Dolly's Dreamings

Trying to rest up

I am trying to be a good girl and keep my leg up/iced and rested.

Didn't do so well today as I had to pop into Poole briefly but I didn't walk to far and the black boot of torture did its stuff.

I am also trying not to sit at the computer too much as it hurts to keep my leg down for a length of time - so brief posts.

I did go to the cinema today finding seats I could keep the leg up and we saw Despicable Me 3 - cute and quite amusing in places but not a five star.

 

Dawn has a new collection all about pets out today

 

 

Needless to say I have cat pictures I can scrap - always

 

This is what I made

 

 

the little monster stealing my sun lounger - bad boy

 

Today I am thankful for

• sorting stuff in the garage for the church sale
• being a good girl and resting

 

Ankle update

I had a hospital appointment today at the fracture clinic and was expecting them to say it was healing well, I could ditch the boot and I'd be fine.

Funny you don't always get what you expect do you.

Apparently it was an avulsion fracture as the ligament has torn a piece of the bone away with it as it ruptured. Sounds awesome doesn't it.

The bit of bone that has come off isn't a problem and the fracture itself will atke another 5 weeks to heal. The ligaments - well that is another matter.

They asked if it was the first time I had injured the ankle and I said no I had torn the ligaments in August last year so they went to find those x rays too. They asked if that had healed well and I said no it had never really been right, still swelled up if I did a lot of walking and was often painful.  It appears from both sets that I damaged the talus bone and a piece broke off that too but it is likely this happened last year and wasn't picked up. The 'bit' appears to be in there and the ligaments are still not functioning properly. I have to have an MRI to confirm what is going on and then if the pieces are an issue may need surgery. Mmmm - I was just expecting to be told it was healing well and I could ditch the boot. The boot stays I am afraid.

 

Life is never as simple as you think is it.

 

I am in a lot of pain today - the hospital is huge - lots of walking! I need to also find a better pair of shoes as my back and other leg are hurting and I think it is because the boot is quite high. I need to find a higher pair of shoes to wear on the good foot (and remember the good foot is the one that has always been the bad ankle - the one that was smashed, quite literally, to pieces when I was 12.

Nigel is of the opinion I need  another boot and just wear them all the time to stop me from inuring myself! He's a funny guy!

 

Scrapping to share today made with Back to the Beach by PrelestnayaP

 

 

I think it might be a while before I do the Durdle Door walk again.

 

Today I am thankful for

• the patience of medical staff who take time to explain things
• the fact we have an NHS in this country
• the fact I am not on crutches

 

 

 

 

 

 

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and on it goes

I am struggling to spend too much time without my leg up. It is still very swollen, goes down overnight but then swells up again and it is all spongy - feels like there is jelly inside. Sorry - too much detail. The brilliant news is that the hospital rang today and I have an appointment at the fracture clinic this week which is brilliant news. They might tell me I can stop wearing 'the boot' or at least only wear it for a bit! 

 

I ams haring some new scrapping I made last week - digital work with new kits just released at Pickleberrypop. It is a new Pickled Pairs collaboration between Bekah E Designs and Created by Jill and is all red white and blue (some of my favourite colours)  It is called Free to be Me

 

 

 

I was sat outside with my foot up yesterday - well it was nice ... might as well recover in the sun - and it was a gorgeous light for the cats. They do think the chairs are theirs though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• less swelling
• time to put my feet up

 

 

A quiet life

Life is quiet here at the moment - it needs to be to be honest.

Hop-along Cassidy moves slowly and has to rest often - the leg needs to be up for much of the day to try and get the swelling down so scrapping is taking a back seat - very much - and computer time is limited.

Today we went out for lunch - sitting at Lake Pier ... it was beautiful ... very relaxing.

We saw Hampstead yesterday and it was OK - not a great film but beautifully shot and quite quirky.

 

I have a paper page to share - having been inspired - as ever - by Shimelle and her Scrapbooking is my superpower series.

 

It is a picture of Lake Pier so apt to share today. I had been sat on my desk for ages and I couldn't get it to work. I finally finished it.

 

 

 

and a close up

 

 

Today I am thankful

• I wasn't still a Head and having to negotiate all those stairs. It would have taken me forever.
• for healing
• for the new Tivo box finally set up

 

Lovely catch up

Yesterday we saw old friends and we did today as well.

We had a visit from one of my oldest friends ... let me qualify ... she is not old ... she can't be as she is the same age as me. I mean oldest in terms of longevity. We have been friends since we were 11 years old (not long then!) and we are both god-parents to both of her children and it is her son, our god-son, who is getting married in a few weeks and Nigel is best man. I was lovely to have a proper catch up as she has been out of the country for a long time working as a missionary. A true friend means that the bond is tight even when you don't see each other.

 

I also managed to do the weekly challenge on UKS which taxed me. It was to use a large shape and only hand made embellishments.

 

 

I printed the car from a template by Heartstrings scrap art then hand cut it out and filled it with scraps of paper. The other things were all printed or cut on the silhouette from dingbats. I adore the little car and petrol pump

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• my boot - it really hurts without it
• good friends - a true blessing

 

 

 

 

 

a much better day

Much better day today. No hospital visit - that was a plus.

I slept better (medicating with wine helped) and the swelling is less. I have learnt to walk better in the boot. The pain is less and we spent a lovely day with Anthony and Elly (and I am in total and utter love with their dogs Jake and Stan. Total love) It was so nice to see them - it has been an age - and so nice to show them round our home town.

