Nayu's Craft Tme #235 Medical Mayhem

 

Mikuru from Aikatsu! anime

Feeling sleepy today(nothing new)  so not quite in the mood to take pics of my latest craft projects so I will do that in the next post but wanted to do a little catch up. 

The other week I had a routine hospital appointment for my contact lenses. Upon arrival I was a bit a anxious as the waiting area for the covid screening was busy and almost everyone in front of me was given a pager to wait. Thankfully I wasn't. I was instructed to go to the purple waiting area. Usually it's the green area, so I double checked in green and yes they were full so it was purple. Off I went to the pretty coloured chairs in purple. I waited a while, nothing new there. My phone rang, I felt bad I had turned it off but it turned out that was a good thing: the caller was the hospital reception asking where I was as they were searching everyone for me. I had become a missing person!!! 

Madoka from Aikatsu looking horrified

It turns out there were two purple waiting areas in that section of the hospital. How stupid!!! I apologised, and all was fine they were just relieved I was ok as the doctor knows I'm super reliable and don't usually wander off without letting someone know. If i'm directed to a different coloured section I will double check I'm in the correct. 

Mizuki collapsed in Aikatsu 

 

 

The second medical drama was far less pleasant and partly my fault. I'm not naming the provider who I get my medication from, but the short version is due to the app not having an automated system to catch double orders I was without my opiate medication for almost a week. It was extremely unpleasant and I felt awful. I thought the situation was sorted, until the Saturday I got a message and of course it was a bank holiday weekend so I had to wait until the Tuesday to sort it out. I thankfully had a few tablets spare so simply halved them as half was better than nothing, although a quarter of my usual dose made an unpleasant few days. I have been recovering from that drama, medication arrived safely, and life is back to what counts as normal for me. Going to be playing a lot of the new Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom once it releases tomorrow but plan another post next week with craft updates so be sure to tune in then! 

Sora from Aikatsu

Ramadan 2022

 Ramadan Mubarak! Happy Ramadan to all those celebrating. The crescent moon was confirmed in Saudi Arabia on Friday so the first day of fasting in this holiest month of the Islamic calendar started yesterday. Due to health reasons I do not fast, I donate money instead. Ramadan celebrates the Quran being revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him).It is a time to focus on God, prayer, charity and spending lots of reflection time. 

I love Ramadan ever so much! Mine is a bit different as I'm the only Muslim in my family and don't really have many Muslim friends. It's my first Ramadan in my own flat which is super exciting. I have several Ramadan goals, which are personal, and do include reading the Quran, but one I can share is I want to hand sew a Ramadan banner as a decoration. 

 

I may not fast in terms of food and water, but I do change what I watch and read during Ramadan to be romance free and focusing on good qualities. I have started my annual rewatch of the anime Princess Sarah, I have the French version as it was what was available and yes I understand French really well. I prefer the anime version to the original book which was published early 1900s because Sarah is sweet and gentle, whereas in the book she is a bit selfish sometimes. The anime Sarah is treated like a princess at a boarding school as her father is rich, she never is bossy or overbearing. Things change when she learns her father is dead (her mother died when she was a baby) and that the diamond mine that he had had, had indeed never existed. 

The headmistress of the boarding school wants to put her on the streets (it is Victorian England) but she is persuaded to keep Sarah on as a servant. Sarah is treated poorly, but is already friendly with the other young maid, Becky, as well as other friends in and out of the school. Due to a chance happening slowly Sarah's life as a maid begins to improve, until eventually her wealth is restored because the diamond mind did really exist, and her benefactor never stopped searching for her but didn't realise she was living right next door to him. It is a beautiful tale, with the headmistress being the antagonist as well as a snooty boarder whose personality is ugly.  The series is 42 episodes long, and I'm at the part where her father is dead. 

 I would love to hear how you celebrate Ramadan if you participate in it.

