Sunday 31 August 2014

OPAM Round UP - August.

Well, it has been a bit of a slow month for Opam finishes again.  A combination of being on holiday, a bad chesty cold and thern a hand operation has seriously slowed things down. So only two finishes that I can show , plus a third that I can not due as it if for The Santa Sack Swap.
 This commissioned book has now been received and I am now making the rest of the order.
Next, to try and get my hand moving, because I have been having some pins and needles it it which could suggest poor circulation, a  little light crochet was in order.
My dish cloths are well used and this week they have had a good blast in the washing machine.  I have been wanting to make some of the Dish scrubbies too and I finally got round to making one.  I have enough to make another so I am making a little tutorial of my own way of making them and I shall put that up this week.
We are off to Plymouth and a visit to Paperchase is in order.  Sophie would like to get a few items to help organise herself with school work and if they are pretty too she feel that they will work even better!!
I thought I might get some idea's for some festive presents.
Then in the evening we are going to the house of one of my colleagues for an end of summer meet up before term starts.  I am about to start my 20th year of teaching. OMG!
This coming year I am now officially no longer a member of the Design and Technology Department, but now a member of the Art Department.  Both come under the umbrella of Creative Design but from now on I will be officially a part of Art.  So this is the first time I am going to the end of summer get together and it is nice to be invited with your hubby as well.  Sophie has to come, in-laws are unavailable.
So today I have seen rather a lot of this............
 So I am now I am going to do some of this................
whilst watching The Village.
Take care.
xx

Friday 29 August 2014

Loom Bands Meets Crochet

Now I know that there is a bit of a link between this summers craze of Loom Bands and crochet.  They both use a hook, use links to hold yarn/bands together, the work can grow buy adding loops and links to make a wide variety of things.  However I  do not quite get the Loom Band bit.  My daughter has made all sorts of things that look really weird stretched out on her loom Band gadget (think O'level biology dissection lessons), then she takes them off and it suddenly turns into a snake or butterfly or something.  A bit like magic and Sophie has proven to be really good and I mean really good at Loom banding.  She has used You tube to learn how to follow visual instructions and to use the Internet to learn something.
I do feel it has a bit of a link with knitting, french knitting and even macrame to a certain degree.
Anyway,  on Tuesday Sophie showed me some pencil covers she had made and asked if a cover for one of my crochet hooks might be an idea.  You can buy hook handle covers to ease your hands and make the hooks more comfortable to hold so this seemed like a good idea.
Within minutes Sophie had made me a crochet hook cover using some Loom Bands that I had bought from The Range.  I did not realise they were scented I just liked the colour.   I bought them to have a go with, well I thought we could make some things at my after school Textiles Club along with the Scoubie threads.
So I tried out the newly covered hook  (carefully with hand) and it is actually pretty darn good!!
In fact it was so good I asked Sophie to make another cover for my most used hook.  She made them the full length of the hook but you could stop at any point.  I do need to slide it back to double check the hook size but that is no big problem.  
Sophie was delighted to have made something for me (slushy Mummy moment) and I gave her the spare bands.  Has to be the fastest time span between buying and using up something ever.  About 48 hours!
So if you have a Loom Band crazed child in your house (meant in the nicest way) and you crochet then give it a try, it can always be taken apart if you do not like it.

Since Tuesday I have done some more crochet and I shall show you what I have done next time.  Plus my holiday snaps need an airing before the time has really past.
If you do take up the crochet hook Loom challenge send me a picture or put a link in the comment and we can all pop over and take a look.
Take Care
xx

Wednesday 27 August 2014

ATC's swap - Happy Post arrived!

