Mouse's House

The Dating Game

2012-01-23T21:20:00.000Z

So ... after a long time of being nagged to do it, of more and more people doing it ... and of actually seeing that yes, it does work for some people ... I've finally succumbed to the world of ... *gulp* internet dating!

Now I have to be honest here and state that I have .... or should that read "had" .... no belief in it for myself. Given that quite a few years ago some friends kind of coerced me into doing the internet thing and it confirmed everything I thought at the time, I swore off it for a loooooong time! Along with the excuses ... I'm happy on my own (I actually am), it's for Losers (capital L intended there .... and yeah I know .... it's not, but I wasn't quite so self-aware of my own self-sabotage at that time) .... it doesn't work (this is now patently not true given a work friend is on her fourth ... or maybe fifth, relationship .. and another friend is getting married soon etc. etc. etc.!), plus of course there's the laziness, the lack of time .... the lack of commitment ....... and basically .... yeah, hiding away in the cat cave of safety (as one friend coined it).

Now it's very cosy in that cave ... and doesn't stop you looking of course ........ but after a year of meeting what I shall deem "The Inappropriates" ...... even I had to say enough is enough. Add in to that some not so subtle signs from the Universe, and the decision to go ahead was made before I went to the yoga retreat in Barbados ... with the intention I'd join as soon as I got home. I didn't. I prevaricated yet again. So, more swift kicks from the Universe ...... and friends (I hate being called a coward ...) ....... so I duly signed up (after checking several out first ...... the website that "won" .... swayed me over by a couple of specific profiles that I saw ..... some people say fussy (or even finicky) ... I say I have high standards *grin*).

Anyway ....... it's a journey. One I may ..... or may not ....... end up blogging about it here ........ but in the meantime, I figured why not see how accurate the cards are ..... and what they have to say about any "prospective candidates" ...... so, if you're interested to see how tarot and/or oracles may work for this kind of thing, hop on over to Oracle Speak .... all comments and thoughts on the cards are welcome :)

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T01:00:00.002Z

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T01:00:00.002Z

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas :)

New page!

2011-11-12T01:00:00.004Z

I'm not sure if anyone will notice, but I've been wanting to add a post which will include all the products that I eventually end up using which are natural and not full of chemicals and now that I've found how to add a page, I can do this!

So the link to it will be at the top of the main blog page - and I will hopefully (as always) get round to updating it and adding the stuff that I do use after adding a review on the blog. However, given my record of not posting very often, this may take a while :)

Friday's Photos - Potential

2011-11-11T11:11:00.002Z

We have all the potential in the world to become who we want to be - so why not make a start and release some of that potential today!

Wordless Wednesday: Still recovering

2011-11-09T11:17:00.000Z

FEEL

CRAVING

Saturday 9 - Melancholy Man

2011-11-05T15:08:00.000Z

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Melancholy Man

1. Are you more melancholy on occasion? I guess that would depend on what you meant by occasion - is it a specific one-off occasion, a celebratory event or just the odd time here and there?

2. What did you think you looked like when you were a teenager? A teenager!

3. Whose advice are you least likely to listen to? Someone I don't like!

4. Tell us about a job that you liked when you were younger.How much younger? As a kid I was probably too busy with school and playing to think about a job.

5. Would you lie to someone if you knew the truth would end your friendship or relationship? Doubtful.

6. What do you have little or no patience for?Oh my ......... I have a huge long list for this one .......... actually thinking about it, you could look at this two ways ....... personal life and/or professional life. Each list would be different!

7. What is there never enough hours in the day to do?Sleep, eat, drink, learn, have fun, cuddle, laugh .......... you get my drift!

8. What is the most productive thing that you accomplished in October?Which one? I presume you mean last month ........ in which case it could be patience ........ as I wait for my holiday to approach.

9. What have you always wanted to learn but haven't yet?Another language .......... it may be on the list once I get other educational courses done, but that's going to be a few years away yet!

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

Celebratory news

2011-11-03T12:02:00.000Z

Yay, I'm such a happy little Mouse!!!

There is a collaboration going on over at Facebook between the charity Equippe and writers, click here to be taken to their page!

Anyway, long story short ........... on reading this after Janece from The Wild Pomegranate posted a link (so a huge thank you to Janece), I drafted a short story! My first ever in fact. And it's been accepted for publication. Yipee!

So this was my reaction all day yesterday, even though I was at work!

Wordless Wednesday: Lunchtime

2011-11-02T11:47:00.000Z

Definitely

Hopefully

This flexible - I wish

Samhain Blessings

2011-10-31T23:09:00.000Z

Wishing you all a wonderful Halloween and Samhain :)

Wordless Wednesday: Flu

2011-10-26T08:34:00.000+01:00

Saturday 9 - The Last DJ

2011-10-22T00:14:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: The Last DJ

1. Who was favorite DJ and what radio station did you listen to as a kid?

Ye gods, I can't remember that ......... I do remember we used to listen to the Top 20 on a Sunday evening and tape ...... yes TAPE, the songs we liked!

2. What has been the weirdest thing you have worn in public?

Me, weird .......... never!

3 . What was the best part of last weekend?

When I had recovered on Sunday evening from too much partying!

4. What was the most effective punishment for you as a kid?

None really .......... they just reinforced the differences in treatment between siblings.

5. Would you lie to your significant other to not hurt their feelings?

I've definitely done this in the past ........... as for the future .......... well that really depends on the circumstance wouldn't you say?

6. We're taking you order for breakfast. What would you like?

Ibruprofen, paracetamol, vapour rub and a hot milky coffee ........... yup, I have a flu virus.

7. Do you celebrate Halloween? If yes, do tell. If no, why not?

Not really, it's not such a big thing in the UK as it is in the States. Shame really. However, I may just be doing a tarot reading ....... or two

8. Do you hand out candy to the neighborhood kids?

That would be a huge no.

9. What's the favorite age you've been, so far?

I don't have one favourite .......... besides, all ages have brought me something ....... or at least I hope so!

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

I'd love to

2011-10-13T21:53:00.000+01:00

I read this on Facebook and loved it, so much so, I'm sharing it here too :)

I'd love to

I'd love to tell him how I think of him often

How he makes my strong facade soften

Yet I can't, yet I won't

I'd love to tell him how I picture me in his arms

How I would get lost in his eye alluring charms

Yet I can't, yet I won't

I'd love to tell him how I lose my words

How I stutter & stumble I must look so absurd

Yet I can't, yet I won't

I'd love to tell him how I lay awake at night

How I wonder & ponder if he knows he is the reason for this plight

Yet I can't, yet I won't

I'd love to tell him how I really felt when he kissed my lips

How ever since then my heart dips

Yet I can't, yet I won't

I'd love to tell him how it is in my heart

yet I can't, yet I won't

cause I just don't know where to start.

Jazz Love Pages 1st

Image http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=love&order=9&offset=672#/d252tdl

— withSandy Jones.

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to do one day?

2011-10-05T22:25:00.000+01:00

It's been a while, quite some weeks actually and I've only just realised it's Wednesday ....... time for Wishcasting! However, rather than my usual long-ish blog post with a steady stream of ...... well, what makes up my thought process for wishing ......... I thought this week I'd keep it rather simple! Hmmm, I wonder if that sound was jaws dropping wide open in shock *grin*.

So the question - What do you wish to do one day?

Hmmmm, one day seems to me to mean that my wish isn't something I'm doing, putting into practice or thinking is really that possible - more of a pipe dream, a hope, or as Janece describes this week over at The Wild Pomegranate, a bucket list!

For myself though, I'm going to look at this differently:

One day:

1. I wish to practice yoga in Barbados (already planned, booked, paid for and counting down the weeks).
2. I wish to start the next level in my counselling studies (already planned, booked, paid for and counting down the weeks).
3. I wish to be more self-aware (this is an ongoing process, which hopefully I incorporate daily and become *more* aware and evolved each day).
4. I wish to open my heart fully (again, an ongoing process, but which I think will happen gradually and over this lifetime).
5. I wish to truly believe in the wonder of me (again, ongoing and a lifetime process).

And of course, in reality come January 3rd, all of these can "technically" have a tick next to them because they will either be completed (yoga) or be in progress!

Then of course there's the ones that mean I have to get off my backside a little bit more than I already am if I really want to achieve them:

6. I wish to run a 6km treadmill run quicker and with less stops, where I preferably don't feel like turning avocado green! (At the moment, the few times I've done this the very least I look is a leaking boiled tomato!)
7. I wish to be able to say no to cakes, chocolate and sugar! 'Nuff said!
8. I wish to be a kinder, more compassionate and peaceful person. Now this is ongoing, but it's a battle. I try to be kind but still have many thoughts of either revenge or karma biting someone hard (the neighbour dispute is still going on as one example).

And of course the biggies which need a hellavu lot of effort etc:

9. I wish to have many more years on this physical plane with Gem (given he's turned 18 now, with about 4 years of kidney medication already behind him, and a heart murmur).
10. I wish to be able to trust fully (*eek* ....... I can feel the heart palpitations start immediately).
11. I wish to be married again (given I don't really feel like this is going to happen, I'm not exactly helping myself - see numbers 10 and 4 above!)
12. I wish to allow myself to love without fear (SQUEAK).

Hang on, just re-reading that back ........ I think number 7 should be in the last category ...... especially since I've just eaten 1 and half melted chocolate puddings tonight with double cream poured over. As usual, the eyes were bigger than the belly and even I couldn't face the last bit! It was yummy though *grin*.

Right, I've gone on longer than anticipated - as usual. For all those who are wishing (even if not blogging about it) ...... as you wish for yourself, so I wish for you too! Go on, send those wishes out into the universe ........ you never know what that wish may bring back to you ;)

2011-09-17T10:11:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Tuesday Afternoon

1. Where will you be and doing this Tuesday afternoon? That will be work, so no doubt I expect to be working!

2. Do you belong to any group(s)? Like ........ in real life, or Facebook?

3. Do you feel energized or drained by being in a group situation? (If the answer is "it depends," on what does it depend?) Of course it depends ........ and on many different things ....... I'm being drained by this question!

4. Is there a role you naturally put yourself while adapting when in group situations? It depends .....

5. In business or formal situations, do you mind hugs or are you offended if it goes past a handshake? Do you really think that in such a situation hugs are suitable?

6. Do you find what we'd call “ice breakers” a playful way to build community in a lighthearted manner, or a complete and utter hell of forced fun and awkwardness? Since I've never tried to "build community" or used ice-breakers I guess I don't know. Personally I prefer just being myself

7. What word do you use far too frequently? Swear words!

8. What word do you use not frequently enough? It depends :P

9. What word do you use when swearing is not appropriate? I guess it's like the hugs thing .......... when, what, who, where is it appropriate for!

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

You Are ......

2011-09-08T00:10:00.014+01:00

Courtesy of Live Laugh Love ..... over on Facebook ..... click here to be taken to their page!

YOU ARE...

You are strong...

when you take your grief and teach it to smile.

You are brave...

when you overcome your fears and help others to do the same.

You are happy…

when you see a flower and are thankful for the blessing.

You are loving…

when your own pain does not blind you to the pain of others.

You are wise…

when you know the limits of your wisdom.

You are true…

when you admit there are times you fool yourself.

You are alive…

when tomorrow’s hope means more to you than yesterday’s mistake.

You are growing

…
when you know what you are but not what you will become.

You are free…

when you are in control of yourself and do not wish to control others.

You are honorable…

when you find your honor is to honor others.

You are generous…

when you can give as sweetly as you can take.

You are humble…

when you do not know how humble you are.

You are thoughtful…

when you see me just as I am and treat me just as you are.

You are merciful…

when you forgive in others the faults you condemn in yourself.

You are beautiful…

when you don’t need a mirror to tell you.

You are rich…

when you never need more than what you have.

You are you…

when you are at peace with who you are.

Wordless Wednesday: College course cancelled

2011-09-07T13:41:00.002+01:00

Saturday 9 - I Fought the Law

2011-08-27T11:18:00.000+01:00

I decided to join in a new meme this week, after seeing it at various times from participating in the Sunday Stealing quizzes. If you'd like to join in too, please click here :)

Welcome to Saturday: 9 What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: I Fought the Law

1. Have you ever been on the wrong side of the law?
I am innocent of any and all charges officer!

2. What was the last thing you described as either “surprisingly good” or “surprisingly bad?”

Nothing that I can think of.

3. When was the last time you unintentionally surprised someone else?

Must have been last night. I turned up to the karate lesson after a 2 month absence. However, since I returned this year after a 6 year absence, this isn't that bad

4. When was the last time you deliberately surprised someone else?

Ummm, well I can remember a specific event last Christmas ...... and have a surprise planned for when I can visit a friend, but apart from that, nothing springs to mind at present.

5. What was the last really funny movie you watched?

Something so hysterical I've forgotten what it was.

6. What is something that you've never done that you secretly are dying to do?

Since it's a secret, I'm not about to blurt it out to all of blogdom now am I?

7. What do you hope is different in your life by August 2012?

That I'm in a settled, stable, happy, non co-dependent, loving, romantic relationship (to name but a few requirements).

8. Who is the last person you greeted at your door?

That would be one of my best friends

9. If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?

I was always crap at history ........ so I can't really answer this one, although whenever and wherever it was, I hope I'd be living a nice live and not one of drudgery, pain and misfortune.

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to enjoy?

2011-08-25T11:48:00.000+01:00

As usual I'm late to the party ..... and I can't even blame work this time. I'm having a lovely week off work, chilling at home, spending time with beloved friends, eating lots of cake (stacks of the stuff - there have been several birthdays) and even going shopping in town (not hugely into clothes shopping - crowds annoy me).

So yesterday I logged on early before going out to see what Jamie's question was ......... almost danced with joy as hundreds of little sparks lit up as to what I could say .......... and then ended up surfing through Facebook. Which completely threw my mood off-kilter for a good part of the day (let's just say I had some huge lessons rear up in expectations due to feeling disappointed in someone). So by the time I got home (it was late), then had dinner (even later) and then chatted to a friend in hospital and so on, it was gone midnight and I thought I'd leave the post until today!!

Right ..... after that long intro ........... Jamie has asked us this week, what do we wish to enjoy!

Lovely lovely question. After all .......... if we don't enjoy what is in our life, what we do, how we feel, what we sense, think and cast out into the universe .......... well, we're not exactly going to have a very joyful life either on a daily basis or when we look back at the end of it!

This week, I thought I'd do a list ........ but then figured that everything I could list, would actually go to make up LIFE. I want to enjoy LIFE ........ *nods head* .......... but as usual, I got to over-analysing and eventually wound that down to the moment. I want to enjoy each and every MOMENT. However, at this particular point I was out in town, having lunch at Costa Coffee with Quackers .......... and then thought .......... oh crap ....... if I have to focus on every moment, then look at everything I'm going to miss. It's near on impossible.

Think about it .......... we can enjoy being IN the moment ....... but to enjoy every moment ......... how on earth can our senses take that much in. At the point of thinking this, what should I have focussed on? The conversation with Quackers .... ie. the words, the tone, the volume ...... the sights around me ........ the coffee shop, Quackers herself, my bag (which I moved onto my lap for safety off a chair where it could have been swiped), the table in front ....... the shoppers milling around outside the coffee place? What about the temperature, the other customers? The earnest ones in conversation, the ones laughing, the ones who looked sad, what about the two young girls outside giving a drunk lad change because he was begging? At which point should I have isolated one specific thing to focus on so as to enjoy? We take in so much consciously but so much more unconsciously .......... so I decided to make this week's wish less vague and more easily "focussed".

But then another list came in ............. should I focus on enjoying being free of my past ........... of the people and behaviours that did help to set me out on this path I am now walking. Should I just enjoy this path ...... what about clothes .......... since I was shopping for my holiday and Quackers was pulling out some dresses that I wouldn't normally have even looked at (for someone who wears a lot of single colours and black - eventually trying on a multi coloured orange based dress that was "busy" was a new experience). How about focussing on listening ......... nope, after the last few years at night school, I've come to realise just how unfocussed most people's "listening" actually is. So then I thought about focussing on smiling ........ after all that has a huge knock-on effect with other people, it's positive and brings joy to life right ........... nope, didn't feel "right".

So this week I am going back to something I thought of a long time ago .......... in fact I blogged about it when I was creating my weekly affirmations over at Oracle Speak. And this one is important. Hugely important. It's something that every single human being I know of, can find fault with. In fact we all do it. It's one of the ways that we put ourselves down, live in fear about .......... and especially in this media-based youth orientated society do not spend enough time thinking, feeling and speaking positively about.

OUR BODIES

Aren't they truly marvellous? Complicated biological machines that move, create, recycle and self-heal. And how often do we really focus on how wonderful they are? How often do we give them what they actually, truly, really need? How often do we appreciate them?

