tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66352779979319265772024-02-02T09:46:13.652-08:00Stories and StuffThis is my blog about stories: my stories, other people's stories, stuff about stories, people talking about stories, pictures that go with stories and stories about writing stories. There's always a story to tell or a story untold.V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-24832834808137954702015-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:002015-08-13T10:55:47.763-07:00Baby Business: Week 34, food glorious food<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Feeding myself snacks.
Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Feeding myself my own
bottle. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Feeding myself my
pureed food. No chance!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d like to open up a discussion with other mums out there
on the diets of their little ones. What they eat and won’t eat? When they went
on to solids, how that went and when they started having non-pureed food? What
snacks do you give them? How often do you feed them? What you won’t feed them
and why?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s not that I have any major concerns, but I am truly
amazed by what Little One will eat and where her incessant appetite comes from,
maybe it’s in her genes or maybe it’s her non-stop energy throughout the day
(every day is a new adventure with missions to accomplish and toys to battle). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whatever the cause, I have to say that I love food times with Little One – and
as far as I’m concerned, the messier the better (I have a dog to hoover up!).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So almost eight months old and (apart from eggs) nothing has
got in the way of Little One’s discovery of food. She does make me chuckle
though in what I think is a deliberately clever move; whenever you put the
first spoonful of food up to her lips, she pulls a face of disgust, wrinkles
her nose and looks like she’s going to spit her food out. This is the same for
everything, even her favourites. I guess she thinks that if she acts like she
doesn’t like it from the offset then I won’t make her eat it if she really
doesn’t like it. Clever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As you know, I have been having a ball cooking for Little
One and now feel well placed to write my own recipe book entitled ‘Crazy
Cooking by Mummy’! The way I see it is that I create, cook and eat some
‘unusual/experimental’ dishes and most of the time get the big thumbs up from
my patient guinea pigs... ooops, I mean my guests! As such, Little One’s diet
needs to be fully prepared for this, so here goes Amelia’s top 10 meals at the
moment:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Squishy Sweet Potato and Beef Casserole</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Mad Veg Medley Curry</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Banana Avocado Mish-Mash</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Posh Salmon Mousse Toast</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Gooey Creamy Pineapple Chicken</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Pea, Courgette, Apple, Mint and Garlic Crush</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Very Berry Yoghurt</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Pepper and Paprika Parsnips</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->9.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Zesty Cinnamon Apples and Pears </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Bread and butter!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The stocks in the freezer are now getting low, so on with my
adventurous bambino-chef hat and here’s to the introduction of luscious liver
casserole, herby spag bol, tangy orange fish hot-pot, chickeny bean jalfrezi,
summer fruit jellies and very lemony sorbet. I can’t wait to crack open that
food blender...</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, any suggestions of good recipes and dishes then
please let me know. I may be creative, but you can’t beat the tried and tested!.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-59495278877191329272015-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:002015-08-11T07:04:14.929-07:00A final exert from one of 'my books in progress'<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
beauty surrounding him tried to distract him, but he could not escape. He was
alone. He wanted to tell her about the way the water and the sky merged, with
only the passing boats to indicate that there was even a place where the ocean
stopped and the sky began. No he didn’t want to tell her, he wanted to be able
to show her, share it with her, hold her as they looked out across the water.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
anger started as a distant anxious knot in his stomach. It rumbled and gurgled
and he gasped to catch his breath as his heart-beats cramped. He felt the
solid demon inside drag itself up from the pit of his stomach, clenching his
chest and squeezing the air from his lungs. It shuddered and swelled into his
throat and through to his finger tips. From nowhere the anger burst out of his
mouth, pushing his hands in to a punching mass of fists and knuckles pounding
the air, the rock, the sand. He fell to his knees, weak from this strangling
fear of lost control. Yet the anger raged on like a tide of jagged emotions
ripping through his frail old body. He wept. He shouted. He buried his head
into his hands and he shook. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He’d
finally been able to let out everything he’d been holding inside since that
fateful day. H</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">e’d wanted to grieve, to shout and scream, but he’d been held
back by a sense of denial, of accepting that reality was real and that there
was no going back, even though there seemed no way of moving forward. To grieve
is to accept. To accept is to understand. To understand is to let go.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">George
couldn’t let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Not
here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Not
yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-63081125313957840382015-08-09T09:18:00.001-07:002015-08-09T09:18:26.387-07:00My week...With a Scottish air and Edinburgh Festival inspiration, this has been my week in Creativeland, Blogland and Writerland...<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A little snippet of a book I'm working on... </span><br />
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://vrheal.blogspot.com/2015/06/an-exert-from-another-of-my-books-in.html</span></div>
</div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Baby business saw a poo in the bath ereeeeekkkk!!!</span></div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://vrheal.blogspot.com/2015/08/baby-business-week-32-you-have-to-youre.html</span></div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Champagne #colour_collective, meet Moet the puppy</span></div>
<div class="PXLWASD-V-m" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); border: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); cursor: default; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/7th-july-2015.html</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Dog doodle <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/4th-august-2015.html</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cat doodle</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/3rd-august-2015.html</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Froggy doodle</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.com/2015/08/6th-august-2015.html</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<br /></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-66608487132556293532015-08-06T14:48:00.000-07:002015-08-06T14:48:06.684-07:00Baby Business: Week 32, you have to. You’re a mother!<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First French bread.
Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First smoothie. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First avocado. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First egg. YUCK!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it’s safe to assume that everyone knows exactly how
much I love being a mummy to baby Little One - I may have mentioned it once or
twice! What I haven’t mentioned are the bits I don’t like about being a
mother... “What?” I hear you cry. Yes, there are some things I do not like:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Injections:</b>
Can’t we just wave a magic wand that wraps our little ones in a protective
layer, safe from all illnesses? That way we wouldn’t have to inflict injections
on them. I have to say, my guilt was marginally eased as I didn’t hold Little
One when she had her injections, instead I took the ‘saviour’ role, giving her
cuddles straight after and carrying her away from the mean lady with the
needle!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>The first
fall</b>: Oooohhhhhhhh that resounding thud. You know the one – it sounds like
an arctic lorry hitting the side of your house. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
You move like grease lightening, but everything
goes into slow motion and your precious little one goes from smiley baby,
sitting playing happily to a falling confused baby toppling backwards... and
you just don’t get there in time. THUD... Silence. ...That look of shock... The
crumpling of the face... The quivering of the lips... The cry... The guilt! </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Cutting
nails:</b> What is it with babies’ nails - how quickly do they grow?! And our
wriggly little ones really make it a challenge to cut them. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
So, how do you do it? Baby nail scissors?
