Dolly's Dreamings

Rather a Sickly Saturday Failure

I love Saturdays and it has been a great one - I will come to the rather sickly section all in good time.

We had a late breakfast - well late for us - and headed out to Stewarts Garden Centre. We stopped on the way at the seaside and had lunch - an ice cream ... which was to prove one of the healthier things we ate today... and bought some new clothes - yes WE .... even Nigel succumbed to the bargain.

We bought a few new shrubs for the garden to fill spaces left by things we had killed last year. OK so we are NOT gardeners. Not much seems to grow in our soil but heathers, azaleas, rhododendrons and Pieris and so we bough four different varieties of pieris to kill - I mean to plant.

Actually, I have to say the garden looks good at the moment. The weather conditions must have been just perfect as we have a terrific show of azaleas this year - beautifully vibrant and each of the dozen or so plants we have are absolutely covered with blooms. They all bloom at slightly different times too so the ones that have just about finished are replaced by the ones just about coming out. It means the show lasts for a good 6 weeks if not longer.

Anyway - plants bought we stopped off to get Nigel new shoes and me a new handbag and beach wear for holiday and then came home to plant said plants.

And then the sickly bit happened.

We had a stupid stupid stupid idea of baking cupcakes for our Jubilee Street Party. I could see them in my mind - perfectly formed cupcakes in red white and blue cases, frosted to perfection, little flags stuck on them presented so beautifully for the rest of the street to admire. It was a very Nigella - or actually Kirsty - moment.

I KNEW they would be perfect but figured it was only sensible to have a dummy run first to check they were going to be as perfect as I believed.

Heck who was I kidding. I hate baking, I am no good at baking, I didn't even have a recipe I had to ask friends.

So Nij did some shopping - no we didn't have any store cupboard ingredients. I don't have a store cupboard - well not with anything that is still within sell by date. I have a fridge, which we eat empty each week, stocked with fruits and veg and salad and stuff. I have a freezer stocked with mostly stuff Nigel eats, I have a condiments cupboard that is amazing and some of the things get used. And then I have three cupboards full of .... um porridge (eaten daily) granola bars, crispbreads, tinned stuff I thought might be a good idea, left over oddments from previously thwarted baking efforts that need throwing out and nothing much else of any use. Oh and three cupboards full of all the gadgets that I thought would turn me into a domestic goddess.

The thing is I am not a good cook. I am not a bad cook. I can cook everyday meals and I do a mean Christmas dinner, but I don't like cooking. No - change that. I HATE cooking. I really don't find anything enjoyable in it at all. And I think when you don't like it you are not good at it. There is no love in it and I think something like cooking has to have love.

Anyway, armed with recipe from my padder friends I set about making a mess ... I mean making cakes. Now in the olden days, back when I was young, we didn't have cupcakes. We had fairy cakes and these were going to be fairy cakes as they were small. I didn't have a muffin tray or anything. I had little patti tins and little paper cases. So small was the order of the day.

I figured I would halve the recipe as I only wanted to make a test batch and six would be fine. So I carefully measure half the dry ingredients, half the butter and then put the full amount of eggs in! See - that's why I don't cook.

So I added the same again of everything figuring now we would have 12.

They were actually very very light and tasted lovely. We over-indulged, however, on the raw mixture. OK I KNOW you shouldn't eat it. Something about raw eggs and salmonella etc. But we never bake and we were like two five year olds with Mommy's baking bowl. YUM.

However, as adults with no-one there to stop you it is possible to over indulge. Especially if there are not enough cake cases for mixture and you hate waste! You can see where the sickly is heading can't you.

They looked small but OK when they came out. Mind you the empty case shows the one we ate when it was still warm! We really ought NOT to be allowed in the kitchen unsupervised by a responsible adult.

Then we made the frosting and realised we didn't really have a piping bag. We did have a very very old (older than me as it was Mommy's) piping set - the metal syringe and plunger type. We boiled it to ensure it was OK and then realised the only tip that fitted was tiny. So very very very small piped frosting ensued and then I gave up and Nigel piped and I made 'snow effect' topping. And then we ate what was left and then - well, if anyone asks me to eat a cupcake int he near future they may get a different reaction than they bargain for.

So - no cupcakes for the street party. I'll buy more wine instead. Far more sensible and far less likely to make us feel ill. I can hold my drink .... it's the sugar I can't cope with.

So my picture of the day - the worst ugliest sickliest cupcakes in the world. ... now in the fridge as that is where I put anything vaguely edible and because I have no clue what to do with them as neither of us want to eat any more.

