Friday 28 February 2014

My 14 year old self

We've been spending a lot of time over at Pa's place  re-decorating before A-M Prof and family move in.

When we started the job I was intrigued that even though I haven't lived there for nearly thirty years some of my old posters were still on the walls and ceiling.

My Granny, Ma's mum, used the room for quite a number of years as well! And they were still left up.

I decided to take some photos of the posters, for memory's sake. Also because I was intrigued that the things that were important to me then still are. They're a bit faded now.


This is the first one. . .a picture of Christ wearing His crown of thorns. I never could decide if His eyes are closed or looking up! Young as I was I had a faith then. I never can think of a time I didn't believe in Christ. My faith is still of the utmost importance to me today. My faith is what has helped me through many difficult times.


This next one I must have found in a magazine as I see it has been torn out. I love the happiness on the little girl's face. I also love the caring and compassion the nurse is showing. I don't know if this picture influenced me or not. I do know it inspired me. I decided I wanted to train as a nurse when I was around 13. I later did and worked for a few years before having a family. The training has come in very useful over the years with a family, and now with parents whose health is not so good.


This one always used to make me giggle & smile. It still does :) How like us to ask God for something and then ask Him to hurry! I have learnt that God's timing can be completely different to ours. We may wait years for a prayer to be answered. It may not be answered as it may not be God's will in our lives. Still, there were many moments when the children were younger that I would remember this poster. . .sometimes many times a day, young children being the testing creatures they are!


The environment. I have always loved the natural world and still do. Memories of walks on a Sunday through Wilton's Bush now re-named Otari-Wilton's Bush. Trips to Lyall Bay and Scorching Bay
We are lucky to see green hills from our dining room, I don't kow for how much longer though as the suburbs are creeping over. I belong to the Tararua Tramping Club although I'm not a very active member of it. Still this poster shows I was thinking about things like the environment way back then.


This poster was on the ceiling above my bed, where I could see it when I woke up. It reads "The size of a person's world is the size of his heart." Well for me it was "her heart". People have always been more important to me than things. Yes, I like to have nice things, but to me it woud be very sad to be surrounded with things, inanimate objects, and not have people in my life. I am very fortunate that I am blessed to have many wonderful people in my life. Family, friends, church folk, and this kind - There are no strangers here; Only friend's you haven't met yet -William Butler Yeats

I have found over the years there have been "seasons"of being in people's lives. Different folk at different times. At one stage it seemed as though a lot of my friends moved away within a couple of years. I found it difficult and, for a while, lonely. I adjusted, made the effort to make some new ones but most of all learnt to lean in closer to God.

Being of a shy nature and preferring one-on-one to groups I have had to push myself to join a new group. I did this with the Women's Life Group I go to on a Friday. I found new friends. I did it with the tramping club. . .acquaintances more than friends, especially at present when I am not able to do any walks with them. . .with my low iron I struggle to walk far at all, and definately not the pace they do! Even the 80/90 yr olds walk farther and faster than me. . .

Last year I decided to join a regional group who meet to discuss Chalet School books. Ma had a collection, I read and loved them from about the age of 9 or 10, and she helped me gather my own. Now I'm collecting the new editiions published by Girls Gone By publishers. I never realised till reading on their website that Armada publishers made cuts in some of the books. I am really enjoying meeting with these ladies to discuss the books. Many folk don't and won't get it. If you're a reader you may. To me, when I read one of the books I haven't read before it is as though I meet up with old friends.

I found out over time that even though I love to spend time with others I also need some space or time to myself. Not heaps, just a bit here and there, or else I get what I call "peopled-out". I need to "be still" for a while, just "be" for a short space to recharge my batteries. Not always easy in a busy household, but possible nonetheless.

That's enough waffle from me. . .time to get ready to go to my Life Group :)

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Roll Call updated

In our family, as in any, there are changes. We've had a couple of additions since I did the original roll call. Time for an update. Then I will be able to link to this post in future ones.

There's the head of the household...my DH...who will be Boar. Then there is me..I'm Mama Bear...my lovelies call me that so I decided that would do :)

Our oldest son is to be Absent-Minded Professor, A-M Prof, for short. His lovely wife is Moneypenny, and their wee girl who is just turned 2 years is Sunshine. Their new baby is Poppet, and she is now 3 1/2 months old.

Our oldest daughter chose Smurfette, for herself.

Our 2nd son has chosen Butcher,  his girlfriend is to be Chuckles and their wee lad, who is 23 months old, Halfpint. All these names are from a 2012 Snow White movie called Mirror Mirror. I just watched a trailer and think I'll get the movie out to watch as it looks pretty funny. There is a list of the Seven Dwarfs names on Wikipedia, more than I expected, quite a number of different ones.

Next in line is our second daughter Frosty, which is what her fiance calls her. He is to be Jester and their son is Mr Magoo, which is what Jester calls him.

Then comes our third son who I've named Brains, yup, after the guy on Thunderbirds.

Last in the line up is our youngest daughter Locket, it's what I've called her for years.

Then there is our extended family. I've decided to put them in another post so as not to make this one too long.

Except for Ma & Pa, who may sometimes be called Mr P & Mrs P, depending on what I remember to put! They are my mum and dad. Boar's parent's both died some time ago, before either of our youngest two were born.