Baby nail clippers? Or good old chewing? My method... ask someone else to do
it! That may seem like a cop-out, but unfortunately I have a very good excuse. I’d
made a lovely game with Little One in order to cut her nails. One foot down,
four nails in and... NOOOOOOOO, I snipped her toe. Now I would like to point
out that Little One didn’t even notice and actually carried on giggling at the
game, but I was in tears and devastated that I had injured my little girl. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Car seat
woes:</b> There you are with ‘going to the zoo’ CD playing, raspberries being
blown back and forth between us, when we enter a tunnel... </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
All goes a little dark... silence... and
then a screech and total sobbing (scared cries). Oh no – I am on the M25, heavy
traffic, I am on my own... I can’t stop, I can’t cuddle my baby, I can’t pick
her up for a reassuring hug. I have to listen helplessly to her crying, trying
to calm and sooth her with words, rhymes, funny noises... A whole three minutes
later (which believe me feels like hours) and the sobbing gradually subsides,
but the damage is done. I have failed my little girl by not being able to wrap
my arms round her when she got scared.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Poo in
the bath</b> (my favourite!) – I really don’t think I need to say too much
about this one and I think I am fully justified in stating that this is a part
of being a mummy that is not fun! Though it is intriguing - where does that
amount come from and how come it sticks to everything, even things when they were
not in the bath at the time? A very messy stinky mystery!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would like to reassure every mum out there that I am
working on a solution to all the above and I fully expect to have them sussed,
fixed and mastered by... well... ermmmmmm... actually... nope, I have nothing!<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-90693001033141301212015-08-04T08:30:00.000-07:002015-08-04T08:30:13.621-07:00An exert from another of 'my books in progress'Each one of us course the veins of our city, helping her grow, develop into her entirety. Each of us is integral; each of us important. Each human cog links to another; we join, we part, we collide and become one. We are our city, and our city is us.<br />
<br />
A million hearts beat as one heart, in this city I call home.<br />
<br />
But then we change. Our worlds divide, our hunger drives us through competition. We are strong, but the weak lose out. We are leaders, but others won't be led. The pulse weakens and the few select move forward, as layers fall away.<br />
<br />
Our city stands strong in the inherited and weak in the few. She will continue, we will fuel her and together we will evolve.V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-39820152725857990152015-08-02T09:33:00.000-07:002015-08-02T09:33:07.436-07:00My week...Another week of summer madness and fun, oh and some work and creativity too! Here's how my week in Creativeland, Blogland and Writerland has been...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Set of case studies written, designed and printed for one happy customer</li>
<li>Approached about an interesting retail web venture... needs some serious thought</li>
<li><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/and-julys-top-blog-posts-were.html" target="_blank">July's top blog posts were announced ></a></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">Stories & Stuff Number One </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">(Post from November 2014)</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">: </span><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/that-whats-going-to-happen-in-dark.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">That 'what's-going-to-happen-in-the-dark' feeling ></a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;"><span style="font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">Stories & Stuff </span>Number Two (Post from 8th June): </span><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/i-forgot-to-feed-my-tamagotchi-blog.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">I forgot to feed my Tamagotchi blog ></a></li>
<li>Doodle Blog <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">Number One: </span><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/24th-july-2015.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">24th July Colour Collective piece ></a></li>
<li>Doodle Blog <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">Number Two: </span><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/17th-july-2015.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">17th July Nature's Couture piece ></a></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/baby-business-week-30-picture-perfect.html" target="_blank">Baby Business: Week 30, picture perfect ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/windows-of-transition-day-to-night.html" target="_blank">Windows of transition: day to night, summer to winter ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">i did a doodle today and every day this week ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/31st-july-2015.html" target="_blank">Forest Green challenge for this week's #Colour_Collective ></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
My favourite doodle this week?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKLadbsMTSzWG2tiVwp26HNChs0torLZZ8aMxCi2OPx2wHg-syPQxZo2DoPN-Hpy-RYq_RwBtK7bGlOsryMY2TwMn66_iK5K1BHNnivJgvSufnPTYfb8akz9Lkabj4mhCg1tJZ-hvMmA/s1600/310715ColourCollectiveForrestGreenSockPuppet-01.jpg" /></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-40687864437605320902015-08-02T09:22:00.000-07:002015-08-02T09:22:09.979-07:00And July's top blog posts were...So another month has gone by and both my blogs have been marvelously busy - thank you to all my lovely visitors. And the most popular posts for July?<br />
<br />
<u><b>Stories & Stuff Blog</b></u><br />
<br />
Number One <i>(Post from November 2014)</i>: <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/that-whats-going-to-happen-in-dark.html" target="_blank">That 'what's-going-to-happen-in-the-dark' feeling ></a><br />
<br />
Number Two (Post from 8th June): <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/i-forgot-to-feed-my-tamagotchi-blog.html" target="_blank">I forgot to feed my Tamagotchi blog ></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>i did a doodle today Blog</u></b><br />
<br />
Number One: <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/24th-july-2015.html" target="_blank">24th July Colour Collective piece ></a><br />
<br />
Number Two: <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/17th-july-2015.html" target="_blank">17th July Nature's Couture piece ></a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_kDUbiwYIPy82PnMt06tnXXATGt8nLsbkUMbwZy9Veq6igeGj6hLWMcXbFm1yABEQwiUABzlTbW6J-wfKVS5Xk1ETh5ZnevVIYQFh4dNCoPD1m9CAvWVBBQXvH6EdEzhKFv2JoVpcRgd/s1600/240715ColourCollectiveFireEngineRed2-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_kDUbiwYIPy82PnMt06tnXXATGt8nLsbkUMbwZy9Veq6igeGj6hLWMcXbFm1yABEQwiUABzlTbW6J-wfKVS5Xk1ETh5ZnevVIYQFh4dNCoPD1m9CAvWVBBQXvH6EdEzhKFv2JoVpcRgd/s1600/240715ColourCollectiveFireEngineRed2-01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcfyIfRK2_qnC1DSceuYXfjulE4t-aqAHXIN_ljAlEZtF169TH440aG3REdeAnEFX9fmQuuGJCS9dZ6miJKod6RNScrCxBLTd0zojGBjv6VUjliDVDs5IfAWaX5bRGZv73cTNVGVjJIZ3/s1600/170715ColourCollectiveDolphins-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcfyIfRK2_qnC1DSceuYXfjulE4t-aqAHXIN_ljAlEZtF169TH440aG3REdeAnEFX9fmQuuGJCS9dZ6miJKod6RNScrCxBLTd0zojGBjv6VUjliDVDs5IfAWaX5bRGZv73cTNVGVjJIZ3/s1600/170715ColourCollectiveDolphins-01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-71986934829079650442015-07-30T10:13:00.000-07:002015-07-30T10:13:47.880-07:00Baby Business: Week 30, picture perfect<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First hand, foot and
body painting – all cleaned up. Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First cornflour and
water moulding – all cleaned up. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First sand castle
building – all cleaned up. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>First cornflake
crunching – all cleaned up... well Timba seems to have found most the stray
cornflakes!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I woke this morning full of excitement, that very special ‘proudest-mum-in-the-world’
kind of excitement, because ‘I-have-the-most-beautiful-baby-in-the-world’ and
today she is going to start her modelling career! As part of a free photo-shoot
to update a professional photographer’s portfolio, Little One was to be
immortalised in film (well digital file anyway). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had carefully selected a wardrobe of outfits to cover all
the different types of shots that may be taken. So on went outfit number one –
cute pink velvet shorts, vintage-style shirt and... nooooooooooo... Sick all
down the front.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No problem . Little One’s fine – just a bit of that lovely
milky regurgitation we mums are so fond of! Plenty more outfits to choose from.