 

So, I am absolutely pants atbaking but I am OK at scrapping so I am planning to stick to what I can do OK with.

The page I have to share today is another with Dawn's new Cowboys and Indians kit.

When we did our Wild west tour we had one of those special moments. A moment you don't plan but that is just right. We never planned on staying at Cheyenne but we travelled further than we anticipated and so as Nigel thought it had a great sound of the old wild west we booked in there for the night. It was a Saturday night - with a great hotel and a fab meal - and we were up and out early on the Sunday. The town was deserted. We just didn't see any people. It was early on a Sunday and so they were all obviously resting after a night on the town line dancing or whatever. And we had it to ourselves. We were fascinated by the huge pained cowboy boots. This was long before London's elephants, Bournemouth's lions etc. and we had such fun finding them and taking daft pictures.

 

Today I am thankful for

• having other skills as baking clearly isn't one I possess
• Laughs together
• simple Saturdays

and my one minute devotional calendar

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I told my stepmother, Gloria. She’d called in the wee hours of the morning to tell me my father didn’t have much time left.

Dad had battled with emphysema and lung cancer for years, and he had told me a week earlier that he was ready for the pain to be over. Still, I wanted him to hold on long enough to know that I was with him at the end. I would have to hurry. Dad was nearly a thousand miles away, in Grand Island, Nebraska.

My husband, Max, and I hopped the first flight we could to Omaha. I prayed that I would make it to Dad in time. Dad, I’ll be there, I hope you know it.

As the plane landed, I checked my watch. 10:30. We hurried to the rental car and drove to the hospital.

When we stepped into Dad’s dim hospital room, Gloria explained the situation.

“He’s still in a coma,” she said. “The doctor says he could go at any moment.”

Max and Gloria left the room so I could talk to Dad alone. “I love you, Dad,” I said. “I’m very proud to be your daughter.” I was glad I got to say it, but I still wished Dad knew I had rushed to be by his side. I hugged him and prayed to God for a sign that Dad was aware of my presence.

But there was no sign, and he died soon after.

After the funeral, I asked Gloria if Dad had ever regained consciousness after entering the coma.

“Only for a moment,” she said. “He did something strange the morning you arrived. He sat up in bed and said, ‘The plane has landed. It’s time to go.’ I looked at my watch, just to see if I could make some sense out of it. It was 10:30. I still don’t know what he meant.” 10:30. Just when I landed. He knew I was there.

Thank You, Father, that my times are in Your hands.

busy busy busy

It doesn't take long for the weekend to become a dim and distant memory as you lose yourself in the wonders of a new week and all that that entails. And often what you plan to do never gets done because, no matter how much you think you know, the unexpected ALWAYS happens.

But then if every day was a weekend day you wouldn't appreciate it. You need to work hard to appreciate the off time. Mind you - if I had the chance I'd give constant weekends a go! One day eh!

 I have a new page to share today which was made for the cyber crop for INSD two weeks ago. I scrap more than I can post - something wrong there then.

I used one of my all time favourite collections which is a sea kit by Tirimisu designs - plus there were lots of other bits and bobs thrown in there.

The challenge was to scrap a childhood memory and my memories so often involve the sea. We moved to the sea when I was 6 and I used to go to the beach every single day. I was a real water baby. I am still moved by water and the ocean, although we almost never go during the summer - it is way too crowded and if I am sitting in the sun I prefer the garden or a pool, not a sandy beach. Last summer was really unusual for us as we decided to go to the beach for a day. Something we have never ever done in the UK together. It was OK, but once in the 26 years was probably enough.

Anyway - here is the page.

My photo of the day today is little Kira using her brother's back end as a pillow.

You can also see how her left eye is even more pigmented now. It is more pigmented than not pigmented now and I think we will have to take her back for another visit to Emma the eye specialist vet. However, it will no doubt still be that we don't know if it is a tumour and the only way to be sure is to remove the eye and then test it, which we all agree is a radical choice.

She seems fine and can see as clearly as ever. It is just a bit like having a time bomb and never knowing if it is going to explode or not. What none of us want is to get to the stage where the eye is removed and then we find out there is nothing wrong, that's just what her eyes do.

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely comment from Tracey - what a nice thing to say - Thank you so very much
• fan heaters - you have to really want them to truly appreciate them

 

and I have a special e mail to share from cousin Joyce today.

Out of the mouths of the Babes--

It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton , who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have done as well? 

EXPLANATION OF GOD:

'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most important job is listening to prayers An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista . At least there aren't any who come to our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.'

'You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'

'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.


And...that's why I believe in God.'

