A welcome couch potato…

A welcome couch potato…

Hi there!

Thanks for popping in. 
Not much artwork going on here today folks!
Had a looooong trip home from America. 
Don’t know who was more of a fidget-arse – me or Dave!
But look who we hooked up with at Heathrow, and brought home?
I love it when it works!
Grace came in on a Virgin flight from the Big Apple, and landed an hour before us.
Straight in the back door, shoes off, sofa dive and snuggled up.

And I think I shall join her.
So have a great day. We will – jetlag? 
Nah. Good excuse for a nap and a cuddle xxx

Lots of love,
Barb xx

61 thoughts on “A welcome couch potato…

  1. Never mind a blog this weekend. Just enjoy that great time with Grace. Gossip, chat, visit family. Go and do all the lovely mother/daughter joyful things. Never mind us. We all understand what it really important. xxxx Maggie

  2. Have fun catching up with Grace. Forget us and go and be a fun Mum!! Ain't no better way of doing Wednesday Mindfulness – on a Saturday!
    Kelly

  3. Hi Barbara, glad you are all home safe and well, and snuggling up with your wee stray you found along the way!!!! Hope you’re having the best mum daughter time possible. Thank you for sharing your holiday with us and those amazing photos. I know there’s no point telling you to save your blogging time tomorrow to have quality time with Grace, so I’ll say instead to just give us another wee check in tomorrow too, more than happy to wait for you.

    Donna, I read your message last night, made me cry, the crying for something good one. Just read the messages from Mrs B, Susan and Dot, and cried some more. What lovely and caring messages they are, thank you so much each of you, it means a lot to me. And thank you for the encouragement too, I’m going to see if I can start the art from nowt much picture, just about to go look for the something blue I needed, now I know what I can use, providing my memory is right and they are blue! You’d think it would be easy to find stuff when you don’t have much cupboards and drawers to fill!!!

    I’m a lot less outwardly distressed today, still did some cleaning, but don’t feel the need to hurt myself just now, and I’m sat in my beanbag in my craft room for the first time since Tuesday. Must be all the warm caring that’s being sent my way from Nicola and you guys, and the hugs, and Susan’s positive thoughts, that’s all wrapping round me. Oh, and Dot staying up to keep me company on my nightshift last night!!!!! I was finding it impossible to relate to anything /anyone at all outside my body, despite me in desperate need to and searching to. I think Nicola’s help yesterday and you guys leaving me messages, I think I’m a wee bit closer in trying to connect to something outside me again 🙂

    By the way Dot I’m intrigued to know what your beans and string turned into, are you going to tell us?

    Thank you, love Brenda xx

    1. Hi Brenda lovely to have you back on here didn't know if your c.f.s./m.e.had taken you to bed or you just wasn't up to facing the days was thinking of you as by the messages lots of us where lots of hugs Sheila xxx

    2. Hi Sheila, thank you for your kind words 🙂 It's good to be able to be back here with all you lovely folk xx

      You know, my head can't comprehend at all that anyone would miss me, think it wasn't the same without me on here. (I think that's one for Nicola to work on with me!) What an amazing group of people you are 🙂 xx

    3. Oh Brenda its good to see you commenting! I was worrying about you today, but please don't feel guilty about that ( see I know!) I am glad you find comfort in the fact that there are people here who are reaching out to you and sending good thoughts. Hoping little by little the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. Love Donna xx

    4. Brenda sweetheart, it's good to 'see' you today, I've missed reading your comments, you make me chuckle most days, you have a fab way of teasing us all. Sending you a hug. Love Diane xxx

    5. Hii Brenda so happy your here missed you my friend and happy your here again next time we do a nightshift together let me know i'll be here for you as for my something from nothing don't want you to split your sides laughing hen did try to send you it privately but didn't work as you are like me a bit to unsure off this tinternet stuff but I promise you its cr*p but if it wasn't for your reply about having a wee look for stuff anywhere then I wouldn't have even tried….go on Brenda have a go bet its brilliant….x xlove you to bits…Dot..xx

