Posted on by wherethejourneytakesme

dear diary :: just stopping by

Just thought I would drop by and say hello – where has the time gone? (That same old question!!)

I have been battling recently….not with Covid or any illness, apart from my old age aches and pains, but just with life in general and in particular the pace of my life. Recently I have not had the time to stop and think let alone write a blog post as I am experiencing many upheavals that I hadn’t actually bargained for.

Currently, both my daughters are on the move and requiring a little bit of help. One daughter rents and her move is imminent the other daughter is trying to prepare her house for sale and although we cannot help inside we are allowed to go in the garden now so we have been giving that a bit of an overhaul.

Added to which we have had the usual trips up to north Yorkshire to visit and check on my mum whilst my sister has had a little respite from caring.

Since my last post both Mother’s day and Easter have been and gone (both quiet affairs for us this year) and little Freddie has gone back to nursery. The house fell extremely quiet when our services were no longer required but we had a load of jobs to catch up on and we are still wading through the list.

In between the usual jobs around the house I managed a few hastily made cards – including these 3 tiny Easter ones for each of the grandchildren…..

….a few simple stamped ones for my family and friends…..

….and one for a friend who sadly lost her daughter this month a few years ago.

We have continued to walk without little Freddie with us and discovered more new tracks and paths near to where we live with glorious views stretching out towards the moors.

One day we had to collect a machine part from Buxton for the chain saw so we packed up a picnic lunch to eat in the car and then took the opportunity of stretching our legs around the lovely Pavillion Gardens.

I was overjoyed to see that the Crescent has now been completely renovated – over the years we have watched its demise but now it stands once again as it would have looked in its prime. Originally designed by John Carr of York it is a very significant building and popular in Georgian England as a very stylish hotel and spa attracting people from all over the country to bathe in the thermal waters of Buxton. It became a spa destination as far back as in Roman times, when a settlement was built around a clear, warm-water spring that still sends up more than one million litres a day from the original source underneath the Buxton Crescent. Ā 

I have almost forgotten now exactly what I have been doing day to day over the last weeks – but it hasn’t been lounging around thats for sure. There has been a lot of catching up to do in the garden – we lost quite a few plants over winter and the frosts have been quite vicious here attacking the new shoots on the hydrangeas more than once.

Most days have been bright and sunny although still very cold but it has been quite cosy in the greenhouse where I have at last managed to sow some seeds.Ā  The garden is starting to take shape as everything springs to life once more after some very persistent wintry days.

I wish I could say the same for inside the house where we seem to be continually on high alert ā€˜mess wiseā€™ with a growing pile of things to be put away everywhere I look.Ā  There is still unpacking to finish from the recent trip up north to see mum, this task being abandoned mid week to attend to urgent paperwork, which was not on my task list as it related more to someone elseā€™s problems rather than our own, but nonetheless had to be dealt with.

I managed a few days catching up with my own paperwork ā€“ balancing statements, scanning bills and setting up payments online.Ā  DH has made another start on the Laundry room fixing the damp floorboards by the back door where water seems to be coming in.Ā  We ordered a Karcher commercial style vacuum cleaner (like a Henry) on the internet as there is no shop around here that stocks them. We used to have one at the cottage which had to be skipped after the flood; they are really good for those excessively dirty or dusty jobs like cleaning out the car or when decorating and should help preserve my lightweight Dyson which doesn’t take kindly to swallowing up chunks of plaster and grit.

I have in mind that I need to get back to doing a little exercising to ease my stiff back, hips and shoulders which occurs every morning after a night in bed.  I used to be very flexible and even now have a good range of motion but my joint and muscles have been a problem since I had my thyroid removed and I am dependant on taking the synthetic Levothyroxine each day, which does the job of the thyroid but not nearly as well. A lump appeared in my neck a few weeks ago so my consultant sent me for an ultra sound and I am now waiting for a CAT scan so they can see more – after this it might be a biopsy – I am trying not to think too hard about what it might be – hopefully not serious and not a return of the cancer.

