The end of 2016.

This year has finally come to an end, it has not been a particularly good year, certainly not for the many celebrities who have passed on or their families. There will of course be countless other people who's passing has gone un-noticed by the general public, because they were not famous or infamous enough to be mentioned in the papers. Those are the ones that deserve our thoughts the most in my opinion, the everyday Joe's and Jane's that went about daily life in there own way, caring for their families and friends not for the fame or fortune that the stardom brought them. However that is just my opinion, I know the celeb's all had families that will miss them as well but how many fall outs will happen over wills?

Well now that is out of my system what else can I say about 2016?

The last few days have been bloody cold, in fact so cold I am writing this wearing pyjamas, a hooded fleece top, 2 pairs of socks and seriously thinking about getting a hot water bottle.

The frost in the garden allowed me to take a few shots I would not normally be able to get.

Cobweb on the dustbin

Glittering Holly Leaves

Frozen water in the Bird Bath

The birds were happy when the sun came out.

The Sparrow flexed her wings in the sunshine

The Robin sang to let the other Robin know this is his garden

There were two Robins in the garden so there had been a few squabbles over territory, the winner took to the bushes to let the birds in the area know he was the victor and the garden was his.


The weight loss my Dr suggested because of my high cholesterol seems to have gone by the by over Christmas, although I don't appear to have put on any weight. I will however return to the healthy eating starting tomorrow. (Notice how careful I am not to say I am on a d**t).

Christmas was pretty good as Christmas goes! Elvira came over and stayed the night, Lynsey came for the day. Tony cooked, we had something different this year.
We had a "Chindian". Lots of Chinese and Indian starters, a choice of two curries, there was a choice of desserts but nobody wanted them!!!
Tony and I decided to try the strawberry cheesecake, which was fine apart from the strawberries were still frozen. At least Elvira and Lynsey had a good laugh at the faces we pulled eating them.




Tonight we will not be staying up to see the new year in we will both be tucked up in bed where it is warm. We will leave the partying to the younger and dafter generations who don't mind being cold, wet and acting stupid just because it's a new year.

However I will wish you all a Happy New Year.

                                                                                       


Until the next time...

Death of a lens.

I had a twitch and dropped my Tamron lens. It was 18mm - 270mm, it was one of my favourite lenses.  It sits in the cupboard looking so sad and alone, smashed and beyond repair, the lens is dead! I really hate these twitches!

It costs £300.00 plus to replace my Tamron lens, to use Tonys words "BLOODY CHRISTMAS".

The weather is not good at the moment, infact the days just don't seem to get light. It has been foggy, cold and wet.

At least it gave me chance to take a few atmospheric snaps.

TREE IN THE FOG.

 A FOGGY DAY.

TRAFFIC IN THE FOG.

My trips to hospital are over until after the new year. Then I am back to Huddersfield for physiotherapy and to see Mr Foggerty.

Tony had a blood test last week then was called back in for another this week. His answer to that was, 

"BLOODY CHRISTMAS!!!".

Until the next time...

Doctors, Hospitals and Crazy Garden Life.

My time has been taken up with visits to Doctors, hospitals, physiotherapists and crazy garden life. That and all the other daily life happenings.

I have been to Huddersfield to see Mr Fogerty at the BMI Hospital with my shoulder. Apparently I have what is called "Impingement" in my right shoulder. This is incredibly painful, he gave me a steroid injection into my shoulder which he said would help with the pain. It didn't!!!
If you want to know more about this Mr Fogerty has a website you can look on
 shoulderelbowclinic.co.uk
 if you open this URL then click on shoulder impingement will come up in a list.

Mr Fogerty referred me to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary for physiotherapy. I have been to see a very nice lady called Katherine there.
On the first visit she asked a few questions, asked me to show her how far I could move my arm into different positions, which didn't take long because I couldn't do most of them. Then she massaged my muscles in my shoulder which was painful but felt quite nice at the same time! After only a few minutes of this I could move my arm slightly more, which really surprised me.
Katherine then showed me how I could get the same effect using a tennis ball. This is so I could massage my muscles at home myself, which I have to do for 2-3 minutes 4 or 5 times a day. I am also supposed to put my hands into a pillow case up to the elbows then force my arms apart as far as I can using the pillow case to prevent me forcing them too far. I am not too good at this because my right arm is so weak the pillow case just falls off.
When I returned for the second visit Katherine said to just carry on with the exercises I had been doing, she said there was no point adding anymore as the muscles were still so tender and weak that it would do more harm than good.
I see Mr Fogerty again at the end of January if things are not improving it could mean an operation. So I am making sure I use the ball everyday and trying my best with the pillow case before I see Katherine at the beginning of January.

When I saw Dr Daru again my cholesterol was still sky high, although I had managed to loose about 6lbs in four weeks. Dr Daru wants to see me again in April by which time he expects me to have lost at least another 8lbs.  If my cholesterol is still high then he wants to put me on "Statins", another bloody tablet!!!