This is for Sunshine :)


Saturday 22 February 2014

The Day of the Prang

So.
I've been busy going back and forth to Ma & Pa's old house.
We've been plastering, painting, varnishing etc.
Plus the other things in life that need to be done.

My iron is low. . .very low.
Which makes me more tired than usual.
It can affect lots of areas in the body.
Including concentration according to this article
I'm on iron tablets but some days are harder than others.

Which brings me to last Tuesday, 11 Feb.
I went over to put the last topcoat on the walls of my old room.
That went well.
Got some texts from Frosty asking if I was home.
There was a form I needed to sign for Jester.
No. However I would text as I was leaving.
Finished painting and it looked good.
Text Frosty & closed up the house.
Frosty replied just as I was getting into the car.
Tucked my phone away, my bag was on the passenger side floor.
Usually I put it in the back.

Drove off.
My thoughts were running. . .
"OK, it's 1pm. Get home. . .sign the form. . .get changed . . .
will I have time to start the spag bol sauce? . .probably not. . .
will get Brains to make it. . .tell B & L they need to bus to dance today. . .
pick up A & baby by 1.45 . . .Butcher, Chuckles and Halfpint are coming for tea. . .
hope Chuckles scan is ok and the placenta has moved up. . .

Kind of usual for me but a bit busier than some days.
I drove down the road, around the corner with the pine trees,
over the hump where Lytton St meets Wadestown Road.
Around 40-45kph as it's twisty twiny just there so I always slow down.
Round a bit of a bend. . .
. . .out of the corner of my eye saw my bag fall over,
glanced down at it.
Must have pulled the wheel a bit to the left.
And I was already well over to the left as it is a narrow road,
blind corner coming up and people come fast round the opposite way.
Felt the wheel dip, then
I hit a wall.
Thought I'd just bumped it!
Tried to reverse.
Nothing.
Thought I'd better get out and look, thinking maybe I was hooked up.
Guy cane over. He'd stopped.
"Are you ok?"
Yes, I was.
"I don't think you'll be going anywhere!" he said.
I walked around the other side of the car.
Nope.
Not hooked up.
Tyre popped and front crumpled.
Called a tow truck.
Guy stayed and directed traffic, which was lovely of him.
After a while a police officer turned up.

I felt such a fool.
A moments distraction was all it took.


Doesn't look too bad from this angle


But not so good from this side!
The car bounced around and was left on an angle.

 So instead of the things I was going to do I got a ride home in a cop car,
and later a visit to a doctor.
My shoulders/base of neck were a bit sore,
My middle finger & ring finger on my left hand were achey,
And later my left boob was sore.
Couldn't figure that one out for a bit.
Then realised it was the seat belt.

I was very thankful that I didn't hurt anyone else by crashing into them.
Also that none of my precious children or grandbabies were in the car.
I was thankful I wasn't more badly hurt too.

Today it's ten days after the accident.
The car has been assessed and written off.
Which I don't feel great about especially as it isn't even mine.
I mean, why couldn't it have been the bomby old grey van that is beat up anyway?!

My neck is mostly better, just gets a bit tired sometimes.
My fingers are getting there though not fully better yet.

And Chuckles scan. . .it was good.
Placenta moved up and baby growing well :)

And for me, a lesson learnt.
One I could have done without.

Oh, and I have also learnt. . .
Gutters pull/drag you in!
I never knew this.
When I told the cop I felt the wheel dip he said something like:
That would do it.
Why? I thought to myself.
Have since had several people say that, yes, the gutter drags you in.
And this gutter had around 5cm of tarseal build up.
Which I think acted a bit like a channel.
I don't know for sure and I'm just surmising.

I know I was lucky as it could have been a lot worse.
The damage done at the speed I was doing I can understand more the carnage that is done at much higher speeds especially if it is two vehicles both at high speeds!

I'm thanking God.
And I'm driving as carefully as I can.


Monday 17 February 2014

Monday 17 February

The past couple of weeks have been busy with painting.
I've spent quite a bit of time over at Ma & Pa's old home.
Boar has been there evenings and weekends.
 Locket and Brains have helped out too.
Though there isn't so much Brains & Locket can do at the moment.
Absent- Minded Prof & Moneypenny have done what they can but it isn't so easy with wee ones.


 Locket, above, and Brains, below, scraping paint off before. . .


. . .we taped off and painted the skirting boards. They were green :)


The brush by the blue tape we only use for dusting off Gib dust etc before painting.


Boar sanding the floor in the hallway so it can be varnished.
The floor is Matai and came up really well.


Boar also has had quite a lot of plastering to do.
This is the wallpaper I chose when I was around 14, I think.
Still there, which shows how long since any decorating has been done!
Boar has plastered the joins where the wallpaper sheets meet.

Ok, I'll get back to this later.
Do another post.
Need to get busy as I have some sewing to do.
Also Locket is starting something new today.
Trying the first session of a Home Ed choir.
Bound to have a few nerves!
So food is needed before we go.


Saturday 15 February 2014

Just a quick note

Hmmm.
I've been thinking.
I don't manage to blog very often.
I'm working on writing more regularly.
Life has a habit of getting busy.
Still, no problem.
I'm writing mainly for myself.
An online diary in a way.
Something to remind me of our life,
how times change, children grow.
The frailty of life.

How things can change in an instant.
I'll get to all that in another post.
Enough for now.
Time to chase, again, Brains off to bed.
Time for some sleep as I had a bit of a restless night last night.
So night all.