Pow! It's The Finish Line!

Your highs and lows for the month:

Well I could start with a low that I have a croaky throat and cough that could bring up a lung. I've been getting heavy hints all day to step in and take over a situation when all I want is a rest.  That is not what this challenge prompt means though, I don't think so at least.  The cough medicine I'm taking has one hell of a kick so I'm probably at the point where I don't really care!

So, start with the Eeyore moments -

The lows were the amount of times I felt I was looking back at things I cannot change.  It almost felt like a pity party.  There is no way to change the past and I have a bad habit sometimes of dwelling there and becoming all morose by over thinking all those mistakes and missed opportunities.

Perhaps it's a good thing to get it all out, to stop constant "whatiffery". A good bellyache and done.  Eh, yeah, we'll go with that.

As for the highs, well having written more through this than I have for a while it's beginning good habits I won't allow to lapse.  I've written other pieces, not online, which may lead somewhere or just serve as sketching for the bigger picture.

It's also made me think, reassess, look at where I am.  For the past few years it's been all about the ME/CFS, the coping, the understanding, the frustrations.  There isn't much I can do about it but I can't let it win, even the days where getting out of bed feels monumental I can't.

And now I'm waffling.

That's never going to stop.  The waffling.

But I feel like this...

...even if I couldn't possibly hold that pose for long!

Limping To The Finish Line - It's Day 29

What are your goals for the next 30 days -

This would be a "what lessons have we learned" post again but to be honest the last week hasn't been a great example of the fact that I want to continue regularly writing on here for the next 30 days and beyond.

I fell almost at the finish line, picked myself up... and I'm going to stop that analogy right there.

I do wish to start writing again, even if it is only for my own eyes.  I can entertain myself, might as well!  It's going to be a busy month, no break this year, so it will be interesting to see what state I am in 30 days from now, especially as the rushing around of the last week has brought out a sore throat and back ache, my ME/CFS alarm bells are ringing.

There are other '30 Days' prompts I might use, by the time I get around to thinking of what to post my brain has usually switched off so it's good to have a sort of cheat sheet.  If it starts good habits then it will be worth it.

I have this picture on my vision board (yes I have one, judge if you will).  It's where I would like to be, writing, sketching, watching the world go by from some little cafe.

Oops, Day 28 A Little Late

That commitment I made, which I've written about previously, kind of got in the way of the commitment I made to do this and not fall by the wayside.

As excuses go I'll stick with it. Did you miss me? No, didn't think so.

Post five things that make you laugh out loud:

With the power of YouTube...

I am never not going to find that funny. Some pranks are cruel, some go too far but this is genuis!

I do believe if he could talk, my eldest cat would have a similarly laconic drawl apart from the American accent that is.

I can't believe this must be about 20 years old, it's just as funny no matter how many times an episode is viewed.  I downloaded a box set of episodes and introduced my sons to the joy of Father Ted, each generation a new fan base is created.  I believe this is called 'timeless'.

Similarly, I just think The IT Crowd had spectacularly funny moments and seeing my sons get the humour renews my enjoyment in them. Peter File...fnar!

Finally, on my theme of things I've rediscovered on viewing it with my sons...Airplane!  Completely forgot how many daft little jokes there were in it - some very close to the bone, I doubt they'd be permitted now.  There's a scene, with people on the luggage carousel, that had my eldest boy laugh so hard he nearly injured himself.

On The Final Run - Day Twenty-Seven

A little more optimistic this one...

Conversely, write about something that's kicking ass right now -

Ooh, despite my usual Eeyore exterior I do have some points in life I'm happy with.

One involves such adult concepts as marketing plans, business plans and networking.  The result of which will hopefully mean we can afford holidays again!  Yes, it does boil down to that basic desire because it means I'm doing well if I can have a break away from it all!

The other ties in with everything I experienced last year and a move towards allying myself with a political party, becoming an activist, organiser and general do-er rather than just letting things pass by.  It's all that 'stand for something...'

I've always been opinionated, might as well do something about it at last.

This last thing is why I've been so tired of late, there's a local by-election, we have a candidate and no clue as to what we're really doing. Cue lots of running around. It has been hard work, my ME/CFS monster is wondering what the f**k I think I'm doing but it's all part of the learning curve.

The guy who is likely to win is one of those politician types; all smarmy arrogance and disregarding anyone not important enough.  That would make every single councillor we have in the area a white, elderly male - they'd make a great identity parade in a police line-up but it's rubbish for diversity.

Day 26 - Let's Share With The Group Again

As though we haven't done enough of that, here, I'll open up another vein of private information.  If nothing else this will be somewhat entertaining to look back on, pity I don't drink any more as it'd probably be funny from under a fuzzy haze.

Write about an area in your life you'd like to improve -

Ooft, again, just the one?

Okay, there are more important ones, some which I obviously can't do anything about but would otherwise be top of the list.  In that light then there is an area that would give me a deep sense of happiness were I to have some level of competence.

Indeed, this is something that I am working towards although I don't get enough time to truly dedicate to my practice.

My art, or scribblings as would be more apt.  As yet I haven't developed a style of my own, I have a tendency to be a little too illustrative where I'd like to be more abstract.  I don't want to show, I want to hint at and have the eye do the remaining work.

Recently I've tried a couple of exercises to help my lack of tone - two medium, two colours, two hours.  I only ever really do sketches rather than work at a piece until I'm happy.  I actually quite like what I've produced recently.

This post needs examples, it's late, I'm tired, so will add them tomorrow morning.

Day 25 - And It's Google's Birthday Anyway...

...according to their daily illustration.  So apt that they play a part in this.

Think of any word. Search for it on Google images. Write something inspired by the 11th image.

First word that popped into my head was 'friend'. Which is quite lame really but I'm watching TV just now so I've probably heard it a minute beforehand.  As I'm watching Zoo it's not as weird as this could have been.

