All at Sea - with a bucket and spade!

This is Harriet. Harriet is a student nurse. She likes cookies. She takes one to work with her to eat in her break. She keeps it in her own pink bag. The bag makes her happy because it’s pink. With a smiley face button.

Harriet was made for a special friend’s birthday. I like making presents by hand if I possible can. I don’t always have the time. But this week, I had the time. Just. Harriet is made from felt. And stuffed with the insides of a discarded cushion. Her arms and legs are attached with buttons. See. Her face is stitched with embroidery threads. I used a bit of pink felt for one rosy cheek. I’m not sure why one cheek is rosier than the other. Maybe she got punched by an angry patient. I doubt she is teething. She’s a little old.

Archie the incontinent, as he is currently known, wanted to make friends. He is a very friendly bunny. Quite quite lovely. Unfortunately rather smelly as well. So I whipped Harriet away and wrapped her up in tissue paper of my very favourite colour. I also made some cookies and packaged three of those aswell.

Although my friend’s birthday had passed some days earlier, I did put a candle in a lemon muffin, to mark and celebrate her birth 32 and a bit years ago. I am quite glad she was born. Because I like her. She is a fine person. And one day she will be a fine nurse. The kind that really cares for patients. And doesn’t have to work at preserving dignity. Because it’s second nature.

Happy belated birthday Barry xxxxxxxxxx

Isn’t he beautiful???

He’s also very lovely natured, not unlike Oscar in many ways. I felt all tearful again yesterday thinking about Oscar. I really never thought I would be the kind of individual who properly grieved over the death of a pet. But that was before I had pets. Oscar will never be forgotten.

Archie was recently found by the RSPCA. He’d been abandoned. He had runny eyes, infected teeth, a wet smelly bottom and his fur was all matted. His 4 front teeth have since been removed and he has just completed a course of antibiotics. He’s also just been neutered. He was underweight and still has a bit of catching up to do. He looks like a big chubby ball but it’s mostly fur. We don’t know how old he is but the vet person guessed at about 5. His food has to be grated on account of his lack of front teeth.

He has to be brushed every day to gradually get rid of all the knots. Thankfully, he’s very very trusting. As you can see from the pic. It’s also good to have Bess back. As much as she seems to be in a constant state of premenstrual tension, we did miss her and we do love her.

I love this picture of Bess. You can see she’s getting her shape back. She’s looking more like a lady rabbit. And less like a football. Bless her. Her tale is as sorry as Archie’s! And they really are a happy couple. It looked almost like it wouldn’t happen but Bessie did indeed choose herself a fine mate.

Emma has also blogged about Archie here. If anyone is confused about the lack of a Colin and the sudden mention of an Archie, they are in fact one and the same. We couldn’t keep the name Colin. It just isn’t him. Well, it isn’t a very rabbity name at all really (in my humble opinion). And it’s also the name of our next door neighbour. It just wouldn’t do. It wouldn’t do at all.

Bess has chosen a mate. Colin it is. Emma’s going to pick them up tomorrow after work. I’m so excited. But it does make me feel a pang of grief for Oscar. Colin’s arrival reinforces the loss of Oscar. But Colin is supposedly very lovely. He likes a fuss. Which is a good job because he needs to be groomed every day being a long-haired bunny. He thinks he’s being fussed when he’s being brushed so he’s quite happy. He’s old but we don’t know how old. I hope he lives a long time. I’d hate to think Bess needed to find a new mate again anytime soon. Pictures will follow soon.

Aunty Sue bought me a bunny rabbit cookie cutter. Today I made my first batch. Having made so many muffins lately, I automatically put the oven on gas mark 7. It should’ve been gas mark 5. Actually, they weren’t that bad. Slightly burnt at the bottom, but tasty. Especially because they were still warm.

I put the cookies in the oven in two lots. The second lot went in at the right temperature. Lots better. I made a round one for Emma because she likes things just so, you know. Me and Leah had a little play with the icing pens. I think the mixture’s about 75p from Asda. Just got to add a bit of butter or margerine and a couple of tablespoons of water. I got an oaty mix as well. For another day.