    6. Awww thank you Donna, Diane, and Dot. What lovely things to say to me :-). This is going to sound really strange, but it feels weird for me having friends here, haven't had a friend (or thought I had) since I was 30! Donna, how do you know that – that I feel bad if someone's been worrying or something about me? It always amazes me how normal people can know /interpret so much from so little verbal or non verbal!! Sorry I've made you worried. Diane, hopefully I'll be back to making you chuckle again soon, I feel the mischief in me starting to wave it's wee hand – 'I'm over here'!!! Dot, you're off the hook tonight, I think I'll be able to sleep, so no nightshift required!!!! I cannae get pictures o ye playing wi yer beans an' string oot ma heid!!!! I'm off to look through my button box for broken ones – all will be revealed, (if I find the courage to email the end result to Barbara) 😉 Night, night everyone xx

    7. Hi Brenda, hope you get a good nights sleep tonight. It's funny isn't it, we get used to seeing the same names on the blog so you get to 'know' people and it's funny when they don't pop in. Haha I've got a lovely picture in my head now of Dot with a ball of string, and a needle trying to thread beans (baked of course in tomato sauce!) on it. Hmmmm intersting!
      Sleep tight xxx

    8. Thank you Donna and Diane 🙂 I did get a bit better sleep. Thought I was settling down a wee bit more today too until a wee while ago. I thought I'd clean the last window, the craft room, then I wouldn't have anything left so would have to look for something non physical like craft, I don't think my body could do nay more anyway, I'm struggling bad and soooo sore. And I didn't have any feelings of needing to hurt myself today so thought it safe to run out of big cleaning stuff to do. I started cleaning it, then boys from across the road came out, but I was stuck there, kind of caught out, didn't get any warning so couldn't hide. I ignored them, pretended they weren't there, that I hadn't seen them. They were stealing stones from my neighbour's, it's all loose stones she's got. seemed they were throwing some at each other and were filling their pockets with heaps of them. It's wrong but I know to pretend I don't notice and say nothing and that's what I was doing. next thing a stone is thrown at me, sounds like it hits the window (I haven't found where it hit). So if I say nowt I've become an easy target to yet another group and they'll do what they like to me /my property. but it's a huge risk saying anything too. And obviously extremely scared. So I looked at the one that didn't run off, sternly told him don't throw stones, he said it was the other one, so I said I don't care if it wasn't him it was his mate, don't throw stones, now get. I then went back to my cleaning, ignoring him and his response, not engaging with him, not giving him anything. I go to rinse the cloth in the pail, taking my time, in the hope they'd just move off. next thing, they've thrown a large stone with force through the open half of the window, it's gone across the room, hit the side wall, making 2 big chips out of it, bounced off an landed near the middle of the floor. I did nothing. I'm waiting on them coming back to do more. I'm very shaken, very upset very scared. and all the stuff that I had managed to stop being outwardly in the last 2 days is all back out and making me need to hurt myself again. I sooo just want to go to the middle of nowhere and never see or hear a human being ever again, just left in peace where no one can harm me or my property, and I can not have to fear and can go out my door when I want to. Just had enough. And I can't even tell anyone, it's Sunday, but I have sent an email to Nicola so she'll get it tomorrow or the next day.

    9. What a horrible thing to happen! I know how horrible things like this can make you feel, I once had a car window smashed. You are right about being told to ignore it but sometimes it just can't happen and something has to be said. Luckily not everybody is out to make other peoples lives a misery. I am hoping your neighbours keep an eye out for you and would help you if they do come back. Try and stay positive Brenda, keep thinking about all the progress you have made in the last few days. I will keep checking the blog so if you need to chat l will be here. Xx