On goes the gorgeous polka dot dress and... noooooooooooo. Doh! I should have
known better... I’ll just stick to the vest and socks for now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, I like to think that (given my work) I am a fairly
creative person, but what the photographer saw when he walked in to my house
were photo-opportunities that I would never have thought of. I still can’t get
my head around how he made a radiator such a fabulous backdrop! He got straight
in to rearranging furniture and cushions, clicking left, right, from above,
from below, in action, posed stills.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After an hour or so I had repeated all Little One’s
favourite songs to the point of grimacing at Incy Wincey Spider, I had worked
the magic off all the actions that bring out her bubaliscious smile, and had
pulled Timba out of shot (and slobber-range of Little One) over a dozen times ,
but we had it. That perfect shot (well actually a whole host of perfect shots).
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The photographer has captured the absolute essence of my
little girl in a photo that actually brought a tear to my eye. A visual memory
that will last forever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know we all think we have the most beautiful child in the
world... but I really do!<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-68044291800109505192015-07-28T10:32:00.000-07:002015-07-28T10:32:23.430-07:00Windows of transition: day to night, summer to winterThe past few days I have been doing doodles on my doodle blog (<a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">have you taken a peek? ></a>) following inspiration from the beauty that comes from Church and Cathedral stained Glass Windows. Works of art, they are now, more and more, taking on modern twists, commissioned artists working their storytelling magic into the images and colours and use of light that each window holds.<br />
<br />
Years ago I visited Moreton Church in Dorset and was mesmerised and transported by the eerily beautiful windows that had been installed, using simplicity and calm through single white etchings to capture the devastation and impacts of the World Wars. So moving, so thought provoking.<br />
<br />
So I've been inspired to create my own little set of four windows to depict the transition of day to night, summer to winter. My aim is simplicity, using colour and shapes to illustrate transition, and then (if they were real windows) the movement of the natural light through the pains would bring them to life, literally moving the transition between the windows.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_DGZgP17C43-t8A3Ugec0Zh5Kjx2Uml3_Tip0Vk1_oRpDI8iQG-U-Fq0QVEo2jBG6J0gg696bg6vCSVhdwL8B67nIIPKldlZviljIQcpiwmlB9OPrfcA_5m2RsHNN1edmKPXhkGPzDQ/s1600/280715StainedGlassWindowsFULLset-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_DGZgP17C43-t8A3Ugec0Zh5Kjx2Uml3_Tip0Vk1_oRpDI8iQG-U-Fq0QVEo2jBG6J0gg696bg6vCSVhdwL8B67nIIPKldlZviljIQcpiwmlB9OPrfcA_5m2RsHNN1edmKPXhkGPzDQ/s1600/280715StainedGlassWindowsFULLset-01.jpg" /></a>V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-8222009015436320792015-07-26T08:11:00.000-07:002015-07-26T08:11:26.288-07:00My week(s)...Ooops, another week snuck by without me realising, so on catch up again. All going weel in Creativeland, Blogland and Writerland (less so in writerland as I've been a little distracted on work projects)...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Busy with case study production for one of my marketing clients - gone ultra eco friendly for a couple of weeks</li>
<li>Helped with a dual marketing campaign, big car brand and my client could be hitting the roads together (in a very green way)</li>
<li>A lesson in not making bookie assumptions... <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/what-earth-are-you-reading-looks-like.html" target="_blank">What an earth are you reading? Looks like sci-fi porn! ></a></li>
<li>The rollercoaster of new motherhood in Baby Business Blog... <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/baby-business-week-28-rock-and-roll-over.html" target="_blank">Baby Business: Week 28, rock and roll (over!) ></a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 17.7099990844727px;">The Big Draw festival carries the theme</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 17.7099990844727px;">‘Every Drawing Tells a Story’. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/i-have-story-to-draw.html" target="_blank">I have a story to draw. ></a></b></li>
<li>Memories of summer evoked through photography. </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/a-moment-of-summer.html" target="_blank">A moment of summer ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/another-moment-of-summer.html" target="_blank">Another moment of summer ></a></li>
</ul>
<li>Baby Business Blog hits babies first Easter. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/baby-business-week-26-did-someone-eat.html" target="_blank">Baby Business: Week 26, did someone eat the Easter Bunny? ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">I did a doodle today and everyday for the past two weeks ></a></li>
<li><a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/21st-july-2015.html" target="_blank">I put hats on lollies and ice creams! ></a></li>
<li>Fire Engine Red #Colour_Collective. <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/24th-july-2015.html" target="_blank">Lest we should forget the poppy tears ></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><u>My favourite doodle from the past two weeks...</u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9OEl_Q4nGcbgZTonbjSKfZ5uDKVa6BqUbQuqv6Yz3M6mtg6mFBXPxQ0DnJW4MwjzeBM3e1Gl4Ch_Yv1V2LZuk-x_C4aKLSVuffR2QdLjedL6fpbRAHALlJ1TDXGxFyVQj-P4EHi8diij/s1600/170715ColourCollectiveDolphins-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9OEl_Q4nGcbgZTonbjSKfZ5uDKVa6BqUbQuqv6Yz3M6mtg6mFBXPxQ0DnJW4MwjzeBM3e1Gl4Ch_Yv1V2LZuk-x_C4aKLSVuffR2QdLjedL6fpbRAHALlJ1TDXGxFyVQj-P4EHi8diij/s1600/170715ColourCollectiveDolphins-01.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-27926804087536431282015-07-25T04:30:00.001-07:002015-07-25T04:30:49.889-07:00What an earth are you reading? Looks like sci-fi porn!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That’s what I wanted to say when I saw the cover of my
brother’s latest read. The sci-fi aspect was no surprise (sci-fi lover through
and through is my Big Bro), but the sleazy draping of the skimpily-clad lady
with dragon wings over the broken moon did make me wonder what my brother was
now in to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Turns out, she was the God of the Elation galaxy and the
last defender of the moons of Zarr. She was a strong, powerful feminist with
intelligence and wit, leadership and compassion. All in all, it turns out that
the book is more about politics of warfare and leadership and the battle of
power between races and sexes. Who knew, the cover certainly didn’t ‘shout
those messages’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, don’t judge a book by its cover. I get it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I could go off in a whole different direction now,
wearing my Marketing hat. I could delve in to the ‘selling the story’
strategies that go hand-in-hand (or should do) with book and cover designs,
enabling your biggest marketing tool (the book itself) to call out to the
readers that love the genre and those that would love the messages, the ideals,
the sentiments in the words hidden behind the cover. But I’m not. Maybe another
time, another blog...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to talk about the short-sightedness of readers. The prejudice
of readers. The comfort zone of readers. Why do we readers read just what we
know and like, what is our reluctance to venture into other genres?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rumour has it there’s been this massive explosion in young
adult literature over the past decade. But I’m not a ‘young adult’, so I don’t
think they’ll be my kind of thing. Soppy teenage romances and school angst...