As someone whose highlight of the year is a holiday somewhere sunny then this kind of image immediately warms me inside.  It doesn't make me think of friendship but of the sun on my face, the breeze from the ocean and that general atmosphere of calm relaxation.

I can conjure up that feeling now and, especially as there will sadly be no break for us this year, it is delicious.

There's a little beach near where we've gone on holiday the past few years, strangely we've never gone during the day but in the evening as we walk down to the town centre.  As the sun sets we take in the colours in the sky as they dip into the ocean, the water is still warm from the day and without the crowds of determined sun worshippers it is perfect.

Every now and then there are older, Spanish people swimming or fishing in the quiet twilight. It is usually after dinner for us and before dinner for the locals, we nod greetings, smile and continue on our way.

The Google image doesn't make me think of friends - it makes me think of family, my family, and the memories we will carry with us forever.

Day 24 - More Lessons To Be Learned

Write about a lesson you've learned the hard way -

Again, so many to choose from: not relying on people, or trusting them, or believing what they say, or that they care about me but enough about my failed marriage. Aha!

Here's a lesson; don't expect things to happen by chance or because you think they should.

I was brought up to trust that life would work out. You grew up, got a job, got married, had a family, home, a quiet contented existence.  That sounds so boring yet so comforting and at the moment that's the mood I'm in.  Needing comfort. It wasn't an entrenched middle-class sense of entitlement although it might be sounding very like just that, I could think of nothing worse than being thought of in that demographic; we're not talking house prices and having a better car than the neighbours. Rather this is the plain blueprint my parents set out for me but then hid the plans so I had no idea how to achieve any of it and lacked the confidence to reach out for it.

So naturally I screwed the whole thing up.

Learning a lesson the hard way kind of ties in with everything I hope my sons have learned from me (Day 21).  I hope they go for what they want rather than wait for permission because even now, on my own, it's as though I can't go ahead without that parental say so.

And that's f**ked up.

On a brighter note, a colleague is in the US just now for her friend's wedding.  She's visiting the same area I lived in and it brought back some lovely memories.  See, I've not been a complete loss but I wish I could have stayed there longer!  I'd love to go back, visit old haunts and show my sons around, alas the familiar tale that has held me back so often - lack of funds.  One day maybe, before the boys have flown the nest, time is running out.

I Wrote A Letter To Day Twenty-three

...and on the way I dropped it.

Write a letter to someone, anyone -

I used to write letters, back in the days where penpals were the only contact with the rest of the world. To me it is a deeply personal thing.

I'm not saying that as a cop out or because I'm deadly tired. 

The letter is written in my atrocious handwriting, what needed to be said has been. It can never be sent, it will never be read but as a writing exercise is was cathartic.

Perhaps I will destroy the letter or hide it away in a drawer where I'll find it some day and unlock those emotions again with each word.  In the age of over sharing allow me this indulgence. Although this blog is possibly for my eyes only so the contents would be perfectly safe, a letter is best written by hand.

Day 22 - A Musical Interlude

I'm at the point of feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment so tried my best to avoid the internet yesterday - to no avail.  Productivity is quite low too, waiting to hear back from someone and it feels eternal.

Considering how diverse my music collection is, this one should be interesting...

Put your music on shuffle and post the first ten songs -

Seal - Kiss from a Rose

Shy FX - Shake Your Body

Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry

Sugababes - Stronger

Garbage - My Lover's Box

Handel - Xerxes (Serse) Ombra Mai Fu

The Beautiful South - Pretenders to the Throne

The Big Dish - Miss America

The Smiths - Shakespeare's Sister

The Piano (soundtrack) - The Embrace

Twenty-One To Day

See what I did there.  Boop.

This is a good one.

What three lessons do you want your children to learn from you?

Oh so many things but I do realise they have to make their own mistakes and not listen to my advice all the time.  It's how things work but I know there are (at least) three lessons they have appreciated.

If you have to judge a person do so on their character; not their background.  I guess this brings in everything from race to religion.  I did mistakenly introduce a touch of naivety in my sons with this lesson as they were once extremely puzzled why girl classmates shouldn't be able to do all things as they haven't ever gotten that "girls pink, boys blue" memo.  Well, their mum doesn't live by those rules.

You are masters of your own universe.  Yes there are many things in this world that could stop you doing what you want to but you have to take all the opportunities you can.  It might not quite lead where you want it to but make the best of it and things will work out just fine.  It's something I wish I had been told and yes, had I been things would have worked out more than just fine!

Travel, see as much as you can of this world.  I hopefully have given them a good start but I'd love them to travel, have adventures, experience this world and appreciate all it has to offer.  If Eldest does become the pilot he wishes to be then this should be fairly easy!

All in all I just want them to be happy in what they do, confident in who they are and content with the life they lead.  Maybe that should be three lessons in itself.

It's A Silly Day Twenty

Because it's

Post about three celebrity crushes

And that's not as interesting as it would have been to discuss three weird crushes.

Having made the admission yesterday I do happily agree that celebrity crushes are easy to fall into, or at least crushes on the characters celebrities play.  Musicians, not really my thing although bizarrely I used to think what it would be like to be friends with some and I have actually kissed a fairly well known musician.

Celebrities who are celebrities and that's all...there's nothing to crush on, a shallow desire sure but no crush.  Maybe that's against the rules then, to crush on a character rather than a celeb but there you go. I am nothing if not swimming against the tide.  I'll chose folk I think are as close to celebrity as I think I'm going to get.

So, now to think...

Do I have to justify my reasons? Uft!

 Chris O'Dowd
Steve Carell - especially his voice
 John Cusack - because I grew up in the 80s and...of course.