I do not get much in the way of happy post these days.  I was also waiting for several things to happen hence no post since Sunday, then all of a sudden 4 possibilities arise!
In a recent post I explained that I wanted to make more ATC's and the previous groups that I have joined were either badly organised or I never received the Artist Trading Cards in return.  However I have join Blissful Atc Swap Group and today I received some cards from my swap partner Sandra.
Before you even open anything there is a lovely blue envelop which has stamping on it and in the top right hand corner another special type of stamp.
Love this stamp made for the Royal Visit this year.
Inside a card which has been hand painted and stamped.  This lady has talent!  When you open it up..........

........it is a display card which protects the cards in the post.
Why oh why did I not think of this?
I have bought ATC cards in mini envelopes which I have stuck together to prevent them from moving around and getting damaged, to be fair that is all I have ever received until today.  this is a clever and much better idea.  I may have to pinch and adapt this idea for my next set of cards.  I have an idea which I will make sure is not a copy of this.  Lovely isn't it.
The cards are lovely and just my sort of thing.  Lovely colours.  The title for this Swap of August was Monochromatic.
Love red and Russian dolls.Lovely design and the edging has been cut out of individual pieces.
Finally...........now this card looks just like the frames on my new (but can not get on with them)glasses.  They are purple and have black line drawings of butterflies on them!  Purple is fast becoming my favourite coloo9ur but I am not abandoning blue, after all, what would happen to Indigo Blue?
The cards have been stamped, stitched, collages, drawn, painted and put together beautifully.
I lovely note on cute owl paper.
Plus some fun postcards.  Now I was not sure what to do about this as my last swap group only sent cards so I feel a bit guilty that I did not add anything, however I have an idea to rectify that later in the year.  I dithered and did not add anything, now I wish I had.
Then some cute bits and bobs that Sandra thought I might be able to use.  The top right bits I am sure have been hand drawn by the lady herself.
Absolutely lovely swap and I have learnt a lot and creating a new template for details to stick on the back (I did have one but I think that went out along with my last laptop) of each card is something I need to do.  I add the details but Sandra's look more professional.
So thank you very much Sandra, a very talented and generous lady, who made my day today.
I have sent her cards and I shall post about them once they have arrived.  My hand was  bandaged when I made them and I did the best I could.  I am pleased with the cards themselves but writing on the back........hmm.  It is the front that matters..right?
I have sent an email to take part in the September Swap Which is Stamps and I just need confirmation on that.    Then I shall probably miss a month due to the new school term which is always hectic and I have the Santa Sack Swap to concentrate on.  Then I have my eye on the end of year  swap theme.

Five minutes after this arrived there was a knock at the door and my wool was on the door step, along with a rather soggy postman,  for my Autumn project but it is still packaged up as I have been too distracted with Sandra's work.
More on that next time.
xx



Sunday 24 August 2014

Santa Sack Swap

I have just realised that I have not blogged about signing up for this years Santa Sack Swap.  I must pop the badge in my side bar as well.
My partner is Jo and we have been emailing for some months now.  I have started my minimum of 5 items before my hand operation but since then nothing I am afraid.  I tried to do some sewing last night and it really did not like it.  Even though I am using the thumb and index finger mainly it is all connected right through all 5 fingers so the sharp pain runs across the whole hand .........so I reluctantly stopped and went back to Youtube again.  
However, I do have a list of what I am making (some items are done) and of what extras I want to send as Jo is in the UK therefore postage is not a massive issue.
It is my Mum's birthday tomorrow and in a way that has always signified the near end of summer and thoughts will start to go to festive things.  I would like to enter Chookyblue's swap too but due to time I may have to give that a miss this year and go next year instead.  I really did enjoy that and my swap partner Kris, was very generous. Her work has hung up ion my kitchen all year as it is red but not obviously seasonal.  Love it.