oh and I heard something about wizards and vampires. Really. Not. My. Cup. Of.
Tea.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What a mistake. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Think about it. Think back to your young adult/upper teenage
you, your life. This is a time of so much change - physical, emotional,
intellectual. The world becomes a far bigger place and life ahead can be a
fearful inevitability or an exciting adventure. Politics and religion become
topics that actually start to mean something as an individual, and love death
and fear become real emotions and experiences. Money doesn’t grow on trees and
your parents stop holding your hand. Throw in an array of (adult) genres –
romance, thriller, sci-fi, adventure, murder mystery, crime... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wow, YA has to actually be an amazing discovery to discover.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As 2014 came to a close, I was in the process of changing a
number of aspects of my life. Not because of the new year approaching, but just
because needs must – financially and emotionally. With the re-jigging of a
number of elements in my life, I wanted to read more again, having drifted from
the literary path somewhat in the previous years. But I didn’t want to read
what I’d read before, regardless of new titles and authors, I wanted to have a
form of escape, a form of excitement, a form of adventure, a form of tension,
that was all outside my actual life. I wanted to see what was out there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I followed a number of blogs by well known and respected
book reviewers and I made a pact with myself to just buy every book they raved about,
regardless of subject matter or genre (though I can’t quite bring myself to read
horror yet though). So as January and February went by, lots of lovely packages
of books arrived and I put them in a box and randomly picked one out at a time.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have now read a number of YA books, the most amazing
sci-fi book (having never read sci-fi before), a memoir, a fashion book, a book
on bees and a major Hollywood hit. I have been to Mars, college and the
beginning of the end of the world. I’m currently in the Netherlands in the last
century before I will venture in to space and the actual life of a real
astronaut. What a journey. I’ve cried, I’ve snorted with laughter and I’ve
stayed up till 2am captivated by the tension. I’ve met characters I love, ones
I despised and some that just bored me. I’ve read amazing wordmanship and
skipped the pages of some pretty poor writing too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I have been on such journeys. Roads I would never have
gone on if I had not just opened up my bookshelves and invited in a load of
strangers.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No more assumptions. (But still no horror.)</span></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-81537923293061296712015-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:002015-07-23T12:26:20.957-07:00Baby Business: Week 28, rock and roll (over!)<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Went to a Royal
Wedding party. Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Put on my best party
dress. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Watched the service
with fascination. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Decided to become a
princess when I grow up. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ah the end of that wonderful run of Bank Holidays (complete
with fabulous sunshine). It is now back to reality and in a big way for me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having slowly ‘drifted’ back in to work, dipping my toe
slightly in to the marketing waters, I gave myself till May before knuckling down
and picking up the work-pace... yikes, May is here! And to make matters harder,
I have just had loads of extra days with just me and Little One and I don’t
want them to stop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A number of weeks back I wrote about the difficulties of
going back to work – no one doubts how hard it is, but having gone back already
(very part time) I have managed to achieve a lovely balanced pattern. But it is
no longer enough, I need to crank up the work, especially now Little One has
already started to outgrow 9-12 month clothes so another new wardrobe beckons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is all part of this amazing rollercoaster of a ride that
motherhood is. Typically people have used this expression to depict the ‘ups’
and ‘downs’ of becoming a mother, but in my case there are absolutely no ‘downs’.
I use the phrase ‘rollercoaster ride’ to emphasise the excitement, the thrills,
the twists and the turns of being a mummy. No day is the same and just as you
think you are on one track, Little One goes and puts a whole new stance on
things - we are now very ‘rock and roll’...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rock: sitting and swaying, side-to-side, back-and-forth,
balancing then ‘whoooops’, up we get!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roll: from back to tummy, ‘eeeeek’ how do I get back? Oh,
that’s how... no stopping me now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rock and Roll: I have a xylophone, I have a tambourine, I have
drums, I make NOISE!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is certainly never dull, and as I am lucky enough to
work from home I have no doubt that I will hear ‘band practice’ from my office.</div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-55292098179122828932015-07-20T13:10:00.001-07:002015-07-20T13:10:49.908-07:00I have a story to draw.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a story to draw. A story to tell with no words, no punctuation,
no commentary. I have a story, and only images will do. After all, a picture’s
worth a thousand words...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes you
get a moment, only a second in time, to get a message or information across: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An advert to
tempt you to shop at a certain store; a headline photo to make you buy that
newspaper; a cover of a book to tell you that you want to read it; a sign post
to show you your roundabout exit; the location of your life-vest on an aeroplane.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Images
enable a huge amount of information to be portrayed in one picture, one place,
one second (if necessary). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Images communicate,
inform and break down communication barriers, whether language barriers or
emotional ones. </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; line-height: 115%;">From early learning
of the written and spoken language (a picture of a red <b><u>a</u></b>pple, </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">a bright coloured beach <b><u>b</u></b>all)
to communicating international information – arrows for direction, trains for
train stations, crosses for medical facilities - d</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; line-height: 115%;">rawings, pictures and images are a language of their own.
