As we dive head long into the start of 2013, I have been reminded of both the fact we are only half way through Christmas. If nothing else there is a song the 12 days of Christmas. Apart from the fact that this song is the cause of the annual Christmas argument in my house as to which order everything goes in. There is actually a very strong message in the song.
Has any one in your household ever added up the total number of gifts given over the 12 days in the song? Before I start another family argument I will give you the total and it is 364, the number of days from boxing day till the next Christmas day. It is meant to be a way of singing a gift for every day tween those days.
With that in mind why not add challenge to your new years resolution, why not have a jar on your dinner table and put a coin in every day between now and then, and then give it to a charity. We all know it is a hard financial time, but every one has those 1p 2p or 5p rattling at the bottom of your purse /wallet etc at the end of the day. Seriously what happens to them? So if you do this it will hurt less and at the end of the year I am sure you will have at least £5 extra to give to your chosen charity.
Why not let the 12 days of Christmas become the true 364 days of giving. With that though happy new year to all my readers and see you in 2013.
Monday, 31 December 2012
New Years Kandee Treat
For all my followers and readers who haven't yet noticed the news. For today only Kandee are offering 60% off all shoes and accessories for today only.
I know there have been a few flash sales by Kandee, but this has to be the best way to end the year and spend any Christmas money you may have gained. The thriller boot is now £96 reduced from £239.99 and my favourite the cinder is £68 reduced from £169.99. With offers like this it is hard for any lover of Kandee not to justify at least one pair.
Remember this are hand made shoes rather than machine made, so with the price you are paying for quality. Most of all these won't break any new years resolutions of diets and giving up chocolate as they are calorie free Kandee.
I know there have been a few flash sales by Kandee, but this has to be the best way to end the year and spend any Christmas money you may have gained. The thriller boot is now £96 reduced from £239.99 and my favourite the cinder is £68 reduced from £169.99. With offers like this it is hard for any lover of Kandee not to justify at least one pair.
Remember this are hand made shoes rather than machine made, so with the price you are paying for quality. Most of all these won't break any new years resolutions of diets and giving up chocolate as they are calorie free Kandee.
Ashes of 2012
I honestly thought it was just my family that had a run of continual bad luck this last year, but as I read twitter and facebook I see there are plenty of people who want rid of this year. Between the natural disasters and the down turn in wealth I guess a lot of people have had enough.
Personally I have plenty of reasons to hate this last year, lost my job, as did my hubby, lost my health still haven't got a resolution out of an insurance claim from 2011 thus living with bare floor boards and walls, waiting for a resolution on a ppi case etc etc. Yet I suspect that in years to come I won't look back on the year in the same light. I think I will remember the paralympic game I went to, the watching of the diamond jubilee and events like that as will so many others.
For this year seems to have been traumatic for so many on a personal level, but on a national level especially for Britain it has been one where we reiterated our status, we held our own in running the Olympics, arrived on through wind and rain during the diamond jubilee, and I dare to say changed our views. Since the torch relay there has been a different feel of community in areas, I certainly notice it in our area, people want more local events. Us disabled people have been seen in a different light at long last.
So for the last post of 2012 I would like to let you know what happened to me on Christmas eve. I decided in my wisdom to go and get the last bits of Christmas shopping on my own, thinking I could manage, I should have known better when it took me 30 minutes to find a parking space and that was the in the furthest away car park and not even a disabled bay at that.Then I seemed to be on a wild goose chase looking for oil of peppermint for home made peppermint creams. A search that took me near on an hour and to every shop in town. Anyway to cut a long story short I took well over an hour and ended up with way too much to carry on my sticks especially in the now pouring rain. By now I had collapsed on one side as I do when my back packs up, but I still had to struggle to the car by walking through one car park and crossing the road to the other. As I did this struggle a lady asked me if I was ok? I said I would survive but thanked her for the concern, mainly as I am not used to being noticed. But this lady was very concerned and insisted I let her help. She took the heavy bags off me and helped me all the way to my car insisting on loading them in for me. She asked for nothing, and accepted nothing. But without her help I would not have made it home with out calling hubby out to rescue me.
I don't know who the lady was, but I do know she was trying to get her own laundry done, despite her own needs she still took the time out to help me. If there is one thing to carry forward to 2012, it is the fact that it is the year, we re learnt how to be compassionate to others, and not see their weaknesses, but their talents.
Personally I have plenty of reasons to hate this last year, lost my job, as did my hubby, lost my health still haven't got a resolution out of an insurance claim from 2011 thus living with bare floor boards and walls, waiting for a resolution on a ppi case etc etc. Yet I suspect that in years to come I won't look back on the year in the same light. I think I will remember the paralympic game I went to, the watching of the diamond jubilee and events like that as will so many others.