Nayu's Craft Time #323 Explained Absence

 

Mimi Citron from the French version of Strawberry Shortcake series

Hello! Part of my not new year resolutions is to blog a bit more. I realise we are halfway through February and this is the 2nd post of the year - sorry for that. Life was a little busy, but then recently I haven't been well. A mix of it being winter, and, sadly, me needing my next ketamine infusion. It was due on 7th February, then for reasons I do know but am not explaining here it got rescheduled to 11th March, and as of Friday pushed back to March 21st. The rescheduling is for an understandable reason, I am just thankful the clinic is fitting me in vaguely soon as if I'd waited for my usual consultant clinic I'd be waiting until at least May. 

I'm not looking forward to a whole month and bit before getting that important pain relief, as the wait after a few months makes matters worse and me feel rubbish. I can't do anything though, I have gone through a similar wait last year so I know can survive. Just might be quieter than planned. 

Not today, but soon I will post as I have some fun craft things I'm making and stuff will be happening in my garden too! I'm loving living in my own little flat ^u^ 

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #25 Let's talk about the anime Aikatsu!

 

 Find out my thoughts on the 2021 latest Aikatsu! anime series over on Nayu's Reading Corner. Sometimes shows go on too long! This is Ichigo from the first series.

Nayu's Craft Time #284 Ramadan 2018

I'm over the mega strong meds effects (yay) and any subsequent just not feeling great days. Ramadan is here-yay! It started Tuesday night (depending on which authority you go by). It's the annual month where Muslims abstain from food and try to be good in a variety of areas from dawn until dusk. It is encouraged to read The Holy Quran during Ramadan, or as much of it as you can. Due to my health issues I'm forbidden to fast because it makes me ill - those who are pregnant/breast-feeding/elderly/ill are exempt from fasting, with a small donation given in the absence of abstaining from food. 

Disclaimer: This isn't a bragging post, merely a pointing out what I'm choosing to abstain from during Ramadan, that it is possible to still game and taken part in online game events if you share a similar view to me. If you don't that's fine too, and while I know I could just game/watch certain anime or shows them at night, in reality I have little time before sunrise/after sunset for anything so simply don't watch/play said games/shows for the entire month. 

Love this Muslim Pokemon player picture! I still game a lot in my rest time during Ramadan!

It is still the most blessed month of the year and I really love it! Yes I do miss refraining from playing Hatsune Miku games (I really love them but I love God more), or reading romance books (I read for the story not the romance), or playing not entirely appropriate games (which thanks to innuendo is a fair amount of games I play including Hyperdimension Neptunia and the Atelier series), which I do mostly not play until the month is over so I don't keep thinking about them. Since I am cross-posting this over on Nayu's Reading Corner (albeit a day later) I'm including more about gaming in this post, so you know what I am playing.

I love this Muslim inspired fanart for a Miku game - if only there were appropriate songs! I do play the Project Mirai games without sound, as they are chibi characters and the art is entirely different from the Playstation games (some songs are ok, some are not for the dance routines, although I'm focusing more on which buttons to press than what's going on in the background)

It's fun to focus on other games, notably this year Animal Crossing Pocket Camp which involves doing good deeds for real people by helping water/pollinate their plants or giving them bonus points (any good deed no matter how small is amplified an unknown amount by God during Ramadan), Pokemon Sun which is taking care of creatures, albeit digital ones, World of Final Fantasy which so far isn't a romance but does including favourite FF characters, replay Final Fantasy 9 whose romance-y parts I definitely won't reach before the end of Ramadan, 

I am still playing some rhythm games like Deresute, LLSIF, Puchiguru Love LIve and Bandori - but I'm not listening to the music (just listen to audiobooks), I've turned off the 3D options so I don't get any of the pictures onscreen when skills are activated (I'm aware that may mean absolutely nothing to you), and I'm not spending minutes browsing through the cards I have.

I tend to listen to the Holy Quran instead of reading it because it saves me a lot of energy. I'm not a native Arabic speaker, I can read it but I only understand a hanndful of words so I do need an English translation, which this recording gives me. I'm going to chat a bit more about this in a separate post. 

During Ramadan I tend to tweet a little less in general, but I still try for a tweet a day. I don't really watch anything on Youtube including the usually countless Hatsune Miku videos, but I still watch some anime and documentaries (& have a massive catch up once Ramadan ends). I always have goals but these are private, as is anything else I do during this blessed month. 

