Cola and the white stuff!!!!!

Sorry dear follower

Haven't meant to neglect you but life's just been a tad on the hectic side for the past couple of months.

To start with we had snow on the ground from 29th November constantly right through to about 7th January. Made for very time-consuming work just getting to and from work and daily with other routine activities which meant leaving the house. In the midst of the white stuff and I two car-related incidents. In the first I collided with another car on packed ice but no-one was hurt so that was fine and the financial penalty wasn't too severe. Several weeks later on the same road I collided with a brick wall - no cars around this time! That one really shook my confidence a fair bit but needs must and so I carried on driving through all the horrible white stuff until it finally disappeared.

Christmas came and went with it's usual highlight - hostage-taking of all the wrapped presents under the tree on Christmas morning!!! I know, I know - it could only happen in our house when you have a 13 year old like Ross. Thank goodness Alexandra was up before him that morning and managed to stash away her pressies and goodies before he came downstairs.

Dinner at my parents on Boxing Day saw only Alexandra and I in attendance from our house as Ross had been unwell overnight on Christmas night and we didn't want to risk passing it on to the rest of the family.

The day after Boxing Day saw me confined to bed with flu for five days but fortunately Ross was due back t school that morning until New Years Eve so mixed blessings there - everything happens for a reason you know!

New Year came and went (not a big fan of it) and before I knew it we were all back to work and school - where had the time gone?

Returned to work at it's normal pace despite the continuing sub-zero temps and ice and snow. Novelty had definitely worn off by this time - that had been more than a month!

Then to crown it all, on 19th January Ross was rushed into hospital in Kilmarnock with some very strange and worrying symptoms including totally black urine!!!!!!! It was literally the colour of cola. Staff in Crosshouse Children's ward were fabulous, as were the school staff who joined us on rotation to help out with the bold boy who had decided that no medicine was going to be take, only one blood sample was allowed and anyone who tried to persuade him differently was cancelled from his Christmas list!!! Finally it was decided that he should return to school, being reasonably well in himself despite the spectacular symptoms.

Five days later we got good news from Glasgow that the most worrying possibility for the aforementioned "water colour" had been ruled out. Such a relief, I'm sure you can imagine. However the fact remains that there is something very strange and obviously concerning with the prodigal child and so we await a visit to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow for further thoughts from their eminent Haematology team. That should be interesting given Ross's aversion to needle sand pain!!! Imagine the difficulty you have getting a tablet down your cat's throat - multiply the physical effort (including scratching, kicking pushing and shoving) involved by about 30 and divide the outcome by at least half and you've got some idea of what we're up against!!!

He's been home this weekend past and is reasonably ok but many of you will recognise that feeling as a parent when you just know that although they seem ok, there's something not quite right? Well that's the one we and school staff have so it's really a waiting game.

At the risk of sounding like an utter and complete moaning minny, there is some good news. Many of you will be aware that I was invited to appear on The Hour, a programme broadcast north of the border on weeknights at 5 p.m. I'll be on on 10th February with an amazing guy from Aberdeen University, who goes by the name of James. If you want to know more about James click here - it's fascinating stuff. I'll be on talking a little of Ross's life and it's different path from that James experienced.

Scottish TV came out to film at the school with Ross and I last week and suffice it to say that he was an absolute star - you know the way children have of proving you wrong? Well my little man did exactly what was asked of him on demand with hardly a blip far less a tantrum or outburst. It should make for an interesting piece of film and I think the whole studio piece will do a fair bit to raise further awareness of the condition that is autism, in all it's shapes and forms.

I couldn't finish the post without sending out a massive load of thanks to my many craft buddies who were so fabulous and supportive during the days of waiting - one of the glories of t'internet. They helped the long days and nights to pass just that little more easily and bolstered my often flagging spirits. You know who you are girls, each and everyone of you. And to the marvellous Susie for being her usual self and supplying me with new reading material for when sleep eludes me. Susie, you are a total star.

Right, dear reader. At the risk of having bored you rigid - that or feel positively suicidal, I shall go now as I hear the kettle boiling - yippee - tea and bed and a good book for a while - simple pleasures girls.

Take care all and remember - be kind to all you meet for everyone is facing a battle!!!

Gillx

Work, Snow and More Snow

Hi Bloggers

Just a quickie from the frozen north. The photos I have to confess are courtesy of one of my work colleagues - what a clever girl! The main image at top is view from the back of my office and the rest are University wildlife of the non-student type!!!

We are now well into our fourth week of the cold white stuff and although I have to admit that it's very pretty - it's none too practical with Santa due.

Catch you all (hopefully) for a WRYF on Friday.

Enjoy!












