Jigsaw

A jigsaw now appears at the bottom of this page, for the delight and entertainment of anyone who is reading this!

Bad blogger

I am horrified to see how long it is since I did a post of any sort. I have all sorts of ideas on things to include, but ideas is all they have remained. They mostly involve taking or downloading photos, which takes time, and I am now busy with the guest house, so that has gone on the back burner.

One recurring thought however, is that I have posted very little about any craft activity for a long time. I entitled this Nessienora Craft Explorer for a reason, to explore crafts. I could better have called it Nessienora Plant Explorer, or Nessienora, Bird Explorer, Nessienora, Anthropomorphising Pet Explorer, or dare I say it, recently, Nessienora, Breast Explorer! But as for craft. Not a peep. I have been doing some watercolours, and a little felt making and have made some cards. But, my interest seems to be more directed to the painting of one sort or another and I do want to pursue the felt making. I will not change the name of the blog, that sounds complicated! I will post some pictures of stuff I have done, soon.

Mammogram

About 6 weeks ago, I had my first routine mammogram. It was very quick and easy, local and carried out with minimum discomfort by radiographers on a mobile unit. I thought little of it, was surprised how minor the procedure was, and went home. Then, a few days later, I received a recall letter. Perhaps the picture was not clear, perhaps there was a benign lump, perhaps I had cancer.

The staff at the Mermaid Center at Treliske, Truro, were excellent. They were reassuring. There was something, probably a cyst. They took more pictures, then did an aspiration to remove whatever was there. Green, lovely. I felt reassured, that was the end of it. They did a last mammogram to make sure it had gone. It had not. So, then I was called back for a biopsy. This was about one week alter. It was not painful, and the staff were so attentive, that I thought I was definitely dying, although the radiologist had been very reassuring that the 'lump' (I have never been able to feel it) was probably nothing to worry about.

Today I returned for the result. I was very nervous, the outcome seemed so life altering. But, as I waited anxiously in the waiting room, I asked myself what I was most worried about. Not dying, not pain, but how it would affect my business, losing my hair, the general uncertainty and lack of ability to plan anything. And how it might affect me and Simon, whether I would be unbearably ratty.

I was called in, the consultation lasted about one minute, all is well, there is a fatty or calciferous lump, but nothing needing any treatment.

Gradually, the relief flooded in and is still with me. I can now get on with planning things, and return to worrying about all the little day to day niggles, how the tomatoes are growing, how rapidly the weeds are taking over, whether I have just been bitten by a cat flea and the like...

I think it has been a useful experience, something and yet nothing. Simon has been fantastic, coming with me and hearing all my worries, yet holding back on his own anxieties and fears for the future. There may be many more tests of us to come I am sure, but I feel stronger to deal with them now that we have come through this one.

three beautiful things

As I seem not to manage to do this, I think I will stop saying I will do it! It is a bit restrictive, and although potentially a good discipline, sometimes stops me doing a post at all if I can't think of any, let alone three beautiful things to write about! I may still do the odd 3BT post, as and when the mood takes me! Of course, today, it is easy to think of 3 beautiful things:

Echiums
The weather
A healthy Barney

message from Barney

This is me in my special den. I love it in here, but you really didn't need to shut the zip, you don't usually. You didn't know it when you took this photo, but I was not very well. Apparently I ate something dodgy. I was feeling quite rubbish later on, and couldn't even eat, walk or get up. You took me to the hospital. I had to stay the night, after having some bag of stuff put into me. I felt a lot better the next day and came home. I am back to normal now, munching my way through everything I can find. I ate a few of the new degradable poo bags Vanessa had carefully put in a closed drawer for me.
You humans grumble about being in mixed sex wards when you go to hospital. when I was in the hospital, I was in a mixed species ward. Now, don't get em wrong, I like cats, but, when you are feeling weak and ill, you really need the company of your own kind.

view from just outside!

This is my monthly picture of the view from just outside the window where I sit at the computer, a couple of days late. The echiums are out and the camelia is well and truly over. People tend to love or hate echiums. Clearly, I love them! they are majestic, they dance, they attract a myriad of bees. They are a talking point. And they love living here and we have loads of seedlings and plants we sell for a Zambian charity or the village hall.

Any concerns that bees are reducing in number is allayed by the buzzing coming from the blossoms. As the season develops, the flowers push higher and higher, but also outwards, until the leaves are almost completely obscured. The flowers also spiral around the stem and leaves.

Chaffinches

This little fellow is making use of the dog's unwanted fur for it's nest. This is the dog bed, upturned to air, and the chaffinch made repeated visits to collect the fur. He will have a lovely little, doggie smelling nest!

Today, a fledgling chaffinch, I assume not from the same, now completed nest, as that was only a few days ago, got himself into the kitchen. Ted, the cat did not know anything of this, fortunately. I did not stop to get the camera, as I did not want to prolong his distress. I tried not to touch him, as that can put the adult off feeding I believe. I eventually got him outside, and he seemed to be reunited with at least one parent.

three beautiful things

1 - A goldfinch sitting on top of an echium, swaying in the breeze. This is not my photo, this one is sitting atop a teazle, which is a popular choice. He, or she, was singing away for quite a time. Perhaps they have nested in the garden. Must keep Ted away.

2 - Seedlings peeping through the compost in the polytunnel, at last!

3 - Despite being a life labour voter, and a keen supporter othe GLC of years past, I am not entirely disappointed with the new mayor of London, he is such a character, and we should be in for some fun! Perhaps if I still lived in London, I might have a different view. Maybe Ken can now step forward for consideration for PM? - once he is reelected as an MP, of course! Perhaps including this in 3BT is a tad overstating my views, but there it is...