Day Nineteen - Let's Be Brief

Discuss Your First Love -

I could choose all sorts of things, all sorts of people to express love for but I realised a few years ago what a fickle emotion it is.  The love I have for my sons, the love I had for my parents (difficult at times), the love I have for silly day to day things but when people say love they mean finding a soulmate. I thought I was but as it was based on a lie then it really wasn't so therefore...

That Scottish 80s band Wet, Wet, Wet said it best when they sang:

Been all around the edges but I've never been in love

Day 18 - Oh Look, A List!

Post 30 Facts About Yourself

1. I like being born in December
2. Love being a mum to twins, I'd have been very happy to have triplets too
3. My bucket list is full of strange things
4. I wish I could recapture the feeling of Christmas when I was young
5. The smell of a sunny day in late autumn is the best thing
6. I really don't like seeing other people's feet
7. If I could afford to I'd go on holiday every chance I could
8. The company of animals is my preferred choice these days
9. I'm very opinionated
10. And stubborn
11. I like to perform random acts of kindness for no reason at all (hence the name random)
12. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to live in another country, be from another country
13. I have never been loved by a man (I wasn't related to that is, I mean lusty love not family!)
14. I am rubbish at starting and maintaining a conversation nine times out of ten
15. I don't own a Kindle (other electronic books are available for rejection) nor do I intend to
16. I'd like to be a published author one day
17. I'd like to sell some of my artwork too for that matter
18. People don't get me
19. Being a stay-at-home mum was (despite rubbish marriage) the best job I've done
20. I'd like to be content
21. I really don't like driving but I have to, if I could I'd bike and take the train everywhere
22. Sometimes I like to stop and just take it all in
23. I want to be better at speaking other languages
24. I once thought of becoming a photographer
25. My dad's family reportedly descend from Huguenot stock
26. I own many books, don't ask me to give any of them up
27. I like being European but have never thought of myself as British, am a republican too
28. I hate it when people sing to each other, even worse if they sing at me *cringe*
29. I can bend my fingers right back
30. I'm quite a good painter and decorator but I can't wallpaper to save myself!

I'm fairly boring so as actual facts would have run out after about number ten then I've padded the list with various nonsense.

It's Written In The Stars - Day Seventeen

(I make no apology for that heading.)

Post about your zodiac sign, and whether or not it fits you.

Look I'm a fire sign!

I know some people are horrified at the thought of astrology but really, I look on it with some humour and fun.  If the moon can control the waves perhaps the planets control our moods, who knows, certainly not me.  Horoscopes are a load of bunk though.

I'm a Sagittarian.  More fittingly I was born in the Chinese astrological Year of the Pig, that probably says more about me.

I do like being the sign of the archer (design wise at least) but we're meant to be sporty, the life and soul of the party and I'm anything but that.  It makes for nice jewellery though and there is something of human comfort in having a set jewel, colour, planet and all that kind of thing.

We are meant to love travel and I most certainly do, if money were no object I would be off several times a year (ignoring any physical restraints because lack of money is there to hold me back anyway!)

My ex was a Virgo, we're meant to be incompatible signs, well, should have taken that as a warning then.

Day 16 - Ye Dancin'?

Something that you miss -

As it is a thing rather than a person I'm going to go for something I do look forward to going back to when my health returns.

Zumba!

There is no way I would have gone to a dance class but with Zumba talent is not needed.  I absolutely loved my Zumba on Mondays and, if I had the time, Thursdays too.  My whole day had a bounce to it and even now hearing one of the songs has me doing a little jig in my seat.

I do have Just Dance, that Wii game, bought before the illness started.  Sons and I used to have competitions to see how many we could do and who would get the highest score, it was great fun.  I do occasionally pop it on and can sometimes get one song done before enough.

But Zumba was a way to excise my desire to dance without making a fool of myself in front of 'serious' dancers and there are always a few at classes who don't take it as a hobby!  It didn't matter if I got the steps wrong or didn't keep time because the music kept going and we were on to the next.  I always wanted to try flamenco dancing and these classes had a bit of everything.

Plus dancing for exercise makes you bum round and waist trim.  Ha.

When looking for videos for examples I note that each Zumba teacher must make up their own routines but this video was the closest I could find to one we actually did.

So I decided to also add my favourite Just Dance routine (meaning about the only one I could actually beat my sons at!)

Day 15 - A Difficult Decision So A Day Late

Yesterday I was still in mid-crash, the last part is always the kicker. Looking back at what I did, or rather all that I didn't do, was extremely painful.

Do I show what living with ME/CFS is like?  I know if anyone is reading this it would possibly be dismissed as laziness without understanding just why everything is such a monumental effort.  Can I get across the sheer frustration of not being able to do the simplest things one day yet the next I can push myself a little further?

It's hard to put myself up for judgement like this. I see how pathetic I look, I can hear the scorn and snide jokes about "wish I could rest all day".  No you don't, believe me you really don't.

Bullet point your whole day -

Shit, here goes...

• 7 am - Ugh, hate alarms and now the mornings are getting darker I hate them too.  Start "waking up" before I have to physically get up.

• 7:30 - Wake the boys up, prepare breakfast for them. Let the dog out to the garden to read last night's fox pee-mail. Feed the cats.

• 8 am - Despite the drama of the  weekend Eldest still wants to cycle to school so off they go. Shove wash on, taking advice from my fuggy head and achy limbs admit defeat so back to bed before the pain starts.

• 11 am - annoyed I've lost the morning, aware this is not a day to attempt work without making more mistakes than I'm trying to resolve.  Rest hasn't helped. 

• 11:30 - clean part of the bathroom, give up as arms leaden so shower.  It used to make me feel refreshed, now I just feel drowned.

• 12 - rest, yes, even though I've done nothing I'm whacked out. Take dog for run around the park behind our house. He runs, I shuffle along.  Oh look it's raining.

