Therapy...

for Knots in the String...

I’m a master of displacement therapy.

It works in the same way as finding shells works for Dog, taking him to his happy place.

Today, I had to have two cancers removed from my ear-edge. Oooh it hurt until the local anaesthetic kicked in, and it’s throbbing now as the needles wear off. But two incisions/excisions (?) later, I have some fine medical embroidery and a dressing and can wash my hair in a couple of days.

To avoid the inevitable discomfort this afternoon, I’ve made a cheesecake brownie,

cleaned the car interior (buckets of white sand from grandson), written to a friend and cut out a heart my daughter has asked to give as a gift. I’ve been ‘displacing’ and it works. When I lay down latter, there was nothing to take my focus away from the pervasive throbbing. So you see, displacement is a wonderful thing… that or focusing the breath.

But what irony that earrings arrived in the mail today and I could only try on one!

I’m one of those few without pierced ears and have always envied those who can wear diamond or pearl studs. The other day, I found a seller on Etsy who does ‘clip’ studs – a tiny, soft, user-friendly clear plastic fitting that is almost invisible and at last, I now have my very own ‘diamond’ studs!

I will wear them one day – when the stitches are out, and my ear looks remotely normal…

Boredom Busters:

On the farm, the rams have been joined and are looking pooped, the girls smug, as if they know full well their female charms. We purchased a beautiful line of merino ewes whose wool and frame fits our plan and new rams which we hope will round off the flock nicely.

The drive has been graded, the flood holes filled and a new gatepost dug in. Needs to be painted white but we’ll get there.

In the garden, we’ve dug potatoes, picked the last of the zucchini, the parrots have finished the sunflowers …

…and we and grandson picked the last of the pears, apples and quinces as the wretched bush-ravens (my least favourite bird of all time!) were breaking through the nets.

The smell from a box of quince is mysterious, cloying, Middle Eastern, the Arabs calling it al safarjal. Its history is ancient and the fruit is reputed to be the sacred emblem of Aphrodite. It figures really – look at that golden fruit and it is fecund, very female – a rather beautiful fruit when fully ripe. But not my personal favourite…

Stitching-wise, I’m still making my over-bright spectacle case. Cutting and stripping the thread, counting the weave and pushing the needle in, counting each finished row (I have to do 14 each side) makes it quite a meditative experience.

Walking with my Dog twice a day, and ballet weekly. Sad that I missed class today because of said ear.

Bookshelves:

Nothing changes except that on audio, I’ve finished Cornwell’s Stonehenge which was interesting if not riveting. Jonathan Keeble’s narration though, was utter perfection! I’m delighted he’s narrating two of my friend, Simon Turney’s novels. Simon is published by Canelo and Head of Zeus and if you are a hist.fict reader, he is one of the best. https://simonturney.com/

I’m now listening to Miriam Margolyes’ memoir, This much is True. She reads with panache and emotion,

leading with the proviso that this memoir is not a Graham Norton interview where she admits to potty mouth. How I like her – she speaks her mind on so many occasions and with quite heady gravitas. She is funny in life though. One hilarious moment that comes to mind was from the Graham Norton Show where she took Will. I. Am. to task for repeatedly using the word ‘like’.

I worship her for that as it one of my own most passionate dis-likes!

On Kindle, there is so much in Michie’s Awaken the Kitten Within that I should be taking notes. I think I’ll purchase all the Dalai Lama’s Cat books in print to have on my shelves for reference.

Watching:

I don’t want to be challenged emotionally or intellectually for a while. I want pure indulgent escapism which Bridgerton gave in spades. What a hoot that was!

We’re in the throes of an election campaign so I’ve decided for myself that I will avoid news bulletins until it’s over. I always know who I will vote for before an election is called and don’t need the rubbish that comes with a campaign. I’ll limit social media as well and shall, TBH, find so much that is relevant and good to displace it!

I’m binge-watching BBC’s Garden World on Britbox and learning so much despite being at the opposite end of the globe. Note-taking is de rigeur.

Enjoyed Britain’s Beaches on SBS. And a series on the Thames with Tony Robinson.

Have also watched a couple of Sister Boniface mysteries which were fun and I’ll watch more.

An episode of The Last Kingdom which was a little too much like all the other series. Nothing stood out. Maybe I’m jaded.

And I’ve almost finished watching The White Queen on Netflix about the War of the Roses. It does compress an awful lot into a very small timeframe and I found I concentrated on counting my stitching quite a lot with lack of interest in the storyline.

So that’s it from me. My dog says ‘It’s 30 minutes past food, Mum’ and I can see by his back turned away from me that he’s miffed, so I’d better go.

Stay safe everyone – here in the far flung south of Australia, the island population are going down like flies with Covid. Fingers crossed for our household.

Masks on!

See you next week!