Hubby has been working in the garden today as I found some large daisy plants at Duchy Cornwall Nurseries last Sunday and due to everything we only got round to planing them today, but hubby has added to the edging to blend it with the decking etc.  It is raining now so I shall take photos another time. I was so leased when I found them as they will add to those kindly sent to me by Wendy.  I bought my MIL one as well.
This evening I am going to watch the next episode of The Village and try to cut out some felt as I am one of those odd lefthanders that use scissor in their right hand, and see how it goes.  I really am getting a bit cold turkey with the lack of evening crafting!  I hope that I do not sound wimpy but the stuff they put in my finger does not fully harden for 6 weeks and I have not really had any advice on how much I can oush the use of it.
I have had a follow up appointment date for 5th September which is ages away yet.  Need to go back to work before then so there is the issue of driving and the gear stick and handbrake.  Might have to ring someone next week  asI do not want to snap or damage the hard work that has been put into sorting it out.

I have  placed and order for my winter evening project but it has not arrived yet and I will explain more about that too once it arrives.  Itching to get started on it and stick with it thoughtout until the end of term.

Today I have managed to complete a lesson plan project overview and emailed it off to my line manager so not  too bad a day at all really.  Might need to swap my flip flops for slippers in the evening, a bit of a nip in the air this week and I hate having cold feet!
Take care
xx

Friday 22 August 2014

A bit of This and That and a letter.

 Well, I chickened out yesterday when Sophie suggested we take of the bandaging etc on my hand as I was advised to do that on the third day.  But this morning after a pain free night with no painkillers needed I decided to go for it!!
I was in doubt when I got to the last layer and rang up my local surgery who were no help at all so I decided to solider on with the option of going to our local non emergency out patients tomorrow when Hubby gets back if I am do anything wrong.  So I found some clean new scissors and removed the crepe bandage.  Then used the scissors to snip the white tape holding two fingers together and removed the gauze pad.  My hand is still a funny colour due to the bruising and iodine it was covered in and the actual cut is a bit...........well it looks ok so I shall leave it there (no pictures as I do not want to upset anyone).  Sophie did not know what to make of the stitches, this is a new experience for her.  The next question was what to put back on it.  I did buy some non-adherent dressing earlier in the week so I picked a small one and trimmed it a bit.
With Sophie's help we carefully wrapped this dressing and taped it round my finger.  My poor little finger is HUGE and is the same thickness as my index one.  It is a lovely colour mind you, purpley.  It is now hurting a bit due to being handled but not too much.  I think that at bedtime I might put the crepe bandage back on as I am really worried about catching it on my pillow  as I tend to put my hand under my pillow and bending it etc and opening it all up again. I am now waiting for an appointment for some one more qualified to look at it next week.  Could be awkward seeing as Hubby is off on his travels again so  hopefully it is not too far to drive if I have to.
It is bliss having most of my hand back again and I am able to type here with most of my fingers.  So on the mend.  Still no sewing or painting yet but hopefully tomorrow................?
So a little cooking from last week.
I had one more tub of blackberries to use so I decided to look at Nigella Express.  I like this book and I really do need to try more ideas from it but for now I have post-its in our favourites.
It is a bit like crumble but without the crumble topping.  Instead you use large porridge oats.  I think less sugar too and you can make the topping as thick or thin as you like.
No matter how much the juices ooze through it still stays crunchy and lasts in the fridge for a week.  Freezes well too.
Lovely with a bit of Emlea cream and so easy to make.  You could use any fruit really.  My apples are growing like mad so it will not be too long before I make one of these with my homegrown apples.  I shall also see what else I can make as I think that I am going to have a bumper crop this year.  I hope to trade for some tomatoes with my neighbour as well.
Does anyone have any apple based recipes I could try as Sophie is now old enough to do quite a bit as well.
It really is yummy and if you do not have this book then I am sure it will be on her website.  You could also make mini ones for a party, just leave a bit of space for the cream/ ice cream.
Back tomorrow.
xx
PS
Just had a letter through for a hospital follow up appointment and guess what?  It is scheduled for the first day of school, typical, but I have just managed to move it for after school on the same day.  Would not look good if I took Sophie out of school early on her first day!

