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For the avoidance of doubt... Yes... I definitely have an opinion... |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Welcome to my Blog!! About me: I'm not really a blogger... But I do like to put the world to rights and you can bet I have an opinion on most things. I'm a little Welsh dragon that left the Land of My Fathers far behind me. I've flown far and wide.... and ended up in the land down under This blog is filled with all the stuff that's going on in my life, and in my head, which can be a little cookey on times, so you have been warned!! And let's not forget my opinions and musing - I have a few of those as well. So pull up a pew, grab a hot, steaming mug of something yummy, and maybe a cake to: Life is always better with cake don't you think. And read... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I just starting blogging with the following groups: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I also write a Xmas Blog that kicks off 1st December.... "Invalid Item"  ....tag along for elvishness and merriment
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| Prompt - quote from Blaise Pascal "We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end." What are your thoughts on this. I have thought, and pondered, pondered, and thought on this one and I have come to the conclusion I have NO idea what Pascal is trying to get at.... I'm lost... It sounds like he is saying that we are never fully in control of our lives.... That they are full of uncertainty and the unknown, and driven by outside forces from beginning to end... Which I guess could be a fair assessment to a degree. There are a million things that happen around us and impact our lives, which we have no say in; people dying, losing jobs, friends moving away... The only thing we can ever really have any control over is how we respond or react to things. We make the best decisions available to us. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they suck... That's life. Personsally I prefer the saying "it is not the destination that matters, but the journey". You might not take the most direct route to get where you want to go, but its the "how" you get there that defines you. And anyway in the long run we all end up in the same place any way.... |
Prompt for the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" by Kit of House Lannister   - St. Nicholas has arrived in the Netherlands. That means that children - and those who are children at heart - may set their shoe by the fireplace, and if they have been good (and especially if they have been so thoughtful as to leave a carrot for his faithful horse), they may find a little gift in there when they wake up. If they have been naughty... ah, bad luck. They'll just find an empty shoe.If St. Nicholas were to travel the world, would you receive a gift? What would you wish for? First of all - YAY for the Christmas prompt!! I'm in full on countdown mode... One month people!!! One month til the jolly old man arrives and hopefully doesn't get stuck down the chimney!!! I have so many ideas for my Christmas Blog. So.... the question this prompt is: HAVE I BEEN A GOOD GIRL THIS YEAR? Well of course I have.... In truth this year has been a complete roller coaster... more than any other in my life. there have been ups - huge, huge, mountainous ups - and downs... really depressing one. The year started off good. I finally started to enjoy my pregnancy, we were picking bits and pieced out for the nursery, and then I haemorrhaged at 31 week pregnant and woke up in a blood on blood - sorry if that's too much information for some; thankfully the baby (Theia - didn't know if she was a girl or boy at the time) seemed fine, but they decided that it was too much of a risk to let me go home so I was hospitalised until the end of my pregnancy, which they brought forward to 37 weeks. We had a beautiful baby girl delivered (man that makes her sound like a sofa), via C-section and after struggling to have a child of almost 5 years the feeling of holding her was amazing. But I really struggled after the C-section and found it difficult to breastfeed, which upset me because I really wanted to. There were agreement with my parents who wanted to visit straight away when all we wanted was some time to ourselves after all the doctors appointments. Then to top it all off my dad passed away four weeks after Theia was born - having never seen/met her - which completely floored me/devastated me.... it still does. Throughout all of this - and trust me there were huge periods of tears and tantrums, I've tried to remain as positive, grateful and as helpful towards others as possible. I'm not sure if that equates to good, but I think it should. So, Yes, I should definitely be on the present list!! Hmm... but what present shall I wish for... foregoing the obvious one that would never fit in a shoe and is completely impossible - namely another day with my dad. I think I'd wish for video/picture montage of all the precious memories I had of/with him while I was going up and beyond so I could sit down and relive it with Theia. There would be tears, a lot of them, but there would also be lots of laughter and smiles. And as my eyes now appear to be leaking.. damn you leaky eyes... I must bide you adieu for today. P.S. I would definitely leave a carrot for the horse..... and some sugar cubes and apples to. |
