Real life ...

... is still getting in the way with appointments here and there and days out with crafty friends *lol* On top of that I've been spending a lot of time sorting and editing photos from the holiday and uploading them to a photo site. The holiday seems so long ago now yet we've not been back a month :0( I've also been 'composing' a photobook of my balloon flight last September.

Yesterday I spent the day at Jennie's (Pippa on the imag-e-nation forum) with a few old reprobates (oops, sorry ladies *lol*) they being Debs, Elaine (Burnee), Cathy, Cally and Kim. As ever Jennie was an exceptional host and she treated us to some excellent homemade minestrone soup for lunch. We played a little and chatted and laughed a lot .... along with a few renditions of - well, songs ....with us singing is probably too strong ... and nursery rhymes! Cathy seemed to think we'd enjoy "The sun'll come out tomorrow" from Annie playing on our minds all day, no matter what else we tried to cover it with - not even "Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake". We sort of got the idea of a little gift bag and not too sure if we got the idea of a marquee card or not but hey, we had a laugh at Elaine's attempts to pass the info on! Peaceful afternoon with us all punching little flowers and leaves from 123 Click punch sheets (I think that's what they're called anyway) that Kim had bought with her. Just got to do something with 'em now *lOL*

I'll start to post the next stage of the holiday photos in a day or three, when I've sorted Dad out with a couple more appointments and I've decided on which ones to do. There is likely to be fewer as the last fortnight of the holiday wasn't as 'busy' and they're more a reflection of life around and about, beautiful scenery and amazing sunsets. There will be a few stories though - *lol*

In the meantime I've put together a slideshow to show more safari photos and as a summary of the first 5 nights of the holiday ....


If the slideshow fails to load for you just click here.

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And the weather ...

.. today? The same as blooming yesterday and every other day of the week except Wednesday! Sunny, warm, cloudless and not a breath of wind! It surely is having a laugh at me and certainly doesn't make me feel any better about the rubbish weather on Wednesday and my subsequent disappointment! *gggrrrrr!* I guess I will get over it at some point, when it's all become a distant memory but, at the moment the weather has become the over-riding factor and the balloon trip has taken a back seat.

I actually took more photos than I thought and hubby took a fair few as well. Problem is, hubby doesn't know how to use his all-singing, all-dancing, now obsolete camera so most of what he took was useless - *LOL!* He did get a couple of nice crisp ones and I've sort of rescued a couple of others (good ol' PSP!) but they are a bonus 'cos there's no way I'd have got any of the photos that he got ... good or bad *LOL* Here's just a few ...

On our way
(new Brighton & Hove Stadium in distance near middle of piccie - looks like a bird cage roof at the mo)
grey skies and all - :-(



Click on any pic to be taken to the album for the choice of stills or a better slideshow


... and what was the weather like before and after Wednesday?
Well, this was yesterday .... on my way home from Dad's ...



... and sunset - doh!

Anyways, a bit of flight detail (or what I can remember). We took off from the grounds of Buxted Park Hotel, from an area commonly known as The Lawns I believe. We had an audience as hotel guests came out to watch - *lol*. We drifted in a north-easterly direction, over Buxted village, at an average wind speed of 3mph although it dropped lower but never got much above 5mph. Maximum height we reached was 1300 feet. The intention had been to make it to 2000 feet but a low cloud base foiled that idea! We dropped as low as 500 feet on some occasions (to interact with peeps on the ground mainly - *hehe*). The flight lasted around 58 minutes and we travelled approximately 6 miles, coming to land in a field roughly midway between Rotherfield and Mayfield. Unfortunately there were no real landmarks nearby to accurately pinpoint the area we landed in when I visited my good friend Google Maps - but I found it using the photos I took and a bit of detective work... *YAY!*

View Balloon flight 23.09.2009 in a larger map

The landing was good, clean and upright, although probably less fun than landing flat on your back in a pile - *lol*! By the time we'd packed everything away, watched ducks and geese flying overhead (too dark by then for my camera to take pics), had our champers and nibbles, ordered souvenirs and got back to base, it was pitch dark!

My souvenir came free & gratis! A cork from one of the champers bottles, fashioned into a balloon and decorated by the crew! So much better than a 'commercial' one.