(courtesy of http://ronisweigh.com/2009/10/why-do-you-love-your-body-ronis-exposed-post.html)

OK this may sound a bit "weird" but try it ......... imagine your soul or spirit as a huge bright white orb .... and it's bouncing around inside the physical home that we call a body. Do you feel joy at that? Are you in harmony with what your physical home needs? Can you feel each and every aspect of your physical shell as you direct it to move? How does it make you feel? And if you aren't happy with it, if you aren't feeling joy with it .......... why not? Got an answer to that? If so .......... then ask yourself ........ what can I do about it to bring joy there!

Here's something else to consider .............. describe your home. As in your house ...... the physical house that you and your body actually live in ....... now take that description you've just given and apply it to your physical body. How does that make you feel?

So this week, I want to enjoy feeling, appreciating, being .............. I want to relish what I actually have ..... to know that yes, there are some bits that aren't "perfect" according to what society thinks we "should" be like .......... I want to actually enjoy believing and seeing that "damn this is good" when I look in a mirror rather than saying it, trying to believe it but not "feeling" it. This week

I WISH TO ENJOY MY SOUL'S PHYSICAL HOME

I WISH TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF WHO I AM

I WISH TO ENJOY AND APPRECIATE MY BODY

And for anyone who is interested in a couple of affirmations about the body, please click here and here to be taken to that page .... enjoy :)

Wordless Wednesday: The countdown begins

2011-08-10T15:57:00.000+01:00

The Nasty 31 Meme, Part One

2011-08-07T00:41:00.000+01:00

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!!

Today we ripped off a blogger named Rose Tulip of the blog named Rose Tulip's Blog. Since it's 31 questions, we will do it in two parts. She did not state who she stole it from. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Nasty 31 Meme, Part One

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. What has been you longest love relationship? - I think you need to check your dictionary, since I'm assuming you meant "your" relationship here ...... in which case, the one with myself!

2. What was the last gift that you received? Ah, that would be the gift of paid time off work due to sickness. Some people aren't so lucky.

3. What do you spend your extra cash on? I have extra cash?

4. If you could live anywhere would you live? Yes I would live, thanks for asking.

5. Who's your cell provider? I presume you mean mobile phone? In which case, Vodafone!

6. What's your favorite mall store? None, I don't go shopping enough to have a favourite.

7. What's the longest job that you've had? (No parenting does not count!) The one I'm in now.

8. If you won the lottery, who'd you call first? Quackers

9. If you won, how would you spend your money after investments? That would depend on how much I'd won, and how much I'd have to invest.

10. When was the last time you went to church (or a religious house)? Off the top of my head ..... I can't remember.

11. What's the biggest lie that you've heard? My lips are sealed.

12. When you go out with your friends, where do you go? Out.

13. When was the last time that you cried? Ummmm, not that long ago, I think.

14. What food do you hate? Nothing. Dislike would be another matter.

15. What do you like best about yourself? Nothing ........ there's too many things to choose from ;)

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What door do you wish to open?

2011-08-03T23:55:00.001+01:00

Last week I was too stressed, too busy and too upset to get to Jamie's question before bed. It was late and I just couldn't get the words to formulate properly in my knackered brain! This week however I have lots of time although the brain still isn't working properly ........ because I'm spending most of the day in bed feeling very sorry for myself and pretty yucky due to a viral infection. Can you hear those violins playing?

Anyway, this week Jamie asked "What door do you wish to open?"

And of course, because I'm in such a "pity party oh woe is me mood" my first thought on reading that question was

"A door to a new life"!

One where I'm never ill, never feel like I'm dying ........ sniffly, snuffly, achy, sweaty, can't swallow properly, can't see properly, can't hear properly! Oh yeah, pity party in full swing!

And I'm sure a lot of people would automatically say the same thing, especially when they're bored, ill, fed up, stressed or just downright unhappy.

The thing is though, every single second of every single day, we actually have the opportunity to choose that new life. Because our life is created by our choices, by our thoughts and by our actions. And yet many of us continue doing the same stuff day in day out, and then wonder why nothing actually changes. Which brings to mind that well-known quote by Albert Einstein:

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

C'mon, how many of you reading this can feel your head trying to nod agreement with that? I know I've definitely done that, and on more than one occasion!

So ... if we want to open a new door ......... first we actually have to choose what it is we want to welcome into our lives. After all ......... there's no point opening a door if you don't really want what's behind it (actually ........ I guess people do do that, maybe subconsciously ..... but that's possibly a thought for another post, another day) ....... or if you don't want to step through it! And how many doors? There's that too .......... what if we have so many different things we want to change and each has a different door ........ how can we open them all, or step through them all?

And then ......... what if we step through the WRONG door? EEK. I know I've had that thought before ...... that worry ........ you know the question that whispers through your mind ......... "What is the "right" choice"!

But really, there is no right or wrong choice ......... there is just choice, and each will have a result and each will bring different experiences ........ I guess whether they are right or wrong (or good or bad) really depends on the individual, what they hoped to achieve (thus creating expectation and potentially disappointment) and what they actually experienced!

I do know that as I continue my path and however many doors that leads me through, I hope that there will be growth ....... I hope that there will be happiness and joy ........ I'm pretty sure there will be some painful lessons and that I'll be told "no" at times ......... I'm also sure that sometimes it will be hard to continue putting one foot in front of the other ...... but even so, I hope to recognise any and all gifts that are presented to me!

And, just as I typed that last sentence, I remembered a visualisation I'd done many years ago ......... lessons that I needed to learn at that time ........... which are, of course, ever present :) ....... and this lesson is one which helps to change ....... well ......... everything! It not only shows you the door to continue your path, but helps to shed light on the path .......... it helps you to appreciate not only the good stuff, but everything that is created as a result of the bad stuff too ........ it shows us the lessons in everything ..... and hopefully helps us not only to become "more" but in a kinder, happier and more compassionate way ...... so I believe :) ....... and so this week:

I wish to be grateful for all that I am, have and experience

(yes, even being ill right now ...... though that is a bit challenging)

I wish to open and step through the door of

GRATITUDE

Wordless Wednesday: Off work sick

2011-08-03T09:09:00.000+01:00

Wordless Wednesday: Sometimes it's best to walk away

2011-07-27T15:54:00.000+01:00

The Twenty-Fiver Meme

2011-07-24T10:10:00.000+01:00

Today we ripped off a blogger named Reyna Elena from the blog of Reyna Elena Dot Com. She states that she was tagged thanks to Moderately Confused Pinay. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Take the time to comment on other player's posts. It's a great way to make new friends! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Twenty-Fiver Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Tell us about something that made you laugh last night. Something on the tv, it was obviously so hilarious that it's caused my memory to blank out about what it actually was!

2. What were you doing at 8 PM last night? Sitting down to watch a film.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Collecting chicken eggs in my pj's.

4. What happened to you in 2006? (Feel free to republish an old post from '06.) Can't have been anything that remarkable because nothing springs to mind.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud? Saying good morning to the chickens ........... and yes, that's seriously.

6. How many beverages did you have today? Since I've only just got up, I'm on the first.

7. What color is your hairbrush? Seriously?

8. What was the last thing you paid for? Petrol and chocolate. Always a good combination I find.

9. Where were you last night? As in which house, which room or lounging on a specific item of furniture?

10. What color is your front door? It has various shades I believe ....... white, smeared white ........ or rain soaked white.

11. Where do you keep your change? Change as in coins? A purse would be the most likely answer wouldn't you agree?

12. What’s the weather like today? Cloudy with a peak of sunshine. The rain is obviously missing us in this part of the UK because it's due to return tomorrow I think.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? I'm sure each has it's own positives.

14. What excites you? Gee, answering this meme of course.

15. Do you want to cut your hair? Why would I want that?

16. Are you over the age of 35? It's possible.

17. Do you talk a lot? Well that really depends on who you ask. If you ask my cat, probably not enough. It also depends on what beverage I've recently partaken!

18. Do you watch Franklin and Bash? That would a no.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? Indeed I do. Wow, he gets around a lot.

20. Do you make up your own words? No I don't think so ........ on a night out other may disagree though.

21. Are you a jealous person? Hopefully not any more.

22. What does the last text message you received say? Nooo you're evil haha x

23. Where’s the next place you’re going to? The bathroom, thanks for being so interested.

24. Who’s the rudest person in your life? That depends on your definition of rude.

25. Are you crushing on anyone that you shouldn't be? Not that I'm aware of.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to try?

2011-07-20T23:37:00.000+01:00

And so Wednesday has appeared yet again ......... it seems like only yesterday I was drafting my last wishcasting post ....... where has the time gone?

And this week Jamie is asking us what do we wish to try.

So pens ..... or rather keyboard ...... at the ready. Brain in gear ...... fingers poised ........ what do I wish to try?

Ummmmm ........ errrrr ........... bugger!

Bloody introspection hits again!

I thought back to my last holiday ......... I tried new things ........ Nia (good fun), windsurfing (scary and hard but I did it) ........ going on holiday on my own (how's that for scary) ........ meeting lots of new people (make that everyone there - intimidating) ......... and I even got up most days at 0630 for yoga. Did someone just splutter their drink at the pc screen reading that? I'm sure I saw some drips appear. Yes, you read it right. On holiday. Getting up and being at yoga for 0630! Won't be doing that again in a hurry. I came home needing a rest!

Anyway ........ wanting to try ......... automatically means most brains are going to think of new things that we've never done before ....... and most probably material things ....... learn new subjects, try new hobbies, eat new foods ........ and yep, I'd love to do all those things ....... if I had a parallel life running alongside this one (who says we don't LOL). So what would I like to try, that's new, materially ....... ummmm ..... the usual list of mine that I never get round to ...... meditating daily ........ cooking new recipes ......... reading those new books that are still sitting in a pile ....... getting the house renovated and finished (like that's ever going to happen). And no ....... I'm not ever intending to skydive or bungee jump or go on lots of scary rides at theme parks. But this list just feels to be a bland answer for me ....... (as in, for myself, I'm sure it's a great answer for someone else).

I'm sure it's not because I'm scared ...... though I am pretty resistant to change (getting better I hope) .... after all, you will notice above I wear a hard hat these days to help stop those fears getting out of my head and into reality!

So, thinking of the deeper emotional caring sharing kinda stuff ......... well, if these previous ...... No! When these previous wishes manifest!! (gotta get the wording right - right?) ....... then there's definitely going to be new stuff to try ....... new ways of communicating (yep, the stomach's lurching) ..... new experiences, new people, new conversations ......... new ...... trust (now it's heaving) ......... but even that .......... nope, that's not what I want to try this week.

I get lots of inspirational messages on Facebook, am subscribed to lots of "pages" of like-minded stuff ...... and lots of quotes come along ......... like this one here ......... and lots of words with those images, like how if you don't try then you won't succeed.

And whilst I agree with that ........... after all, when you sit on a fence procrastinating ...... you never really get anything done ... and usually end up with a numb bum and the mantra of "What if" echoing through your head.

But what is "trying"? Does it sound a bit half-hearted to you? I'd never really thought of it that way ........ but say it to yourself:

"I am trying to do X, Y or Z"

Doesn't that just feel to be a bit ....... well, as if you're not sure whether you're actually going to achieve the desired "result"?

What happened to "I am experiencing" ........ or "I feel" ........... what about "I am enjoying"?

And then I remembered this quote ........... from one of THE most classic films ever:

I wish to do, to experience, to feel, to enjoy ......... not to get halfway there and wonder when I will "get" these "things".

So this week, my wish is:

I WISH TO TRY NOTHING

absolutely nothing

because

I am feeling

I am experiencing

I am doing

I AM

Happy Birthday Gem

2011-07-20T23:13:00.000+01:00

A loving birthday wish (albeit very late in the day) to my beautiful little boy Gem ....... today he is 18 years old!

He came to live with me (along with his sister) when he was 5 weeks old ...... and I've been blessed by his love and cuddles every day since. He is my heart and soul and I would be lost without him.

Here's to hoping we have lots more years together .... and roll on his birthday next year!

Wordless Wednesday: Early morning visitor disturbed

2011-07-20T22:40:00.000+01:00

(Picture courtesy of Google, though my eglu is red!)

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to ask for?

2011-07-13T21:46:00.000+01:00

Well I missed out on Jamie's wish last week because I read a post of hers wrong. I thought she was taking a break from her blog for a while, rather than just one section of it! That'll teach me eh. Anyway, I'd hopped back over there, noticed another post so made sure I visited today.

Today Jamie asks us "What do you wish to ask for?". A simple wish really. Plain, obvious, basic. After all, we always hear about how if we don't ask for something, then we won't get it. But Life doesn't happen quite so easily. Nor does getting what we want. Because all too often many other little .... and not so little ....... things get in the way.

I actually thought this one would be easy, but then don't I always think that every single week with these questions!

So looking at this logically, if you're going to ask for something, or have something that you're wishing for, surely that means you have a lack of that particular thing in your life? And if you have a lack, or feel the lack of something ........ then that means there's something you're not happy about. And .... stay with me on this for a moment ......... if you're not happy about this lack of something, then aren't you, in all reality ..... really sending that lack and negativity out into the world? After all, it's easy to say "I WANT" or "I NEED" ........ but if you were that unhappy about this lack and negativity ....... why not just go and DO something about it?

And that's where all those little and not so little things creep in ........... questions that whisper - is that what you really want, what would you do if you really got that, do you really want your life to change, do you deserve it ...... things like childhood behaviour patterns, worrying about what our peers would think, our parents would say ......... things like

can I

should I

could I

dare I

would I

must I

let alone adding in the hopes, dreams and wishes because that all then creates Expectation! And don't we all know that Expectation most often leads to Disappointment! After all .......... haven't we also coined a phrase for just this moment:

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it!

Oops, I think I'm standing on a soapbox here. Time to get off and back on track.

Now that was the logical part of my brain trying to analyse the question ...... however there is also always the emotional part of us that responds too. And when I read the question I did think of something instantly ........ and wanted to cry. Given that I'm all about constant self-awareness, lessons and growth (going to college seems to have just increased that rather than isolated it!) ...... I then head back to left brain activity and want to analyse why. And that does not make for a very comfortable mouse. In fact, it makes me want to cry.

And then you want to ask, well ....... why? Or rather that's what I did ......... to my heart. And the answer comes back - because people may think it's a stupid wish (I know, what a stupid thought!) ....... because I might appear as "desperate" (when in fact I'm hiding out in Catcave - the latest name recently given by a friend to my hidey hole) ........ because people might judge ....... might reject ...... might laugh (oh how I cringe at that particular one) ........ might think how pathetic, how useless ........ and even worse (can it get any worse) .......... how unwanted I am. OK, now that one does bring tears.

It's a fear of rejection, a lack of self-belief, self-confidence and self-esteem. That really I thought I'd got over. And I have. A LOT. But not totally. Because you see our fears can go back so far, and so deep, that we may never erase them all. Especially if they go back to childhood and you were told NO!

It always makes me feel like I'm a poor bedraggled unworthy, looking in and begging. Yep ..... as I type that ....... that's definitely the right word. It feels as if I'm begging. I cringe at that too. So, so much :(

This post is getting a bit long-winded, so here's what I want. A relationship. A romantic relationship that could actually, dare I admit to it, lead to marriage ........ ok, maybe not that far, but commitment and eventually living together. Because all I seem to meet, or get asked out by are those who are (to me) undesirable for many different reasons (and trust me, my list is somewhat long). And I do get asked a fair bit. But never by anyone that I would actually consider. And I don't think it's because I'm "fussy" but rather that I have "high standards" which I don't think I should lower ........ after all, why would I want to have a boyfriend that had a drink, drug or gambling problem, was attached to someone else, wanted to sponge off me, was lazy, didn't work, lied, cheated ........ these are very basic standards to my mind.

And I know in my heart that's not a stupid wish because really, all anyone ever really wants is love, to love and be loved.

Yet we all have our fears in relation to love and I think, because we have all, at some point in our lives, experienced loss of love and therefore emotional pain ........ we all can feel vulnerable. And of course we can't show that vulnerability because that could invite some of those horrible negative aspects mentioned above right into our faces (like the laughing thing - have had that happen to me - not nice).

So this week, I'm going to be brave ....... and even though I cringe at the possibility of a future partner coming and reading this post (one reason why I never really kept a proper diary even - how's that for a fear of being judged and accepted) .......... this week:

I WISH TO ASK FOR MY LIFE PARTNER TO ENTER MY LIFE
(PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY)
What? Well you've gotta be specific with the Universe don't you think?

