Climbing a Cliff to Jools

Since my last post things have moved on a little with my leg/knee I've seen a Neurologist, he thinks that there could be some nerve damage in my back.  Quite rightly he wouldn't give a definite diagnosis until I'd had a MRI and a blood test, so this week has been taken up travelling back and forth to the hospital. I've an appointment to see him on the 10th November, I'll know what's going on then hopefully he'll have the results of the scan etc. In the meantime my leg is no better or worse, I have difficulty climbing steps and stairs, walking Betsy is a challenge, but we are managing.

Sometime ago I bought tickets for Dave and I to go to a  Jools Holland concert at The Cliff's Pavilion, Southend on Sea.  So Wednesday evening we set off, unfortunately parking was full close to the theatre, the name of the venue gives it away 'CLIFF'!  Walking up the many steps to the venue was very slow, oh soooo slooow....... But  well worth the effort, when I booked the tickets Marc Almond was the guest performer but on the night it was Roland Gift ( Fine Young Cannibals), I have to say I wasn't disappointed , the other guest was  Ruby Turner. We both really enjoyed the night and we'll be going to see Jools Holland again, I can recommend it.

Last week was my first C&G class, a bit of a surprise we were dying fabric, I'd had problems with my email and hadn't received the information. You've guessed it, I turned up wearing a  NEW white t shirt, with no fabric to dye in fact no equipment at all. I was so glad I wasn't the only one not to bring the right equipment, what a lovely group of ladies they rallied round and soon Ann and I both had aprons buckets and fabric to dye. I think I'm going to enjoy this class! Below are the three pieces of dyed fabrics not a great image the colours are much nicer than this in the flesh, but bad light etc....... or maybe it's the photographer?

In a week or so I'm joining with another couple of textile artist and taking a stall at a craft sale, pop in if your passing!

I am OK

Update on my numb leg, on Thursday morning I went to the GP hoping to get a referral letter to see a consultant privately. A nice young doctor about 12 I think!  He took my blood pressure, first my left arm then my right (strange I thought)  he asked me to lay on the couch and keeping my left leg straight raise it up, I couldn't!  He then told me he was going to dial 999 for an ambulance as he thought I'd had either a TIA or a Stroke, WHAT?????......... at this point I started to panic and had a bit of a cry........My poor husband had only just got to work  when I phoned him to let him know what was happening.  Once in the ambulance I was checked over  by the paramedics who said that my blood pressure was slightly raised (not a surprise after the shock) but not as high as the doctor had stated and my heart rate was almost normal. I was rushed into A&E and seen straight away by a lovely doctor who after examining me said he could assure me I'd had neither a Stroke or a TIA. I told him what had happened previously, holiday, dvt etc. and that I only wanted a letter of referral to see someone about my back and numb leg and he's arranged for me to see a Neurologist privately. In the meantime I had let Dave know the situation but by now he was already on the train and on his way to pick up the car from the doctors. OMG what a day, I know it was the GP being cautious but when he said my blood pressure was so high I did ask him to take it again using a different machine but he ignored me. It wasn't my usual GP and I will be making sure I don't go to see him again.

Apart from that excitement which I could have done without I have been getting on with my C&G homework, the colour wheel again! My first class is on Wednesday I've already  missed one because of the Holiday, I did consider asking if I could postponing it until after Christmas, but there are no stairs to climb. I'm going to see the Neurologist on Thursday so after that I will know what's happening, until then a few things are having to go on hold, a visit to a gallery in London but I'm having difficulty climbing stairs and there is noway going to London would be a pleasure at the moment and I can do without the stress to be honest.

The thing is you never know what life is going to throw at you do you, but from now on I'm going to watch what I say, after the previous visit to A&E  I said to Dave the quickest way to get seen was to go in by ambulance or get drunk and taken there by the police.......

Here's hoping for a very dull and uninteresting week.

Not a great photo of a colour wheel

Holiday in Mauritius

1. IMG_2649, 2. Paddling in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius, 3. The Indian Ocean, Mauritius, 4. the Indian Ocean, Mauritius, 5. The local wild life, Mauritius, 6. 20 Degrees Sud, Grand Baie, Mauritius, 7. Lunch at 20 Degrees Sud, Grand Baie, Mauritius, 8. Grand Baie, Mauritius, 9. Grand Baie, Mauritius, 10. 20 Degrees Sud, Grand Baie, Mauritius, 11. 20 Degrees Sud, Grand Baie, Mauritius, 12. Grand Bassin, Mauritius, 13. Grand Bassin, Mauritius

