Just a quick one folks – I have been following The X Factor religiously again.
It’s so addictive.
But this year there is another reason why.
Ghostt
I had the pleasure of meeting one of the members (Phoenix) last year, when my daughters and I were on holiday, where he was singing as part of the entertainment.
All I can say is WOW, what a voice and what a lovely personality.
Anyway, he told me about his group, Ghostt and when I came home I immediately joined as a “friend” on their myspace site.
The lyrics are soulful; as are their voices and they truly deserve a “Big Break”.
If you get a chance, have a look at their site and give the guys some support.
I am wishing them every success and will be following their journey on The X Factor. They are true home grown talent, not manufactured! How refreshing is that!
It was my birthday last week, Something I really enjoy. I firmly believe you can NEVER have too much birthday and unlike most women (well practically all women I know) I am not shy about my age and I look forward to the advancing years!
This 41 year old is just so happy she reached 41. Against doctors' predictions many moons ago – she got there! And I hasten to add, I have every confidence that I will get to 42, 43, 44 and way beyond!
I celebrated my birthday with friends and my sister Wendy (my other sister Tina was still with Allison that evening, I missed her, but I totally agree with her being with Ally! (http://www.yourlocalguardian.cdevoted_dad.php )
Wendy, Tina and I are all born on the same day, so birthdays were always a big occurrence when we were growing up.
I received some great cards from friends and a beautiful card from my daughters.
We went to a place in Kingston called the “Blue Hawaii”, it’s a themed restaurant and we had a fantastic time.
Wendy and I had to wear a straw hat because it was our birthday.
A few things have happened this week that have reminded me (painfully) that life can be difficult and short, so we should all make every effort to live it to the fullest.
A good friend of mine has learned that her fourth try at IVF has again failed. She is obviously heartbroken and the saddest thing is, she would be a terrific mum. I have loved seeing her with my children over the last 10 years that I have known her. It’s sadly ironic that in the same week as I get that news, I find that one of my children’s friends (15) is pregnant. Although I believe she will be a good mum (as far as a child can be a parent): it is hard not to see the unfairness of the situations.
I also got some desperately sad news on Monday. A friend I have known since school (over 30 years) has suffered a loss so painful, I don’t know what to say or do to help. Her husband was killed this week in a crash. She has 4 children – the youngest being only 5. My sister (who is the closest friend to her) has been with her constantly since the news was broken to her. A 37 year old man that has everything to live for has cruelly been taken from the people who love him.
What this has brought home to me is, in the big scheme of things, my problems of damp in my house, the ex-husband who is difficult, the living in my overdraft & the illness I have had are all irrelevant. It could all be gone in a blink of an eye.
All I can say is – Live life to the full people. It’s a gift, not a right.
Xxx
“Work like you don't need the money, dance like no one is watching, sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, live like there is no tomorrow."
Its been a while since my last blog and I have so much I want to write, But really don’t know where to start.
I have had a horrible few weeks, with the damp in my property being so bad, all the floor coverings have been pulled up and the floor excavated – which proved there was never a damp proof course or waterproof lining in the property!
This now means we have to move out for the council to put a whole new floor and bottom of all the walls in. This will take many weeks and my daughters and I will have to stay in temporary accommodation – NOT something I relish… My girls' father doesn’t want to know, so they can’t even have him as a fall back, if this temp accom proves to be as bad as I suspect it will be.
But I am still trying to remain positive and I'm actually looking forward to coming home from work in the future and NOT treading on wet carpet/concrete!
The school summer holiday has proven to be a major headache this year – with my girls having to entertain themselves at home for the seven weeks, while I work. It’s not been nice weather and as such proves to be an expensive couple of months! Uniform shopping is next on the agenda – Another £400 or so to spend out, with no help from the Government, father or school (who insists on the children wearing clothes from a certain shop, or they get sent home! Why can't that certain shop be Asda or Tesco’s?). So all in all I am looking at a very expensive couple of months ahead!
However, I am happy to report that I have my health (Thanks to a cacophony of drugs I take each day) and I am still in a good frame of mind! I truly believe that your outlook and the way you deal with things affects the outcome.
I love my job at the moment, after a period of upheaval, I feel settled and happy, which is a major bonus when your home life is as unsettled as it is.
Signing off – Still smiling
“Work like you don't need the money, dance like no one is watching, sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, live like there is no tomorrow."
I’m laying on my bed at 11.30 on Saturday night, unusual for me to be in bed this early on a weekend, But I decided to retreat upstairs to let my girls and their mates have some time in the lounge.
My girls called me at 10ish tonight saying they were being bothered by the feds (in English that means, they knew they were going to be stop and searched by the community support teams) my girls did nothing wrong, they were in a group of people (and that was the reason for the police keep driving by them and getting out of the cars and standing near them). I was called and promptly went to pick them and their friends up from where this was happening and bring them to our road, where they could stand outside and chat.
Well, that was the plan – it didn’t happen like that – The police followed me home and once I had let the kids out of my car, promptly stop and searched them practically outside my house! 25 mins of entertainment for the neighbours and frustration for me, as I can't understand why the kids are targeted so much now? Are there really no robberies, attacks etc taking place on a Saturday night any more? Are kids of 14-17 really so dangerous it takes two cars and seven bodies to do a stop and search? I wonder.
So that’s why I am upstairs, I had to give these kids somewhere to go... I despair at the world today, I really do – these lot downstairs aren’t Bad kids, JUST bored kids.
Anyway, I wanna end on a high note – guess what they are doing right now? Nope they are not discussing the next Stabbing or robbery they will be involved in (that’s sarcasm people!), I am laying here listening to the sound of five young guys (aged 16-18) and two of my girls laughing and giggling, as they play swing ball in the dark in my back garden and it’s the loveliest sound in the world.
I read a reply posted on one of my blog’s today and it made me realise I am in grave danger of turning into someone who only sees the worst of what’s around her.
However – With the life I have had to live over the last few years, I wouldn’t blame me!
With a wayward and then absent husband (recently divorced!), with a flooded house (even before the recent floods, long story, but house has been flooded regularly since 2005), with ever increasing costs associated with being the single parent of three girls and with various illness issues, I could have easily given up!
BUT I am not “that type of person”. I will always smile in the face of adversity. My favorite saying explains it perfectly.
“If life throws you Lemons – make Lemonade”!!!!
So to the online community that read my blog, I promise a “lighter side” to my musings over the next few weeks
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