Prompt - Did you have an after Thanksgiving or Black Friday tradition when you were a child? "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" Prosperous Snow celebrating  Thanksgiving and Black Friday seem to be, primarily, American and Canadian traditions, ones that are slowly making their way across the waters to the shores of the UK - especially Black Friday - so, alas I do not have any traditions that I can speak of. Although I was happily surprised to learn that Thanksgiving's origin is based in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation around the harvests; this I feel may gives me an excuse to highjack it for my own uses.... Black Friday has been in the UK for about two/three years now, I think, and much like the Boxing Day sales, I try and avoid it like the plague. I hate sale shopping; people pushing and shoving loosing all sense of manners... I'd much rather stay at home. I know that you can technically go online, but again, I really can't be bothered. I'm not entirely convinced that the sales are ever that good, or worth getting up at silly-o-clock in the morning for. Some shops over here have actually started to release their Black Friday sales early, in order to avoid the stampede, with the pledge that this they can find the price lower on the day they will refund the difference. Personally, for the UK, I think it's a flash in the pan idea that will fizzle out in a few years. I don't really see it having any longevity. Thanksgiving on the other hand I wish we would steal/re-steal and make our own!!! I love the idea on Thanksgiving, or at least the ones I've seen on TV - having never been to America. I have considered, now that I have a little girl (you may have heard - I mention her in nearly every post...sorry... I'm one of those mums... not sorry....), to celebrate/mark some of the other holidays, festivals from around the world just so she can see that there is always more than one religion, path or belief and that each of them hold something magical, and Thanksgiving is definitely one of those. So maybe next year I will start a family tradition of my own with Thanksgiving and will be able to contribute a bit more to a prompt like this. I have noticed that in October and November there are a lot more requests for help with food banks and donations, different to Thanksgiving I know, but it's something we participate in. Our local supermarket often has trolleys and boxes in their foyer for donations for food banks, the cat and dog food, and children's toys. In October we did a whole shop - with a budget of £25 - just for the food bank. We filled it will HT milk, HT orange juice, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, tins of beans, sweet corn, potatoes, carrot, peas and tomatoes, and packets of porridge, rice and pasta. It made a few people stop and think when they saw us filling up the box on the way out. I think we left with just a tub of butter for ourselves. We do the same for the cats and dogs to. And the Christmas presents for children. I have no idea what the future holds for me and my family, I hope that we never have to lean on food banks to feed our family, but there could come a time when we do... I would like to think there would always be people out there that would help and support others in any way they can , and while I have the ability to be one of those people I will. On a side note - I have a sleigh full of Christmas traditions ready and waiting for this year.... Xmas blogging here I come!!! |
| Prompt - Spellbinding: Write a magic spell. This is my extremely useful magic spell to freeze time: I mean who couldn't use five more minutes in their day... Mix moonbeams with snowflakes, And add a good dash of dew. Gather spider silk and dragon scales, In goes phoenix feathers to. Crush diamonds to stardust, Stir clockwise until dusk. Pop in bushels of lavender, Enhanced with unicorn musk. Lavish with lullabies, hope and goodwill, Ladle-up, drink down, and time shall stand still. I have added this as a poem in my portfolio if anyone would like to comment/review on it "Invalid Item" |