1. Mauritius, 2. Mauritius, 3. Bois Cheri,  Mauritius, 4. Bois Cheri,  Mauritius, 5. Tortoise at Pamplemousses, Mauritius, 6. Pamplemousses, Mauritius, 7. Pamplemousses, Mauritius, 8. Water Lilly, Pamplemousses, Mauritius, 9. Lotus Seed Heads, Pamplemousses, Mauritius

I wanted to share with you some of the images from our recent visit to Mauritius, the island is so beautiful and the people are lovely. Unfortunately half way through the first week of the stay I had a really bad back ache and that put an end to anymore sight seeing. Luckily the day of our twelve and a half hour flight home my back improved, so the journey home was relatively pain free! But the day after I ended up needing to visit the Accident and Emergency unit at our local hospital.  My left leg was numb from the knee to the ankle, as a precaution I was treated as though I had a DVT, luckily my sister in law (she is a nurse) was able to inject me in the stomach with a blood thinning drug until I could get an appointment at the  DVT clinic.  It was confirmed yesterday that it isn't a DVT,  thankfully. I must say that I was surprised to be asked by the hospital if they could give me the medication and to do it myself?  It is thought that I have a trapped nerve in my spine so now I'm waiting for that to be investigated. Oh dear now we feel as though we've not had a holiday!

Wish you were all here!

Honestly I do, we could make a colony of textile artist on this paradise island! Just imagine........ But for now it's au revoir from Mauritius, I'll leave you with a few photos

Stitch after Stitch......

A little teaser of my current project so much still to do.....

Here I am ......

yet again another gap in my posting, I've been enjoying the good weather while its here. Mind you we seem to go from one extreme to another, rather chilly to wow who turned the heat up.  There is a definite change  in the feel of the early morning, Autumn is on its way!


I've been working on my piece for the Seeking Artemis exhibition that I've been invited to join, lots more about that as the date gets closer (its creeping up, alarmingly speedily). Last weekend I finished my ALQS piece and emailed the images, I'm pleased that I've taken part, last year I planned to but other things took over. I know that the rules say you can post images on your blog but I've decided not to do that until the choices have been made, there are images on the ALQS blog so take a look there.

It's done, on Tuesday I met with Janice Gunner and I've signed up to do my Patchwork and Quilting City and Guilds Certificate with her. I have work to do already, I'm looking forward to it. I know that other bloggers have posted their C&G progress either on their main blog or made a separate blog, I'm not sure whether to do that or maybe make a separate page on this blog, I'd be interested to know what you think?

With the Autumn thoughts turn to Christmas??????

And finally thank you for the comments on my previous post.

Blinking!

I've blinked and I  have missed Summer, I did keep my eyes open long enough to watch and enjoy the Olympics. Brilliant, WELL DONE TEAM GB, I hope that the Para Olympics is as successful, no reason why it shouldn't be! Despite it being fairly close to home I didn't try to get tickets for the Olympics but watched at home and enjoyed every minute. I have tried unsuccessfully a couple of times for Para Olympics tickets but only half hearted, so I will be watching on TV to be  honest hearing others talk about it I think they are the best seats, plus we don't have to worry about getting Betsy looked after for the day! To be honest I wasn't very enthusiastic about the Olympics coming to London, I think it was the cost to the London Boroughs and the fact that we will be paying for it for years to come , but I'm not someone who wont say when they are wrong and I think I was wrong, it has made everyone come together and gave us all something positive to enjoy, whether we got tickets or not!

In July The Material Girls took part in the Romford Art Trail our work 'Small Prayers' was placed in St Edwards Church in the Market Place, I didn't get to see the exhibition but apparently there was positive feed back about our work.  I took my inspiration from the hymn Jerusalem, but not being a member of the WI, I found the words on the Internet, and I made a mistake ( another one). I read the words over and over, and I convinced myself that it read 'bowl of burning gold' NO it's 'bow of burning gold'. At least I got 'those feet in ancient time walk upon England's mountains Green' it's always good to give the Material Girls a laugh!!!!

Photo supplied by Margaret Lacy

  This month I've also finished quilting a large double quilt for my nephew and his fiance ready to give to them next July for their wedding present, now that's being prepared, for a change. Sorry no images yet not until after their wedding!

Bridging Waters is going to be exhibited for the last time before heading off on its travels to Canada, so if you want to see it without going to Canada this is your last chance! Maldon is a lovely place to visit, lots of little shops and good places to eat, and if you want to make a day of it Maldon isn't far from `Tiptree. So you could pay a visit to the famous Wilkinson Jam Factory, I promise you wont be disappointed in how many flavours of jam there are in their shop, they also have a brilliant cafe!

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