A bit of a glitch

Sometimes things don't go as you expect but the unexpected is really completely unexpected. I was all set for a meeting today - all prepared and ready and then - well it didn't happen.

I suddenly and unexpectedly had another massive nose bleed. This was probably the worst I have ever had. I seem to go through phases of having them. Changes in temperature sometimes trigger them and other times they just seem to happen. I am guessing once there is a weak blood vessel it keeps on being weak for a while. But this was gusher. Sorry, too much information. So whilst trying to stem the flow I had to get someone else to do the meeting as an emergency. I was in an awful mess.

My photo of the day is the now empty box of tissues. (well it was the most appropriate picture LOL)

 

I have a new page to share today and it is a ten page. I have been really enjoying my 10 on the 10th album. It is a great challenge each month and the album looks good with so many different pages on different subjects.

Today I have scrapped 10 London landmarks.

There isn't really a black border - that was just to stand out

I lived in London for 4 years whilst at university and I have to say I absolutely hated it. I am not a city girl really and I hated being away from home. The city always seemed grimy and rushed, but I love going there now. I guess because I only visit.

 

I love seeing the famous places. Even at my age I get a buzz when I see the Houses of Parliament or Trafalgar Square or Buckingham Palace. So I picked 10 of my favourite landmarks and scrapped them

 
and yes - more of that gorgeous Dawn Inskip bunting I am in love with at the moment.

Today I am thankful for

• big boxes of tissues
• cookies (Nij is a very very bad boy!)

 

Just loved that LOL cat as I used my battery powered cat in assembly yesterday. Just very apt!

And finally my one minute devotional page from my calendar today

 

Weary of walking the familiar neighborhood route with Lovey, my golden retriever/lab, I cautiously ventured out to the nearby highway, aware that the traffic might frighten her. Sure enough, an 18-wheeler roared past us and terrified Lovey. “It’s okay,” I told my petrified pet in my most reassuring voice. Whenever I heard the rumble of traffic approaching, I’d pull the leash, moving Lovey into the roadside weeds. “It’s okay,” I’d say. She’d turn her head and lock her fearful eyes with mine as if trying to say, I’m afraid! What are we doing out here? Again I’d reassure her, “It’s okay.”

After a week or so of walking on the highway, Lovey continued to turn her head quickly at the first sound of approaching traffic, but she seemed only to need the reassuring word okay to calm her down. Then I started saying, “Okay, girl,” before she turned to catch my eye. Soon, she didn’t even bother to turn and look at me when vehicles zoomed by us. The spoken word conveyed that all was well.

Twenty-two years ago, my husband, Jerry, was dying and everything terrified me. One day, a courageous friend looked me squarely in the eye and announced matter-of-factly, “It’s going to be okay, Marion.”

My rational mind couldn’t understand that simple declaration. How could life ever be okay again? Nevertheless, my desperate spirit held on tightly to the promise. I repeated it to myself as I read medical reports and test results, as I struggled to fill out the unfamiliar medical forms, as I sat and held on to Jerry’s hand. Sometimes I whispered it aloud at night as I tried to fall asleep. Finally, it brought strength and courage even to my stubborn, fearful mind.

Dear Lord, help me to listen daily for Your courageous voice telling me, “It’s going to be okay.”

—MARION BOND WEST

	Thursday	May 2012

Titanic Exhibition

It has been a bit Bank Holidayish weather here today, well at least this morning. It was grim and grey and wet and so we opted for an indoor activity.

We started off with breakfast out. We had seen that georgie Porgies did breakfast for £5.99 and whilst I wouldn't eat there again for dinner I figured breakfast would be ok. And it was. I don't really do cooked breakfast and it was the lack of hot food that put me off. Nij had cooked and said it was OK but not terribly hot. I did have an omelet which they make whilst you wait and that was good and hot.

All in all it was good value for £5.99 and made a special treat as a one off.

We then headed to the Sea City Museum in Southampton as we wanted to see the Titanic exhibition. It was incredibly quiet on the roads and the museum was quiet when we arrived It was bombed when we left with queues very long and the traffic getting in and out of the city was incredibly heavy. But by the time we were on the way home it was a bit more like May - warm and sunny.

The museum is very good and the exhibits well laid out, varied and informative. Not a free museum, it needed to be good to warrant the cost.

We both enjoyed it and learnt a great deal. I have always been fascinated by the Titanic as it sank on my dad's birthday (though well before he was born) and when my Dad was in the navy he worked for the White Star Line too.

