Floral Art

As requested, here are some pictures of some floral art by my Mum and I. This first one is by me a few years ago, the class category was something like "a day at the seaside", the one below is by my Mum, the class title was "Musicals", and it represents Jesus Christ Superstar.
There would have been a few more, but I've kind of broken the scanner, oops! Apologies for the quality, they were taken on film quite a few years ago, and the scanner isn't great quality, but hopefully you get the idea.

Bad Blogger!

Yet again, I'm being a bad blogger, no I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, it's just that I've got a bit busy all of a sudden. Anyway, i have a lovely long post planned out, with lots to talk about!

Right, first things first, currently at parents house busy working at the climbing wall. Lex has started his new job, is currently home alone, and apparently misses me, though not so much he's not going to watch the start of the Tour de France in London this weekend, and not see me until Sunday, at which point I go home for more work!

Work today was not an experience I want tomorrow, we were out at the Roaches with a private school, and it rained, and rained, and rained, in torrents. All the kids ended up in the emergency shelter due to having no waterproofs, while I faced the rain and took the ropes down. Despite having £200 waterproofs I was drenched, every waterproof has a big design flaw, the holes for your hands and head, and when it's running down your face and down your neck it doesn't matter how expensive the waterproof is! (And breath, mammoth sentence there!) Anyway, I was soaked, just need to get everything dry now.


Ok next, according to the Gender Genie , I write like a man (found courtesy of Jo). Basically it analyses text from your blog, and looks for certain words which are typically masculine or feminine. My score comes out at Female Score: 776, Male Score: 1016, so it's a close thing but I'm still a little upset, well you know what I mean....

Finally, I am considering myself tagged by Niobe, for the eight things about you meme. Errrr eight things about me that you might not know

1) Until the age of 19 I lived in the same house for all but 2 weeks of my life.
2)Age 13 I did the Juan de Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island, all 47Km of it, over 5 days, carrying everything we needed.
3)I have an Aunty who lives in America, and an uncle in Australia.
4) Aged 18 I travelled to Thailand by myself.
5) I have entered and won prizes in Floral art Competitions
6) I worked at a riding stables every Friday night for nearly 6 years, and have been on 4 trail riding holidays covering about 270 miles, with another week in the saddle to come.
7) Both my mother and I are thwarted vets.
8) I love to read, like love it, I hardly ever don't have a book on the go, my mother's prediction for my future profession in my baby book was a librarian.

Right, I am now meant to tag 8 people, however I don't know 8 people who haven't already done this, if you read this and want a go then feel free.

Birthday photos

As requested by Niobe of Dead Baby Jokes here are photos of my birthday.


Please ignore the shiny forehead, I'd been cooking all day, and was without electricity for 6 hours!

Well I just did my last day at school, just in time for the roads to reopen. I've got the review session, er like now errrr better run! oops!

Thank goodness I live on a hill

I've not made it in to school either today or yesterday, I've tried both days yesterday I got as far as the dual carriageway heading towards the M1, today we didn't even make it that far. While the waters have subsided greatly the dam threatening the M1 is still in danger of bursting, so the motorway is still closed. Many roads are severely damaged, or still under water. School has told us not to come in , as the 25 mile journey is taking as long as 4 hours.

Oh and did I mention it's my birthday today, I'm meant to be having people round to celebrate. Problem is that 12,000 people are without power, they're trying to restore power to them. The problem being some of the sub stations were under 5 foot of water so aren't working, they're trying to sort out power, but in order to do that they're cutting off the power to various parts of the city for 3 hours at a time. I'm praying it won't be while I'm cooking for 10 people tonight.

However at least my house doesn't look like this.

Where can I get an ark?

It's raining, lots, and lots, and lots, and buckets, and poodles, and cats, and cats, and maybe even frogs!
The school I'm at closed at lunchtime, the science corridor had to have it's power shut off due to a leaking roof, and the road it's on was closed due to flooding. the school fields developed a lake, and well you get the picture. Getting home was worrying us, but luckily all was well. We've got to go in tomorrow but there will be no kids in due to continuing risk of electrocution, death, fire etc. Apparently you can take these risks with the staff!

The climbing wall Lex works at as had to close, the River Don has burst it's banks, flooded the car park, and has made it in to the entrance hall. Luckily the climbing hall is about 1m higher, so hopefully it will be spared!

Moving

I've been quiet recently, but for a very good reason! I've now officially moved house, if anyone needs to know more then they already do!
The new flat is lovely, everything is unpacked (apart from Lex's man room, but that's up to him!), and we're settling in nicely. The only problem with 2 people moving in together who used to have independent lives is the amount of stuff! Somehow we had 5 drying racks, 15 sharp knives, 10 saucepans, the list goes on!
Anyway, nothing more really to add, I've spent the day cooking ready for work next week, I've got the house to myself as Lex is out on his road bike I will enjoy my peace and quiet.

things I must remember when it all goes wrong occasionally

The following poems were taken from this website. To me they explain why I spend so much time volunteering to run a Rainbow unit. If you have kids, please make sure you appreciate the volunteers who give up their spare time, we may not be perfect, but we try our very best. If you have the time ask them if they want help, you can guarantee they won't say no! If you don't have kids, why not volunteer anyway, trust me it's well worth it.
Remember volunteers are unpaid not because we are worthless, but because we are priceless.



They're looking for volunteers again,
Be quick and duck your head.
Don't meet their eyes what ever you do,
Or just pretend you're dead.

Girl Guides and school and basketball,
Footbal and PTO,
Turn them down, every request,
Be firm and just say no.

I'm much too busy to help out,
Others have much more time.
It might cost me extra money,
I don't have an extra dime.

My work keeps me too busy,
I've no time to relax,
To spend time with some kids you see,
Is way too much of a tax.

And I've never volunteered before,
I don't think that I know how,
Everyone else knows more than me,
At least they do right now.

Others seem to know just what to do,
They've a knack to sustain it,
They must have done it all their lives,
Nothing else can explain it.

So rely on them for scout leaders
For the girls and boys,
They can coach my kid's football team,
And deal with all the noise.

They make this world a better place,
I want my kids to learn that,
Thats why I have them in the scouts,
and sports and stuff like that.

I guess that if I admit it to myself,
I've a little time to spare.
They say you can see a kids eyes light up,
When they know you care.

So come on and volunteer with me,
We'll learn how it is done,
I think that I will make the time,
What it might even be is fun.

Adapted from the original poem by Paul Nepermann, Cub Master, Pack 153

Because you said 'yes':

a young girl will feel the pride of being someone special as she carefully puts on her uniform for the very first time.
a girl can move to a new town and have "instant friendships" with girls she might never have met.
parents will experience that special pride when they listen to their daughter say the Girl scout Promise for the first time.
bright eyes will become a little brighter with excitement as the kindling finally catches on the first campfire.
nervous giggles will emit from tents as girls try to fall asleep their first night of camp.
the community, and the world will be richer because a girl has learned the importance of caring for her environment, and the warm feeling that comes from giving service to someone less fortunate than herself.
a parent will find a gold trefoil carefully tucked away in a drawer as their daughter packs to leave home for her first adventures as a young adult.
a young woman will contact the Girl Scouts one day and say, "I had so much fun when I was a Girl Scout, I'd like to try being a Leader."
And the circle will continue...because you said, "YES"