasn't very prepared and got a crick in the neck. However, after bemoaning we never have a single finch in our garden, went slightly apopletic with excitement when a pair of goldfinches arrived. Would not have known that's what they were if I hadn't beeen sitting there with my binoculars; they were slightly silhouetted against the morning sky. Charged into bedroom where Andy having a well deserved lie in. He was very noble about it but would have preferred I hadn't. Came back and they flew away, just to show how silly I am. Since then we have had the occasional chaffinch. Hurrah! (Does anyone say hurrah! except the Famous Five?)

Am giving up 'playing on computer' for Lent, which includes any silly time wastingness. Check for / reply to messages, write blog if desired, look up information if essential. Am not allowed to do anything else. Interesting, as I often come online when I'm tired and on my own. Still, there was a world before technology was there not? I shall have to draw blue tits or something. Goldfinches, if they ever come back. Last night I tried to design a rabbit hutch. Gave up after a while as was sure I could never get round to building the thing.Isn't my life interesting?!!



PS. Remember to laugh.