My photo of the day is of some books I bought for the school library as one year group do a project all about Titanic. (Plus I was not allowed to take photos inside)

 
I have a page to share today made with Dee Bee Designs goodies from PBP as part of my CT commitment this month.

Credits

Who You Are collage rubs and clusters set by Dee Bee Designs at Pickleberrypop

Character Counts kit by Dee Bee Designs at Pickleberrypop

The flower clusters and rub ons are totally awesome - expect to see them A LOT

The photo is of Emerald Lake in the Canadian Rockies - a trip we will never forget.

Today I am thankful for

• a day out
• interesting things to see and learn
• a great scrapping opportunity that came my way today

I know people loved the video I shared yesterday so I can't resist another one today - this baby Jaguar called Bella is one of the cats we are going to visit this summer at Panther Ridge and we are so excited. (Bella isn't a baby like this anymore though)

 

and finally my one minute devotional page today from my calendar

Driving to work yesterday, I stopped at a red light. As I absently looked at my hand on the steering wheel, I noticed the long scar on my wrist. Suddenly I drifted back 36 years to the summer following my high school graduation. I was living in my hometown of Fort Valley, Georgia, and working on the assembly line at the Blue Bird school bus factory. Eighteen years old, I was making school buses in order to save money for college.

Bus-body assembly lines are dangerous places. Amid powerful machinery, hydraulic presses, hot metal, and a vast assortment of high-powered tools, it’s easy to get injured. One day, as I cut through a steel beam with a blowtorch, my wrist grazed the sharp, molten edge of the beam. Suddenly I was cut to the bone with a wound that would scar my wrist for life.

For a while the scar was prominent and jagged. Sometimes it would swell, becoming inflamed and painful. But I noticed yesterday that now the jagged scar is smooth, faded, almost unnoticeable. Time has worked its healing wonder.

Sometimes events in our lives wound us so deeply that an emotional scar is left for a lifetime. The death of my father when I was 14 years old cut much more deeply than that steel beam. Yet, over time, I have learned that God has a way of making emotional scars grow smaller, too. A grief that we feared would consume us; a disappointment so intense that it maimed us; a shameful mistake that seared our self-image—all of these things can be healed by time and the loving grace of God.

Father, I am thankful that in You I have found a balm in Gilead that can make the wounded whole.

—SCOTT WALKER

Days like this

Some days  are very gentle - nothing much happens and other, well others are busy busy busy. Really busy.

But mostly good busy. I have had some lovely moments today which remind me very vividly about what a privilege it is to work with children and engage with lively little minds who love learning. It really is a blessing.

And ... I can't quite believe it .... but it is Friday again. Already. How cool is that.

I have another page to share today made with Dawn Inskip's fab new kit called weather report.

Now I did promise myself this was N OT going to be another post about the weather. But it has to be a little bit - so sorry in advance.

The page records a momentous weather experience we had.

 
We had gone to stay with my brother-in-law over Easter. He lives in Concord Mass and had arranged to take us to Vermont for the weekend. I had never been anywhere really snowy and he said Vermont would still have lots of snow. I kept joking with him on the phone, 'You promise I will get snow?'

Vermont was fab with lots of snow. We returned to Concord and spent Easter Sunday in t shirts looking at spring flowers. Monday 31st March 1998  Jim knocked on our bedroom door before he went to work and told us if the man came to clear the drive of snow that afternoon we were to ask him to come back a little later. We laughed and told him to stop winding us up. I went to the local school (how sad am I ... but I am always keen to visit other schools and the Alcott School is lovely ... named after Louise May Alcott who lived int he town) It started to rain and then they started sending kids home. I asked why and they said it was a snow day! There was NO SNOW! These Americans seemed crazy. At lunchtime it started to snow and wise old Karen, weather expert extrordinaire, sat by the window saying 'Well it's not going to lay is it ... it's far to warm and wet'. It was about that time the temperature started to plummet and the snow began to settle.

What started being called the Spring No'oreaster quickly became the Blizzard of 98. It closed the easter seabord of the US, paralysing all travel. By April 1st it was NO April Fool's joke. We had been due to fly home that afternoon but all airports were closed. 28" fell in under 24 hours. It was a record breaker. I guess Jim promised me snow and delivered ont hat promise.

But Oh my it was so pretty and I am so glad I saw it. I wouldn't want to live with that happening all the time but as a one of ... well fabulous.

 and this is my photo of the day. After not having it for over 4 weeks because when they went to fix the problem they broke a bit off inside the engine and couldn't find it so had to strip the car to pieces (hey ho!) Nigel got his beloved car back today. A month without it and he really really appreciates it.

