Busy day yesterday

[badly_knitted]

As those of you who have livejournals will know, yesterday was my annual sight and hearing test!

I'm one of those weird people who actually enjoys the rigmarole of a visit to the opticians, the part that's not so much fun is getting there in the first place. I don't go out a lot at the best of times and between my agoraphobia and panic attacks, constant stomach problems, frequent migraines and the recent chaos of having to get the heating fixed before we froze, yesterday was the first time I'd been any further than the corner of my street (a walk that takes less than a minute each way) in almost 2 months.

Despite all that, things went fairly smoothly. The migraine of the previous 2 days had gone by Tuesday morning, the weather was sunny, although still very chilly, and I didn't rush the bike ride so it took maybe 15 minutes to get to town. There are plenty of bike stands along the high street, so parking is seldom a problem and I take the bike along with me, locking it near any shops I want to go in. It means I don't have to carry anything heavy very far. So I ran a few errands, dropping some stuff off in a charity shop, picking up a few items for the pets and getting some of my favourite biscuits (Traidcraft Fair Trade Stem Ginger Cookies! Yum!) from Oxfam and got to the opticians in plenty of time to browse frames before my appointment.

My hearing test was supposed to be after my eye test, but I was there early and the woman who does the hearing tests was free, so I got that out of the way first. My hearing is fine - not perfect but well within acceptable limits for my age. My optician does free hearing tests, so for the past few years I've taken advantage of that. My hearing is important to me, so I want o know the minute it starts deteriorating (as it probably will eventually) so I can do something about it straight away.

The sight test was good too - no sign of glaucoma (both my parents have it), my right eye is about the same and my left (which is the worst) has sharpened slightly. Reason enough to invest in new glasses this year! Much as I've liked the ones I had last year, my main pair is showing signs of wear and tear, as I wear them all the time.
 
Last years were nice but fairly ordinary - faintly mottled pinkish frames on the varifocals, pale metallic turquoise on the reading glasses. This year I've decided to jazz things up a bit. In some ways, I'm fortunate - I have a very narrow face, so a lot of women's frames are way too wide on me. This isn't the disadvantage it sounds though, as the frames for teenagers and young adults are just right and not only are they generally a bit cheaper than adult frames, they have some really great colours! I've got a lovely plum coloured pair for my varifocals, and rich purple for my reading glasses, they're gorgeous! Now I just have to wait for the phone call to tell me they're ready to collect! Even more good fortune, there was an offer on so I got my second pair half price! Needless to say, I was very happy about that!

After I left the opticians, I went round a few of the charity shops and picked up a few small craft bits and pieces cheap - including a small dreamcatcher cross stitch kit. Also found some jewellery to add to my collection. I love semi-precious stones, so I'm always on the lookout. I found a bracelet of goldstone beads (I love goldstone, it's all sparkly - it's usually gold, but you can get blue or green too. It's an artificially made stone, but so beautiful). I also found a chain bracelet with lots of small gemstone chip beads dangling off it (terrible description, I know. It's really very pretty). There's Gold Tiger's Eye, Green Aventurine, Sodalite, Clear Quartz, Amethyst (including an Amethyst heart) and some black ones which are probably Obsidian. Black stones can be hard to identify! Got a necklace too, a tumbled stone on a chain, but I can't identify that one. It's creamy with tiny flecks of grey and a slight yellowish tinge in a couple of places.

Went to Sainsbury's to get yogurts for myself and some cabbage for the rabbit and guinea pigs as we'd almost run out. Got myself two bakery Cherry and Almond tarts as a treat - had one for lunch yesterday and one today and they were delicious. It's not often I can eat and enjoy something, so such treats are few and far between! Of course, by then my bike was overloaded and I had to walk home pushing it. It's still much easier than carrying things, but the arthritis in my hips and knees had been acting up all day, so it was a long, slow, quite painful walk with me limping quite a bit. I was very glad to get home, even though I still had a lot to do when I got back.

Unsurprisingly, today I hurt. Quite a lot! Every muscle and joint, particularly in my legs, is aching and protesting, so I'm taking the day for myself (except for the unavoidable chores) to catch up on reading fanfic, relax, and post this!

Comments

[ms_bekahrose]

Your new glasses sound awesome. Sadly though, this just serves to remind me that I need to make an appointment with my optometrist so I can get my prescription updated.

Goldstone sounds really, really pretty. I'm not sure I've ever seen it before. Or, if I have, I've not known what I was looking at.