| Disclaimer - this blog touches on loss, specifically suicide. I hope it offers help and links to support agencies, but I would advise anyone who has been directly, or indirectly, affected by the loss of a loved one to proceed with caution. This blog is inspired by the tragic loss of Doug Aikin - Norb Aikin's (fiversixer) brother. There are no words that can bring lasting comfort in a time of loss; certainly none that I can articulate eloquently enough. Losing a loved one is painful and raw; and there is very little anyone can do to ease this. Very often we just go through the motions, in a state of shock and disbelief. While I can't imagine what it is like to lose someone to suicide. I can, having lost my father suddenly in April of this year, empathise completely. My heart truly goes out to Norb and his family. Brother Nature  suggested, as a mark of respect and support, to both Doug and Norb, that we continue to blog throughout November. This is something I whole heartedly agree with, and I thank BrotherNature for proposing this path. As many of you know, World Suicide Prevention Day is held each year on 10 September every year, and it carries a really important message about; how often this is seen as the only option, the impact this has on peoples lives, and about what we, as a society and individuals, can do to help others. However, I think that any day that we can raise awareness for this is a good thing, which is why I am highlighting it now. Each year, more than 800,000 people take their lives; In the UK and Ireland there is equates to, on average, 18 people a day. I always find figures and facts in these situations cold and startling, but then that is exactly what is needed, sometimes, for us to sit up and pay real attention. The driving theme this year was/is "ITS OKAY TO TALK". Its aim - to help people reach out and start conversations, as this can be a game changer. I know the prospect of this type of conversation can be terrifying. We are filled with worry that we'll say the wrong thing, and that's if we even know how to start it. But the Samaritans promote that we don’t need to be experts, and that sometimes just asking if someone's "OK" is enough. It let's them know we care and that we're listening. Speaking from experience I can confirm that suicidal and vulnerable people often feel isolated, worthless and think that no-one cares. So, any step that we can make to help them realise we are here for them is a great thing and can make a massive difference. But we must also accept that this disease does not have a one size fits all cure/remedy, and that it's sometime impossible to see the signs in time. This is incredible difficult to do, especially when the only questions that are running around in our heads are: "why didn't I see something", why didn't they say something" and "I should have known". The only thing we can do is be vigilant, keep trying, and caring. There are a raft of organisation out there that are there to help and support us. It's a 24/7/365 deal and if you're worried about someone else, or would like support yourself, then I urge you to get in touch with them. I will never forget what my psychology teacher once said to me one morning before class. Nicky - "Are you ok Stephanie?" Me - "Yeah, I'm fine." Nicky smiled and said - "Do you know what fine stands for?" Me - shake my head in confusion Nicky - "It stands for Fcuk up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. My door is always open Stephanie.. I've used this opener myself with people so many times, it often garners a smile, sometimes followed by rivers of tears. I've added included a link to the Samaritans website; this is UK organisation, and SAVE incase anyone reading this needs to reach out. Stephanie - (Stevie) http://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/our-campaigns/world-suicide-prevention-da... http://www.save.org/ |
| When someone says "And this is where the magic happens!", what are they referring to? Take this prompt in any direction your imagination lets you. "And this is where the magic happens!",is usually a location where something creative, exciting, and/or extraordinary happens, and it's normally said by a person giving some type of tour. For example, in the film industry, the stage/sound studio is where a story comes to life; where the actors bring the screenplay off the paper and onto the camera, but these words wouldn't be spoken unless someone was showing another person the studio for the first time. But what if there is more to these words than originally meets the eye. Perhaps there is a literal meaning. What if this is where MAGIC actually happens. What if we have been misled all these years and THEY have used "science" to hide the fact that the world is actually FULL of magic. I mean, we are taught "science" from a very early age in school, perhaps it's an international form of indoctrination. Sneaky buggers... Think about it for a second, "science" seems to be behind everything. It is very much a finger in every pie deal. And, quiet frankly, it has often baffled me. There are big, long, Latin words and confusing explanations that "make sense", apparently, if you are intelligent enough...Clearly I am not. So it must be a smoke screen and all those that wield these abilities are simply sorcerers. Engineers, bio-chemists, and brain surgeons, wizards and witches the lot of them. The world is full of them. Artists, film makers, and musicians. The list is inexhaustible. They are able to create the wonderful out of seemingly nothing. And what is more magical than that. |
