Magical Moments

 It has been a dream from when my three daughters were at university that we would one day meet up and a have afternoon tea at The Ritz.  Last week the dream came true, the family flew me down to London where we had the celebration tea.  We were treated like royalty, the decedent surroundings, gold plate everything and silver tea settings were a true feast for the senses.  I have many photos that I can look back on to relive such an amazing experience.  It was a joy to share with my three very loved daughters my excitement for such a simple pleasure.  Afternoon tea...who knew that a simple sandwich could taste so good.  Each sandwich, a different bread adding to how the stand looked visually as each piece was a different colour.  Each tiny morsel melting in your mouth.  The waiters in all there finery/livery were so attentive which just added to the experience.  Next came the scones plain and fruit with jam and clotted cream.  I am a great fan of a scone and these did not disappoint.  They were light and delicious just what you would expect from such an establishment, yummy!  Onto the top tier of the cake stand and those cakes and pastries were a delight.  Finally out came a celebration cake where a fruit cake was delivered to the table with such pomp and ceremony.  To finish the cake trolley delivered another selection of cake.  It was an afternoon that I will never forget and fulfilled a dream for our little family.  Simple pleasures, surrounded by love and very happy.  Magical moments.

Sadly I am unable to upload the photos for some reason but I will try again.  I would love to share them with you.

We did laugh when it was back to earth with a bump...travelling back using easy jet ( a budget airline)!

On the crafting front I am keeping myself busy.  Today I made a start on one of the project bags that I had prepared, making Christmas napkins ready for each of the girls.

I found the napkin rings in a little shop in Inverness, which I am sure will add to their story.  Such an attentive lady who wanted to please.

Another magical moment was a visit to the local craft fair, held in Sporsnis (Ness Sports Centre).  I met a beautiful lady called Charlotte who had a wonderful stall.  I fell in love with a hat that she had made and bought it on impulse.  It was her first sale, she was quite emotional and told me that any other hat of that design would be called Lorraine.  Under the circumstances, that was quite the legacy especially as I have such a love for hats.  That young lady will never know how much this means to me but I certainly wish her well in hew new venture and hope she does well.

I will close for now with a warm welcome to new followers.  I hope you find love and hope in some of my adventures through life.

As always I thank you for your visit and your supportive and uplifting comments.

See you soon.

Blessed By Friendship

 Your love and support has overwhelmed me.  Not an occurrence that happens often but I am at a loss for words...and I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Reading through the numerous comments has uplifted and sustained me both emotionally and spiritually.  I also thank you for the private emails, ecards, notes and little gifts.

I have been surrounded by loved ones for the past few weeks, spending quality time with each daughter and their little family.  Creating memories that will hopefully be cherished.  Memories of us as a family together and the beauty of this stunning Island.  

Each sunset/sunrise a stunning array of colour emitted through the sky.

A stop for a cuppa and another spectacular view.  The sea tempting us with its beauty, with its gentle swell as it hits the harbour wall.

Sheep lambing and geese looking for a place to land.  Nature at its finest, spectacular and breath taking.  I feel so blessed to be living the dream.  I am at peace and happy to end my days here.  I have decided to take each day as it comes and look for the beauty.  A start as been made on the garden, albeit slowly.  Wild flower seeds have been thrown in the fenced area by the outbuilding.  I am hopeful that it will give a pop of colour and bring butterflies to that patch, we shall see.  The pots at the front of the cottage are looking a little forlorn but we have plants ready to be added.   A job for another day.

On the crafting front I have been keeping myself busy experimenting with watercolour, decoupage and sewing a mixed media picture.  I must admit I am really enjoying the process.

There is a ladies Flourish conference here locally on Saturday at the Comunn Eachdraidh Nis, a day of praise and worship.  I have made bookmarks for each attendee.  Again I enjoyed the process filling each piece with love.

Finally, I have added a few cards.  There is always an event that I need a card for and I though it prudent to have a couple ready.

I will close for now as I need to pack a bag once again.  I am travelling to the mainland tomorrow on the early ferry, heading for the hospital for another biopsy Thursday, this time the lung.  I am thankful for your love and support and feel blessed by so many hands of friendship.  The blogging world is a joy to behold.

