And so another weekend and another Mothers Day comes to an end. I hope all of you mummies were looked after and made to feel extra special. I certainly was. My meal last night at - www.belandthedragon.co.uk - was as good as I had hoped. The food was wonderful and the wine came in magnums which was a bit of a shocker until we were told that we would only be charged for what we drank. Phew! Spending the evening in the company of 3 of my 'kids' was a joy, even if I was teased incessantly throughout the evening and I was reminded, yet again, how time flies. Looking at my confident, eloquent children not only made me realise how lucky I am but also that my youngest baby is now 21 and my eldest is 30. They will always be my babies though no matter how old they get.
I received lovely, thoughtful gifts too - a lantern and a wall hanging for my beach hut and a multi-coloured canvas bag made ethically (of course!) by Buddhists in Thailand. My bag was even wrapped in recycled paper and one of my cards was also ethically produced. My children know me very well.
You may recall from my previous post that hoped to pay a tribute to my own Mum today. As it's Mothers Day it seems appropriate to do so. You may also recall that I was going to contact friends and relatives to ask for any funny/happy memories that they had of Mum that they would be happy to share with me and then I could share with you in this blog.
I had lots of feedback and it made me smile so much when I read of peoples recollections. Here are just a few:
'..... my fondest memory was a day spent down in Littlehampton were we walked with the mums, sat in the sunshine having cakes and tea and just laughed and relaxed together. Your mum had a gift of caring and making people feel comfortable around her, she had a beautiful smile and I adored her voice - always calm and I can still hear her laughter now. She made you feel like you didn't want to leave her when it was time to go but you left and had a happy warm feeling inside from having spent time in such good company!'
'Jarlsberg - the more holes the better x plain crisps x orange sorbet from food flair xx mini dresses xx sunbathing on loungers on the first sighting of summer xxx '
'.... Friday nights when we went down the Wooden Bridge to see various
groups, especially the Rolling Stones, the highlight being was when Mick
Jagger jumped off the stage and danced with us both, a memory we
never forgot.'
'I will always be grateful for all the love and support she gave me when I
was ill, she was my best friend and we had such fun together, I think of
her all the time and still miss her so much'
' ....with her hair in rollers preparing party food with my Mum'
' ... trying out her French on holiday and saying goodbye by saying bon jour to a group of local ladies'
Today, buoyed by such lovely comments, I picked some daffodils from my garden and went over to the crematorium to 'see' Mum. As usual, it was sad because of the reminder that she is no longer here to cuddle or chat to but, for the first time I think, my memories of my Mum are happier rather than sad and angry. I feel I have turned a big psychological corner and I couldn't be happier or more grateful to the lovely people who reminded me just what a great lady Mum was.
I will never stop missing her but I do believe that I have stopped being angry with her. I will continue to think of her every day but now it will be with a smile and with the hope that all of my recollections will be good in the future.
So, thank you , thank you so very much, to everyone who got in touch. Thank you to my children for being the best children I could ever have been blessed with and for making my life complete. Thank you to my hubby for letting me go on and on over the years about my feelings and never telling me to shut up. Thank you to my brothers and sisters for just being there and letting me be me and, again, not telling me to shut up!! To my stepdad who loved Mum so much and who continues to be a wonderful grandad to his growing brood of grandchildren. Thank you to my bestest friend who always offers such words of support and comfort when I don't know where to turn. But, most of all, thank you to my Mum for everything she ever did for me....more than I could ever put into words or do justice to....for being there, for being her and for her love. The last words she ever said to me were 'I love you' and I know she did.
Lots of love
xxxxxx
Sunday 30 March 2014
Saturday 29 March 2014
Spoil Your Mum!
Good morning all.
It's a truly beautiful day out there today and the forecast is good for tomorrow so, when I have finished my work shift today, I shall be dashing home to sit in the sunshine and have a cup of tea. Believe me, that sounds heavenly after the lack of sleep I have been suffering lately!
My best friend has just emailed me to say that she has received emails form me after midnight and at 5 in the morning and that she is going to buy me some essential oils to help me nod off. To be honest I think that my hectic working pattern of the last 2 weeks is to blame. That and this blog which I am ridiculously obsessed with as you may have noticed!
I have just worked out that I have worked some part of every day for last 10 days and I have more of the same until next Thursday. That really can't be good for a lady of my age, can it?! Roll on the school holidays I say.
I had another lovely comment about my blog last night and a request for me to do today's post early if possible so I am doing my best with this now.
Last night I was reminded that it's Mother's Day tomorrow. It's not something that I really need to think about these days but it set me thinking about my own Mum again and I decided that I would like to do something for her tomorrow apart from taking flowers to the crematorium and spending a few minutes thinking about her. I want to do a post about us mums tomorrow and mention my Mum in it so I have asked for anyone that remembers her and who has fond/happy/funny memories of her to share them with me if they feel able to.
Already I have had some lovely responses and I feel so happy that Mum was thought well of by so many people. It is already making my own memories of her much more positive which is fantastic.
Of course, I am a mum myself and it's a job that I take incredibly seriously. It's a role that I always longed for and a role that I treasure. I adore my children and I love them more than they will ever know.
This evening I am being treated to a meal at one of my favourite local restaurants in honour of Mother's Day and I'm really looking forward to spending time with 3 of my 4 kiddiewinks. The 4th is a mummy herself to three youngsters and I hope to get to see her very soon.
So, this is a relatively short and sweet post. I wish you all a wonderful day. To any of you reading this that are fortunate enough to have your mums in your life....go on, spoil them tomorrow, go and buy them a lovely card, send some flowers, pick up the phone and speak to them. It will mean more to them than you may realise and you never know when they may be gone for good.
Much love
xxxxx
It's a truly beautiful day out there today and the forecast is good for tomorrow so, when I have finished my work shift today, I shall be dashing home to sit in the sunshine and have a cup of tea. Believe me, that sounds heavenly after the lack of sleep I have been suffering lately!
My best friend has just emailed me to say that she has received emails form me after midnight and at 5 in the morning and that she is going to buy me some essential oils to help me nod off. To be honest I think that my hectic working pattern of the last 2 weeks is to blame. That and this blog which I am ridiculously obsessed with as you may have noticed!
I have just worked out that I have worked some part of every day for last 10 days and I have more of the same until next Thursday. That really can't be good for a lady of my age, can it?! Roll on the school holidays I say.
I had another lovely comment about my blog last night and a request for me to do today's post early if possible so I am doing my best with this now.