Did I ever mention that I suffer from acrophobia? Yep, I have a fear of heights! I anticipated that I would be OK as long as I didn't look straight down and kept looking to the distance but was determined that I would do a flight. I'd read somewhere a while ago that acrophobia only presents if you are physically attached to the ground in some way. I have to say that is probably true 'cos I certainly wouldn't look down at those heights had I been in a building or a tower (don't even like a ladder) and tummy goes queasy just looking at the TV when they're showing pics from a height but I felt nothing by way of fear from the balloon and the photos show that I did look 'straight down' on several occasions - *LOL* I would say to anyone who suffers acrophobia but would love to do a flight - go for it! You won't regret it ....

I enjoyed my sunset flight. It was lovely but would have been oh so much better if the weather had played ball 'cos there was one thing missing .... the sun to have the setting of! (D'ya think I could get 'em on Trades Description - huh?)

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There will be ...

... an interruption to proceedings! I'm in no mood to go through photos as I'm in mega anti-climax, disappointment mode! Can't stop crying everytime I look outside today - bright blue skies, sunny, warm and barely a breeze .... my ideal day for flying and what did I get yesterday? Overcast, grey, low cloud and spats of rain! I think disappointed is an understatement. I'm angry! I so wanted - no, needed - this flight to be perfect in every way. I don't think it would have been so important to me if it hadn't been the last present that Mum had been involved in. I just feel so let down after waiting so long. I know I'm sounding like a spoilt child, who's not got her own way and thrown dummy out of pram and, in a way, I guess that's how I do feel. The flight was lovely but it could have been sooo much better had the weather played ball but no, I got the worst weather of the week and now it's laughing at me!


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Well, booking #21 ...

... will NOT turn into booking #22. I FINALLY FLEW - yesterday evening!



Just a taster - more to come!

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It's been ...

... a week bar a day since I last blogged here! Seems my life might be settling down a bit so there's less to blog about!

Dad is really starting to give the impression of being settled and more comfortable with his lot. He's enjoying his day a week at the Day Centre. His incontinence seems to be lessening and his mobility is more-or-less what it was before Rehab (zimmer is taking a back seat now and walking stick seems to be forgotten as well). From something he said last week I have a feeling that it was Rehab - again - that gave him the incontinence problem 'cos he never had it when he went in! He told me he's started getting up in the night, as he used to, to make himself comfortable. Trying to think as Dad does, I now think he was frightened of getting out of bed while he was in Rehab because they told him he'd to stay in bed unless somebody was there to help him. The same as he was told to call for help during the day when he needed to visit. Result- incontinence. So easy to create a habit ... really difficult to break one! I've said it before, I'll say it again - Rehab really screwed him up! Think I'm gonna cancel his respite bookings now he's settling. He doesn't really need to go now for either him or me and I can't take the risk that they'll keep him in again and move him into rehab. They've screwed him up once, they'll not do it again!

My hip/leg is a lot more comfortable so perhaps it is starting to right itself. I still can't walk properly, which is a problem as I'm compensating by using muscles you don't usually use when walking and it's giving me real backache (which I get anyway - just worse now) and hurts my knee ... which is dodgy! I've now got an appointment with the Orthopaedic surgeon so reckon I'll be referred to physio once I've seen him. I may also know exactly what the problem is but not holding breath on that one ...

I had a day out on Friday with my mate Cally. Should have been a day of classes at the Craft Barn but the afternoon was cancelled so we only did the morning class. Really enjoyed it. Only 3 of us in it so it was really relaxed although technique intensive. Piccies and details are in a separate post ... along with some samples of my latest colouring - with Prismacolors which seem to be 'my thing'! We followed the class with lunch and shopping. Well, you have to - don't you? Couldn't have done quite so much if the afternoon class had happened. Was really disappointed that it was 'cos it covered a stamp set I've got and wanted ideas for but the tutor had bought samples with her so I got some ideas, if not made any cards.

