Zentangle - have you heard about it?

While processing books at work, I came across Beckah Krahula's "One Zentangle a Day: a 6-week course in creative drawing for relaxation, inspiration, and fun".

I immediately put a reserve on my local library's copy so that I could have a better look.

I really like the concept of Zentangle as a means of meditation, and a way into being able to draw again. The act of repeating the patterns takes your focus into the drawing and away from the distractions of everyday life.

So I did a bit of dabbling using the patterns in Beckah's book, did some surfing on the net and found a whole community of tanglers out there. Their work is inspiring and I really need to sit down and tangle more often.

I did this one for one of the Diva's Challenges.

This is one of my earlier efforts.

I would recommend anyone to try Zentangle - even people who say they are hopeless at drawing. The instructions for each pattern are clear and easy to follow. Before you you know it, you are off and running with a small (3 1/2 inch / 9cm square) drawing that YOU did!

Check out these sites:

http://tanglepatterns.com/book-reviews/one-zentangle-a-day

This is also a great site for getting tangle patterns to use.

http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/weekly-challenge-195.html

This is an interesting challenge from last month, scroll sown to check out all the responses.

https://www.zentangle.com/zentangle-method

The founders website with links to blog & newsletter.

Do you worry about your health ... and about the cost of health?

It doesn't consume me, but I do worry about both my health and the cost of keeping myself healthy. Two of my doctors (the heart specialist and my local doctor) want me to have a comprehensive full blood test.

This means fasting, waiting until 8.30 am (or later depending on where I am in the queue) and then ending up black and blue because they can't find a vein that doesn't collapse.

For starters, at 6.00 am when I normally eat breakfast - I have to remember NOT to!
Next, I have to sit around at home for a while, then go stand in a queue outside the pathology office.
Then, I go through the wonderful experience of some poor pathologist trying to get blood.

All that, just so the doctors can tell me that I'm borderline diabetic, my kidney function is dodgy, my cholesterol is only just within the acceptable range, and my thyroid function hasn't really changed since last time.

At least, I hope that's what they would say.
I certainly don't want to move from being pre-diabetic to having type 2 diabetes.
I would also prefer the other health problems stayed within acceptable levels.

Hopefully once I get the test done, the doctors will tell me to watch what I eat, to get more exercise and write prescriptions for the five tablets that I take each day (at least that is down from the seven I was taking a couple of years ago).

And there's my next whinge ... the cost of prescribed medication.
I am 61 and not likely to get off any of these medications in the near (or distant) future.
Why then is it costing me about $70.00 per month to get my prescriptions filled?

Surely as a senior person with chronic health issues, I can get some help?

It seems not ... I am working too many hours and earning too much money to qualify for a health care card and my seniors card doesn't get me a discount at the pharmacy.
Thank goodness, I am only taking five tablets now instead of seven or I would probably be spending over $100.00 per month for medication I CANNOT stop taking.

Trove Tuesday - Things were done differently back then!

I have just finished correcting text for an article about first-aid classes in Frankston in 1927. The article asks that those desirous of taking the classes should register their interest with Mr. Krebs, the manager at the E.S.& A. Bank.

Just imagine walking into the ANZ Bank (successor of the E.S.& A.) and asking the manager to add your name to the class list. Things were certainly more relaxed back then in 1927. Also Frankston would have had a much smaller population and no doubt Mr. Krebs knew lots of the locals and they in turn knew him.

Here is the link to the article from the Frankston & Somerville Standard of May 6, 1927:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/74991508

Trove is a great resource for getting an historical perspective on life - whether you are researching family history or looking at past events. I love the little insights I get into life in 1927 while I am correcting text for my local paper.