Saturday 5 September 2009

3 Wheels On My Wagon

Well I now have 3 pages for the web site, I just wish the program was written in English.
Ok to be fair, it is written in English, but not any form of it that makes sense to a single living person, past or present or future for that matter. It's some sort of foreign English.
Did I tell you I have 3 pages now.................................


I have taken measures to stop the foul swear words from escaping my mouth, it's called duct tape or gaffer tape, depending where you are from. I get up in the morning and wrap my mouth in it.
Mind you the swearing and shouting that, 'I have to do bloody well do everything round here' and two nights in a row of take aways, seems to have now woken the family up a bit, as while out at the supermarket yesterday my lovely boys cleaned the house for me.

Did I tell you I have 3 pages now...........

Now don't be patting them on the back just yet, they did have an ulterior motive.
I must have the only family in history, who don't like take aways. Or at lest they don't like them often, certainly not two nights in a row and are obviously fearful of three nights. So while you are sitting there think, oh so sweet what lovely boys, supporting their mum. What they are actually saying is, "Get in the kitchen woman, we are not going to eat rubbish take away 3 nights in a row, 'cos your lost in cyber space, oh and we do love you. Now cook"

Did I say I have 3 pages now.

I won't get much else done today as I have to attend a craft fair in Dover this afternoon.
Last time I went to Dover, they brought nearly everything I had, while I hope that happens today, I am a little fearful of what I will have to sell on the web, as I have no back up stock, which will then give me the nightmare of trying to sell, build the web and make new stock.

Did I tell you that I have 3 pages now............


Oh well off to Dover now, happy Saturday every one,

and did I tell you I have 3 pages now...................................

Thursday 3 September 2009

Web-Site Building

Just in case you don't see me for a while, don't panic. I'm doing enough of that for us all.
I am off trying to build a web site for in order to start selling my craft work online.
I actually do a lot of craft work, but as some of you know from earlier posts, I was let down over the recent months.

Having licked my wounds and now feeling ready to go again, I now have to start from scratch and build a web site myself.

I have spent all day on it so far and to be honest, have got very little done.
1 Transferred domain name from other hosting site to a new one.
2 Registered and opened my account with new hosting site.
3 Created banner and home page.
4 Up loaded photos of work.

And that's as far as I have got.

I have also had computer rage for most of the day, although I have resisted throwing the laptop across the room. I have however;

1 Banged the table heaps and heaps of times.
2 Rediscovered long forgotten swear words.
3 Shouted at the laptop and web builder, using said forgotten swear words.
4 Answered the phone with the words "What do you bloody want, I'm bloody busy".
5 Drunk too much tea and dunked way too many biscuits.
6 Shouted at poor Misty and Bear, for having the cheek to want food at their normal times.
7 Shouted at various family members.
8 I haven't done any housework or tiding all day, I haven't even made my bed.

All in all, it's been a rubbish day and I am so very, very annoyed with my stupid self for loosing it so much today and for the amount of time spend on this.

I have sent out for a take away for us all, partly as I think the family need a treat after putting up with my temper tantrums and partly because, I really don't trust myself in the kitchen with sharp knives.

This better be worth it in the end, or I may find myself a lonely old woman, with not even cats for company. This is doing nothing for my self esteem. As it seems to be bringing out the worst in me. To think that I went to this site, as it is suppose to be easier and more user friendly than my last web builder.

Wednesday 2 September 2009

The Man Who Helped Save My Mothers Life.

A bit of a dramatic headline I know, but not so far removed from the truth.

This is Sir Nicholas Winton, he is a WWII hero. When it comes to having a list of heroes, Sir Nicholas for me is in my top 10.

Sir Nicholas Winton, now 100, arranged eight trains to carry 669 mostly Jewish youngsters from Prague through Germany and on to Britain just before the outbreak of the war. In the 9 months of the run up to the outbreak of WWII, he help to organise the trains later known as the Kindertransport.

Their fate would have been almost certain death in Nazi concentration camps. Many of them never saw their parents again, as they mostly perished in Auschwitz. The last train to leave on September 3rd 1939 was sent back, as by then Germany had invade Czechoslovakia and they were turned back by the Germans.

A steam train to mark the 70th anniversary of the mass evacuation of children from Czechoslovakia set off from Prague to London a few days ago and will be arriving in London on Friday.

A statue of Sir Nicholas was unveiled in Prague before the train left.

The former stockbroker will be in London on Friday to greet the trains 170 passengers. They include 22 he saved. Strange thing is that up until 1988, the year my Patricia arrived in the World, this quiet kind man's humanitarian work had gone unnoticed, that was until his wife Greta found a detailed scrapbook in their attic. The scrapbook with many of the original documents are now in The Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem

How did this man save my life?

Simple really, word was out in Prague about what was happening and what was coming and people were scared.

