Two little dollies

My dear Mother's younger sister Norah, celebrated her 80th birthday earlier this year, this is her with my Mother on Mum's 90th in 2007

Aunty Norah fell recently, not once but twice and has fractured her spine near the tailbone, which I imagine is awfully painful. She has always kept in touch via letters no matter how far from home I have roamed & so as I was writing to let her know that I am praying for a full & speedy recovery for her, I realized that I should make her a wee doll to cheer her up.

So here is Norah's healing doll she is just 5 " tall..My Girlfriend Frankie turned the big 40 on July 30th so to mark her middle age -snigger- I made the 'Lordy, Lordy Frankie's 40' doll..

I do believe this one is clickable so that you can see the details & yes she is on a lean LOL that is because when I hot glued her to the base I didn't hold her straight -oh well ;)


Looking down from above

Daily pix & some rambling

I really need to be more active on here, I have the typical Cancerian tendency to shut myself off & while I read other's blogs, I just don't think I have anything to share, so I say nothing..

Today I decided that I'd try to embrace my bloggy self ;) & to that end took some pictures in my garden today to share with my on line friends & fellow artists.

This is the view from the back steps, I have a lot of work to do there once the weather warms up.

A close up of my blue Hyacinth, they were a favorite of my dear Mother & so are special to me.
Health is always an issue once you are over 60 & recently Joe had surgery to replace 2 vertebrae in his neck, here he is with the collar on about a week after his surgery. He had to trim his beard because the collar & it did not go together well. I'm pleased as I much prefer him without all the whiskers - even the moustache is gone for the moment, the radiation he had last year created a bald patch as you can see on his right side.

It is a month now since the Op and he is doing well & has been able to get off the pain meds, so that speaks well of the surgery & its success.

I have a different health issue, I am now Diabetic - I had been pre-diabetic & thought I was eating right. I really didn't want to eat meat so replaced that with beans & chick peas. BUT it turns out that was the wrong thing to do as while they are protein, they are also starch & turn to sugar- Duh, you'd think that I would have known that, wouldn't ya? But nope I did not.

I'm testing my blood sugar once a day for the moment, while I learn what foods I'm sensitive to & get used to eating 6 times a day..

It's funny but I'm almost relieved to learn this life changing news because at last I understand why I have been packing on the weight, which has been depressing me quite a bit.

I met with a Dietitian at our local hospital last week & next Friday Joe & I have an appointment to see the Diabetic Nurse, I 'm pleased that she wants him to come as well, as I know I need his support with this.

I'm confident that I'll be able to control this with my diet & lose some unwanted pounds as well.

I've almost finished my February BJP page & here's a wee tease of it. I should have it finished this evening & will have a picture of it to share tomorrow. Then it is on to Ms March.

Finally here's my Phoebe for your viewing pleasure ;)

Picture Tagging

I got tagged by Lora

Here are the rules:-

1. Go to your 4th picture folder
2. Go to the 4th picture
3. Tell everyone 4 things about that picture
4. Tag 4 more people

1. This is Joe & the picture was taken at the 2007 annual Jazz & Oysters here on the Peninsula & by the look of the sparse crowd the show was just beginning as the place is chock-a-block full by midday.


2. I think Joe is puffing out his chest because he's wearing his very cool, Maori design t-shirt that he got at WOMAD while we were down in New Zealand for my dear Mother's 90th birthday.


3. I don't see any shadows so I guess we had a grey start to the day but the sun came out as you can see here, which BTW, is how we cook oysters up here in Pacific North West ;o)


4. We volunteer at J&O & while Joe was selling T-shirts, CDs & stuff I was selling desserts

You can read more about it all here

I'm not going to tag anyone but if you are reading this please consider yourself tagged & feel free to tag your friends ;)

Remembering Mother & Dad

Dolly Tucker - 31 December 2007
Bert Tucker - 15 December 1980

Sweet are the memories silently kept,
Of those we love and will never forget.
Nancy, Colleen, Anne, Ellen, Isabell & families.

Mum & Dad you danced so beautifully together & I miss you so much

2008 - A new beginning...

This year has started out with my sisters & I saying goodbye to our dear Mother, , who passed away in her sleep on the morning of 31st December 2007.

Mother was just 4 months short of her 91st birthday, she had lived a long & happy life & had accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord & Saviour, which has made accepting her loss much easier for me. Still, her going has left a hole in my life & that of all who knew & loved my dear Mother.

Eva Isabell Tucker (Dolly) 1st April 1917 - 31st Dec 2007

Silly Women that we were, we forgot to get a photo of us all together before my sister Colleen returned home to Nelson, after Mum's funeral. So, I have 2 photos of my sisters & I to share with you..Isabell, Colleen, Nancy Ellen

Isabell, Nancy, Ellen, Anne

I flew out of Portland Oregon on Dec 31st (remember we in the US are a day behind NZ) & 'WOOSH' flew right thru Jan 1st, arriving at 5 AM on Jan 2nd in Auckland, where my son Stephen was waiting for me.
So, I missed New Year's Day totally but that's OK, & despite the heartbreaking reason for my trip, I enjoyed being with my family & spending some quality time with my sisters, in New Zealand's warm, summer weather.

My sons Garry & Stephen with me

I arrived back home Tuesday, 15th Jan & although it is cold & wet here, I'm mostly glad to be back -part of me wanted to stay down home in NZ.

I am trying to finish the BJP page I started in November & here is my progress so far..

Time has not been my friend with this project at all, maybe I started with my pages too big but I am going to try & finish them all by June

Of course I can never do just one thing at once & am also taking part in a Beaded Mask Challenge, organized by Heather & Debra from The Beadin' Path http://www.beadinpath.com/content/blogcategory/15/13/

I got the felt attached to the mask itself before my trip to NZ, so now I need to get some beads on it

I first wet the felt, then stretched it over the mask to mold it to the shape of the mask. Once it had dried, I used a fabric adhesive to glue the felt to the mask, which left it flexible enough to stitch through.