• 1pm - need some food for dinner. Off to the local shop where I promptly forget what I needed. Grab some of the usual suspects and home before anyone sees me.

• 2 pm - after another rest the sicky feeling has dissipated somewhat so make some cream cheese on toast for lunch. Get started on the dinner as I can see how this day is going.

• 3:30 - remember about the wash! Day has gone to rain since this morning so fold it up.

• 4pm - the boys are home, full of their day in school. I love this part of the day where I listen to their stories of who did what, things they learned. 

• 5:30 - dinner is boring, when I can't think clearly I fall back on the old faithful recipes I could make in my sleep but even then I feel the food is tinged with my lack of energy and enthusiasm. It feels like failure.

• 6:45 - auld peacenik here has both sons in the air cadets. Eldest has wanted to be a pilot since he was two and for people like us this is the only way he can achieve that. He wants to fly those big fat supply planes, as long as it's not fighters or drones!  I wonder if he'll get a space or be pushed out by the usual middle-class kids from private school, if it's on enthusiasm and hard work he'll be fine but we know how the UK works.  Youngest is considering engineering, he'd quite like to work for NASA or ESA so I can guess what he'd like to design.  Anyway, I drop them off as I want to feel I've done *something* today.

9:30 - time for pick up. I've been avoiding the computer all day yet my head is being crushed in the vice anyway.  On a plus point my limbs have gone that weird cold, numb way and my back and ribs no longer ache either.

10:30 - boys showered and off to bed.  Me too.  And now the big joke of ME/CFS - I can't sleep.

So that was yesterday.  I've not detailed the pain or unrelenting fatigue as it was in danger of turning into a pity party as it stands. Would someone with ME/CFS look at this as a cop out because I've not described just how frustrating it is not to be able to do normal things or hopefully understand not wanting to focus on every little failure?

The sun is shining today, hoping it will be a better day once this neck ache sorts itself out.

One day I will wake up and all this will be over.  I hope it's soon.

Day Fourteen - Reasons Not To Be Online

Post your favourite movies that you never get tired of watching:

There is no better way to spend a few hours than being lost in a film or in the pages of a book.  So once I've posted these I will no doubt start scouring the dvd collection (yes, I'm old fashioned enough not to just stream everything).

It's Sunday, it's autumn, it's made for film afternoons/evenings!

Note that these are probably (definitely) not high brow, I read trash novels too.  It's all escapism and sometimes you just want candy floss.  In order not to have the longest blog post in history I've limited myself to five and made the rule that if these were on TV I'd make a special point of turning over to watch.

Amelie - loved this film from first viewing. For obvious reasons to any only child out there.  And the music. See if you can spot what they did with the opening credits.

Dear Frankie - crying. Every. Single. Damn. Time.  Plus, Gerard Butler was good once.

In Bruges - it is just not what I expected, the black humour sparkles. Plus, Colin Farrell was good once.

Casino Royale - full of plot holes but for the Eva Green character and the fact I grew up watching James Bond films with my dad I'll gladly waste an evening in the company of this.  The "Bond song" and opening credits are amazing too.

Restless Natives - there were not many films where I could hear my accent as I was growing up.  Unless it was as drunks on English TV shows.  This is the kind of spirit I know exists in Scotland, that cheeky two-fingers up to the Establishment and you know what I'm going to say next - bet they would all be Yes voters!

Someone To Watch Over Him - Day 13

Perhaps it's strange that while I'm firmly in the agnostic camp when it comes to faith there is one thing I do believe in and that is guardian angels.  No, I don't mean feathery winged types but there have been a few times in my life where I've narrowly escaped something major that should have happened.  I won't explain it further just now as I'm thinking my sons have similar and if I were to assign it to anyone, I would think their grandpa was looking out for them.

Today, for several hours, I was in the A&E department of the local hospital with Eldest.  It was something that could have had serious consequences, on phoning the NHS helpline we were directed to go immediately there.  Luckily it sorted itself out but may occur again.  On the way home Eldest commented that this isn't the first time were a scary illness has been warded off him.

Meanwhile another few grey hairs for auld mum and another few months off my life.  I let some people down today, because I had to go to the hospital and I'll chew myself up about that for a while. Eldest is fine and that is all that matters.

What are you excited about?

Excited...well, as I'm not going on holiday this year then I have to scale it down a notch.  Usually at this time we're on the last few weeks before a week sponging up the sunshine and enjoying having someone else cook, clean and generally be responsible.  Come December I will feel it, the endless trudge of days.

So, what excites me just now - decent art supplies, a project to hand and an afternoon to spend indulging myself.

Never mind wish you were here, wish this was me!

It's Insomnia, It's Day Twelve Early Hours

Here's another alarm bell warning, when exhaustion should be sending me to bed to rest and recuperate but instead I am wide awake just awaiting the crash.  *sigh*

So it's probably a good thing that the next theme is this -

Write about five blessings in your life:

Now if you have been reading this blog, and god knows I'm most likely to be the only audience, then you'll know I'm a pessimist stuck in an optimist's body - or is it the other way round?

It is hard to think of the good things but still I can account for at least five blessings right now.


My Sons

Of course, of course, of course it would be top of the list for these two.  They've made a happy woman very old!  An old photo here, about 10 years ago, but I loved watching them build sandcastles - very serious, very industrious.  Hours of fun guaranteed.  They'll be on every list where I have to name good things so get used to it.


My health

Say what?  What am I on about?  Does the ME/CFS/whatever they want to bloody call it now not count?  Yes, yes it does and I'm up at nearly 2:00 am because of it but I can still walk, I am not house bound, I am not bed bound.  This may drag me down to the very depths of despair some days, I have forgotten what it feels like to awake refreshed, being able to walk a few metres without needing to find a resting place would be marvellous but I could be a lot worse.

