So much time.....

Oh dear.... I am rather rubbish at the moment at making blog posts, so sorry 😒

So I guess you all want to know what I have been doing? Or it doing as the case may be! Ha ha

Isn't this chicken cute? More on this a little later! 

So where do I start? 

Ok the car!! 

As you all know a little while ago we got a new car, one we waited for, for more than 6 months! It was the Nissan X Trail... This one... (A borrowed photo, but you get the idea!) 

It was this colour and the exact car..... We had it just over a month and really from the first day of driving it I knew it had to go! There were far too many issues with it for us to cope with! The boot was no way big enough to fit mine and Jon's wheelchair in...ha ha no shopping could go near the boot if it had wheelchairs in it! Inside the car it's pretty small, compact I would say for 4 adults.  Hmmmmm and when I test drove it many months before it felt ok... But being bed bound not moving I had put on so much weight and sitting in the driving seat was really uncomfortable.  I could not access a lot of the controls and did not feel safe in it at all.... So like I say it had to go! I know, a new car and I don't like it! So we started to look around for a larger car... Well it had to be larger, smaller would be useless! After searching and searching we found one! Phew!! Test drove it and we all agreed it would make all our lives easier! We needed room and comfort as well as function ability... The boot is much lower so easier to get the wheelchairs in.  The driving position has electric controls and lumbar support... Oooh and an added bonus a button to get a heated seat! I feel very comfortable driving it and the space is wonderful... Not only that when we collected it last week the garage gave me flowers!! I really nice touch..

Here are the flowers....

They are really pretty... Oooh yes!! The car!! It's a Ssangyong called Turismo.... Han chose the colour this time, it's black but has glittery flakes in it! A bit like outer space.

It's 2 meters high, 2 meters wide and 5 meters long! Ha ha yes! It's rather large!!  So that's our new addition and we are keeping this one! 

Right.... Ooooh yes!! The chicken!! I bet your wondering what that is all about?! Ha ha no I have not bought chickens for the garden! Although I would love them, I used to have some when I lived in France, they are great fun! The chicken is a photo Han took from a outdoor show we all went to.  The show was called the Sussex Country show and held in the fields/gardens of Parham house.  It was something different for us to do and was a nice day out.  The only thing really that we did not like was that it's all on grass and tough to push wheelchairs, other than that it was really interesting.

Here are some photos from there...

Yes, the last photo is of Lancelot! He had so much fun, everyone was fussing him and he loved the attention! He slept in the car on the way home, wore him out! Ha ha

Oooh and Han took me for lunch in a vegan restaurant/cafe in Brighton on day... It's a lovely little place in the lanes.. I had bagel with advocado and tomato on the top with balsamic vinegar...very very yummy! But I could only manage one! Art on a plate! 

Yes.... I am trying to eat more healthily and thinking about getting more vitamins and protein in me too. Jon and I have been doing a process of illumination with certain food groups.  Well I had to try something, I needed to find out what was making me ill...and what was causing the rash on my face and neck too. I have other symptoms too.. Sneezing, watering eyes, I guess it looks like onset of a cold! But is not! It's rather strange! So we discovered that I cannot under any circumstances eat any dairy products, they are the worse! And the cold like symptoms combined with a frequent loo trip we think is linked to wheat... Not 100% sure but we are thinking that. Unfortunately soya products bring me out is a terrible rash on my neck and face, it's awful.. I don't like soya, but it's in a lot of foods. The problem is that I am on a NHS waiting list to be allergy/intolerance tested... This waiting list can take between 12-18 months! I just laugh, it's rediculas! So you see why we had to do something!! At least I can eat now! Although I am still working on trying to eat more necessary important vitamins it's hard with my reduced diet.

Talking of diet... Yes I am actively still going to the pool, every other day seems to be working good as it gives me a day to re-coop energy! My cheek bones are there, they have not gone back on holiday so this is good! 

If your not aware all the specialists I have seen ie; the knee ones, the back ones, the stomach ones and my own doctor have all been pushing for me to be put forward for bariatric surgery.  The hope is that I am given the surgery, weight will come off me and reduce the weight going through my knees and fingers crossed I may be able to be a little more independent? Oh I need a new knee, but I am not going to get one any time soon even with a lot of weight off.... I am too young! So the hope is that lose a chunk of weight to make my life easier and less painful? Hopefully back pain and knee pain may go? All I am after is some independance! So with the NHS there are guidlines to follow and one is that I see a psychologist.. To make sure I am mentally up for the surgery and that I will be able to cope with it afterwards.  Thankfully that went well! The only concern that they have is that I need help with my meals! Doh!! I need that now as I cannot access the kitchen! I don't have an eating disorder, I am not likely to have depression afterwards and I am not likely to turn to another addiction! Lol I wonder if cross stitch counts there!? Seriously though, I was very pleased with this outcome as a while back when I saw the gastric stomach guy, the one that upset me.... He said in his letter to my doctor that he thought I had an eating disorder!! Ha ha in your face!! I knew I did not, my doctor knew that too.... But the stupid system needed it on paper! So now I wait... The psychologist submits her report to the bariatric team and. Then at some point who knows when? They contact me for an interview with the surgeon...I get to ask questions and see what they think regarding how they can help me.  This I am worried about, being on blood thinners!! I guess I will have to weigh up the pros and cons? I will have to do more research... I think I am looking at a gastric sleeve? I mean this is not something I am doing lightly, the whole thing petrifies me.... I need a solution, I may not even get this solution? But it's worth a look at. More on that as and when I know!

What else??

Stitching... Oh yes I am stitching.... Lots!! But I can't show you any of it!! I am stitching another stunning design from Hands Acrss The Sea Samplers...

Oooh take a look at this... Eeeeekkkk!!! Click the link, take a look and tell me what you think?!

https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/nicola-parkman-sandra-moffitt/

I have some things up my sleeve I need to organise... Lately I have been pretty useless, I am so sorry...note to self: try harder! Lol

Oh my.... As some of you are aware it was my birthday on the 21 St June, yes I let is sail by! I must show you some rather special things that arrived in the post to help celebrate my birthday.  I have such lovely friends, thank you... Xx

My special friend Sue in austrailia (kiwi kid) thank you xxx

Spoilt! Yes I adore sheep!! Thank you again Sue 😍😍😍

And I was thrilled to recieve these from another special far away friend..... One that knows I am loving the sampler phase I am in right now! 

It's a glasses cloth with a sampler on it! 

Thank you so so much, my happy smiley far away friend 😍😍😍😍

Wonderful special gifts, thank you xxx

Lol here is a rather cute photo of Lancelot sleeping on Jon's chair...yes those are Jon's legs! 

Lancelot is almost 6 months old now!! He is adorable and a lot of fun to be around! He keeps Han on her toes! Lancelot starts puppy classes very soon so that will be interesting! 

I think I have bored you all enough! Thank you for sending me emails and wondering where I have been! I am alright as they say... Plodding on!! My next post I do I have something rather special to share with you all ....ooooh with a give away!! 

Happy smiles until then!! 😊😊