Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Recharging and a little 'creativity'

Slowly and gently I am getting a little better each day - though one thing I notice is that my cold sensor control has gone out the window - I really feel the cold and it can bring on some pretty unpleasant pain. So the solution was to buy a small electric heat pack. It is like a small electric blanket about the size of my back. At first I saw it as a bit of a hinderance as I sat at the table and was plugged in. Fiona thought it looked like I was being recharged like a rechargeable battery - a rechargeable Barry!!!

©2012 Fiona Dempster - Barry on recharge!!!
But now I find that I can have the pad wedged between layers of clothing and can unplug myself and head off to a new powerpoint. Last night Fiona had to go out to a a netball event and as part of working on getting back a bit of strength and normality I said I would re-heat the dinner Fiona had prepared. So when she arrived home there I was in the kitchen stirring the pot with myself plugged into the nearby powerpoint - it gave us both a good chuckle. Now not only a re-chargeable Barry but also mobile.

©2012 Fiona Dempster - Have charger will work!!!
Fiona's cousin Judy's son has agreed to do some whipper-snipping (weed cutting) for us. He asked if I would "make a jewellery gift for his girl friend" in exchange for some of his labour. He wanted leaf jewellery as she lives overseas; and he wanted something that might represent the gum leaves around Maleny. Fortunately before getting ill I had made a bit of a stash of leaves for earrings and pendants. So he chose an earring set and a pendant leaf form. And he wanted chains to give it a bit more funky look.

©2012 Barry Smith
I was able to sit in the warmth of the dining room and assemble the pieces you can see above. Not a big creative event but nice to be able to play a little for the first time in almost four weeks.

18 comments:

  1. we can be amazingly adaptive (for all we creatures of habit)... glad you are finding ways to stay comfortable and keep the pain at least a bit at bay...
    what a wonderful barter you worked out... i am sure it felt good to lay hands on your leaves and to work them a bit into finished pieces...
    as my day begins, i wish you a peaceful night -

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  2. Hi Barry, glad to see you looking well and recharging!! There's a woman around here who makes these wonderful heat wrap packs called "blisspacks". You heat them in the microwave and velcro them around your middle. Its warm, moist heat and simply wonderful. One does need to pop them back in the microwave to re-heat, but they stay warm for quite a while. No plug needed! Lovely jewelry.

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  3. Those earrings with precious necklace. I hope you solve your back problems. saludos.

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  4. So glad that you're feeling better and that the recharging is working for you! :)

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  5. hello mister B.
    so glad you are finding a way to be warm. on cold days if i get in someone's car with heated seats, well i am in heaven ;-).

    also nice that you were about to work with metal assembling the trade jewelry, looks very nice.

    sending you light, may you mend and feel energized more and more each day.

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  6. Looks like healing is a long slow process Barry... but it's certainly happening. Always thought you were 'plugged in' anyway. Love those leaves.

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  7. What a big smile reading this post gives me! So good to see you up and about, even though you have apparently transformed into some sort of Barry-bot.

    Now, if only there really were some sort of portable recharging device one could make use of throughout the day! Honestly though, you do seem to get more done at half-charge than I do on my best days! Much love to you and F. Two Tiger Creations

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  8. Gentle slow healing sounds like just the ticket Barry. Creative way to keep yourself warm and charged up!

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  9. hey Baz ...
    love the look ... maybe you could design a hat with solar panels atop it, then you could go outside with your blankie ... even go for a walk !!!!
    Great you haven't lost your sense of humour - and mending slowly ...
    cheers - Ken

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  10. Leslie said it far better thn I can. Thinking of you.

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  11. A rechargeable Barry - that certainly made me smile... good to see that you are taking small steps toward health. The leaf jewelry is beautiful - such a lucky trade for the young man...
    Wishing you warmth and ongoing recovery.

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  12. Hey Barry - you and Fiona can come to AZ it'll be 110 this weekend. That'll keep you warm! Life has a way of making us slow down whether we like it or not... so enjoy it while you can. Me I can't seem to get motivated with anything, but I know better than to force it.

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  13. So good to see you up and around - should I say charging around. Not quite! though seeing you charged up like that has given all of us a chuckle I imagine. Big hug x

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  14. MJ. VA, L, AAF, TL, JM, TT/G, LAM, K, P, S/R, SZQ & SB - glad you were all entertained by my new fashion statement; and thanks heaps also for the healing energy. Going to Brisbane tomorrow for a high level heart assessment - looking forward to some answers. MJ - you are so right it felt good just to hold the leaves but even more so when I saw the huge smile on his face. VA - we have the heat bags over her as well but what I like about the powered heat pack is the constant heat it can give you without getting up and re-heating it. TL - thanks for the light and energy. JM - I must remember the plugged in line. TT/G - the Barry-bot has a nice ring to it. K - I think I'll haste to keep this look quiet or I can see a whole new trend starting. S/R - it was a good trade both ways. I got the additional energy of seeing someone light up and knowing it will carry his feeling to his girl. SZQ - hmm!! I think I could handle a bit of that heat. As I recall you have said in the past that it is often hard to be motivated in the heat. But the metal will call you. SB - charging around - good spin. All go well, be well and create well. B

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  15. All the best for your trip to Brisbane, Barry. You have certainly put a smile on my face with the recharging story... lol...

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  16. Smiling to see your re-charging photos Barry, so good to see. The earrings and pendant are lovely, lucky girl to have a boyfriend with such good taste. Best wishes for your Brisbane visit, hope all goes well.

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  17. awww... nice!! you are C3PO now B :) rechargeable and mobile!! you're looking good my dear friend :) and it makes my heart happy. aren't we all the same ... nothing can take us away from creating ... isn't it great!!

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  18. oh Barry.... so good to see you "re-charging". Sending my love xo

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.