[badly_knitted]

I am thrilled to bits with my new glasses! Just can't wait to get them so I can weat them =)

I've worn glasses since I was 13 and I literally cried when I first put on my first pair, because I could see that trees had separate leaves, they weren't just big green blobs! (The glasses themselves were horrible and the kids at school made fun of me, but I didn't care because I could see!)

Goldstone really is lovely. I'm not sure which colour I like best. I think brown goldstone was the first to be made, then I discoverd the blue version and then the green. They're all gorgeous. It's like they're full of glitter. I wish I could show you a picture. Even though it's manufactured rather than natural, that doesn't dimish its beauty.

Oh! If I had your address, I could send you a goldstone pendant! I picked up a couple of job lots so I have several goldstone crosses and several sort of claw-shaped ones. Only the brown goldstone though - the others aren't as readily available! If you'd like one, PM me your address and tell me which you'd prefer.

Edited because I've apparently lost the ability to spell simple words!

[ms_bekahrose]

I've worn glasses since I was about 13/14 too. I've only got an astigmatism and the optometrist originally promised me that I would only need glasses for a few years to "correct the problem"... I'll be 27 in February and in the last thirteen years I've had to get the strength of my lenses increased three times. *insert eyeroll here*

However! My mum can very much relate to your glasses "omg! I can see!" experience... except for her, she was finally able to see us kids. Until I was about three, she'd just assumed what we looked like. My dad takes great delight in telling this story.

It sounds and looks lovely (I did a Google Search ;)). I've seen the blue one before, but not the brown one.

Your offer is really lovely and I'll definitely have a think about it.

[badly_knitted]

Not being able to see your own kids properly must be awful! Rather puts my delight over trees in the shade, although I am very fond of trees!

I never even thought of googling goldstone! Duh! I really am an internet novice, even after 2 years!

I'm rather passionate about crystals and semi-precious gemstones, they are so beautiful and most of them are natural, growing in the ground. I've been collecting them since I was a child, buying small ones on holiday on the south coast. I've often said I'd prefer a piece of Rose Quartz over a Diamond! I've got so many crystal chip bracelets I can't wear them all at once, but I've been known to wear as many as 20 at a time - 10 on each arm!

It's an open offer, I have plenty and I bought them as gifts for people, but I won't be offended if you refuse. I got a load of phone/handbag charms at the same time with metal angels and crystal chips. I though little things like that would make nice little gifts as thankyous or to send with a get well soon card, to cheer someone up.

Oh to be young again! I'll hit 49 next Feb! Just one year off my half century... Where has the time gone?

[rift_bound]

Oh, your glasses sound lovely! I have a very wide face so always end up with boring old-person glasses (as my nephew loves to tell me)! I've had glasses since I was 10 years old. I kept telling my mom that I couldn't see well but she thought I wanted glasses because the girl next door had them so she pretty much ignored me. THEN my teacher sent a note home that she'd had to move my desk 3 times so I could read the blackboard! That got my mom to take me to the eye doctor for the first time.

I'm very near-sighted. I spent about 3 years in glasses (having to replace them every six months because my eyes kept getting worse), then a whole lot of years in contact lenses, with bouts of glasses wearage because of my allergies. Had to go back to glasses about 10 years ago when my dust allergies got really bad and I just couldn't keep the contacts in. I have bifocals now and really need to get in to my ophthalmologist for testing. Maybe over the holidays.

Arthritis in your hips and knees and you still ride a bike?? I'm very impressed. I just have it in my knees and riding a bike is too painful right now. You are amazing! It sounds like you had a nice day out though and those days are precious!

[badly_knitted]

It's weird, but I find cycling (downhill, anyway) more comfortable than walking! Walking just makes everything ache.

It was a nice day out, I enjoyed it and as I don't get out often, I tried to make the most of it. Thankfully, it was before the bad weather hit.

On the downside, I still don't have my new glasses. It's usually a week to ten days before the optitian gets them back from where they're made up, but with the heavy snow, a lot of deliveries have been delayed and even if they were at the optitians, I wouldn't be able to go and collect them. I have to have them adjusted when I pick them up as my ears aren't level and it can throw my vision off if the glasses aren't straight! I've always been rather wonky =)

My parents realised I couldn't see one day on holiday when we'd been to the zoo. Back in the car park, Dad said "Look at the strange numberplate on that car," and I said, "What car?" Shortly after, we were at another wildlife park and I went haring off to see what I thought was a lamb that turned out to be a poodle! I still get teased about it! When we got home, Dad took me to the opticians, and when I went back to school after the summer holidays, I was wearing glasses. It did make a change to see what was on the blackboard!