Last night I was reminded that it's Mother's Day tomorrow. It's not something that I really need to think about these days but it set me thinking about my own Mum again and I decided that I would like to do something for her tomorrow apart from taking flowers to the crematorium and spending a few minutes thinking about her. I want to do a post about us mums tomorrow and mention my Mum in it so I have asked for anyone that remembers her and who has fond/happy/funny memories of her to share them with me if they feel able to.
Already I have had some lovely responses and I feel so happy that Mum was thought well of by so many people. It is already making my own memories of her much more positive which is fantastic.
Of course, I am a mum myself and it's a job that I take incredibly seriously. It's a role that I always longed for and a role that I treasure. I adore my children and I love them more than they will ever know.
This evening I am being treated to a meal at one of my favourite local restaurants in honour of Mother's Day and I'm really looking forward to spending time with 3 of my 4 kiddiewinks. The 4th is a mummy herself to three youngsters and I hope to get to see her very soon.
So, this is a relatively short and sweet post. I wish you all a wonderful day. To any of you reading this that are fortunate enough to have your mums in your life....go on, spoil them tomorrow, go and buy them a lovely card, send some flowers, pick up the phone and speak to them. It will mean more to them than you may realise and you never know when they may be gone for good.
Much love
xxxxx
Friday 28 March 2014
Beach Hut Blues and Fantastic Fundraising
Hi again everyone and I do hope this post finds you fit and well.
Let me get straight down to the matters mentioned in the title of this entry. First of all, my beloved beach hut.
We decided, on the spur of the moment it has to be said, to buy a beach hut in the autumn of last year. Me being the 'hippy' that I am, have always longed for a beach hut and/or a caravan. Hubby, being the realist that he is, has always implied that a) he wouldn't ever stay in a caravan...the words 'why would you stay in a caravan when you can stay in a hotel?' spring to mind...and b) we couldn't afford it.
However, things change and, while the caravan idea is never going to materialise, the beach hut hut idea did. I went down to Hayling Island in October and saw a beach hut that was for sale, came home and told hubby about it, he said 'get it', I said 'OK' ( and a lot more besides!) and the deal was done. We bought the hut without me even seeing inside. Fortunately, the hut had been in the same family for 30 years and was a much loved part of their life. The interior was perfect and we didn't need to buy a single item to make the hut usable. We were very lucky.
Hubby and I spent New Year's Eve 2013 in the hut with a bottle of wine, a hot water bottle and a blanket and we saw the New Year in watching the fireworks that were going off on the Isle of Wight. i
It was a cold, windy night but I loved it. It was certainly memorable!
In January I received a call to say that the hut, along with many others, had been broken into and a few items were stolen. We were disappointed but no damage was done internally so we had the locks replaced and looked forward the the coming months of Spring and Summer and I, at least, was daydreaming about the memories that would be made there.
In February, as you will all, no doubt, recall, we had the worst storms that the UK has seen in many years. There were regular news updates and footage of beach huts being blown away/destroyed across the country. I remember thinking that if the hut survived the appalling weather we were having, it would survive almost anything. Well....
the hut survived but it was not unscathed. When we went down to see for ourselves the extent of the damage, we saw that the hut had been forced back from its base by about a metre by the high sea levels and the gales. The hut next door to ours was leaning against our roof and the shingle that had been washed up had made the doors of the hut almost impossible to open. When we did finally get inside, the cupboards were full of sea water and the floor looked like it had most of the beach on it....sand everywhere.
I was not unduly concerned because I felt sure that, once the hut was moved by the council ( hats off to Havant Borough Council who have been brilliant) all would be well. Nothing that a good airing and a spring clean wouldn't sort out.
Unfortunately, today's emails included one from the aforementioned borough council, with photos attached, showing further damage to our hut with a request to get it repaired asap. How annoying! I envisage another insurance claim and another call to the lovely chap who repaired our hut after the break in. Who would've thought that owning a beach hut could be so exciting!!
And now, for the good, amazing, totally brilliant news for the day.
Back at the beginning of March, a team of 4 of us completed the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon to raise money for a local centre that supports disabled children, young people and adults, their families and carers www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk. We were running/walking in memory of two brothers, one of whom I worked with and who died in 2012.
Our team consisted of me, my son, the sister of the brothers we were running in memory of and their cousin. For anyone who may be interested, I wrote a blog, my first effort, which chronicled our journey and the trials and tribulations of the training etc which you can still find here www.teamrunjojo.blogspot.com
When we decided to take part in the race we thought that we ought to be able to raise £500 between us without too much trouble. It seemed a realistic target considering that people are generally feeling the pinch financially and, more importantly, I seem to be requesting sponsorship or support at least once for year for one of my hairbrained fundraising ideas and, while people are incredibly supportive, I don't think it's fair to keep relying on family and friends to back me.
As usual, it has taken a couple of weeks to get all of the money raised by the four of us but, finally today we managed to get the job done. While we are still not sure of the actual definitive figure that we raised because it has yet to be confirmed, our total raised comes to just over
£2,300!!!!!!
I cannot tell you how proud we are and how grateful we are to everyone that supported us. Not only that, but that total may be increased by £210 if my son's employers agree to match the amount that he raised and he is very confident that they will do so.
So it's another positive day all in all. The beach hut will be fine. The centre that we fundraised for costs £1000 per day to run so we have paid for 2 complete days for people to benefit from the wonderful work that is done there. Life is good.
I hope you will feel that you want to come back and continue reading this blog from time to time. I am so excited to be writing it! Please do feel free to spread the word. The more people that check in to read my ramblings the happier I will be.
Lots of love
xxxxxxx
Let me get straight down to the matters mentioned in the title of this entry. First of all, my beloved beach hut.
We decided, on the spur of the moment it has to be said, to buy a beach hut in the autumn of last year. Me being the 'hippy' that I am, have always longed for a beach hut and/or a caravan. Hubby, being the realist that he is, has always implied that a) he wouldn't ever stay in a caravan...the words 'why would you stay in a caravan when you can stay in a hotel?' spring to mind...and b) we couldn't afford it.
However, things change and, while the caravan idea is never going to materialise, the beach hut hut idea did. I went down to Hayling Island in October and saw a beach hut that was for sale, came home and told hubby about it, he said 'get it', I said 'OK' ( and a lot more besides!) and the deal was done. We bought the hut without me even seeing inside. Fortunately, the hut had been in the same family for 30 years and was a much loved part of their life. The interior was perfect and we didn't need to buy a single item to make the hut usable. We were very lucky.