    10. Oh Donna what a lovely person you are, you are so good to me. They've not been back so far. It will depend on when they next visit across the road I guess. As far as I can see they haven't damaged my new windows. Nowhere has been decorated yet, all but one room didn't need it when I moved in, and I know how to fill holes and get them flat and smooth, so I'll be able to sort the wall ok. But why should I have to, eh, why do people have to be so horrible, I've never even looked at them, I ignored they were stealing, so why do something so nasty to me. Because they know they'll get away with it – there's no consequences, nothing to fear, families /folk who are that way inclined can do as they please no matter what, knowing nothing is going to happen to them. I know, been through it hugely before, still got a bit of post traumatic stress from it, which this today is only bringing it all back much bigger for me. I only know one neighbour here, next door and she's a lot older than me, and I try to look out for her a bit, even though my previous support used to tell me she's capable of sticking up for herself!!! I've settled down a wee bit, the turmoil is back just under the surface for the moment, still very scared and fearing what's coming next. I think I'll need to just try to keep busy with something that won't frustrate me even further!!! Not sure if the final of Britain's got Talent meets that, usually the ones I feel sorry for and want to win, don't!!!! I guess I better do something with all this junk that's surrounding me here, start working out what I need for where in my art from nowt much! Although can't do much putting together as one of the first things I need to use was in the wash so waiting for it drying – don't ask!!! Told you my mission was to use as many different things I could find, much of it being stuff that was heading for the bin /recycling!!!! I found my something blue – disposable gloves, any guesses as to where they'll feature in my picture!!!! I found them in my tool basket – last place I'd have thought of, ended up working backwards, what I last needed some for, waxing my new oak, and I knew the wire wool would be in my tool basket! Thanks so much Donna xx

    11. Glad to hear you feel a little more settled. TV on nice and loud and you will soon be in the zone! I am very intrigued by your arty project, sounds like everything is being used from all over your house. I am looking forward to seeing what Barbara has planned. Xx

    12. Donna, I expect to see you and Phoebe on Britain's got talent next year 😉 Is Cleo ok, you never speak about her?
      Got nowhere near craft yet! Had to scan in letters for Nicola, and that made me remember she told me to try getting the dongle working (that's taken a bit of working out and lots of stress!) in case my phone /internet goes down on the 8th – it's to do with the latest big problem, my service has sold to another, the one that caused me huge issues, that we had a huge effort and stress to get me transferred from, 3 times in just a few years this one left me without phone and internet for at least 1 week, once it was nearly 3 weeks! Was told on Friday by letter, the 1st we have been told of the takeover, that the network part is transferring on 8th! No choice, no options, nothing. Obviously it's their network, their running of their network that's left me with no phone and no internet. I only use mobile for text, rules are I need to have a landline because of being housebound on my own, and even if I could afford a mobile phone subscription too I can't because it makes my middle ear very sore – builds up pressure which causes pain for some reason. Don't know if you can imagine how it feels to be stuck in here totally alone and no phone and more so no internet, the last time, the 3 week one, my support were giving me wee quick calls daily on my mobile to try help me through, keep me updated, it was horrendous. That's what the huge extra upset, stress and horrendous phone call was about on Friday. All we can do right now is nothing, let them transfer me to the bad one's network, and when Nicola gets back she will start trying to sort it all out and finding me a new service but it will take time. So I may lose phone and internet connection on the 8th but at least this time I've got this dongle. Putting off jobs now done, I better salvage something from today, find something maybe crafty I can take to bed to do. My heart wants the Neales to win, lovely family bond, but I do really like Issac's music and off course the dog act, then there's the amazing choir….. xx

    13. Cleo is fine, she is very independent only really comes in at meal times! Especially this time of year when its a bit warmer. Tends the spend the day sleeping tucked against the front wall behind the wisteria, nice and warm and sheltered. She does have asthma, so twice a day I have to find her and give her her inhaler ( with a little mask!). Very common so the vet said although I've not heard of it before.
      Hmmmm what would my talent be……………………I could do some magic with chocolate, I can make it disappear faster than the blink of an eye!!!! XX

    14. Donna we could do a double act! I can do that too – I like plain chocolate 🙂 xxx
      Brenda sorry to hear about your unfriendly neighbours kids, how upsetting for you. I hope you have managed to find some craft to do. Oh my goodness my mind is boggling at the thought of what is in the wash that's going into your art project. Why do large lacy colourful bloomers spring to mind???!!!! Haha, hope that makes you laugh. Xxx