It's a Pollyanna moment despite what has been described as the most debilitating of chronic illnesses, one that is constantly undermined and misunderstood but it's not going to win.  I fully believe that one day it will pass and I can go back to a normal life, that's what makes me consider my health a blessing.

My hobbies

Is this a weird choice?  I don't care.  If I didn't have my sewing, my art, my writing, I would have been conquered by the black moods long ago. They give me an outlet to forget about things for a while, to get some enjoyment no matter how ill I am on a day, even if it's just looking through art books with shaking hands then it lifts the spirits.  I am so glad I have things that define me to myself.

This Little House of Mine

It may be in desperate need of some TLC but I have managed to keep a roof over our heads and in this day and age that is surprisingly difficult.  You would think in 2015 we would have worked out a way for everyone to be safe, fed and sheltered but human nature means no.

So I feel it is a blessing that, while each month is a financial juggling act and we've not the money to truly enjoy ourselves, we are housed, we have food and are relatively safe.  Many, many people are not.

Little Things

The bees who love the lavender in the garden.  Beautiful paintings accessible in galleries. Libraries in old buildings.  Listening to waves wash up on a Scottish beach.  Waving to the International Space Station as it passes overhead.  Appreciating the stars in a crisp, autumn night sky.  The wind rustling through long grass.  Pine trees carpeting the forest in their needles and the gentle creak of the wood.  Seeing a wild animal (calm down, I mean a red squirrel or something, no lions in Scotland - yet).  Watching the flowers and plants change through the seasons.  Fresh snow.  A little cottage by the sea. Standing on a sleeping volcano. Hearing a piece of music that perfectly captures the mood.  Climbing into a bed of clean, fresh sheets.  Snuggling in on a cold day.

Lots of tiny, little things that can make a life worth living.  That is a blessing indeed.

Day Eleven and We're Going To Get All Wistful Again

Third evening in a trot I've been out and about, I do not recommend this for ME/CFS sufferers at all as I'm barely holding on and tomorrow I will need to be careful not to crash completely.  All the warning signs are blaring like mad but I can't listen to them.

Tonight was the school concert, my sons have an amazing ability, both play the guitar, the piano and anything else they set their sights to, I am in awe of anyone who can play a musical instrument.  Hearing them sit down and work out how to play a tune they've just heard on TV, or practise a new piece for the guitar ensemble.

Two instruments I'd love to be able to play so effortlessly - the cello and the piano.  I can barely sing without cats arriving at the doorstep to see where the fight is, the boys read music, I just see lots of interesting shapes and patterns on the page.

Something you always think "What if..." about:

Oh, hear we go again with the dragging up the past, by the end of these thirty days it's going to have been like a giant therapy session.  Saving the NHS money with every post.

Okay, sometimes I do wallow in "what-iffery", it can consume a person if not careful.  And I'm not careful.  If things hadn't have happened as they did would I still have my sons though?  I've always felt so, it was more destiny, it was meant to be and I just picked a rubbish wastrel of a father. Blah.

There's a game people play "if you could go back and tell your teenage self some advice..."

If I could then my advice would be to believe in myself and to do what I wanted to do with my life and not what others wanted me to do.  Life would have been much simpler and I would have had a much different path to follow.

I say that here because if I had that confidence to speak against the grain, to ignore my mother's line of "What do you want to do that for" every time I said what I'd like to do with my life then...what if...

What if I had gone to art school?

What if my love for art and story-telling had been encouraged?

What if I'd had the brass neck to say "Guess what, I don't want to be a nurse or a secretary Mr Careers Advisor so try again"?

What if my parents had been able to recognise that what Mr Careers Advisor said was wrong and discussed things properly?

What if I had the courage now to be able to stand up for myself?

Day Ten is "Hump Day" in a Busy Busy Week

It's getting to the point of the week where I'm thinking I've missed days and I haven't.  This is the busiest week I've had in a long time and I'll be glad of a few hours with nothing to do.  I didn't really want to write about this in a tired frame of mind, that's when the ME/CFS brain fog is at it's worst so this will be a take it or leave it post that will probably need edited later.

Write about something for which you feel strongly:

The older I get, the more I prefer the company of animals and while there are a couple of topics that have me grasping for the correct words to show my feelings on the subject I'd have to say that nature is a top priority.

That sounds like a wide area, lots of meandering roads leading to one big issue and it is but when all is said and done I hate how we treat this world.

The animals, the land, it all has to bend to us.  I've recently started researching who owns Scotland via this man, having heard him speak on the subject and it is fascinating and horrifying in equal measures.  I had previously read about our beautiful highlands, far too much of which is owned by a handful of establishment figures for their own "pleasure" rather than for the good of the land and the people who no longer live on it.

The ecological destruction, the deforestation of native pine woods to the point where only 1% remain and raptors are continually poisoned is not how it should be.  Landowners would rather see thousands upon thousands of acres of the highlands scorched so they can go shoot a few pheasants (or a few peasants, they'd probably not be bothered).  There was a really good article I read which I now can't find but I will and link it here.

While it burns my soul to see Scotland like this I feel equally as passionate about the rest of the world too.  Who can possibly look at country size gaps in the Amazon rainforest and not understand how serious that is?  The lungs of the world and we've taken up smoking 100 a day.

While we fuck over the land we're equally as irresponsible with the wildlife so let's not even go near the disgraceful concept of 'canned hunts' and the inadequates who feel the need to participate in them.  Hunting for food is different, hunting for sport is moronic.  We've hunted many species to extinction, many others to the point of extinction.  We're really useless as guardians of this world.

I mean, we invented a weapon that can destroy all life, including ourselves and we supposedly intelligent monkeys have stockpiles of these weapons to threaten each other with.  If there are aliens visiting us they must wondered what the hell we're about.