You may not know this, but my mother is from Czechoslovakia and is the youngest of 9 children. While she came from a very poor farming family, my Grandfather was a very clued up man and had friends and family in the city of Prague. Many of who were intellectuals, the first people really to realise what was about to happen.

Grandpa, was warned of what was to come, I don't know how they knew, just that they did. My Grandmother was expecting my mother when they first started to hear the rumours of what was heading their way. At this point the British Government had not decided to accept any refugees, eventually they did give refuse to 10 thousand children, but not their parents.

After much discussion, my Grandparents decided that the only way to save them selves and their family was to leave, but being farmers and money tight the only way they were going to leave as a whole family was to walk. And so began an epic journey to escape and get to safety.

My Grandmother wrote in her diary at the time,

"How do I choose from which child is to go and which is to stay. What will become of this unborn life. Are they not all worth saving. What is to become of us."

Thing is how do you chose from 9 children, which ones to send and which ones to keep, they didn't have the money to send them all and I know that they had no desire to be parted from any of them.

My Grandparents left and walked away from the horrors that were to come and they were the lucky ones, if they were here today they would tell you that the hardship they suffered on that journey was worth very step that took them away from the hell that ensued. So in the May of 1939 they left, with little more than what they could carry. They weren't alone there were others who traveled with them. What courage they had, to venture off into the unknown and with children in tow.

My Grandmother eventually gave birth to my mother on July 13th 1939. Funny thing is that while they know the date of her birth, no one actually knows where she was born and on her birth certificate that was given to her after the war, it simply states under place of birth "UNKNOWN".

Whenever I feel that life is too hard to cope with, I think about my mothers birth and the epic journey of my family. My Grandmother gave birth in a wood, with no pain relief and yet Grandad told the story of a woman who made not even the slightest sound for fear of giving away their where abouts.

My last 2 births were without pain relief and in a nice warm, cosy , safe hospital, with all the mod-cons you can throw a stick at, you should have heard me scream. My husband told me after the birth of Callum, that had never heard a noise like it and that it made his blood run cold and yet here was my Grandmother giving birth in terrible circumstances silently.

Such unbelievable courage and strength, how could I not draw from that at times of hardship for me, my life while having ups and downs has been blessed and charmed. But mostly, I was blessed to have some wonderful people in my life who with great courage took chances and changed lives.

While I have never met Sir Nicholas Winton, I do salute, his courage and determination to help those most vulnerable in society and for helping to get the message out, so that others were warned and could make their way to safety.


To find out more, here are a few links here and here and here

Tuesday 1 September 2009

Jacqueline Tagged me!!!


I got tagged this week by the lovely Jacqueline over at Home.

Jacqueline is great and funny, if you haven't visited her yet, give yourself a treat and go and see her, I doubt you will be disappointed.

Anyway, Jacqueline tagged me. I panicked there for a little while and thought oh my god, what if I let her down and I went and hit behind the sofa for a while, like a big fat blubbering baby.

"What if I get this wrong , what if I let her down"

Francis (with an i) told me to stop being a wuss and get on with it, after all she wasn't asking me to run naked down the high street, signing at the top of my voice, it's a simple request and something fun to do.

Here's what you do.

1 - Open the fourth file where I store my photos.
2 -Pick the 4th photo.
3 - Explain the photo.
4 - Pass challenge onto 4 other bloggers.

I'm such a baby at times (says she rolling her eyes at her own stupidity)

So there it is above, the fourth photo, from the fourth file.

This is one of my own creations and was made for my beautiful daughter Patricia.
It was made to represent the English rose that she has grown into and was also part of her 21st birthday prezzies.
Each setting for the beads were made by me from silver wire and many of our friends have said that it is one of my finest pieces of work. It maybe because I made it with love for her.
It is in fact only the second charm bracelet that I had made at the time. It maybe because I made it with love for her.
All the beads are glass or sterling silver, even the links were made by my hand.
When Patricia first tried it on, it fell straight off her wrist, I had made it to fit me really forgetting just how tiny my daughter is when compared to me and I had to remove a fair few links and re-jiggle the charms on it, but it is a perfect fit now. Plus I have fitted a safety chain to it so that even if it opens up, she won't loose it.
Best part is that everyone who sees it comments on it and it is uniquely hers.

Phew!!!!!
Now to select the four of you to pass this on to, Mwhahahaha.

Shaddy over at Paper Cut Scream

Liz over at Finding Life Hard

Mel over at Melsdream

Mamma over at The Mamma Has Spoken

So there you go girls, you've been tagged, just don't go hide behind the sofa like I did.

Thanks jackie, your a doll.xx

Monday 31 August 2009

Just A Little Funny


I found this while rummaging around the internet, thought you lot might find it amusing.

Sunday 30 August 2009

Welcome To My End Of Summer Party.


