I'm in the literary magazine qarrtsiluni.

That is all.

List of words associated with the elderly

wisdom
older people
life experience
dementia
home
warden
assisted living
illness
death
stories
depression
laughter
walking stick
zimmer
bridge
whist
Darby and Joan, Evergreen, University of the 3rd Age
grandchildren
support
advice
talk
marmalade jam
gardening
thinking
hearing aid
heater
difficult
grumpy
kind
bereavement
loneliness
outreach
alarm
conmen
antiques
white-headed
hoary-headed
grey beard
During the war we...
When your mother was a little girl...
I remember
mobility aids
scooter
feeding the birds
it's not how it used to be
butterscotch, York fruits, Murray Mints
Bronley soaps
fruit cake
bus travel
gossip
what's that, dear?
road accidents
...a more innocent time
driving very slowly
blue rinse
getting up very early
pensions
pensioner
OAP
December
twilight years
dying at home
staying in own home
power of attorney
prescription drugs
stockpiling pills
conversations about illness and death

List of words associated with success

victory
triumph
target
hit the target
hit the mark
peak
summit
achievement
tour de force
trial
hill top
laurels
trophy
cup
prize
spoils
grand prix
complete
finish
first pas the post
winner
commended
excellence
bested
came out on top
winner takes it all
victor ludorum
chequered flag
goal
in the bag
podium
medal
gong
Olympian
top of the pile
best in show
blue / red ribbon
finalist
placed
finish line
game, set and match
throw a six
top of the heap
gold medal, silver, silver gilt, bronze
complete
tape
yellow jersey
sash
checkmate
bingo
top score
high score
he shoots, he scores
top marks
leader board
100%
bull's eye
effort has paid off
in the cup
hat trick
won by a nose
scraped in
broke the tape
convincing win
broke a record
number one
award-winning
won
lap of honour

Stitch watch -- Pincushion

Here's a little pin cushion from a Vari-Galore kit that I finished tonight. I am very proud of it and so pleased to own something so beautiful. Katie keeps looking at it enviously.

I thoroughly enjoyed making it -- the instructions leave enough freedom to make it good fun, and the hand-dyed threads are gorgeous.

I picked up the kit at a show at Ally Pally last Autumn. I've been checking the Vari-Galore catalogue and wondering what I should order next. I'd quite like to try some turkeywork... and also ribbon embroidery. And more stump work.

List of items to do with moving house

boxes

worry

dust

lost items found

items lost

cups of tea

money concerns

nostalgia for old house

regret at leaving

excitement about new house

breakages

lifting

smell of cardboard

relief that it's over

learn to love your boxes

one box a week

chaos

irregular meal times

worries about parking

stress

newspaper and bubblewrap

newsprint

lorry's engine running

trip to the dump

Champagne

discovering lovely things I'd forgotten I owned

fear of theft

a fresh start

change of address notes

new things

logistics

ditching

unwanted

dead tired

break from routine

wondering if the day will ever end

sound of cardboard tearing

tape and the smell of tape

sound of ripping tape

things put together that are not usually together

Embroidery watch

This is the sewing I keep at work. Sadly, we're not allowed to listen to streaming internet content, so no BBC7 in my lunch hour. I may have to buy some sort of MP3 player. Don't ask for better pictures -- there are none.

Short list of words that I will be consciously asking if I need to write this week

almost
nearly
really
quite
some
very