For this year seems to have been traumatic for so many on a personal level, but on a national level especially for Britain it has been one where we reiterated our status, we held our own in running the Olympics, arrived on through wind and rain during the diamond jubilee, and I dare to say changed our views. Since the torch relay there has been a different feel of community in areas, I certainly notice it in our area, people want more local events. Us disabled people have been seen in a different light at long last.
So for the last post of 2012 I would like to let you know what happened to me on Christmas eve. I decided in my wisdom to go and get the last bits of Christmas shopping on my own, thinking I could manage, I should have known better when it took me 30 minutes to find a parking space and that was the in the furthest away car park and not even a disabled bay at that.Then I seemed to be on a wild goose chase looking for oil of peppermint for home made peppermint creams. A search that took me near on an hour and to every shop in town. Anyway to cut a long story short I took well over an hour and ended up with way too much to carry on my sticks especially in the now pouring rain. By now I had collapsed on one side as I do when my back packs up, but I still had to struggle to the car by walking through one car park and crossing the road to the other. As I did this struggle a lady asked me if I was ok? I said I would survive but thanked her for the concern, mainly as I am not used to being noticed. But this lady was very concerned and insisted I let her help. She took the heavy bags off me and helped me all the way to my car insisting on loading them in for me. She asked for nothing, and accepted nothing. But without her help I would not have made it home with out calling hubby out to rescue me.
I don't know who the lady was, but I do know she was trying to get her own laundry done, despite her own needs she still took the time out to help me. If there is one thing to carry forward to 2012, it is the fact that it is the year, we re learnt how to be compassionate to others, and not see their weaknesses, but their talents.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
The Christmas Plague
I am one day of putting a red x on the door to warn of plague. Yes a little melodramatic, but this virus just won't go away, no sooner does one person have a good day than the other two go either backwards or develop a new symptom.
Hubby bless him felt a little better to be able to nip out for the Sunday papers, as mum and I lay sickening in our beds, but yesterday it was the other way round. It doesn't matter what we do, or sleep or eat this dam thing is going round and round in circles. The GP who saw hubby on Friday said there was little could but paracetamol and rest,although he was a little concerned with the temperatures, hubby was reading 100 on Friday. His parting remark was if we weren't any better we should return tomorrow, especially me who has had it on and of since the week before Christmas.
It has made for a rather subdued Christmas for us all, highlighting the facts that Christmas TV sucks, board games are lost on the sick and we haven't even touched half the food we bought for Christmas. There is an untouched baileys dessert in the freezer along with a joint of beef. There are crackers in their box and the tree is still laden with chocolate. Such happening are a rarity in our house especially as we have an American in our midst.
At the moment we are tossing coins to bet who is capable to cook the new years dinner, I am betting it will be me, as poor mum has really taken a down turn, if that's the case some one else is defiantly cooking the 12th night dinner as I will have done all the meals prior. In the mean time though anyone got cure for endless coughing, noses that would provide Rudolf with competition and chills that wouldn't be out of place in the north pole, but run in direct contrast to the fevers with desert like throats.
As for the cross on the door, well for now the garland will have to do as I haven't the energy to go and change it.
Hubby bless him felt a little better to be able to nip out for the Sunday papers, as mum and I lay sickening in our beds, but yesterday it was the other way round. It doesn't matter what we do, or sleep or eat this dam thing is going round and round in circles. The GP who saw hubby on Friday said there was little could but paracetamol and rest,although he was a little concerned with the temperatures, hubby was reading 100 on Friday. His parting remark was if we weren't any better we should return tomorrow, especially me who has had it on and of since the week before Christmas.
It has made for a rather subdued Christmas for us all, highlighting the facts that Christmas TV sucks, board games are lost on the sick and we haven't even touched half the food we bought for Christmas. There is an untouched baileys dessert in the freezer along with a joint of beef. There are crackers in their box and the tree is still laden with chocolate. Such happening are a rarity in our house especially as we have an American in our midst.
At the moment we are tossing coins to bet who is capable to cook the new years dinner, I am betting it will be me, as poor mum has really taken a down turn, if that's the case some one else is defiantly cooking the 12th night dinner as I will have done all the meals prior. In the mean time though anyone got cure for endless coughing, noses that would provide Rudolf with competition and chills that wouldn't be out of place in the north pole, but run in direct contrast to the fevers with desert like throats.
As for the cross on the door, well for now the garland will have to do as I haven't the energy to go and change it.
Friday, 28 December 2012
Twilight highlights
Not I am not a fan of these films, despite having Gothic tendencies these books and films left me stone cold. No what I like is the style or in particular the make up theme it encourages.
