Dolly's Dreamings

Feeling rather sad

Been an interesting and difficult day in lots of different ways today.

I think, first, I will share my LSNED page for today.

It was a tough day yesterday but I got through it and here is my page.

The problems I had yesterday have been largely resolved - to be replaced, of course, by a whole new set of problems today.

However, i am especially sad today as I am such an ardent animal lover of all animals that it saddens me when one passes, and that was what i had to deal with.

We have a very large woodland campus and it is home to all sorts of animals, including deer. We have dozens of squirrels around all the time (including on occasions sneaking inside and me having to deal with getting them back out) I know squirrels are technically vermin but i love them.

Anyway, we were alerted by parents that there was 'an injured baby squirrel outside'. It was sort of 'caught' in a childs jumper ( more sort of wrapped as it really wasn't moving much) and popped under an upturned photocopy box whilst we thought what to do.

The RSPCA were phoned (and it may just be that I have always had bad experiences with them but I have never found them very helpful when it comes to wildlife and we have had a few occasions when we have had to call them with injured birds and foxes) They told us they couldn't help but did give us the name of a local vet who might. (I know not all vets would deal with it) They also told us a fact i was not aware of.

If you contain a squirrel at all, it is illegal to release it back into the wild.

 

What an odd fact. I didn't believe it but apparently it is accurate. And I really don't understand it. Looked like we had already blown this little one's chances of release.

Anyway, I phoned said vet and they said yes bring it in. At this point i hadn't seen the poor little thing. So armed with the lid of the box with suitable breathing holes punched in, I went to collect said squirrel.

poor wee thing, it was tiny. Just a baby. It made no effort to run at all and was snuggled up in the jumper. I put the jumper and squirrel in the box and headed to the vets.

The veterinary nurse saw us straight away and it was bad news. There was not a mark on the poor little thing, but it wasn't able to move much and made no effort to get away when we picked it up to examine it.  She said it was just a baby, was very thin and had probably been without its mother for a few days. I said I was more than happy to take it home and nurse it back to health but she said it was too young and wouldn't make it. i said I could feed it every few hours and would care for it, but she said no, it really wasn't going to make it and it really wasn't kind for me to take it home and try.

I was devastated. I really wish I hadn't taken it to the vets but just taken it home and tried, because I know that they were going to destroy it. But then I guess they are the experts and I may have caused it more distress by trying to help it. i may have prolonged its suffering but i am so upset by it all. I hate to think of any animal suffering. I know I couldn't have left it because it would have been taken by a fox tonight or died a sad cold lonely death in the woods, but it was so heard and I can't stop thinking about it. I came home, in tears, and hugged my little fur babies. Nature is awfully cruel sometimes.

So what have I learnt today

• Sometimes you just can't help, no matter how much you want to.
• Nature is a beautiful but cruel thing at times
• We need to cherish every moment of every day

My quote for today is .... the same as yesterday I am afraid because I need to post it again today.

and how perfect was that quote. It just had to use it again.

The real one for today was

God speed that little squirrel on his journey.

Today I am thankful for

• My fur babies that share our home and our hearts
• The wonderful wild creatures that we take for granted

 

Very Subdued

Not my usual self at the moment. Here is my LSNED page

 

I also want to alert you to a new newsletter you can sign up to. It is Dawn Inskip's and you get a lovely free mini kit for signing up.

You can sign up HERE

What have I learnt today

• Simple things can bring you down
• A problem shared is a problem that might not be halved but is at least a little better
• Sometimes what you seek is right in front of you
• God gives us trials so we appreciate his real bounty.

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• My faith - which sustains me

Ihave pictures of Kira with 'baby' when she was teeny and 'baby' now who has been repaied quite a lot as most of him has been loved off!

Still a little chilly here

Having learnt my lesson yesterday I am wearing me thermals today and feeling a little more comfy and cosy.

I never ever used to feel the sold until I lost weight. I guess the excess fat used to keep me good and insulated. Now I get really really cold quickly. Plus my reynauds has gone into overdrive. Even in the summer I was suffering terribly with numb and dead fingers but as soon as I get cold it gets really bad. Again, I rarely had episodes before I lost weight. Now I have three or four episodes a day when it starts to get chilly and they take ages to get back to normal. Not sure if any of you readers have Reynauds. From what I have researched there is not a whole lot you can do about it.

Anyway - here is my warm themed LSNED for yesterday.

The photo isn't me BTW - it is the model on the M and S site that is modeling said vest!

I have another page to share today which i made yesterday. I seem to have been so busy I rarely have time to paper scrap, but i am determined to crack on with my paper album of our holiday as well as the digital album I am doing and printing.

This is a page about our first morning in California - a trip to the millionaire paradise of Balboa Island. It was idyllic. Perfect weather and a lasy Saturday morning stroll as 'the village' woke and went about its daily business.

