A Peculiar Sky

Hello Friends

I must start with the photos I forgot to share yesterday, of last evening's spookily strange sky.  It was as if someone had drawn a line across the sky just above the distant horizon and coloured it in grey.  In the lower photo, it looks like the distant ocean, but it isn't at all, it's the low cloud.

There was something quite unsettling, maybe because it looked like a sandstorm as one is approaching from the desert?

I must get my act together today!  I got up with my usual routine, then just after 9:00 a.m. I remembered I needed to revert to Welsh Dragon mode to phone the Council yet again over the bin.  If for one moment I thought I was in the wrong I would drop it, but I do not like to be accused of something that I don't think I did.  Also, it was the patronising "we will do you a favour and overlook it this time and send someone out to collect it, but don't let it happen again" attitude that has got my back up too.  So I sent off the email, and phoned up to spend over an hour and nine minutes on hold. I was originally number 48 in the queue. A complete waste of time, I am now waiting to be called back.  We all know what that means.

Then, having got up with such bounce, I suddenly found myself two hours later waking up from a long nap.  What a disappointment, I really thought I'd be awake all morning.  Sigh.  Oh, well, it could have been worse.  Vinted sales packed, labelled and on their way.  Last night I "favourited" two more Sea Salt tunics {they do the same style in many different colours}and both sellers had come back offering to sell them to me for lower than their original prices.  This pattern seems to be a thing on Vinted.  *Note to self: don't pay full price without offering a lower one first!

Bank Holidays always throw me, so it will be of no surprise that I forgot today is Tuesday and it is the first of my Zoom meetings with my Herbal Medicine group.  It's at 7:00 p.m. and it's going to be a proper squish to get everything in so that I can eat, take my meds at the proper time, get my walk in, and tie up other loose ends that need to be done before it begins.  I might have to make couscous for tonight as it can be done in under ten minutes and is quick to eat too.  I have halloumi or tempeh to pick for my protein, and also some rather small fresh figs which will be a nice addition.

Later on now, MUCH later on as it will be after 10:00 p.m. when I post this.  I got side tracked then I got my act together and went for my walk, taking a slightly different route again.  Here is some of the lovely bucolic scenery that surrounds me.

Here is an example of another hazard.  Narrow pavement {sidewalk} and someone has spotted traffic cones which block the path just to stop people parking in front of their house. 

oh, stop your moaning, Minnie!  Look at this . . . only in west Wales where the wild wind whips and withers wutheringly will you find the trees tell you the direction of the prevailing gale force winter winds!

Moving on, I bumped into a friend who is taking the same "witchy Welsh wisdom" Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine course as I am, we had a chat.  Then I made a new friend, Pat, who lives very nearby, and I eventually got home with just enough time to cook some quick cook couscous and to burn my tempeh. Bah! Humbug.

It was time for my zoom meeting.  It was AMAZING.  It was WONDERFUL. It was MAGICAL. It was like FINALLY COMING HOME TO MY TRIBE.

I have just been out in the garden in the gloaming, picking a few fresh Danadl Poethion for my breakfast smoothie tomorrow.  Danadl Poethion, or Stinging Nettles are full of vital nutrient and I am going to make sure I eat plenty of this free food crop that grows in profusion in my unkempt, wildlife friendly garden.

The gloaming over the Shire

A strange leaved plant on my way

My humorous attempt at a "self portrait"

Me on a Very Bad Hair Day squinting into the sun.  I am getting my hair cut tomorrow.  The Parkinson's drugs have made it a horrible mess.

and finally for tonight, little fatty me in my new Fisherman's Smock bought from Vinted for just £15.00 and I confess I am rather smitten with it and have put in an offer of £13.00 which was accepted on another in Teal, which I love that colour.

Off now to the gegin {kitchen} to get a late evening snack in lieu of the burnt tempeh.

Until tomorrow

Debbie xx

Tonight's total, with several more promises of support to follow!

Where Do I Begin?

Hello Friends!

Well, it's been a bit of a day today, hence the late update.   After seriously overdoing the distance yesterday, I woke up this morning, if you can call it waking up, so tired and achy I went back to bed and slept away most of the Bank Holiday Monday.  

From the garden, I do love the mill stones

I muddled through the day. Let's deal with the garden waste bin.  The Council will be hearing more about this, I am now an enraged Welsh woman on a mission, breathing fire!  Your input is invited, but does this look like an overfilled bin?  Do you think the clippings would have come out so easily just by tipping the bin over?  I don't.  I think the bin men didn't even try!!!

They will also be hearing about the potholes

I dealt with some Vinted sales, and today I wore the plum coloured Sea Salt "new without tags" tunic I bought for a snip at £15.00 on Vinted. I just bought a second one in teal, offered £13.00 and it was accepted.

Then, some cheeky chap wanted to buy my Thunderbirds charm bracelet for next to nothing, trying to make out it is damaged {which it isn't} but when I learned he wanted to cut it up for parts, I sent him packing with a flea in his ear!