 

Today I am thankful for

• being part of a fabulous team
• sorry - I have to say it - Friday

and finally my page from my calendar today

 

Dr. Erfle flipped on the light box and affixed the X-ray of my horse Dancer’s hind leg. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news.”

I gritted my teeth.

Dr. Erfle pointed to the kneelike stifle joint. “It was broken right here. And now her body is stabilizing the joint by fusing into one solid bone. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can be done. She’ll never be sound enough to be ridden.”

Tears streamed down my face as I loaded Dancer into the horse trailer and drove home. I had purchased her a year ago as a saddle horse. As soon as I’d brought her home, my 20-plus-year-old gelding Czar had fallen in love with her. I’d ridden Czar over 20,000 miles in the mountains; he’d saved my life more than once. He’d never cared for any other horse until she showed up.

The following day, one thought plagued me. What value is a broken horse? I can’t even ride her at a walk. But as soon as I thought of selling her, I knew I couldn’t.

That evening, as I pulled open the file drawer to put away the veterinarian’s bill, I thumbed through the Ds. Right behind the file labeled “Dancer” was “Divorce.”

Again tears streamed down my face. I’d been broken by my divorce. It was almost as if God’s still small voice was saying, “It doesn’t matter to me if you’re broken. I still cherish you.”

Dancer had enriched my life by being a companion to Czar. She might be broken, but she was valuable to me—just as I was valuable to God.

Lord, thank You for cherishing me, even though I’ve been broken.

—REBECCA ONDOV

Weather Report

Oh dear - I feel very British today as it appears that, for two days in a row I have posted about the weather. But they do see we are obsessed by it in the UK. Probably as it is so varaible. And today has been another of those days where it is brilliant sunshine one minute and black as thunder the next with unexpected downpours hitting frequently.

Heck I am so obsessed by it I even ran an assembly on the rain.

NBut that's not the weather report I wanted to focus on today. Dawn Inskip has a brand new collection out called, not surprisingly, Weather Report, and it is amazing. There is every weather imaginable there somewhere and there are so many different elements to this collection. I love the little word strips and the tags and I adore the map papers.

You can get it from her store at Scrapbookgraphics. It's lush isn't it and, as always, such attention to detail.

This is one of the pages I made with it.

 
It's for a qutes album I have and is one of my all time favourite photos as it is of a truly magical moment in our lives.

We had been touring the 'Wild West' and eneded up in Capitol Reef National Park. The weather (oh back to that again) had turned a little stormy, typical of August, and so we had returned to our hotel a little early and went out to the only local restaurant which was called The Rim Rock Restaurant. And it was, quite literally, on the rim of the canyon. With huge glass walls overlooking the most spectacular scenery ever and with hummingbirds feeding outside and eagles swooping below it was amazing. The food was incredible and just when we thought it couldn't get better - it did. The Native Americans called this area the Land of The Sleeping Rainbow beacuse of the amazing changing colours of that rugged scenery. As a rain shower passed over in the distance and as the sun began to sink lower the beautiful rainbow appeared and that bow was the percect finishing touch to tie the gift of the evening. It was something we will never forget.

And isn't it funny how things work out.

5.46 today - my photo of the day. How cool is that for today's post

 

Today I am thankful for

• working with Dawn on her CT for so long. I get to create with the most beautiful things that she creates and I am truly grateful for that - and for her friendship over the years.

and my one minute devotional today is a really good one. I think I may have to introduce this one myself. What a fabulous idea.

In our household, I’m the go-to guy on laundry day. And, truth be told, I’m pretty much a wiz. Grass stains? Can do. Mud, lasagna—does anyone know how a teenager gets lasagna on the back of a T-shirt?—no problem. There’s only one thing about the laundry that week in, week out would send me around the bend: clothes coming out of the dryer inside out.

No big deal, you say? For whatever reason, it was to me. Until I went back to school.

Not laundry school but third grade. A teacher-friend of mine had invited me to visit her classroom whenever I wanted, and, Curious George that I am, I dropped in unannounced one day. Frankly, the room looked like every third-grade classroom you’ve ever seen, with one notable exception: All the children, absolutely every one of them, had their clothes on inside out. Shirts, pants, caps—I didn’t ask about their underwear! But I did ask what was going on.

Here’s what one of those third-grade students told me: Occasionally, they wear their clothes inside out to remind themselves that with people it’s what’s on the inside that counts the most.

You won’t find me at work today with my clothes reversed, but every time I do the laundry now and clothes come out of the dryer inside out, I don’t grumble. I remember it’s what’s on the inside that counts most.

