SMALL VICTORIES

I am working on small victories at the moment. I am still SICK, I ended up in the Med Center on Monday night of last week, my breathing was not good and rather painful. After trying new inhalers and some steriods which didn't seem to help I had to go on the nebulizer. Two large doses to calm down my lungs and allow them to fill up properly. It wasn't fun and if I am truthful rather scary, you don't realize how much you rely on your breathing till it is almost taken away. Still not out of the woods. Last week was spent with the constant shakes due to the effects of the nebulizer and then a reaction to the antibiotics I was on. Enough now please I want to be well again, it has been a month of colds, sore throats, itchy eyes and a bad chest. I finish my second dose of antibiotics on Friday and I hope this will be an end of it.

During this time I have been doing the odd bits and pieces as time and energy levels allow. The photo above is of the new cushions I have been making for the sofa. My Godmother and Aunt made me two just before I left last year. I still have lots to make to try and cover the yucky blue military sofa but it is definitely a case of little steps.

This week has seen the beginnings of a new quilt. This will sit on the back of said yucky blue sofa to try and brighten things up. It is the first large quilt I have ever made. So far not to bad, top is done with only minor mistakes and I am starting to piece together the back today.

It is very in your face, but hey what else do you expect from me! With magnolia blandness throughout the house it needed a blast of colour. I usually wouldn't have put some many prints and colours together but I like it.

The curtains for the living room are made and up. I had to squeeze the maximum I could out of this fabric to fit the windows. I am pleased with the result even John agreed they were better than the air force ones which is a result. I thought he might think them too girlie with the bright rose prints but no he seems to be able to manage them. I knew bringing in those pink kitchen utensils last year was a good introduction! My new blanket from Lexi Loves is on the back of the chair and goes really well with the colour scheme. Its added benefit is that it is so cosy to curl up under.

Reading - got so behind with my books, I have been falling into bed most nights and crashing out. John is up so early and with a 5 1/2 day week we don't seem to get that down time we crave. I have just finished An uncommon Read which was a Crudwell Book Club book. Last night I completed tuesdays with Morrie for the Falklands Book Club this month, which I would highly recommend. It was a quick easy read which made me laugh and cry. It really brings home the fact that being loved and giving love are some of the richest gifts in life and yet they come for free. This thing of darkness is for book club here in the Falklands for next month. The two books by Larsson are personal books. I read The girl with the dragon tattoo for Crudwell book club last year and really enjoyed it.

Inspired by - new magazines and books which came in the post this week. The stuffed magazine is my favourite and has been perculating new ideas for stuffed penguins and goodies. Alabama stitching has some superb fabric flowers I would like to try, so if anyone has any cotton jersey t-shirts that are stained, old or worn out please send them to me! Vanessa start searching out your choice of colours, these are the flowers I sent you a picture of.

Growing - My plants have started to sprout and grow in the conservatory. A friend here kindly gave me some pepper plants and I bought a few from Stanley. Herbs are starting to sprout and my lettuce is gaining height in the grow bags.

It gets stinking hot in the conversatory during to the day and I have taken to just laying out and catching my breath there when the day gets to much.

Not much else to report. It looks like Fergus will finally arrive on Monday which will be fantastic. We have missed him greatly, especially Euan. He has to be under house arrest for two weeks and then we can take him out to meet the penguins. I emailed the Captain of the ship earlier in the week and he said it had taken him a few days to settle down but now he was stretched out on the deck enjoying the sunshine.

Hope to be back with some new projects and visits soon. We have put in a bid for a helicopter trip out to Volunteer at the weekend but have yet to see if we are successful.

Love to all Helen x