| Prompt - On this day in 1928, Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" starring Mickey Mouse was the first successful sound-synchronized animated cartoon. What is your favorite cartoon? I am a child of the 80’s. I grew up with heroes like Optimus Prime, HE-MAN, Leonardo and Lion-O. When the good guys were clearly distinguishable by the huge, bulging muscles, and square jaws – I mean really… looking back they were obviously entering Mr Universe competitions on the side or using steroids, since they ALL gave Arnie a run for his money; And the bad guys were nearly always fat (Slithe), ugly (Mumm-ra) or downright scary (Skeletor). I mean seriously, Skeletor was frigging terrifying – and kinda cool in a really freaky way… My favourite cartoon – hmm, now that’s a tough one. It was(is) probably  Thundercats , I mean can’t you just “Feel the magic, Hear the roar”, followed closely by  TMNT  because “They’re the world’s most fearsome fighting team” – YES, THAT RIGHT THEY ARE NINJAS TURTLES NOT BLOODY HERO TURTLES!!!!! But I also love(d) Transformers as well because they are “More than meets the eye” and “Robots in disguise” – they also had Dinobots… They rock(ed)…. When I was about five my mum asked me what birthday cake I wanted – she was going to get it made at the local cake shop so I could pretty much have whatever I wanted. I thought long a hard and decided that I wanted to have Lion-O. My mother asked if I was sure. As did the baker – “Wouldn’t she rather Cheetara? I could do Cheetara… Or She-Ra….My Little Pony?” “No!!” I shrieked, “I want Lion-O!!” I mean seriously, MLP, what was I three? I loved his bright red hair. And I think I secretly has a crush on the royal half man/half cat …  him and Tygra – Raarra. In my teenage years my own locks often imitate this fiery colour; I even got suspended for turning up after a weekend away (I went to boarding school) with dyed chilli-red hair; in fairness it was the same colour as a traffic light…. – clearly my subconscious didn’t want to give up my obsession on the Lord on the ThundercatsI had nearly all the video – yes… remember those day… And can still sing the theme tune, which is a good indication as to how good the cartoon actually is/was. A few years ago I even procured, though slightly shady means , the entire back catalogue; even the feature length one. Well, I was like a kid in a    shop… bouncing on the sofa sing “Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats…..” or being a really annoying voiceover whenever he wields that sword (don’t pretend you don’t know the ones I’m on about…). My husband thought I was mad. As I grew up, I moved onto TMNT. Again I was obsessed. I even had a turtle Christmas stocking with Raphael’s head peeking out the top… I wonder if I still have it somewhere… it’s almost  December after all. I had pens, and show lace clips… slippersMy favourite was, and still is, Leonardo – he had the swords after all. My husband is also a fan… it’s one of the few things we have in common – that’s right Leonardo saved my marriage… lol. We were dubious about the recent film remakes – the originally were a bit naff let’s be honest… But we LOVED them – especially the beat box sequence in the lift.    Perhaps I’m a bit of a  . I mean I did go to the midnight showing of Transformers when it came out – the atmosphere was amazing!! Or perhaps I just like reliving my childhood every now and again. I DO think the 80’s had the best cartoons – I HATE the remade cartoons they have now. They made all the character look…odd… They look like they should in Pokemon or something… - NO I DO NOT want to catch them all!!But alas....I must return to work…. I’m not sure how productive I am coming to be as I have theme tunes running around in my head… We should so do a prompt on who our favourite villain is!!! |
| Prompt - Unicorns. They're special and unique and fun and whatnot. But what are they, really? What do they eat? Where do they live, and where do they sleep? What do they do when they're not out unicorning or whatever it is they do? And what's the proper name for a baby unicorn? Please write the Wikipedia entry on unicorns from your unique, special blogging unicorn perspective. The unicorn, or Equus cornicus, is a subspecies of the taxonomic family, Equidae, famed for the large, spiralled horn on its forehead. Hunted extensively up until the end of the 18th century for the magical and medicinal properties of its horn and the silken flax of its mane and tail, it is believed that the unicorn is now extinct, with the last confirmed sighting being in 1789 in Scotland by the Earl of Kinnoull. However, I have been lucky enough to track down this elusive species as recently as 2014. That’s right, in my spare time when I’m not holding down a full time job, raising my beautiful little dragonoo Theia, maintaining the house and trying