So what have I learnt today

• Naughty days have consequences on the scales but I refuse to let it mess with my head
• I get pleasure out of daft things like putting my car image as the start up screen for my new sat nav!
• Some days are just crazily busy and meetings often take a lot longer than they really need to

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• coziness
• balance
• warm soup

and I just love this next one.

Brrrrrrrrrr and zzzzzzzzz

It's been very very chilly today - really chilly. I don't think i have felt warm all day. Mind you, i think it was just as well I was cold this afternoon as I was as an INSET for work Anyway - home now, heating on, snuggly clothes and set for a nice evening.

Two pages to shre today. First of all my 5210 project for yesterday's prompt.

It was actually a bit of a cheat but in the best possible snse. I had made a page last year that said exactly what i wanted to say. So I printed it off (it was a paper page but I had scanned it) and used it as the focus for the page.

There is a lot of journalling on the tag underneath the page and I distressed all the edges and used lots of sewing. I have to say it is a page I reallylike.

My mom was a real domestic goddess. Her home looked beautiful, was so clean and cared for, but was filled with love. She was a wonderful cook, a great seamstress, a knitter, a carer and, in every sense of the word a domestic goddess. Sadly I did NOT inherit the traits. My home is as happy as hers and loved as much, but the food isn't as nice, it's not as meticulously clean and tidy and the housework gets done weekly not daily. I think Mommy would have been a little disappointed in me, but knowing her she'd have said' Don't worry chick, I'll do yours as well!' cos that was what she was like.

I know I post this often, but not a day goes by when I don't miss her terribly. She was taken far too young - not much older than i am now.

I also have my LSNED page. yesterday I re-learnt how much I love the heath that we are priviledged to live right next to. We went and saw the new land management plans yesterday and then walked on the heath. The plans are wonderful and ensure the heath's safety and protection for the future. we are truly blessed to have such precious land literally on our doorstep.

So what have I learnt today

• INSET can be boring
• I can't resist temptation
• I need to put my vest back on - Autumn is truly here

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• The beautiful heathland and the people who care for it
• History - I do love it so much

 

 

 

5210 Prompt 39

The weather this weekend has been glorious and we have just come back from a wonderful long walk on the heath. They had the Heathwatch display out because there is a brand new land management plan for the heath to take care of it and we had a good look at all the plans.

I count myself incredibly blessed to live here. The heath is literally right on our doorstep. It is protected land and quite unique as a lowland heath. It was destined to become a National Park in 1946 but plans were shelved, but that gives you an idea of how wonderful it is. Anyway - we are very very lucky and enjoy the heath so much.

I have made a wedding card I was commissioned to make and now plan some serious scrapping this afternoon.

I did make a page for challenge 13 - chicken soup. I loved the inspiration this week which was all cream and ivory and ruffles and bows and just gorgeous.

This was what I came up with.

The colours and satin and lace just made me think of Elinor's Christening.

I also have my LSNED page for yesterday.

The walk on the beach reminded me - again - of how much I love the ocean. I love all nature, but have a very definite affinity for water and the big water of the ocean thrills and inspires me.

It's a bit busy but I kind of liked it.

What have I learnt today

• I love the heath and all it means
• I love my weekend treats (naughty but nice)
• I am fed up of clutter and in 'bin' mode!

 

I really enjoyed this one and tackled it in a slightly different way.

 

I hope you enjoy it too.

Let me know what you think and I will share my page, as usual, tomorrow.

 

 

Harley Heaven

It has been utterly glorious here today. really bright and sunny but quite crisp and cool and I have had a lovely day.

It started with my sat nav arriving.

We have put this off for so long but finally gave in and bought a sat nav and I love it. We have had that came with Nij's car but it doesn't have the live services etc and this one is just awesome. I am in love with it already.

Then we headed off, Starbucks in hand (well it is the weekend and I sin at wekeends) to the beach at Bournemouth. The weather was perfect and I snapped my heart out.

One of the reasons we went down to Bournemouth Beach, rather than our own beaches in poole, was that they had a Harley celebration and were expecting a rally with 500 Harley's. And they got it. It was awesome to see them all. They were stunning bikes. I want Nij to take a motorbike test so we can hire one. The riders, by and large, are all our age so we'd fit right in!

On the way home I went into Matalan and bought something I have always wanted - a red duffel coat. I love it.

OK - so what else have I got to share.

My LSNED page from yesterday

Jakki and I fed the ducks (well actually we fed the pigeons as the ducks were not interested) at lunchtime yesterday. It was wonderful therapy for a stressed Head and Deputy Head.

Dawn has a new kit at TDS and it is live now. See HERE

I made two pages with it.

This one is little cutie pie Emily

and this is us in California again - at the Angels game

It's a lush kit so do check it out.