Lord, whatever my outward circumstances may be today, let Your love shine from my heart.

—JEFF JAPINGA

Finishing the challenges

It was glorious here this morning - a little chilly out of the sun but very bright. So we went for a walk at Sandbanks which was lovely. It looked like it was going to rain but keeps perking up again.

How glorious does the beach look and how lucky we feel to have this on our doorstep to enjoy whenever we want.

We have had a great time today watching the birds in the garden. We have a lot of permanent visitors now who take it in turns. There are a pair of robins who are almost always visible somewhere in the garden, a pair of blackbirds, a pair of great tits (possibly two pairs but we saw one feeding the other today) a blue tit, a small brown bird that we can't identify and an extremely overweight pigeon who appears to eat most of the day!

I have been catching up on challenges for Shimelle's crop today and have one more left to make so am quite proud of myself for - hopefully - doing all 16.

This is another which was to use up scraps from the other projects. It is another for our Austria album.

 and this was another challenge to use a printable by Little Mussings which was lovely and pastel and inspired this page.  The photo is my other god-daughter (I am blessed with two and love them both to bits)

I also have my photo of the day which is probably one of the most bizarre I will have this year.

There was a man - very nice as we stopped to talk to him - who was walking his pets on the beach. Nothing odd about that - we are still in the season when dogs are allowed on the beach. They were well behaved and stopped to be fed treats, even sitting down when told. They were are harnesses rather than leads and were ....

....

...

...

well

 

...

 

....

 

....

PIGS.

They were loevely but I have never seen anyone walk pigs on a harness along the beach before.

I asked if I could take a picture and they both sat for a treat. How cute was that.

 

A friend also flagged up this new place about to open (with lots of freebies on offer at the moment too)

Free to join and an incentive programme - so worth a check out

 

Creative Market

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely Saturday
• strawberries for lunch
• scrap time

and my one minute devotional calendar page today is

MYSTERIOUS WAYS
One night, I tucked my 21-month-old daughter, Julie, into her crib, kissed her on the forehead, and went to the living room to begin my usual routine: picking up the toys from the day’s play. I always put Julie’s favorite toys in her bedroom closet, keeping one of the sliding doors open so she could see her beloved dolly, “Mrs. Beasley,” when she woke up.

But as I turned to creep back out, something stopped me. Close the closet doors, a voice seemed to say. Close the closet doors. I’d never felt or heard anything like that before. It was too strong an urge to ignore. I made sure that the doors were tightly closed.

That night, I had a restless sleep. I dreamed Julie was calling out … Mommy! Daddy! I snapped awake. The alarm clock read 2:30 A.M. “Mommy,” I heard. I wasn’t dreaming anymore: Julie was calling out. I got out of bed and sluggishly headed down the hall. Why is it so hot in here?

Smoke! Coming from my baby’s bedroom. I ran down the hall, reached into the crib, and grabbed Julie. Gray smoke filled the room, but I didn’t see any flames. Carrying out our daughter, my husband and I fled out into the frigid Minnesota night and called 911 from my grandparents’ house down the street.

The next morning, I stared in horror at the burnt remains of our home. The fire chief expressed his condolences and handed me a copy of the fire report. I didn’t want to read it. What did it matter how the fire started? We’d lost everything, hadn’t we?

Not everything, I reminded myself. We had all survived. I read the report, finally stopping at the fire chief’s conclusion. “The fire began in either the electrical panel or the hot water heater,” he wrote. I gasped.

The location of both? The closet of Julie’s bedroom. The closet a voice had urged me to shut so tightly that night, holding back the fire just long enough to save my daughter’s life.

Father, thank You for protecting the treasures in my life that matter most.

—JONI WRIGHT

So today has been a better day

The jinx of yesterday appears to have gone.

So many tiny little things just didn't go right yesterday from crafting to dinner to even the bottle of wine we treated ourselves too in the evening tasting horrible.

Today was a new day - and what a glorious one too.

Considering the forecast for this week was pretty dire, the weather has been lovely.

Nigel suggested we went for a walk to Badbury Rings this morning and it was a perfect day for it.

 

We were also incredibly lucky (but i needed a more powerful zoom or a tripod LOL)

I heard a woodpecker knocking away and he sounded close so I traipsed through bushes and brambles to locate which tree he was in. I found what I thought was the right one and then tried to find him. Took me ages as he was very well camouflaged as he was right at the top of a tree which was about 50 feet high and he was nestled up next to a light bit of trunk and so hard to see. But I found him and I was thrilled. Took me best part of 20 minutes and the picture is pretty rubbish but heck! We get loads of green woodpeckers in our garden but rarely see the great spotted, though we do hear them a lot.