Even</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> colours themselves
speak – red danger, pink females and green environment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not all
pictures are for instant use, sometimes you want someone to delve in to a
picture and see more and more, wonder more and more, question more and more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pictures can
shape our world differently, through fresh eyes. How we may have perceived
something can be shown to be different, be seen differently, looked at in a
different way. Opening our eyes and minds to different ideas and understanding,
seeing how things are, can be and once were. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>So you see a
picture of a child, standing with a tear in her eye...<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You could
think she was sad, something bad had happened. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If we drew
her thin and in rags, you may perceive her as a street urchin, poor and hungry.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If we drew
her in a busy bustling street, so much shorter than the crowds around her, we
might assume she was lost and looking for her mummy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What if we
changed the background and put her in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a
pony on the front, drew fields around her, with a stable, the door open and a
little white pony standing there, a big pink bow around its neck... a much
wanted and dreamed for birthday present. The tear becomes one of happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Through a
picture, so much can be said with so little. A whole story can be told.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last year I
was introduced to The Big Draw, the world’s largest drawing festival. An
international month-long event, that encourages and facilitates people from all
walks of life to draw. Last year this involved over 400,000 people from 21
countries attending. Schools, museums, galleries, outdoor venues, artists and illustrators
all came together to connect people from across the world through drawing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This year,
throughout October, The Big Draw festival carries the theme <b>‘Every Drawing Tells a Story’</b>. So come
on, what’s your story? Draw it, even if you think you can’t draw you will be
amazed at what you can do. There are events all over the place for grown-ups
and children, so take a look and have a go, a doodle, a scribble, a sketch, a
painting... drawing is drawing, expression is expression, and we all have
stories to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thebigdraw.org/" target="_blank">Find out more about the Big Draw ></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.campaignfordrawing.org/home/index.aspx" target="_blank">Read about The Campaign For Drawing, the charitable organisation behind The Big Draw ></a> </span></span></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-53042167915470158332015-07-18T10:04:00.000-07:002015-07-18T10:04:32.490-07:00Another moment of summerThere are so many things that conjure up 'summer' to different people, from the obvious ice creams and bikinis, the camping and BBQs, to the holidays and long light nights, the balmy evenings and toasty days.<br />
<br />
Memories are such an influence: summers past, summers not-to-be-forgotten, those days that made us smile and those places that stay with us forever.<br />
<br />
So what's in an image, what summer is shining through, what memory, what story, what feelings...<br />
<br />
An image tells a thousand words. What does this say to you?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYWxHVq66JvQBvt5jUHOpBhAD8LCLYo3IifF8d4vjl7n3MZAzb2NDnd34pTAdN0-fTFcUFXrxOQLBMt1D3NrqjyLH0H8Roo8cHMPCDk3u7NcbrdpwQwX0pUZ-2vVWC6wVdv-Lmo3MDEKf/s1600/Sea+Skies+July15-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYWxHVq66JvQBvt5jUHOpBhAD8LCLYo3IifF8d4vjl7n3MZAzb2NDnd34pTAdN0-fTFcUFXrxOQLBMt1D3NrqjyLH0H8Roo8cHMPCDk3u7NcbrdpwQwX0pUZ-2vVWC6wVdv-Lmo3MDEKf/s1600/Sea+Skies+July15-01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-92222015807918499522015-07-16T10:08:00.000-07:002015-07-16T10:08:18.878-07:00Baby Business: Week 26, did someone eat the Easter Bunny?<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Been a ‘lady wot
lunches’ lots this week. Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Been a ‘lady wot
squeals’ lots this week. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Been a ‘lady wot bangs
toys’ lots this week. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Been a ‘lady wot
sleeps’ lots this week. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Obviously this year brings a whole host of ‘firsts’ as this
is Little One’s first year, so welcome to Little One’s first Easter, as
described by Little One herself:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>My Easter<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here comes Mummy. “Shplurrrr ga ga ga eeeeeeEEEEEE” <i>[Hello Mummy]</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Big cuddles and quick nappy change, a few wriggles and
kicks, one raspberry and a lot of chat and we are good to go. Apparently
something called the Easter Bunny has been...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a pretty flowery dress on and we are off to that
church building we passed on our walk yesterday. Some strange but nice music is
coming from inside and lots and lots of people keep coming up to me and saying
hello and wiggling my cheeks. Oi, less of the ‘chubby cheeks’ thank you very
much! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s this friendly looking man standing at the front with
his arms stretched out talking to us... best say hello, but I’ll have to shout
as we are sitting quite far back – “YEEEEEEOOOOOGA GAG A SHPLUUUUUUUUURRRRR”.
Ooooo it’s all gone quiet, but I have got the attention of that nice man. I
want to keep chatting to him but something has sneaked up on me... can’t stop
it... “BURRRRRRRRP”. Oops everyone’s looking at me now, but it’s ok as mummy is
laughing lots... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back home and play time, but hold on, what’s this? A pile of
funny shaped things from that Easter Bunny. It’s all covered in pretty paper
... oooo what fun, paper to crunch! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mummy and Granny look very excited. Maybe I should join
in... “goo gee gee shplurrrrr eeeEEEE ga ga ga”. Yeah, this is fun! Mummy is
taking that lovely crunchy paper off and... hold on Mummy... what are you
doing.... don’t throw the paper away... I want it to crunch... “<b>AAAAAAAEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH”</b>!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok. All calm again now. I have my paper and have now
realised that behind the paper are some really fun things too, all from that
Easter Bunny. I now have these funny plastic egg things that break and squeak
when I grab and push them and a crocodile that whizzes across the floor... wayhay!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am liking this Easter Bunny. He seems to have delivered a
load more boxes for me with round shaped things covered in shiny colourful
paper... however, mummy keeps sneaking these off saying ‘thank you Easter Bunny’
and then going ‘yum yum yum’... has Mummy just eaten the Easter Bunny?</div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-57400237152179150402015-07-14T10:02:00.000-07:002015-07-14T10:02:50.681-07:00A moment of summerThere are so many things that conjure up 'summer' to different people, from the obvious ice creams and bikinis, the camping and BBQs, to the holidays and long light nights, the balmy evenings and toasty days.<br />
<br />
Memories are such an influence: summers past, summers not-to-be-forgotten, those days that made us smile and those places that stay with us forever.<br />
<br />
So what's in an image, what summer is shining through, what memory, what story, what feelings...<br />
<br />