I ASK TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNISE HIM

I ASK TO NOT HIDE IN THE CATCAVE IN FEAR

I ASK TO BE OPEN TO LOVE

I ASK TO BELIEVE

Sunday Stealing: The Faceless 4th of July Meme

2011-07-03T21:41:00.000+01:00

Today we ripped off a blogger known as Jana at the blog That's Me, Jana!. She states that she was tagged by Lallopallo. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Faceless 4th of July Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Last movie you saw in a theater? - I think it was Avatar ...... so quite a long time ago!

2. What book are you reading? - Travelling Light - Glimpses of Modern Day Initiation by Andreas Mavromatis.

3. Favorite board game? That would have to be Boggle ..... can't remember the last time I played a real life board game, these days it's all online.

4. Favorite magazine? - I don't have one .... but I think I'll be subscribing to Psychologies once I'm back at college.

5. Favorite smells? Lots - certain perfumes, freshly mown grass, the air after a heavy rainstorm, certain cooking smells, savoury as well as cakes I hasten to add! Neom candles, herbs in the garden ....... the list is endless.

6. Favorite sounds? purrs, meows (though preferably not the whiny ones at 4am please), kids laughter, church bells (especially on a lazy quiet sunday morning), bird song, my friends laughing, certain songs

7. Worst feeling in the world? When a loved one dies

8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up? It's normally a mish mash of the dream I was just having, wondering what time it is as I stagger downstairs to let the cat out of the house, and the chickens out of the coop into their run and a swear word or two as I bump into a door or something, before then praying I still have another couple of hours sleep before I actually have to get up for work!

9. Favorite fast food place? None, I try not to eat anywhere like that now.

10. What’s under your bed? Carpet

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d….? MOVE!

12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? Ummmmmmmmmm ..........

13. Storms – cool or scary? Very cool unless lightning is about to hit my house, then scary.

14. Favorite drink? Depends on what, when and where.

15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”? do so much more!

16. If you had to dye your hair another color, what would be your choice? I do dye my hair and at the moment it's shades of blonde. I've thought about purple.

17. Favorite place to relax? When I get around to finally relaxing, I'll let you know.

18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in? From what I remember (and this isn't counting the different addresses within these towns): Bristol, Darlington, Guildford, Harwell, London, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, Wantage, Westcliff-on Sea, Winchester,

19. Favorite sports to watch? No favourites I'm afraid.

20. Would you like to be born as yourself again? Let me think about that for all of a second ........ if I'm born as myself, then I'll be reliving the same life, so no thanks.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

NYR - Comfrey & Mallow Foot Balm

2011-07-02T01:00:00.002+01:00

This week we're back to Neal's Yard ...... this time it's the Comfrey & Mallow foot balm.

Trying to find a foot cream that doesn't feel greasy, or stay on the skin so that you're sliding around in your shoes or leaving marks on tiled floors so far has not been an easy task. Not when you want products that are as natural as possible .... because most of the products that sink into the skin easily are the ones that have lots and lots of nasty chemicals in :(

This cream is supposed to be soothing, nourishing and revitalising. Possibly bedtime is not the best time to put it on ....... I don't think my feet knew it was revitalising ..... it certainly didn't have me up and dancing into the small hours!

Compared to other products in the NYR range, this has a much lower certified organic content (54%) but that's better than zero. As with their Chamomile Cleanser (review here) this product didn't seem to go far very .... it wasn't that it got absorbed quickly because it did feel as if there was some residue on the skin. That wasn't great if I had to wear sandals the next day. Plus, using more meant it didn't last very long either. Smell-wise .... that wasn't too great and gave the deciding answer as to whether I would buy it again. At over £12 for a 50g pot, I'd rather try elsewhere.

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to a break from?

2011-06-29T23:46:00.000+01:00

WOW, another week has gone by soooo quickly, it's hard to believe another Wednesday is here and another wish question from Jamie!

This week's question is a rather interesting one ........ that's not to say every other week isn't interesting ...... they all are ........ but this one ....... well ...... I guess I found my response interesting ........ god that sounds a bit egotistical reading it back LOL.

Anyway, this week Jamie asks us what do we wish to take a break from!

You see, my first reaction to that, and to the image on the page (copied here) was of a UK magazine. "Take a Break" ....... I think it's still a weekly publication and has been going years. That instinctive response of mine took me straight back to 1995 ...... because I won a holiday to Sri Lanka that year and it was from the magazine Take a Break :) But my reaction there has changed over the years. I'm no longer with the boyfriend I took with me ........ and when I remember it, it kinda feels as if it happened to someone else ....... or rather that it happened in a different lifetime. For me, this is fantastic progress!

So take a break from the past then? Well yeah ......... let it go, let it flow .......... it's gone, can't be changed ...... it helped make me who I am .......... but no, that's not what I'm going to end up wishing for this week. No surprise to anyone who reads my weekly wishes I'm sure *grin*.

Oh next thought up ...... flowing on from that ...... was a holiday. Yes I could do with a holiday abroad, to be in the heat (well we do have that at the moment in the UK but it's different when you have to go to work in it, rather than lounge around sipping cocktails, in a bikini, on a golden beach) ......... but since I've got the chickens, I've not had a holiday abroad. Gem could go to the cattery ........ but unfortunately The Chicken Hotel (yes, there really is such a company in the UK) has not yet branched out into my neck of the woods. And since I have four of them (hopefully still be 4 tomorrow, Destiny was not looking too great this evening and today's tarot card was Death *eek*) ....... I don't have anyone that I know that is not only willing, but able to look after them properly. Not because of my perfectionism I hasten to add. But I've not had any willing volunteers *sigh*.

So .......... take a break from daily regular life ........ that would be nice ........ but not happening so no point wasting a wish there right now as it would be just my luck to win another holiday that I couldn't go on (had that back in 2002 when I won a trip to Vietnam - couldn't change my plans so missed out on it).

Oh yes, there's the never ending wish of having peace and quiet and getting away from the awful tenants next door ...... but that's being dealt with too ........

OK how about this one ........... this is a goodie!! What about taking a break from worrying! I bet some people are nodding their heads that one *grin*. We all worry ......... and very often most, if not all, of that worry is absolutely needless and causes nothing but more stress and pressure. Why oh why do we do it to ourselves. How nice would that be ......... to not worry ........ not stress ........ just float ...... ye gods how scary!! Take away the worries and what am I left with .......... what do I plan around ......... ok that may just be a bit too much of a wish this week .......... besides, as I've thought about this week's wish ........ I did have one float into my mind that kind of encompasses all of the above ......... albeit in different ways!

You see ..... it's the mind. It's where everything starts, it's what we're doing right now with the wishing!

The monkey mind!!!

Because when does that stop?

How can you make it stop?

If you take a break from it ......... then you're not going to worry, you're not going to stress! You will gain peace and quiet ....... and yeah, isn't that just going to be like taking a holiday from "everyday" noisy moments!

I still don't meditate regularly, or visualise ........... and I find it exceptionally hard to turn that mind off. You've only got to read the way I do these posts to see how it flits from one thing to another ....... and I'm like that in real life conversations too ........... there's a reason I joined a group on Facebook called "Attention Deficit ....... oh look something shiny" ....... I kid you not!

So this week .......... I wish to give myself a gift of silence, of peace, of calmness and release worries, pressures of that ever present beast of fear! This week:

I WISH TO TAKE A BREAK FROM MY MONKEY MIND

The Seriously Random Question Meme, Part 3

2011-06-26T10:20:00.000+01:00

Today we ripped off a blogger known as blogger and blog named PT-LawMom. It is not her first trip to this rodeo, we've victimized her once before, in August 2008. Since it's long we will do it in parts. She does not say where she ripped it. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Seriously Random Question Meme, Part 3 (The Final Edition)

Cheers to all of us thieves!

41. Who was the last person you went shopping with?

Me, myself and I.

42. What is something you need to go shopping for?

I think food could be an appropriate answer here.

43. Do you have the same first name as one of your relatives?

No. I never understand why people do that.

44. What kind of car do (did) your parents drive?

Subaru Impreza I do believe.

45. Are you rich?

That would really depend on your definition of "rich". I may not have lots of money but I'm rich in many other ways!

46. If you could spend one intimate night with a celebrity, no questions asked, never to see them again, who would it be?

None ........ I value myself more highly than that thanks.

48. What famous person do you look like? Feel free to use this facial match program by clicking here. Show us at least the celeb photo.

49. What is the most daring thing you've done recently?

Haven't a clue. Daring in what way?

50. Say you were given a pregnancy test right now. Would you pass or fail?

What's with the pregnancy questions? Is the creator of this never-ending meme craving kids?

51. Which sex scandal of the last decade bothers you the most?

None - live and let live.

52. Do you know anyone in jail/prison?

Not right now.

53. What are your plans (or what have you done) for this weekend?

Three words to strike fear into my credit card - John Lewis Clearance. I collected some bits yesterday. Today - I'm aiming to strip wallpaper. The excitement of my life never fails to amaze me.

54. Have you ever woken up and not known where you were?

Ummmmmmm ......... I do believe I should answer yes to this question.

55. What were you doing at midnight last night??

Clearing up after the gang had left.

56. Last restaurant you went to?

Blueprint Cafe on Friday night - fantastic view of the Thames lit up at night.

57. How many hours did you sleep for last night?

I think 7 ......... but broken as usual. Up at 4.30 to let cat out and chickens into run.

58. Which is more distracting: Sexting while driving or sex while driving?

I think both are illegal and shouldn't be done ........... that's how accidents happen and people die or end up paralysed.

59. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now?

Probably not.

60. Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?

Yup.

60 1/2. If you haven't "liked" us (WTIT) on facebook and would like to, click here. Thanks, friends!

Hmmmm, should I ......... shouldn't I ............

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Earthbound Organics - Comfrey Hand Cream

2011-06-25T01:00:00.003+01:00

I'd heard of Earthbound Organics here and there over the internet, and even while sitting in the Dentist's chair once (his partner is into organic and natural stuff) ... and since everything I'd heard was always very positive, decided to have a look at their website.

Listen to this:

"The ingredients used in earthbound products are all natural and mostly organically certified. The creams are made from simple herbal mixtures of cold pressed oils, plants, distilled floral waters, local welsh beeswax and sometimes essential oils. The massage and bath oils are made from macerated herbs, cold pressed oils and essential oils where needed.Most if not all our ingredients will be recognised as plants from the garden or even one that you would find in the kitchen such as the cold pressed olive oil.
There are no added harmful, chemical or synthetic ingredients, pure and simple has been the philosphy and pure and simple are the end products.Each bottle and pot of organic skin care product is packed with the vitality of living plants, the minerals and vitamins from nature and the wholeness of plants that are unrefined, to give a product which will help feed and nuture your skin passing on some of that vitality from nature!"

How wonderful does that sound ..... and all items are handmade in Wales. Having a further look around, I saw that they did a set of samples "Live a Little box" which I thought was an excellent idea and wouldn't break the bank if I didn't like the products.

One of the items in it was the Comfrey Hand Cream which is noted as being great for those who work outdoors ..... should be perfect then for someone who has to clean up after chickens!

Now the sample sizes come in little pots and have a paper description/image stuck on top .... that looks a little cheap (if you compare it to the Neal's Yard sample pots) but don't let that put you off. When you're finished with it, stick it in the dishwasher and then re-use as a mini pot for homemade lip salve!

As for the actual hand cream .......... I liked it. It was very thick and my hands did feel quite greasy afterwards, which unfortunately didn't sink it and disappear easily. So, not a cream to wear just as you're going out the door to work. However, as it says on the website, great for after lots of washing up or being outdoors. I can see why this would work well on chapped skin. It would also be great as one of those home spa treatments where you slap the cream on and then put gloves on to soften hands for a few hours. The smell wasn't quite what I was expecting, but isn't unpleasant though it took a little while to get used to.

Overall, I thought it was great and will be ordering a bigger pot to keep for night-time!

Earthbound Organics can be found at: http://www.earthbound.co.uk/

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish for this summer?

2011-06-22T23:02:00.000+01:00

A late visit this week ........ and very tired so I'm not planning a long post for this week's wish .... maybe I should just wish for sleep ....... that's definitely something I'm yearning for these days ........ when I can fit in enough hours to sleep through of course.

Anyway, whinging aside ......... this week Jamie is asking what we wish for this summer. Ah summertime ....... it brings to mind the sun of course ......... and bright light ....... lazy days .......... heat, grass being mowed .......... laughter, ice cream cones ........... school holidays ........ oh how I wish for that amount of time off to just do ..... nothing. Well that's what the word summer invokes in my mind when I think about it. Of course I then go off into deeper mode at the drop of a hat too ............ so then I think what can summer mean spiritually ....... or emotionally ......... or as a lesson .......... and I think of enlightenment ........... well actually I don't ........ I think of lightbulbs coming on and knowledge pouring in ......... I don't think that's quite the same thing really. It could mean a lighter sense of spirit ......... even of feeling comfortable as a spirit within the physical body that houses us ............ or we could even look at it metaphorically ........... where in our lives do we want summer to bloom .......... where can we shed light and lighten any load.

Ahhhhhh ......... see how my mind just does not stop! Yes ....... I want all these things (eek - the phrase "I want never gets" just popped into my mind!). I was even thinking and planning on doing a post about how this links in with the last wish of dreaming for that wonderful perfect romantic relationship .......... after all summer time would be the most perfect time for that too .......... I don't know about you reading this, but I'm exhausting myself just thinking here ........... so this week ...... much as I want to focus on lying on a golden sandy beach in a different country ......... of sitting having picnics and games of rounders with friends on a grassy hill ............. of having lazy sunday mornings and weekend days of peace and quiet from the noisy neighbour .......... and, oh, a blissful 8 hours solid sleep without interruption or getting up at 4.30 in the morning to let the chickens into the run .............. (you can only imagine the look of bliss on my face as I think of that much uninterrupted sleep) ........... this week I can't seem to get "target" anything!

I think I've just shocked myself with that.

Instead ............. I think this wish is not only going to be more beneficial to me .......... but it's something I need to incorporate into my daily life ........ not just for summer ........ though that's probably as good a place to start as any!

I WISH TO JUST "STOP"

AND GO WITH THE FLOW

BEING OPEN TO LIFE'S OPPORTUNITIES

AND WALK FORWARD WITH AN OPEN HEART

Monday's Menu - Jamie Oliver - Pregnant Jool's Pasta

2011-06-20T00:10:00.001+01:00

Last year, as I'm sure most people in the UK, and possibly some in the States, are aware of ...... Jamie Oliver launched his book "Jamie's 30 minute meals" which accompanied the TV show of the same name - the basic premise that he would show you how to cook a meal in 30 minutes ..... "Not just one dish, a whole spread of beautiful things". So at the beginning of the year off I trotted to get this since it hadn't been in my Christmas stocking. Tut tut Santa! I have to say it's also one of the only cookery books I've actually bought. Most recipes I try out are courtesy of that wonderful friend we all love ........ the internet, usually via Google!

Now .... as I'm sure most people are also aware, there have been a lot of articles about how professionally trained chefs have tried to put together his meals in that same time frame .......... and failed! So, for your average, run of the mill (read "run off their feet") person who's got in from a long day of work and possibly had a long commute on top .......... this is just not going to happen! One dish - maybe .......... many - doubtful!

For those that try the whole lot ....... I take my hat off to you. I, however, will be trying the odd recipe that takes my fancy ..... and letting you know what I think - most probably on a weekend too when I'm not stressing about time. Nor will I be spending half an hour ferreting out the necessary equipment and ingredients before setting a timer ........ nope, it's a walk into the kitchen, open the book ......... and take it from there thing. This is kind of a necessity to be honest because when I had that new kitchen installed last year I had an induction hob fitted ......... there's no way I'm putting empty saucepans on that when it's turned on ..... let's just hope I don't set off any fire alarms!

So ...... first up is one I really wasn't sure about as I don't generally put sausages in pasta!

Pregnant Jools's Pasta

Ingredients:

4 spring onions

1 carrot
1 stick celery
1-2 fresh red chillies
1 x 6 pack good quality sausages (approx. 400g)
1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
500g dried penne
4 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
a few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil

Method:

Put a large frying pan on a high heat. Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed). Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon Oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go.

Fill and boil the kettle. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy water from the pasta to loosen it if needed.

Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of water. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table.

How did it go?

Well ..... I have to say ......... I LOVED IT! It was totally full of flavour. Having never had fennel seeds before (and one bad experience with roasted fennel), I actually didn't expect to like it. It really is as good as everyone says it is! So much so, that ........... glutinous mouse that I am ......... I ended up having a whole second bowl full of sauce even though my poor belly was full! I've also made it at least twice since ........ and since I like it so much, while the whole meal package it is part of is supposed to serve 6 ....... this particular part would probably only do 3 adults, if they have healthy *ahem* appetites.

Try it .......... you'll love it!

