Dolly's Dreamings

Quite a day

Well half term is here at last and it couldn't come a moment too soon, believe me.

It's been a difficult day in many ways, though i have no reason to say it has been difficult for me compared to others.

You will know that we lost a parent last weekend after a battle against cancer and she leaves a loving husband and three beautiful girls behind. It was her funeral today and it was very very sad, whilst also being uplifting to see the love and support surrounding the family from all sides. No-one should be taken so young and no little girls should have to face their futures without their Mommy. It is so harsh and life seems so unfair at times. However, there is a very strong network of support from family and friends and they will get through it, they have no option, but it was heart-breaking to see. I continue to pray that they will find comfort in these hours of great need.

It puts all other problems into perspective and makes me focus on being grateful for each and every moment. We never know when it will be our last when we will have to face the loss of loved ones and we must make the most of every moment of every day.

I really don't want to share scrapping today - sorry - normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

Today I am thankful for

• Each and every moment - even the hard ones because they are all special
• Nigel - my strength, my support, my best friend, my confidante, my everything
• A week to share with him at home

 

Ah London Town

Fiki is still struggling. He seemed a little bit better but now seems worse again. We had such high hopes that it was a pulled muscle or something and was starting to heal, but it looks like we were optimistic. It is almost a week since it all started and he is struggling poor little thing.

Dawn has several new kits out at her SBG store todaya nd they were such fun to play with. They are all on a London/patriotic theme and totally in vogue for the up coming Royal Wedding.

There are also some fab templates and both of these pages were made with templates.

 
The page above documents how I lived in London for 4 years when I was at Uni and I hated every single day. I never made the most of living in our nation's capital and couldn't wait to come home. I wish now, with hindsight, that i had made more of the opportunities there. But then hindsight is a wonderful thing.

When I go to visit now I love it and get a real buzz from being there. But then I guess part of that is because it is a visit. I am not staying.

 

This second page documents some London details from a recent trip.

 Today I am thankful for

• a special bereavement assembly for the mother we lost this week beautifully done by our chaplain to help all the children
• The story I love so much and which makes me both sad and happy of waterbugs and dragonflies (Posted below too for those of you who don't know it)

 
 

Waterbugs and Dragonflies by Doris Stickney

Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a colony of little water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while, one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with its friends. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily, it gradually moved out of sight and it was seen no more.
”Look!” said one of the water bugs to another. “One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose he is going?”
Up, up, up he went slowly. Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. His friends waited and waited, but he didn’t return.
“That’s funny!” said one water bug to another. “Wasn’t he happy here?” asked a second water bug. “Where do you suppose he went?” wondered a third. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.
Finally, one of the water bugs, a great leader in the colony, gathered his friends together. “I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went, and why.”
“We promise” they all agreed.
One spring day not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad. Weary from his journey, he slept.
When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly.
Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in his new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends the water bugs! There they were scurrying about just as he had been doing some time before.
Then, the dragonfly remembered his promise: “The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went, and why.” Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly he could no longer go into the water.
“I can’t return!” he said in dismay. “I tried, but I cant keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would recognise me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they will understand what happened to me, and where I went.
And the dragonfly winged off happily into his new wonderful world of sun and air.

I remember my beloved Mommy and Daddy who have left our pond. In my lowest saddest times help me to remember that they can’t come back but that they are happy and that, one day, I will join them in the sun as well.

Fiki update and even bigger cats

Thank you everyone for asking about Fiki. He is a little better and walking a little easier but he is not right yet.

I think we are on the road to recovery (although you always worry that you are looking for progress so much you see it when it is not quite there)

His Mommy on the other hand is still suffering with a bad ankle. I twisted it over a week ago slipping in a ditch on a heath walk and it is not getting any better. maybe I need special food and syringed medicine like my boy!

Today has been a good day. Just recently the news has not been good on many fronts and so it was nice to have some positive news today - made me smile. Plus, I heard from a long lost friend who happened upon me on facebook and that also made me smile.

Now I said it was Fiki and bigger cats so here are the bigger cats. The page was made with a free template on offer from Dawn on UKS so get over there and snag it!.

 

 

 

 Today I am thankful for

• Some good news and happiness
• Old friends re-aquainted
• My boy beginning to recover

 

Moments of tranquility

It’s been an interesting day one way and another today but it started with something so lovely.

It was quite a light morning – I have become so used to leaving the house in the pitch black. Today there was definite light and when I got to school I actually didn’t need to put all the lights on to move around. As it was a crisp cold morning we went for an early walk. We usually meet, my deputy and I, at 7.15 and have a briefing meeting and, if it is nice, it is so much better to have that walking. It starts the day off in an energised frame of mind. Imagine our joy when we rounded a corner and stood watching one of our deer for five minutes. We have a family of deer who live on campus and they are quite tame. I guess they have to be quite resilient to noise to live on a school campus. He didn’t even bolt when we walked right past him, as sadly there was a limit as to how long we could just stand there for fear of disturbing him. He was very close, just a few feet away.