 

Quick boot photo

 

 

 

It keeps me nice and warm and the spilt drink (long story) just wiped off it. LOL

 

I have another pickle barrel page and collection to share. This time it is Vero The French Touch and a collection called Navy Chic

 

 

and I made this page of our trip on HMS Puncher

 

 

Dawn also has a new release today at a great saving

Stuffed with Love

 

 

 

I made a page celebrating gran's teddy -a  love that spanned some 85 years and two photos that were some 80 years apart.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

•  a lovely catch up with old friends  (Scary that I used to babysit Anthony when he was tiny!)
• a better day of ankle business

 

Oh dear ... Busted that then!

so,last night I went to the cinema on my own. I wanted to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Nigel didn't somI went whilst he was at Speedway. The film was actually really good ... The experience wasn't. Let me set it in context. 

Last week at the cinema we sat in the very back row ... Unusual for us ... As we left Nigel fell badly and has a massive bruise on the inside of his thigh. Ouch. Turns out he tripped over a step at the end of the row that we could t see. 

 

Last night i sat sat in the back row of the cinema. never made the connection. As I went out of the row I also didn't see the step ... One small step. And I fell. There was a nasty noise as I fell and there was no one else left in there. I managed to get myself up and out ... Goodness knows how. Adrenalin I think. I knew I had hurt my ankle badly. I drove home ... Thankfully an automatic and it was my left ankle. Took me ages to get in and get upstairs. I iced and elevated and when Nigel came in it was already swelling a lot. 

This morning I could barely stand so off to the minor injuries unit. A lot of the pain was across the top of my foot as well as the obviously swollen ankle joint and I was scared I had fractured a metatarsal. That was what they checked too. Thankfully the X Ray showed it was a fracture of the ankle bone ... Small and stable ... But I was fitted with a huge black boot for walking to wear for the next three to,four weeks until I go to the fracture clinic and then get reviewed.  Thankfully it's not so hot. The pain is incredible and the swelling is huge and growing steadily.

 

 

 

 

Remember the Picklebarrel is still on. I am on my iPad so adding images isn't so easy but this is the six pack from Fayetteville called Lost and Found Lost & Found by Fayette Designs 6 pack plus FWP: http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/product.php?productid=51858

I made this a week ago but very apt today as he has fetched and carried for me. 

 

 

Today ay I am thankful for an amazing NHS  and that it is not worse than it is. 

The Pickle Barrel is open

Happy longest day everyone. From here on in the days start getting shorter.

I am enjoying summer but I confess I like Autumn and winter better ... I like dark nights. I know ... I am odd.

 

It is Pickle Barrel time again though and the colours are amazing this month

 

 

I loved working with the six packs this month.

The first one I worked with was Creative Life by Dita B Designs

 

 

and this is what I made with it

 

 

I decided to scrap a picture of my elephant drawing - seemed appropriate with this collection.

 

Dawn also has two collections on special offer today A Sprinkling of Fairy Dust and Adventure Seeker  both at 50% off

These are pages made with them

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely picnic in the park with Nigel
• nice feet - pedicure today

and I shared things like this before... some beautiful handwriting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

too hot to blog really

I was way too hot to blog yesterday and today is just as hot but I don't like missing two days.

Yesterday was a super day. Nigel had a ten minute job in Dorchester to do so we headed to Weymouth, sat and had a picnic on the beach (got a little too sun tanned in spite of being careful) and went int he sea for the first time this year. After the job we went to Prezzo and had a lovely lovely meal. We used to eat at Prezzo often when I was working and even since I retired we would visit - it was always the Wimborne one - but the service has gone down terribly - it is seriously bad. Have a look at Trip Advisor - never seen reviews like it. Consequently it is rare for us to go to Prezzo now so we really enjoyed the meal. Then we flopped int he heat at home and went to a Friends of Poole Park meeting.The new plans for the railway are really really exciting.

Last night was hard to sleep - it is seriously hot and we are an uncivilised country without air conditioning. Gosh I would love that - but with our current run of bad luck it would probably blow hot air!

 

Today we tried to get the cats to use their cool mats but they were not really keen. They are struggling with the heat too. However Fiki did eventually lie on his so hopefully it will help them a little

 

 

They are not in a cage - honest! For some reason they are sleeping on the top landing this hot weather - no idea why as apart from our bedroom it is the hottest place int he house.

 

He did look cute when he peeped between the banisters though!!  My little convict!

 

We went to sit in an air conditioned cinema this morning to watch Norman which was a long film and the last twenty minutes were good! Nuff said. Apart from that I have scrapped and tried to stay cool - and failed. We shouldn't moan - we get precious little summer but I ama  winter girl and I would always rather be cold than hot.

I have new scrapping to share today

 

This was made with a collection called Driven by Dad by Jumpstart Designs and I couldn't resist scrapping Nigel with his beloved Ruby. I think she is the best car we have ever had - so many bells and whistles, so economical and blinking lovely to drive. I get to drive her often and I love it.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• electric fans
• air conditioned cars and cinemas
• Nigel sorting out stuff like Virgin Media

 

 

 

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Today has been relaxing

Yesterday we worked really really hard - today was much gentler.

We chilled and then popped for a Starbucks and a sit ont he balcony int he sun over lunch. A little light scrapping and a cinema visit to see Churchill (well the cinema is air conditioned so that is good!). The film was beautifully shot and was quite powerful. Nigel loved it - it was not one of my top ten but was a good one.

 

I had time to make the challenge template page for Dawn's new challenge you can find over at The Lily Pad

 

 

It was hard to find 4 photos I wanted to use out of quite a lot! However, there are not many photos of us together before about 2007.  The top left was on our honeymoon in 1986 and the others are 2010, 2012 and 2014. The digital age gives so many more possibilities for photos. 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely chilled ... if very hot ... day

 

and finally - the last of those pun-ny signs!!!