I was also assertive with the bank today. I got a letter the other day telling me there was a problem with my account. I bought something online last week which went over my overdraft by £1.08. The letter said I had to go into the bank and credit my account to get me out of the red and informed me there would be a charge. The letter neglected to say what the charge would be. I went in the bank with a few quid to deposit, hopefully covering the fee and leaving money in the account. I nearly fell over when they told me the charges were £38. And if I didn’t pay £31 of it today, my account would be in the red tomorrow, a new month, and another charge of £28 would be added. I was cross and upset. I didn’t put the money in but asked to speak to the manager. The manager was busy. I was promised that I would receive a call me before the end of the day. I wasn’t going to let it drop. £38 and another £28 all for £1.08. I’ve been with them 4 years and never had any charges incurred. I’m a student on a low bursary. I was really annoyed.

Anyway, the manager said they weren’t allowed to refund the fee unless there was a bank error but they did give me another number to call. They were actually pretty supportive. They told me the number was for the complaints department and that I should explain the situation and my current circumstances fully and tell them that I believe it is unlawful to charge such an extortionate fee for the sake of £1. I got through to one person who was very unsympathetic. I was basically getting nowhere. Thankfully my phone died. I redialled and got someone human. She (the lovely Dawn Barson apparently) refunded my account without any problem. I did head over to the cash point this evening and credit the account so there shouldn’t be any hassle. Phew.

Well, I’ve done my first week of my second placement. It’s great. Not much to say really. It’s just really good. There hasn’t been much ‘new’ stuff really. I’ve come across most of the ‘illnesses’, ‘disorders’, ‘conditions’ or whatever you want to call them. Mostly in previous jobs. I’ve also come across most of the personality types before. People who deal with their distress by screaming in the world’s face and people who deal with their distress by hiding away and trying not to get noticed. And (perhaps luckier?) people who have partners, children, jobs, responsibilities and this whole thing around mental health difficulties has come right out of the blue and takes a bit of getting used to. This week I’m reading up on schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs. Next week mood disorders and mood stabilising drugs. After that, who knows. Hopefully I’ll have met my mentor by then and we’ll have a plan. There’s a fair bit of Uni work to be getting on with aswell.

The team are lovely. I haven’t met anybody who isn’t willing to answer my questions and take a bit of time explaining the implications of various scenarios. And everyone seems happy to give a bit of feedback and encouragement.

I’ve also been eating lots of sweets. From the best selection I’ve ever had at any one time.  I bought a nice little pick and mix in Banbury. I added the sweets from the chinese shop. I added the sweets from the weekly food shop. Then I bought a few bits and pieces of chocolate and sugary confection when I was out and about. The selection just got bigger and bigger. I was so impressed I had to take photographs. Here. Here. And here. I’ve stopped adding to it and it’s thankfully getting gradually smaller. If I carried on at the rate I was going, I’d be the size of a house. I do love sweets though. A lot.

Finally, bunny rabbits. It’s not going so well for Bess. She’s still away at the Bunny Bonding lady’s house. So far they’ve tried her with Mork, a gentle giant who lost his Mindy a while back. No joy. And with Cooper who has a very very sorry tale to tell. He’s all matted and manky and he has a scar across his neck where his throat was cut. We really wanted him but again, no joy. They’re now trying her with Colin. I don’t know much about Colin except that he’s pretty old. And very good looking. He’s a cashmere lop apparently. So far, Colin is the only one she hasn’t attacked through the bars. So there’s some hope. She’s not really a very nice bunny rabbit. Bless her cotton socks tail.

I sometimes read and think about the daily bible passage and words from here. I get them via email although I don’t always read them. Today’s was particularly very good. It was a comfort. Sometimes they really are. Other times they give me food for thought. Other times they’re a bit boring. But they never send me on a guilt trip or give me cause to worry. All good.

I telephoned my next placement. I spoke to my mentor. Her name is Emma. So far, so good. I am starting on Monday 23rd June. I am also in Tuesday 24th June and Thursday 26th June. That will be it for my first week. Three shifts from 7am til 7.30pm. I will be knackered. When I come back from my holidaying place (there is internet here) I will call the taxi company and arrange transport for the first week.

Need shoes. Brown shoes. Must remember and buy brown shoes. There is no uniform but I think bare feet will be a no no.

