Due to reoccurring episodes of vertigo I decided to sell my treadmill because I didn’t feel safe on it and also because it was taking up too much room in my seniors studio accommodation.

I still have the option of getting outside and going for a walk when we are not in Lockdown.

There are days when I don’t go out of the unit but still need to keep on the move.

I watch tv most days. Shopping channels can be dangerous. I got sucked in after seeing several encores of a home exercise promotion. Yesterday my Ellipto Maxx Robotic Training Cycle arrived at my place.

No assembly needed, only had to put batteries in the remote control.

Plug into power supply, sit down and relax while you exercise.

I can sit here at night while watching TV and still be on the move 😂.

PS: This is not an ad for the machine.

Slowly getting there.

Drawing Faces…..basic proportions.

Progress not perfection.

Upcoming lessons are the skull, eye’s, lips, noses and ears..

Plenty to keep me occupied.

I have an 87 year old friend that is learning how to use his new cell phone.

This morning he took a photo and sent it to me in the hope that it worked.

What a lovely surprise to receive these beautiful roses.

There is a history behind these roses.

Several years ago my friend decided to build a dam in a plot of land quite close to his house. Unfortunately the idea was a disaster, wouldn’t contain the water and left a soggy boggy mess which attracted mosquitoes big time.

He decided to refill the area without the expense of paying someone. He advertised for truck loads of waste land fill from building sites to be delivered free. After months of waiting he finally got the land fill rocks soil etc that he needed. Unfortunately the trucks couldn’t get access to the dam so he had to cart wheel barrow loads from where it was dumped.

At this stage of the saga I should tell you that this dear soul had been cleared of bladder cancer for two years. A few months ago he started peeing blood and getting clots. Finally went back for scans which showed the cancer had returned, still within the bladder. The medical team decided no chemo, no treatment only palliative care, in other words now not treatable 😢.

Back to filling the dam story. After many weeks of tedious back breaking hard work on his own the hole from the dam was finally filled.

My friend then decided to turn this vacant plot into a rose garden. In preparation he located a poultry farm nearby and managed to get trailer loads of manure.

The roses were finally planted and growing well. I haven’t been able to visit the rose garden and my friend because of the pandemic and also because he lives in Victoria and I live in Queensland .

This dear man lives alone and usually declines home help. A few months ago when the Covid-19 hit Australia he was offered Meals On Wheels for several weeks free, fortunately that has been extended.

The bladder cancer is not going away, the peeing of blood and clots continue. The palliative care nurse makes an occasional visit. He feels weak and exhausted, claims not to have any pain. Has been advised to visit the hospital if the blood clots block the urinary track system.

My friend is not giving up. He plays cards with friends a twice a week and also croquet. He loves telling stories like I do and is currently rewriting stories and putting them onto USB sticks to leave for his family.

Don’t give up.

Take time to smell the roses 🌹💐🙂

Home cooked meal for one = $6.00

Salmon, potatoe wedges, mixed vegetables and haloumi. The only thing missing was a wedge of lemon. I did have a bottle of concentrated lemon in the fridge, a light drizzle of that worked well and some hemp oil.

I reckon you would pay big money for that meal at a local cafe.

Today I started to learn to draw a human head. The lesson was to learn about the shape of the head and where to put eyes, nose ,ears and mouth.

This is my first practice page

Second page: Odd looking Bob is looking at Muriel with lust!!! Muriel is thinking she needs cosmetic surgery.

Tomorrow I will attempt this again.

I am having so much fun 😂😂😂

Brisbane are now in isolation for 3 days, and who knows it might even be extended.

My plan is to utilise this time to sketch away. I have several pieces that need to be finished , am also several weeks behind in my lessons.

I might even do a January challenge that one of my arty blogger friends Christine is doing.

Reading glasses on ready to get started. My son took that photo yesterday before his trip back home 3 hours away over the border into NSW.

I should mention that the embroidered table cloth was made for me when my first child was born 50th years ago…..Oh dear where have all the years gone…..

I am so happy today. I have finally got myself a small dining set. My son and daughter-in-law are in Brisbane for 3 nights having a mini holiday. Today they took me to IKEA so I could by myself a small table and chairs. I had done my research, had a good idea what I wanted but I wasn’t prepared to buy the table until I had seen it and sat down at it. Even though I had a budget to stick to I really wanted a sturdy table not just for meals but also for my art and craft activities. IKEA is well known as the ‘flat pack store’.

We enjoyed meandering through IKEA. My 6 year old grandson bought himself a new dinosaur, he adores them.

My daughter-in-law got a new lamp so she can read a night and not have the main light on in the lounge.

We managed to fit all the flat packs x4 into the boot of the small car.

Back at my unit my son offered to assemble the flat packs. I am not permitted to put photos of my family on my blog site.

All assembled and looking great.

Many of you will know that IKEA is a Swedish Company. Guess what the dining set was made in China (no offence to China).

We christened the new dining table. The four of us enjoyed a lovely meal that I had prepared. Silverside with Mustard Sauce, crispy baked potatoes, carrots and peas, followed by raspberry jelly and fruit.

I am feeling grateful and totally blessed.

Lately I have been quite slack with my art work. I am determined to work on my energy levels, motivation and build up my confidence.

I attempted drawing glasses.

One lesson was to draw horses heads from imagination and also at different angles. I did these sketches this morning, am happy with the result.

My last sketch today is a horse with a few more details.

Thats the end of horsing around.

My next lesson is when I start learning to draw a basic human head.