Friday 10 August 2018

A late recognition of Lammas

The following was supposed to have been posted on the 1st August as I planned a grand celebration and ritual for Lammas. Instead I spent it in hospital feeling like a really poorly pincushion. Never one to let words go to waste I've decided to post it now; better late than never eh.



Here it comes - Lammas aka Lughsanagh. The start of the harvest months in which we celebrate all things bountiful, hopefully, if things aren't bountiful then goddess help us because the government won't. Ever heard of John Barleycorn? He comes out of the cupboard now after spending these last month's snoring away the spring and summer. Corn dollies appear and celebrations of cutting the first corn along with them. I wonder, do any of today's farmers actually do this? I hope they do, even if it's just a pint in the pub at the end of the day. We should keep these old traditions alive like our forefathers did, they always managed to find something to have a sup and a knees up for.
Today I'll decorate my altar and perhaps I'll show you later; we're having a feast supper tonight, Thai Red and Green curries. Not exactly olde England but seriously who cares.

I've started art work again and I'm so pleased and happy with it. Admittedly is lost much confidence but this latest dog portrait I'm working on is rapidly making me feel "yes! I still have it!" That's something I didn't think I'd be hearing my inner voice tell me this year. I'm thinking positive folks, that's another tick on my list of 'must do's' I'm doing well aren't?

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Sunday 5 August 2018

Patients and pencils

I've just spent 24 hours under hospital observation for a suspected heart attack. All praise indeed to the staff at NDDH who go over and beyond to make sure you are comfortable and well informed while you're there. Honestly I don't think nurses can be paid enough. I'll just rephrase that, I don't think the nursing staff can be paid enough because as well as nurses you get the auxiliary workers who do plenty so should be included. What they all put up with off us Joe Public is embarrassing to say the least. For some people being in hospital seems to award them a standard set much higher than they would normally get. Nurses are expected to do it and do it NOW, regardless of other patients needs. Why some think that anyone in a caring role is there for their express desires beats me. Do they not realise that yes you might be in pain and or need the toilet but so do a whole ward off other patients. One word of advice for them is 'patience'. Be a patient patient. You'll get seen eventually, if you need the loo but can't get there then hold it in a while longer, plan ahead and make sure you've a bed pan to hand. It's common sense to me that if you're unable to walk to the loo you'll all for a couple of bed pans for emergency situations. Or just do as the old Babushka in the bed opposite me did and let it go. After all nurses have nothing better to do than to change your sodden sheets. Oh she was a major pain in the rump, was that old girl. She was too cold, too much in pain, too unable to walk despite walking into the ward in the first place and jumping in bed all by herself. One wonders what she's like at home, does she treat everyone as if they're there solely to wait on her hand and foot? I doubt it somehow. I know this will irritate many people, my calling patients out like this but if it does then you're one of them rump pains obviously.
Manners should exist everywhere and being unwell, in pain etc shouldn't mean they fly out through the window. Be patient, be kind, have a smile ready for those over worked nurses and a please and thank you doesn't go amiss. Try it. You might be pleasantly suprised at what happens next.

Hospital apart the week has been a steady routine one. I finally finished the portrait of Bella, my BFFFs little dog and she's rather happy with it, the human not the dog, I've no idea what the dog thinks, probably very little unless she attempts to eat it as she does most things recently. I'm pleased, not hundred percent happy as I'm still learning the art of coloured pencil, it's really not like watercolor painting at all. It's more time consuming, all the blending to achieve the desired effect doesn't happen in a couple of brush strokes. Would I go back to using paints? Not for animal portraits no, maybe for a change I'll do some watercolor landscapes (Yule cards will soon be required) but for me it's colour pencil all the way forward. I can only hope to get better at it.

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