    15. That's funny!!! You'd put on an awful lot of weight though, going through all the audition stages and the practises you'd need before each performance!!!
      I've never heard of an asthmatic cat either, but I have heard of cats with allergies to dust, like their cat litter dust, wheezy and stuff, so I guess that's very similar. What would my talent be, well people are always amazed at how rapidly I can rearrange and fit things into a freezer drawer when it appears there's no space left!!!!! I think the first person that used to help me brought me things specifically so she could watch me do it again, and again, and again…. She was fascinated by it!!!!! xx

    16. Ha, ha, yeah Diane, I walked into that one, eh!!!! And before anyone else comments, and especially before Dot gets here!!!!, it's only boring worn out winter jammies, that were heading for the bin. My favourite ones, that should have been thrown out at least a couple of years ago! Barbara has given me a reason to finally part with them!!!! xx

    17. Haaa haaa, sounds like a golden buzzer could be on our horizon! Diane and I eating chocolate ( in the name of entertainment only of course) with you arranging freezer drawers. Now all we need is some musical accomplyment! Xx

  4. Hi Barbara what a wonderful meeting up with your daughter enjoy every minute lots of catch up and hugs and cuddles lots of time together special crafting hugs xxx

  5. Hi Barbara what a fabulous end to your holiday. How lovely to have Grace home again. Did you bring Steve back too or did you leave him behind?
    Enjoy your cuddles snoozes and snuggles.
    Love Diane xxx

  6. Hi Barbara glad your home safe and sound ,,what a moment that would have been to meet wee Grace at Heathrow.. so just you chill out and enjoy every minute as Maggie C says take time and enjoy….by the way Grace my son was looking over shoulder when I was on blog and this is how the conversation went..
    Son…Who's that Mum {me looking at photo of Grace]
    Me …That's Barbara's daughter
    Son…Oh that lady you watch on C&C
    Me… Aye son
    Son …She's Fit
    Think he means your gorgeous just like your Mum
    p.s. if youre interested he's 35 handsome and absolutely gorgous in a kilt…..can't see a ring on your finger [what's wrong wi those guys in the Big Apple are they blind]
    Chiil out you two hope I made you smile..xx

    1. Haha Dot have you started a dating agency? Mind you just think of having Barbara as a mother in law- all those crafting sessions you could have! Lol Your son sounds like a good catch for a lucky lass xx

  7. Ah now I understand……..
    I thought all the time they met Mark and stayed in New Mexico.
    Then she is writing about flying back home. Doesn´t she want to meet Grace in New York????
    So Grace is coming to the UK!!!!!!!!!!!
    Enjoy the wonderful time together, Barbara. Hope weather will be as good as here next week (summer shall come)
    Rolf xxx

  8. Hello Barb, glad you are home safely, what a beautiful ending to a fantastic holiday. Hope you have a wonderful time with Grace. I bet Dave and Steve are glad to have finished the painting and gardening, or do you have them hard at work in Kent already? Take care all. Bx

  9. now I was just thinking about one of your 'sayings' Claritystamps "We have been led to this point". How true!
    Grace is sooooo pretty, have a lovely time
    Maggie

  10. Hi Barb,
    Glad you had a safe ( if fidgety) trip home. What a lovely homecoming as well. Enjoy your time with Grace and don't worry if you haven't the time to blog – I'm sure that everyone will understand ! Love Alison xxx

  11. Welcome home to you all and how lovely you have Grace home for a while!!! Enjoy every minute you have together and make plenty of happy memories for both of you! Xxxxx

  12. Glad you're home safely and so pleased you have Grace with you. Just had my grandsons for a few days. Nothing beats family. Enjoy.x

  13. Oh how wonderful to have your lovely Grace waiting at the airport so you could come home together. Perfect! I know how you will enjoy having Grace around for a while. x

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