to find a spare moment to write, I am also an expert unicorn tracker; largely helped by my heritage of being a little, red, fiery dragon…. The unicorn evolved about 55 million years from the Eohippus; a small multi-toed animal. It is a perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulate, mammal and a distant relative of the horse and zebra. There are four recognised breeds that are distinguishable by the colour of their horns of white, red, or black, or by the addition of large feather clad wings. The spirius, or red horned unicorns, are known for their willowy frames, agility, and speed, and live in the hot and humid jungles of South America; while the black horned noxilan that lives in Eastern Mongolia, is more muscular and is widely considered the strongest and boldest of the breeds. Perhaps the most famous is the European zucion, or white ghost, which has the largest horn of all the unicorn at an average of 28 inches. The rarest, and in my humble opinion the most beautiful, is by far the winged, pygmy, alicorn; thought to be the basis of the legends of Pegasus, that lives in the mountains of Nepal. Breeding and Life Span: The bolt, or male, is considerably bigger than his female counterpart and is a solitary creature, who only seeks out other unicorns during mating season; or the first frost. Whereas females, or uniums, have been known to live in small groups of two or three. They carry their young, known as isicles, for approximately sixteen months and frequently give birth to twins, usually in the spring; in fact single births are incredibly rare. Isicles as precocial and are capable of standing and running shortly after they come into the world. They are born without horns, which develop when they mature into adulthood. An isicle will suckle from their mother for the first year of their life and stay with her until they are at least four years old. The life expectancy of a unicorn is, at this point, unknown, although I suspect it is very short in comparison to other magical creatures, such as dragons who can live for centuries - my mother for example has been around since the stone age. Behaviour: Unicorns are renowned as timid animals that use their speed and strong fight-or-flight instincts to escape predators, and have even developed the ability to sleep standing up. Their sense of sight, smell and hearing are more acute than that of their closest relative; their large eyes, the largest of any land animal, means their vision is second to none both during the day and at night, while their ears can pivot and rotate 180 degrees. Their first reaction to any threat is to try and flee, although they will stand their ground, and I have witnessed mothers fiercely defending their young using their horns as lethal weapons when cornered. However, they can also be curious and enquiring; while tracking a family of zucions in the highlands of Scotland in early 2000, I mistakenly ventured too close to their watering hole and was spotted by the lead female, at first I thought she would flee, but was proven wrong when she cautiously approached me and sniffled out the pink lady apple I had hidden in my backpack. Unicorns are of course herbivores and forage for grasses, flowers, fruits, and berries. This varied diet is what helps maintain the condition of their iridescent and luxurious manes, which are particularly beautiful to watch by moonlight. Magical Powers: The magical property of their horns is largely misunderstood. On its own it holds no medicinal powers, and so the old practise of cutting of a unicorn’s horn, which always leads to its death, garners no benefit. The sort after healing abilities actually comes from the unicorn’s kiss; an act of kindness and vulnerability that is offered to very few. Many people searched for these regal creatures in a last ditched attempt to save themselves from deadly illnesses, however few ever found them and those that did were rarely deemed worth. In fact, I have only ever heard of this happening once, in an ancient legend where a mother presented her dying baby girl at the hooves of an alicorn; the pygmy unicorn knelt next to the child and bowed its head, resting its silvery horn against her torso, in this act the alicorn sacrificed its life-force and saved the child. Conservation Unicorn The mythological status that these creatures now have, I believe, preserves the lives of the few that remain. It is a blessing. I take the conservation of this species very seriously and I am constantly on the lookout for signs of a nearby unicorn. I get very excited when I find a silken strand of hair or silvery groove scratched high in a tree. And I cannot wait to teach Theia the ways of the unicorns. I just hope they are still around when she is old enough to appreciate them. |