One Two Miss A Few - Day Nine

Yeah, yeah, sloppy Monday fell at the hurdle.  Just too much to do, it's going to be a busy week, yip, far too much to do.  Sometimes I want it to be over and done with, whatever it is.

Anyhoo...

Post some words of wisdom that speak to you:

This could be meme-tastic and the words depend entirely on mood, with that in mind I've decided on this from a favourite author, favourite book...if I could write like this I'd be a happy bunny.

“I let it go. It's like swimming against the current. It exhausts you. After a while, whoever you are, you just have to let go, and the river brings you home.” 

― Joanne Harris, Five Quarters of the Orange

Day Eight Has It's Groove On

List 10 songs that you're loving right now:

Right now doesn't mean current songs hopefully because I have no idea what's in the charts now...do they even have charts any more?

I don't really listen to music as much as I used to, growing old and fogeyish I guess but these, while not being my most favourite songs in the world, are high up on the iPod list (yes, I still have an iPod; yes it is old; no, I have no intention of changing it.)

Wonder what a psychologist would make of that mix?

And On The Seventh Day We Had...

Yeah, I know, I'm mixing the days up. Rebel, rebel. This was meant to be posted on Sunday but in a fit of pique I wrote it on Friday. Such fun.

Share something you struggle with:

Something?  Just one thing?  One?  I seem to struggle with most things in life and the older I get the more I seem to struggle.

It wasn't meant to be like this, at this age I thought I would have sorted it all and be living a fairly mundane life with hubby and kids and all of that which was expected of me.

Yet I'm not.

Perhaps the thing I struggle the most with is the past, I can't stop picking over the bones of what happened; what I should have done; what others did to me and how I shouldn't have let that rule my life but I have.  And the more I twist it over in my mind the more I struggle.

You would think the easiest thing to do would be to stop, oh yes, very easy, except it isn't.  Not for me anyway.

So there is my struggle and I don't see a way out.

And On To Day Six (Habit Forming This)

Five ways to win your heart

As soon as I read that I had a good internal chuckle to myself.  For me, since that episode in 2007 when everything relationship wise went South, I haven't really bothered.  After a while it just seemed to make sense to stay single, I had the boys as my priority and my self esteem and trust were shot to pieces.  Who would be patient enough to put up with that.  Plus now, with the ME/CFS, that's more than someone would want to contend with, I'm used to my own company and don't get any attention in that direction.

So all this is hypothetical as it is never going to happen but let's have some fun anyway.

When I was younger I used to say that I would want someone who loved me not only for who I am but who I could be.  Still true.

I'm honest to the point of tactlessness, I need honesty but I need someone who can just reign me in a little, gently and without being overbearing.

A sense of adventure, that is such a cliché but to have someone who enjoyed travelling around as much as I did would be necessary. Nothing stupid though, I said sense of adventure, that doesn't go extreme, I like looking at hills and buildings, not throwing myself off them tied to a bungee.

Treat me well and it will be reciprocated. As a nurturing nurturer (it's a word if I say it is) I can't help wanting to look after people and make them happy, to have that acknowledged with a smile, a touch of the hand...

Read me like a book. It's not an interesting story but I am full of quirks and that can be annoying so to have that recognised, accepted and loved despite it all would be amazing.  Plus, this is completely materialistic but to have that man know to buy me stupid things I like; a palette for my paints; other art supplies; a knick-knack I saw and admired. It doesn't have to be expensive, it often isn't (palettes are less than £2) but heartfelt and meaningful. In fact a beautiful seashell, stone, all free yet could lift the spirits indefinitely because it meant something.  I have done this many times myself for people and would love to be on the receiving end of someone who can read a wishlist, just once, so I know how it feels like.

Day Five - A Day Late (Ball Dropped)

Yes, so yesterday I had an event as part of my duties involving an aspect of my life I won't mention here, which sounds much more intriguing and suspicious than it actually is!  A quick reminded from my CFS that I have my limits means today is a crash so forgive me if I ramble, not that there is much of a difference.

Oh and day five is something I do spend a lot of time thinking about (daydreaming as is my want).

List five places you want to visit:

Only five and there is a whole world of places I'd love to go to with only lack of funds holding me back.  Most of these choices may just happen, and I truly hope they do, some might not -

I'll whittle it down to places I've never been and my top five would be

Swedish market -
stuff IKEA, I want to shop here

Scandinavia I'm probably one of many amongst the Nordic Noir fans in wanting to visit my Scandinavian cousins.  I say Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway as a whole as I'd love to see more than just the cities. Spend a few weeks touring around the four countries, enjoying everything I possibly could (Moomins included) - actually, this is something I'd love to do with my sons, before they're too old to want to tag along with old mum.

Sitges, Catalonia

Catalonia and not because I just mentioned it.  Okay, entirely because I just mentioned it.  I've never been to this part of Spain, I can't put Spain as a whole as I have been, I'd also like to visit the North of Spain.  Especially where Gran Hotel was filmed.  I've always felt very comfortable in Spain and not just because of the warmth of the sun in my bones.   Maybe if Catalonia have the backbone that Scotland didn't and become independent I'd like to settle amongst that confidence.

Collioure
I hear my sketchbook itching to open.

France - of all the European countries I've ever been to this is not one.  Many plans were made and scrapped at the last minute.  Again I've put the whole country as I'm greedy and want to visit it all.  My son delights in being able to remind me that while he went to Normandy with the school, I've not been.  Our family originated in Normandy apparently.  I'd like to start in the North and work my way down, of course Paris would have to be visited (I have a list of the supposed 10 best chocolate shops there, I feel it only fair that a consumer test is done to check validity of this assertion).

Collioure in the South, with it's artists would have to be another top destination to head to.


New Zealand In particular the South Island because look...

I love the Maori culture, I have an old Maori legends book my Uncle sent me many years ago but who can't fail to look at that scenery in utter awe.