The Seriously Random Question Meme, Part 2

2011-06-19T11:23:00.000+01:00

Today we ripped off a blogger known as blogger and blog named PT-LawMom. It is not her first trip to this rodeo, we've victimized her once before, in August 2008. Since it's long we will do it in parts. She does not say where she ripped it. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Seriously Random Question Meme, Part 2

Cheers to all of us thieves!

21. Have you ever had a garage sale?

Since I don't have a garage ......

22. What color is your cell phone?

Black ...... still the best colour to get.

23. What is the last alcoholic beverage you had?
A nice crisp chardonnay thank you very much.

24. Are you happy right now?
Of course :)

25. Who came over to your house last?

That would be an appointment with the Environmental Health guy that I've been dealing with for the past 6 months. Hopefully their out-of-hours service will be resumed soon!

26. Do you drink beer?

That would be a No!
27. Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted?

No, but I wished I was a few times.

28. What is your favorite key on your key chain?

Who would have a favourite?

29. What was the last movie you watched at home?

Kung Fu Panda - excellent film :)

30. What is in your pocket?

My hand .... because I just checked to make sure nothing was in it!

31. Who introduced you to your bf/gf/husband/wife?

Since I'm currently single ..... no-one!

32. Where do you hurt?

At this precise second, nowhere :)

33. Has someone ever made you a build a bear?

Errrrr no.

34. What’s something fun you did today?

Laughing at some round robin emails. What can I say .... I'm at work!

35. What is your favorite aisle at Target?

None, because I've never shopped there and doubt we have one in the UK.

36. When is your birthday?

Two months today .... why? What are you getting me?

37. Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror?

Yes .............

38. How many states in the US have you been to?

None ............ I went to Canada instead.

39. What kind of milk do you drink?

Skimmed aka red top at work ............ semi aka green top at home. Don't ask me how I got converted to it ........... I blame my friends even though I can't remember.

40. What are you going to do after this?

Grab my lunch from the fridge and have an early lunch - Jamie Oliver's sausage pasta - recipe posted on blog tomorrow. Yummmmmm.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Simply Organic - Oatmeal Lavender soap

2011-06-18T01:00:00.002+01:00

Soap is something that we all use ..... well, I presume most of us do ...... and of course, as with everything else in the bath, beauty and skincare department, soaps can be pumped full of chemicals. Since I had a nice little discount code for the Feel Unique website, I decide to try out some extra items ....... this being one of them.

The Feel Unique website has this to say on the product:

"Enjoy a lusciously a rich lather with Simply Organic Hand Made Oatmeal Lavender Bar Soap. This soap has a sensuous and calming lavender aroma which is well known for balancing and soothing for troubled skin, making it suitable for the body and face.

Simply Organic handmade bar soaps are free from artificial colours, fragrances or preservatives."

I love using lavender products. Lavender is one of THE best, all-round, multi-purpose essential oils, if you like the smell ....... and not all products have that old-fashioned granny lavender smell that can be associated with the fragrance from decades ago!

So I was expecting great things from a little bar of soap. And my overall opinion?

I love lavender, love oat products, especially if you can use them for exfoliating the skin. This does lather well and it does what a soap is supposed to do ..... clean :) ....... but .... isn't there always a but ....... the smell isn't as strong as I expected ...... if you want a subtle smelling soap, get this one ....... if you want one that smells properly of lavender and oats, you may want to look elsewhere. Oh yes, and the price ........ it's retailing at over £5 at Feel Unique and that's with free postage! So I, personally, will be looking around for other products that I feel are worth the additional cost.

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Delights Do You Wish For?

2011-06-15T22:23:00.000+01:00

This week I hotfooted it over to Jamie's early for a glimpse of this week's wish. And boy has it had me thinking!

Jamie is asking us what delights we wish for :)

I instantly thought of peace of quiet ...... from the neighbours, since I've had an ongoing issue with them since they moved in back in December (think police, environmental health ..... and soon to be local councillor involvement).

Then I thought of cake .... and chocolate .......... and all the goodies I could bake and try out ...... my hips quivered too ........ but somehow I don't think that was in delight!

And then I thought of a biggie ......... delighting in your (or rather mine) body. In fact that made me think about a blog post I'd done over on Oracle Speak for my then weekly affirmations (which can be found here). Let's be honest .......... what human being on this planet is totally, 100% of the time, happy with their body? Because I have never met anyone who has reached that stage! There is at least one thing that every single person I know would change about their physical form ..... and yes, I include myself in that too .......... just read back a paragraph to the word hips ........ me bad!

But, as usual, that then meant my brain went off on another tangent ........... you see, all these individual things are great ........ and I'm pretty sure they would all bring delight .......... especially the cake ........ *shakes head* ...... *must be good, must be good* ........... but really, isn't there something else I could delight in ....... that would actually encompass all these goodies and help me to focus on all of them to a greater degree?

I thought of our senses!

And then that wonderful darling of synchronicity came to call with today's Daily Om message (found here) which is all about finding comfort through our senses.

Think about it ...... all of the things that we enjoy ......... we do so because it's our senses that help us to see, hear, feel, smell, taste and thus we intuitively immerse ourselves into these experiences. If I delight in my sense of hearing on the way to work ....... I pick up the blackbird singing in the bush .......... when I'm cooking at the weekend and trying out a new recipe (last week's was Jamie Oliver's Asian style salmon ....... yummmm, will have to add that to the blog soon!) ........ my sense of taste and smell means I can delight in the experience of cooking and then eating!

And of course then there's physically ......... too often we focus on the negative ........ but by delighting in what I can do (rather than can't) ......... I get to experience and enjoy what I'm doing rather than feeling that it's something I "should" be doing! Very helpful when I'm on the treadmill in the last 5 mins and I look like I'm about to explode (no, I won't be posting pictures thank you!).

And what about sight? Look again at the everyday mundane ....... as if through the eyes of another person, a child ....... or even another creature ........ what do you see now? Can you view something differently? What about experiences? Can you see new opportunities that weren't there before?

And with all of those delights ......... we experience more, we open more .......... we embrace, we focus ...... we feel ......... and hopefully we grow and become "more". We evolve.

I want to delight in feeling .......... in seeing ....... in tasting ....... in touching .......... in hearing ....... in sensing ....... in experiencing all the little things we that so often take for granted .......... so this week

I WISH TO DELIGHT IN ALL MY SENSES

Soul Biographies ~ Finding Love

2011-06-14T00:05:00.002+01:00

None of my IRL close friends blog ..... and I don't think they quite "get" why I do ..... although maybe they do understand that I enjoy "using words" :) .... however one of the things that I am grateful to blogging for, is coming across other articles .... be they videos, poems, recipes or someone's life experiences ..... that really hit home ...... that make you think ...... and look at yourself differently!

Last week one of the participants of Wishcasting Wednesday posted her wish (Sandy from http://livingartfullybysam.blogspot.com/), which was in the same kind of realm as mine ........ and she'd also just shared a short film that she'd come across ...... synchronicity at its best I think. I'd like to share it with you.

As Sandy posted on her blog:

Perhaps we can never truly love another...until we fall in love with ourselves!

If YOU don't show up, who is it that someone is going to fall in love with?

THE GIRL WHO LOOKED INTO THE MIRROR from Nic Askew on Vimeo.

The Seriously Random Questions Meme, Pt. 1

2011-06-12T00:48:00.004+01:00

Sunday Stealing:The Seriously Random Question Meme, Part 1

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Your ex's car is on the side of the road, on fire. What do you do?

What do you mean what do I do? I call Quackers immediately on my phone .....

2. Your best friend tells you she is pregnant. What is your reaction?

That would depend on which best friend it was!

3. When is the last time you wanted to punch someone in the face?

That would be today.

4. What is the last thing you spent money on?

I spent quite a bit today .......... but the very last thing was paying for the fitting of the new car stereo I got earlier in the day.

5. Do you think you gained or lost weight this past month?

Probably stayed about the same .......... I lack the will to enforce portion control.

6. Crunchy or Puffy Cheetos?

Errr neither ........ what would these be in the UK?

7. The first person on your friends list just called you a bitch. What do you do?

Which friends list would this be? If it was one of my best friends then I probably was bitching at the time :D

8. Congratulations! You just had a son. What’s his name?

I think the words "Jesus Christ" would be passing my lips .....

9. Congratulations! You just had a daughter. What’s her name?

And Mary, Holy Mother of God right after .......

10. What are you craving right now?

Nothing ....... why, are you about to tell me I'm pregnant?

11. What was the last thing you cried about?

Watching a film ........... mankind being saved, happy endings ..... the usual kind of thing.

12. When you buy something and your change is 2 cents, do you keep it or tell the cashier to keep it?

Neither, I'd be asking why I'd been given American coins instead of British.

13. What color is your tissue box?

It must be invisible and blend into the background ......... because I've never found it.

14. Do you have a ceiling fan in your bedroom, and if so, is there dust on that fan?

Nope ..... and therefore nope!

15. What was the last voicemail you received about?

Environmental Health Officer ....... it's an ongoing issue. *Sigh*

16. Have you ever blocked someone on Facebook?

I have a loooooong blocked list!

17. Scariest thing you’ve experienced in the last year?

Ummmmm, probably being threatened by the neighbours after I'd reported them to the police for anti-social noise nuisance in the early hours of the morning. See answer 15 above.

18. Do you wear a name tag at work?

No. I think most people know who I am by now.

19. What kind of car do you want?

None. I have a car. It works. It has (extremely) low mileage (even the audio fitting guy was shocked at it today) and if I could afford a new car, then that money would be better spent on my house.

20. What do you order when you go to Burger King?

Nothing ........ I can't remember the last time I went to one of those places.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

NYR - Power Berry Daily Moisture

2011-06-11T01:00:00.002+01:00

Quite some time ago, I picked up a free sample of this moisturiser and figured that, even though it was aimed at "youthful skin", it may actually be suitable for someone who gets acne breakouts, especially as its noted as having 94% of organic ingredients.

The website has this to say:

"This lightweight, easily absorbed daily moisturising lotion containing antioxidant-rich acai, bilberry, goji berry and rosehip, supports the skin with hyaluronic acid to boost skin moisture levels, whilst a synergistic combination of buddleia and thyme, containing antioxidant flavonoids, and anti-inflammatory saponins and triterpenoids, acts as an anti pollutant to help combat ‘city stress’ and promote skin radiance and vitality."

So personal opinion? Not for me sadly ...... I had hoped that the more "lotion-like" or liquid moisturiser would be better suited for the daytime, given my frankincense hydrating cream is a thick cream (which I do love). I found the consistency way too runny. Then there's the smell. Think berries and shortcake, which I'd like ....... to eat! Too strong and sickly ..... again, this is just a personal preference.

When they say this is for youthful skin, I think it's definitely one that is appreciated best by the teens to early 20s. From other reviews I've read, for people in those age brackets, this product seems to be highly rated and works very well on young skin. For anyone needing something a bit more "grown up" ...... I'd still recommend the Frankincense Hydrating Moisturiser every time!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to begin?

2011-06-08T20:55:00.013+01:00

I was really disappointed to miss out on the last couple of weeks of Wishcasting Wednesday due to not having enough time to get to the computer at home. Priorities I guess ... especially since it conflicted with the one programme that I will watch each week. And that had it's season finale last Wednesday so hopefully I'll have more time to participate for the next few months.

This week Jamie asks what we wish to begin.

And as for the last couple of weeks an answer immediately jumped out of my head ..... and heart. And this is what causes a BUT ....... because the answers I would have given the last couple of weeks were deeply held and deeply felt wishes ...... probably too deep in that I would not have felt that comfortable posting them out in blogdom. So do I ignore this for another week ....... or be brave and take a step forward ....... acknowledging that this week's wish actually needs to be verbalised, to put on "paper" as it were .......

So since I'm actually typing this out, I guess it means I'm going ahead and posting it!

I WISH TO BE IN A LOVING, ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP

There, I said it. As much as I've come to appreciate singledom (and boy, has that taken a long while) .... I can't help myself ....... I crave to be part of something *more*. To share ...... to give ..... to receive ..... to care ..... to show love ..... to communicate ....... to hold hands ......... to cuddle .........

Well let's be honest here, the list is pretty endless when it comes to describing the perfect relationship with your "other half". Now I've specified romantic there, because the Universe can be a bit of a bugger ......... if you say "I wish to be in a loving relationship" ...... it could give you deeper friendships or even a deeper awareness of how you treat yourself ........ and I've pretty much had my fill of my wishes and messages being fulfilled like that. So I'm getting more specific!

But ... yes, there's another but ...... this isn't just about wishing for "Mr Perfect" to enter my life ...... I doubt that would happen if so ....... this is more about being open and willing to create the space for someone ...... and to get over the fear of being hurt, being rejected, being judged ...... basically to get out of my cave of safety. EEEEEEEK. I'm sure you can hear the squeals of terror from any corner of the globe at that thought!

You see, being in that cave of safety (god, how cheesy does that phrase sound!) has gotten very comfortable over the years. You can look out and appreciate the view but always retreat to what you know, where you feel safe ......... but ...... yeah, another one ...... it means you don't get to feel properly ...... to experience properly ........ to LIVE!

Now as it turns out, I went out a few weeks ago and met someone who seemed really nice. Unfortunately they are not emotionally ready for a new relationship, and I'm not sure what's going on in relation to the last one, so we'll see if he gets back in touch ......... or not. But what I know I must not do .... is to hang on and hope ..... to wait ...... to put my life on hold for a "what if" ....... no matter how intriguing, cute and irresistible Mr. Possibility may be ... because in all honesty, that too would be retreating back to the cave!

So, as seems to be usual with me, as I ponder my wish while typing my thoughts out ..... I am changing it to .......

I WISH TO BEGIN TO OPEN MY HEART FULLY ..... TO ALLOW BENEFICIAL, POSITIVE, KIND AND LOVING NEW FRIENDSHIPS AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS TO ENTER MY LIFE ..... REGARDLESS OF HOW SCARY THAT IS!

After all .......... what's life without love?

#86 The Cell Phone Meme

2011-06-07T09:58:00.003+01:00

I remembered that Tuesday's is the Queen Mimi's meme day ...... thank god for days off work :)

Welcome to The Queen's Meme
7 Royal Questions on Tuesday

Ring Ring! Viiiibbbbbbbrrrrraaattte. Buzzzzzz Buzzzzz
It's Mimi on the line. Electronic gadgets have taken over our lives it seems. I can't go anywhere without seeing someone talking on a cellular phone or fixated on one of the newest toys. Doesn't it annoy you? On the other hand, how did we ever get along without them?
Call or text 1-800-Bloggingham. We'll chat!

#86 The Cell Phone Meme

1. How important is a cell phone in UR life?

Let's just say I can't remember life without it ....... it seems so long ago .... especially now I have an iphone ..... hmmmm, addicted is a slight possibility.

2. R U addicted to UR cell phone?

Well what if I am? Only slightly ........ I mean, just because it never leaves my side (apart from in gym class - and then it's in my sports bag) ...... it would get lonely if I left it behind!

3. R U a texter, an emailer, or a photo sender?

Definitely a texter ...... an emailer, but only from my pc ...... or does facebook emailing count, because I've started doing that now ...... not a photo sender ..... still trying to work out how to take decent pictures with my phone.

4. In the normal course of a day, about how many times do U touch UR cell phone?

You mean I shouldn't be holding it all the time? It's not as if I cuddle it, or stroke it or whisper sweet nothings into it.

5. R U guilty of distracted driving?

Absolutely not ......... those who do are idiots! Though I am guilty of sending Quackers a quick message to get the kettle on when I'm stuck at traffic lights, and therefore in a stationery vehicle!

6. What is the 1 app never invented that needs to be made for UR cell phone?

The hotline to Keanu Reeves perhaps? Only just navigating my way around my iphone .... so not using too many apps yet.

7. What annoys U the most about cell phones these days?

When people don't reply to messages, answer their phone or play Words for Friends. Oh and one bug bear .......... don't have a long conversation on the train when you're commuting to and from work ....... people do try and have a nap then!

Monday's Menu - Granny's Victoria Sponge

2011-06-06T16:13:00.003+01:00

Although I haven't been posting, I have still been baking and trying out different recipes that I come across on the net ..... if you like cake, strawberries and fresh cream ...... try this ..... the only problem is resisting eating it all!

Granny's Victoria Sponge
by James Martin via BBC Good Food

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
200g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 medium eggs
200g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
about 6 tbsp raspberry jam
250ml double cream , whipped
icing sugar , for dusting

Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and flour 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency. Slowly beat in the eggs, one by one, then fold in the flour and mix well.

2. Divide the mix between the cake tins, place into the oven and bake for about 20 mins until risen and golden brown. The cakes should spring back when gently pushed in the middle. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely.

3. Spread the jam onto one cake and top with the cream. Sandwich the cakes together and dust with icing sugar.

My thoughts?