| Prompt - What Lo-Fi, non-electronic, or old school things from the past do you still enjoy today? It is actually  scary how much we rely on technology for. I can't seem to remember a simply doctors or hair appointment unless its been plugged into my calendar and my phone beeps a reminder at me.  I often joke with my husband that I'd be quite happy to go and live in a log cabin somewhere in the mountains. Live by candle light, fish for dinner. He has pointed out that my "ridiculously high heeled boots and fancy shoes probably wouldn't appreciate the mud... and he's right they wouldn't... We are all very depended on technology. I seems as if it's encroaching on our lives more and more, and I'm not suggesting that is a bad thing... always... but I'd be lost with out my mobile as I have NO idea what anyone's number is. I can remember a time when I knew everyone's of the top of my head. My niece has just moved in with us and she is constantly on her phone. She seems to document every moment of her life on one app or another. I am clearly out of touch and passed it at the age of 35 because I haven't heard of most of them... After thinking about what I get up to in my day to day life I was surprised to discover that I do use, and prefer to use a lot of low-tech solutions...  Book v Kindle (other electronic device are available) - Well this is an obvious one. I must money on nearly everyone saying this one. Writer are readers after all. I do have a Kindle. I've had it for a few years and I found it great when I was traveling. I could take a mountain of books with me in my suitcase/hand luggage, and it didn't break my shoulder under the weight of all those pages. I also liked that I could just download and buy the next book in the series from the bathtub. But I LOVE books. I love the weight of them in my hands, the feel on the pages between my fingers; I even don't mind the paper cuts I get when I flick through to quickly. I enjoy nothing more than sitting on the floor in a bookshop, even the big chains, with a takeaway mug of chocolate or tea, and read the first few pages of a new book to decide if I want to buy it. There's a certain smell you get in a bookshop that is reassuring and comforting. Book v TV - books are awesome, lets face it. I sometimes prefer a Saturday morning/afternoon sitting on the couch reading with the TV switched off. I can get some good reading in!! These days any time I can get to myself to read or otherwise is a gift. Clothes line v the tumble dryer - this is mostly about the cost of electricity in the UK; it's ridiculously high.... So in the summer I tend to use an outdoor rotary dryer. It might take a little longer, but I get a kick out of it being the greener option. In the winter I use indoor airers instead and utilise the houses heating. Also, I have less chance of shrinking my husbands clothes if I avoid the dryer.... Hand washing v the dishwasher - we had a dishwasher a while back, and it was very convenient, but it broke and we had to decide whether to replace it or not. We decided not to. There is something nice about doing the dishes together after we've cooked a meal; and besides if I have spent 30 minutes cooking, Guy can spend 15 washing up. Candle v Lights - sometimes there's nothing nice that a peaceful bath in the candle light reading a good book. it is somehow MORE relaxing and de-stressing. Even in the living room, we sometimes turn the lights off and light a candle - especially in winter... It's far more romantic and intimate. How many things beat curling up and snuggling on the sofa in candlelight watching a film. Feet v car - I live quite close to my work. So close that I could and can walk to work. While it's not the greatest in the rain (which let's face it is fairly often in the UK), but on dry days it's really enjoyable. I find it therapeutic on times; it allows me to clear my head. On others, I find in a great opportunity to think about my writing.I really believe that sometimes the simplest way is the best. Technology is great. It saves time and lives. But there are pleasures to be had in the ways of yesteryear to. Stevie ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Prompt - We're at the halfway point of November! What have you learned from any of your fellow bloggers in the group this month? Well I have learnt a great many things so far this month... for example:  Brother Nature also has a time-machine, and is slightly paranoid it might be stolen by competitor so it's cleverly disguised as an arm chair - pure genius. Apondia  has a super cute teapot that I am extremely jealous of as the picture on her blog. And that I'm not the only person who still love The Princess Bride - SB Musing  But what has stuck in my mind the most this month so far is a quote by wykedcrafty that I've never heard before, but which I've completely fallen in love with - "Chase the morning. Yield for nothing." from "Invalid Entry" . It is such a lovely, positive way of saying don't focus on the past, there is a new day with new possibilities just around the corner. I think the world needs more positive thoughts and beliefs as it can be a very dark place. |
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