An image tells a thousand words. What does this say to you?<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfymM9TXAR3hz6GiaXubjTF65xlbCIYkkA1n9AnxA8LU20uc4tchswFFWJdRd-S1DP_JIqVjy0K9zdH1erfXazc48LZoKNe6UnXTYP9p5bHnSSu4xoZvkSMeDsESs7iFFyEsQs4-W7EJvI/s1600/Spanish+Summers+July14-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfymM9TXAR3hz6GiaXubjTF65xlbCIYkkA1n9AnxA8LU20uc4tchswFFWJdRd-S1DP_JIqVjy0K9zdH1erfXazc48LZoKNe6UnXTYP9p5bHnSSu4xoZvkSMeDsESs7iFFyEsQs4-W7EJvI/s1600/Spanish+Summers+July14-01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-71801278993358761092015-07-12T10:27:00.001-07:002015-07-12T10:27:49.095-07:00My weeks...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorry, I missed last weeks round-up... had a sneaky little break away, but back in full flow now. Lots has been happening in Creativeland, Writerland and Blogland...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New projects in <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">i did a doodle today Blog ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Nature's Couture</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Reflections</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Baby Business Blog:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/baby-business-week-25-rhyme-time-are.html" target="_blank">Baby Business: Week 25, Rhyme Time. Are you ready? ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/baby-business-week-24-growth-spurt.html" target="_blank">Week 24, growth spurt number 154 ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The National Literacy Trust caught my attention: <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/words-for-life.html" target="_blank">Words for life ></a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Literacy goes deep for those of us that are literate, a take-for-granted-kind-of-deep. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Illiteracy goes even deeper, a taken-from-us-kind-of-life-line.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/pirates-graveyard.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pirate's Graveyard photo ></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">D</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">rawings that give us a beautiful and illustrative glimpse into the past. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-art-of-history.html" target="_blank">The Art of History ></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3rLcWc7qFM1Zuu0IUvfa9IZGqM0Bt-YDepB9sDrefZn-rjmQJgWkxSAEXyONKOsmPmAM-6fY7ei604bEKma0eAOAZ5zWnejp3BHRKMIfQUMlOIsNcw9c4omKZ8fflEJWcWG5yo4mheAW/s1600/020715CaveDrawing-01.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">June's top blog posts were announced and it was close, so the top places all get a mention:</span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stories & Stuff Blog:</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/i-forgot-to-feed-my-tamagotchi-blog.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">I forgot to feed my Tamagotchi blog ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/whats-pig-idea-pigs-swill.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">What's the pig idea? Pigs swill ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/there-goes-some-more-of-that-money-that.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">There goes some more of that money-that-I-never-actually-saw-or-touched ></a></span><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i did a doodle today blog:</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/26th-june-2015.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tangerine #colour_collective Madarin Duck ></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/19th-june-2015.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A pretty four poster bed fit for a princess ></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaEx3RLDKaexnGwzFqAAqQ1QPZK7rkwrGpCjnWC3KomQrQYVJ_0KE9vgoUgeF7bo6YMBgGasBhR80SFNNzra5h5Oy-ZxRhYSMJQeWvP2eyPbW6dc9x7qO5h3aPDBaHrfzhj7rmau79qcg/s1600/260615ColourCollectiveTangerine-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #bb2188; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaEx3RLDKaexnGwzFqAAqQ1QPZK7rkwrGpCjnWC3KomQrQYVJ_0KE9vgoUgeF7bo6YMBgGasBhR80SFNNzra5h5Oy-ZxRhYSMJQeWvP2eyPbW6dc9x7qO5h3aPDBaHrfzhj7rmau79qcg/s200/260615ColourCollectiveTangerine-01.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHH4LdUu3HCWykw7Z-Daql-BM5NEwlRT6Zyou1hlPi162bTlwEDyDd56srasBSze4lbM-omCd0GDGmmFbjHZshwVMs4_nyzxNiNA_xKTWu650uJ6IHhCGNbnsVBtFWPyf45WpUf0Z8fc5/s1600/190615ColourCollectiveGrey-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #bb2188; display: inline !important; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHH4LdUu3HCWykw7Z-Daql-BM5NEwlRT6Zyou1hlPi162bTlwEDyDd56srasBSze4lbM-omCd0GDGmmFbjHZshwVMs4_nyzxNiNA_xKTWu650uJ6IHhCGNbnsVBtFWPyf45WpUf0Z8fc5/s200/190615ColourCollectiveGrey-01.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/prepare-for-worst-and-enjoy-every.html" target="_blank">Prepare for the worst and enjoy every moment of it ></a>. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">This was the philosophy Chris Hadfield learnt at NASA and the philosophy that he lives by.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#Colour_Collective embraced Aubergine and Corn Yellow</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7CSF6aZvvYx9w38tp10o_OZuzOJzyl5qugVj1DwdnEgSsmyWlgaSJBh5Sg3-lq92_mmeJT317NAPAr5FVrFo1XOdtU_pLwGb80a6VZrbD5J1ZeDi6-m01n4EH_-p5-4Aqx4iCkt45Qw/s1600/030715ColourCollectiveAubergineSnakes-01.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Favourite doodle from the past two weeks?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cave painting above followed by this:</span><br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8JbEn4onkzvS86Tey5UkfS6osfZBfD9Ie_SLdjFzzI-U_uT4tiXyZ9FjyGZpJSIGTabyLWZPDBqq-CXgwP1n9tuVSozgrPEIB_Eg9wYx9rVxYFNUJlGgqybvdD3BT7f5rFN34Rz4ILw/s1600/300615Parrot-01.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-39990452145202119452015-07-09T11:30:00.000-07:002015-07-09T11:30:56.433-07:00Baby Business: Week 25, Rhyme Time. Are you ready?<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Learnt the words to
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow. Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Learnt the actions to
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Made Little One
chuckle with my rendition of Dingle Dangle Scarecrow. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Ready to perform
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow to other babies. Absolutely not!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Quick, before she
starts crying... entertain her, distract her, keep her smiling... Right, on the
spot, what have I got to work with? A multicoloured toy dog and... yikes,
that’s it. Ok, here we go...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>[in best singing voice]<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“My name is Rainbow Dog,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Rainbow is my name. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I’m made of lots of colours,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>And full of lots of games.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Little One’s
verdict? Yeah, the baby from the blog says ‘yes’ and with a great big smile too.
Crisis diverted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come on mums and
dads – how many times have you had to improvise on the spot? Isn’t it amazing
what rhymes we can make out of a weaning spoon or a trip to the supermarket; or
the games we can create from an old hankie and a woolly glove! Is this
something we are born with, or is it something that just comes with parenthood?
I’m not sure...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe it is a
gift? Maybe it is just the inner child in us just begging to be let out. The
trouble is, far too many people hold back or worry about what others think. Surely
the most important opinion and perception is that of your little child, does
anything else really matter?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Take my brother.
