Am I in the right country?

I woke up to blue skies and sunshine today so guess where I will be sitting today? You got it - in the garden. I will take my cushions outside and attempt to pad out my oh so uncomfy plastic garden chair and soak in a few rays. Tomorrow the forecast is for sunny patches with rain so it's today or never! (I spoke too soon as whilst writing this blog the sun has decided to go into hiding - bummer- I hope that it comes out again soon)

I wish I was well enough to go and see the Gay Pride parade today in Manchester. I am still looking for my Mr Right in case you are wondering about my tendencies but I have a few gay friends and love a good party no matter who is throwing it. It's usually such a fun time with floats and everyone dressed up in their finery. I have had to miss it for the last couple of years so hopefully next year I will be there with my flag waving! Another parade I have had to miss of late is the West Indian Carnival in Moss Side. The food is fantastic and the music in the park has to be heard (and usually is miles away!) to be believed. I am just a big kid at heart and love a parade. I will have both of these events marked in my calendar for next year for sure.

I started a square for the Drops Bolero crochet pattern but I am unhappy with the centre of it and anyone who knows me will know that this is a signal for a bit of Sinatra (I did it my way!) I doubt very much if any amount of blocking will turn the centre raised nipple effect into a flat circle. I am therefore going to start the next square and use ordinary trebles for the circle instead of the double trebles as per the pattern to see if that improves the overall look. I would far rather undo than put my name to something that I am not happy with. I still shudder when I think about that loopy green chenille shawl although Storm was more than pleased with it when she saw it and I believe has worn it ever since.

I might manage a trip up to Tesco later today just to get a few bits unless I can bribe the teenager next door to accompany me and push my trolley. I have to post something and need to buy a large padded envelope but our well stocked newsagents in the village has mysteriously closed very suddenly taking with it my usual source of padded envelopes. I can buy them at the Post Office but it is such a bind. I have to stand in the queue for ever to buy the envelope and then have to address and fill the envelope in the Post Office and rejoin the never ending huge queue once again to send it. I prefer to get everything ready at home and then I can bribe the teenager next door to take it up to the Post Office and post it for me! Crafty or what?

Well the sun is shining very weakly at the moment but I am hopeful of this sunny day that they promised on the weather forecast last night. Wish me luck as I attempt to sit in my garden.

I have been asked a few times if I think my operation was worth all the pain that I went through and I will say a big yes to that. I am improving so much every day and the pain is merely from the operation site now. It feels so good to be out of the crippling daily pain that now I can't believe how I put up with it for as long as I did without killing the people who cancelled my ops so many times. I feel that I have been given a second chance of mobility and whilst I am taking it very easily at the moment to give the bones and pins chance to knit together properly, as per instructions, I am very hopeful of the final outcome. It will be a slow process for some time yet but every day brings more hope. I am finding it hard not to be able to do things but every time I think that I will do this and that I stop and say Whoa Jan think of the bigger picture here and if it doesn't come easily then just leave it for another day. I have been blessed with such good friends without whose help I would not have got through this. Thanks to everyone - you know who you are so I won't embarrass you by naming you.