A List of 5

A random list of random things.

• Loving opening up the calendar for next week and seeing Richard has written in each of our personal columns: Earl R, Duchess J, Maid K, Maid H and Stable Boy N


• Looking forward to Susie and her lovely daughters coming over later, we're going to bake cookies


• Thinking about my brother, it's been 2 years today


• Trying to balance work with the huge pile of laundry that has built up (where does it come from?) and second guessing what Maid K will want to take with her on her Duke of Edinburgh award weekend!


• Smiling every time I remember opening up the fridge one morning and finding this:
  

RIP HD

My iMac hard drive is no more...

And just when I was going to start to get back in to my blogging. Ty-pi-cal! Anyway, this is not going to stop me because I've still got my Macbook which, although frustrating sometimes because it's smallish (I did want the big Macbook but budget couldn't stretch unfortunately), is good enough to let me get done what I need to get done.

OK, I've broken the blog silence, phew! Will post a catch up post later today to bring you all up to speed with what's been going on in our abode.

PS iMac is in for repair and will hopefully be back in my loving arms shortly :D

Simples

OK, so turns out it wasn't too long a job to sort out my blog as I did have a copy of my files on my home computer. Yay. Simples.

Apologies for the blogging tardiness but I'm blaming the snow days, impending major life changes and all that that has entailed. Normal service will be resuming shortly and I have some blog posts already written, well, I say written, they're in my head waiting to be written so watch this space.

Among the many posts to come in the next week or so I will be bringing you some Freebie Friday digital freebies, shoes in fridges, happiness and an update on my 17 Again post, along with telling you my big life changing decision!

I Am Resolute

Resolute: Firm, unyielding, determined.

Yes, that's what I am. Resolute. Resolute that I am not making any new year's resolutions.

I do however have goals... Oh, surely that's the same thing I hear you cry? No. It's not. Obviously.

Goal: A result that one is attempting to achieve.

See? Not the same thing at all. If I make a resolution and don't keep to it then I will have failed in my endeavours to try and keep it but if I don't happen to achieve my goal then it doesn't mean I've failed, just that I didn't reach my goal. All the work and effort put in to achieving that goal is still valid. Still means something. Takes me that bit closer to achieving my goal.

Weird logic? Maybe but it's mine and I'm sticking to it! So no, I have made no resolutions for 2010 but I do have some goals:

• Lose weight, slowly and steadily


• Get fitter and healthier


• Spend more time outdoors


• Find a job


• Try one new recipe a month


• Learn how to use Illustrator


• Finish my brothers album and get it printed


• Drink more water

I'm sure there will be more but that's the great thing about goals. They can change you can add to them as the year goes on.

Happy New Year to all my family, friends (both old and new, real and virtual) and wishing you all a fabulous 2010.

180º

The degree of turn I executed on the road this afternoon!

I wanted, didn't need, but wanted to pop to the local craft shop (more on this below) and literally only got a few 100 yards down the road when the car started to spin on some black ice. I admit my first split second reaction was to panic but then I remembered that you are supposed to steer in to a skid not try to steer out of it - so I did. It was a really strange moment. No, my life did not flash before my eyes but I felt weird. Everything seemed to slow down and I was there but not there if you know what I mean.

The car was skidding to the right, so I steered to the right. It felt almost balletic as the rear end of the car swung round and I found myself stationery but facing the opposite direction on the other side of the road. I didn't hit anything, not even the curb, and no damage to myself - apart from my nerves! As I was close to home I just drove straight back. Slowly and carefully straight back. My heart was hammering.

After a few minutes I ventured out again. Not because I needed to, lol, but because I wanted to go to the local craft shop, Sparkle Dreams, and look at their newly stocked range of Ciao Copic markers! That and the new Magnolia stamps they received on Friday. This time I made sure to stick with the main roads and made it there, and back, safely.

And talking of Sparkle Dreams I have some news. From January I will be teaching a couple of classes a month, to start with anyway, at the shop, joining Solance and Sandie as part of the team. I'm really excited even though it is a break from my usual teaching of scrapbooking as I will be teaching card classes. But not just any card classes. No. I'm really going to concentrate on techniques and creating cards with a difference. Cards that are interactive or not your usual run of the mill.

If you are interested in booking a place for my class on 16th January 2010 call the shop on 01793 979101 or email to hello@sparkledreams.co.uk. I'll be posting some photos of the cards we will be doing sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Blogging will probably be a bit sporadic over the next couple of weeks as I plan to spend some family time, playing board games, watching Christmas movies, cooking, eating, drinking but I will be back with a vengeance in the new year. I've got lots planned, including some more digital giveaways, so bookmark me and watch this space.

We Are (Almost) Ready For Launch

Are you ready cadets? This is mission control. Please remain seated at all times. Keep your arms and legs inside. No smoking, eating, drinking, video taping or flash photography. We are (almost) ready for launch.

Be prepared to go on a journey through time, not space. Check in will be at 4pm tomorrow, Monday 30th November 2009, and be afraid, be very afraid. Warning: links may include dodgy 70s clothes, scary 80s hair, or 90s, well, can't think of anything too bad with the 90s so you may be alright with those!

Today

Let's talk playlists. Today I'm listening to:

• Crazy In Love - Beyoncé


• Happy Day - Tim Hughes


• Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyoncé


• Feeling Good - Michael Bublé


• Love Song - Sara Bareilles


• Low - Flo Rida


• Off I Go - Greg Laswell


• Umbrella (Christ Mix) - Coffey Anderson


• 7 Things - Miley Cyrus


• Toxic - Britney Spears


• How You Remind Me - Nickelback


• Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers


• Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol


• The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script


• I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas


• 1234 - Feist


• Another Now - Kate Alexa


• Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie


• Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine


• Don't Speak - No Doubt


• That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings


• Hurt - Christina Aguilera

Quite a mix. Particularly loving 'Off I Go', 'Hurt' and 'Feeling Good'. What are you listening to?

Feeling Good