Crystals, lavender and chocolate

When Vicky came on Friday she brought me the lovely pink quartz thumb stone which is very soothing to keep in my hand and stroke. It is said to have healing properties. Ambermoggie had also suggested quartz for deeper dreamless sleep and I remembered having some crystals upstairs in my drawer.

The first photo is of the rose quartz, the second is some unknown quartz that was given to me by a former neighbour who had a stint at jewelry making. I have had it hanging in my bedroom window for many years as he told me that it had healing properties. Perhaps I should try wearing it after my operation. The third is not a crystal but a strange item of jewelry sent to me from a cousin in Canada roughly 40yrs ago. Inside is a real mustard seed and the box contained the words of the parable -

The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31-32)

I am not sure what I was supposed to learn from wearing the pendant but it always caused comment whenever I wore it.

The last photo is my mother's much loved crystal droplet. I doubt very much if it is of any monetary value but she treasured it greatly as it was a gift from my father. The chain is sadly broken and I keep saying I will get another one and wear it again one day. The photo isn't a good one as for some reason every photo I tried to take came out blurred. Obviously a camera shy crystal.

I bought some lavender bath oil and some Original Source Lavender and Tea Tree shower gel from Tesco yesterday. I found that I already had some Lavender perfume from the Body Shop and Lavender Linen spray from Avon so I am armed up to the hilt with Lavender for a hopefully dreamless ( well bad dreamless) sleep tonight. I also bought some chocolate but I don't think I was supposed to eat a full bag of Belgian chocolate covered raisins last night - but I did. All I can say is although I remember dreaming it wasn't a scary one. It didn't do my diet a whole lot of good so I will try the Lavender tonight - it has less calories!

I have almost finished my niece Vicky's crochet top down jumper and have taken some photos that I will post tomorrow. I found that when I tried it on that it needed a couple more inches adding to the bottom as because it is a stretchy shell pattern it went upwards as it stretched outwards across my bust if you know what I mean. That's the beauty of top down - so easy to carry on and add a few more inches. I am also going to add a couple of rows of shirring elastic to the sleeve edge as I feel it needs something to make it stay stretchy instead of stretched. The sleeves end just below where the elbow bends and it tends to bag out the fabric so I think the elastic will keep it in shape.

I will finish off the sweater and then start the pantomime of de Buster hairing it. I think I will have to invent a huge plastic bag with a zipper on it so I can sit inside (head hanging out of course) and crochet away without getting Buster hair all over everything. I have never known a short haired dog shed so much. He gets brushed every day and often hoovered and yet he leaves a halo of hair all around him as he shakes (which he does often)

I have just bumped into my next door neighbour whilst I was dog walking. She has to go in Christies on Tuesday for 3 days chemo treatment as she had a bad reaction to her last treatment and they are trying out a different type. Please keep her in your thoughts. She has 3 more treatments still to go.