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Felt Notebook - Commission- Opam August

Whilst visiting my sister in law I received an order via my website. Part of that order was a applique felt notebook with the initial "S" on it.  Every made to order item is slightly different as that is the intention and when a customer says these are the colours, but I shall leave the rest to you it is even better.  I would not send off anything that I would not want to receive myself.
I had all of the materials I needed and really enjoyed making this and did not get up again until it was done!
I enjoyed the hand embroidery and took ages selecting the button colour combination.  Once done I was really pleased with it.
It has now been sent off along with this......
This was already in stock but sadly I no longer have any more of this fabric, so I will need to make up some new ones with different fabric.  They are spacious with a mother of pearl button and ribbon loop.
The rest of the order includes more made to order items which need further quotes as they are not featured on the website and are needed for December ( trying to avoid using a certain word, it is after all still August!)  I shall post about these once they are done , need to get my hand working first.

Any of the above can be ordered, the books are easy, just tell me what colours and the initial, can have more than one letter if needed.  We all agree before anything is started, just email, but not until September as it is likely to take 2-3 weeks before I can sew neat enough for a customer!
I have needed a sleep is afternoon, those painkillers knock you sideways a bit but I managed to help Hubby with the weekly shop as I wanted some fresh air.  He is away for a couple of days, so easy meals for one hand and the assistance of an 11 year old needed. 
She did a really good job with my sling today.
Have a great evening and thank you all so much for your kind comments left here and your personal emails sent. They do lift the spirits especially after a bad night.
Take care.
XX

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Ouch Revisited -All sorted now.

Well, sleep was a bit erratic on Sunday night, I knew what the Doctors were going to do but still your mind can over ride all common sense sometimes.  Sophie had already gone to Grandparents Sunday afternoon as dragging her along did not seem good.  Sophie ended up in Hobby craft so a much better way to spend the day really.
So hubby and  I set off at 8.15am  on Monday to Hayle and arrived in plenty of time.  Got signed in, blood pressure etc changed into gown and then waited a bit.  I had to change consultants which I was ok with and as it turned out helped me.  Rather than doing a bone graft from my wrist to my finger she proposed a special medical form of ploy filler to fill in the missing bone that the removed cyst would leave behind.  So it would be faster and only one operation ,not two.  So I did not hesitate to say yes.

I was told I was down for a general anaesthetic which was news to me as I had a bit of trouble with that when I had my appendix removed so after some thought it was proposed a block in my shoulder would be an alternative.  This is basically like an epidural but in my arm.  I have several holes and bruises where the needles went in and I saw everything on a screen which looked liked a maternity ultra sound.  Gradually each finger went tingly and numb.  It was fascinating to watch and made it much less "scary".  By being involved like that it gives you the sense of having some control. A slight sedative helped too.

Once numb, and it takes some time, it is the weirdest thing ever!.  If you have seen the Harry Potter film where his arm bone is accidentally removed at a Quidittch match, it had the look and consistency of that but not quite so bendy.  It was close to being very comical.  I had to hold it as it was prone to sliding off the bed/trolley I was on and someone had to get it as I could not reach it.   I had not control over it at all.  As I said, really weird!
Everything else went well and I saw new xrays, the stuff being squirted in and what it looked like afterwards.  My own bone will grow over it and it will take about two years to fully dissolve.
I then went back to the ward in a wheel chair as I was a little light headed when I sat up.  The worst bit really was lying on my back, flat for1.5 hours.  The old hip complained a little but the various medication stopped it from actually  hurting!  There were other bits which I shall gloss over here but this was not just a small finger cut and I saw what was removed etc.  You may have guessed I am not squeamish either.  If it needs doing then lets do it.
So the picture above shows me back on the ward and  my arm still "dead" from the block so I have to hold it,  It is quite heavy and hard to hold as it wants to flop all over place.  As I said......a weird feeling.
Getting dressed was hilarious!  Hubby and I have been together for over 20 years but the circumstances made this seem odd and goodness knows what others in the ward made of the giggling behind my curtains, and who cares anyway.
After being given some medication,which I so needed once the dead arm had come to life, I was nearly strangled when a sling was put on.  I was a member of the St Johns Ambulance and I knew that I needed an elevated sling.......... this is not what I ended up with.  I lasted until I got to my in laws then took it off and with the help of You tube, hubby put it on again.  It was not perfect but at least I was not gasping for oxygen and my arm was elevated.
MIL offered to make us tea which was brilliant as it had been a very long day and even though it was only my finger/hand I was tired.  So it was another restless night last night which saw my arm come back to life with some odd spams and me reaching for the painkillers,  Gosh did it start to throb and hurt!