Hubby and I spent New Year's Eve 2013 in the hut with a bottle of wine, a hot water bottle and a blanket and we saw the New Year in watching the fireworks that were going off on the Isle of Wight. i
It was a cold, windy night but I loved it. It was certainly memorable!
In January I received a call to say that the hut, along with many others, had been broken into and a few items were stolen. We were disappointed but no damage was done internally so we had the locks replaced and looked forward the the coming months of Spring and Summer and I, at least, was daydreaming about the memories that would be made there.
In February, as you will all, no doubt, recall, we had the worst storms that the UK has seen in many years. There were regular news updates and footage of beach huts being blown away/destroyed across the country. I remember thinking that if the hut survived the appalling weather we were having, it would survive almost anything. Well....
the hut survived but it was not unscathed. When we went down to see for ourselves the extent of the damage, we saw that the hut had been forced back from its base by about a metre by the high sea levels and the gales. The hut next door to ours was leaning against our roof and the shingle that had been washed up had made the doors of the hut almost impossible to open. When we did finally get inside, the cupboards were full of sea water and the floor looked like it had most of the beach on it....sand everywhere.
I was not unduly concerned because I felt sure that, once the hut was moved by the council ( hats off to Havant Borough Council who have been brilliant) all would be well. Nothing that a good airing and a spring clean wouldn't sort out.
Unfortunately, today's emails included one from the aforementioned borough council, with photos attached, showing further damage to our hut with a request to get it repaired asap. How annoying! I envisage another insurance claim and another call to the lovely chap who repaired our hut after the break in. Who would've thought that owning a beach hut could be so exciting!!
And now, for the good, amazing, totally brilliant news for the day.
Back at the beginning of March, a team of 4 of us completed the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon to raise money for a local centre that supports disabled children, young people and adults, their families and carers www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk. We were running/walking in memory of two brothers, one of whom I worked with and who died in 2012.
Our team consisted of me, my son, the sister of the brothers we were running in memory of and their cousin. For anyone who may be interested, I wrote a blog, my first effort, which chronicled our journey and the trials and tribulations of the training etc which you can still find here www.teamrunjojo.blogspot.com
When we decided to take part in the race we thought that we ought to be able to raise £500 between us without too much trouble. It seemed a realistic target considering that people are generally feeling the pinch financially and, more importantly, I seem to be requesting sponsorship or support at least once for year for one of my hairbrained fundraising ideas and, while people are incredibly supportive, I don't think it's fair to keep relying on family and friends to back me.
As usual, it has taken a couple of weeks to get all of the money raised by the four of us but, finally today we managed to get the job done. While we are still not sure of the actual definitive figure that we raised because it has yet to be confirmed, our total raised comes to just over
£2,300!!!!!!
I cannot tell you how proud we are and how grateful we are to everyone that supported us. Not only that, but that total may be increased by £210 if my son's employers agree to match the amount that he raised and he is very confident that they will do so.
So it's another positive day all in all. The beach hut will be fine. The centre that we fundraised for costs £1000 per day to run so we have paid for 2 complete days for people to benefit from the wonderful work that is done there. Life is good.
I hope you will feel that you want to come back and continue reading this blog from time to time. I am so excited to be writing it! Please do feel free to spread the word. The more people that check in to read my ramblings the happier I will be.
Lots of love
xxxxxxx
Thursday 27 March 2014
Rise and Shine
It's 5.08 am and I'm at work and I can't sleep. Sleep at work I hear you say? Well, yes because I am manning the medical centre and there is no one in overnight which means that I'm allowed to go to bed. However, sleep, or any length of uninterrupted sleep, while I am here often proves elusive. There are several reasons for this, not least being the fact that I have been told my various people here that this building is haunted which doesn't help someone of my somewhat nervous disposition!
Whether you believe in such things is neither here nor there. All I know is that when I am here on my own it's a very quiet, unsettling place. I generally toss and turn all night when I'm on duty for no reason other than my mind won't settle.
While I have never seen anything remotely spooky while I've been at work here, I have heard and felt things that have freaked me out just a little. One evening, shortly after 2 am I woke to the sound of keys jangling outside my bedroom door. I was in the centre on my own, the only keys in the building were in my uniform pocket and in the door. I have no idea what was going on but it scared me. Several times I have been sleeping and felt the sheet being moved away from my face and I have heard a group of people outside when I know all the students and staff are settled for the night and tucked up safely in bed.
While I'm sure most of this is likely to the product of a very overactive imagination, I am still slightly disturbed by the events which probably goes a long way to explaining why I don't sleep well when I am here! A self fulfilling prophecy or something like that.
So, as usual, here I am, awake, thinking of making a cup of tea with my mind in overdrive full of things that I can blog about mainly. My children, my husband, our pets, my childhood, my parents and grandparents - well, Nans mainly because I have zero recollection of my grandfathers - my life in general.
Yesterday I received several really positive comments about my blog so far and it made me feel wonderful. I had a spring in my step for most of the day. To think that people are taking the time to read this and to comment on it is wonderful, especially as this is a fairly nondescript kind of blog with no theme other than my life. It reminded me yet again of the power of positivity. One positive comment to one person every day can change the way that person feels and can make them feel as if they are achieving something good.
Yesterday evening I also had a text from a lady that I used to care for. She is younger than me and has ME, the condition that is hard to diagnose and even harder to treat. I haven't seen her for a year or more but we exchange texts once in a while. Last week I had the urge to write a few letters and this lady was one that I chose to write to. As a consequence of my letter, she text me to let me know that she is in a difficult place at the moment and is even having suicidal thoughts as she feels frightened, alone and unsupported. Her physical condition has deteriorated and her mental welling is suffering as a result.
Initially I felt guilty because I haven't seen her for a long time and felt almost responsible for her decline but then I readjusted my thinking and realised that if I hadn't written to her she wouldn't know that I care about her. Maybe her receiving my letter made her feel less alone. It certainly gave her the confidence to contact me and sometimes maybe that is all we need, the realisation that somebody out there in the big scary world cares about how we are feeling. I am concerned about her comments about feeling suicidal but I know that she has a team of people around her who will be doing their best to support her. I will stay in touch with her and visit when she feels strong enough. We will have a coffee and a catch up and maybe that will help. I do hope so.
