Spare a minute, honour a hero

I have taken a few days to think how I wanted to blog about the horrific event in Woolwich this week. To be frank I have had to let my sheer outrage subside before I dared approach my keyboard. Now I feel calm enough to right something worthy to such a brave man.

Personally I have a lot of admiration for our forces and personally know or have known many people who were either in active service or have served our country. So much so it is hardly surprising that even my hubby is an ex US Navy serviceman. I have always respected a person who can physically honour and protect our country and its safety in a way I never could. But it is their strength of mentality that get overlooked. This people are so focused on their duty that they are exposed to such horrors we dare not imagine.

We all are aware of the cost this comes at, the post traumatic shock or loss of limbs that so many of our service personal suffer. I live close enough to one rehabilitation centre that I was well aware of the cost before it was made national news. As a child I never understood how much that one building would come to represent in a nation.

That is thanks in part to a charity called Help The Hero's, that brought the plight of the injured service personnel to the forefront. In the last few years the awareness has been made more and more visible. In the motor world they are represented at many of the major events. People are wearing the wrist bands and tee shirts to express their support.

Unfortunately it was in one of these shirts that a serviceman was attacked and killed in such a barbaric way I thought we had returned to the middle ages. No matter what the battle or war is no one deserves to die in such a horrific way. In many ways I feel the mass media helped by adding to the horror by giving these criminals airtime by showing their video. Fortunately the general public have reacted in the way Britain's are famed for, we rather than ran in fright, instead united in grief. Sure there are always those who have to go too far, but as a whole the nation has head its head up high.

Now there is a sea of flowers not just at the place where Drumer Lee Rigby fell, but at most local war memorials. The Help for Heroes website is selling out of certain items, and for there is a possibility of some religious tolerance in our communities united in horror. 

I am left feeling hollow that there is a little I can do to repay the debt of this young man and all those who have died before and will do in the future. For this reason I have attached the links for the Help for Hero's web page and two links to people doing the massive cycle ride from Paris to London for Help the Hero's. Some of which who are doing the ride are ex service personal who have suffered injury in service and benefited from the funds raised in the past.

If there is one thing I can do to help it is to pass the word. RIP LEE DIGBY AND ALL THOSE BEFORE HIM.



http://www.bmycharity.com/emclarkson1 
bmycharity.com/hughvancutsem 
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

Its a sweet summer via Kandee

I am going to keep this short and sweet as most of my readers already know the love I have for Kandee Shoes. That said this seasons collection seems to have something for everyone. What I have done is a quick run down of my hot picks in the range, but please have a look for yourself this is just a taster. I will say this collection covers about all the trends including monochrome, perspex, and wedged heels.

These are All Sorts and I think they must be the easiest way for any girl to embrace this seasons stripey look with out the fear of looking fat.

 

This is Lemon Sparkles and I personally think this is a nice light shoe for any formal outfit. It mixes fun with formal.

 Meet Lemon Ice my out right favourite, this is the perfect mix of tomboy and glam for me. The wedge heel will also cover any height issues I have.

 This is Cherry Bomb, and it is bang on trend with the perspex sides and high gloss colour. Yet it doesn't take itself to seriously with the lips instead of bows on the front.

Glitter bomb is another wedged trainer, it is less flashy in look and would be a good wear to get away with trainers at work as no one would see that under a pair of trousers.

Finally my ultimate tea shoe for all those summer parties and garden parties Berry Blue. I just love the sparkle on the edging.

 

 

This is only my favourites, like I said you need to look at the whole collection, but I know my purse is going to feel this, still a girl can never have enough Kandees.

primart results

During my great London adventure in the week I just had to pop in to primart Oxford Street for a few bits. This is a bit of a tradition with me, and it has been known for me to show up at a screening of a tv programme with a primart bag squeezed to my over sized handbag.

Any way as per usual I myself a budget  and promptly spent double it. However I did score some real bargain buys. Tee shirt sports bra's sre now £3 and come in a range of colours as well as the standard black and white.  There were a few tee  shirts at £3 reduced from £6 or even £8 needless I have picked up a couple of both the bra's and the tee shirts.

I also found a lovely mickey mouse sweat top for £10, that is not a childish design. Another good buy wss s cross body bag for £4, which being on crutches is a great buy.i do have a bag already that is that bit biggest inabling mr to carry around more than I need, this new one puts pay to that.

Apart from the other bits I picked up I was most pleased with my new live hearts lip balm. I love it so much that I can't wait for the end of June when they release the new wallis ice cream range..I the summer months I really like having seasonal lip balms to lift my spirits. .

More worrying is fact I have found there is a second primart at the Tottenham Court Road end of the road. This is really good news as its a straight tube ride for me. So easy end of July mum has agreed to accopany me for a browse and to bag carry.

I am a bit of a weird shopper as I mix disposable purchases from primart with vintage or something similar. I believe if I treat all the clothes the same way  I get more value for money and I always recycle my old clothes.  But I love a bargain whether it be orimart or sales or even a charity shop.

oops I did it again

I seriously don't need any more nail polish,  yet some how another 3 have made it into my collection.

I just had to pop into Superdrug the other day for the bits required for a weekend break. Absolutely fatal,  as I immediately went to the makeup section.  As I needed an eye primer and there was a 3 4 2 offer I just had to give a jel polish a go and a textured one. So I now possess Barry M  textured Ridley road and prickly pear jel polish.  Yet still I couldn't find MUA pistachio ice so I left ready to try these.

Unfortunately as i had to go on line last night to replace my Welda skin food I some how ended up on the MUA site. Finally I was able to get the polish I have been so desperate for.