So I am typing this with one hand, thankfully it is a small net book, I have rung my Mum , Sophie's friend has popped over for tea, and I am now planning how to negotiate the shower later as I must not get my hand  and scar/stitches and bandaging wet.  I have been given some hospital gloves with fingers but all my fingers are bandaged into a fist..................?

It has been along time coming and seems a lot of effort for a finger, but it is my writing hand, I teach Art and Textiles and I do not want the risk of further breaks or the cyst/tumour growing and having other problems in the future.
The NHS care I had was excellent and whatever happens, this is a service that we must hold on to. It may not be perfect all the time, but we would be in a bigger mess with out it.
If you have reached this far then thank you.
So, I need another cup of tea and a couple of tablets.
 I shall be back tomorrow with pictures of some crafty work completed at the weekend.
Take care all.
xx

Sunday 17 August 2014

Exam Result is in.....and a hosiptal visit

Well, I have been working on my Art and Design: Fine Art Textiles A level for two years in amongst my day job, family  etc and on Thursday the result arrived on the doormat at 1.30pm.  We do not get our post before mid day.
For the first Year AS level I maxed on the marks and got an A grade and those marks are then transferred to the second year if you choose to do it.
The second year (this year) I only managed grade B's for the coursework and exam.  The marks seemed rather mean considering the work I had done and the tutor said I was on track for an A with the coursework so unless when the moderation took place it was changed or that the feeling in the media that exam boards are marking too easily over the years, has meant that this year grade marks were down I do not know but when put together I still ended up with 
an A grade A level ,so perhaps I should not analyse it too much but it seems weird that I got a higher mark for the coursework this year than last but got a lower grade(?).
I am pleased and relieved as I stuck my neck out a bit with this and the second year clashed with Ofsted, a broken finger and a work timetable out of this world.
Next month myself and another A level student have decided to sign up for a fun printing course.  We enjoyed it so much on the A level that we wanted to do some more but without the pressure of the exam.
Now it is all done and dusted I am going to do a series of posts featuring my sketchbooks and samples that I made over the two years and have links in the bar at the top of this blog for anyone who might be interested.
However before that I have another holiday instalment to do, I have not forgotten that but  this week I have been doing some work for the day job because I have an appointment tomorrow which is going to change my coming week quite a bit, read on.
Do you remember this........
Back in February I had a bit of a mis-hap with a heavy box of marking  which broke my f8inger and a cyst was discovered.  Well, several months and appointments later my finger has become mis-shapened and aches but still working as it is my writing hand.  Well, tomorrow hubby is driving me to Hayle Hospital and I am going to have the cyst removed and some bone in my left wrist put in to the finger as there will not be much bone left once the cyst is out.  The cyst is not cancerous when looked at back in March but could become a problem later on in terms of movement etc and there is clearly a weakness there and if I write for too long my whole hand does not like it so it is a long term solution to something I did not know was even there!  Apparently the NHS in Cornwall see about 4 a year.  So I have my hospital bag ready as advised just in case and I have no idea what will happen afterwards.  I suppose it might be bandaged in some way, a sling perhaps anyway I shall let you know how it goes.
Wish me luck and I have a few books lined up on my Kindle ready.
Take care
xx