Presently, I do feel rather lethargic – more in mind than body and with the new ‘ease down’ everyone is out and about but I am finding the crowds and the busyness out there quite overwhelming and even after a short walk to the village I canā€™t wait to get back behind our own front door, back in the peace and quiet we have grown accustomed to now.Ā  Up until today we have not even attempted to go out to the shops (other than the usual supermarket run for food) or to sit outside in a cafĆ© ā€“ I just donā€™t feel I want to mix in this overloaded environment.Ā  It all feels rather artificial and for the moment I am quite content staying at home. Having said that we are about to pack to go up to Scotland to our cottage but we will be keeping ourselves to ourselves up there; I feel certain the jungle of a garden will keep us quite busy. It will be amazing to be back by the sea though I have missed the sound of the waves at night.

I have little other news to tell so I won’t ramble on but before I go I must say welcome to my new followers that have appeared in my absence; even though I have written no new posts for a while – I can only apologise for the lack of attention I have given to this little space and hope to do better. And thank you Cathy for your kind message it has spurred me on to write this post.

I hope all my readers are well and enjoying the better weather. Once again I have so much catching up to do – story of my life! I might even manage a post or two when we are up there. Until then…..

26 Replies to “dear diary :: just stopping by”

  1. How nice of you to help out your daughters but it will be nice for you to get away and relax a bit at your place in Scotland. Don’t spend all of your time working in the garden – get some rest too.
    Nice to hear from you!

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  2. Good to see a post from you and know you are OK. Enjoy your trip to your cottage and catch up on some rest if you can.
    Sue at My Quiet Life in Suffolk

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    1. Hi Sue and thanks for the comment – I am hoping to catch up on a bit of blogging and reading whilst in Scotland – I have been bobbing in and out over the weeks but I will be over for a good read soon. x

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  3. You certainly have a lot going on right now with one thing and another. The trip to your house in Scotland sounds perfect timing.

    The Easter cards are sweet, where do you buy your stamps from? I’ve never made cards and don’t think I’d be particularly good at the craft but I could definitely use a stamp and ink pad.

    I hope the CAT scan comes through quickly for you and that you don’t need any further tests. Take care of yourself. xx

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    1. Not sure if you will read this Suzanne but thank you for the comment and I just want to say how sorry I am to hear about your mum, you will miss her so much – so sending virtual hugs xxx I have collected stamps from all kinds of places but often the cheapest ones are included as free gifts on the craft magazines – you just need a perspex block to mount them on. The Easter cards were a combination of a flower stamp and a lettering stamp on some hand made paper.
      My fingers are crossed for the scan – it might be a long wait.

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      1. Thank you for your kind words Viv. Yes, we will certainly miss Mum but she was such a character we can’t help but remember her with a laugh and a smile. xx

        Liked by 1 person

  4. It was lovely to see your post pop up this morning. It’s great to hear all of your news. Your cards are just so beautiful, as always. I love Buxton, such a pretty place. I remember driving up there for a weekend once. Have a lovely time up at the cottage and don’t work too hard.

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  5. I do hope the trip to your cottage has gone/is going well.

    I was just about to write to you but I suspect the timing is going to be off – I am headed up “your way” on 8th May. I’ll be staying at New England Bay, as usual.