On a different note, two days ago I heard the new Coldplay single, Magic. It was being played by Jo Whiley on good old Radio 2. I love Coldplay and this latest song is another wonderful piece of work in my opinion. It's a real grower if you know what I mean. I had it playing on repeat on my iphone last night and the more I heard it the more I loved it. The new album is out in May and I, for one, can't wait to hear it. Maybe they will tour again soon!!!
Well, the morning has broken while I've been typing. Birds are chirping and the day is beginning.
Remember, try do or say just one positive thing today to someone that that you meet. You might just make their day, week, month or year. It might give them the spring in their step that I had yesterday and it's a wonderful feeling.
Much love💕💕💕
Xxx
Wednesday 26 March 2014
Proxtalker Progress. This is worth reading I promise!
Hi everyone,
I'm feeling a little uneasy about my post yesterday and the references to my Mum. I haven't had any feedback but I would hate it if my post upset anyone, especially my family. Moving on.....
I returned home this morning after another night shift and have set about my usual morning rituals...loading the washing machine, dish washwasher etc etc and have now decided to settle down to write another entry for my blog. I am feeling recovered from the overindulgence of the other evening and normal service has been resumed.
My work last night was with a young man that I have worked with for about 10 years. He is soon to be 18. He has cerebral palsy and is not able to talk. He has recently been given a communication aid called a Proxtalker. The Proxtalker is basically a device that enables words to be recorded onto a small disc - each disc takes 4 seconds of speech - the discs are then put onto the Proxtalker base (the base can take 4 discs at a time) and then the user presses each disc and the machine 'speaks' the words that have been recorded.
I know that's not a very clear description but I hope you get the idea. If you want further information please go to:
https://www.logan-technologies.co.uk/proxtalker
Anyway, my lad's Dad is away in Japan at the moment and he is missing his Daddy very much. We have even had tears. So I decided that it would be nice if we could send Daddy a message using the Proxtalker. We decided on the message being:
Disc 1 - Hello Daddy
Disc 2 - I hope you're OK
Disc 3 - I miss you
Disc 4 - Lots of love
I recorded my voice on the discs using the words that we agreed on. I put the discs on the Proxtalker and then my lad pressed the discs so that the message was spoken by the machine. I then filmed the Proxtalker being used by using the iPad video camera and put the clip onto Facebook for Daddy to see.
Well, that message and video clip has caused tears...tears of happiness...but tears none the less. Daddy in Japan was thrilled to get the video clip and loved the message, Mummy was overwhelmed that her lad had proved that he can use the Proxtalker properly because various people had said that he couldn't do so and everyone who has seen the clip has been touched because my lad with no voice has been able to communicate in such a positive way.
I honestly had no idea that what we were doing was going to have such a positive impact on people and it has really made my day. To me, it's all part of my job. Enabling someone to communicate when they aren't able to do it for themselves, to make people smile. It's what I am there for. Don't get me wrong, I don't do these things all the time but my work as a carer is made worthwhile each time that I can do something like I did last night.
Care work can be challenging, can be heartbreaking, can be frustrating and can be life-changing. I have spent the majority of my working life in the care sector. I'm not a qualified nurse or anything like that but I know that I have a real empathy and understanding of the work that I do and I have come to realise that I am very good at my job. I used to think that everybody and anybody could do what I do but I now see that not everybody can do it like I can. I consider it a privilege that I am so often entrusted with the care of some very vulnerable people. I have made some great friends through my work and I have met some truly inspirational folk. I have been welcomed into peoples homes, into their families and into their lives and I feel truly blessed to have been so fortunate.
I have had to deal with some incredibly difficult situations and I have witnessed heartbreak and tragedy but I have also travelled to fantastic places and had some wonderful experiences through my work. I have worked in the community, at the local hospital, at a hospice for children and at several schools and almost everyday I will see or hear something that is almost miraculous or something that exceeds peoples expectations of the person that may have been written off.
Well, that's probably enough for now. I really just wanted to get my thoughts and feelings down before something else happens and I forget how good I am feeling right now.
Have a wonderful day everyone. Try to make someone smile today. It will make you feel good.
Much love.
xxxxx
I'm feeling a little uneasy about my post yesterday and the references to my Mum. I haven't had any feedback but I would hate it if my post upset anyone, especially my family. Moving on.....
I returned home this morning after another night shift and have set about my usual morning rituals...loading the washing machine, dish washwasher etc etc and have now decided to settle down to write another entry for my blog. I am feeling recovered from the overindulgence of the other evening and normal service has been resumed.
My work last night was with a young man that I have worked with for about 10 years. He is soon to be 18. He has cerebral palsy and is not able to talk. He has recently been given a communication aid called a Proxtalker. The Proxtalker is basically a device that enables words to be recorded onto a small disc - each disc takes 4 seconds of speech - the discs are then put onto the Proxtalker base (the base can take 4 discs at a time) and then the user presses each disc and the machine 'speaks' the words that have been recorded.
I know that's not a very clear description but I hope you get the idea. If you want further information please go to:
https://www.logan-technologies.co.uk/proxtalker
Anyway, my lad's Dad is away in Japan at the moment and he is missing his Daddy very much. We have even had tears. So I decided that it would be nice if we could send Daddy a message using the Proxtalker. We decided on the message being:
Disc 1 - Hello Daddy
Disc 2 - I hope you're OK
Disc 3 - I miss you
Disc 4 - Lots of love
I recorded my voice on the discs using the words that we agreed on. I put the discs on the Proxtalker and then my lad pressed the discs so that the message was spoken by the machine. I then filmed the Proxtalker being used by using the iPad video camera and put the clip onto Facebook for Daddy to see.
Well, that message and video clip has caused tears...tears of happiness...but tears none the less. Daddy in Japan was thrilled to get the video clip and loved the message, Mummy was overwhelmed that her lad had proved that he can use the Proxtalker properly because various people had said that he couldn't do so and everyone who has seen the clip has been touched because my lad with no voice has been able to communicate in such a positive way.
I honestly had no idea that what we were doing was going to have such a positive impact on people and it has really made my day. To me, it's all part of my job. Enabling someone to communicate when they aren't able to do it for themselves, to make people smile. It's what I am there for. Don't get me wrong, I don't do these things all the time but my work as a carer is made worthwhile each time that I can do something like I did last night.
