Testing, testing 1-2-3

So, who's still out there?  Have you missed me?  Don't think because I haven't written anything that I haven't had you all on my mind - along with lots of other things ... I have a doozy of a post brewing :0(

The creature from the pink lagoon

I've always been a hefty lass but being about 5' 9" I've always been able to carry it well. That was until I had a kidney transplant and endured 12 months of steroid therapy afterwards. Combine that with being thrust prematurely into the menopause and it's a recipe for disaster - for my waistline anyway. Post-transplant/hysterectomy I have gained over 25 kilos, in old money that's nearly 60 lbs or 4 stone!

Hurrumph.

Since we decided we would go for our big return to normal life with a fabulous holiday to Florida I have been desperately trying to shift the weight, fearing the humiliation of being stuck in my plane seat for 7 hours or worse being booted off like Silent Bob for being too damn big.

Thus my exercise of choice has been swimming. We swim twice a week at a privately owned pool. It costs about £10 to hire for an hour but being the only two people in at any given time it is worth the cost. Plus there's a jacuzzi.

Cap'n Scarlet has become worryingly obsessed with my weight loss or lack thereof (actually, I have managed to shift about 3 kgs but it isn't coming off as quickly as he would like which is actually really getting me down because actually I self-flagellate over my inabilities enough for the both of us already actually, I don't actually need extra criticism from him but that's another story, actually).

I am calm. Soooo, this week I added a solo extra session while he was out line dancing. Yes you read that right, line dancing. In the words of Forrest Gump that is all I have to say about that.

Last night I arrived at the home of my friend the pool owner to discover that she had had a Valentine party over the weekend. Nothing unusual about that you might think but she had in fact also spiced up the pool.

It had been dyed a a dark red. Now 3 days later the pool was a cloudy magenta. My swimming goggles are blue which meant that I was effectively swimming in dark purple water. Creepy? I should cocoa, especially when I kept encountering the kids' toys which were being dislodged from their lurking places by my fevered thrashing.

Valentine's Day? More like the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. I'm going again tonight, at least I won't be alone, at least I shall have a superfit line dancer with me to fend off the nasties.

Work in progress

I thought it was time for a face lift. I still need to move some stuff around, a bit of judicious culling here and there, and I need to add links to my virtual jewellery/craft shop which is also under construction.

I am trying to follow my bliss and get out of my office job. I was given a wonderful gift from Cap'n Scarlet and I want to get out and enjoy life without being tethered to a desk. Life is just too short to be devoting so much energy to working for 'The Man'.

If you like any jewellery already displayed and would like to buy it, or have it made in another colour, or want something custom made please just let me know.

Woohoo! The big 13100!

Quiet news day in Twisted Pines.

Bead all about it

So I mentioned that I've been making jewellery, here's something I made today - a necklace made with an oversized carved rose quartz butterfly and pale pink glass pearls. Very girlie.



Oh what the heck, i can't tease you with that, here are a few more made in the last couple of months:

Cobwebs and mildew

That's all I have to offer to those who might have been lured here by a small brown bear with a heart as soft as caramel. Have a read by all means, one day I shall pick up where I left off but it's really difficult, daunting even when so much has happened in the last 18 months ... where do I start?

First off I'm alive and reasonably well. My transplanted kidney is working beautifully. I still get kick out of having a full bladder and having a damn good pee. Unless you've been in the position of not peeing anymore you probably can't see the attraction but every time I have one I breathe a sigh of satisfaction.

I recently tore something in my knee and am waiting for an MRI to see what exactly has come loose. Captain Scarlet and I were looking forward to our first proper holiday in 4 years - 2 weeks in sunny Florida with Mickey and the gang - but we have postponed until September. Ironically I need to build up some stamina before we go away because uur holidays in Florida usually equate to yomping with the SAS across Wales and we generally need a good lie down at the end of each day, sadly at the moment I can barely hobble round Sainsbury's.

That's it for now. Oh I forgot, I now make jewellery and will post some pictures of my "creations". Really that's it, I'm all out of fresh thoughts. Thanks for following the Hobnob crumbs to my place.

Promised you a miracle

Note to self, never, ever publish your New Year's resolutions ... bad juju.

Hi folks, I'm still alive - still recovering from the transplant, I've had a few setbacks with illness (physical and mental) but trying valiantly to get my mojo back.

Watch this space - I will write more extensively over the weekend.

Meanwhile thanks to all my blogpals who have sent me things, both through the post and online, to cheer me up. Zoe - how could I have missed the new animated Captain Scarlet series???? Bob, Helena & Dilly - I got your cards, they were lovely! I tried emailing but I don't think you ever got the messages? Maybe you don't use the account anymore (Red Dwarf reference in the address ...?).

Anyhoo - toodle-pip.

CJ