Cellulitis

I've just been to the Doctor as I have had pain, swelling, redness and heat in my thigh since last Thursday. Turns out I have Cellulitis.

In the past 4 days it has spread from the size of a 10p piece to practically the front of my left thigh! I can't believe how much it hurts, and the heat coming off this thing is as bad as sunburn!

We have just been to the chemist to pick up my antibiotics and I'm off to rest now as I feel a little euck! I am assured that the infection will respond quickly to the antibiotics - usually within taking 4 tablets. The nurse has kindly drawn a lovely outline around the infected area so that we can check if it's spreading or not.

More soon and maybe even a photo! Just need to find the batteries for the camera. Lol!

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Craftybernie Away...

A few weeks ago mum fell and broke her right ankle and fractured her right wrist. I couldn't go and visit her when it first happened but I'm finally off to see her today.

I'll be away for 9 days so if you need to speak to me regarding swap packages sent or received, or anything else for that matter, please be patient and I will reply to you as soon I can. I will have pc access at mum's house but don't plan on being online for long periods. I'll check in where possible.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and kindness xxx

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Pain is such a PAIN!

OMG I am in so much pain at the moment I want to cry!!! I've reached that stage where you get out of a chair issuing a mouthful of expletives as you exhale with the effort! You know the one: "holyfuckingshitjesuschristalmighty" (sorry but it's true).

BTW, I am issuing a READER BEWARE. From this point forward, you are likely to suffer from an extreme bout of 'down in the dumps' so read on at your peril.... Seriously, chocolate will not help you this time. You've been warned!

It doesn't help that I put on even more weight during 2007 which, in retrospect, was a fairly good indication that it was a bad year physically (& mentally) - the lack of exercise and mobility has taken its toll on my body. So on top of the original 3 stone that I should have lost sometime in the last decade, I've now got another 2 stone to contend with.

There. I've said it. Now I guess that makes it real - real enough to want to do something about it. I HAVE TO LOOSE at least 5 STONE, (but I'd be happy with 2!!) I really don't want to be discussing this in 4 years time when I'm forty!

The extra weight hasn't done my knees any favours either. The pain and swelling in my legs gradually got worse and worse during the latter half of 2007 but thankfully I can wear shoes (or boots) again from time to time.

My only saving grace over the past 5 years was that I could at least kneel or sit on the floor to play with Little Miss CB. Sadly that's no longer enough as she wants to play football at every given moment. I wish I could play with her more. If it wasn't for the crafting we do together, there wouldn't be that much to do at all. I never considered it before but I guess that's why she's so keen to have a go at the crafty stuff I do as it's 'our thing'.

I'm not going to dwell on any more negative stuff this evening. Afterall, I need something to do tomorrow night too. I'm off to do some more knitting on my bag for the 'Round Robin' on the CTnY forum.

Have a pain free evening folks.... and send me some virtual hugs or positive karma if you get a moment. xx

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Week's holiday

Many of you already know but for those of you who don't, we're going away for a week. We're not going off island (thank God), just down south like last year. I do hope the weather improves soon as it feels like it's been raining forever!

If you've e-mailed me or left comments and are waiting for a response, apologies for not replying sooner. I'll get back to you all next weekend.

In the meantime, have a great week, and I'll leave you with a photo of Katie from the birthday party. There are some more to come but this will have to do for now. Thank you everyone for the kind birthday wishes for Katie. I've passed them on and explained where each and every one has come from.

Take care...Bernie

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Royal Manx Agricultural Show 2007, Sulby, IOM

I just heard the news that the show has been cancelled due to the foot and mouth outbreak in Surrey. It's amazing how something so far away can impact so greatly on this little island but I guess it's better to be safe. It would be a disaster if foot and mouth made it here - the farming industry would be destroyed! So, no walks in the counryside for the timebeing; dogs must be exercised on the beaches for now. I wonder if the cattery will be open for business in the coming weeks???
I must admit that I was gutted that I would be missing out on the Arts and Crafts section. I've been working flat out this last week. But then my selfish brain switched into gear and realised that the impact on my little life will be negligible. It's the farmers and other local produce that will suffer.

I can't begin to imagine the impact the cancellation of the show will have on everybody involved - they must be reeling. And I doubt that the show will be rescheduled. The show was cancelled in 2001 due to the foot & mouth outbreak in the UK, and if I recall correctly, so was the TT. I wonder if they'll cancel the Manx Grand Prix at the end of August/beginning of September????

To top things off, I've had what I thought was a bloody migraine from hell since the middle of last week but I think it might be a bug of some sort. Typical. Mr CB & Little Miss CB go away for 10 days, and apart from helping the FIL in his workshop last week, I didn't really have any plans except to maybe craft and clean. And as for progress, well, let's just say that there's been lots of crafting going on... and leave it at that! :)

PS Did I mention that the weather has been a total pain in the a*se this week. Come back sunshine, all is forgiven. At least I don't have to water the baskets and tubs. There's always a silver lining, eh!

Type rest of the post here

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Blog Identity Crisis No2: I'm a multicrafter, what can I say!!!

Here we go again. What type of blog is this? Well, a crafting blog of course!!! It has gone through many different guises over the year or so, and we're not just talking blog layouts here. The content varies from time to time - afterall, variety is the spice life.