What a wonderful way to start the day. I wish I had had my camera, but here is a picture taken on another early morning walk.

 

The page I have today is one for my Death Valley section of my mini book. I am actually in process of doing a paper page for the same photos. This was made with brand new wonky punch outs by Dawn Inskip and they are so cute to use.

The photos are of me and the hire car and off roading! Such fun.  We knew we would do some dirt roads and so hired a 4 x 4. I don’t often drive if I am with Nij, but I couldn’t wait to have a go at this.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Moments of tranquility and beauty
• Support
• The red rose I came home to

 

I was sent this e mail today by cousin Lynne in America and I really liked it

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you  Come to the garden alone,
                           while the dew is still on the roses.

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING ,

            PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS :

 1. Peace of mind
                  2. Peace of heart
                                   3. Peace of soul

          PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:


1. Lettuce be faithful
 2. Lettuce be kind
 3. Lettuce be patient
 4. Lettuce really love one another


NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:

   1. Turnip for meetings
                     2. Turnip for service
                                  3. Turnip to help one another


TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE   THYME:

   1. Thyme for each other
                     2. Thyme for family
                                  3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.   THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU  SOW.  NOT BAD, HUH?! 

 And finally - happy valentines day

 

 

A sad day

Today I learnt that a very brave lady lost her battle against that most cruel of diseases yesterday.

In less than a year she was diagnosed, fought and passed on. Life is very very cruel and harsh at times and my thoughts and prayers go to the family who will need all their strength to get through this terrible time.

It has been a sobering week and really made me be grateful for each moment we have. If you are reading this then stop and go and tell your loved ones how much you love them, and tell them every single day. You never know when you might no longer be able to do so.

I find this poem very comforting.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a 1,000 winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sun on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled light
I am the soft star that shines at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there; I did not die.

Fiki is much the same. Nij keeps watching him and saying he thinks he is walking better. I think my Nij is the ternal optimist. Fiki has spent the say wrapped up in his blanket. If I didn't know he does this all the time I would be worried he was really ill. But it is one of the cute things he does. He has a special blanket on the spare bed and he goes under it and then rolls so he is completely wrapped in it like a baby in a papoose. He is cute! But he is also not himself. I hope the pain meds kick in and he is able to walk and run and jump normally soon.

I made another page for the holiday album yesterday (well i made several actually but here is one of them)

 

 Lots of texture on this one with hessian and stitching.

Today I am thankful for

• The love I shared with my parents even though they have passed
• The love I still share with Nij
• Faith that sustains me

 

 

D is for Doing part 1

It has been a glorious day here - weather wise - so lets do the positives first. It was snowdrop weekend at our local NT property Kingston Lacey. we go every year and it is always lovely. The sun made it really pretty today and there was even a bit of warmth in the air. There didn't seem quite as many snowdrops this year - or maybe we have just gotten used to them. But it was still lovely and as we are in D fortnight I made inroads into my D's.

D is for Dome

 
 

D is for dentil details

 

D is for driftwood

 

D is for droplets

 

D is for Dew (well i wanted to include at least 2 snowdrop pictures!)

 

D is for directions

 

D is for Drifts

 
 

D is for dried dead leaves

 

D is for double (look at the reflection)

 
 

D is for doorway (OK so it is gateway but heck - it was a nice picture)

 

D is for duo

 
 

D should also have been for drinks with our weekly Starbucks but i forgot to take the photo!

Thank you to everyone who so kimdly posted messages for the Fiki monster. I hate seeing him in pain. He is moving around but has an awful bad limp and is moving a little as possible, poor thing. I can't figure if it is his leg, his hips or his back but he is in a lot of pain and struggling bless him. But he is eating and has taken his medicine .... just about.

We have to watch him for a fortnight and take him back on 23rd to be checked unless he deteriorates in which case we have to go back straight away.

I hate when they are in pain and you can't help them.

Today I am thankful for

• Sunny days and lovely places
• Time to relax and value each other
• A shorter journey for a friend than might have been the case :(

 

 

My poor Fiki

We have had a bit of a drama today. Had to go to the vets this afternoon with out little Fiki monster as he is hurt but we are not sure how or what.

Nij noticed he was not walking well this afternoon. He was limping terribly, had to keep stopping and sitting down sort of funny, and remembered we had thought it a bit odd last night that he missed the sofa in one jump and this morning - now we think about it - stuggled to jump on the bed.

It was obviously mush worse so he phoned the vet.

The vert - and our vet is wonderful - gave him a thorough check. No problem like a stroke which was what we feared, but he said his back felt all knotty and locked and he thinks the problem is in his back not in his legs. It could be a simple strain if he has jumped funny, it could be a slipped disc or something more serious. It could be arthritis. He noticed he had quite bad twitching which he thought could be muscle spasms.

