It’s seems like a day and an age since I last sat down to write.
I must apologise to you. I’m not going to sit here and make up excuse after excuse, but I will say that life has been rather stressful.
Life has taken a back seat while I try to get my head around some news that kinda shocked me to the core.
I’m not very open when it comes to my health issues but I feel it’s my duty to share incase I save someone going through the stress and anxiety I have had to deal with, over the last month or so.

Nearly 8 year ago I was put on a medication which suppresses my immune system. Basically my healthy blood cells attack my body so they have to suppress my immune system to stop it attacking itself.
Hydroxychloroquine unfortunately has some serious side-effects, one being, it damages your eyesight.
While taking Hydroxychloroquine, you are meant to have yearly eye screening to check that it hasn’t started damaging your eyes.  
Due to the eye hospital and rheumatology having an argument over who funds the tests, I haven’t been screened until now.
Sadly this was a little too late and irreversible damage has been done. There is no cure or treatment, all I can do is stop taking one of my most important medications, which I stopped a few days ago.
I have no idea how this will effect me, which has sent my anxiety through the roof. Adding to the stress of not knowing if my eyesight will continue to deteriorate.
Having almost 20 20 vision, to having increasing moments where my vision is a complete blur (it’s like looking at a heat weave), flashing lights, dry eyes, nearly constant eye twitching and over sensitivity, as well as eye shape change, is a tad frighteningly, if I’m 100% honest. And in truth it has knocked me for six.
Living with invisible illnesses makes life hard and damn miserable at the best of times. Life is a struggle on a daily basis and now I have to deal with failing vision on top of that. I’m gutted, damn right gutted and truthfully I’m petrified of loosing my eye sight.
Every little thing in life I love, like crochet, diy, gardening, all requires good vision and mine has been damaged through no fault of my own. That really does sadden my soul, as well as making me fear for what the future may bring.

My advice to anyone on Hydroxychloroquine, please demand you have your eye screening. Don’t let my misfortune happen to you.
Fight for your tests because your eyesight is too important to lose.
Also any diabetics out there, please attend your screening appointments. I know they are not the most pleasant of things but the are so important. Luckily diabetes hasn’t effected mine, fingers crossed it doesn’t.

Let’s move on to happier things.

🧶

Crochet. 
I’m one baby blanket down and nearly finished another.
We are very lucky that we have lovely neighbours so when I found out they were expecting I knew I had to make them a little something.
Time was against me as I had a top secret, extremely important project I had to put first but with a week and a half to go, I weaved in the last end and managed to start a baby blanket for them. Choosing a pattern was easy, it had to be my go to pattern for baby blankets, Briar Rose by Vanessa at Hooked on Sunshine.
It’s the most adorable pattern and flys quickly off the hook.

I used Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran, which I had ordered way in advance and used a larger than suggested hook, in hopes of achieving a nice drap.
I crochet quite tight so felt I needed to go big or go home.
Luck was on my side, I managed to stitch the last stitch the day Kerry went into labour.
They had a handsome little lad and I couldn’t be more pleased for them.
He will be the most loved baby boy in Hampshire, maybe even England. He’s one lucky little boy.

I also made two test samples for the “Fiesta” bedspread I am planning to make. (I think I mentioned it last time.) I’m still very much undecided which colourway I will go with. Which one would you go for?

🚍

Phillippe Adventures.

Back in June, Mark and I hit the open road and headed for Wales for the weekend. We hadn’t booked anywhere to stay so took full advantage of solar energy.
We parked up at a reservoir and chilled.

We were lucky the weather was on our side which we took full advantage of.
How nice was it to just sit and do nothing, watch a film or two and pick up my hook and crochet while Mark took a catnap in preparation for some night photography.
We had such a lovely weekend.
Wales is beyond stunning and I can’t wait to visit again.

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As the days, weeks and months seem to blend together, I’ve been useless at writing on here, I’ve gotten a little confused as to when things have happened. 
I swear blind we went drag racing with the Warpspeed Racing team, but as I’m unsure of dates I’ll fill you in next time on all the news from our trips to Santa Pod. We have just got back from a beautiful sun filled weekend of racing.
It’s nearly unheard of for the sun to shine when we are racing but it was a scorcher, 30c. ☀️ 
Keep an eye out to see what Smithy and Stuart have been up to over the last few meets.
I’ll leave you with a little hint.
Stuart is flying high and has left everyone standing, while poor Smithy has had issues but he’s not going to let it get him down, he will be back with a vengeance real soon. You won’t want to miss it. 

Right I best get on and leave you to your day.
Take care and I hope you visit again soon.

Too-da-loo for now.

🦋🦋🦋