I seriously will have to have therapy for nail varnish addiction if i carry on speaking of which the next edition of Marie Claire comes with a ciate cookies and cream nail set on the 6th of June.  That's it I need therapy.

Glossy Box 2nd Birthday

After an expected text on Monday I decided to go to the 2nd birthday celebrations of glossy box in Covent Garden on Wednesday.  It was a brave move as I haven't been to London since my illness on my own.

I won't lie, it wasn't easy as still TFL haven't got the idea about the needs of their disabled customers. In fact I am in so much pain today, I won't do it again on my own. London is just too much of a problem for me on my own.

That said I made it to the event with an hour to spare before the first box opening. Well that translates to me as coffee time. Coffee obtained I had a  browse including adding to my hat collection,  one day I will remember to take one with me when I am out and about.

I finally joined the group that was beginning to gather. It seemed to be an endless wait but finally kimberley came out and the count down began. The giant box opened with a glossy box for all and all the crowd control of a rugby scrum.  Once I finally had ectracted myself from the crush box in hand,  I found unlike some celebrities Kimberly was just standing around to sign boxes and take photos.  Naturally I had to go and get mine signed and some one kindly took my picture. So I left a very happy bunny, and had I been a normal person I would have gone straight home,  but I don't think I have ever been normal and instead headed to Oxford Street for some retail therapy.

Now that was a bad idea on all levels. Sure I have got some real bargains, however I spent too much, walked to far abd found out just how the general public have disregard for the less able. It is Friday and I am still in bed  healing from the injuries I obtained . My left arm is swollen twice its size my feet are swollen from people stamping on them. All in all it was less retail therapy and more brutal blood sports.

So I left London on a high from the glossy box event  and vowed never to go shopping solo there again.

monthly shop

It is my monthly review of my purchases and beauty products. I have to admit this month I haven't spent that much this month, but instead I used some of my aquired points from Birchbox and gained bits through magazines etc.

My outright favourite for the month is Taaj micellar cleansing water.  I had heard so much about this and thought as I had enough points I would give it a go. Well as I have already blogged I love my l'occitane cleanser and it would take me a lot to change. Especially as all the medication I am on makes my skin unpredictable to say the least. So I was careful with how I tested this. But there wss no need for all the concern. To put bluntly this product is brilliant and now a firm favourite with me. I have altered my routine so I get the best from my skin care and use this for daily wear when I have little or no make up on and the other days I use my l'occitane products.

My next favourite was also a BIRCHBOX points buy. It is Natio ageless rosehip serum. Now I have a piece of advice for using this a little is all you need. If you remember that you can't go wrong,  its a great serum for reducing those lines and generally condition the skin. It is already replacing my previous choice of serums.

With this months IN STYLE magazine there is a choice of 3 nails inc polishes.  The choices are a baby pink, a tomato red and a light coral. I went for the later as I have colours similar to the other to.  Unlike other give aways by nails inc I only felt the urge to buy the one even though the price if the magazine is less than half the value of the the polish.

Marie Claire magazine is giving away a choice of three products fromAvon. The choices are a red lipstick,  brow pencil in Brown and a gel eye liner. Again I choose the later,  this time as I am always in looking for the perfect eye liner. Again it is worth picking out the best product for you rather than buying the magazine several times over.

So that is the run down of the best of the month. Mind you I have 2boxes of both birchbox and glossy box, a new junior glossy box and a Cew award winners box to review so I think I am going to be busy.

A time to reflect

I don't normally do this,  but I wish to take the time in this blog to honour and remember a man who has been a major influence in my life and has suddenly been taken from us.

Although I first met him and his family in the capacity of my minister, time soon proved he was going to be more than that. I met him at the age that most adults fear, my late teens.  Instead of treating me as a child he was able to address me as a young adult. This was to develop  into me working for him,  alongside teaching his children music. At the time I was extremely grateful for the opportunity as I was beginning my life long battle with chronic illness.

He was able to support this struggle as he had personal experience with a chronic illness himself. He guided me through  more than one operation,  including the life changing ones which demolished the chance me to follow my musical career.

Unlike the stereo typical example of religious leaders he would appear in the unusual places, including the local community fair, where he passed on guidance on how to win in certain games. In return I enjoyed a glorious day of fun and mischief with his children at the local theme park. So much so I can't go on one ride with out remembering that day.

Even though his job meant he was to move away, we stayed in touch and as life changes I don't think I altered my faith in him and his family. When he returned to discuss his first pilgrimage to Spain it was clear nothing had changed in our friendship.

I was sad he was unable to travel to my wedding,  however he was very much there in spiritual presence having phoned several times before.  He did make it down a couple of years later for a mutual friends funeral. It was there I had to admit how ill I had become. Instead of sympathy or pity we ended up swapping notes and tips on how to get the most out of life.

That was the last time I saw him in person,  but the joys of modern technology and social media meant we were able to keep in touch on a regular basis. Sharing tales of adventures, lows of illness and matters of social conscious.

The last message was a jokey note regarding my new hair cut. That was two weeks ago.  I never dreamt that would be the last I heard from him.

This was the man who has seen me at my worse, stood by me when the odds were against me. He was the minister who confirmed  my mother and grandfather.  But was more than a leader, he was my first equal in life. The love for him and his family has never faulted  through the highs and lows from both sides.

I am still struggling to come to terms with the news I will never see or hear from him again. Worse still is the knowledge that if I am struggling I can only imagine how hard it must be for his family.

So I wanted to dedicate this page of my blog to the man who knew I could not only survive,  but be able to help others get through it. For he was a man who walked the roads of pilgrim's and did so not to preach about it but to share and inspire others.

REV PHILIP WREN, may you rest in peace and in the knowledge your work here on earth will continue.xx.