The best gift, though, was the kestrel. As we were walking round the top ring we saw a kestrel rise up in front of us and swoop down to our left. It looked like he had swooped down to the ring below but he could easily have just carried on flying. As we carried on we looked eagerly down in case he was there and he was.

We had binoculars with us and we watched him for ages. He had a slow worm or snake and was pecking away at it. According to the internet it is unusual for them to eat lizards and snakes but he was and you can just about make it out in the picture. Most amazing of all was that as we watched he slurped the whole thing down in one go like a piece of spaghetti. And compared to him it was a big old slurp! Whata  treat though to watch that happen.

 

I know the photos are poor but it was such a special moment I am glad I captured it at all.

Catching up on photo of the day these are the past few days

This is a sculpture we often admire outside the RNLI Headquarters in Poole - snapped out of the car window on my I Phone. (Did I ever mention I love my phone!)

 

and although it is poor quality he had to be photo of the day.

I have new scrapping to share too. I am loving being on the CT for Pickleberrypop and am getting to work with some gorgeous stuff.

 Emily was looking forward to being a  bridesmaid but the wedding had to be postponed as Anthony was so seriously ill but she got to be that pretty princess in the end and she looked gorgeous.

Credits
Blue Wave Set 2 by PrelestnayaP
Moonrise Meadow by Jumpstart Designs

 

 And I am adding in a page I made for one of Shimelle's challenges today - it was a scraplift of a Jamie Warren page

  

I used all Pickleberrypop materials

Fayette Designs Time 4 my Story  
FlyPixel Studios Treasured Moments collection

 

Today I am thankful for

• lovely Spring sunshine
• The beauty of the birds both out and in our garden

 
My page a day calendar has good advice for everyone today

When I don’t like something, I want people to know about it, and I generally won’t stop complaining until everyone else is unhappy. But a few months ago, this habit nearly caused a disaster.

I had been asked to speak at a high school by its PTA president. On the day of my talk, I arrived early and ate lunch at a restaurant a few blocks away. The food was good, but the restaurant had some of the ugliest decorations I had ever seen. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to tell someone about it.

When I arrived at the school, the PTA president escorted me backstage and waited with me while the students filled the auditorium. I thought that as a resident of the area, she would appreciate my observations about the restaurant’s décor. But before I could bring up the subject, she asked if I was familiar with the restaurant.

“Yes, I ate there today,” I said, delighted to have found the perfect opportunity to unleash my tirade. “And actually—”

“My husband and I own it,” she interrupted.

I was dumbfounded. “Oh … I, uh, well … that’s terrific,” I stammered.

I wondered how many times my careless complaining had offended others … and resolved to keep my criticism to myself.

And that PTA president? She asked me to come back again next year.

Lord, help me to choose my words carefully to encourage, not disparage.

—JOSHUA SUNDQUIST

Easter Monday

April showers - Oh yes. But then again maybe not. Aren't showers meant to be short and not last all day?

Anyway, it's been a bit grim weather wise, but we have still had a lovely day.  Went out to get the daily Frapp and a bit of a mooch round, including going to look at some driveways as we are contemplating a new drive - though we are guessing when we gett he quote we will suddenly fall in love with our existing driveway. We'll see but we are expecting tomorrow's quote to be beyond our reach.

I did take a picture of the day though which was of Holy Angel's church and we both loved this.

We have a little woodcarving just like this that we bought from Oberammergau when we went to the Passion Play.

 

I also have to add my photo for yesterday which was our Easter dinner. Well actually Nigel's Easter dinner as mine had fewer potato and more veg. Oh and no gravy - never been a gravy girl.

I managed to do the weekly challenge on UKS today too - which involved different types of paper, nursery rhymes and animals.

It is another page for our 2012 album and pictures from Monkey World on Good Friday.

I confess to already being addicted to the little stamp I bought on Saturday - tiny little border stamps that I can see being used again and again.

Today I am thankful for

• lazy days
• time to just chill out
• unexpected sights that move us

 

My page a day calendar today is

 When my husband, Lynn, spent his first night in the ICU following surgery to remove most of a malignant brain tumor, he couldn’t sleep. In spite of some strong medication, he appeared agitated, especially as he tried to absorb the meaning of the news that he had brain cancer. I kept talking to him, gently trying to calm him, but in listening and responding, his blood pressure kept rising.

“Why don’t you go home and get some sleep,” a nurse kindly suggested at about 11:00 P.M. “Then he might fall asleep, too.” Reluctantly, I left.

