Taking the plunge

Hope today goes ok @Maggie remember to breath 💕💜💙

@CheerBear @Former-Member @Owlunar @Gazza75 @eth @Shaz51 ❤❤❤

Not feeling so awesome but wanted to drop by and send thoughts and best wishes for today @Maggie. Am thinking of you hoping the stress is countered even a little with some fun. Big deal today for you. Big ❤ for that. And coffee waiting ☕😘

A hi and hope things are going OK enough for you all @outlander, @Former-Member, @eth, @Gazza75, @Owlunar, @TheVorticon, @Teej, @Shaz51 and a bazillion others 🖤😎💜 Missing you all

Good morning everyone here @eth @Gazza75 @Owlunar @Shaz51 @CheerBear @Maggie @outlander @Zoe7 @Molliex @BlueBay

@CheerBear - it is so good to read that this hospitalisation has been a way better experience than what you have had in the past. Perhaps enough of an improvement to make one think that things are finally changing for the better in a MH sense. Although I know this varies considerably. But at least some things are on the improve. Pity today has not started so well for you, but these things are very much and up and down roller coaster of a ride. We all know how to ride that roller coaster now, after much experience. Hopefully the day improves for you and you have at least some good things happen and or some happy or enlightening moments in it for you. Always lovely to see you here, when you're up for it.

@Maggie - Its your fundraiser happening today. I hope it goes really well and the fundraising effort produces great results. Please pardon my lack of memory in this score ... was it your painted rocks you were selling? Plus some other bits and pieces? From what you have posted on the craft thread, I'm sure they will be a big hit.

@Gazza75 - I see that you are at your farm this weekend. I was not that far from your place (as the crow flies ... just across the hill) when I visited my brothers farm on Thursday to celebrate my Dads birthday. Talk about extremes of weather while I was visiting my Dad. I arrived down there on Monday to a top of 10C and freezing blustery wind. Then it got into the 30sC by Friday. I note that they are expecting 40C this Tuesday. Glad I didnt go a week later. Give me the cold rather than the heat, any day.

Gazza, I think it was you who asked if my Diamond Painting gifts were well recieved by family members whom I gave them to. I am very happy to say that my Dad absolutely adored his Marilyn Monroe painting. He was fascinated with the idea of the drills etc, and wanted to know exactly how it was all done. He asked me to remove an old portrait photo of a long deceased family member (my Mums grandmother ... one of those old formal very stern looking photos) and to put it in my Mums old room. So I had to put Marilyn in its place where he looks directly at it while sitting in his favourite lounge chair. And I have to say, its the perfect place because it shows up nicely in the lighting there, and the distance is perfect to show enough detail to get full benefit of the picture itself. So he is very happy and so am I. My husband has told Dad that he wants it when he goes.

The old wharf in the sunset picture I gave to my brother and his wife ... they also really liked it. Although I have to say that they would say that even if they didnt like it. But I'm pretty sure they did. My sister said she liked the tree frog and commented that it would go well in her house re the colour and subject. I hope she doesnt just turf it out some day.

I arrived home about 4.30pm yesterday after a long drive. I ended up driving all the way. Offered hubby the keys after a lunch break to give me a short break from the driving, but he threw the keys back at me. So as is usual for me after stopping, I got very weary afterwards and it was a battle to stay awake the last couple of hours. Lots of slow blinking happening. I was quite annoyed with hubby actually, because it would not have hurt him to drive for half an hour. It was the easiest stretch of driving too ... through the city, past all the Hawkesbury fires and difficult parts .. I did all that part. Oh well ... I got home safely, no thanks to hubby. I saw for the first time how much devastation around here from the recent bushfires. About 5 kms from our place, their is just burnt trees and pastures both sides of the highway for about a 40km stretch. Little wonder they closed the highway just south of here for weeks on end. Its awful. And of course yesterday while driving through Sydney and Hawkesbury the smoke was nice and thick too. Thankfully nowhere near as bad as we were getting here at home during the thick of the nearby fires, but bad nonetheless. I can certainly understand why the city dwellers are complaining about air quality. And I definitely sympathise with you on that.

It was great to see my Dad again. It had been a bit over 3 months since I last visited, which was a month after Mums funeral. Dads infection is very slowly improving, but is still on heavy duty anti-biotics and sees his nurse and doctor 3 times a week. That is to continue for the foreseeable future. But at least he has regained his appetite and is feeling a little less wonky, as he says. I managed to do a lot more jobs around his house ... clearing more space, etc, and just creating more space where he needs it. He is very crotchety on his feet, and uses his walking stick very precariously. Should be using a walker, but refuses. I also rearranged things in his kitchen to make things more manageable for him. Just simple things, but things which make a big difference overall. He still has aged care people come in twice every day ... one to check on him and to massage his legs and redress his infected toe if necessary in between Dr visits. And once every lunch time to deliver his meals. He enjoys that, because he gets very lonely since Mum died. He also has someone come in for an hour and a half every Thursday to change his bed, help him shower, and to do cleaning and washing.

My Mum collected CareFlight Bears. She has 42 of them, which were scattered all around the house collecting dust, ash and grit. Most of them are still in their plastic bags thankfully. So I gathered them all up and boxed them up into 4 large boxes, until such time as we can determine what best to do with them all. I couldnt leave them where they were, they were just dust collectors and clutter their tiny house does not need. Does anyone have any ideas of what we might do with them all? Thought of the local small hospital, but they already have a collection. Maybe preschools or something? If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

So this week is a busy one ... lots of medical appointments for both hubby and myself. I got an early night last night, but I am still feeling terribly tired. Mind you, I didnt sleep much, despite being in bed.

I got some nice news from my brother last night. He had gone to a squash presentation night last night for end of year presentations. He and his youngest son both play squash, and both are very good players. I used to play myself too, and won a few A Grade championships when I played. Its nice to see my little nephew carrying on the tradition. Anyway, my brother was awarded the Club Person of the year award, which was very fitting for him. He does a lot by way of encouraging and coaching young kids coming through, etc. So I was really happy for him.

Okay gotta go. Sorry for only updating this thread, the reason I tagged most people here. I just dont seem to have the energy to post to a lot of other threads right now. I ended up emailing my psych last week before I left for family visit. She hasnt responded yet, but was aware that I was going to be away all week. I am hoping to hear from her tomorrow maybe.

Have the best day possible everyone.

Sherry 💕

@eth @Maggie @Gazza75 @Former-Member @CheerBear and all
hoping your day has been ok