Frugalling Fun

This morning, on my weekly date with my darling, we visited some fetes - first one useless, and then called into tss for a comfort stop, and managed to convince her to become my "voice of frugal reason". (Hahaha - she can't do that!!) After checking out two places which seemed not be open yet, we finally found a garage sale that was open, and I found what is possibly a silver tea pot.

The second garage sale was a bonus - Look - 2 sewing machines - well and truly vintage) - for NOTHING - nada - free - gratis. The owner was pleased to have them go to a place where they could be loved.


Then to the Catholic Church fete in Dickson - and found... 2 bead door hangings, some baking trays, a couple of dolls and this gorgeous teapot... TSS found the mother load - a box full of sewing goodies (watch her blog for more details.

When life says NO ...

I needed to renew my license - as you do on your birthday divisible by 5 in the ACT. I had a pile of questions to answer - you know the usual - do you have epilepsy?, do you have diabetes?, are you taking illicit drugs? - NO NO NO. Do you have a heart condition / disease or paralysis? Ummm YES. If you have answered YES to any of these - you are required to obtain a medical statement from your own doctor stating you are a medically fit person etc...

So off I go with confidence - picking up the most lovely cards from Lester and Mum on the way - feeling really good about life.... I ask him for a statement, and he hesitates... and eventually says No Janet, I can't give you that.
Ohhhh Come on - I am not that bad, and I really don't drive when I am feeling sick.. Come on...
No Janet - you could black out and be a danger to yourself and others. You would never forgive yourself if you hurt someone else...

Geez - I lose my license BEFORE Mum does. NOT FAIR.... Just as well Bob still has his, even though he can't do too much driving. It is just stressful for him. So no more long trips up to Queensland for us.

There is a chance that when I go and see another specialist in Sydney in December, that an ablation may (or may not) fix it all up, and I will be able to drive again. In the mean time, life changes again...

• Time to adapt to new circumstances.
• Time to be grateful for living so close to everything we need that we can walk there.
• Time to be grateful for a reasonably good bus system which leaves from my front door, and goes most of the places around Canberra.
• Time to remember that no matter what life throws at me - God is still with me, and there are a lot of people worse off.
• Time to remember that you can adapt to anything in life - and here I am complaining about not being able to drive.
• Time not to have my sense of identity and purpose wrapped up in a little piece of plastic giving me permission to use a lethal machine regularly

Birthday Books

Thank you Lester for your book voucher. It was wonderful to indulge in some retail therapy yesterday - without guilt, and just when I needed it.

Here are my choices
Mary Webb - 400 Embroidery Stitches - beautiful collection of embroidery stitches to have fun with.


A lovely collection of embroidery samplers found in Glasgow Museums. How inspiring - and I want to make some samplers...


And the Magazine from one of my favourite shows

After getting the books, I relaxed at the Canberra Museum and Gallery to listen to TSS talk about her DollsHouse Collection on ABC radio.

When Fifty feels like hundred

Tomorrow I turn fifty. I was proud of this - thrilled, and pleased that Fifty is the new Thirty... and all of that

until I needed to renew my driver's license, and because of my heart condition (Atrial Fibrillation), I had to get a letter from my Doctor to say i was OK to drive. All is well - until I asked him, and he got 'that' look on his face. In the end, after umm and arhing, he apologised, and said he couldn't...

So I have my wings clipped - well and truly. As of tomorrow, I cannot drive, until I find a Doctor who will allow me to.

That's OK isn't it - there is always Bob - that is another story... So he can, but should he.

Yes, I am spirally down in depression - won't go too far I hope, but this significantly changes my life doesn't it. Feeling a lot of loss at the moment.