Broken Things

Greetings dear friends & readers

Goodness I did not mean to be gone for so long - somehow another shiny new month has come along 💛

My Mother has had a fall & broken her hip.  Most of the past month has been spent down in Mum's province, sitting by her hospital bed in two different hospitals.

Mum underwent surgery to pin & screw the break, & a rod was inserted - she then returned to the local hospital 
in her small town for rest & rehabilitation.

At 90 years old my Mum's bones are frail & her lower body strength is rather minimal.

I honestly don't know what the future holds ... it is a period of deep uncertainty & we can make no plans at present until we see what unfolds.

While Mum was in the main city hospital where she underwent surgery I travelled each day to sit with her - a journey of about an hour 15.   After doing this for a week my dear friend Carolyn invited me to stay with her - she is only 20 minutes drive from the hospital.  I spent some nights with Carolyn & the days with Mum.

Carolyn is a talented & creative friend - she had decided to mosaic the concrete entrance ways to her property 
using up some of the large stash of broken china & tiles she had acquired.
Late one afternoon I was able to sit outside & chat with her as she did some mosaicing - & listen to the incredible 
bird life in her garden.

I especially loved the way she had inserted little handles & critters into her work.

One side is complete & she is working on the other side - even her letter box got the mosaic treatment

It was fortunate that I remembered to toss my knitting into the car as I threw some things together before heading off 
on my journey down to Mums

The long days at the hospital has seen my dishcloth pile grow & there have been two more added since this photo


On the exact same day that Mum had her fall I had undertaken a small upcycling project

I have never had a bedside cabinet - always just making do with a stool by my side of the bed.
This little wooden unit had sat in my wood shed for several years, becoming home to a family of spiders.

A good scrub in the spring sunshine & then a coat of chalk paint (color - Old Linen)  - I ended up giving it two coats before being called away down to Mum's

Upon my return it was the first project I wanted to complete.  I had a couple of odd transfers left over from this project *Here* so I cut them out & applied them - Miss Pippi checked it all out for me & gave it the once over !!

            Before transfers                              After transfers                    

Finally a good coat of wax & it was complete - all using up products that I had on hand & nothing purchased.  
I am loving having the drawer to hide my chocolate stash bits & bobs in 😉 !!


On Friday I had to pop into town & run some errands for Mum & well - wouldn't you know it, the Op Shop just happened to be right next door 😊

I could not resist treating myself to a few treasures to bring home with me.

Thanks so much for your visits dear friends - I shall get around to visiting you all at your blogs now I am home briefly,
Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead - be kind to yourselves & to each other,
With much love & friendship,
Julie & the furry ones x0x0x0