Call me over dramatic but I love the smokey eyes, strong lips and blacken nails effects. I always have done. I have never been brave enough to find a red lipstick I have the courage to wear, but the lightened face and strong eye effects have been used. Most of all I really dig dark nails. Against my better judgement and due to the lack of normal TV I have forcibly been made to sit through the Twilight film. and saw my ideal makeup on the Rosalie character.
So for the last hour rather than reduce what is left of my brain to mush, I have been trawling the sales for the perfect red lipstick.But can I find one? Hell no I can't, I can see this turning into a shopping mission and ending up being very expensive. At the moment my options vary from either Barry M lip paint 121 at £4.49 or lip lacquer crayon in cherry red at £4.99, then there is MUA lipstick shade 12 at £1. Those are at the lower end of the market but from there on the only way is up. Oh how I wish the more expensive brands did little samples like Avon do so I don't end up wasting my money on a product that won't suite me. Personally after much research I am likely to opt for the MUA and the Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon, partly to do with cost, but mainly because I have had success with those products before in different shades But especially with the MUA what else can you get at £1 anyway so I may as well try it out.
If all goes well I master my Rosalie look, and if it goes wrong well it can be saved for Halloween and I can use it for a bride of Dracula after feeding look.
Call me over dramatic but I love the smokey eyes, strong lips and blacken nails effects. I always have done. I have never been brave enough to find a red lipstick I have the courage to wear, but the lightened face and strong eye effects have been used. Most of all I really dig dark nails. Against my better judgement and due to the lack of normal TV I have forcibly been made to sit through the Twilight film. and saw my ideal makeup on the Rosalie character.
So for the last hour rather than reduce what is left of my brain to mush, I have been trawling the sales for the perfect red lipstick.But can I find one? Hell no I can't, I can see this turning into a shopping mission and ending up being very expensive. At the moment my options vary from either Barry M lip paint 121 at £4.49 or lip lacquer crayon in cherry red at £4.99, then there is MUA lipstick shade 12 at £1. Those are at the lower end of the market but from there on the only way is up. Oh how I wish the more expensive brands did little samples like Avon do so I don't end up wasting my money on a product that won't suite me. Personally after much research I am likely to opt for the MUA and the Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon, partly to do with cost, but mainly because I have had success with those products before in different shades But especially with the MUA what else can you get at £1 anyway so I may as well try it out.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Could you survive?
Yes I have been watching way too much TV over the last few days. But one or two caused discussion in my house. The one about the big snow storms in Britain and the cookery ones. Like my mum I am able to make dinner out of nothing, but unlike my mum I have never lived through the snow storms of 1947 and 1963 like she has. Snow so bad her grand parents got stranded at the Deon farm from Christmas till March when it thawed.
I did blog about our madness at Harvest and all the pickling and such like, but now the tradition sort of makes sense, knowing she has lived through that and the shortages it caused. Yes I know we have greater access to shops than they did then, and bigger gritters. But seriously could you survive a full week with out being able to leave your house once? No nipping to corner shop for milk and bread? Or driving to the nearest supermarket for basics? In reality it is hard to imagine it, but the possibility is still very much there. The snow of 2009 freaked people out a bit and that was mild compared to the ones mum has lived through.
There is no way to predict when it will hit but all that can be guaranteed is it will happen again, and there will be panic as knowing Britain they are never expecting it. Like the hurricane of 1987 it wouldn't hit here is our attitude. What I do know is much as I hate to admit this we would survive in our house. Granted we wouldn't last with cigarettes, but that wouldn't kill us. But with the basis of milk, bread etc we would. Not because we have a massive freezer, but because we always keep dried and uht milk in the house, along with flour and yeast, sugar,tea and coffee. We also have a selection of frozen, canned and preserved fruit and veg. We also keep excess animal food in so they are ok, along with pasta and rice.
We don't hoard, but over winter there is a little bit extra held in our larder until the spring when anything that has been rolled over gets used up until next autumn when the pattern starts again. Yes we are working on the principle what if, but I would prefer that to not being able to survive and causing more problems venturing out when it is dangerous to.
This year has seen enough scaremongering over possible end of the world threats and so on. But this isn't meant to scare but instead inform and make people aware. How hard is to add an extra couple of tins into your trolley over winter? In regards to bread, I know making stuff from raw seems scary but there are enough cookery programs on TV you never need to by a cookery book. But if you do look around for one that suites you and try out what appeals to you. Home made bread lasts longer as it has no additives and is more filling as well. The same with home made soups.
Mum gave me a challenge to make weeks lunch's from raw this year which I achieved and it turned out to be fun, making breads and soups, then experimenting further. I don't know what this winter will hold, but I do know we will survive, will you?