Balloon flight booking #20 yesterday morning? Saturday night, flight line message said 'YES!' Meet at 07:30am Sunday morning. Up we got at 05:30am so we could be ready and away to allow for any possible holdups on road. Not likely early on a Sunday morning but you can never tell when you're driving country roads. Left at 06:30am and arrived at meeting point just after 07:00am and we waited ... and we waited ... and we waited. Nobody else had arrived by 07:30am and suspicion set in. Had it been cancelled and they'd not managed to contact us? 08:00am and we gave up waiting and went for breakfast. Got home, message on phone timed 06:36am - flight cancelled! Seems we were the only ones they hadn't got hold of (by 'we' I'm talking me and hubby as, although he's not flying, he takes me). Now I'm becoming paranoid 'cos the last 2 flights I've been booked on have been cancelled for no obvious reason so what do they have against me? When I phoned this morning I'd just missed a vacancy for this evenings flight (although by the breeze here this afternoon it won't be flying) so booking #21 is now for Wednesday evening. Morning flights - bah humbug! We were so tired for the rest of the day. Wouldn't have minded had I flown but to get up early like that for nothing - NO THANK YOU!

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Rotten weather ...

... not quite thunder and lightening but definitely very breezy and heavy showers so, guess what's been cancelled today! Yep, balloon flight booking #19 so #20 has been booked. This time, change of tack and it's gonna be a morning one ... or not! *LOL* Just to rub it in my health & beauty therapist (yep, I know, far too late but what the heck!) told me she felt really lucky that hers went. When? 19th August 2009. How many times did she have to book? ONCE!! Yep, she booked and flew first time of trying ...... *gggrrrrrrrr*

Just heard from eldest grandson who had his driving test this morning and that wasn't successful either. Seems it was the examiner not being clear enough with instruction as he was failed for being in the wrong lane on a roundabout. He was told to take one exit and then, while on roundabout instruction was changed to a different one and he was failed for it! Reckon he's got a good case for appeal, especially as it wasn't marked down at the time but put on sheet at end of test and after he'd been told he'd failed. The lad reckons she wanted to fail him from the minute they got in car and had to have a 'back up' failure reason if no other showed itself .... He's not a happy bunny and can't say as I blame him!

I've had another couple of bad nights - just when I thought I'd settled that problem and was back on track with my sleeping. Oh well, seems I was wrong on that score but at least I've had a good spell of reasonable sleep.

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Well, I was ...

... really hopeful today! I was really thinking that the next entry on this blog would be 100's of photos taken from the balloon. The weather is gorgeous, with barely a breath of wind but .... there's enough when it gusts so flight booking #18 has moved to #19! Apparently, although it looks and feels ideal on the face of it (and this morning's flight happened) the breeze is gusting to 28mph at, or near, the take-off site (so they tell me) so it's not happening. To say I'm disappointed this time is an understatement! I'm now beginning to wonder whether I am actually ever going to get this flight. I know I believe in fate but it's getting beyond a joke now! Perhaps fate is telling me to give up the idea of a balloon flight. The end of the flying season is fast approaching ....

Wind? What wind? ...

On a happier note. Hubby and I had a BBQ to go to on Sunday - with his shooting buddies. It was held at the Hare and Hounds, Framfield - not far from the balloon take off site. It was totally different to the normal BBQ's as it was mainly traditional Morrocan food. Lemon chicken tagine, spicy lamb sausages, Morrocan lamb kebabs with peppers, meatballs cooked in tomato sauce with eggs broken on top. Various salads, all with a Morrocan twist and everything extremely delish!! To cover all palates there was also salmon trout and homemade game pie. I'm looking forward to the next one! Bramble was ever hopeful, even before the table was filled .....

... and here is Lolli, now called Dolly, who has filled out somewhat since she's been with her new owner - or is that because she's maturing in age, if not in actions - *LOL*

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Booking #17 ...

... cancelled! Mind you, I'd have been really worried if it hadn't been - *LOL*. It's blowing a gale out there - and the odd heavy shower. Odd, because we've only had 2 lasting about 5 minutes each but they were very heavy. Other than that the weather has been quite nice today, sunny and warm even if windy! Oh well, will just have to go meet up with friends for a meal tonight instead - *LOL* (which was the original 'date' on my calendar but I'm getting desperate for this flight).

Ordered furniture (desk and more storage) for the study today so hopefully I can get that sorted within the next week. Depends how long it takes to put together when received and have plans for the weekend .... and no, it's not booking #18! That's next week ....