I did a couple of modules of my Herbal Medicine course and then decided I'd better get my act together and go for my walk, so off I went.  I opted for a shorter route this evening as I don't want to overdo things, as so many of you are reminding me not to do!!!

It was so lovely to go out in the fresh, evening air, and following the westering sun slipping toward the horizon.

I multi tasked and voted on my way!  It is now in the hands of Royal Mail

Now here's the wonderful news! {Sara, I hope you are reading this} I made it to the post box in one go without taking a break on the way!!!  On Friday when I took this route, I had to stop several times for air!

The Council is doing something towards less clinical cutting of the grassy areas by leaving some uncut

Around the corner and I stopped to chat with two neighbours on my way while the sun shimmered on the distant sea.

 At the bottom of my drive is a wild patch of prettiness 

including a moss garlanded salt lick

and to finish up, some of the flowers growing in my borders

On that note, I am tired but just getting ready to watch the Met Gala 2026 which is broadcasting live on the Vogue channel in an hour.  I love the Met Gala if only for its ridiculousness, something as an antidote to the world today.  

Heartfelt thanks again for all the donations and support, I couldn't do it without you!

Until next time

Debbie xx

Link to my Fundraising Page

I Prayed for Rain!!!

Hello Friends!

I won't pretend otherwise, I am so tired today that I prayed for rain and wind so an enforced day of rest would be on the books!  Two days of such short distances and I cannot believe my energy is zapped! It was a real struggle today, I tell you. But I pushed and I did it.  Not only did I did it, I did it in style by nearly doubling my distance!  

I did go a bit later today, the weather is not pretty, and I had to try to give it my best guess as to what time would be best to avoid the heavy rain {if it comes}.  It is misty and murky, and today's photo of Carn Llidi shows the hill has gone!  It is cold and humid, everything is sort of clammy, and it did rain a little but nothing to worry about, and I have a new, red raincoat.

Above is a picture of Ffordd Aaron, or Foster's Way.  It is a footpath down to the coast that takes you across meadows and buttercup, cow filled fields by the coast.  It was a favourite path I enjoyed to travel, but it is too uneven underfoot for me these days.

I really had to push myself, but thanks to my friend Charley I got underway and off we went, along the Bridle Path, up to the road, then across to the National Trust where I hit on my old work colleagues for support, and then back home for a much needed sit down and a cup of tea.  

My tremors are not responding well to this change of routine! They are getting very disruptive, an indication that the new routine requires more dopamine than my body can produce. I am surprised, though, that my shoulders are hurting far more than my legs and feet.  Why is this so, I wondered?  Then it hit me . . . I am pushing my rollator, which weighs in at around 15lbs!  No wonder my shoulders hurt so!!!

This caught my eye, I love to see interesting, gnarly pieces of wood.

Now, if anyone can shed light on the name of this, please share.  Google Lens came up with diddly squat on it.  It's smaller than, but closely resembles the flower of Herb Robert, although the leaf is very different.  It is all along the hedges, but looks cultivated not wild.

Well, I had lots more to say, but I am so tired I am going to try and get forty winks.  Thank you all for your support, and if any of the Anonymous donators are reading this, whoever you are, Thank You!

I wonder where I'll wander tomorrow?

Until then
Debbie xx 💙🌷💙

SUPPORT HERE ~ THANK YOU

Just Another Manic Monday

Hello Friends!

Well, not really a Manic Monday, more of a Frantic Friday!  For the first day of the Walk 100 Miles For Parkinson's challenge, it could not have been busier in distracting and pulling me in way too many directions for someone who is doing their best to be coping with the limitations of this condition.

So, I have to start with yesterday, Friday, and the first day of the challenge.  And what a challenge it is turning out to be! My morning care call is for 8:00 a.m. so I can't go before that {time was when I would have already done a couple of miles before breakfast, especially during the lighter mornings of summer} They are usually gone by about 8:45, but then I'm in my "eating hour" as I call the times before and after my Madopar tablets, which must be taken on an empty stomach, and these are five times a day, so it's a case of watching the clock and being diligent, otherwise the medicine doesn't absorb into the blood stream.  

I had my breakfast in good time and off I went, completing my first lap in good time, although by the time I reached the post box, I was already asking myself, "Who's bright idea was this?"  

At this point, I kept telling myself, just 20 more steps and it's all on the flat and downhill from here . . .

Not doing so good on the photo stakes though!  I did take a couple, but nothing exciting.

So, not too bad a start, and I was feeling pretty good, but that was all about to go south.  The day before I had a builder in to finish off a job started by another builder, and I came home to find the work already falling down!!  He's going off on holiday for three weeks!   So, he had to come back asap to sort it out, leaving me with a fine mess to clean up again.  

