At last, we have summer! The weather has been glorious all this week and is set to continue, at least until the weekend.









It is a wonderful year for apple blossom, there are masses of it everywhere and the local cider makers are very pleased.

I have been neglecting my blog and all of you recently, I do apologise.

 

 There hasn't been any stitching going on, instead lots cleaning, painting, generally getting ready for this:

 

 

 

Yes, it is time for a change, they call it "downsizing". We say "time for a new challenge".

We have enjoyed our time in the country for nearly 20 years, but now we are ready to move closer to the civilisation; shops, bus stops, library.....and into a smaller house, with a smaller garden

= challenge.
It looks like a buyer for our house has been found and we are now starting to look for a new home,
not an easy task. Moving into a smaller house will mean having to dispose of some our treasured furniture. More to the point, will there be enough space for all my stuff?
There was lots a viewing of houses yesterday, more to do tomorrow. No time to sew...

So, I will at least share with you some pictures from last week's visit to Barrington Court, where DD, grandchildren and I had a lovely picnic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2013

 

eye, eye!

Firstly, BIG THANK YOU to all who left a comment on my last post, and to those who came to have a look. I usually try to answer to all individually, but if you don't mind, I will excuse myself  from that pleasure just this time.

Yesterday I had a small operation to remove a skin cancer from my face (hopefully not malignant - the jury is still out on that). Because of the very close proximity to the inner corner of my right eye, this procedure had to be done under a general anaesthetic (thankfully - I would not fancy watching someone rummaging this close to my eye with a scalpel). Of  course that eye is not up to its usual standard at the moment (looking like after a few rounds in a boxing ring), so no stitching for a few days. And limited time in front of the computer screen :-)

A period of "taking it easy", with light exercise has been prescribed, which has more to do with my age and the danger of blood clots following general anaesthetic. 

But of course, there is no excuse for you not to be busy with your needles!
I will come and check☺

                                           xxx

my news

A phone call from the hospital this afternoon - all is well, my test result is normal!!!

I can get on with my life.

Thank you all, you beautiful people, for holding your thumbs, crossing your fingers or whatever you hold or cross in your part of the world, for all your lovely messages and thoughts, it all helped me during a very scary time. I will never forget your love, support and care you have shown me during this past week.

There is nothing "virtual" about you, you are all very real to me, my blogging friends.

And now - back to stitching.

I will come and visit you soon, to see what you have been up to!

thank you

I would like to say BIG THANK YOU to all of you who commented on my last post, or have sent me personal emails. Thank you all, you lovely people! Many of you have already taken this journey before me and I am so pleased that for you it has turned out well. Statistics show that increasing number of us will be taken this journey, partly due to the wonderful technical equipment now available, which picks up more details, but this also can cause a lot anxiety, until the "all clear" is given, during which time a support is so important.
Yet again I am overwhelmed by the wonderful friendship of the blogging community, the care and mutual support. What did we do before the Internet arrived?

                                                            THANK YOU

not just good journeys

I called my blog "my stitching and other journeys", because it is not just about stitching, and sometimes I  have taken you with me on "other " journeys, visits to nice and interesting places.
So, I was very undecided if I should take you with me this time, a journey of a different kind.
Because I have been using my blog as a kind of a journal, in the end I have decided to record this journey also. As far as I know, most of my blog visitors are women, and therefore will understand. It will also explain why I haven't kept up with your blogs past week or so.

As most of you of a certain age would have been called from time to time for a routine breast screening, so have I. In the past my every visit to a mobile screening unit was followed by a "all clear" letter.
Unfortunately not this time, they found something which wasn't there before. When the letter arrived last Tuesday, it gave me a shock, as you can understand. I was given an appointment in two days time for a second screening, this time at our county hospital some 40 miles away. Needless to say that two sleepless nights followed, during which my mind was conjuring up all sorts of scenarios. It was difficult to go on with the day to day routine. So, on Thursday DH and I (him for moral support, trying hard not to show how worried he was) drove to the hospital.
I am not going to bore you with the details, but after another mammogram and an ultrasound, some prodding with a needle to take a sample to be sent for testing, I am now waiting for the results. A week they said. However, I am calmer now. The staff at the breast care unit were friendly and smiling, the female doctor young and chatty, explaining all, while she was doing her job. I know now where the problem is and that it is being dealt with. It was the fear of the unknown which temporarily sent me spinning out of my orbit. If I'll have to go back, I will know what to expect.
There is an English saying that "an ignorance is a bliss", what do you think?
Oh, shall I mention the terrible coffee in the hospital restaurant? Or the machine at the hospital car park "pay station", which would not take our money ( high fees charged in most English hospital car parks) until a "technical help" was called, by which time a long queue formed behind us? They are all small details.........

I wish you all a pleasant weekend!