The Big Trip

Friday 15 October 2010

So What's Rockin' Your World?



Good afternoon Rockettes and bloggers alike!!

First, a question. How in the name of all that's holy did it get to be Friday already? I'm sure I've lived a month since my last post, and a month without the required amount of sleep at that! My poor craft shed hasn't seen me for about two weeks other than to drop off some new arrivals which now lay lovelorn on my chair, still wrapped in their packaging. It's really now good enough girls - must get my act together.

Somewhere in amongst the rushing about, I had another birthday. I'm not a great one for fussing about birthdays for my own sake, much to the surprise of my colleagues as the news filtered round later on on the day in question. I was nonetheless delighted to get home and discover that I'd received mail from some of my craft buddies including Carole and Maria. You really need to visit Maria's blog and read about the labour of love that was the creation of her card! So, there lies my first grateful - it's always lovely to receive crafty creations, whatever the reason.




My next grateful has absolutely nothing to do with me but I am sure cannot help be shared by people the world over, and it's the fabulous rescue of the Chilean miners midweek. With so much doom and gloom the world over, this whole saga couldn't help but reach into the deepest darkest recesses of our souls and inspire a little faith in humankind. A huge grateful there.



Tomorrow I'm off down to Ayr for a special treat. When Ross was younger, he loved the Singing Kettle shows, both live and on video.



I found out a couple of weeks ago that they were doing a show in Ayr and when we told Ross he showed signs of enthusiasm and approval so I've booked tickets for us all to go. Needless to say by yesterday when OH went to visit, talking about Sinking Kettle, Ross was emphatically giving it "Mo" (NO!), "Mo" (No), so we'll see what tomorrow brings but it'll be worth the 130 mile round trip just to spend some extra time with him, whatever the outcome!!! A big grateful.

Without going into detail, a couple of friends are going through a really rough time just now and it serves to put my own life into perspective. Through the good times and bad it's something I've always tried to maintain and so while I send sparkles and hugs over the miles that separate us to the people in question (you know who you are!) I am grateful that by comparison any of my trials and tribulations are relatively minor.

Before I post I have a final grateful. I managed to get out of work early tonight, rather unexpectedly. Home in sunlight, I escaped down the garden for an hour or so to tidy my workdesk and make a start on a journal which I'd like to take on THAT trip. A lovely bonus to the end of my day and so a big grateful.

Right, time to sign off yet again wishing you all a safe and content week to come.

Gillxx

Thursday 7 October 2010

What's Rockin' My World This Friday?

Good morning Rockettes and bloggers alike



I hope this finds you all thriving.

It's been a funny old week this week with a true mixture of the horrible and the fabulous - to both extremes. I think I'll start with the fabulous while I think of ways to be grateful about the other sides of life!

Those of you who know me well and for any length of time will know that as a family we haven't done proper outside-of-Scotland holidays for many, many years. In fact when I counted back, even i was shocked to realise that it was 16½ years since we'd been outside Scotland far less the UK! Much of this has been down to the fact that travelling with my little man has been very difficult and stressful for all concerned with the result that it's only been done in very small manageable distances and only with great amounts of planning and contingency planning. My OH and I have however always made sure that as many opportunities as possible have been made possible for our darling girl, although we've always known that the preferred the family holidays.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, via a little financial windfall and an extreme amount of soul searching, we took a trip to the travel agent on Wednesday of this week and booked return flights to the Big Apple for April 2011, along with hotel, airport transfers - the works. It's still not quite sinking in for me yet although I was high as a kite on Wednesday afternoon! My OH's parents are, sadly, both gone now and that left me to break the news to my parents. After the initial disbelief, my mum's telling comment was "About time too!". So there's a really big grateful!



Regular Rockettes and bloggers alike will know that I'm always grateful for every second Friday because it means that my gorgeous boy is home for a few days. Today is one of those days so YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! to that and much gratefulness. He's coming out of a recent decline and the staff have yet again been marvellous in guiding him through his often troubled little life. Let's count our blessings bloggers!

Unexpected visitors - having lives a life which was so often filled with chaos and mayhem, unexpected guests were often the least of my worries and I still very much live by the ethos that if you want to visit me then you take me as you find me and if you don;t like it, well.............. Monday brought unexpected guests (well - 15 minutes notice) in the form of my lovely friend Mhairi and her mum. Two hours later they left following a wide ranging discussion which went from autism, to cupcakes, from loss adjusters to stampeding cattle - fabulous - only in my house!



Sparkles - now these little specimens, well known to all crafters, are magical things, multi-purpose and very effective. I'm so very grateful that they do actually do their stuff. In this post I'm sending out bucket loads of them to those who need or want them and some of my crafty pals/bloggers will know that the super-strength variety are heading straight to them to see them through these darker days. You know who you are ladies.

Right, must get on with some of the work I'm paid to do - lunchtime being over. I certainly won;t get a chance to complete this post tonight so am going to leave it as it stands and wish you all things you wish yourself in the coming week until we all meet again - same time - same place.

Gillxx