It was then discovered that the County Council hadn't emptied my Garden Waste Bin on Thursday.  I phoned, and these days you can only leave a message for the department, they won't put you straight through.  Anyway, there was a message on my account to say it hadn't been emptied as it was too heavy to move, stuffed to overflowing, and full of stuff that wasn't allowed, such as rubble, earth and stone!  It is actually about 2/3 full and is only grass clippings and a few weeds.

Eventually, after three calls with three hours on hold {yes, that's how long it takes to be answered} I was told it was the grass cuttings had compacted down and wouldn't come out of the bin.  Whatever!  By this time I am too shattered to talk.  I just had to accept it as I was all out of fight!

Friday night was definitely the kind of night I longed for a bath to soak in for an hour.  Oh, to have a nice, deep tub of hot, lavender scented bubbly water . . . 

Moving swiftly onwards to this morning.  I was dragging! Yesterday, I'd missed my naps, and this morning I was paying.  Still, I managed to haul myself out of the door, and taking a different route, set off, one foot after the other, one step at a time.  This time I chose one of the local Bridle Paths.  A few years ago, these paths were all levelled out and tarmacked to make them safer for walkers and wheelchair users alike.  It made things so much easier . . . until I was back on the road! 

Coming off the Bridle Path on to the footpath alongside the community hut, I nearly went head over heels with that nasty drop at the far end.  It's a lot nastier than it looks from here.  It really needs a ramp. 

This is the pavement I had to take home.  It lists at a jaunty angle, and kept pulling my walker to the right.  I felt very off balance and ended up walking on the road.  

 Other than the unpredictable surfaces, I had a good walk to enjoy, and saw lots of Pennywort, one of my favourite native plants.

When I returned home, I found more donations in my letterbox, another £110.00. I am so humbled by the generosity of everyone!

Until next time

Debbie xx

Two More Sleeps

💙🌷💙 For those of you who don't know, I am trying to sign off my posts, messages etc with blue hearts because Parkinson's UK logo is blue, and the tulip is the flower of Parkinson's.

Hello Friends! 

Well, at the time of writing this, it's just two more sleeps until the Walk for Parkinson's challenge begins.  Thank you to everyone who has supported me!  I am truly humbled and somewhat overwhelmed by the generosity of my supporters.  For all the enquiries I've had from overseas friends as to how they can donate, I am working on it. The person in charge of fundraising in Wales is setting me up with the necessary information, which I will pass on to individuals as soon as it is with me.  No mad panic, as the donations can still be made until the beginning of July.

I will be posting daily updates to monitor my progress.  I do hope you will follow along, although I don't expect you to reply to each entry, but occasional words of encouragement will be appreciated!

At the time of writing, I have raised just over £300 including Gift Aid declarations. Immense! as Nessa would say.

Support doesn't only come in the form of financial donations, but let's be honest, that is primarily what FUNDRAISING is meant to achieve, but kind words, following me, sharing my cause, an encouraging message {when the "WHAT HAVE I DONE?! kicks in}, even someone coming over to help me on with my coat {because with Parkinson's you need help to do something as simple as that} or hold the outer door open to make getting outside with my rollator easier, especially when the wind is trying to turn me into a squishy filling in the door jam! Anyone who will join me on the daily walks to hand out leaflets, or distribute posters to help raise awareness beforehand, that's all SUPPORT.

I now have just over 24 hours to decide about the Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine course.  My classic, indecisive, Libran petticoats are showing!  Here are my next two batches of herbal vinegar medicine, the much maligned by many Dant y Llew {Dandelion} and the biting Danadl Poethion {Stinging Nettle}

I have a friend who has just completed the first year on the Face to Face format and she cannot sing it's praises enough! She is all in for the second year.  I missed signing up for the F2F for this year, but another friend is signed up for that, and she is eager for me to join her as we can work together.  The online format is the same as the Face to Face, except the F2F get to meet up for four weekends over the year at Salena's small holding.  Oh, the joy of indecision!

Well, tomorrow will be a busy day.  My handyman, Darryl, is here at 9:00 a.m. to give me quotes for a whole heap of those small jobs that I can no longer do for myself, and a few others besides.  Then I have to start making copies of the QR code for my fundraising account, and I will distribute those to my neighbours, and I have some phone calls to make too.  I also have to make a temporary bunting for my rollator because I'm not just walking, I am promoting Parkinson's UK and the importance of getting more people to recognise how horrible and how seriously prevalent this condition is.

On that note, I'm off to do dishes, sort the laundry, and get the recycling that was missed ready just inside the door so that my morning call carer can help me put it out. She will hang the laundry and hopefully it will bit rain, so when my p.m. PA arrives, she can bring it in for me.

Speaking of rain . . . you might have guessed it, that after a lovely, long spell of dry weather, the rain is coming in on Friday. Isn't there something happening on Friday?  Oh! Yes, ha! my walking challenge begins.  Well, wouldn't ya know it!  Not to mention it's a Bank Holiday, so as sure as Ben Hur will be on telly, it will rain.

Until Friday!!!

Debbie xx  💙🌷💙