Now lets get to something more cheerful.
The garden has been lively, we have had four squirrels in the garden some days. We had three new baby squirrels who ran round the garden like lunatics. Tony kept a sharp eye out for cats, they get too close for comfort sometimes and have to be warned off with a mint imperial whistling past their ear.

At the bottom of the garden near the greenhouse.

By the nut box.

On the shelf at the bottom of the garden .

On top of the shed watching out for cats. 

On the shed window ledge.

On the school fence. 

Opposite the shed on the fence.

On the table at the side of the shed.

 The squirrels are coming everyday now I think it's the variety of nuts, they get hazelnuts, cobnuts, chestnuts, peanuts both in shells and no shells.

The birds are not left out either, they get mixed seeds, black sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, suet nibbles, peanut nibbles, suet balls, peanuts and fruit. Then of course any left over bread, biscuits or cake. The squirrels do help with the sunflower seeds and cake.

There has been a lot of birdlife in the garden the latest return has been the Greenfinches and the Blackbirds.

Greenfinch on the water dish in the garden.

 Greenfinch in the hedge opposite the shed.

Wren in the hedge opposite the shed.

 Wren in hedge opposite the shed.

 Blue Tit on feeding station.

 Coal Tit ready for take off.

 Dunnock on the fence opposite the shed.

 Robin in the hedge opposite the shed.

 Blue Tit in the hedge opposite
 the shed.   

Robin in the hedge opposite the shed.

Hoglet looking for food in the garden.

















The hedgehog was taken earlier in the year but I found it when I was sorting some photo's out and just thought I would include it.

I hope that has given you something to read "Elvira", I will try to keep up but I am not promising anything!!!




Until the next time...

Return of the squirrels.

Well the holiday is over, it is back to reality with a bang! I have three appointments on my calendar for next month, one at the hospital, one with the nurse and one with the doctor.

While the holiday is still in my mind here are a few more photo's.

The pair of Chaffinches spent most days at the cottage eating seed.

Male Chaffinch.

Female Chaffinch.

The Female Pheasant just wondered through the garden one day, helping herself to any seed she found on the ground.

Female Pheasant.

I think though that the Nuthatches were the stars of the garden. I loved sitting and watching them. It was so much like a routine, as one flew from the table in one direction, another one flew in from the opposite direction. Now and again one bird would come in at the wrong time, then you heard a loud chattering and a clashing of beaks for a second or two, one of the birds would fly onto a garden chair and wait until the other left. Then it would go back and grab a nut and fly away before the next bird arrived.

The Nuthatch posing for the camera.

 The Nuthatch looked slightly confused at the sight of the hazelnuts!

 The two Nuthatches had a small squabble but shared the seeds in the end.

There are some hens and a couple of cockerel's on the farm.  The elder of the cockerel struts around the  garden making sure everybody knows he is there. He will stop every so often and 'crow'.

 The strutting Cockerel

Back home things in the garden soon got back into the usual routine.

I have lost count of the squirrels, I think we have lots of new ones.

They seem to be everywhere I look

On the wall

 Coming towards the shed

 Across the garden on the wooden frame

Even hanging from the shed roof

                         

                           

The youngest daughter is not happy, Pepper (her eldest cat) has been taken to the vets twice in the last few weeks. The first time the vet thought he had been hit by a pushbike. That visit cost a lot of money because it was out of hours. Pepper was just recovering from that injury when he came home bleeding from his chest. This time he had been bitten by what looks like a small dog, back to the vets again. This time didn't cost quite so much but enough to make a hole in her savings.

The youngest daughter only moved back to Wakefield about six weeks ago, all I can say is if she didn't have bad luck she wouldn't have any luck.

Her other cat Biscuit fortunately doesnt go outside, he is scared of his own shadow and the sound of a fly sneezing.

Until the next time...

Red Kites and Nuthatches

Well I just didn't realise how long it's been since I last wrote on here.

We went to Wales at the beginning of the month, back to a place we stayed 2 years ago

While we were there we visited Rhayader, there is a farm that is also a Red Kite sanctuary. They put out food for the Red Kites everyday at the same time. Red Kites flock in from miles around, and a few Buzzards come as well.

The Red Kite flies over the field waiting for the food.

The Red Kites swoop down for the meat knocking the Buzzards out of the way.

The Buzzard & Young Red Kite seem to get along.

The older Kites grab and fly.

The Nuthatches in the garden of the cottage kept us entertained as well.

I will tell you more about the trip next time.

Until the next time...

A Lynsey update.

A number of people have expressed an intrerest in Lynsey's health since her sunburn. So she sent me some pictures to share with you. If you have a weak stomach do not look.

 This is how the legs looked at the beginning.

 Lynsey's feet swelled to triple the normal size by the time she arrived back in Hull.

 After a visit to Hull Royal both her legs were bandaged.

 Over the following days there appeared a large yellow mark.

 Another trip to the doctors showed this to be the golf ball size blister. This was recovered to ensure no infection was caught.

 Today the bandages were removed to show very sore, raw looking legs.

Lynsey will definitely not be sitting in the sun with bare legs again.

Until the next time.....