So what have I learnt today

• I can wear skirts shorter than I think
• We can walk a LONG way in a short time
• I love Harleys
• All good things come to those who wait.

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• Beautiful places to walk
• Red coats
• Joy in being together and doing simple things
• Sat Navs

Handbags and gladrags

Well - I know I always look forward to fridays but heck -t his week has been a mega one and ended with yet another rush.

BUT

IT'S FRIDAY and I am home and happy and going to have an early night so I can tackle the weekend with gusto!

Let's start with my LSNED from yesterday.

It was about learning i can help others by having fun. I was so thrilled that people liked my 5210 class so much that they made donations to my just giving page for the local hospice.

I had fun and it felt good to have helped.

Dawn Inskip has a wonderful new kit out called What's In Your Handbag. It is so wonderfully girlie and is available at her stores at bothPBP and Matrioshki Scrap designs 

I made two pages with it (so far LOL) and this was the first. Me indulging in my new hobby.

and this is my second - my latest new bag that is a little louder than I usually have but it is lovely.

Isn't it a lush kit?

So what have I learnt today

• I like people with a sense of humour
• Rushed jobs are never a good idea and next time I will refuse
• Feeding the birds at lunchtime was great therapy

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• time out
• comradeship
• weekends

Too wet to go

Boy did we have a downpour this morning. It was really really wet, so wet i had to cancel assembly as the children have to cross an open courtyard and they would have been soaked through.

Still, we can't moan. We have had glorious weather this week.

OK two things to share.

First my LSNED

I chose to document the fact that I started a gratitude journal idea with my class at school.

The 'hem your blessings ' is a word art I made and is free for you to download here if you want it.

DOWNLOAD   HERE

 

I also have a card to share, made for Charmed cards and Crafts. Very simple but fitted the bill.

So what have I learnt today

• I learnt that you can do good for people whilst having fun yourself. I have raised a lot of money for our local hospice by asking for donations for my free class.
• I re-learnt how much I love Cup a Soup
• I learnt that cheap low calorie bars are gorgeous and only 70 calories so also guilt free
• I learnt that it is an incredible thrill when your weight starts with a new number.

My quote for today is

Today I am thankful for

• treats
• the chance to help others
• doing my steps more easily

I just loved that last one!!!!

Not enough of me

Today was one of those days when there just wasn't enough of me to go round.

The day started off badly with me having a funny turn in the shower and having to lie down ont he bathroom floor as I thought I was going to throw up and pass out.

No idea what that was all about. I felt odd for a few hours and then was OK.

Anyway, enough moan. On to scrapping.

This is another page I made for Karen at Charmed Cards and Crafts. It is one of my favourite pictures of our trip - Nij and I at Zabriske Point in death Valley. I just like it.

The pinks and greens of the paper just matched the landscape so well.

And here is my LSNED page for today.

My best friend and I seem to take it in turns to bolster each other up at times. Thankfully we are rarely down at the same time. She is having a bad time at the moment and it did make me stop and think last night. I am in one of the best places I have been. I feel more at ease with myself, I get less stressed (Yes Nigel - I do!!!! Honest) and more confident that I always try and do my best for people, teeat people well, don't let things hurt me so much etc. And as that struck me I had to scrap it as my lesson of the day.

So what have I learnt today.

• I have learnt that, if I just offer the right little prod, my form will come out with the most amazing things and we are committed (their idea) to a set of golden rules we are ALL going to keep and to a daily gratitude session where we thing about what we are thankful for. I love it.
• When I have tea late I am grouchy! (sorry Nigel)
• I don't open the Evans catalogue any more when it comes through the door! Now I read the Next flyers

My quote for today is

A very important quote and another reason I will NOT let diet rule my life entirely.

Today I am thankful for

• children who really do care
• a lunchtime walk to clear my head
• not being sick (I hate being sick and it was awfully close)

 

 

So summer's back then!

It's been a glorious day here. A little chilly and foggy first thing but then an utterly beautiful day. So lovely i have been for two walks - one at lunchtime and one when I came home from school.

My LSNED page for yesterday records how, sometimes in my job i get to almost scrapbook. I have been working on new adverts and it has been time consuming but great fun. I have also been making new powerpoint presentations which is so like digital scrapping - I love it.

I also have another walk page to share - this time the page from our trip to Salisbury Cathedral.

I really like the way this one has turned out as for me it really captures the cathedral that was so lovely.

I am enjoying this book tremendously and enjoying the whole process of building up a record of the year.

So what have I learnt today?

• I have learnt that my best friend really needs me at the moment and that friendship means you will do anything to help
• I have learnt that I am more at peace with myself than I think I ever have been
• I have learnt that the sunshine lifts the spirit

My quote for today is

And this was the perfect quote for today.

Today I am thankful for

• Sunshine
• Friendship