Thursday 14 August 2014

My Crochet Travel Pouch

This is my current Crochet pouch which I made for an article which I was commissioned for by the ill fated Sew Hip magazine.  Produced three projects all of which were published but I was not paid the agreed fee but that is another story.
This pouch is kept on the fabric box next to my chair but also doubles up as a travel pouch should I decide to take a crochet project with me.
It is one of my favourite fabric designs and try as I might I can not find any more of it.
Above are the basics which I keep in the kit.  A tape measure which to be honest is not used much but you take it out and then you need it so it stays there.......just in case. Then the smallest pencil I could find, some scrap paper which needs replacing regularly, some safety pins and scissors.  Now, these scissors get swapped around regularly and these ones are a little large but when you are away you do not want to lose your best ones, do you?
At the moment I have a stow-away in the form of a pom pom maker.  This is a very tiny one which I am using to make some pom poms to decorate mini hats that my Mum has made for The Big Knit linked to innocent drinks in aid of Age Concern.  More on that another time.
I must confess that I made the pouch to fit these little needles.  They are an old size 9 (?) and I learnt how to knit on these very needles so they have a lot of sentimental value and I was delighted when my Mum gave them to me years ago.  I use them to make the little hats but also other items such as HOOT the owl as an example for Textiles Club.  
Wool sewing needles are a must and this John James "Pebble" is ideal for a travel pouch and I use it a lot.
Finally, the main guys.  Apart from one I have collected all of the above via kits and the front of magazines.  I tend to like the metal hooks so far and the few wooden ones that I have had do not slide very well.  the one shown in the picture is much better and I shall hang on to that for a while.
they range from 1.75 - 8.00mm.

The two above hooks have special stories.  The purple 5.5mm is the one that I use the most, it is a good size and fits well in my hand and I have had this one for the longest.  So if the tension is not an issue then this is my hook of choice.
The little silver one I bought to repair a friends crochet top some years ago and I use this one to crochet with fine Perle threads to make little flowers for cards and embellishments.
So that is my current crochet pouch and the size of it means that it fits in my handbag easily or can disappear in my suitcase.
Now for my recent sample.
I really do like a shawl that I saw on Google images last year but it requires a grid like design and my main problem has been trying to maintain an even grid which is fairly straight on the edges.
So yesterday I went on to good old You tube and found a tutorial which I manged to follow and made this....
It is not very big because I was using up an old bit of wool but it is fairly even.
The weave is not lose enough and I wanted the grid to be more open, but it is a start and from here I can move on to trying other versions.  I think I may have photographed it up side down too, sorry but I am not very well at the moment so I shall put it down to not being myself!

If anyone has any suggestions then please leave a comment as this shawl with a flower edging says make me for December ( which has a certain big day as well as my own birthday and I like the idea of snuggling up in it whilst opening my cards).
Take care and thanks for visiting.
xx

Sophie's Blog Update

Hi,
Just a quick post to let you all know that Sophie has added to her blog.  She has not added anything since April due to school, ballet shows etc but if anyone, young or old likes loom Bands then the next few posts will be featuring what she has made over the past few weeks.
I am trying to add a few features to the side bars but since setting mine up in 2007 much has changed.  
She spent ages on this yesterday and has learnt a lot about uploading pictures, using the template, spelling etc.  So if you have a spare minute perhaps you could pop over.
Many thanks and I shall be back with my latest crochet sample.
More holiday pics tomorrow.
xx