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      1. Sorry to send a personal message this way, but I don’t have an email addy for you. If you could possibly drop me a line via the “contact me” gadget at my blog then we can write privately.
        Right now I am afraid my trip is in the balance. Somehow I have got a kink in my neck, the muscles are completely locked/in spasm and I haven’t slept for 2 nights so I’m not a pretty sight! It would be dangerous to drive when I cannot turn my head at all.
        if you can get in touch privately I’ll be able to keep you informed as to what I decide.
        Sorry, xx

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  6. i always read your posts, and love reading about your busy life, but haven’t commented before. What caught my eye was your mention of stiffness in your neck, back and hips, especially in the morning. Last December I suddenly found myself very stiff and sore in those places too. It turned out to be polymyalgia rheumatica, a condition that affects people over 60 and mainly women, and the inflammation eases over the day. I don’t mean to worry you, or add to your stresses about your health, but once I started medication I was fine. It might be something to look into. šŸŒ»

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    1. Hi Anne and thank you for your comment – I did have some tests for such conditions but as far as I know these were ruled out and my consultant is fairly certain it is the thyroid medication or in a way the lack of it or too much of it because unless the medication is well balanced you get all sorts of problems including heart, bone and muscular. Some people are never 100% well on thyroxin it is a chemical substitute for the thyroxin your body would normally use that is produced from the Thyroid gland. The T3 medication that might help me was taken off the NHS list a few years ago because it is so expensive and some doctors have been campaigning for its reinstatement. I believe the root cause of inflamation is probably similar though but I will mention it once again when I speak with the consultant – so thank you for highlighting this.

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      1. It sounds like you have things well in hand. I hope you can get some relief. So many conditions seem to have vague symptoms, and the same symptoms pop up for different conditions. Getting an accurate diagnosis must be a nightmare for some people.

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  7. Lovely to see a post from you with all those lovely photos – The Crescent looks amazing. I hope the scan goes ok and that you have a relaxing break up in Scotland.

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    1. Thank you Emma – I was so pleased to see the Crescent in all its former glory – I remember when the hotel before finally closed its doors many years ago and the mattresses were brought out to go in the skip – believe me you would not have wanted to sleep on one – I always make a point now to check the mattress if we stay in a hotel, even a posh one!

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  8. Always lovely to see a new post from you, Viv. Lovely photos as usual, I especially like the hilltop view and the sheep!

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  9. Happy to see your post even though it sounds like you are running from pillar to post–as the old saying goes. Good to know you are (relatively) okay–was worried about you. So sorry about the thyroid issues. Like NHS, my US insurance company stopped covering my non-generic thyroid medication earlier this year, but I knew from past experience the generic version wouldn’t work, so now I am paying for it out of pocket. Not cheap, but at least it works. Hope that you are able to get your thyroid situation sorted out in a positive way. Know how worrying it must be.

    Glad you are going to be able to get some sea time…even if it means a great deal of garden work. Can only imagine how “busy” nature has been on your property during your long (unavoidable) absence. But just the change of scenery has to do you both some good, even if a fair amount of hard work will be involved. Take care of yourselves. Safe travels.

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    1. Nature has certainly been on overdrive here with no one around to restrict it but who wouldn’t love the wild pink Campion and the vivid blue Alkanet – just not quite so much of it!

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  11. I’m happy to hear from you. Love the photos especially the green scenery! I wish you well with your medical tests. I hope your visit to Scotland will be relaxing and not overwhelming – I hope you don’t try to do everything at one go!

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    1. I know my limitations and try to remember not to go on for too long – a good walk to the village after lunch gets the back muscles straightened out after a morning being crouched over weeding.

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  12. Lovely to see this post pop up on my sidebar, gosh it does sound as though you have been busy … barely time to grab a breath.

    Perhaps just a few simple stretches each morning when you wake up will help to sort out those aches and pains, not full on yoga, but just taking five minutes to stretch out works great for me and make me actually feel awake … sometimes, other times it just has to be a strong coffee!!

    I bet the first couple of walks without the pushchair felt as though something was missing, but then you have the realisation that you can reach so many more places don’t you.

    I hope you get back to the cottage and the sea, it will recharge your batteries, even if you do spend a lot of time gardening you will still be in that lovely fresh air.

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    1. I miss little Freddie so much and when we are out walking I am constantly saying ‘oh little Freddie would love to see this’ !! Fresh air at the moment is a very strong breeze – we could do with it being calmer to tackle some of the jobs that need doing.

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