Untangling knots – learned from a dog

Untangling knots can be as enjoyable as doing a jigsaw puzzle. I’d forgotten the therapeutic value of unscrambling a ball of wool until recently. The newly acquired puppy, Maggie, delighted in taking wool from my knitting basket, left casually where I’d always left it. She chewed the paper around a new ball until it fell…… Continue reading Untangling knots – learned from a dog

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Categorized as life skills

Birthday hopes of an old woman

Birthday hopes! As I celebrate the day I was born, 4 November, 1937, I also recognise with a sense of awe that I’m officially an old, old woman. But it doesn’t mean that I no longer have plans, hopes and aspirations for the future. Everyone needs an idea about what the next part of their…… Continue reading Birthday hopes of an old woman

Why strawberries make me happy

Strawberries, especially those that are ripe, red and juicy remind me of happy childhood days. My father grew the fruit on furrows in a sunny part of our garden. We watched the little plants grow, spread and finally display their pretty white flowers. Soon after they flowered, Dad mulched under the plants with fresh straw.…… Continue reading Why strawberries make me happy

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Pacemaker to the rescue? Waiting to see

‘You need a pacemaker’, they said, standing at the end of my hospital bed. ‘Not a big deal. Not too many risks. ‘We’ll enter a vein near your collar-bone. Poke a wire through the vein into the right atrium of your heart, and one into the ventrical. Screw them into the muscles of your heart.…… Continue reading Pacemaker to the rescue? Waiting to see

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Categorized as Health

Panic attack or heart problem?

Panic attack seemed to be my diagnosis almost two months ago. It puzzled me. My life seemed smooth and under control. But I’d presented by ambulance, seriously scared, at a public hospital emergency department. My blood pressure was high and my heart pounded, raced then seemed to stop. I felt lightheaded, sick. My daughter and…… Continue reading Panic attack or heart problem?

Will a keyboard enhance my life?

An electronic keyboard gathering dust and cobwebs in a cupboard caused me to wonder about its purpose and why I’d hung on to it for so long without using it. I often thought about dusting it off and teaching myself to play better. But my old husband was quite scathing about the instrument and my…… Continue reading Will a keyboard enhance my life?

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Categorized as Learning

Happiness hormones – how to boost them now

Happiness hormones are among the many chemical messengers created in glands in our bodies from the food we eat. They are released into the bloodstream where they circulate. According to Stephanie Watson, hormones act on our tissues and organs to control how our bodies function and how we feel. Happiness hormones relieve stress and anxiety…… Continue reading Happiness hormones – how to boost them now

Music and falling in love again

Music burst back into my life after a long absence. I’m overjoyed. My old husband banned music from our house soon after we married seventeen years ago. He said his poor hearing made listening difficult. ‘Noise’ made it hard for him to concentrate. He also banned cut flowers because, he said, they gave him hay…… Continue reading Music and falling in love again

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My blojo and how I lost and found it

My blojo (or blog motivation) went on leave over a month ago. I got the idea for this blog from my sister, Elizabeth, who is an excellent and dedicated maker of things crochet. She talked once about losing her crojo (motivation for crochet). I’m not sure how she recovered it, but it came back, too!…… Continue reading My blojo and how I lost and found it