My readership (if I may be so bold to call you that) has varied from felters, to knitters, to crocheters, back to knitters, to sewers... well you get the picture. People come and go, new faces appear, and old ones vanish. I guess the visitor turnover is due to the fact that I am constantly evolving as a crafter. And I wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm sewing a lot at the moment. The machine normally doesn't get an airing more than once a year, but I've had a few projects that I wanted to finish and the poor thing is still out on the kitchen table.

Then there's the costumes for Little Miss CB's stuff at school (Greek day = Toga, Abba Concert = 70's Outfit).



It wasn't intentional. Honest. So for those of you looking for a strictly Knitting blog or a Crochet blog, move along now and make way for the multicrafters among you. I'm not a purist, I'm a realist and I follow where inspiration leads.

Sewing seems to come more natural to me than knitting. I can look at something, have a moment of revelation and pretty much make it. Obviously we're talking fairly basic stuff here but I guess you could say I can hold my own.

Once I get the sewing projects out of the way I'll update y'all on the other stuff.

I craft. I am a multicrafter. I am a certified craftaholic. I'm a slave to crafting and follow wherever my inspiration leads.

I am Craftybernie.
Hear me roar, arrrgh!!! (Sorry, just had to put that in, lol!)

Craftybernie.blogspot.com was created 15 months ago as an online journal, to share and record my crafting frolics. Occasionally it serves as a councellor, friend, child, and lots more inbetween. :)

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Miscellany: Time flies

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. It must be a sign that I have tooooooo much going on at the moment. We've had a busy few weeks. Phew!!!

I am halfway through my backyard leaves scarf for the International Scarf Exchange and thankfully the pattern repeats are getting quicker now. What started out as a very challenging pattern has now evolved into a pattern that I just love. I hope I will be finished by the end of next week. I have all the goodies and treats ready for my pal. It's just a question of finishing the scarf. No biggie really! (she said confidently).

In other news, Mr CB's dad had a wonderful 60th birthday party a few weeks ago which was organised by his partner. Amazingly he didn't click what was going on. I shan't go into the details for now as there's just so much to talk about but needless to say a great time was had by all! And I was one of the last 3 standing at 3.30am on the Sunday morning, having drank many voddies & coke and danced the night away. Ah the good life.

Swiftly followed the Manx Youth Games on 11th May. Little Miss CB did really well and out of the 5 regions, the North (including Ramsey where we live), came 3rd in the footie. It was the first time she took part in the games and thoroughly enjoyed herself! Just like last year (and the year before that etc..) about 1,800 children aged 8-14 took part from all around the Island. Poor Mr CB spent the day resting in the car while I sat in the stands cheering on the little ankle biters with the other parents. 'He who never gets sick' unfortunately caught the dreaded lurgy from me and really wasn't feeling too well on the day! :(

This weekend saw me up on Friday evening making 70+ fairy cakes for a party celebrating 10 years of a local youth club project called The Shed. Mr CB helps out on the committee and I volunteered to help him by baking his share of the fare. I enjoy it and if I do say so myself, I make a rather nice set of buns! In return we got a nice chunk (I kid you not) of birthday cake and some delish chocolate cake. Yum yum yum!

Little Miss CB spent most of the Saturday at a birthday party for her friend. The 10 girls had a day session at the Venture Centre where they took part in archery, air rifle, absailing, obstacle course, and more. Thankfully it was dry and relatively warm. There's nothing worse than when she comes home from the Venture Centre when it HAS been raining - the clothes are usually filthy and the smell, well it's worse than wet dog. Nothing in this world can possibly smell as bad as wet forest, woods, moss, mud etc... Yeuck!!

I helped little Miss CB build a really cool den in the garden today. We bought some bamboo canes a few weeks ago at the garden centre for literally pennies, with a view to making a teepee or play tent. However, they made a rather excellent structure when the shorter lengths were strung together on either side with the longer poles running across the top as a 'roof'. In fact it was such a lovely evening I made a little picnic tea for her and her best friend. Nothing fancy but there's something nice about eating out in the garden when the weather is fine!

I still have a website to draft up for Mr CB and a few flyers to put together for one of the committees he is on so I guess I'll be a busy bee for a few more days to come!

And here we are. Four am on a Tuesday morning. My insomnia is still rampant - oh, didn't I mention this before? Yes I am, unfortunately, not getting much sleep these days. The pain has been really bad for months now and I rarely get more than a couple of hours in bed before I get disturbed when I try to turn over etc. Add to that Mr CB's comings and goings for work and it makes for a very poor and unhealthy sleeping situation. Hopefully it will sort itself out soon. I don't need any more medication but it's probably time to restock my cupboard with calmomile tea!

'Night night folks. :)

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Manx Youth Games - 12th May 2007

Manx Youth Games 2007 - Youth Festival of Sport for children aged 8-14 years from all over the Isle of Man - will take place this Saturday 12th May!

Children on the Isle of Man have been training for 5 months to prepare for the 12 different sports. Little Miss CB will be taking part in the Girls Soccer, playing for the North of the Island. Go North!!!

Because of photography restrictions I will not be able to post any photos to the website just yet. However, I'm hoping that I can score (score, get it?) some pictures once it has been reported in the local press.

Happy weekend folks....Bernie

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