Gill

What's Rocking My Friday? A Snow Angel Perhaps?

Hi there bloggers


Well I know I've been a really naughty blogger so hands up to that one! We have been a bit beleaguered up here due the the very vast amount of white stuff that landed on us. If you saw on the news on Monday with features about the motorway closures and other hardships in Central Scotland, well I was right in the middle of it all!!!

It really has caused absolutely everything in life to go a bit haywire and I suppose I'm just grateful that I've been able to make it into work every day though I suspect it was 90% stupidity and 10% bravery on some occasions.

We eat, sleep, live and breathe football at work (well most people, me not included) and even today the pitches all remain under several feet of snow. A friend of mine ventured up to the top of the campus the other day and left an angel to watch over the pitches!!! What do you think?



Our darling boy came home on schedule last Friday and, because of the weather, hasn't been able to get back south so I have to be grateful that he's happy about that LOL! However, come Monday he's going back come hail, sun, flood or blizzard - I suspect he won't be quite as happy then.

I would like to send out a massive thank you to the people who responded to my request for Christmas cards to seel at the school. Although I hate to pick out any one individual, I must send out a massive overseas thank you to Valerie who posted the most gorgeous pack of cards. Each and everyone is a work of art. You really need to visit her blog and express your appreciation of this lady's work - she is a true artist! Thank you so much again Val.

I am grateful that the snow is now subsiding and I will be able, tomorrow, to make a very belated concentrated effort to complete my Christmas shopping. There are some things that the internet just doesn't fix for me so it's time to hit the shopping mall.

Right, short and sweet yet again so I will finish off my asking that you keep yourselves safe, healthy and as happy as possible at this rather fraught time.

Gillx

I need your help bloggers!

Those of you who are regular followers of my somewhat irregular blog will know that my precious boy, Ross, attends a residential school for those children most profoundly affected by autism. For the first time I'm giving details of the school, Daldorch House, so that you can read for yourself about the wonderful work they do. Before I give you the link I need to ask for your help. As with so many schools, private and otherwise, in this day and age, they are facing a serious economic crisis and I really want to do every little bit I can to help them.

With Christmas approaching, I'm asking if those of you who make your own Christmas cards can spare a card and the cost of a postage stamp to send up a card which I can forward to the school to be sold in aid of their funds.

I am going to be setting my mind to other bigger ways of raising funds but thought I would kick off with this one.

To read about Daldorch click here.

I would like to add that although the school is situated up here in Scotland, it accepts children from all over the UK from the Orkney Isles to the Scilly Isles.

Right - must dash - cupcakes won't make themselves - am doing weekly bake sale at work as another fund-raising ploy! All other ideas for fund-raising gratefully accepted.

Thanks for taking the time to stop and read.

Gillxxx

A

What's Rocked My World?

Hellow bloggers and Rockettes alike.

Yes - I know - I've been an extremely naughty blogger of late. Life would appear to have been overtaken by rounds of illness, accidents, hospital stays and visits and general fraughtness of late. And work sure as hell gets in the way of dealing with all these issues!

Anyway, hopefully my invalid will be home safe and sound tonight with good news to settle all our minds - more of this next week. Suffice it to say that it's been a long three weeks. I'm grateful to my buddies at work who have willingly bolstered my dwindling good humour and replenished the coffee supplies as and when required!

For the tennis fans among you, I had a pleasant surprise last week. Was sitting working away one day when a friend suggested that I pop along to the indoor tennis courts. Should add that work is home to the Scottish National Tennis Centre (among other notable sporting bodies). So off I trotted and there having a little "knockabout" were none other than Messrs Andy Murray and Colin Fleming,World Ranked No4 and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist respectively.





Not it's fair to say that I'm not the biggest tennis fan in the world but even I derived a certain amount of pleasure from watching the sheer power and skill exhibited by this pair in what was obviously their equivalent of "passing the time"! Grateful to have these rare and special opportunities.

Next - grateful to "www.funnyhowflowersdothat.com" who are actually the Flower Council of Holland. A few weeks ago now I came across their website and they were asking you to nominate someone you thought deserved a surprise bunch of flowers. Well I duly completed it and pressed "send" and promptly forgot all about it. However, Wednesday morning got a phone call from my mum asking why on earth i was sending her flowers. Took me a moment or two to realise that it must have been my nomination which had won - so there's a big lovely grateful from my mum and I!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Photos to follow)

I appear to be struggling with my gratefuls this week and am sure that I have forgotten many but shall be content at this stage knowing that at least I've made the effort. If you want to see more lovely lists hop on over to the Virginia's blog and follow the links.

Wshing you all that you wish yourself.

Gillx

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

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