From the days of geeky teenager sitting in front of his ZX Spectrum (daylight
was not an option) to married life and dad of two gorgeous little girls, my
quiet brother has transformed in to a born children’s entertainer. No matter
where he is or who he’s with, he will just sing, play, chase, tickle and
generally act the clown until his children and their friends are giggling
uncontrollably. Does he care what others think? NO. And he is undoubtedly one
of the best and happiest dad’s I have ever come across, and his little girls
think so too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me? Well, I have
to admit that I often have to ‘check’ myself as I find myself singing whilst
out shopping, humming whilst waiting to go in to a meeting and distracting
myself from work by imagining the stories I can tell Little One before bed. So,
if you pass a strange lady singing, “I’m going to the zoo zoo zoo, how about
you you you? You can come too too too”, then don’t cross over the road, just
know that I am practicing for the next time my little girl gets upset in her
car seat...<o:p></o:p></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-67530702098455566052015-07-07T09:35:00.000-07:002015-07-07T09:35:24.241-07:00Words for life. 1 in 6 people live with poor literacy in the UK.<br />
<br />
And so begins a downward spiral of knock-on effects. Poor literacy, poor educational development, poor chances in the job market, poor earnings opportunities, poor ability and desire to pass on learning (and literacy) to children...<br />
<br />
Literacy provides words, words that are key to so many aspects of life.<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: x-large;">Words for Life.</i><br />
<br />
This is the strap-line of the National Literacy Trust. Founded by Sir Simon Hornby, the former Chairman of W.H.Smiths, the National Literacy Trust campaigns to increase the awareness and understanding of the importance and vital role of literacy. They implement literacy projects in areas with high literacy problems; they campaign for greater political and parental awareness of the role of literacy; and they provide much needed support and resources for schools.<br />
<br />
Now much can be learnt and communicated through visual imagery and there are many things that can only truly be learnt through experience, hands on practice. But these things are not in isolation within an individual's life. Life involves communicating across many mediums, but reading and writing is intrinsic to development and in many cases survival. It's not just about being able to get jobs, so you can earn money and contribute to the economy and provide your own acceptable standards of life. It is about the enrichment of us as individuals, our self-esteem, our well-being, our own sense of worth.<br />
<br />
Imagine not being able to experience the world through a book, or even other-worlds taking our minds to places of wonderment, fabricated and fabulous, dark and mysterious, alive and adorned with amazement. That seems a shame, sad.<br />
<br />
Imagine not being able to read text messages and Facebook updates, not be able to tweet or email friends and family. Imagine not being able to read a letter or birthday card. That seems a real shame, really sad.<br />
<br />
Imagine not being able to read a menu or the cooking instructions on food. Imagine not being able to read safety warnings on medication. Imagine not being able to read a job advert or write a letter. Now that is a shame, that is sad.<br />
<br />
Imagine being to scared to apply for jobs. Imagine feeling to stupid to ask about the medications on a shelf. Imagine feeling isolated from friends and family. Now that is a real shame, that is very sad.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Literacy goes deep for those of us that are literate, a take-for-granted-kind-of-deep. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Illiteracy goes even deeper, a taken-from-us-kind-of-life-line.</span><br />
<br />
Organisations such as the National Literacy Trust are vital in educating those literate and illiterate. We are privileged to have had the opportunity to become fluently literate, making it second nature to us. We are lucky to have not had hurdles that have prevented our literacy development. So it is equally important to teach us about the facts and the issues of literacy development and those 'word walls' that are barriers to those less fortunate.<br />
<br />
Take a look. Have a word. We can all help.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">Find out more about the work of the National Literacy Trust ></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-54990649017306727082015-07-05T00:13:00.000-07:002015-07-05T00:13:05.091-07:00Pirates GraveyardThe abandoned long stretch of coast, strewn with murderous rocks and dark nights waiting to ambush.<br />
<br />
The pirates smuggle their loot, tarnished with blood and greed, across the narrow straight, navigating in the mists of secrecy. A storm, an attack, a battle lost and black souls lost to the sea. Buried in the dunes, forever watching the ocean pound the bones of their long forgotten shipwrecks.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90MX2KinjVFT_dL2LKiOAhBwebH9sWWN32aUPtkFbb4G5OyJju5008j_ejx2O4cm_UH_EtQegCjl9_3Bofl1XTUbQpNviw0te9Nd2bLZVbzn2B9A6804VmKXBq21eEndhV26_lstiA7wH/s1600/Pirate+Graveyard+2015+solo-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90MX2KinjVFT_dL2LKiOAhBwebH9sWWN32aUPtkFbb4G5OyJju5008j_ejx2O4cm_UH_EtQegCjl9_3Bofl1XTUbQpNviw0te9Nd2bLZVbzn2B9A6804VmKXBq21eEndhV26_lstiA7wH/s1600/Pirate+Graveyard+2015+solo-01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pirates Graveyard, North Wales 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-81248989074816580952015-07-02T06:39:00.000-07:002015-07-02T06:39:21.129-07:00Baby Business: Week 24, growth spurt number 154<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Peeled, chopped and
cooked endless fruits and vegetables. Tick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Pureed, divided into
baby potions and frozen the endless fruit and vegetables. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Been easier to just
buy baby food. Tick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Would I have done it
differently? Of course not!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>“Whhooooaaa... she’s huge!”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not quite the
reaction I’d been looking for when I took Little One out of her buggy in front
of family I hadn’t seen since Christmas. The thing is, they are right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the record,
my precious little girl is not overweight, she is just exceptionally tall. Little
One is now more than a third of my height, and I am 5 foot 9. Great if she
wants to do the pole vault, be a basketball player or keep giraffes... or be a
super-model! However, right now it means that my (ahem) little five month old
girl is wearing 9 to 12 month clothes, she has outgrown her car seat and I am
looking at the 1 year clothes that have been put away and wondering if I can
get a refund on them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a good
thing that business is also growing as I will have to raid the old piggy banks
again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s more, as
she has these continuous growth spurts (and they are continuous) the Milk Monster
goes in to full force. And now we have also been joined by the Grub Guzzler,
who wolfs down pureed fruit and veg at the rate of knots... apart from the bits
smeared round the face, across sleeves and ‘raspberry-spayed’ over Mummy!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does height
matter? I have had this conversation many times during my life, as I was a very
tall child and seemed to awkwardly tower above most of my friends. But I love
my height and I think that with her larger than life personality and zest for
adventure, my (not so) little girl will make the most of her height and stand
proud in life. Plus I already have some beautiful dresses put away for her and
I look forward to the day we can swap shoes. <o:p></o:p></div>
V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-9748455323208464522015-07-02T06:14:00.001-07:002015-07-02T06:29:10.718-07:00The art of history.Costing around 55 million euros, a replica of ancient art has been recreated in Southern France. Why? To protect art. To protect history. The value of both being priceless to our ancestry and culture.<br />