Wednesday 13 August 2014

Greece and Turkey - Part 1

I have looked through my photographs and there are rather a  lot so I shall just add a few and perhaps show you my travel journal/ scrapbook that I made during the week and just completing now we are at home.
The above is the sunset in Corfu as we are waiting to leave as passengers turn up in stages during the day otherwise there would be chaos if everyone turned up at the same time.
Here is Sophie and I took a similar picture in the same spot last year.  Due to problems with our first holiday booking coming on this cruise with Thomson Majesty was a last minute booking, we had no intention of coming on the same boat two years running.  Grown up sooooo much!
We decided to book an inside cabin as it is much darker and a bit quieter first thing in the morning and to be honest we do not spend that much time in it anyway.
Saturday is a day at sea and I had already read two books by this time during the summer holidays at my sister in law's which is unheard of.  It usually takes me ages to read just one so it was great to start my third which was a freebie on my Kindle plus some word searches which I love doing.  A very lazy and relaxing day and Sophie spent most of it in the pool where she made a friend called Becky.  We also signed her up for the Kids Club this time and in the afternoon she popped along.
Unfortunately she was not very impressed at all and it may have been because she was the eldest at 11 and they did not seem to do very much during the two hours she was there, never mind.

Unfortunately that evening Sophie became quite ill and due to being on a boat we had to stay in our cabin for 24 hours and then be given the all clear by the Ships Doctor who was very god with Sophie.  This has never happened before on any holiday and we had only just got there plus we even took and used  extra hand sanitiser with us.  But if you look around you when on holiday just people watch.  How many sneeze over the buffet?  Cough into their hands and then touch a door handle or serving spoon you then also pick up?  Same applies to menus in restaurants, hand rails and so on.  Now I know that you could easily get paranoid and you can not live like that but when you have been up with your daughter for 6 hours during the night and watched her vomit like she was you do sort of get a little irritated when basic hygiene and common sense are not observed  by others especially when there is a lot of people staying in one place such as a hotel or boat and sanitiser is available and not always being used.  Please do not be put off in any way but it is the same with anything, you do not notice until something happens which makes you look at a situation differently.

Anyway, after room service and thank goodness we put several films on hubby's ipad plus books and drawing we were given the all clear with a few guidelines on what to do.  Avoid the buffet which is hard as that is all that was available for lunch so we had to skip that meal and it took Sophie several days to fully recover which was harder in the heat as well.  Hubby and I felt totally ok and this is often the case which I did not know.
So we missed Crete which was our first stop and with no window we could not even look out at it.
Our next stop was Bodrum in Turkey.
This was extremely hot and poor Sophie struggled so we only managed a couple of hours.
We did buy some ceramic plates to go with our collection from our travels.  Rather than buying tourist rubbish, we try to find a street artist or bring back a plate to hang on the wall in the kitchen.
The shop we went in to had so many to choose from it was quite hard to decide.  I did the same when we went to Spain last month and everyone was convinced that the three plates I had would be broken when I got home, but they are all fine and waiting to go on the wall.
We all liked this design and thought it looked very Turkish.
The port of Bodrum has quite a mix of boats and hubby enjoyed seeing what he could spot and where they had come from.  Bus man's holiday for him but that is what he enjoys which became his job.
The little beach that there was did not have any sand but what look like fine coarse shingle/slate bits but there were loads of sofas and chairs outside which you would not dream of doing in the UK due to the rainfall        ( had some this morning now it is bright sunshine and about 26 degrees!)
We had a drink in a street cafe which was freshly squeezed orange juice and then we made our way to the local museum but we could see that Sophie had had enough so we headed back to the ship for some quiet time before she headed off to "Stage School" which she had signed up for and felt she could have a go at.  We lounged on one of the decks on the shady side of the ship and read some more while Sophie was at her workshop.  It did the trick and she was really perky when she came back and then she settled on a sun lounger and snoozed for an hour or so.
Every evening there is a music show of some kind and Sophie wanted to go seeing as she had spent part of the afternoon with some of the entertainment department and when there was a chance to take photos with them after the show Sophie practically floated when they called out her name to come up on stage for a picture!
So that was our first (second for everyone else) day and things got off to a bad start but were showing signs of getting better.  A good nights sleep was had by Sophie which was good after the previous couple of days and a little bit of cheeky humour showed us that the old Sophie was on her way back.
xx


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...