Easy as anything, and a good way to use up eggs if you get overrun with them! Rather than the raspberry jam, I use strawberry conserve .... and probably more than 6 tbsp. It's had the thumbs-up from Quackers, Little Miss Sunshine, the gang and more ..... even the fencing guys who are currently working in my garden seem to like it. As I said the only problem is not eating too much of it ......... because it works out at around 600 cals per slice (serving 8-10 slices) - not good when you have 3 lots in one afternoon.

The link to the webpage is here ..... and rather than use their pic, here's one I made earlier :)

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, The Last Part

2011-05-29T19:02:00.004+01:00

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!!

Today we ripped off a blogger (and friend for a lot of years) known as Cat. She authors the blog Sweet Memes. It's long, so we will do it in parts. She explains that she got it from here. (No, we don't get that part either.) But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, The Last Part

Cheers to all of us thieves!

46. Would you ever try to quit one of your addictions, or better said: Bad Habits?

You are assuming that I have bad habits .... when in fact I don't. Or does polishing my halo count?

47. Could you ever kill yourself to save someone else?

Where the hell did that question come from? And who can answer it honestly, without being in such a situation where that may be warranted?

48. Does it matter if break up with someone or have them dump you?

Who breaks up with whom? Loving the grammar this week!

49. Would you rather have a turtle or a frog for a pet?

Errr neither ......

50. Would you rather spend a day with Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus?

Ahh that would have to be Lady Gaga ......... fascinating personality.

51. Would you rather learn to play piano or guitar?

Neither thanks ........ I don't have enough time in the day as it is.

52. We're going back to the day. Where did you get your kicks?

Day? Which day? When? What kind of kicks?

53. What Asian country would you like to visit the most? Why?

I don't have a favourite at the moment .......... though I'd like to see more of Japan.

54. Have you ever thought that a passer-by was the one (think James Blunt, here)?

Right .... because that happens ....

55. Ever told someone that your fake jewelery was really real?

No ........ why would I do that?

56. Where are the worst public restrooms?

Jesus ....... I thought I hopped from one subject to another really easily .....

57. What song was the latest one that got overplayed really fast?

58. What Friends (American TV show from the 90s) character are you most like?

A mix really.

59. When's the last time you had a Popsicle?

Errr never, I'm in the UK.

60. What TV show from way back would you love to see reappear?

None, they were of their time ....... and now I watch different stuff. Why be stuck in the past?

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish for your health?

2011-05-25T21:00:00.006+01:00

I was really peeved at missing last week's question, so this week I made a determined effort to visit earlier than usual and find out what the question was in case I needed time to mull over my answer, which came instantly ........ unfortunately time constraints meant that I couldn't draft that answer immediately ........ hence the late post!

Now I had thought about using one of the "biggies" for this week ..... there's enough of them hitting people I know right now and none of them I'd wish to have ...... but when we think, when we create our thoughts, apparently that is the energy that we are putting out there ....... so I'm not going to want to put any of those nasty things out there to have them come back to me, now am I!!! Plus that would be focussing on all the negative crap stuff.

I WISH TO HAVE HEALTHY SKIN

Wishing is supposed to be fun ....... to bring positive ...... to bring light ...... and hope ....... to create an "ideal". And who wouldn't want lovely, perfect, smooth, healthy skin?

Especially someone who has been "diagnosed" with acne!

OK let me back up a minute. Logically ..... our skin is what protects us .... and helps us to live. It filters the crap out of our systems, it covers our organs, blood vessels and ensures that our nerve endings are protected and not subject to intense stimulii every second of every day.

Physically ...... having good skin helps us to feel good ...... ask anyone who's having a "bad skin day" and you can pretty much guarantee their mood and positivity will be reduced. We are, after all, in a media-induced youth-orientated, smooth-skinned "glossy magazine" airbrushed ideal society .... and heading further into it.

And then there's emotionally. It's not just how we are packaged and presented, but how we react emotionally. Our skin can follow our mood swings, our hormones ..... and it can be affected by our deepest hopes and fears ....... those who are wandering through shadows, depression, abusive relationships develop coping mechanisms ..... which sometimes can include hurting their own skin ....... we've all heard how people cut themselves ....... what about picking? Did you know that that is actually an OCD issue and usually emotionally based and can even have been learned behaviour from a parent? (Click here for more information on this issue if you are interested or feel it may be something that you do). Did you know that it can cause acne, repeated wound sites or even cancer? I identified a lot with this site when I read it ..... and it opened my eyes to how we can inadvertently not look after ourselves.

So for myself, I wish to nurture healthy habits (including drinking more water, more dry body brushing), to look after my skin in the best way I know how (exercise, food - ok still have to work on cutting down the sugar) .......... as well as actual skin habits like not picking, prodding or even looking in the mirror and disliking what I see. Hmmmm I think my wish has changed slightly ....... so this week

I WISH TO BE HAPPY IN MY SKIN
AND TO KEEP IT AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE!

I surrender

2011-05-23T21:32:00.003+01:00

Synchronicity is a wonderful thing ....... just when you need to hear it, the most appropriate message will land in your lap in a variety of ways ........ and if you're lucky, you can also then pass that message on to someone else to hopefully help them too. Today I was told to surrender ......... even though that is one of the most scariest things I find hard to do. Hmmm, make that almost impossible to do. But I try ..... I am trying ....... no pointing talking the talk, if you don't at least try to walk it too. In case anyone else needs to hear it ........... here's the message I found :)

I SURRENDER
Chameli Ardagh
Founder of Awakening Women Institute

How tender it is, the place in us that yearn to trust.

In all of us there is an innocence core untouched by cynicism and defense strategies.

From here we meet life, wide-eyed in wonder of it all.

Here we know how simple it is to love.

But many, after years of disappointment and betrayals, have hidden this tenderness behind thick walls of protection. Now we associate surrender with losing ourselves, and yielding with being taken advantage of. We even mix up loving with the terror of being let down. So we let our armor grow solid and we keep life at a safe arm’s length away. But we pay a price.

When we meet life undefended, even for a moment, we discover that we have no enemy but fear itself.

In surrender, we choose to let our hearts break a thousands times instead of living life trapped in fear. Each time we are willing to stay open and broken, the hard shields of defense soften and expand.

A little bit more touchable, a little bit more free.

Who moves you? When you let go of the steering wheel, when you relax your agenda, your busy planning, who moves you? Who grows the hair on your head? Who pushes the sprouts up from the ground?

Who moves you?

Right now That is asking you to dance. Are you willing? Ready for a red hot tango with ....?

http://awakeningwomen.com/2011/04/27/i-surrender/

Beauty and the Beast - Self-awareness and self-esteem

2011-05-17T00:08:00.002+01:00

I often hear people complaining about how Facebook is helping to "dumb us down" but there are actually quite a lot of groups out there that like to share information, articles and promote positive self-help. And being the self-confessed geek that I am, I have of course, "liked" many of these groups. As a result of surfing through a few of them the other day, I found this fantastic article posted via a friend of a friend of a friend LOL.

Beauty and the Beast
Lesley Edwards clarifies the role of self-awareness in building self-esteem.

Building Self Esteem is about deep personal transformation. I do not believe that we can discover our true worthiness without making the effort to change, without having the courage to look ourselves straight in the eye, appreciate what we see and then move on from there.

I was showing a class of 6-year-old children some pictures of the life cycle of the butterfly one day and I asked them how they thought it happened. One little boy’s face lit up and he exclaimed, “I know, the caterpillar has the heart of a butterfly!” What a wise old soul. It is true that if we know within our hearts what we want to become, then we will become that.

A friend of mine recently realized that she was only able to see herself through other people’s eyes. A counsellor asked her how she saw herself, and she replied that people said she was attractive, intelligent, and fun to be with. On being further pushed to say what she saw, she realized with horror she saw nothing, only a reflection of herself in other people’s eyes, and she was experiencing a profound feeling of being disconnected from herself.

It is a frightening feeling when we don’t know who we are. And many of us don’t, or have come to a point in life where we are seriously seeking some clarity. There has never been a time when we were more in need of some simple ancient wisdom—a spiritual as opposed to a material explanation of who we are. For so long we have been caught up in an identity based on external factors such as our job, appearance, talents and relationships. We have looked to other people, situations and circumstances to define us, to affirm us and to be the source of our pleasure. We have lost ourselves by comparing ourselves with others and measuring ourselves against material standards of success and achievement.

To begin to retrieve ourselves from this mess means a change of perception from physical self-awareness to spiritual self-awareness, seeing ourselves as a soul or spiritual consciousness that is beyond form. The natural state of the soul is internal strength and highest expression of the soul is to express that strength in the form of love, confidence, courage, and many other positive qualities. To have our center of gravity firmly anchored in this part of us makes us bigger than the detail of our daily lives, so that whatever challenge life presents us with we can stand firm and solid. It is to have an experience of Self that “brings a feeling of standing on solid ground inside oneself, on a patch of eternity, which even physical death cannot touch …” (Marie-Louise Von Franz).

It’s quite a challenge to work with a vision of yourself that is beyond image!—for your butterfly to have wings of compassion, peace courage and love as opposed to promotion, beauty, wealth and success! Yet I have seen many people meditating for the first time, connecting with this inner reality, breathing sighs of relief and sharing experiences of an inner freedom and lightness they have never felt before.

Of course the real challenge comes in integrating this experience into daily life, for spiritual self-awareness does not mean ignoring your physical, social and emotional world, but using it to give you the will power, the tools and strength to bring healing and change into all areas of your life. Without a spiritual awareness you may find yourself trying to make superficial changes when things go wrong, like putting knick-knacks and decorations over subsidence or putting more icing on a rotten cake—the equivalent of buying more clothes, eating more food, or drinking more alcohol when you feel depressed. Without a spiritual practice such as meditation you may know very well what changes in attitude and behavior would be good for you, but simply not have the energy or power to put them into practice.

The energy and inner strength that is experienced in meditation equips you with the right weapons to fight a non-violent war—weapons such as patience, tolerance, forgiveness, compassion, acceptance and generosity. For however deeply we believe in our positive selves and however real our experiences of our spiritual self have been, this reality will inevitably be challenged. You may believe that you are a peaceful, loving soul, but can you maintain this experience in the face of sickness or criticisms. A spiritual awareness means always being ready with the right weapons, where battle and victory are an opportunity for alchemy. Where there was fear let there be courage, where lies and illusion—truth, where anger—acceptance, where hurt—forgiveness. Attacks will not just come from outside. Our self-image is made up of layers and layers of past experiences in our own subconscious in the form of deeply ingrained habits of negative thought patterns and behavior. Lasting change and healing requires a deep commitment to emerging gold from lead.

When awakened to their spirituality, people typically discover a sense of purpose and meaning in life. This should not just be a fleeting sensation! The challenge is to live every day with a sense of meaning and purpose. Do you understand the significance of the roles you play, the work you do, the talents you have? This is a potential minefield of stress, frustration, and boredom, of unfulfilled dreams and feelings of failure. Yet from a spiritual perspective, whatever you do is presenting you with exactly what you need for your growth and inner change. You may need to be in a situation to learn patience and humility. You may be bursting to change things on an external level but the best thing you can do right now is to change your attitude and perception towards what you do—patiently waiting for a time when the change that will happen is not a reaction against something bad, but a conscious choice to move towards something good.

What does it mean to translate spiritual self-awareness into your relationships with other people? Are you able to love? Do you love yourself enough to love other people? —to know that love is a verb and not something that will be found in the ideal person, or the ideal situation? —to be as committed to seeing gold in other people as you are to seeing the gold in yourself, appreciating how deeply connected those two perceptions are? When our inner resources are weak we cannot take other people’s attacks and defenses, and the easiest thing to do is to highlight their weaknesses as a way to avoiding responsibility for how we are feeling. To be stable in our own spiritual self awareness is to be able to turn things around, so that faced with someone coming from a space of anger, fear or jealousy, I am not threatened but I can disarm their negativity by seeing beyond it to their goodness. To maintain this vision needs a lot spiritual power—when you are tired and low on energy yourself you get stuck in the external appearance of things and it is much easier to blame, criticize, and put others down.

True self awareness is to see and accept the full life cycle of change—that there is the caterpillar, the cocoon and then the butterfly; that the alchemist uses lead to make gold and daylight always follows the night. A spiritual perspective gives an understanding of this complete story, and enables you to view the story from some place “outside of” or “beyond” yourself, without getting too caught up in any part of the detail. It enables you to see weakness and strength with equanimity and stability; to see weakness as a temporary reality but not ultimately part of true identity; to see weakness as the flip side of strength and to always make the choice to move towards the light, to move towards gold and to move towards flight.

Without seeing the full picture it’s very easy to get caught up in a small part of the story. Many people can accept their weaknesses but not their strengths. When asked to list positive and negative things about themselves, the negative list comes far easier and is a lot longer! Maybe it feels safer to stay on familiar ground, “It’s my personality to be like this. I can’t change., I was born like it!” To see themselves in a positive light is to step out of their comfort zone into dangerously unknown territory. I am reminded of children whose only way of reaching out and making contact with others is through physical violence, because that is the only language they know; and whose attention-seeking strategies result in constantly being told off. But they are getting exactly what they want—attention! For those whose early and subsequent life experiences have been characterized by pain and suffering it takes a Herculean effort of will and courage to step beyond this into a language of love.

Perhaps less common but certainly a potential hazard, is when we accept our strengths but go to great lengths to avoid facing and accepting weaknesses. None of us is perfect, and even the greatest souls have a shadow side. And this shadow has to be seen and embraced if we are to keep on growing. Courage can only come from facing fear, compassion from understanding anger. The peace we can experience is only in contrast to chaos. Every weakness is a strength out of balance; a feeling of worthlessness can be humility distorted, and arrogance may be confidence for the wrong reasons.

It is an art to look at Beauty and Beast with equanimity. And the greatest threat to that is fear. Fear is the big distorting mirror. We look in the mirror and see Beast, and stay with Beast because Beast says I have nothing to live up to, and has plenty of excuses for not having to do anything. Or we look in to the mirror and see Beauty and ignore Beast. And if Beast does not get at least a nod of acknowledgement he will chase us, driving us from within the labyrinth of our subconscious, demanding sacrifices—a missed opportunity here, a damaged relationship there. He will rear his ugly head manifesting as projections, denials, excuses and distortions of truth. So Beauty has to fall in love with Beast to turn him back in to a prince. And the only way for Beauty to love Beast is go beyond fear. Look in to the mirror and see beyond Beast and just see light. Light fills you with the love and courage to face and transform your weaknesses and the strength to express your strengths.

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 2

2011-05-15T00:01:00.002+01:00

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!!

Today we ripped off a blogger and friend known as Cat. She authors the blog Sweet Memes. It's long, so we will do it in parts. She explains the she from here. No, we don't get that part either. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us atSunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 2

Cheers to all of us thieves!

16. What was the last thing you did that was totally selfish, yet you feel no guilt?

17. Tell us about a film fave of yours that we probably have not seen.

Considering most of the films I see are mainstream, I doubt there is one.

18. When was the last time you kissed someone that you shouldn't have on the lips?

As if I'd do anything like that ............ *polishes her halo and ignores the scratches where it fell off*.

19. When was the last time you cooked something for someone not in your family?

Hmmmm, guess that would be today ......... however ..... I class my closest friends as family, so I suppose the "correct" answer would be ......... in a galaxy far far away .....

20. When was the last time you danced like a crazy person?

Very likely last night ........ thankfully I have hangover amnesia for the visuals.

21. When was the last time you just wanted to be invisible?

I think this is a state I'm often in .............

22. When was the last time you got a gift you absolutely hated?

A couple of years ago .......... they don't buy me gifts any more ....

23. When was the last time you got into a physical fight? (If NEVER, let us know about a time that you got close to a fight.)

About a month ago ......... it was in the dojo though, so does it count?

24. When was the last time you had to sleep with a light on?

I actually managed to graduate from this a couple of years ago!

25. When was the last time you were under some serious stress?

Very recently ............ noise nuisance threatening neighbours ........... 'nuff said!

26. When was the last time you watched your favorite movie?

Never .......... I don't have one absolute favourite.

27. What song did you most recently downloaded?

I haven't ......... but my friend set up my new iphone with over 200 tracks ......... so I'm listening most of the time to

28. What would you say is your favorite hobby?

Can I include eating? How about drinking? Laughing? Analysing? ......... there are so many .........

29. What is your favorite thing to do when you hang out with friends?

Chat, eat, drink, laugh, hug, smile .................

30. What would you rather do: shower or bathe with that celebrity that you are crushing on?

I'd really rather not say ............ apart from commenting on the fact that's a very limited option you've given!

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Do You Wish to take a stand for?

