Dementia Awareness Week

The above photo came from a site called Harvest Heart on tumblr.

Just to say that it's the beginning of  Dementia Awareness Week today. A friend of mine has just started a new blog and for those of who have any experience of living with or caring for a loved one with this appalling disease, I recommend you go over and give her your support.

Beth's father was in the same nursing home as my mother (who is still there) and recently passed away.
I believe that anything we can do to raise awareness and, God willing, find a cure for this disease we should do.

Beth's blog is at:D for dementia. Many thanks. xxx

I had Monday off so a friend invited me to lunch at the Clan Donald centre.

The food was really good, I thought. I was pleasantly surprised and I truly don't mean that in any negative way, but you become used to going to a place to eat only to be very disappointed. This wasn't the case here thankfully. The added plus is the drive down there; the road skirts the loch and the mainland is just across the water. On a clear day it's absolutely stunning. But...Monday wasn't clear. It rained. It's rained an awful lot, to be honest. Lots of this:

Still tomorrow promises to be better.

And as I have a three day weekend (the first for simply ages), I'm planning on tidying up the garden and maybe, just maybe, even washing the car. Or maybe not. The beach might call and honestly, I think I'd rather be beachcombing than car washing. Fail on the car maintenance front.

I also thought I might have a go at doing a knitted log cabin blanket. There are a lot of patterns out there and once I've got the hang of picking up stitches - it should be fairly mindless. I found this website (probably well know to most of you, but new to me) which has a lot of tutorials. My inspiration to have a go at this came from here. I really love the way she puts her colours together and talk about prolific! I'm assuming she doesn't have an outside-of-the-home job - just goes to show what you can do.

Off to feed the animals now before they drive me completely round the bend. It's apparently not just sharks that go into a feeding frenzy - small, black, fluffy things do as well.

I have decided I absolutely do not like the north wind. It's Baltic in the house today and I can't wait to get in the car to go to work. Warm car, warm nursing home. Bliss!

Thank you for all the kind comments about the lilac. :-)xx

My one and only lilac has started to bloom. I love lilacs and am planning on planting a couple more bushes, a pale mauve and a white one I think. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of this one but it's absolutely huge and looks quite old. It's producing a lot of flowers this year, so there'll be bunches of lilac all over the place.

My mother had a superstition about it. Apparently, you should never bring lilac into the house or someone will die. Bit grim and not an idea I'm planning on subscribing to. I'm also planning on having a go at growing sweetpeas up my kitchen wall. The back of the cottage faces south so I think they'll do well.

Thank you to Julie,  Ju-north and  LoriAngela who left comments on my last post. Honestly, I truly didn't think anyone was out there (in a manner of speaking ;-) )after having neglected the blog for so long. Thank you for leaving such lovely comments.

Now, if you aren't human but are in fact a higher form of being, this is what you do on a gloriously sunny, warm day.

Epic fail on the blogging front

Gosh, this is embarrassing. All I had intended was the usual two or three week break and suddenly - plop! there you are months later and with very little to show for it. Hmmmn, will have to get to grips with this but in the meantime, I notice blogger has changed. Oh dear. Not sure I like this at all. I wonder why they felt the need? Personally, I thought it was fine - but hey - what do I know?

New Year

I've never really been one for New Year. All those resolutions meant so seriously at the time that never come to anything.

I have been one for fresh starts though. I've had a number of fresh starts over the last few years and if I could ask for anything of 2012, it would be that I can simply spend some time consolidating what I have. I'm not saying I want no more fresh starts - just a break, a plateau, a rest. Time to find out who the new and more real me actually is.

So, on that slightly whimsical note I'll sign off for 2011 - a year that had too many challenges really for my liking and look forward to 2012, leaving the past behind. In closing, I'd just like to point you in this direction. She says everything that I would say if only I had the talent :-).

Have blessed New Year. xx

Peace and Joy

I wish you joy, peace, love, warmth, safety, good food and gentle times, from all of us here on Skye to all of you, wherever you are.

God bless xxx