u/Ophelias_Muse

No chance at all that anyone else had touched my phone. Not laying it facedown overnight anymore.

These will probably just be worn around the house. Any recommendations welcomed.

Also, recommendations welcomed for shorts that can survive chub rub for thick girls...

My child (I've mentioned them here before) has been through too much for their age, and has been in therapy in some form or another for 9 of their total 16 years to date.

They experienced SA from their paternal grandfather when they were 6, and then had another incident while they attended highschool, with a peer.

We all hold so much anger and resentment for the innocence that was lost by the actions of these people.

Despite all of this and more, they are one of my favourite people in the world (regardless of being my child), showing absolute delight so easily when seeing the good parts of the world and humanity and consistently offering seemingly boundless empathy to all living things.

After their appointment this week, their therapist emailed to say how proud they are of the progress being made, the connections between past experiences and current reactions, as well as acknowledgement of healing and acceptance of how slow the process can be sometimes.

I genuinely cried while reading this, as it makes all the times I've held space for them, woken to screams from nightmares or overwhelm, the moments where I've encouraged them to journal and use the tools they've gained, all of that has made the difference they needed to grow and move forward.

Pictured, double aburi that was part of our post therapy sushi train lunch.

Since my 45th birthday, I miss seeing the vivid ultramarine blue of my blood when I accidentally cut myself while cutting pine needles for dinner.

There was that week in the middle where it was dioxazine purple, but now it's a rich red like other older people.

When I was younger, I felt closer to my blue blood ancestors who skewed the life expectancy by laying down to die once they notice the change in their blood. Now, I'm just an average red-blooded person.

Has anyone been able to keep their blood blue after they turn 45? I know Peter Thiel was funding research into blood transfusions from young people to extend it but I haven't found the outcomes of those studies.

Image Credit: taken from my ancestors journal where they proved their age by blood letting.

I just found out I need to find a new doctor, as my current one is moving internationally. I have an extremely complicated medical history, and my children have issues related to past trauma. The thought of having to talk through all of that, yet again, with another doctor, had me inconsolable.

Luckily, I was close to my psychologist's office and I walked in, crying. The receptionist was so lovely and even though my psychologist wasn't in that day, I felt supported. I settled down, walked out of my way to catch the bus home... spotted this.

It really did help to remember someone left that hoping it would be found by a person in need. And I was.

They are adding this woodchip to a nearby garden that had a healthy lot of weeds until recently. Looks like they poisoned it (months ago), then let it lie for a while.

Today, I added red poppy seeds to the areas already flattened. This is near my house, so once they have done the rest, I'll add cornflowers and some select plants to attract bees and butterflies. This is also near a bakery and a small park, so it should be nice.

I run a boardgames group; we meet twice a month and this game of mine is oddly popular. Being able to play a game up to 12 players that can include children is very helpful, as we have people attend with their families. Sequence is underrated but often popular once learnt. Thus, a new box was needed after the other was accidentally water damaged.

My hoarding nature proves itself worthy again; this Stranger Things snack bowl box turned out to be perfect! I cut the better parts of the box to recreate a functional and informative top.

Continued work on this, with botanicals inspired by the likely real world sources within the Voynich Manuscript. Using Prismacolours almost exclusively on black Colourfix paper

Top left, Sea Holly.

Top Right, Deadly Nightshade

Bottom right, Cupid's Dart

Bottom left, (sketched) Feverfew

We have had this lovely Kookaburra visiting quietly the last two days. Looks like a juvenile but we are unsure if it's male or female. Definitely fine around humans as we can move freely around them. My child has named it Clacky.

I used part of a sleeve I cut off a t-shirt (I can't stand sleeves) and used it to make a deeper pocket in my jeans. They are women's jeans, so of course they were already small pockets.

Now, I can fit my phone!

I also used up some random coloured thread from other projects.