2011-05-11T23:49:00.000+01:00

I'm coming very late to this week's Wish ....... in fact as I'm drafting this it's almost midnight and I should be tucked up, fast asleep. Anyhow, I had a quick look at the question before watching Grey's Anatomy ....... shouldn't have done that ... because it's been echoing in my mind ever since ....... when really I wanted to concentrate on the programme!

So ........ What do I wish to take a stand for?

I instantly thought of things like ..... standing up against bullies, about vocalising strongly, protecting the weak .......... in fact you could add any number of "causes" to this.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that as much as I could specify one "thing" ....... the more I didn't want to. So I'm not going to.

Instead I've pondered on what taking a stand actually means to me.

It means knowing what you think, what you feel and what you believe about something. It's (whatever "it" actually is for each individual) something that you should feel passionate about (even though I dislike the word "should") ........ feel strongly about ....... it should stir you, vocally, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It's something that surely should get you up on your soapbox ....... that you can discuss, debate and be interested about .......... and it's about drawing a line in the sand ....... love it, hate it, defend it, protect it ....... what do those words bring to mind for YOU as you read them?

Now while I could add those causes that I try my best to walk my talk for (and often fail I'm afraid) ...... instead I thought back to last week's wish and how I responded to knowing how to love myself ........... if I know that, then I would want to do this for me ............. yes that's right .......... Me.

We all hear those sayings about how we are the most important person in our world, yet really, how many people really believe it? Most mothers would automatically list their kids first, when in reality, without their mum, those kids wouldn't survive, and let's be honest ....... most people believe that to put yourself first is being selfish, when in reality it's healthy! So yes, we are the most important thing in our lives ........... and we have a Life to live ........ so this week .......

I take a stand for ME!

The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 1

2011-05-08T00:02:00.006+01:00

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!!

Today we ripped off a blogger and friend known as Cat. (Yes, she spells her name with a period.) She authors the blog Sweet Memes. It's long, so we will do it in parts. She explains the she fromhere. No, we don't get that part either. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 1

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Which state do you consider to be the most boring state?

Ummmm, the state of mind known as boring?

2. If any chef from the Food Network (or any well known chef) could cater your wedding, who would it be?

I am, of course, assuming that hubby would be better looking, else I'd be spending all my time in the kitchen!

3. What's the last thing you ate that was red?

Dare I say it ..... homemade ...... I died when I read the calorie count, after my third slice!

4. Have you ever questioned the sexuality orientation of a close friend?

Nope.

5. Everyone loses a friend after some big fight. Tell us about one.

Huh? No they don't. If they do, the person wasn't a true friend anyway.

6. Have you ever washed an iPod or mp3 player in the washing machine?

No, I usually wipe it with a cloth.

7. Have you ever screamed / yelled angrily at a boss?

Errr no, I guess that's why I've never been fired.

8. Have you ever cried yourself to sleep?

Unfortunately yes.

9. Have you ever regretted being in a relationship with someone?

Oh yes!

10. Have you ever acted like you understood something when you didn't have a clue?

Guess I'd better admit to this one too.

11. Have you ever thought someone must have been insane? If yes, tell us something about the person.

Yes ............. well maybe. When you say insane, do you mean they're being stupid mad or actually properly clinically not sane mad? Because my answer is different - yes to the first, no to the second. And no, sorry, I couldn't tell you why!

12. Have you ever pretended to be younger than what you are?

Don't need to, it's generally assumed without me saying anything ..... don't snigger please, it's true ........... really ............ honestly ............. no I'm not imagining it LOL

13. Back in the day, did you ever cry because you were turned down for a date?

Ummm no, being turned down indicates you've asked for the date in the first place.

14. Have you ever (or your significant other) had a pregnancy scare?

What? Like I'm going to answer that, on here.

15. Have you ever pretended to like someone when you didn't?

Oh dear ............

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

The Daffodil Principle

2011-05-07T10:53:00.005+01:00

I've had a few emails with a similar theme lately, but this one I thought should be shared, courtesy of Ms. Squirrel :)

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter Yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 Bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop.

Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world ..

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....

Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

So work like you don't need money.

Love like you've never been hurt, and, Dance like no one's watching.

If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special.

I just did!

Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never
begin.

Friday's Photos - Soar

2011-05-06T01:00:00.002+01:00

We may not be able to physically fly like birds but we can fly in our thoughts, in our visualisations, in our emotions and in our hearts (and no, I'm not going to think about skydiving - I hate heights *shudder*).

As the weekend approaches, may we take some time to let our hearts be open ......... may we let love lift us up to soar amongst the birds even if it's only metaphorically :)

EU: Save Herbal Medicine!

2011-05-05T01:00:00.002+01:00

I recently received the following email - if you are interested and want to sign the petition, please click here to be taken directly to it.

Dear friends,

The EU has just blocked our access to many herbal medicines, and already some household remedies are being taken off the shelves.

A new EU Directive came into force this week that erects high barriers to any herbal remedy that hasn't been on the market for 30 years -- including virtually all Chinese, Ayurvedic, and African traditional medicine. The EU Commission itself has recognised this is an over-regulation that will needlessly restrict consumer choice, but has done nothing to change it.

We need a massive outcry against this. Together, our voices can press the EU Commission to amend the directive, push our national governments to refuse to apply its excessive standards, and support a legal case that is challenging this regressive regulation. Sign below, forward this email to everyone, and let's get to 1 million voices to save herbal medicine:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_herbal_medicine_ban/97.php?cl_tta_sign=49666d3fd817a26712835d98719b61cc

It's hard to believe, but if a child is sick, and there is a safe and natural herbal remedy for that illness, as of this week it may be impossible to find that cure.

The EU says the new rules respond to several public health incidents involving herbal products that were applied incorrectly. Their stated goal is to protect consumers, but while regulatory oversight of herbal remedies is important, this new directive significantly reduces the number of products available to consumers, and practically drives out non European traditions, while doing little more to protect people from harm than the prior regulatory set-up. Three years ago EC itself recommended improvements to the directive to make it less prohibitive of Chinese and other non European traditions, but even their own suggestions have been ignored.

The Directive also creates major barriers to manufactured herbal remedies, costing up to 100,000 euros to acquire licenses, years of effort, and long expert processes to get each and every product approved. And research shows that it was the over the counter medicine group, AESGP that lobbied hard to push through the most restrictive elements of the legislation. Pharmaceutical companies have the resources to jump through these hoops but hundreds of small- and medium-sized herbal medicine businesses will not, and consumer choice will be seriously restricted.

We can stop this. The directive has been passed in the shadows of the bureaucracy, and it cannot stand under the light of democratic scrutiny. The EU Commission can amend it, and a court case in Britain is currently challenging it to do so. If European citizens everywhere come together now, it will give legitimacy to the legal case, and add to growing pressure on the Commission. Sign below, and forward this email to everyone, and Avaaz will deliver the petition when we reach one million signers:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_herbal_medicine_ban/97.php?cl_tta_sign=49666d3fd817a26712835d98719b61cc

Natural medicine deserves adequate regulation, but this heavy-handed directive harms the ability of Europeans to make safe and healthy choices. Let's stand up for our health, and our right to choose safe herbal medicine.

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Iain, Giulia, Benjamin, Alex, Alice, Pascal, Luis and the rest of the Avaaz team.

PS. Feel you need a greater understanding of this to sign on -- read our response to concerns here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_herbal_response_to_concerns. The Alliance for Natural Health Questions and Answers also has useful questions and answers:
http://www.anh-europe.org/news/frequently-asked-questions-about-eu-herbal-registrations-and-bans

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Do You Wish to Know?

2011-05-04T11:10:00.004+01:00

Of course, as soon as I saw this question, I thought of cheeky answers like ......... the winning lottery numbers would be good (the Euromillions is a massive £26 million this Friday!) ..... or what is going on in my horrible intimidating harassing neighbour's head, or their letting agency ........ then I thought please please give me the perfect answers for my exam assessment that I'm currently doing ......... and all the time that I'm trying to distract myself with daily questions from the little voice that was whispering inside .......... that wanted to be heard. Because really, those quiet questions are not only often the hardest to answer, they can be the hardest or most painful ones to acknowledge!

What do the majority of people on this planet want? I think that would be LOVE.

And synchronistically, the exam question I'm looking at, that is right in front of me on my computer desk, is all about Rogers "conditions of worth". I also came across a wonderful article on Facebook last night (I'll have to post that another day) which also ties in with today's question and my exam question.

I think that the majority of us think we know what love really and truly is ......... not only how to demonstrate it but that in reality, we give love to others ok ..... I'm sure you've all heard someone say "but I love him" while putting up with or condoning some kind of behaviour that we would find inappropriate ...... or the person who is beaten up "but he loves me really" ....... or the parent who tells their child to bugger off or that they're crap at something so why bother? And if people behave like this to others, what about how we treat ourselves?

I've been on this self-analysing (and hopefully more spiritual) path now for over 6 years and I have learnt a lot, especially about how I'm like I am, what's caused this, looking to what I want to change, who I want to be. I "talk the talk" and I truly do try and walk it too. But let's be honest here ........... if we've been through a pile of crap (and I always thought my pile wasn't that big - unfortunately it's huge) ........ sometimes, when you look deep within, you may know logically what you're talking about, you may be able to articulate those thoughts and truths very well ............ but do you feel them?

If you look in the mirror ........... and say nothing, think nothing ......... but try to feel your soul, your self and the child within ............ how do you feel when you gaze into your own eyes?

So I want to know ...... not liking, not respecting, not hoping, not healing, not thinking ......... but feeling it .........

I WISH TO KNOW HOW TO TRULY LOVE MYSELF

Sunday Stealing - The "18 Questionable Questions" Meme

2011-05-01T00:01:00.003+01:00

The "18 Questionable Questions" Meme

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!!

Today we ripped off a blogger named Mary Warner from the blog The Woo Woo Tea Cup Journal. She explains the she was tagged for the meme from the blogger and meme named Manjo. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The "18 Questionable Questions" Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?

I would hope that as I've grown up (kind of) it would be more of the calm casual "Don't slam the door on your way out" option, rather than the shouting, screaming, blaspheming and genital mutilation kind.

2. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?

To be in love and be loved.

3. What is the one thing most hated by you?

There isn't ......... there's at least two!

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?

Well that'd be half a billion in Sterling. I guess I'd invest a lot to get a guaranteed high high high income for the rest of my life. I'd then have a lovely relaxing holiday somewhere exotic with my best friends and their families while I plan how to open my animal sanctuary and private counselling practice in the middle of the countryside!

5. Could you fall in love with your best friend?

I would hope that the person I fall in love with becomes your best friend ....... so yeah!

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?

Two totally different experiences, so in reality, how can you compare?

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you really love?

If you really love someone there is no time limit ........... although that doesn't mean you put your life on hold if they're not around to share it!

8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?

9. If you'd like to act (movies, stage) with someone, who would it be?

I wouldn't.

10. What do you expect of your loved one?

A LOT!

11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?

In a mirror?

12. What’s your fear?

Which one?

13. Would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?

Either, so long as I'm happy.

14. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Usually curse because it's an unearthly hour and I've been woken by non-stop whinging miaowing.

15. Do you ever hold back in a relationship?

I believe so ......

16. If you fell in love with two people simultaneously, how would you pick?

I don't know ......... thankfully that's never happened to me.

17. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?

How could you really forget?

18. What are your three most important expectations in love?

Only 3? I guess my list includes Honesty, Fidelity and Respect.

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Synchronicity and Focus - Falcon Totem

2011-04-30T00:06:00.004+01:00

I have a lot going on. For anyone that knows me (or of me), they'll know I'm not only always on the go, but mentally I flit from one thing to another rather rapidly. As much as I love to sit, chill out and veg in front of the tv or that I plan those things ........ it's actually another thing if it really happens. Because I always have to be "pottering". I reckon it's either a female thing, or it's inherited from my mother! Anyway, that kinda makes it hard to concentrate on just one thing.

Which meant that this week's Wishingcasting question of Focus was very much needed. So Friday lunchtime, and I succumbed to watching some of the Royal Wedding ...... indeed, there may even have been a sniffle or two, especially when certain things brought to mind Princess Diana's death. Anyway, once the vows were done I figured that was a good time to get the weekly shopping done. And sure enough, the roads were virtually traffic free ....... so much so it felt quite weird ..... you know when you're dreaming and ..... oops, shouldn't go off on yet another tangent ...... anyway the shopping - done. Popped into Quacker's house on the way back - done ....... and home. Parked the car, unloaded the shopping ....... and looked up to the sky.

I noticed a bird. Now this is usual, there are are lots and lots of pigeons, doves and crows around the place. Even the odd magpie. But for reason this particular one drew my eye. As it flew overhead I thought it looked quite plump like a pigeon but the under feathers were spotted/striped/mottled cream and brown or greyish ..... and then I looked at the head as it got nearer and realised it wasn't ....... it was definitely a bird of prey. I thought of a Falcon, not that I know how big they are. And carried on with the usual stuff of cleaning, tv, hoovering.

Then I opened up my emails to read today's Daily Om:

Messengers of Direction
Animals in Nature

Animals in nature always have a message for us, start noticing what animals show up in your life and when.

Bloody hell! So I googled UK birds of prey and sure enough, a falcon does have that kind of underside/feathers. Then I google totem meanings ..... A Venefica (http://www.whats-your-sign.com/falcon-animal-totem.html) has this list for Falcon:

Superiority
Spirit
Light
Power
Focus
Prophecy
Freedom
Aspiration
Intensity
Determination

and amongst other things this bit really stood out "Falcons are all about focus - strong, one-pointed focus. When they show themselves to us, we are being called to focus on our desires and our goals, and do what is necessary to bring our desires into our reality." Talk about a double whammy.

I have a feeling that change is coming. I hope the transition phase is not only painless but has that happy go lucky feeling as if you're flying :)

A bank holiday ..... and the Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T10:14:00.009+01:00

So today is a bank holiday ....... wonderful!! For me it means a lie-in, some chilling out, probably eating more than normal and lazing in pj's longer than necessary! However, the bank holiday isn't a usual one, it's because Prince William and his long-term girlfriend are getting married.

Now I have to admit I don't understand the craze of people sleeping outside for days on end, nor for the whole "celebrity watching" thing. Nor do I really understand the idolisation of people just because of the family they've either been born into or how much money they have.

BUT notwithstanding that, I still find I have BBC News online as I surf the internet this morning, I still flick back and forwards between screens and can still hear the live commentary as I start drafting this blog post!

For the short time that I watched this, what has stuck out in my mind?

The minibuses - the news crew commented that it's where modern meets traditional ....... to me they seemed a bit London day out to Essex ...... and yes, it did look very similar to a footy team's away day match transport!

The princes on arrival at the Abbey ........ it probably never really occurred to the palace but wouldn't it have been nice if the Princes had been able to go and say hi to members of the public that have queued and waited so long to see them. Of course, I'm probably being quite naive because I bet the security personnel would have vetoed any hint of such a suggestion. What a shame that such things have to even be considered on someone's wedding day :(

Hand holding .......... am I just too common to understand this? How come hardly any couples were holding hands. The only ONE that stuck out in my mind (though I did miss the majority of people arriving) was Samantha and David Cameron ............. how lovely was it to see a couple actually walk in holding hands!

And of course let's also not forget that regardless of all the pomp and circumstance which surrounds the day, this is a wedding. A man and a woman who love each other and have declared their commitment in front of their family and friends (and in this instance, virtually the whole planet). They and their loved ones are human beings just like everyone else. They have hopes, fears, wishes, memories and dreams. Loved ones may not have been able to make the big day, others will be looking down from their spiritual home, but all are joined in love.

The Queen is a grandmother and will be so proud as she watches her grandson on his wedding day.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana are in different worlds, but no doubt look upon their son with smiles in their eyes and love in their hearts to see him so happy.

Kate is a girl marrying her man, regardless of his public station, he is the one she cuddles, smiles at and no doubt cooks and makes a cuppa for, and likely vice versa.

They, like everyone else, deserve happiness, hope and love. May they and their loved ones enjoy this special day, may they always be surrounded by love, and may they have happiness and joy in their future!

You just gotta love LOVE :)

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Do You Wish to Focus On?

2011-04-27T23:39:00.004+01:00

One of my most favourite bloggers, writer and all round authentically expressing person is Grace from The Wild Pomegranate who sometimes participates in a weekly blog session courtesy of Jamie Ridler (http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/) called Wishcasting Wednesday. I've visited a few times, but of course never got off my backside to actually join in. This week I decided to venture forth because not only do I think it's a wonderful thing to do (c'mon, who couldn't do with a little bit of wishing *smiles*) but because it "felt" right. And then I saw the question ........... yep, a sign. Because it was a question that I had actually asked myself at my last college lesson which was just last night!

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Do You Wish to Focus On?