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It's Friday ...

... already! Just where has the week gone?

Good news on the Dad front! He did his taster day at the Day Centre and loved it. When I called to see him yesterday he was full of it and he's obviously looking forward to next week 'cos he tells me they're going on a 'pub crawl'. Now that, from my Dad who, apart from a very rare glass of lager is teetotal, is funny! He did say that he supposed they'd expect him to have a glass of lemonade - *LOL*. I think the idea is that they're going to be given a little outing and will be stopping off somewhere for a pub lunch. This week he had lunch and games, quizzes etc and he actually took part by the seem of things. He had one complaint. He was told he wouldn't need any money as it was a 'taster day' for him so he didn't take any but ... they bought bags of sweets round and he couldn't buy one. I've already had to sort out his wallet for next week and it's now sitting with his flat keys so he remembers to take it. It was good to see him so animated - and even the carer remarked on how happy he was when he got back. Now to get him involved with the coffee mornings and groups at the flats and he'll have a social life better than mine - *hehe*

Wednesday saw me at the Glitterpot for a class but it was a kids class. I took Chloe, my eldest grand-daughter, for her first taste of stamping. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and she did better with the watercolour pencils and paint brush than I did. 2 cards each made and a lovely couple of hours spent together. I shopped in the Glitterpot, she shopped in the bead shop next door - *lol*

Thursday - yesterday - should have been my balloon trip but it's now getting boring *yawn*. Mind you, it was different this time! Phoned the flightline as required at the relevant time but instead of it being just my flight cancelled there was a bulk cancellation. Wish I'd phoned earlier 'cos could have filled the rest of my day with errands I've got to do today now but hey-ho, they have the times to call for each respective flight! They'd cancelled yesterday morning, yesterday evening (mine), this morning and this evenings flight as the period was going to be too windy. Never known a bulk cancellation before but I can't be a jinx on all of them - just the ones I'm booked on so .... here's to the next one - *LOL*

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I was right ...

... too windy! I'm now officially their jinx and also their record holder of most booked flights and not flown. This one was booking number 15! All the other passengers that had reached 13 or 14 bookings have now flown so I'm the only one left of their long-time, rollover passengers that's still to go. I've now got TWO bookings so if the first doesn't happen I don't have to ring to rebook 'cos I've got one ready on standby. Told them I want an extra glass of bubbly when I finally get to fly. Reckon it should really be a bottle myself but didn't want to be greedy - *LOL*. They tell me that it's all noted for the pilot's info so reckon I may very well have the micheal extracted as well ..... when it eventually happens *hehe*

No bets being taken for the next one - *LOL*

Aqua Detox? Mmmmmmm!! Jury still out on that one. Foot spa with some electric thing in middle sending pulses (not felt) into feet to travel to organs etc and release toxins through the pores ... or something! Very relaxing but could have got the same feeling with feet in bowl of warm water at home - *lol* Not sure what I'm supposed to feel - other than energised (not!) - or how long for but don't actually feel any different at all - *LOL* Just as well it was a 'special offer' and don't think I'll be having another one but me - I'll try anything once *grin*

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Murphy's law ...

... although I prefer 'Sod's'! It's been ideal flying weather since my last balloon flight was cancelled - every blooming day has been, in fact so ..... guess what? I was rebooked onto this evening's flight and .... I bet it's cancelled! Nice day but the wind has got up. Won't know for sure until this afternoon, when I have to ring the Flight Line to find out if it is going or not but, I'll make a bet it doesn't!

Oh well - off for an Aqua Detox soon (no idea, so don't ask). Hope it makes me feel as good as it's supposed to but not holding breath on that one either - *LOL*

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Guess what? ...

... it's not happening - AGAIN! What? My blooming balloon flight!

Once again it's too windy and the forecast, last week, when this one was booked was ideal. Trouble is, it's changed as the days have moved on. Generally nice weather but just too breezy for the balloon to take off. Just done a count up and, unless I've missed any (which is possible because of the odd phone calls I got last year inviting me on flights at last minute) today was (at least) the 13th booking I've made for this flight so #13 has been unlucky for me. It's the 6th booking this year and, bearing in mind that I haven't had a booking in May or June because of hip ... I'm beginning to think that it will be going into next year before I get this flight. I told them last year I seemed to be a jinx - now they're coming to the same conclusion but when fate declares it's the right time for me - it will happen! Got to keep telling myself that else I'd scream! Anyone else ever waited so long for a Christmas present? It's now 20 months since I was given it ....