Orkney Standing Stones

Skye, Orkney and Shetland now this can't go under the usual heading of Highlands and Islands because I have visited some and it is ridiculous that I haven't visited any of these three despite really wanting to.  Believe it or not it is cheaper for us to holiday in Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands than to head up to Northern Scotland.  The chance to spend a week in the sun is always the bigger pull.

One day though, it is feasible and maybe we can see if it's true that if we visit Skye and the Hebrides we'll be the only Scots there!  Much ado about the loss of local people to the big cities due to incomers putting the price of houses out of reach - I've heard Cornwall is the same.  It is sad, I heard last night about the last speaker of Deeside Gaelic who died taking the language with her because everyone had left.

It's an interesting subject, who owns our land.  Maybe I shouldn't go to these places because it would make me despair, I think of my notion to live elsewhere and wanting to envelope myself in that culture and language but I'd hate to be part of a movement that saw locals unable to buy in their own towns.

On another note - I hate the new Google logo, is it just me who thinks it looks far too much like a pared down version of Comic Sans?

Juggling and Day Four

Too much to do, Obliger obliging as per usual.  Argh, I must stop this *now*!  And I must learn to say no and not feel so damn guilty.

Write about someone who inspires you:

Predictable? I don't care as there are people who inspire me and others in their actions, which make them well known.  People like Jane Haining or Elsie Inglis, Violette Szabo or Irene Sendler.  All women whose stories I grew up reading, inspiring and amazing women who reached beyond and discovered courage in a world where their place in society should have limited them.

Yet who do I choose - yes, of course my father.

I couldn't be as brave as those women but if I can be thought of half as well as my father was then I'll have done right with my life.  Typically I didn't cherish what I had enough and I try raise my sons to be the kind of man their grandfather was.  An old-fashioned concept but kindness and honesty are worth so much more.

I live a little life so my aspirations are not world changing but they change me and that is all I can do.

As a pernickity old grump it's about the best I can hope for.

Day Three - Oh, This Should Be Good...

What are your top three pet peeves?

On my transition to the end goal of being a curmudgeonly old dear, which I realise it isn't too far a stretch from my current frame of mind, now I have to whittle it down to three pet peeves.  Only three!

Again, in no particular order of getting on my frazzled nerves we have:

Manners - and lack thereof.  Seriously, it doesn't have to be all "please" and "thank you" but a smile when someone opens the door, a sorry when you bump into someone, giving someone a hand where needed, costs nothing.  Despite this society becoming even more "I'm alright Jack" (see the attitude of No voters in the Scottish referendum last year for a prime example) there really is no need.  This idea of it being all to do with the young is utter rot as there are plenty of mean-spirits amongst the baby boomer age.  It's not about deference but makes for a kinder life to show some respect to each other.

Snobbery - not to be mistaken with lack of manners but there is a definite link.  You are not better by the amount in your bank, by the house you live in or by the car you drive and yet so many believe it to be so.  Living in a town with a large middle-class population I see it quite often, I see it in the adults and I see it in how they raise their children.  Strangely those with very little and those with an awful lot seem not to be affected by this smugness - it's just the middle, terrified of being seen as being anything less than what they want to think they are and completely missing the point.  Take the person on their actions, not the façade they present.

Exclusion - and here I'm going to get a little more specific.  If all the kids in a class are invited to a party except for one, if friends go out on a night out but don't bother contacting one of the group, if family members have a get together and purposefully exclude just one - it's just not nice.  Of course that person being excluded might be a horror or utter pain in the neck, in which case there are ways to deal with it but it often isn't the case.  I've seen it happen, it does annoy me when it is none of my business and drives me crazy when it does.  

So, those are my three peeves that will have me chewing my gums in annoyance when I see them happen. I could have gone for things like tail-gating motorists, littering and "expats" but I shall leave them for another day.

Day 2 - Where I Realise I'm In Danger Of Forming A Habit

Yes, on day two, not to get over excited but still...

My sons were off at school music camp this weekend so I spent most of last night organising my Pinterest boards.  You heard that right.  And I loved every single minute of it.  All those lovely images, ideas, inspiration.

Write something someone once told you about yourself that you never forgot.

Now this is something I think on often even though, in the twenty plus years since, I've done nothing about it as such.  Without wishing to procrastinate brooding moodily over past events let's just say that ambition was not encouraged in my family, on my mum's side at least.  It is one of the things that when I start talking about it my sons roll their eyes as they hear it all the time - don't let anyone throw crap on your dreams.

Anywhatisshewafflingonabout: this ties in with a quote from my 4th Year English teacher my mother did tell me.  At a parents evening, she had told my mother and dad I had a talent for writing stories.  Now most parents, especially now, would perhaps spur their child on but it had already been decided on advice from the careers office that I would do nursing or become a secretary and that was that.  Despite being an avid reader my mother did not consider writing as a job for the likes of us.

This was not said to me directly though so doesn't count.

What does is what my dad's eldest sister said.  Now my dad's side of the family was very much "get on with it" and I wish I had taken that attitude on board more!  Yet during one of the many gatherings at her house my late aunt spoke as though it was already set that I would one day write books and it was a generally accepted idea amongst the others there that this would happen.

This was a few years after the teacher's comment, when I was languishing in jobs I hated and it took me aback.

But I remembered it.  Remembered so clearly I could tell you where she was standing in her living room when she said it and what she was wearing.

I never have written a book but, in that moment, someone whose opinion I valued, indicated that I might be worth something more.

Strangely enough, soon after that I quit nursing and went off to the US for a year - my first ever act of rebellion against what was expected of me!