Here are some lovely links for previous Ramadan posts (no idea what happened in 2016)

Ramadan 2013 #1 What Ramadan is all about

Ramadan 2013 #2 Being flexible, some info on the Prophets

Ramadan 2013 #3 Why the last 10 days of Ramadan are so special, what I mean when I say tie your camel & be like a bird.

Ramadan 2013 #4 I chat about good deeds

Ramadan 2014 #1 My focus for Ramadan 2014

Ramadan 2014 #2 Nature, nurture & some rambling

 Ramadan 2015: Generic info

Ramadan 2017 Which anime I'm watching  

(there was only one post last year but this year I'm trying to do a few!)

I'd love to hear what you do during Ramadan if you celebrate it, and please feel free to ask questions which I'll do my best to answer, since I'm a firm believer of dispelling any weird perceptions about being a Muslim - pun genuinely not intended. 

I'm posting this right before it gets to 12pm!!!

Nayu's Project Progress #37 Girl Power!

I've been chillin'!

Morning all! Apologies for the slightly long lapse in posts - life got busy, plus family got a cold and my body threw a wobbly, then I simply had a few days R&R to myself. All recharaged (minus stupid cold weather spell that body is hating) and back blogging! Here's what I've started this week, a cute mobile phone case using cross stitch embroidery. 

The title is because girls are cool and I love being a girl! Plus this is a cute girl ^u^

 I got it from a friend ages ago, and it's actually the perfect size for my non-smart non-touchscreen phone. I didn't tweet about it because I'm not 100% sure how well I can replicate the backstitch which will make the girl look like a cute anime girl, but I'll do my best! What do you think? I'd love to hear if you're working on a sewing project at the moment! It's very engrossing, great to do when catching up with TV. 

Creativity has endless possibilities, it's not just sewing!

Nayu's Craft Time #194 Indoor cat time!

I use my bed, but I love the lounging space in this simply decorated room!

After a full day yesterday I had a lovely restful day today filled with gaming and anime. And watching the cat flap. Spent 10 minutes waiting for my cat to come in so I could make it a 1 way cat flap.

So cuuuuute!

For the past few days when I've been home (which is most of the time in winter), I've set the cat flap one way so Belle can get out and the other cat can't get in. Belle sleeps pretty much all day, possibly going out once so I simply keep an ear out for when she does that. This isn't a difficult arrangement, but to make things easier and hopefully deter the other cat for the long term, my family have bought an enclosed litter tray, so we'll make our cat an indoor cat for at least a week. 

My cat can't wear a collar and chip activited cat flaps aren't 100% easy to use, so our new method will have to work for now. 

I'd love to hear how you keep neighbouring cats out of your house (without distressing them)! 

Nayu's Craft Time #144 Speedy post!

I totally feel like this super fluffy cat! My previous cat was the same colour, less fluffy, loved broccoli and drooled so much when he was happy! RIP Tolly.

I'm typing this as fast as I can today, since I haven't been 100%, hence the silence yesterday. My body is being it's usual self, so nothing new other than my energy levels being in the zero category. I've managed a bit of gaming, less than 50 crochet stitches (I'm guessing, it wasn't much before I had to give up), less than 50 sentences reading, but thankfully watching anime was an activity I could handle yesterday. Clocked up 4 discs of the 1980s anime Georgie, French version. I mention this because it's initially set in the Australian countryside on a farm, with a super cute and cheerful blonde girl growing up in her family of brunettes with a mysterious bracelet always on her arm (apart from when she accidentally loses it and it gets stolen on purpose. The point I'm making is that at that time period there was lots of work to do, and the mother knits clothes! I don't have the time to search for the exact picture, but here's what the anime looks like...

Georgie with her beloved adopted koala pet, who isn't good at climbing & frequently gets into trouble. To stop Georgie finding out she's adopted her mother, who is good, plonks Kiin (I'm not sure of the spelling for the koala's name) on the table, so of course Georgie is distracted and tells him off for climbing up there - his perplexed expression is priceless!

...so cute! Georgie does grow up throughout the anime, and finds her family...who are exiles (slaves? brain not working enough for exact translation from the French words. I know what they mean, but finding the words is tricky...) which brings a whole load of problems and joy. I'm eager to watch more tonight! 