And yet, the more I pondered on the question, the more things kept popping into my mind. And then other questions kept cropping up ........ but which one should take preference, why can't I have them all ........ which one is more important, more do-able, more realistic ..... which one do I really want. Sometimes that analytical Virgoan mind of mine just doesn't shut up! So this week I choose:

INNER PEACE

because really, when you look at every other question that can crop up, this permeates through them all!

I WISH TO FOCUS ON, AND GAIN SOME INNER PEACE

I can't get it in the "real world" right now ........ well not all the time. Back to college last night, last lesson done, homework done today. And now I have my exam assessment to do. I have 4 weeks, but that's without the long bank holiday coming up, work and life that gets in the way. And then there's the noise issue I have going on right now with neighbours (think I'll leave that subject for potential future blog piece) which actually leaves me shaken and so far from peace, and quiet, and my "safety" mode that it affects everything else.

So I am setting myself a challenge. To gain some inner peace will mean gaining control. It will mean peace and quiet inside, that some of my emotions soften, which in turn will mean I feel happier and more content. And of course that in turn (because doesn't everything really ripple out to affect other things) means I will not only feel more capable and confident but I'll also have a stronger coping mechanism for when things aren't going so well.

You never know, I may even end up getting in a small, regular, meditative practice after all these years of thinking about it!

I CHOOSE INNER PEACE

Ask Google to remove its Dog Fighting App!

2011-04-26T23:46:00.003+01:00

I couldn't believe it when I heard about this ...... in this day and age, Google have an app that promotes Dog Fighting. Yep, you heard that right! So, for a couple of minutes of your time, please read this and then click on the link to add your name and email address and then hit send:

This from PETA's website:

Google-owned Android Marketplace currently has an app for sale called "Dog Wars," which, believe it or not, glamorizes dogfighting and encourages people to participate in a digital version of this blood "sport."

Who doesn't know by now that dogs used for fighting are kept penned or chained (often with heavy logging chains) and that many are taunted and starved in order to trigger extreme survival instincts and aggression?

Dogfighters train dogs by forcing them to tread water in pools; run on a treadmill while a caged rabbit, cat, or chicken or another terrified animal is dangled in front of them; or hang on with their jaws while dangling from a chain baited with meat. Many dogs are injected with steroids, and some dogfighters even sharpen their dogs' teeth, cut off their ears (to prevent another dog from latching on), and add roach poison to their food so that their fur might taste bad to other dogs.

In the "pit" where these bloody events take place, sticks are used to pry apart the dogs, who clamp down so fiercely that it is not uncommon for dogs to bite through their own lips. Dogs are encouraged to fight to the death, and the fight can go on for hours—until both dogs are exhausted and at least one is seriously injured or dead. Many of the dogs who do not fight or who lose fights are used as "bait animals."

A Louisiana state police officer who conducts dogfighting investigations said, "When you go to where these fights have happened, you'll find a couple of dog corpses or a pit full of blood."

Please contact Google right now and ask the company to remove the Dog Wars app immediately.

Please click on the link here to send an email (already written out - how's that for easy) to add your name and support for this!

Happy Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T01:04:00.002+01:00

Happy Easter

2011-04-22T00:25:00.005+01:00

So today is now Good Friday here in the UK! Well only just, it's bedtime actually for me, and a massively busy day when I get up. But not with work. Oh no, it's that glorious day of days that we get not enough of over here ....... a bank holiday! *Woo hoo*.

To celebrate Good Friday, here's an article that I saw on Facebook (yep I'm definitely spending waaay too much time there these days) ..... and I can definitely attest to the fact about chicks needing a lot of care ......... anyone who has to get up at the crack of dawn to let their little darlings out into their run and then clean up their mess before work will also agree!

Anyway ....... I hope you enjoy the article:

When the Easter Bunny Comes Home

The following article was written by youth marketing coordinator and proud rabbit "parent" Courtney Smith.

The candy is eaten, the colorful baskets are stowed in the attic, and the tiny frilly socks and poofy pastel dresses are thrown in the back of the closet. The only semblance of Easter that remains are a few plastic eggs that are still MIA in the yard and a lonely bunny who went from celebrated icon to old news before he was just 2 months old.

That is how I found my second rabbit, Little Bun, who is now the life partner of my first rabbit, Edwin. Little Bun was crammed into a tiny cage in a photographer's dark corner closet, thrown away like a set prop. His brothers and sisters were given away to parents who wanted to stuff them in baskets as a "surprise" for their children. He was only 2 months old and was already all alone and ignored.

Please click here to read the rest of the article at Peta's website :)

Papaya and spa baths

2011-04-20T01:00:00.002+01:00

Thought of the day - you probably won't remember that papaya face mask I mentioned before but here's another little tip ...... don't put it on your face just before you get into a spa bath. Because bits will fall off and end up in the pipes. Now a small bit won't hurt ... but if it doesn't wash out and you do this regularly ....... you can imagine the result!

GIVE CHILDREN A HEALTHY START IN LIFE

2011-04-19T01:00:00.004+01:00

Yep, it's been a while since I've been in the blogging world ....... life has been rather hectic and as I'm sure some, if not most, bloggers have happen to them, sometimes you just don't feel like writing. Which is how I've felt. Most of the time. The rest of the time it's actually as if I have way too much stuff that I could type out, but I don't know where to start, so end up doing nothing.

Anyway, tonight I'm back because I received an email from the One Org. They are currently trying to get people to sign their petition for children's vaccinations. Who are they? This from their website:

"ONE is a grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, by raising public awareness and pressuring political leaders to support smart and effective policies and programs that are saving lives, helping to put kids in school and improving futures. Cofounded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE is nonpartisan and works closely with African activists and policy makers."

And here's their vid regarding the vaccinations:

Why Bother? from ONE Campaign on Vimeo.

Facebook Scrabble

2011-02-15T01:00:00.002Z

Thought of the day - avoid joining Scrabble on Facebook ........ seriously, just don't do it ....... otherwise before you know it, Time will have evaporated into thin air ..... from the time you get from work to the time it's an hour (at least) past your bedtime!

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T01:00:00.003Z

Wishing you all a wonderful happy Valentines Day filled with love for your self and loved ones!

The Forest Path by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Oh, the charm of idle dreaming

Where the dappled shadows dance,

All the leafy aisles are teeming

With the lure of old romance!

Down into the forest dipping,

Deep and deeper as we go,

One might fancy dryads slipping

Where the white-stemmed birches grow.

Lurking gnome and freakish fairy

In the fern may peep and hide . . .

Sure their whispers low and airy

Ring us in on every side!

Saw you where the pines are rocking

Nymph's white shoulder as she ran?

Lo, that music faint and mocking,

Is it not a pipe of Pan?

Hear you that elusive laughter

Of the hidden waterfall?

Nay, a satyr speeding after

Ivy-crowned bacchanal.

Far and farther as we wander

Sweeter shall our roaming be,

Come, for dim and winsome yonder

Lies the path to Arcady!

Wrong address

2011-02-13T18:33:00.002Z

Thought of the day- check where you're going!

Oops, it turns out that last weekend, when I went somewhere I'd never been before, I wasn't being as "on the ball" as I thought I was. I went to what I thought was the right address. No-one there. Called a couple of friends to double-check the details online. Seemed to be at the right place. Settled back into my car for 45 minutes. Curtains started twitching. People looked at me funny.

Eventually I had to leave and get to work. A few days later I mentioned this in passing to a friend. It turns out I'd gone too far down the street and hadn't checked the address properly.

Yep, they probably thought I was a stalker of some kind. Oops!

Petrol pumps

2011-02-08T13:00:00.003Z

Thought of the day - filling up at the petrol station ........ you're in a rush and it's freezing cold ...... and the bloody petrol pump is still showing the price from the last customer. I just found out why that happens. Well, in the UK at least. It turns out that the shop assistant is not allowed to clear it until they've checked who is standing at the pump, whether there are any car doors open, or any kids on the forecourt/by the car .......... apparently, someone started filling their car up while their kid was stood next to them. It backsprayed (or whatever the phrase is) and the kid got it full in the face. Blinded. I think permanently. So now the garage I use (and I presume any others) has to follow strict procedures. Guess I'd better not get irate next time I'm waiting eh!

Papaya

2011-02-07T21:36:00.000Z

Thought of the day - using a homemade papaya face mask ....... I swear it smells as if someone has thrown up ...... am I the only one who thinks that?

Labrador Retriever Comforts Kids in Court

2011-01-18T09:51:00.006Z

Today, after clicking through on Freekibble (click here if you want to visit, one for cats, one for dogs - I go to both every day - each click helps provide free donations of food), there was this lovely story which I thought I'd pass on :)

Amos, a kind and lovable chocolate Lab in Michigan sometimes puts in long days at the courthouse. He's not sniffing for bombs or patrolling the grounds, but he is protecting and serving. Amos works as a canine guardian and comforter of sorts and helps reduce anxiety for children who have to appear in court.

To read the rest of the story, please click here.

Defend the EU ban on barren battery cages

2011-01-17T01:00:00.002Z

As anyone who has regularly visited here in the past knows, I have some rescued ex-battery chickens.

It seems that even after passing a ban way back in 1999, some countries are still not ready for when the back comes into effect next year and are requesting delays and exemptions ........ I mean, seriously ........ 12 years isn't long enough to implement this change when one country has already done so? That is absolutely disgusting!!!

Given that these countries are trying to get around the ban, not only does this mean continuing disgusting conditions for the short life that the chickens have, but it also means that they will continue to sell their eggs cheaply. Given that the UK has enforced this ban, egg prices are likely to rise. Which means the UK's eggs will be more expensive. This in turn means that consumers who either choose to buy the cheapest cage eggs, or who can't afford to pay more, will buy the EU ones. Surely that's unfair trading as it means that the UK has a higher welfare standard implemented and enforced by law, having to compete with illegal, low standard eggs. If that happens, I hope not only will the Government ban the lower welfare and illegal eggs to support the legal UK industry, but also that companies who trade in the UK and who use eggs in their products (like mayonnaise) will switch to free range or UK higher welfare eggs.

Anyway, enough from my soap box, please sign the petition here.

Many thanks
x Mouse

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/967/580/070/

Unpunished Shocking Animal Murders In Russia

2011-01-16T10:40:00.005Z

Due to the way that media such as Facebook and Twitter work, it is now so much easier to hear about things across the world, that 5, 10 and 20 years ago, we would be living in complete ignorance about.

This is one such case. Russia. And some of its military abusing, torturing and murdering animals such as dogs. I expect that, as usual, it is only a minority of people that participate in such horrific things, but the more people that become aware of, and then act (such as signing petitions - a small step, but vital for global awareness), then hopefully the more that such evil acts will not be committed in future.

Please help and sign this petition here.
x Mouse

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T01:00:00.001Z

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-25T01:02:00.003Z

WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY MOUSEY CHRISTMAS

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

2010-12-24T13:34:00.005Z

Well this little Mouse is definitely stirring ..... too much to get done, and not enough time. However, at some point tonight I shall be endeavouring to sit down with a glass of mulled wine and watch a film ..... I just hope Santa remembers to visit ....

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

~~ Clement Clarke Moore (1779 - 1863)~~

Live Plucking - Please sign

2010-12-14T16:14:00.002Z

For anyone who buys Patagonia products, you may be interested to know that some of their products include the down that has been obtained by plucking the animals live!

For anyone who is against the illegal (in the EU) practice of live plucking, please read about, and sign, Four Paws' petition against it!

http://www.four-paws.org.uk/website/livefeatherplucking?&nlid=10028

RIP Onion

2010-11-28T17:38:00.004Z

I know I've not been here lately, nor updated about the chickens, but tonight one of them has gone up to Chicken Heaven.

I let them forage/free range in the garden when I'm around, although usually I'm indoors when they do that. And when it's getting dark they put themselves to bed, with me eventually going to close the run door and then the coop door.

Tonight, I left it too late. By a couple of minutes. But then that's all it takes :( Went outside and the other two came rushing out from hiding (I did think that was a bit strange, they're normally in bed) ..... heard furiously flapping in coop so legged it over, grabbed open the coop panel and a fox scarpered. Chased it off and dashed back to coop, but she was just lying there. Struggling to breathe.

So, locked the run up, put her in a box and then literally grabbed the other two and flung them into the coop (shutting it securely), grabbed mobile phone, and then drove as quick as I dared, through tears, to the vets. A mad woman, looking really rough, tear streaked and with a nose like rudolph ....... banging on the doors, pressing the buzzer while holding the box with her in it, calling on the Angels for help ....... and trying to call them at the same time. Luckily the vet nurse was there and heard me.

Unfortunately they couldn't save her. Not only was my little chicken struggling to breathe, but what I didn't know was that the fox had ripped open/pierced her chest cavity. I had been hoping it was just a puncture wound (albeit large given the amount of blood). The vet said he wouldn't be able to save her and the kindest thing would be to put her to sleep.

Which they did. While I was there. Stroking her little comb. It was the least I could do. Third time unlucky too. She was the one who'd had the prolapse, and then there was an incident with a bite on her leg, which necessitated vet visits, creams and daily cleaning. And that was after her life of battery hell.

I'm telling myself that at least she got to spend nearly 8 months of freedom with me and the other two, with daily treats and attempted cuddles (she was the one who wouldn't hunch down when I approached and leg it if I even mentioned "cuddles").

So much for them not being pets, and for not getting emotionally attached. Crying over a chicken kinda proves that's not the case.

I hope she had a happy life with me, I hope she knew she was loved (yep I'm admitting that too). I hope she enjoyed all the (daily) treats she got, the dustbathing, the chasing of cats, and even the hot mash that I'd just started giving them this week due to the freezing cold mornings. And I hope she wasn't in too much pain or scared at the end.

RIP my little Onion ....... may you now be in chicken heaven.
27 March - 28 November 2010

Hurtful Essences - Update

2010-10-02T11:46:00.003+01:00

I received this on Facebook the other day, so for those of you that haven't read it, see below!

HISTORIC EXPOSÉ HOLDS VITAL LESSONS FOR NEW ANIMAL TEST BATTLE

This week marks the tenth anniversary of the biggest exposé of animal experimentation in British history. In September 2000 Uncaged published leaked confidential documents and a report called 'Diaries of Despair' describing Imutran's pig-to-primate organ transplant experiments at HLS. These monumental revelations hold vital lessons at this critical point in the struggle against vivisection.

The title 'Diaries of Despair' referred to the harrowing observations for hundreds of monkeys and baboons as they died following the xenograft procedures. One monkey which had a pig heart attached to the blood vessels in its neck was seen holding the transplant which was "swollen red" and "seeping yellow fluid" for most of the last days of its life.

Animals are described as "quiet", "huddled", "shivering", "unsteady" and "in spasm". Some had swellings, bruising or were seen with blood or pus seeping from wounds. Others vomited, or suffered from diarrhoea.

The documents also revealed collusion between Home Office Inspectors and researchers, monkeys dying in transit due to illegal transport boxes and a research programme that turned out to be a 'blind alley'. Imutran researchers had misled the public and scientific community with partial and exaggerated reports of their research. The scandal was also laid bare in a huge exclusive story in the Daily Express.

Imutran quickly went to court in a desperate attempt to gag us, naming me as a joint Defendant with Uncaged. But within a week, Imutran's closure had been announced by their owners Novartis Pharma. Our revelations about the awful truth of xenotransplantation research hugely discouraged scientists around the world from pursuing this macabre technological mirage.

After two and a half years we eventually forced Novartis to abandon their attempt at suppression. We won the right to publish hundreds of documents on the grounds that it is in the public interest to expose wrongdoing on the part of Imutran, HLS and the Government.

Although the Government refused to establish an independent enquiry and attempted to cover up the scandal, the documents published here represent the most extensive and reliable insight into the reality of animal experiments ever disclosed.

The Diaries of Despair scandal holds absolutely crucial lessons as the new European Union Directive comes into force through national laws over the next few years. We have discovered the barbaric abuse that researchers can commit when they are a law-unto-themselves. Yet animal researchers are now lobbying to rig the system in their favour - removing independent oversight and maintain secrecy so they remain free to inflict severe pain and suffering on animals in futile experiments.

This process of translating the Directive into national law is known as 'transposition', and represents the most crucial phase in the campaign against animal experiments for over a generation. The fate of tens of millions of animals is hanging in the balance. Your help in the coming months will be absolutely essential if we are to achieve a system that can save animals from cruel experiments and modernise research away from crude and outdated animal testing.

I'll send you a report on the implications of the new Directive soon, together with calls for vital action as we ask the Government for a fair, open and progressive new regime. Meanwhile, it's time to take a deep breath and brace ourselves for the mother of all anti-vivisection struggles! You can give a vital boost to our preparations by making a donation today. The animal research lobby is very well funded so every pound you can contribute makes a real difference as we strive to save animals from their clutches.