See you soon.

A Sad Update

 I have been missing in action once again.  This time I have been lost in medical jargon.  Long story very short I have not been at my best of late, not feeling myself.   After a visit to the GP, a few tests, scan and finally we heard the dreaded words..."you have cancer".  Another scan revealed I have lung cancer which has spread to the liver, lymph nodes and pelvis.  What is crazy is there is a second cancer of the kidney, which it quite unusual I am led to believe.  There is no cure, I have been given just months to live.  I have already had a biopsy of the liver and go over to the mainland next week for a biopsy of the lung to determine some form of treatment plan.  It is palliative care.

I am living each day as it comes, trying to enjoy each moment.  Savouring each magical minute and spectacular view that I see. Enjoying the beauty that surrounds us and the everchanging landscapes. I am trying to remain as positive as I can and most of the time have an inner sense of peace. I have my moments and struggles but for now I am strong.

This blog has been a lifeline at times and I thank you for your company, friendship and love along the way.  I don't want it to end as a medical diary so will not be recording my journey.  However I am not ready to give up on it just yet.  I will pop in now and again and carry on recording my makes and little adventures.  

See you soon.

Magical Tour

 Its a beautiful day, the sun is shining and the temperatures have improved it was reading 11 degrees C in the car.  There is a little breeze which makes it feel cooler so grab your jacket and I will take you on a little adventure.  You have been here before but each visit is different, it is an everchanging land/seascape.  The constant movement of the sea and clouds in the sky make for a different picture each time you take a photo.  First stop Port of Ness.  The road down to the port is still closed so we parked near the Breakwater, a lovely restaurant/cafe overlooking the port.

Back into the car for a short drive to Stoth beach, one of the family favourites for when the children visit.  It is a small cove with steep cliffs on either side, it has a few caves so perfect for pirates and boisterous boys to wear themselves out.  Today we just stood at the top and didn't venture down, but it was a joy to marvel at the beauty.  We also had the feeling of being watched...

Watching me, watching you!

Our final stop before heading home is the Butt of Lewis and the magnificent lighthouse.

Let me take you nearer the edge of the cliff, make sure you have a firm foothold its a long way down.  I marvel at the beauty that we are surrounded by and feel blessed to live on this beautiful Island with it's unique beauty and splendour.

Back to the cottage for coffee and crumpets, hope you enjoyed this little adventure just as much as I did.

See you soon.

Fun In All Weathers

 What a mixed bag we have had with the weather, storms one day bright sunshine the next a typical day in the Outer Hebrides.  A start has been made in the garden, a few moments at a time the bright sun lulls you into a false sense of security it is still quite cold.  The tyres have been cleared and are ready for future growth.  The rhubarb is already starting to unfurl its rich red stalks and pale green leaves, a lovely welcome to a sign of Spring a change of season and a shift in the weather cycle.  The mint is starting to poke through the soil, along with some of the other herbs.  We are making plans for the garden, always an exciting time of year.

Saturday saw me in the kitchen doing a mammoth bake for the freezer, a quiche, sausage rolls, egg custards to use up an abundance of eggs.  I also prepared a bolognaise sauce and a curry ready for the days we have hospital appointments.

I spent a few hours immersed in a project of dying some wool, what fun I have had.  I intend to crochet some flowers to make wreaths and a twig arrangement and needed some extra colours.  I want to use all Hebridean wool so dying some wool made this possible.

It was soaked in cold water along with vinegar for 20 minutes prior to adding the dye.  This was then heated until just before boiling and left to cool to room temperature.

A good rinse before it was hung up to dry.  I am looking forward to seeing the end result once it is crocheted up.  The colours are good with an even spread so I am quite pleased with it.  The bonus I had so much fun with and enjoyed the process.

I have once again pursued the experimenting with water colour paint.  This time a mixed media approach of painting, decoupage and sewing.  I had so much fun with it and will certainly be doing this style of art work again.

This is the back of one of them to highlight where I have used the sewing machine to stitch an outline.  I have been looking at other forms of mixed media and will let you know how I get on.  As always I thank you for your visit, support and comments.

See you soon.