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I was hoping ...

... that I'd have a lot of photo's to post tonight. My balloon flight had been rebooked from the no-go last week and it was due today. Not bad weather overall but - it was too windy! Didn't even leave the house today - well, not for the flight anyway. Oh well, here's to the next time but for now here's a photo of my hibiscus shrub in the front garden. A couple of years ago it was chopped right down to the ground ...

Had a phone call from Dad's morning carer on Monday morning. He ran out of pain relief over the weekend. Seemed odd to me 'cos he'd had his normal monthly prescription and that usually lasts. Then a light went on! Dad used to self-medicate and he took the pain relief as he needed, which wasn't all the time, so they lasted him. Since the carers have started medicating him they have been doing so by the med label which states 1 or 2 a time, up to 4 times a day. They'd been giving him 2, 4 times daily without checking whether he actually needed them - because there's nothing on the label relating to a 'need' basis. Anyway, called on Dad yesterday and took some paracetamol with me to tide him over until I could talk to his doc. Asked him if he wanted a couple of the pills, thinking he'd need them if he'd had no pain relief since Saturday and he said he'd have them to 'be on the safe side'. Further conversation told me he didn't need them and that he'd not actually had any pain. Seems, because he's no longer moving around as he used to, his pain isn't as great. In fact, it seems pretty non-existant, which means he really doesn't need the heavy duties with all the added side effects! I have to say I thought he was a lot brighter than of late and he seemed more aware and little more 'with it'. Today I managed to speak to his doc and she's changing his script to lighter pain relief, to be given only when needed and, she says that we might see a bit of a difference in him. Not only do the heavy duties cause constipation and the probs that go along with that but they can cause, or increase, confusion! After seeing him so much more alert yesterday perhaps there's something in what she said.

We had an appointment with somebody from the local Day Centre with a view to him going once a week or so. Trouble is, they didn't turn up. Seems they thought he wasn't interested. Don't know how they got that idea because nobody has spoken to them, as far as I know, since they made the appointment. It's rescheduled now for next week. He's said he'd give it a try so I hope he doesn't change his mind after the meeting. It will give him something to look forward to each week. Different things to do and people to talk to. We'll find out more when we have the meeting ...

Photo of Dad taken on camera phone last week, so not a good photo but then he wasn't looking good either! He's lost so much weight (although they tell me he's eating well and he says he's not hungry) that his glasses fall off when he nods off - bless! He looked better this week :O))

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Got the closest ...

... to date! Balloon flight - that is.

Didn't expect it to happen as the weather forecast for today was not good - well not for the time that the flight was going to be due. Phoned to check as required and it was a goer - *yay*. Have to say that the weather was ideal at home but the flight meeting place is 20 miles away and the weather can be totally different at the top part of our village to home, let alone 20 miles away *LOL* Duly left with plenty of time to allow for hold-ups and arrived with loadsa time to spare. Balloon and crew arrive, full complement of passengers and looking good but ...... the weather was not quite as good!

Meeting point - Buxted Park

We got soooooooooo close. Balloon nearly fully inflated and just as burners would have been bought into play there was a few spots of rain and a phone call. Oh no! Disappointment - big time *sob*. Flight cancelled. Bad weather just 15 minutes away. Balloon deflated (not before the inside was given a thorough inspection by the potential passengers) and packed away.

Preparation ...






It's on the up!


As good as it gets - *sob*


So that's what it's like on the inside!


Perhaps next time ...


... and away home!

We had the champers, due for the end of the flight, as a celebration of not getting wet. Within ½ hour the heavens had opened and it's been raining hard ever since. Right decision but can't help feeling a bit deflated .... a real anti-climax!

Still, I now know how an hot air balloon is inflated and I know what's expected to get in the basket and what the landing procedure is so ...... here's to the next time! I just hope I don't end up going into a third year before I get my flight. Eldest son says it's a 'rollover present' - funny, huh? LOL!!

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