Today is Bank Holiday Monday, this is the last public holiday until Boxing Day on 26th December, so some way to go to get another public holiday. Plus it will be too cold to be outside.

For me this Bank Holiday means the end of summer days, as you will know summer this year was a wash out and as a result I got to thinking what I would like to do if weather and travel were not in my way.

So dear friends here is my ideal way to end summer and celebrate new and old friends.

Obviously this is a total fantasy, but who cares a girl can dream and we all know that Peter Pan is close, personal friend of mine!!!!!!!

First of all welcome to my humble home.........

Please feel free to come into the garden and take some refreshments.........





We can sit and chat a little at the tables and get to know each other a bit.


There's a table under the shade for those of you who don't want too much sun today, it is after all such a beautiful blue sky day and so very very hot.

Afterwards I thought we could all take a stroll through my gardens. Oh look how hard my garden fairies have worked this years they are so very sweet to me.

We will just pass through this gate....oh wait till you see it all.


Oh! um! yes well... I do have a rather large snail problem, but to be honest she's very good and stays away from my hostas


Look see that's my Patricia and her Unicorn, but please don't tell any one about him, as they might want to take him away and put him in a zoo and that really isn't fair as he is so happy here.



This is my purple phase, I find purple calming and relaxing, we could linger a while and just listen to the breeze blowing gently through the trees.


Please don't be afraid of Percy, he's rather kind and considerate and gave up eating children and adults for that matter a few hundred years ago. He's a strict vegetarian these days. If you tickle him under his chin he will rollover and let you tickle his tummy. Percy is just a big softie really.

But don't miss out tickling the tin man or he may cry and I really don't want him to rust.


Do you think that my pumpkin will be ready for Halloween, I'm a bit worried it won't be big enough.



This is the gardeners house, she very nice and gets lots of help from the fairies who live at the bottom of the garden,


Why do fairies live at the bottom of the garden? Maybe it's all the flowers at the bottom of mine that they find so lovely.

Or could it be that they always have blossom growing down here as well.





This is our Japanese phase, we like a bit of serenity in our garden, it gives you time to reflect.We should stroll down by the river and go to see the waterfalls, but before we go just look over the hedge at my neighbours house and gardens. They are really sweet people and give me lots of advice on the garden.


Oh it's nice and cool under these trees and it leads to the waterfalls.

It's so lovely strolling under the trees with you all.

It won't be long now before we get to the waterfalls.

They are just over this bridge. Oh don't worry the bridge is stronger than it looks.


This is the first one, we put it here to announce the others.

Isn't that one great, it's not our best one mind, but to see that we will have to go up a little higher. We'll take the cable cars up to the top. I want you to save your feet for this evening!!!!



Here we are at the top and my favorite waterfall, see how kind the fairies have been to me and made this for me. I am such a lucky girl.


Shall we go back down to the lawns and play some croquet.


Oh, look at you all, you seem to have really taken to it.


Oh! you do look so lovely.


I think we should have our silhouettes painted as a keep sake of the day.


Ladies,we will be having a dinner and dance tonight, would you all like to come with me and have some pampering.


You ladies are going to love it in here.


That's right ladies sit and relax for a while and have a good old girl natter.

Don't worry about the men folk, they are well taken care of.
Psss boys!!! go with Francis (with an i). He's got a few things for you to do.

If you don't fancy that try this......


Every one look, one of the boys has managed to get in some fishing, Oh look how relaxed he is bless.


Right Ladies and Gentlemen, I think it is time we dressed for dinner.
Gentlemen please help yourselves to a tuxedo.


Ladies, a treat for your eyes, pick a dressing room anyone you want, we have dresses in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes.



And don't forget to chose your shoes.

I'll be in my dressing room all over excited and not sure what to wear.

Phew! I'm finally ready....yes! yes! This is me looking exactly like Ms Audrey Hepburn, but hey this is my fanasty end of summer party and I do have magic mirrors all over this house.

Oh! don't we all look so pretty, I see you all found the magic mirrors, although I doubt some of you really needed them.

I do believe the Gentlemen are ready for us Ladies,so lets sweepdown my stair case like I own the place......oh! that's right! I do own it ........
Sweep Ladies, like you mean it....


Champagne everyone.


Cheers, to old friends and new friends, all for one and one for all.


The peacock says that dinner is served. I have magic chefs as well so you can order anything your heart desires.

Wow! My bell tent never looked so good inside, I did tell you it was huge.

Here's the entertainment. How grand the fairies have brought back Fred and Ginger for us.


Aren't they grand.

Tango anyone.

Don't we all look great and so in time.
If you would like to come outside, I have a couple more surprises for you all.

And finally, these hot air balloons will take you the way home, flying you up high with the stars and moon. You will be perfectly safe, the fairies have promised me.





And so to bed for me, night night one and all.


Thanks for coming, it's been a lovely day.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin