Final Blumars Challenges

Feeling a bit better today and found some motivation to do a bit of crafting.

Well these will be the final challenges for Blumars Crafts as unfortunately the group is closing down in November. I have been a member for about 15 months & in that time have had a ball learning new scrapbook & card making techniques and meeting lots of lovely people which whom I have made lasting friendships.

Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month the theme for both the layout and card was pink.

Have done too much again ............

Don't know what I have done this week to cause a flare up but not only am I stiff & sore all over I am sooooo tired. Find myself dozing off constantly. Not sleeping well at night either as the sciatic pain in my right leg has been waking me up whenever I have been lying on my side. Not doing any craft - just can't be bothered and have no inspiration whatsoever.....haven't even been playing around with Photo Impact.

Seem to be getting so far behind with everything - the garden needs some attention and the house-work hasn't been touched for weeks. Just have no energy for anything :(

Everything I do makes something else ache ..........ARGH .........so fed up at the moment with the fibro and fatigue.

More Garden Photos

As you can see - I really love my garden at this time of the year. All the lhippeastrums, daylillies & irises are flowering along with the gazanias, gerberas, frangipani & a lot of the natives. I also have lots of cordelines, crotons and bromiliads around the pool area which give colour all year round.

This is what we see out of our kitchen & dining room windows ..............

All the gardens have really come on since the last lot of rain and now that the warm weather has begun everything has new shoots & buds.

With all the natives flowering too we have a lot of parrots around - mainly the blues & greens but there is a pair of king parrots and a few pale-headed rosellas.

Flowers Galore

Now for my Gerberas. I only started out with two colours but over the years have ended up with quite an array.

More Flowers

I have been out again today taking more photos of flowers. Being outside always makes me feel better & I find I am able to potter around doing a bit here & there. The dogs love the attention too - especially my girl who would chase her tennis ball all day.

My Spring Flowers

These are my Water Iris which have just come out in flower. They have been such a mass of colour this year and there are still heaps to buds yet to open.

Morning Kangaroos

I often see Wallabies & Grey Kangaroos when on my morning walk. These pair of greys were just grazing beside the road yesterday morning.

Up & Down Like a Yo-Yo

I am really starting to get frustrated with everything..... can't seem to get over this constant fatigue. As soon as I do anything much or go out for a day I end up aching & sore all over & feel like I am dragging myself around. I soooo want to get into my scrapbooking and graphics but haven't touched anything this month as yet. I've hardly been away from home the last fortnight except for appointments. Then last weekend was wet which doesn't help..... even though we need the rain I don't cope with wet days - seems to make me feel worse.

REALLY REALLY UPSET & ANGRY ...........

GRRR - Had a rotweiller come out at me this morning when I was going for my walk. It was so scary - he really meant it too. At first I thought he was going to stay inside his gateway but he came across the street to have a go. I really thought I was going to end up being attacked. Fortunately I was carrying an umbrella because it looked like rain but I didn't want to aggrevate the dog more so just slowly backed away & didn't look at him.

I had to get past him to go home otherwise it meant an additional 5 klm walk so in the end I had to flag down a passing motorist & he drove me past the dog & up to the corner of the main road. I don't think I have ever been so scared.

Got home and just collapsed in a heap - I think it all hit me so sat down in front of the TV for a while & have now made a nice hot cup of coffee & am sitting here catching up with some computer.

Rang the council & put in a complaint but it's not classed as an attack because I wasn't bitten - it's just a worrying incident. However they didn't have Rottie registered for that address & when they rang the owners the council was told that no - they don't own that sort of dog. But they also said they have stray dogs come in because they don't have a gate but I have now taken photos of the property WITH the gate showing. They are short staffed at the moment and didn't send anyone out either.

However I have since remembered that another walker had the same thing happen to her earlier this year so I am going to mention that to the council too as they investigated that one.

Anyway - feeling better now.

Some more craft offerings.

Well I only got a few more challenges completed for the end of September as my motivation has gone on holidays. However I did have fun playing around with the ones I managed to get done.

This was the White With 1 challenge for September. The colours were Brown and it was to be about your Dad.
This layout was for the second Black Magic Sketch challenge for September. Both the 'Me & My Dad' photo and this one were taken at my sister's 40th Birthday Party.
I did a couple of challenges for Blumars last month. I can't remember now what the actual criteria was ... brain fog ... but for the card I did like a tag in a pocket and the layout was of Graham & I at Byron Bay on our holidays earlier this year. It was blustery, cold & wet when we visited the lighthouse but still had a great day. Unfortunately the lighthouse was closed for tours that day. This is the most easterly point in Australia.