The next morning, Lynn seemed much better. “I couldn’t fall asleep after you left,” he told me. “I had too many frightening thoughts running through my mind. Finally, a nurse came in.”

“What did she say to you?” I asked.

“I don’t remember that she said much. She just held my hand.”

Over the next several days I learned about the holiness of that simple gesture. Sometimes, in our adjustments to difficult realities, we get all tangled up in words, trying to fix each other’s pain. Sometimes, in those hard moments, the most profound way we can comfort each other is by simply, silently, holding hands.

Father, You express Your love and mercy by holding us in Your hands. Help us to communicate love and mercy as we hold each other’s hands.

—CAROL KUYKENDALL

Good Friday Greetings from Monkey World

Firstly I would like to wish all of my readers a blessed Good Friday - such a significant day in the year and one filled with reflection and thoughtfulness as we near the joy of Easter.

We have had a lovely day here today as we took my Mother-in-law out to Monkey World. We had wanted to take her as a belated Mother's Day treat as she had been away with her other son that weekend but we had had to delay it as I hadn't been well.

Today was a perfect day as it happened. True it was  a tad chilly, but it was bright and clear and crisp and just lovely.

Monkey World is such a great place to visit. The monkeys and apes are lovely to watch and, like the rest of the country, we feel that we know them as they are seen so often on the TV. True Nigel and I prefer to see big cats given the wildlife choice, but we truly love all animals and so a visit to any place where such good work is done to help living creatures is a joy for us. The late Jim Cronin and his wife Alison have rescued so many poor chimps, orangutans and monkeys of all sorts and the organisation works hard to boost education and promote understanding of the care needed for these, and all creatures.

They have fabulous enclosures and are so well cared for. I took loads of photos and here are just a few - not the greatest as many were from behind glass with a lot of reflection, but you get the idea.

 

 

 

 We watched this lovely lady for ages as she draped a sheet round her

 

 Then stood up and hung it on the fence to make a tent - so clever

then wrapped herself up in it 

This is the memorial to Jim Cronin

and finallyt he one I chose for photo of the day.

 

I have a new page to share and it is a page of my mother-in-law and so seemed appropriate to share today as we had been out with her.

It was when she was a little girl and the original photo is tiny, sepia and very damaged.

I did a class a few years ago and used this picture as a test to restore and then, just as an interesting exercise, I re-coloured it. I quite liked the effect and so saved the file and used it for the new Yesterday kit by Dawn Inskip which I mentioned yesterday that I absolutely loved.

 

Barb - you asked about the kit for the invitations. It is a kit by Dawn Inskip from her store at Scrapbookgraphics and it is called Fever Pitch. Although it is red white and blue it is very UK based but if you look at digi stores there are loads and loads of 4th July/independence day kits available - I have a few myself LOL.  For example this page was made with one of my favourite 4th July kits

 

Dawn also has an american kit that is great and has an alphabet too

And Barb if you want any help with it just shout!

 Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day out
• that the world is blessed with people like the Cronins who do so much good for animals.
• the sacrifice of Good Friday

 My calendar page today is, not surprisingly, Good Friday based

At our church from noon to 3:00 P.M. today, we recall the Seven Last Words of Jesus, spoken from the Cross. Of them all, the one I can hardly bear to hear is this cry of abandonment from the Son whose trust in the Father has been absolute.

Bible students believe that Jesus, Who knew the Scriptures so well, was in His agony reciting Psalm 22, which opens with this fearful outcry. How uncannily the lines, written hundreds of years earlier, describe His suffering! “They have pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16, NIV).

The congregation kneels as we read the Psalm aloud: “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing” (Psalm 22:18, NIV). And once more the familiar marvel of the Living Word repeats itself; lines I’ve read a thousand times light up with new meaning. This time it’s the final verses of the Psalm: “Future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn—for he has done it” (Psalm 22:30–31, NIV).

We are that future generation, those people not to be born for 2,000 years. We have been told about Him, we know that “he has done it”—suffered death in order to rise with the promise of everlasting life. We know how the story ends.

Our friends Mark and Penny are such passionate partisans of the Dallas Cowboys football team that they can’t bear the suspense of waiting for the final score. Rather than watch the games, they record them. Then, when they know how it has turned out, they can enjoy the plays, the tackles, the passes that brought it about.

We can bear that grief-stricken cry from the Cross. We know how it turns out.

Lord Jesus, help me endure the dark times in my own life in the knowledge that defeat is not the end of the story.

—ELIZABETH SHERRILL