Care work can be challenging, can be heartbreaking, can be frustrating and can be life-changing. I have spent the majority of my working life in the care sector. I'm not a qualified nurse or anything like that but I know that I have a real empathy and understanding of the work that I do and I have come to realise that I am very good at my job. I used to think that everybody and anybody could do what I do but I now see that not everybody can do it like I can. I consider it a privilege that I am so often entrusted with the care of some very vulnerable people. I have made some great friends through my work and I have met some truly inspirational folk. I have been welcomed into peoples homes, into their families and into their lives and I feel truly blessed to have been so fortunate.
I have had to deal with some incredibly difficult situations and I have witnessed heartbreak and tragedy but I have also travelled to fantastic places and had some wonderful experiences through my work. I have worked in the community, at the local hospital, at a hospice for children and at several schools and almost everyday I will see or hear something that is almost miraculous or something that exceeds peoples expectations of the person that may have been written off.
Well, that's probably enough for now. I really just wanted to get my thoughts and feelings down before something else happens and I forget how good I am feeling right now.
Have a wonderful day everyone. Try to make someone smile today. It will make you feel good.
Much love.
xxxxx
Tuesday 25 March 2014
Hungover? Moi?
Sitting on my sofa feeling a bit fragile is probably not the the ideal position to be blogging from but that's how it is for me today. As I was at home last night for the only night out of five I decided to chill out after I finished my late shift and have a glass of wine. I received a call from my son asking if I could pick him up from town and, being the soft touch that I am, I agreed. On our way home we stopped at the local convenience store and picked up a bottle of wine to share. When we got home we played music and drank the wine in next to no time it seemed. Son rang his Dad who was on his way home from work and asked him to pick up another bottle. Dad agreed and so our evening went on for longer than expected and I drank more than my fair share vino. Hence the headache and general 'blurgh' feeling today!
I have a testing relationship with alcohol. When I was younger - in my 30's and 40's - I thought nothing of staying up long into the night singing and dancing and generally felt no aftereffects. I have also used alcohol as a relaxant, like many people I suspect, to ease me into social situations and so on. These days, more than a glass and a half of wine usually gives me a dreadful migraine/headache for the following 24 hours at least.
It took me a long time to associate the migraines with the alcohol. I know that sounds pathetic but it's the truth. I was also in denial about the amount I was drinking and how it was affecting me generally. The penny finally dropped when I realised that I was feeling rough most days and that I was drinking most days as well.
Alcohol has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My Nan used to take us to the Legion at weekends, lunchtimes and evenings sometimes, where she would play bingo and have several glasses of Guinness. She said that the Guinness was good for. She was also partial to hot milk with a drop of brandy added to it before she went to bed.
Mum and Dad used to socialise at the local pub at the bottom of our road and many times the pub closed and lots of people would come back to our house and their evening would continue. Mum used to enjoy a gin and orange on a Friday/Saturday night. Dad didn't particularly drink at home but went to the pub or the local working mens club very often. These were in the days when pubs only opened for a couple of hours at lunch time and closed early on a Sunday night.
The demon drink became even more of an issue for my family when Mum started drinking heavily. Mum loved a glass of wine and she was a sociable person who enjoyed nothing more than sitting and chatting with glass in hand. She loved a gathering and would be the perfect hostess, providing guests with lovely food, nice drinks and a comfortable environment. Sadly, as she grew older and her mobility started to be a problem, her drinking gradually started to impact on her life. She wasn't able to work, she didn't drive and she had moved away from her friends and family to live by the sea so she spent a lot of time on her own.
Alcohol started to affect Mum's deepest relationships and she became ill. I don't know how many times that she went to rehab or how many times she ended up in hospital. All I knew was that my Mum wasn't 'my Mum' anymore. She changed from being supportive and outgoing to being bitter and unhappy. I found it impossible to talk to her. She started upsetting people and she started lying. I would imagine that all of those things are consistent with someone with an addiction and that's what she had. Mum was an alcoholic and there was little any of us could do to help her. No matter how we tried, how we begged, she wasn't able to stop herself and she became more and more ill.
Mum's liver, and her body in general, was not able to tolerate the abuse she was giving it and she made her last trip to hospital at the end of November 2007. She was diagnosed with liver failure due to alcohol and she died about a week later just a few days before her 68th birthday.
There is obviously so much more to Mum's story and her life than the alcohol and I fully intend to pay tribute to her and her achievements on this blog at a later date. However, the end of Mum's life was a traumatic time for us all and I, for one, have found it very difficult to move on, or at least get past, what happened to her. I have been, and still can be, really angry with her for leaving us, and I sometimes find it hard to find happy memories but time is a healer and all that.
So, alcohol and me....a testing relationship in deed.
And, on that note, I will sign off for now.
Peace and happiness to you all.
xxxxxx
I have a testing relationship with alcohol. When I was younger - in my 30's and 40's - I thought nothing of staying up long into the night singing and dancing and generally felt no aftereffects. I have also used alcohol as a relaxant, like many people I suspect, to ease me into social situations and so on. These days, more than a glass and a half of wine usually gives me a dreadful migraine/headache for the following 24 hours at least.
It took me a long time to associate the migraines with the alcohol. I know that sounds pathetic but it's the truth. I was also in denial about the amount I was drinking and how it was affecting me generally. The penny finally dropped when I realised that I was feeling rough most days and that I was drinking most days as well.
Alcohol has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My Nan used to take us to the Legion at weekends, lunchtimes and evenings sometimes, where she would play bingo and have several glasses of Guinness. She said that the Guinness was good for. She was also partial to hot milk with a drop of brandy added to it before she went to bed.
Mum and Dad used to socialise at the local pub at the bottom of our road and many times the pub closed and lots of people would come back to our house and their evening would continue. Mum used to enjoy a gin and orange on a Friday/Saturday night. Dad didn't particularly drink at home but went to the pub or the local working mens club very often. These were in the days when pubs only opened for a couple of hours at lunch time and closed early on a Sunday night.
The demon drink became even more of an issue for my family when Mum started drinking heavily. Mum loved a glass of wine and she was a sociable person who enjoyed nothing more than sitting and chatting with glass in hand. She loved a gathering and would be the perfect hostess, providing guests with lovely food, nice drinks and a comfortable environment. Sadly, as she grew older and her mobility started to be a problem, her drinking gradually started to impact on her life. She wasn't able to work, she didn't drive and she had moved away from her friends and family to live by the sea so she spent a lot of time on her own.
Alcohol started to affect Mum's deepest relationships and she became ill. I don't know how many times that she went to rehab or how many times she ended up in hospital. All I knew was that my Mum wasn't 'my Mum' anymore. She changed from being supportive and outgoing to being bitter and unhappy. I found it impossible to talk to her. She started upsetting people and she started lying. I would imagine that all of those things are consistent with someone with an addiction and that's what she had. Mum was an alcoholic and there was little any of us could do to help her. No matter how we tried, how we begged, she wasn't able to stop herself and she became more and more ill.
Mum's liver, and her body in general, was not able to tolerate the abuse she was giving it and she made her last trip to hospital at the end of November 2007. She was diagnosed with liver failure due to alcohol and she died about a week later just a few days before her 68th birthday.
There is obviously so much more to Mum's story and her life than the alcohol and I fully intend to pay tribute to her and her achievements on this blog at a later date. However, the end of Mum's life was a traumatic time for us all and I, for one, have found it very difficult to move on, or at least get past, what happened to her. I have been, and still can be, really angry with her for leaving us, and I sometimes find it hard to find happy memories but time is a healer and all that.
So, alcohol and me....a testing relationship in deed.
And, on that note, I will sign off for now.
Peace and happiness to you all.
xxxxxx
Monday 24 March 2014
Family
Hello to all of you lovely people out there and, as various guests on Chris Evans' Radio 2 show say, welcome to another day here on planet Earth!
I woke up in a strange bed this morning. Now that is not as scandalous as it may sound. While doing my work as a carer, I am occasionally asked to sleepover and last night was one of those nights. While I would obviously be happiest in my own bed, to sleep in a lovely bed with clean sheets and a snuggly duvet on my own was actually quite a treat. I was even woken with a steaming hot cup of tea which was luxury indeed.
When I finally opened the curtains, I saw that the sun was shining and the sky was blue but there was a sharp frost . The frost made everything look magical, like someone had gone around in the night and sprinkled fairy dust on the cars, the houses and the ground. Now the frost has gone we are in for a glorious day I think. Long may that continue.
My day has already included putting on two loads of washing, hanging one load out on the line, cleaning the downstairs bathroom and a trip to the vets with the dog for his booster and it's only 11.20 am. I'll be going back to work again this afternoon too so I need to be organised.
Yet again, last night when I was in bed, my mind was full of ideas and topics that I could talk about in this blog. I am very aware that the blog is not about anything apart from me and my life and that that may put people off reading it but I'm quite prepared to plod on for now and see where this takes me.
As this blog is about my life I suppose I should start at the very beginning, a very good place to start (in my head I am singing that like Maria in The Sound of Music!).
I was the eldest of three children initially, having a younger brother and sister. I say initially because I became the second eldest when my parents fostered a boy who was a year older than me. I was probably about 5 or 6 at the time that he came to us. He fitted into our family unit very well and ended up staying with us. He became our brother very quickly. Some confusion arose because he had the same christian name as my other brother and we couldn't have two boys in the family with the same name so we all called him by his middle name which made things easier. However, I have often thought that it must have been very difficult for him to have been called one name for 6 years and then by another name from then on. The muddle for him must have been even worse because Mum and Dad never adopted him so all of his legal papers and so on remained in his birth name. So at school he continued to be referred to by his birth name and at home he was called another. To this day, people use either name for him. He is known to most people by his birth name but to us he is, and always will be, our brother, whatever name is used.
In the early 70's our parents divorced and there were the usual emotional issues to contend with. Both Mum and Dad tried their best to keep things calm and steady for us children but it didn't always work. I was at boarding school when things were really difficult so I wasn't witness to any nastiness. I don't think my siblings were quite so fortunate. However, with me being away from home I felt isolated and alone. I had no idea really about what was going on but I have a very vivid memory of being collected from school by a family friend unexpectedly and being driven home. I can remember walking in through the back door of the house and knowing immediately that something was wrong. The house was eerily quiet. Even the dog didn't come to greet me like he normally did. I went into the sitting room and found my Dad sitting hunched over the gas fire. I asked him where everyone was and he just looked at me and said 'Your Mum's gone'. What a shocker.
I knew that he didn't mean she was dead. I knew that she had left him. In that instant my heart went out to my Dad and I wanted to look after him. He didn't need me to I'm sure but I felt that that was what I should do. Mum had left which was unusual in those days. It was much more common for the man to leave the wife. I know now that there were many reasons why the marriage didn't work but at the time I felt sorry for Dad. He looked pathetic really, like he couldn't believe what had happened but it takes two to tango as they say. My 13 year old sensitive head told me to knuckle down and get on with things so I think that's what I did. Unfortunately, my memory for things has never been great. My sister has a much better aptitude for that than me!
The upshot of the divorce was that both my parents went on to remarry and have more children so my siblings grew in number. Mum had two more children and Dad became step-dad to two children and then had another child of his own. In a relatively short time I had gone from being the eldest of three to being one of ten!
This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as my family is concerned but I hope that this gives you a little bit of an insight into why family is so important to me. There is much more to come but I am aware that I need to be very careful about how I word things and how much information that I give. The views that I express here are purely mine and I know that we don't all see things the same way.
On that note I will sign off for now. I wish you all a happy day. may the sun shine on you and make you smile.
xxxxx
I woke up in a strange bed this morning. Now that is not as scandalous as it may sound. While doing my work as a carer, I am occasionally asked to sleepover and last night was one of those nights. While I would obviously be happiest in my own bed, to sleep in a lovely bed with clean sheets and a snuggly duvet on my own was actually quite a treat. I was even woken with a steaming hot cup of tea which was luxury indeed.
When I finally opened the curtains, I saw that the sun was shining and the sky was blue but there was a sharp frost . The frost made everything look magical, like someone had gone around in the night and sprinkled fairy dust on the cars, the houses and the ground. Now the frost has gone we are in for a glorious day I think. Long may that continue.
My day has already included putting on two loads of washing, hanging one load out on the line, cleaning the downstairs bathroom and a trip to the vets with the dog for his booster and it's only 11.20 am. I'll be going back to work again this afternoon too so I need to be organised.
Yet again, last night when I was in bed, my mind was full of ideas and topics that I could talk about in this blog. I am very aware that the blog is not about anything apart from me and my life and that that may put people off reading it but I'm quite prepared to plod on for now and see where this takes me.
As this blog is about my life I suppose I should start at the very beginning, a very good place to start (in my head I am singing that like Maria in The Sound of Music!).
I was the eldest of three children initially, having a younger brother and sister. I say initially because I became the second eldest when my parents fostered a boy who was a year older than me. I was probably about 5 or 6 at the time that he came to us. He fitted into our family unit very well and ended up staying with us. He became our brother very quickly. Some confusion arose because he had the same christian name as my other brother and we couldn't have two boys in the family with the same name so we all called him by his middle name which made things easier. However, I have often thought that it must have been very difficult for him to have been called one name for 6 years and then by another name from then on. The muddle for him must have been even worse because Mum and Dad never adopted him so all of his legal papers and so on remained in his birth name. So at school he continued to be referred to by his birth name and at home he was called another. To this day, people use either name for him. He is known to most people by his birth name but to us he is, and always will be, our brother, whatever name is used.
In the early 70's our parents divorced and there were the usual emotional issues to contend with. Both Mum and Dad tried their best to keep things calm and steady for us children but it didn't always work. I was at boarding school when things were really difficult so I wasn't witness to any nastiness. I don't think my siblings were quite so fortunate. However, with me being away from home I felt isolated and alone. I had no idea really about what was going on but I have a very vivid memory of being collected from school by a family friend unexpectedly and being driven home. I can remember walking in through the back door of the house and knowing immediately that something was wrong. The house was eerily quiet. Even the dog didn't come to greet me like he normally did. I went into the sitting room and found my Dad sitting hunched over the gas fire. I asked him where everyone was and he just looked at me and said 'Your Mum's gone'. What a shocker.
I knew that he didn't mean she was dead. I knew that she had left him. In that instant my heart went out to my Dad and I wanted to look after him. He didn't need me to I'm sure but I felt that that was what I should do. Mum had left which was unusual in those days. It was much more common for the man to leave the wife. I know now that there were many reasons why the marriage didn't work but at the time I felt sorry for Dad. He looked pathetic really, like he couldn't believe what had happened but it takes two to tango as they say. My 13 year old sensitive head told me to knuckle down and get on with things so I think that's what I did. Unfortunately, my memory for things has never been great. My sister has a much better aptitude for that than me!
The upshot of the divorce was that both my parents went on to remarry and have more children so my siblings grew in number. Mum had two more children and Dad became step-dad to two children and then had another child of his own. In a relatively short time I had gone from being the eldest of three to being one of ten!
This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as my family is concerned but I hope that this gives you a little bit of an insight into why family is so important to me. There is much more to come but I am aware that I need to be very careful about how I word things and how much information that I give. The views that I express here are purely mine and I know that we don't all see things the same way.
On that note I will sign off for now. I wish you all a happy day. may the sun shine on you and make you smile.
xxxxx
Sunday 23 March 2014
We Never Stop Learning
My 'stubborn' streak has been in full force this afternoon following on from the debacle that was my 2nd post that disappeared. I have tried every way that I can to find it again but I can't and now I'm going to give up and start again.
So, my post contained references to breakfast, cheese, books, anxiety, letters and my Nan, not necessarily in that order I have to say. I can lump Nan, letters and books all together like this:
My Nan used to write letters to me every week when I was at boarding school for a year when I was 13. I was dreadfully homesick initially and letters from my beloved Nan was what I looked forward to most. She didn't have very steady handwriting at times and she often had nothing much to say but the fact that she sat and wrote to me every week meant so much to me. It didn't matter that all she had to tell me about was how Jacko, her budgie, was doing.
Nan also used to send me stamps every week so that I could write back to her and I loved writing to her along with the rest of my family. It made me feel that I hadn't been forgotten about.
In the bedside cabinet beside my bed there is a plastic bag that contains some of the letters that she sent to me. Nan died in 1977 when I was 17 and I still miss her but, when I go back and read the letters and see her handwriting, it's like a little bit of her is still around.
I have always loved writing and receiving letters and I think it's a great shame that it seems to be a thing of the past. The emergence of email and texting has made letter writing seem like a chore but, even now, I get excited when I hear the letterbox open and hear the thud of the post as it lands on the doormat. It's only when I pick up the post and see that all there is are pizza delivery flyers, the free local newspaper and an envelope addressed to 'the occupier' that I get deflated.
I love Christmas and my birthday because I love to see who has taken the time to sit and write a card to me and then to post it. I don't think I will ever lose the excitement of the post! That is why I love writing letters too. If just one recipient has a smile on their face after receiving one of my letters then it's worthwhile.
I recently read a wonderful book called 60 Postcards by Rachael Chadwick. It was recommended to me by my sister who is a much more avid reader than myself. It's a true story of a young woman trying to do something to honour her mothers memory and it really struck a chord with me. As a consequence, I started to think about writing and then sat down and wrote three letters to people that I haven't been in touch with for a while.
Incidentally, I emailed Rachael Chadwick earlier on today just to make sure that I am allowed to use her name and title of her book in my blog and I was delighted when she emailed me back to say yes, it's fine to use her name and for me to recommend the book. How exciting!!
60 Postcards by Rachael Chadwick
Anxiety is not something that I am going to dwell on at the moment. Suffice to say that it has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I feel sure that I will blog about it at some point here but today is not the day.
The breakfast and cheese references were to me eating my breakfast today and absent-mindedly cutting myself off a slice of cheese and then, even more nonchalantly, eating it. This habit started as a child. We always used to have a slice of cheese after our morning cereal and it was even more exciting if the cheese was Edam! I didn't give it a second thought when I had children of my own and I gave them cheese after their breakfast. They considered it normal. Now, I don't imagine for one moment that any of them keep up the tradition these days but, like today, I still find myself cutting of a slice of cheese and eating it after breakfast without even thinking about it.
So that's about it for now. I hope this post makes up, in some way, for the mess up that I made earlier. The 'stubborn' streak in me is now quelled and I can move on.
Happy Sunday everyone.
xxxx
So, my post contained references to breakfast, cheese, books, anxiety, letters and my Nan, not necessarily in that order I have to say. I can lump Nan, letters and books all together like this:
My Nan used to write letters to me every week when I was at boarding school for a year when I was 13. I was dreadfully homesick initially and letters from my beloved Nan was what I looked forward to most. She didn't have very steady handwriting at times and she often had nothing much to say but the fact that she sat and wrote to me every week meant so much to me. It didn't matter that all she had to tell me about was how Jacko, her budgie, was doing.
Nan also used to send me stamps every week so that I could write back to her and I loved writing to her along with the rest of my family. It made me feel that I hadn't been forgotten about.