With best wishes

Dr Dan Lyons, Director, Uncaged
www.uncaged.co.uk ; www.vote4animals.org.uk

Click here

Thursday's Thoughts - What would you do?

2010-09-16T10:00:00.002+01:00

I feel a bit bad.

You see, a woman knocked on the door on the Sunday while the last of the kitchen renovation was being done. The fridge freezer had been carted out of the house and was sitting outside with the word "FREE" on it, made up of sticky plaster! And no-one had taken it all morning. So she knocked and asked if it was ok to take it. The guy doing my building work said no problem, at which point she said her husband would be back later that day to pick it up.

Anyway, a little while later a cute young guy knocked at the door while I was downstairs ....... I say cute, but let's add "totally fit" to that description! He'd been looking for a fridge freezer that day, wondered if it was still available ......... and could have it removed within quarter of an hour. So I said yes!

Then I found out about the previous request. Oops. Given that there was no guarantee the first person would actually come back, and given that I wanted it removed asap ........... I told the guy it was fine to take. He and his friend arrived back within 5 minutes, loaded it up and took it away ..... and I got a clear front patio area. Happy days.

Then later that very same day, the first person and her family turned up. Oops, again! I had to tell them, sorry, I didn't know about that when the other person took it away. And I have to say, given the way she was looking me up and down in a not nice way (and I have no idea why - though I do reckon she was trying to work out whether builder guy was working for me, or lived here - given that I am quite a bit younger than him) ..... so I then didn't feel quite so bad at letting the young guy take it. Of course, this had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he was young, cute, fit and hot. Nor that his physique looked even more impressive as he loaded the appliance into his vehicle!

What would you have done?

Thursday's Thoughts - Kitchens, Stress and Happiness - Part 2

2010-09-09T10:00:00.004+01:00

OK we're back to the kitchen!

Let me just repeat that previous sentence from last week.

What an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You see, this is me. And you can guarantee that if something is gonna go wrong, yep ........... it'll happen to me! The electrician didn't turn up the first day. So after 2 hours work, the guys went home. They needed the electrician to start work so that the next day the plasterer could get to work. Didn't happen. And that was just for starters. I won't go into how the supplier company forgot to include the pricing for two appliances which chucked the quote up a lot higher nor how their electrical products weren't well-known, and turned out to be end of stock, so we ended up choosing high-street stores to buy from, nor how the walls were so bad that the drilling and plastering took longer than expected, or that the concrete floor had to be drilled up in parts to change the pipework ........ nor how when it came to the outside wall around the new window, it took much longer to dry because we suddenly got storms and rain, or how at the last minute when it was drying I noticed it was at a slight tilt (I'm still not happy about that - even I know you check these things with a spirit level!).

So the first week, I couldn't really go to work that week because I'd arranged appointments every day! Monday - the vets - for Gem, not me! Tuesday the hairdressers - 4 hours of escape from hell, but my bum was definitely numb from sitting there for THAT amount of time! Wednesday ..... beauty salon .......... yep, even waxing was less painful than being at home. And Thursday? Well that was my birthday, so I went out and did some shopping and then had dinner at Quackers' house with all the other girlies and was spoilt rotten. Of course when I came home, I had a shock with foxes, squawking chickens and shut coop doors. Oh dear! The Friday ........... I'd arranged lunch out with the girls into town which was lovely, however returning home was not, especially since no work would be done over the weekend. Still, at least I had some peace and quiet and got to sit and watch some films, albeit on a dusty leather sofa (*gag* ...... my lovely black sofa was grey *sob"). The mouse hole was so bad in fact, so dusty, so filled with cupboards and things .......... that with one little area for making cups of tea, with washing up bowls & drainers being left in the bath (I kid you not) ........ I actually went back to work for the day the following Monday.

Yes, it's true. I went to work for the day as an escape!

And I thought .... second week ......... you're gonna see a quick and massive improvement right? Wrong!

During the second week, the electrician was involved in a car accident and shouldn't have even come to work. Luckily (for me), he's a friend of mine, so he did come out, shoving painkillers down his throat as he also helped the builder get things moved (including a huge fridge freezer). Hopefully his insurance claim will be sorted out pronto, cos that guy has definite whiplash and back problems as a result of the accident! Then the appliances weren't delivered because one item hadn't arrived ........ so the whole order had to be cancelled and then re-ordered without that particular appliance. I actually found that out on the Saturday when the builder briefly returned because when I stepped in and peaked at the hellhole that morning ......... there was a cupboard on the floor (moved to make space to I could access my hair straighteners - seriously, had to have them, I had a night out that night) ......... surrounded by water! One of the pipes had a drip ....... that leaked all night! You can imagine how much a little mouse was stressing. Not least because of control issues. Which I thought I didn't have any more! Yeah yeah, I know ........ there's no need to snort at that!

So I worked the Monday and had routine, and peace and quiet, and glasses of clean drinkable water, and no stressing. Until the Tuesday. I stayed home because I wanted to go collect my college results. Big mistake. I went back to work on the Wednesday!

And then it came to Friday morning. And the wall wasn't fully dried. And no tiles were down or cut. And not all the cupboards were up (or cut to size at that point). I think it was at this point I finally surrendered.

You see at the end of the day, I'm not a builder. And even though I can nag, moan, bitch and push ....... I can't get that work done myself. And it will take as long as it takes. They worked as fast as they could, doing the best they can (the work is very good btw).

Thankfully the lodger had delayed moving in by a couple of days, so I had a reprieve. So then we were aiming for a Saturday afternoon finish. Nope didn't happen. In the end the builder finished at 2pm on the Sunday afternoon. Well kind of finished. There's still quite a list of odds and ends to get done. But overall ......... the units are up, the appliances are in and working, and it looks like a proper kitchen. Even all the tiles are done! That then meant total blitzing the house until Monday afternoon when the lodger arrived. At today's date ..... the kitchen isn't finished, the dining room still needs blitzing (all my tarot decks are covered in dust *eek*) ...... and the hall carpet needs to be steam cleaned.

So what's the motto of this ................. attitude! Expectations yet again create disappointment and are not realistic. Of course, we do expect people to finish jobs on time and to allocate enough time in which to get a job done, and to be within budget ......... but with building works I guess things can often go wrong and we may not be able to control that. What we can control is our attitude and therefore our happiness. This has been a big lesson to me in how my thoughts and attitude affects my happiness ........... after all ........... we have that option or choice in our hands ..... and we are the only ones that can make that choice!

I do wonder though ......... just when will the kitchen actually be finally finished! I'll have to let you know when it actually happens.

Thursday's Thoughts - Kitchens, Stress and Happiness - Part 1

2010-09-02T10:00:00.002+01:00

As I mentioned in my last Thursday post, I've been having some work done at home. Namely a kitchen renovation. Now this hasn't just entailed replacing kitchen units. Oh no. This little mouse decided once and for all to have the whole kit and caboodle dealt with. You see, I've lived in my current home for quite some time. As in years. In fact, it's the longest I've ever lived at one address. And I own it. Or rather the mortgage company does, and will do for some years to come.

And the kitchen was a heap. It was a rathole. I kid you not. So you can imagine, not really up to the standards of a mouse, let alone one with perfectionist tendencies and high standards! And it's been like that since I moved in. You know how you think, oh one day I'll be able to afford a kitchen extension, but then you clear out the attic space and get that sorted ......... and then the ceiling falls down in one of the bedrooms so that has to get dealt with the following year .......... and then you want to go on holiday ..... and then you eventually get round to ripping out the bathroom (and find out that the ceiling in that room was only being held up by the wallpaper the previous occupants has put up to hide saggy ceiling) ......... and eventually, years have passed and you eventually think **** it, let's just find out how much it's going to really cost and work around it!

So that's what I did.

Only I couldn't really afford to borrow enough to get the extension ......... plus being realistic, where I live and the type of property I have, means it's a "bread and butter property". For those that have never come across this term before, apparently it means that it's a bog standard property which has an upper and lower level at resale. So there's no point spending thousands and thousands of pounds on certain renovations if you're not going to recoup that money IF you ever resell. And I'm not looking to sell and move at the moment, but never say never. And a kitchen extension means yes, nice bigger kitchen. But huge amounts of money involved and no, I wouldn't get all that money back, even in valuation terms. So I changed my plans. Instead, it became a case of ripping everything out, including the back door (the joists were broken anyway and it hadn't been opened over for the last year or so - I have French doors in the dining room so it didn't really matter) ........ drill off the really old tiles on the really old thick plaster/cement, replaster the whole room & see how many integrated appliances we can get in there and put in modern units! And proper lights. And even under-cupboard lighting. Woo hoo!

And this is a tiny room. Probably about 8 foot by 10. If I'm lucky. So it shouldn't take too long, or be too messy right? And let's do this as a birthday present to myself (if the bank manager complies), and let's be brave (according to friends) and take that time off so I can chill out at the same time.

What an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never, EVER, be at the house when the renovations are taking place, if you can help it. Seriously!

This was supposed to take 2 weeks and be finished on a Friday with the new lodger supposed to move in the next day. I figured I could clean the house up pretty quick that evening. No problem. Right?

Oops, the builder's are still here at the time of typing this and I think it's time to offer a coffee, so I'll save this for next Thursday's post and have to tell you the rest the following week!

Monday's Menu - Strawberry Smoothie

2010-08-30T10:00:00.003+01:00

So here's something you didn't know ......... I really don't like yoghurt drinks. There's just something about them, or rather the thought of them, that just make me cringe. I've always associated yoghurt with eating ..... so drinking it makes me think of trying to gulp down something rather thick and yucky! Anyway, given I had a few strawberries still needing to be used up towards the end of the UK season, I figured what the hell, might as well give this particular recipe a go!

Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

Handful of ripe strawberries
1 banana, peeled and sliced
25g (1oz) porridge oats
1tbsp honey
150ml (5oz) natural yogurt
100ml (3½ fl oz) apple juice

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Blend for 30 secs to a smooth, thick drink.

Pour into a tall glass, add ice and strawberries to decorate if you wish.

So how did it go?

Well making it was easy, although since I juiced some apples rather than buying a carton, cleaning the juicer out was a bit annoying. I didn't add any ice (I never do to drinks, I'm just too sensitive a little mouse I'm afraid) nor extra strawberries (they'd already been eaten). And then I clenched my stomach, braced myself and took a glug! Surprisingly I didn't cough nor gag and it tasted ok. The oats and honey added a nice flavour too. That being said, I don't think this is something I'd be making again in a hurry. If you like yoghurt drinks, then yes this gets the thumbs up. Me ..... I think the only "thick" drink I'll be sticking to is a milkshake!

The Majorly Personal Meme, Part Two

2010-08-29T12:54:00.003+01:00

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing. Sunday Stealing originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!!

Today we ripped this meme off a blog that is written by a group of high school students. The blog is called Eternal Fireworks. The writers are: Michael, Kynan, Alex, Kenny, Chris, Leo, Shelley, Athy, Bam, Tina, and Bnita. There is no statement as to where it came from. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. It is a long meme and we shall do it in parts. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Majorly Personal Meme, Part Two

Cheers to all of us thieves!

21. If you were to live your life without your best friend, what would change? Everything, she's the sister I would have chosen to have, the person I trust the most and the one who's always there for me. I'd be totally lost without her!

22. Tell us about a era of your life that you really miss. Can't really think of one to be honest.

23. Have you ever been betrayed by someone that came as a complete surprise? Without revealing the person, if yes, tell us about it. Yes, and no thanks.

24. Do you ever think that is a good idea to hide your feelings? Definitely.

25. Tell us about your favorite year when you were a student. None.

25. When was the last time you were in a very good mood? What caused it? Last night ......... dancing around the living room ....... or rather the small space that wasn't occupied by dust and crap!

26. Have you ever had a romantic relationship with a sibling of a good friend? Nope.

27. Tell us about the last thing that you did that you truly regret. Yeah right, like I'm gonna do that.

28. When did you laughed today? I haven't yet ............ hopefully later .......... when the kitchen refurb has been completely finished.

29. Do you trust easily? Errrrr ......... that would be a rather huge NO!

30. What do you care about that you wish more people would? Love, truth, honesty, caring for animals .......... my list would be quite long.

31. Is it easier for you to go without food or go without sleep? Hmmm, for a sleep-deprived cake and chocolate fiend, this is a very hard question. Probably food, cos I wouldn't be worrying about it when I was asleep!

32. What non-alcohol beverage do you enjoy drinking the most? Tea.

33. When you walk into a room full of strangers, generally how is your confidence? That depends on the situation, how I'm feeling and what I'm wearing!

34. Does talking about sex with anyone but your lover make you uncomfortable? Yep. I'm kinda an old-fashioned mouse if truth be known.

35. Do you tend to believe members of the opposite sex mostly behave the same way? Huh? Do you mean stereotyping? I do think most blokes tend to think differently than women, so yeah in that regard.

36. Did you drink any alcohol this week? If yes, what? Not yet ......... I may succumb later though.

37. Would you ever consider being a vegetarian? I have actually thought about this very recently ............ but who could resist a bacon sandwich, with heinz ketchup .............. maybe one day, in the distant future.

38. Do you believe that there’s always room in your heart for someone? Yes .......... totally.

39. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates? Absolutely ............ though not the starry-eyed childhood version of the perfect person ........... more that of a karmic contract which means there's gonna be shit flying and hard painful lessons to learn for romantic relationships and that other people can be soul mates too, like our family and friends.

40. Last week, we had a few players criticize our victim’s questions. Which is fine to do and we value your opinion. Would you ever consider writing questions for Bud and me to post on a Sunday Stealing? Hmmmm, that would depend on if I was given a topic or not, and whether I'd have to do the whole thing or just do a few!

Thank you for playing this week on Sunday Stealing! Please leave a comment or link when you have posted. Feel free to stop back and visit other player’s posts. Have a great week. See you next Sunday!

Free Gambian Journalist Ebrima B. Manneh

2010-08-29T01:00:00.002+01:00

Please click here to help save this person.

President Obama - Sea Turtles Need Our Help

2010-08-28T01:00:00.002+01:00

Please click here to sign and help the Sea Turtles.

Free the whale sharks in Tateyama Japan

2010-08-27T15:55:00.002+01:00

Please click here to go to the site and sign :)

Not quite sure what's happened with Petitionsite, but the sharing facility has been changed, so it's not easily added to Blogger. If anyone knows why, or how to get around this (other than as I've posted above), please let me know.

Make Mercury Pollution A Thing Of The Past - The Petition Site

2010-08-21T01:00:00.003+01:00

Make Mercury Pollution A Thing Of The Past - The Petition Site

SKINNED ALIVE FOR MY FUR!!! - The Petition Site

2010-08-20T01:00:00.002+01:00

SKINNED ALIVE FOR MY FUR!!! - The Petition Site

Thursday's Thoughts .......... Back for the moment

2010-08-19T03:00:00.002+01:00

So I've been absent for some time ........ not just from this blog, but my others as well. I'd heard, over time, how people get "blogged out" from time to time ...... and certainly read some where bloggers tried to force themselves to keep posting.

And then I found that I, too, had lost my enthusiasm :(

To be honest, I'm not sure I've got it all back yet either.

But, for today, I felt like writing this post ....... so I am!

So what can lead to being blogged out? I guess it's going to be different for everyone ...... after all ........ we're all different and have different lives ...... yet I'm also sure that there will be some common themes running through our many different reasons as well ............ life in general ....... work, love lives, socialising ......... and then wanting to hermit ourselves away ........ boredom ........ too much to do, too little time .......... stress ......... and of course, not forgetting ....... just not having anything to say. I think my reasons are a combination of the majority of most of that ....... as well as wondering why I put stuff out here ......... like ....... what's the point?

That question of course, could lend itself to many a deep philosophical debate ....... and I'm tired ........ so am not going to pontificate on it ....... hmmmm, I like that word .......... pontificate ........ not used it (or heard it) for quite a long time ........... probably not since school!

Anyway, today is my birthday ............ so I'm here, wishing myself a happy birthday .......... living in renovation hell ........... not able to reach the hair straighteners ......... and wondering how to pin the side of a dress up so it doesn't expose me on a night out this coming weekend ......... should I of course manage to rescue it from the depths of dust hell that said renovation is wreaking.

Oh and I'm also getting a lodger.

I'm wondering if he'll take to the chickens ............ haven't yet found them a holiday version of the cattery!

I've also had a lot going on at work ...........

and family stuff ..........

and "issues" stuff ........

Guess I'll be back when I can 1) get my lazy arse into gear and 2) work out what I want to talk about!

Mind ........... has anyone even noticed I've not been here .........

Advocate a Plan for Children's Health at the MDG Summit - The Petition Site

2010-08-19T01:00:00.004+01:00

Advocate a Plan for Children's Health at the MDG Summit - The Petition Site