Hi Honey, I'm Home!

This is first time in ages that I felt like writing anything. I feel bad for not updating my blog in so long but I just haven't felt like it.

I have been in a strange place recently, kind of an emotional no mans' land. I have been fed up with work, fed up with myself and my relationship with Mr B. I'm not sure what I want anymore. I have felt like a bored, desperate housewife. The trouble is, I can't really do anything about it because either I'm not really sure what it is that I want.

My weight loss has come grinding to a halt lately. I am just not in the right frame of mind to deprive myself of chocolate or even cut back on it.

We recently returned from holiday in New York and I have to say things were extremely tense at times during our trip. We had a couple of days apart as we both wanted to do different things which was fair enough. I spent part of one of the days wondering around Greenwich Village just feeling so completely lost and alone. Most of the time I enjoy my own company but there are rare occasions when I have something on my mind, being alone just makes me feel desperate.

Part of the problem is that my mum has been ill quite a lot lately too and I feel like that has been preying on my mind a bit too much. She is suffering from severe exhaustion and has been told that the recovery process is long. I worry about her so much but feel kind of helpless sometimes. Whilst I can offer her support, it is really up to her to make changes to her life. I can't do it for her.

Anyhow, I shall soldier on and plan to make sure that my blog is kept up to date.

New Year, New Year!

It occurred to me today that I haven't posted anything new on my blog for ages. Unfortunately, after so looking forward to the festive season I was struck down with terrible flu on December 21st and that completely floored me.

I was so disappointed to be ill after having recovered so successfully from having my gall bladder removed in November but am pleased to report it has nearly gone.

Anyway, a funny thing happened on New Year's eve which has made me think that things are looking up for 2009. I went to the chemist to get Mr B's prescription and on my way out noticed a horse shoe lying on the ground pointing in my direction. I didn't pick it up because it was very rusty and had nails poking out of it but I thought that this was a rather strange, and I hope, good omen. There was no reason for a horse shoe to be lying down there as it is in the middle of town with no horses or stables anywhere nearby. Oh well, let's hope I will be lucky.

I have been thinking about the good things that have happened to me in 2008 and about the things I have to be thankful for and also about the things I would like to achieve in 2009.

Good things from 2008

1. Successfully having my gall bladder removed.
2. Losing 19lbs.
3. Beginning voluntary work.
4. Liking myself more and becoming more confident.

Things I would like to achieve in 2009

Weight Loss
Hmmmmmm.....I am going to be realistic here and set myself an achievable goal so that I won't be disappointed. I would like to lose at least 19lbs. I think I can definitely do this if I put my mind to it.

Self Development
I think that it is important for myself to keep on learning new things and this year I would like to finish my PDA in Adult Literacies Learning and begin some sort of further education course. I intend to do the other course part-time/distance learning and I haven't quite decided what to do it in yet.

Those are the only goals I have set for myself this year and I will do my best to achieve them. Fingers crossed.

Clean Out Your Handbags

With Samhain over and the end of the calender year fast approaching I decided to do a little bit of cleaning and tidying this weekend.

I have a cupboard/wardrobe in our spare bedroom where I keep my clothes, bags, shoes etc and have been meaning to clear this out for a while. Carrie Bradshaw's walk-in-closet it is definitely not. You could certainly walk into it but the question is, would you ever get out?

Anyway, I found several handbags which I haven't used for some time but didn't clear them out before throwing them back into the cupboard. I was actually on the prowl for loose change as I am trying to save all I can for my holiday (yes, it really is that bad). I decided that now was the time to clear out the bags whilst looking for the loose change and I could not believe the stuff I found in them. My haul included:

1. 1 x packet of paracetamol capsules
2. 1 x packet of indigestion relief tablets (which I am hoping I won't need again)
3. A bottle of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle with a little bit left in it. (I knew I had this but didn't know where it had gone)
4. 2 x tubes of anti-bacterial hand gel
5. 1 Laura Mercier concealer
6. 1 Yankee Candle loyalty card
7. 1 Christian Dior lip gloss
8. 1 Laura Mercier lipstick
9. 3 Mac lipsticks
10. 1 Laura Mercier lipstick
11. 2 teaspoons (I had wondered recently why my teaspoons were disappearing)
12. 1 Chanel lip liner
13. 1 Christmas bauble (yes, really!)
14. Approx £3.00 in loose change (which has now been added to my holiday fund)
15. A £3.00 discount voucher for my local supermarket (still valid)
16. 1 mirror
17. A New York subway map
18. Approx 10 pens
19. 3 pairs of gloves (which I also knew I had but couldn't find)
20. A notebook

I have to say I am slightly ashamed of myself for leaving some of this stuff in handbags in the cupboard. It's not that I don't appreciate what I have, I am just a bit scatterbrained and disorganised sometimes. From now on though, I am going to make sure that I am more organised with my stuff and that I don't allow so much of it to accumulate in my handbags. The shame!