Today's highlights include posting stuff at the post office and visiting my village recycling centre - I know how to live it up! The rest of the time has been resting. No craft today, too worn out. But, I've ordered a fun craft book - DK books are always amazing, so I'm stalking my post box until it arrives. I hope you all have something fun arrive in the post soon! (Aside from bills, although if you're paperless these may just show up in your email address). 

I adore USA post boxes (mail box) - this one is very English in nature!!

Nayu's Craft Time #143 Necessary Tasks Take Time!

I love this nifty paperwork storage idea from Pinterest!

I'm writing this post as I sort some paperwork, which includes scanning it into my laptop and printing several copies. If you've done anything using 3 aspects you know just how time consuming it is. I'm convinced it always takes way longer than you expect, especially when you forget to add in topping up the printer with paper, rescanning an item because you accidentally delete it before saving it etc. That's why I saved this task for another day, today, as I knew it would take time and I was already tired from filling in said paperwork. 

Tick tock! Time passing would be cuter if I had this adorable rose clock!

When I've got dull/pointless but necessary tasks like this I do try and do them in the morning, as that's when I usually have vaguely more energy and motivation too. Somehow knowing that once I reach lunch time I can then relax makes me feel so much better about putting the effort in, even if I'm sluggish. I'd like to head to the post office today, but that depends what time I finish this. If I don't make it in time then it'll be a trip for Monday. Oh and I've manage to schedule a few book reviews for Nayu's Reading Corner inbetween button clicks and paper changes - go me!

Due to the time and energy this takes I won't be doing any sewing today - I may however do some crochet later, as I've got several audiobooks to review! It depends how I feel after relaxing with anime. So craft is still happening! I hope I can do a bit of editing my novel later too. 

Whatever the weather, and whatever you're up to today I hope you smile lots and have some fun! 

Some of you may be soaking up the sun with a picnic in the park!

Nayu's Craft Time #142 Blissfully hot!

This looks just like where I live, even though it's not.

If you're in England, you may have noticed the weather is GORGEOUS!!!! I know a lot of people struggle in the heat, especially if you aren't in a naturally cool building/have fans/air conditioning, if you are sick, and for other reasons, but I love heat. 

Keep rising!!!

I'm usually under blankets (some heated), hot water bottles, and more layers of clothing than most in both winter and summer. The temperature getting above 25C helps me feel warm for once without all of those things. Thus it makes me happy! Long may it continue. 

Still a bit tired from my crafting day with a friend yesterday, but thought you'd like to see the blanket I've been working on. It's a simple 2 colour treble granny square crochet blanket which involves next to no thinking from me, a bonus these days. I may do a bit more tonight, although a mermaid bed has come up on a family's Animal Crossing New Leaf island, and since I'm a fangirl of said mermaid collection I want more than one, and I'm not sure how many medals I currently have. The plus side is that I usually get what my family has on their island a few days later, so can save up medals another day. 

Not my photo (I want a pink wetsuit!) but it is the mermaid bed that's adorable!!!

I'm not sure what I was doing tonight, as I watched anime this morning, have read a lot, and vaguely too tired for craft (gaming involves less hand movement than crochet, and I can do it almost on auto-pilot when uber tired), so maybe gaming is what I'm meant to be doing. Will be listening to audiobooks that's for sure! Almost finished this one,

Murder & secrets abound at this 1930s girls' boarding school (4th book in the series)

and definitely will be continuing with the 2nd in a brilliant Amish series

The Amish still eat a lot of pie in this relisten!

I'd love to hear what you're up to today, whether you have an audiobook on the go, are reading a good book, doing something crafty or gaming!

Nayu's Craft Time #132 I love summer!

This scenic photo looks a lot like the fields where I live

Sunny weather is back!!! It makes me super happy, as usually sunshine can mean heat in the summer. My internal body temperature is set low, so I need it over 20'C to feel warm and not need a heated blanket on me all day. It's nice feeling normal at last! Been a long winter. The downside is hayfever makes me feel like I'm combatting a virus, so my body still isn't happy, but least I mostly am ^o^ 

Also a summer scene!