We are at Bo Peep in Banbury. We came here September last year and I blogged about it. It’s pretty. On the way, we dropped Bess off to the Rabbit Lady. She has a bunny in mind for Bess. Mork, was Mork and Mindy before Mindy went to bunny heaven. A gentle giant, she said. A bit bigger than Bess. Might’ve known. Little sweet Oscar chooses big friend Bess. Bess will probably choose even bigger Mork. One little bunny to two giant bunnies in the space of a few months.

It is all quite exciting. I really do love having pets. They make me happy.

You can look at it here.

Saturday night, there were two humans, three cats and two rabbits living in our house. Sunday morning, at 9am, there were two humans, three cats and one rabbit living here. Oscar hadn’t been gone long, perhaps an hour. It has been most sad in our house. And in a house over the road, the one where Leah lives.

I blogged about Oscar 6 months ago. He wasn’t too well at the time. It could’ve gone either way. Ironically he did make a full recovery. And we found him a friend. First meeting blogged here. Homecoming blogged here. He was always a loving friendly happy bunny. If anything, since Bess came along, he was even more affectionate and loads happier. He would often lie with his head nestled under her chest. He made us smile often. Sometimes he made us laugh out loud. He was funny.

We miss him lots and lots

But we still have Bess. And we feel for her. They were so close. She must be pining for him. On Thursday, we’re taking her back to where she came from and hopefully we’ll pick her up a couple or three weeks later with a new friend. It all feels most strange. We got her as a friend for Oscar. Now, after hardly any time at all, there is no Oscar.

Although I love her already, I don’t feel nearly so close to Bess. She’s still wary of us. She’ll accept a fuss but not for long. I’m sure we’ll continue to bond. And I’m sure she’ll relax much more. She’s improved loads and loads in a short time already. And I’m sure the new bunny will get into our hearts too. But for now, for the next few days, my thoughts are on Oscar.

RIP xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As you can see it was very busy! We had a bit of a picnic then browsed the shops and I took many photos of round things (my latest obsession is squircling - best not ask!). Emma made a new friend outside the toy shop. I bought some baby shoes. They’re very lovely. And very very fragile. I know this because a tiny piece broke off in my hand when I was placing them on a shelf in my room. It was just one of those things I had to have. They weren’t all that expensive!

Then Emma dragged me kicking and screaming into the garden bit. Actually, it is fun in there. There are boxes and boxes of stones with names on. I had a bit of a funny turn when I saw these two stones near the top of one of the boxes. I kept looking over my shoulder for the rest of the outing….

There’s a fab chocolate shop. Emma offered to buy me something but I didn’t let her. Everything in there is incredibly posh. And, much as I love all chocolate, expensive chocolate is wasted on me. Not because I don’t like it. I do. But I don’t savour it. It’s gone in ten seconds - the same as a cheap bar would be. Most of the chololate on offer at this particular chocolate shop is imported. Heidel, Lindt, Goldkenn, Valrhona, Heilemann. A bar of chocolate about the size of a mars bar or a snickers was about £2 - £3. A fairly small but rather ornate chocolate bunny was £8. There was a larger one for £17. Chewy sweets similar in size to a pack of chewitts were 95p. I did enjoy looking though. And smelling. These ducks (which are a LOT smaller than they look in the photo and £1.50 each) really caught my fancy….

I got Emma a chocolate ice cream with a flake. Well, she paid for it. But I queued for twenty minutes so it was kind of a gift. And I bought the dodgy looking cat for 50p from the garden shop. He’s ugly and sweet and now sat on a shelf in my bedroom (quite close to the white baby shoes).

We also got these two big feet from there. They’ve got loads and loads of stepping stones. I think Peanut likes these ones. The two rabbits came from the garden shop too. Not the furry fleshy ones. The sandy coloured one, carved from wood. And the ugly grey one with the bulging eyes , made from whatever the stuff is those things are usually made from. Heavy? Leaves powder on your clothes? Breaks if you drop it??? Anyway it was only after I got home that I realised they matched our real life bunnies. Incidentally, I picked Bess up for the first time today and put her out in the rabbit run. I was incredibly pleased with myself. She’s getting much more tame. I think I’m beginning to love her quite a lot. And Oscar’s just, well, wonderful.

Maybe he was upset that the other two got blogged and he didn’t?