Website of the day..........

I have a huge interest in mythical creatures (particularly mermaids) and was delighted when I came across this website http://www.cryptozoology.com/

It has lots of stories about alleged sightings etc and I am sure it will provide me with hours of procrastinating time in the future.

Enjoy!

Some Festivity

I had some time on my hands today and decided to get the good old xmas decorations up. I lit my 'Festive Cheer' candle and put on the obligatory cheesy xmas CD (Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses is a particular favourite of mine).

Here is my delightfully tacky tree

and the red fairy who lives at the top.....

here is my Sex and the City bauble which I LOVE..

and my personal favourite, a cocktail glass from Vegas which has 'Las Vegas 2004' painted on the inside...

All this tree decorating has put me in the mood for mulled wine and mince pies. Shame I don't have any and can't be bothered venturing out in the cold to get any either. I do have cranberry and carmelised onion chutney though, hmmm.....what can I do with that I wonder!

A Quiz Thing

Here is a quiz thing stolen from somewhere. The things in bold are the things I have done, the things in italics are the things I want to do and the the things in normal font are ones which I have no intention of doing or am not that fussy for:

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo (hell no!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (I would if I could)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked (only crazy people would do that these days)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (Hasn’t everyone???)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (awww I would love to)
26. Gone skinny dipping (ha ha ha!)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (I have visited Venice 4 times and would NEVER ride in a gondola. Complete tourist traps)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I am working on it)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (Oh, the shame)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (thankfully no and I hope if I do it isn't for anything life threatening)
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (when I was little. Didn't everyone?)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (we don't have these in Scotland unfortunately. Something to do with the weather I suspect)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (I would like to but I am scared of those unmarked taxis that you have to get into)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (ewwwww)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (yeah, I was 14 though so it doesn't really count)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (I am working on it)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (please!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (ewwww, no but I would if I had to)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (kind of)
90. Sat on a jury (I hope I never have to do that)
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (would like to see it but have seen far too many horror movies to go swimming in a lake)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Feel free to fill in and re-post.

Tis The Season To Be Dishonest (fa la la la la la la la la)

It's that time of year again so I decided to go to my Mum's house today to pick up my Christmas decorations. She kindly lets me store them there because she has so much more room than I do. My tree is such a giant tack fest, none of this colour co-ordinating stuff with ribbons. It is a complete mish-mash of everything we like. We have lots of little animals, star wars decorations, cocktail glasses, candy canes and gingerbread men.
I have a few new decorations to add this year too which I picked up on my travels. My particular favourite is my sex and the city bauble picked up from the HBO store in New York in February. I LOVE it!
I can't wait to see them on my tree.
I will try and take some decent pictures and post them soon.

In other news, whilst surfing the net recently I came across the blog of an old 'friend'. I use the term 'friend' loosely. I haven't spoken to this person for years and have no desire to either but we were good friends at one time. My curiosity got the better of me and I have been looking over their past entries. I cannot believe how people can be so dishonest and full of such utter crap and how they manage to reel others in to their fake little world.

I knew this person as a 'friend' for years and know that they are manipulative, selfish, conniving, spoilt, completely dishonest and (in my opinion) actually quite evil they really are. Yes, that's right, I said evil and I mean it. It's not a word I would use lightly at least not in a serious way but I would say that it is true in their case. Now, however they appear to be masquerading as the complete opposite and seem to really have a few people fooled judging by the comments their fellow blogger friends are leaving on their entries.

Despite what some people may think about witches/pagans, anyone who knows what it really stands for will know that you should never wish harm or anyone. And I wouldn't (despite the fact that they betrayed me and my family) the latter being worse. However, I believe in karma and I believe that people get back what they give out. Unless this person is putting on a complete front (which is possible) it doesn't look like karma has caught up with them yet. All I can say is, I wouldn't like to be them when it does.