I did blog about our madness at Harvest and all the pickling and such like, but now the tradition sort of makes sense, knowing she has lived through that and the shortages it caused. Yes I know we have greater access to shops than they did then, and bigger gritters. But seriously could you survive a full week with out being able to leave your house once? No nipping to corner shop for milk and bread? Or driving to the nearest supermarket for basics? In reality it is hard to imagine it, but the possibility is still very much there. The snow of 2009 freaked people out a bit and that was mild compared to the ones mum has lived through.
There is no way to predict when it will hit but all that can be guaranteed is it will happen again, and there will be panic as knowing Britain they are never expecting it. Like the hurricane of 1987 it wouldn't hit here is our attitude. What I do know is much as I hate to admit this we would survive in our house. Granted we wouldn't last with cigarettes, but that wouldn't kill us. But with the basis of milk, bread etc we would. Not because we have a massive freezer, but because we always keep dried and uht milk in the house, along with flour and yeast, sugar,tea and coffee. We also have a selection of frozen, canned and preserved fruit and veg. We also keep excess animal food in so they are ok, along with pasta and rice.
We don't hoard, but over winter there is a little bit extra held in our larder until the spring when anything that has been rolled over gets used up until next autumn when the pattern starts again. Yes we are working on the principle what if, but I would prefer that to not being able to survive and causing more problems venturing out when it is dangerous to.
This year has seen enough scaremongering over possible end of the world threats and so on. But this isn't meant to scare but instead inform and make people aware. How hard is to add an extra couple of tins into your trolley over winter? In regards to bread, I know making stuff from raw seems scary but there are enough cookery programs on TV you never need to by a cookery book. But if you do look around for one that suites you and try out what appeals to you. Home made bread lasts longer as it has no additives and is more filling as well. The same with home made soups.
Mum gave me a challenge to make weeks lunch's from raw this year which I achieved and it turned out to be fun, making breads and soups, then experimenting further. I don't know what this winter will hold, but I do know we will survive, will you?
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Every girl needs her inner alice
No I haven't over done the cheap plonk, or smoked weird cigerettes, but I did watch Alice on tv today. Tim Burtons version actually and as a massive Alice fan I was very impressed !, Making it a continuation of the books rather than a re vamp. The one book that I can say links me to my oldest friends is our Alice fondness, so to see this was an eye opener.
The main part of the theme of the story in this version is Alice has forgotten her childhood adventures and has written them off as a dream, but for her to grow as an adult she needs to be reminded just who she was as a child. Now I am not saying we all need to recapture our dreams of being a damsel in distress or a princess looking for prince charming, God forbid I never got those dreams. But how many of us take ourselves to seriously, and forget to go a little crazy at times and lie outside the box.
"The Mad Hatter: There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter "
There is so much truth in that opening trailer line, and you can read it how you like but it still holds the same meaning. To be successful you have to loosen the strings a bit. Maybe even be a little bit naive and take risks. The line that keeps reoccurring is the principle of thinking 6 impossible before breakfast.
Personally I just love the original Alice just for the chaos it causes when you start thinking about the logic in it. Start from the top, who on earth can think about the caterpillar on the mushroom without wondering how dangerous that is. As a child it seemed hypnotic, as an adult it holds a whole different meaning. My favourites as both a child and an adult is the mad hatter, a character that straddles the line between genius and insanity, and the white rabbit the adult like character obessed with maintaining a schedule in a chaotic world.
That probably says more about my persoanlity than I wish to admit, but I still stand by view. Every girl needs to recapture that inner Alice and return to her wonderland. If it be in fashion and style or lifestyle. That said will someone pass the teapot. It is always time for tea.
The main part of the theme of the story in this version is Alice has forgotten her childhood adventures and has written them off as a dream, but for her to grow as an adult she needs to be reminded just who she was as a child. Now I am not saying we all need to recapture our dreams of being a damsel in distress or a princess looking for prince charming, God forbid I never got those dreams. But how many of us take ourselves to seriously, and forget to go a little crazy at times and lie outside the box.
"The Mad Hatter: There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be as mad as a hatter "
There is so much truth in that opening trailer line, and you can read it how you like but it still holds the same meaning. To be successful you have to loosen the strings a bit. Maybe even be a little bit naive and take risks. The line that keeps reoccurring is the principle of thinking 6 impossible before breakfast.
Personally I just love the original Alice just for the chaos it causes when you start thinking about the logic in it. Start from the top, who on earth can think about the caterpillar on the mushroom without wondering how dangerous that is. As a child it seemed hypnotic, as an adult it holds a whole different meaning. My favourites as both a child and an adult is the mad hatter, a character that straddles the line between genius and insanity, and the white rabbit the adult like character obessed with maintaining a schedule in a chaotic world.
That probably says more about my persoanlity than I wish to admit, but I still stand by view. Every girl needs to recapture that inner Alice and return to her wonderland. If it be in fashion and style or lifestyle. That said will someone pass the teapot. It is always time for tea.
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