Todays work

I have been doing some drawing work for artschool today using chalk pastels mostly.

I thought each layer would cover up the layer underneath it but as it turns out as soon as you 'fix' them with the spray fixative the underneath layer comes through again - this would be great except that my background for the figure drawing has horizontal red stripes on it (I was using the colours of a Royal Gala apple to create an abstracted background on which to work). So the figures are transparent to a certain extent and the background shows through.

Been trialling the new bed easel and it is FABULOUS! Today I have moved it out so I can lie on the couch in the lounge and work as it's easier to get a good position to work from and the couch is now on wooden blocks so the easel slides right underneath it. Marvelous piece of equipment and SUCH a Godsend. It is SO nice to be able to draw again!

Last evening I went out and took some compositional shots in the cemetery - particularly nice clouds and I found my moving around to different heights and positions you could come up with some very pleasing silhouetted shots. (I was lying down at the time when I discovered by moving slightly the composition changed drastically) These are in the old cemetery - the grave stones were the only thing to remain after fire destroyed everything a few years ago - well before my time. There is a great shot of the angel outlined against the flames that someone took at the time.

ME/CFIDS link

Ive just been reading a friends blog - and he had this link on his site to information on CFIDS/M.E. It's quite comprehensive and explains things far better than I could so I've copied the link to add here in case people want to know about it.

http://www.mecfs.org.au/?q=node/43

another good site for an explanation is

http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/about-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

This is a good site for some helpful keys to deal with coping and on how to live well with long-term illness such as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. can be aplied to other situations also like cancer or sim things. Much of it is practical and constructive.

http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/ten-keys-successful-coping-2005

a quote from a freind of mine in Aus (hope she doesn't mind)

We just need to climb mountains one step at a time, rather than all in one go.

reminds me of the Chinese proverb...

The Journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step...

rehab team equipment - KA PAI! KIAORA!

today the rehab OT came with some equipment to help around the house - a tilting under the bed table and a kitchen trolley, all good quality enduring materials and on caastors. I am delighted as suddenly a whole rhelm of possibilities has opened up for me. It's been hard the times in bed - being upright is often so draining but now I have a means to be able to continue to work and plan whilst being mostly horizontal and I'm so thrilled. it gives me possibility and hope back instead of hopelessness and frustration.

The table can tilt to almost vertical as well as lie flat - so going to be a useful piece fo equipment whether in bed or not. Very excited about it and the possibilities it opens up both for self and being able to teach. It also means i will be able to have meetings lying down so I can cognitively function far better Nd still eb able to take notes or explain things using a paper shee on the table of I ened to. Yahoo. PTL