My poor darling little boy.

He is on some very strong pain killers now (adminsitered orally via syringe - a fun game we can all join in with!!!!) He has had some special tea (food he is not normally allowed because of Kira's allergies but bought specially for him on the way home as he has to have the drugs with food and he needed a special poorly treat.

He is very sorry for himself and must be in a lot of pain. I know cats have to be in a lot of pain before they show it. Poor little chap.

So with this, and the other sad news from yesterday, I am not much into celebrating friday really. i am just glad I can be at home with my boy for a couple of days.  Although having said that, one of the nicest things about Nij being at home all day is that the cats always have their daddy for company.

Anyway - if you have any furry whiskery kisses going spare send them to the Fiki monster.

I have a page to share today made with dawn's newly released Crush kit and one of her wonderful above and beyond templates - all from her store at Scrapbookgraphics.

 

Today I am thankful for

• good news about a pupil who really needs some good news
• Fiki not having had a stroke (though I am still worried about him)

 

 

Life is so Unfair

I can't go into details but life is, at times, so terribly unfair.

There is so much suffering in the world, so many people in pain and so much saddness and tragedy. There are times when people are in pain physically and emotionally and there is nothing that you - or indeed anyone - can do to make things better. And it is horrible - plaina nd simple horrible.

It makes you appreciate the wonder of every single day. Nothing is worst 'keeping for best' because being alive is wonder enough to make a day a special one. Being pain free, having your loved ones around you, being warm and fed and safe. We need to appreciate each and every minute of each and every day and NOT get bogged down by trivialities. Easier said than done, but well worth focussing on.

Sorry - not been a great day. Not for me - I am fine, Nij is fine, but for others and seeing their pain hurts like hell.

I think it makes this page all the more poignant actually.

 

Nij and I do try and find something to share laughter about each and every day. Days like today make it harder, but we try.

 Today I am thankful for

• Life with all its ups and downs
• The power of prayer to give us the courage to face things

 

Finally I leave you with an e mail I liked.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back.  From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed?  Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?'  She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line.  My hair is dirty.  I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.'  And my personal favourite:  'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.  We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained.  We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet...   We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older.  The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer.  One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips.  She keeps an open mind on new ideas.  Her enthusiasm for life is contagious.  You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord..


Now....go on and have a nice day.  Do something you WANT to......not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?  And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground?  Ever followed a butter fly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly?  When you ask ' How are you?'  Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?  Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.'  And in your haste, not see his sorrow?  Ever lost touch?  Let a good friendship die?  Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away..... Life is not a race Take it slower.  Hear the music before the song is over.   

 

 

Fed up with my blog

Now don't misunderstand me - i love my blog. It is a part of me and who I am and I look fprward to writing it. I am just totally and utterly fed up with the fact it is looking so odd and i can't fix it. I have tried everything and am waiting to hear from Typepad about possible fixes.

I am sure no-one is actually reading this as it takes quita  bit of determination to scroll down this far.

If you made it good on you and thank you!

I have been to a Heads' meeting today (doesn't that sound bizarre  I have visions of dismembered heads getting together) in Guildford. They are other head teachers I have known for a long time and it is good to get together and chat about things and realise we all face the same problems, we all deal with the same issues and that we can help and support each other. It was really useful and enjoyable and lucnh was great. Didn't much care for the driving - took me two and a half hours to get there. testament to how good the company is I guess.

I have some new scrapping to share today. there is a new mash Up Grab bag available at Scrapbookgraphics today and it is awesome. There are four designers and Dawn was one of the four so I got to play with it all.

This is one of the pages I made with it.

 

 Today I am thankful for

• a network of support
• safe travel

 
 

Using White Space Creatively and an apology

First an apology - my blog looks very odd. Well done if you have reached down the page this far! No idea what is wrong. i have checked all the settings. Hopefully normal service will be resumed soon.

My time is severely limited today so this is a post I made on IACW a while back.

A very quick and simple idea for today; it works equally well with digital scrapping and with paper and glue.

Do you ever have a photo that you really love but that has a lot of white space? Sometimes it is fine to cut that dead space off by cropping the picture really closely, but at other times the space is an integral part of the photo and you don’t want to loose it. But as a design concept it just doesn’t look great.

Text is the answer!

I had this fab photo of Nigel on our recent trip to death valley. I wanted it to show how tiny he was in comparison to the huge space we were in, but it didn’t make for the most exciting page.

I left all of the ‘space’ in rather than crop it, and then used text over it to break up the emptiness whilst still keeping it visible.

 
Here is another example where I have added the text in the 'dead space' onto the photo before printing it out and making a paper page.

 and another example of the same - and this could easily be done with things stuck onto the photo rather than just printed on to it.

 

Next time you are going to crop a picture tightly, think again. See what you can do to liven up that white space.

Today i am thankful for

• a pleasant day and beautiful sunshine