Today I'm finishing some blog work before getting a very small grocery shop, returning to anime and a stack of books to read. 

Just like Roald Dahl's Matilda I love reading!

That's a perfect Friday afternoon activity! 

& a fantastic weekend!

Nayu's Craft Time #126 Spring crochet facecloths, Cat antics, Investigating black rooms & mystery food!

Spring colours!

Hi everyone! Yesterday was a quiet-ish day. Rain doesn't always agree with me so I spent the morning working on these crochet face cloths/face flannels. These are made of a much softer cotton than my dishcloths, which look like this and can always be used as an exfoliation cloth, lotion not included! 

Lemon & white = bright & cheerful!

At the moment I'm undecided if they should have loops for hanging them up, so may have it as an option so you can choose to buy them with or without a handy loop to suit your preference.

Not the cover of the book mentioned, but it's at least the title. I find the cover a bit creepy.

I had a delicious salad and jacket potato yesterday which I will chat about tomorrow because 1 key ingredient is a new favourite food of mine.. I wasn't in the mood for gaming, so fiddled around with anime books and Youtube. After dipping into a reread I read quite a harrowing experience of child abuse for review, and recovered with happy go lucky anime Aikatsu. Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield is out in June, I highly recommend it, but make sure you have tissues and something fun to do after. 

My kind of fun is seeing Otome glomp (hug with fangirl love) Ichigo in Aikatsu

Not mine but I'd love a cat with this colouring!

I just had to get up to let my cat know she isn't allowed on a certain spot in my room, not that you need  know that as this isn't a vlog, but I felt like sidetracking you! Who doesn't like a cat interruption?

Sample of camoflage patterns - I have to research a lot when writing!

Today I was up rather early, so once I woke up fully I got stuck into writing. I finally finished making notes on the seemingly endless chapter 13! It's not mega long, but because there were a lot of details to the environment my characters are in, I had to note it all down for future reference. Doing this has helped identify impractical items, as well as make me think about decor in a way I never did in previous edits. I end up searching all sorts of random things like various camoflage colours, black rooms and the lowdown on holograms! It's fun writing science-fiction for children!
 

Time to head off and see if I can finish notes on another chapter by lunch, since I take a long afternoon break to recharge myself. Be sure to come back tomorrow find out which food I'm in love with at the moment! 

It's not watermelon, although that would be really refreshing right now!

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #1

I've just started the draft post for Over on Nayu's Crochet Dreams on my other blog, Nayu's Reading Corner, which is where I review books and chat about anime, and realised I should do a similar post here, ideally weekly, so you know what's happening. I do put up posts in the sidebar, but in case you aren't here every day (which is when I try to update it) then here's what I've been reviewing recently! Simply click on a title to be whisked to the post!

This week reviews include ones for  Children's 9 years +, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, and anime, as well as the weekly meme where I list all that I've read, watched, listened to and done that week. In case you are wondering, this is a different post to the order that I publish reviews.

Blog Tour: Review for Mystery & Mayhem by The Crime Club + Guest Blog Post from Kate Pankhurst (Children's, 9 years +, 9/10E,)

House Trained by Jackie Bouchard (Contemporary fiction, 10E/10E, NetGalley, short 'n' sweet read)

 

The Italian Dream by Tamara Kate Jarvis (Contemporary Fiction, Shop fiction, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet read)

 

Timber Ridge Riders #5 Chasing Dreams by Maggie Dana (Young Adult, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review

 

Road to the Regalia by Rachael Eliker (Young Adult, 9/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

 

 

Kate and Holly by Maggie Dana (Young Adult, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

 

Blog Tour Back in the Day by Jess Bright (Children's, 11 years +, Young Adult, 10E/10E, short 'n' sweet review)

 

 

Anime Round-up #1 Love Live School Idol Project, Kobato, Clannad

Clannad After Story picture, an anime that follows the lives of teens from high school to adulthood

What are YOU reading? #313

I look back on what I've read, watched & more during the week

I hope you've enjoyed this look back on my Nayu's Reading Corner posts! Let me know what you think in the comments, and come back next week for the next one!