In the bedside cabinet beside my bed there is a plastic bag that contains some of the letters that she sent to me. Nan died in 1977 when I was 17 and I still miss her but, when I go back and read the letters and see her handwriting, it's like a little bit of her is still around.
I have always loved writing and receiving letters and I think it's a great shame that it seems to be a thing of the past. The emergence of email and texting has made letter writing seem like a chore but, even now, I get excited when I hear the letterbox open and hear the thud of the post as it lands on the doormat. It's only when I pick up the post and see that all there is are pizza delivery flyers, the free local newspaper and an envelope addressed to 'the occupier' that I get deflated.
I love Christmas and my birthday because I love to see who has taken the time to sit and write a card to me and then to post it. I don't think I will ever lose the excitement of the post! That is why I love writing letters too. If just one recipient has a smile on their face after receiving one of my letters then it's worthwhile.
I recently read a wonderful book called 60 Postcards by Rachael Chadwick. It was recommended to me by my sister who is a much more avid reader than myself. It's a true story of a young woman trying to do something to honour her mothers memory and it really struck a chord with me. As a consequence, I started to think about writing and then sat down and wrote three letters to people that I haven't been in touch with for a while.
Incidentally, I emailed Rachael Chadwick earlier on today just to make sure that I am allowed to use her name and title of her book in my blog and I was delighted when she emailed me back to say yes, it's fine to use her name and for me to recommend the book. How exciting!!
60 Postcards by Rachael Chadwick
Anxiety is not something that I am going to dwell on at the moment. Suffice to say that it has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I feel sure that I will blog about it at some point here but today is not the day.
The breakfast and cheese references were to me eating my breakfast today and absent-mindedly cutting myself off a slice of cheese and then, even more nonchalantly, eating it. This habit started as a child. We always used to have a slice of cheese after our morning cereal and it was even more exciting if the cheese was Edam! I didn't give it a second thought when I had children of my own and I gave them cheese after their breakfast. They considered it normal. Now, I don't imagine for one moment that any of them keep up the tradition these days but, like today, I still find myself cutting of a slice of cheese and eating it after breakfast without even thinking about it.
So that's about it for now. I hope this post makes up, in some way, for the mess up that I made earlier. The 'stubborn' streak in me is now quelled and I can move on.
Happy Sunday everyone.
xxxx
Lazy Sunday Morning....again!
Well, that's not a great start! I've just spent the best part of an hour pouring my heart and soul into my second post and now I can't find it and it's not on my blog. I've no idea what I've done and it may well turn up again but , crikey, how frustrating!
I don't have time to write it all up again right now as I am about to get ready for work....a 6 hour shift in a medical centre of a local boarding school followed by a sleepover at the home of a private client who I've worked with for many years but the main thrust of the post was: breakfast, cheese, work, anxiety, books, Nan and letters.
I'm so sorry that this is a short post. I promise that the original was worth reading! If I get the time later I may well try to reproduce it but it won't be the same. I can't tell you how annoyed I am about it. the words were flowing beautifully ( in my opinion anyway!) and it was an upbeat, cheerful entry.
I think I'm going to have to spend a lot of time getting to grips with the basics of this site and try to understand it better. i feel sure that there must be a way of retrieving my missing post but I have no idea how.
So, on that frustrating note, I will sign off for now.
Please don't be put off by this blip. Please come back!
Have a lovely day everyone.
XXX
I don't have time to write it all up again right now as I am about to get ready for work....a 6 hour shift in a medical centre of a local boarding school followed by a sleepover at the home of a private client who I've worked with for many years but the main thrust of the post was: breakfast, cheese, work, anxiety, books, Nan and letters.
I'm so sorry that this is a short post. I promise that the original was worth reading! If I get the time later I may well try to reproduce it but it won't be the same. I can't tell you how annoyed I am about it. the words were flowing beautifully ( in my opinion anyway!) and it was an upbeat, cheerful entry.
I think I'm going to have to spend a lot of time getting to grips with the basics of this site and try to understand it better. i feel sure that there must be a way of retrieving my missing post but I have no idea how.
So, on that frustrating note, I will sign off for now.
Please don't be put off by this blip. Please come back!
Have a lovely day everyone.
XXX
Saturday 22 March 2014
Hello and welcome!
Hello!
Welcome to my new blog. I'm not totally sure that this is going to work but I am determined to give it a go. This is my second blog. My first one was set up by me to keep people updated about a half marathon that I was taking part in. I enjoyed writing it very much and have missed blogging regularly so here I am again.
I envisage this blog as being a bit like a diary. I fully expect it to be therapeutic for me. I do tend to wear my heart on my sleeve so I will have to be careful about the content that I expose any readers to and I will attempt to keep things fairly upbeat.
Now, a little bit about me..... I am 53, married for almost 25 years, I have 4 grown up children and 3 grandchildren. Family is very important to me. I'm told by my kids that I'm a hippy...I am partial to wind chimes, candles and music festivals so they're probably right. I recycle whenever I can. They also tell me that I'm stubborn. I think I'm determined and I think there is a difference between the two. However, I am a Taurus! I also want to investigate my spiritual side and I think I will be writing about that here in the future.
My likes:
Music
Concerts
Festivals
Family
Recycling
My beach hut
The sea
Baking
Genealogy
My dislikes:
Bigotry
Laziness
Rudeness
Lies
So I think that I will use this blog as a kind of diary for myself but just hope that other people may find parts of it interesting.
That is probably enough for the opening entry.
Come back soon!
I envisage this blog as being a bit like a diary. I fully expect it to be therapeutic for me. I do tend to wear my heart on my sleeve so I will have to be careful about the content that I expose any readers to and I will attempt to keep things fairly upbeat.
Now, a little bit about me..... I am 53, married for almost 25 years, I have 4 grown up children and 3 grandchildren. Family is very important to me. I'm told by my kids that I'm a hippy...I am partial to wind chimes, candles and music festivals so they're probably right. I recycle whenever I can. They also tell me that I'm stubborn. I think I'm determined and I think there is a difference between the two. However, I am a Taurus! I also want to investigate my spiritual side and I think I will be writing about that here in the future.
My likes:
Music
Concerts
Festivals
Family
Recycling
My beach hut
The sea
Baking
Genealogy
My dislikes:
Bigotry
Laziness
Rudeness
Lies
So I think that I will use this blog as a kind of diary for myself but just hope that other people may find parts of it interesting.
That is probably enough for the opening entry.
Come back soon!
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