Glad to hear your cold is getting better...little Sasha she's my daughter's little dog but i baby sit her whilst daughter goes to work...she's a little sweety what she has is really common here and we have tried everything else so it's the steroids or she stays a sick little thing...this might nip it in the but we hope she's only 2 there are human antihistamines that can be used but they have to be started before summer and the grass pollen...so next summer we will get started before the allergy starts...just can't paint at the moment my main project is a landscape in acrylics as a housewarming gift for one of my daughter's friends but acrylics dry so much quicker in the hot weather and because I like what iv'e done so far i'm not game to touch it...been messing around with Chinese Brush Work today but the paper wouldn't stay damp for long enough to make a good job so I put it aside...I visit an Oz site and I went on to ask about the lack of will to paint and it seems it's not only me most arn't prepared to spoil a good work when the weather is so hot...besides heat for me is not conjucent to painting keep warm and well

Hi Patsy, sorry to hear about your little dog. You're right about steroids (on them long term myself and they can cause other problems). I would have thought the allergy could be helped by other tablets as and when it happens. I bet she is a pretty little doggy. Hope she stays OK. My cold/flu bug seems to be getting better slowly - haven't been coughing for England so much today but legs are still a bit wobbly. Will attempt a few cat sketches soon, with crossed fingers - that should be interesting! My friend was very understanding about the delay in starting, so that's helped take the pressure off. Do you have any new projects lined up? I'll be trying to catch up on peoples' blogs soon. All the best, Bren

Hi Brenda how are you? hope you have recovered from your cold...we had a sick little dog this week...my daughter's little maltese cross she was so itchy and miserable so of to the vet she has had a reaction to the grass pollen..poor we thing...she had a jab and some pills steroids but within hours she was showing signs of being her old lovable self she's such a sweet little thing...it's quite common here but i've never had a dog with it...hopefully the tablets will nip it in the bud because I know the steroids arn't good long time...looking forward to hearing from you

I thought as we got older we had less to do but that isn't the case my hubby and I seem to be buisier now than we ever were when we were much younger...or are we just fussier we asked ourselves that question the other day and decided we are just fussier and we are now trying to knock back the work we do and have some more times to do the things we want to do...for me painting for him walking with the dogs and listening to his music and perhaps having people over more often for bbq's and drinkies now that sounds goodto me...hope your cold eases soon and you feeel better

Thank you so much for your comments, they're much appreciated. . Thanks to Phil for your sound advice; thanks to Beatrice for giving me some optimism; thanks to Patsy for your kind comment about my picture (he is one of my own dogs). Still struggling healthwise, will be so glad when I feel normal again. My to do list is getting longer every day!

Hi Brenda and welcome i'm from Perth in West Australia and at the moment it's too hot to do anything artistic so just blogging...your picture of the dog is beautiful and good luck with the cold and painting the cat...I am also in receipt of an OAP but basic no indexing because I live in Oz but every little helps...this blog is great get some good laughs and advice

Brenda, your cold gives you the time to concentrate on the picture before starting it. Today it was 4.30 before we put the lights on, it is coming..... the Spring and light are not far away!

Hi Brenda, welcome to the blog pages...do not worry about the age or not quite knowing what you are doing...this is the twilight world of Meltemi [my alter ego] just share your thoughts and any daft moments with us all [always keep personal details out though...protect your privacy as far as possible]