Thursday, February 27, 2014

Life, and the things that happen in between...

After an unwelcome hiatus of two weeks I am home again to my snug little nest by the harbour. Life seems to have gone on without me, can it be true that when I am gone for good that it will continue as before? I hope so but I will certainly miss it!
Tidying up a few loose ends from the hospital stay I want to put it on record that the Devil did not find me lolling about as I took with me plenty of  crafty stuff to keep my hands from idleness....the brain you ask? Well that is another thing entirely!
My last day of sketching the passing parade (or the walking wounded) saw me in my usual niche by the bus stop studying the folk patiently waiting, some stayed long enough to study, others were gone in a blink. I like the old bloke top left, an elderly volunteer helping "oldies" much younger than himself onto the bus.

Note to self: do not buy A4 sketchbooks, the pages don't fit in my scanner.
Activity #2, sewing little birdies from a Japanese pattern in chirimen silk, these will make a nice addition to my Christmas tree...all six of them.
Activity #3, making teeny tiny origami cranes to fit in empty medication bottles. I did at least 100 in various sizes, the nurses were having fun collecting the used antibiotic vials for me to use. The ward took on the appearance of a recycling centre there for a while.  Everyone went home with at least one and I have heaps more. Perhaps a future exhibition in the hospital on the theme of "Hope in a Bottle" or even "Science and Superstition"?
Lastly but even more mindlessly time wasting, strings of origami cranes.....
Not to mention the origami puffy stars!
And..."drum Roll".... approximately 50 hours of listening to audiobooks. As will be bleedingly obvious it will take me a little time to re-adjust to civilization but toilets need to be cleaned, meals prepared and the whole lovely hum drum of daily life to be enjoyed!

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Life is an elevator...

Lots of ups and downs, especially on prednisone. Sorry to go on about the dreaded pred but other "Lungies" will recognise the highs and lows that are a part of the weaning off process. Today is a low. The step down from 25mg to 15mg is a massive drop in terms of percentages and it has an immediate effect. Thus my usually optimistic nature is relying on lots of musk stick sweeties to keep a smile on my face…a face which is now approaching full moon proportions!
While never having been a raving beauty (or indeed any kind of beauty), I do have my little vanities and having a face the size of a Mt. Rushmore carving is not my best look but as the Prof. says, it does iron out a few of the wrinkles…bloody Pollyanna!
Yesterday's sketches:
I was pleased with the drawing of the girl with the cropped hair, the others not so much.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Sketches from the Front…Day 10

Life goes on to the unceasing beat of the hospital routine, shift changes, medication times, student doctors  hurriedly taking your life story in at a gulp, effusive in their thanks and delightful in their still blushing youth.
And then there is the curious case of the prednisolone side effects (prednisolone  (prɛdˈnɪsəˌləʊn) a steroid drug derived from prednisone and having the same uses as cortisone); wakefulness, restlessness, a feeling as if the Energiser Bunny had jumped into your hutch, hot flushes, hunger, (the aforementioned bunny would be well to stay away) and the dreams……..A moment of confusion last night on waking at 3am from a not unpleasant dream involving a person of Pacific Islander descent and several Pug dogs???? I can only blame the internet. Surely the constant flow of images we see today must be clogging up the ever lessening real estate of our memories only to combine as unlikely scenarios as we try to catalogue them in that chamber of mysteries. Consider the prehistoric person who at best, saw a few pictures scratched on a rock and those in monotone, mammoth aside, at least he was spared the Pug dogs.
I ramble, sketching outside today was difficult, the weather was humid to the point of saturation. Thankfully the storm has come to refresh us all and tomorrow is another day!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Sketches from the Front.....

Day seven of my being held hostage to my "lace curtain" lungs sees me exploring the hospital and it's environs dragging an IV pole and trying to keep my sanity.
Having exhausted my supply of paper to make origami puffy stars and puffy hearts ( well it was Valentine's day last week) I have graduated to stalking members of the public in search of  subjects to draw.....if only they would keep still. I have hit upon the cunning idea of sitting by the pick up area and sketching those people waiting for their rides home. Mostly women, I was disappointed to miss the Firefighters who regularly respond to false alarms at the hospital, they are terribly macho and satisfyingly chunky in all of their gear, however, they moved a little too fast for even a sketchy sketch! I did however get their truck!
Apologies for the grey graininess of the paper My trusty IPad can do only so much.


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Perverse (but in a good way)!

Australians have a knack of saying the opposite of what they mean but by body language or a wink and a nod letting the other person know what is intended. Perhaps the most perverse of all is when you compliment your friend for being a cunning old bastard!
Thus a person with red hair is called "Blue" and perhaps that is how many cattle dogs with reddish coats are often called blue! Of course most cattle dogs are called blue as a result, so there you are, perverse!
Stamps, of the postal variety are popping up on etegami lately so I was moved to copy the image on this stamp featuring a cattle dog and name him "Blue". These dogs are legendary for their ability to work and anticipate their master's commands. They are also legendary for their penchant for nipping at the heels of cattle (and small children, I have the scars to prove it). My husband was often waylaid as a child by his uncle's Blue Heeler who would wait for him under the steps and dart out to give him a nasty nip.
So, "here Blue".