And So It Begins - Day One

List 10 Things That Make You Really Happy

Now for a regular Eeyore type like myself this is not as easy as it probably should be but let's persevere, especially as this is the first challenge and all:

In no particular order:

These two boys - it may sound infuriating to others to admit this but if all I accomplish in my life is raising my sons then I will be satisfied.  In a two-finger salute to the Establishment this "single parent on a low income" has, so far, plenty to be proud of and there is no sign of that stopping.

Oh yes, parenting alone can be the epitome of frustration but whenever they get an award at school or are happy with what they've done then my heart sings.  For all my failings I am at least doing this a little bit right and that has to be good.



Art - see previous post as to why this is increasingly important to me. Whether it is via painting, pastel, drawing or some other medium - no matter the outcome I feel an enormous sense of contentment and a sense of self.  I have still, annoyingly, to find a style I am happy with.  I'm working on being freer with what I do, trying new genres whether I like them or not and it is liberating.  It's probably twenty plus years too late but I'm finally doing what makes me happy.

Writing - I don't do enough of it.  Again, this ties in with the last point.  I need to write for me more; I have ideas that have done nothing but swirl around, changing shape and forming into stories for the past few years.

This place (Millport) - the fact it hasn't changed much in all the time I've been coming here is part of the charm.  I've often thought about moving there permanently after the boys leave school and it's just me but that would probably spoil it.

And this place too (Lanzarote) - I don't know what it is. Until a few years ago I hadn't even thought of going there on holiday.  Again with the holiday places but when I go there I feel calm, maybe not to live there but I'd always had an itch to live in Spain.  Not in a "Brit abroad" way (especially as I don't have and never will consider myself "British") but actually enjoy the Spanish culture, speak the language until I forget the word in English.  Now Scotland isn't going to be independent any time soon I feel further and further away from wanting to remain here, it feels strange and unwelcoming so who knows what the future will bring.

In fact let's continue the theme as what makes me really happy is the possibilities of where to go next.  The only thing holding us back is the fact we have no money!  I have a Pinterest board full of wish list destinations that may just come true.

My other boy.  There's one of those internet memes that says "I want to be the person my dog thinks I am". If only we all were then the world would be a much better place.  I should also give an honorary mention to the cats who don't get on the list as I feel they only tolerate me!

Days out.  Again another thing we're not doing enough of lately.  The boys are busy with their lives so our Sunday train ride into Edinburgh for a wander around the museums and galleries don't happen as much.  Whether it's by train or by car just heading out somewhere, (add castles and parks or beaches to the list of things that make a good day out) is the best of fun.

Time.  Just time to do the things I want; time to sit and enjoy a sunny afternoon or finish reading that book or painting or sewing. Having some spare time makes me ridiculously happy.

Books. Not a hand held machine but real, honest, books.  It might make my bag heavy but it's a welcome weight.  Just to get lost for a few hours in the pages of a story, that feeling of reaching the end of a book and wishing there were more, that the tale could continue.  I have bookshelves full and I know I should pare them down but I can't.  Whenever there is a book sale, forget the clothes shopping, that is true happiness and bliss.  A good rummage and bonus if there are a few gems amongst them.

Oh look, there's ten things. It wasn't that hard after all or is the fact that three of my choices are to do with travel a cheat?  Ach, who cares, it's my list and I'll do as I like!  See, changing from a people-pleaser already - braw!

The Learning Process

This I need to do...

And why would this be difficult? Because, according to the same motivational speaker I am an "Obliger".

I don't usually have time for such people, they tend to talk in the air; grand ideas that don't really make sense or have much substance.  Then I came across this idea of knowing yourself from the artist Anna Mason  and suddenly it clicked.  I am a people-pleaser and I resent it so much it is harming all parts of my life.

It needs to stop.

For future reference, as the artist's blog I mentioned is about to change, here is a longer talk discussing all types and the test to take which is scarily accurate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5LyTqCfj6E

https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1950137/Four-Tendencies-January-2015

I subscribed to Rubin's YouTube channel as she talks about organising and decluttering and I really need to pay attention to that.  I may be 43 years old but it's time to find out if you really can teach an old dog new tricks - case in point the previous post about the challenge.  Finger out, girlie!

30 Day Challenge...erm...Challenge

The muscle not used becomes flabby and wasted.

With that in mind, for my own entertainment I'll be doing this soon -


Bet you can't wait.

Hiroshima Nagasaki - 70 Years On

I'm beginning to realise that most of my politics and beliefs stem from time spent in my Modern Studies class during high school.  One of the textbooks I distinctly remember, to the point where I could probably quite accurately reproduce some of the graphics, was about the nuclear holocaust and described what happened on those fateful days at the end of WWII.

Growing up the Cold War was an ever present threat; nuclear arsenals reaching ridiculously catastrophic proportions with weapons so powerful they made Little Boy just that.  Yet twenty years since the supposed end of the posturing and Scotland still has obscene amounts of these monsters buried deep into the Clydeside hills.

We need them as a deterrent the Establishment and their supporters cry.  The thing is with a deterrent, it only works if you have the capacity to actually use it if needed.  There's a thought to chew on for a while for those who think there is still a place in civilisation for nuclear weapons.

That textbook, the stories and images within, chilled me to the bone.  It still has that power thinking back on it now.  I had hoped that my own children would never know the horror of how depraved humanity can be against the world and all within.

Seventy years on and those in charge still think this an acceptable, we will all be reduced to shadows on the pavement.

On Father's Day

Again with the memories, those lifebelts to cling to when you want to ignore the present. On this day however, acknowledging that all those times I want to tell him something; from silly news articles and stories to the boys' achievements. Knowing that they won't go away but imagining how he'd react, quiet pride in his beloved grandsons, wanting to read up on what is happening, is some comfort after all these passing years.

Funny that when I was looking through old photos I found this - unlike most of my friends dads he would have one drink then stop.  It was taken when on holiday to Italy when I was 12.  He'd been stationed there for a time during WWII.