<br />
Twenty years ago caves of major beauty and historic importance were discovered, revealing some of the oldest art every found. Ancient caverns adorned with detailed cave paintings, a natural history of the time, estimated to be about 35,000 years ago, providing a glimpse into the animals that roamed the region, drawn by the people of the time.<br />
<br />
Chauvet Cave holds history of such importance that it rightly needs to be protected and preserved, so has not been opened to the public, but it is too important and too amazing to be kept hidden from the public. This led to the building of a replica of areas of the cave, right down to the stalactites and stalagmites that decorate the caverns. The paintings themselves offer the main draw (no pun intended), so artists spent months recreating them on recreated limestone cave walls made out of resin.<br />
<br />
So why is this all so important?<br />
<br />
Because these pictures wordlessly tell us so much about the people of the time and the time they lived. There are different interpretations and beliefs about the pictures and what they represented: a means of communications; a form of worship, religion; or magic, hunting magic invoked through drawings of animals conjuring up more animals to hunt, or Shaman pictorially illustrating their visions and premonitions.<br />
<br />
I think of them as a story. A story of lives past, stories of creatures that were intrinsic to life: survival from hunters of humans or survival by humans hunting, providing food, warmth, life. Rare images of humans as generations, from children to the wise and elderly, the leaders and the communities, the hunters and the gatherers.<br />
<br />
The drawings are giving us a beautiful and illustrative glimpse into the past, into how our ancestors lived and survived. Of the nature around them, the world they lived in. Art itself is historic, but the stories and information they hold are the real history. Our history, the history of those before us.<br />
<br />
Simple. Magnificent. Beautiful. Invaluable.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32403867" target="_blank">Read the BBC feature: Vast replica recreates prehistoric Chauvet cave ></a><br />
<br />
My cave drawing inspired doodle:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3rLcWc7qFM1Zuu0IUvfa9IZGqM0Bt-YDepB9sDrefZn-rjmQJgWkxSAEXyONKOsmPmAM-6fY7ei604bEKma0eAOAZ5zWnejp3BHRKMIfQUMlOIsNcw9c4omKZ8fflEJWcWG5yo4mheAW/s1600/020715CaveDrawing-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3rLcWc7qFM1Zuu0IUvfa9IZGqM0Bt-YDepB9sDrefZn-rjmQJgWkxSAEXyONKOsmPmAM-6fY7ei604bEKma0eAOAZ5zWnejp3BHRKMIfQUMlOIsNcw9c4omKZ8fflEJWcWG5yo4mheAW/s1600/020715CaveDrawing-01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-31020378031381698162015-06-30T03:42:00.000-07:002015-06-30T03:42:46.619-07:00And June's top blog posts were...A bit of a battle for the most popular posts this month, so I shall list the runners up too.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Stories & Stuff Blog</u></b><br />
<br />
Top post: <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/i-forgot-to-feed-my-tamagotchi-blog.html" target="_blank">I forgot to feed my Tamagotchi blog ></a><br />
<br />
In second place: <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/whats-pig-idea-pigs-swill.html" target="_blank">What's the pig idea? Pigs swill ></a><br />
<br />
And a close third: <a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/there-goes-some-more-of-that-money-that.html" target="_blank">There goes some more of that money-that-I-never-actually-saw-or-touched ></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>i did a doodle today Blog</u></b><br />
<br />
Top Post: <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/26th-june-2015.html" target="_blank">Tangerine #colour_collective Madarin Duck ></a><br />
<br />
Just behind in second: <a href="http://ididadoodletoday.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/19th-june-2015.html" target="_blank">A pretty four poster bed fit for a princess ></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaEx3RLDKaexnGwzFqAAqQ1QPZK7rkwrGpCjnWC3KomQrQYVJ_0KE9vgoUgeF7bo6YMBgGasBhR80SFNNzra5h5Oy-ZxRhYSMJQeWvP2eyPbW6dc9x7qO5h3aPDBaHrfzhj7rmau79qcg/s1600/260615ColourCollectiveTangerine-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaEx3RLDKaexnGwzFqAAqQ1QPZK7rkwrGpCjnWC3KomQrQYVJ_0KE9vgoUgeF7bo6YMBgGasBhR80SFNNzra5h5Oy-ZxRhYSMJQeWvP2eyPbW6dc9x7qO5h3aPDBaHrfzhj7rmau79qcg/s200/260615ColourCollectiveTangerine-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-82886127805882679272015-06-30T03:15:00.000-07:002015-06-30T15:18:43.007-07:00Prepare for the worst - and enjoy every moment of itThis was the philosophy Chris Hadfield learnt at NASA and the philosophy that he lives by.<br />
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For those who (like me until recently) have not heard of Chris Hadfield, then let me bring you up to speed. His Wickipedia decription reads:<br />
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<i><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Chris Austin Hadfield</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.8999996185303px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Canada" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Order of Canada">OC</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Ontario" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Order of Ontario">OOnt</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritorious_Service_Cross" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Meritorious Service Cross">MSC</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces_Decoration" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Canadian Forces Decoration">CD</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> (born 29 August 1959) is a retired</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Astronaut_Corps" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Canadian Astronaut Corps">Canadian astronaut</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> who was the first </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_people" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Canadian people">Canadian</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> to walk in space. An </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Engineer">engineer</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">and former </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Royal Canadian Air Force">Royal Canadian Air Force</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> fighter pilot, Hadfield has flown two space shuttle missions and served as commander of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="International Space Station">International Space Station</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span></i><br />
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In 2013 he published his book 'An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth'. Now who wouldn't want to read a book with that title. Fantastic. Further more, the tag line reads 'Life Lessons from Space'. Oh yes, we have a winner.<br />
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From the moment I read the recent blog coverage from Farm Lane's Book Blog (<a href="http://www.farmlanebooks.co.uk/2015/an-astronauts-guide-to-life-on-earth-by-chris-hadfield-audio-book/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FarmLaneBooksBlog+%28Farm+Lane+Books+Blog%29" target="_blank">Read their review here ></a>) I was more than intrigued, I was actually a little excited. Why? Well, putting (if possible) that blinder of a title and tag line to one side, I was drawn into one particular exert from the book:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #555555; font-family: verdana, 'Lucida Grande', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.0005016326904px; text-align: center;"><i>Decide in your heart of hearts what really excites and challenges you, and start moving your life in that direction. Every decision you make, from what you eat to what you do with your time tonight, turns you into who you are tomorrow, and the day after that. Look at who you want to be, and start sculpting yourself into that person. You may not get exactly where you thought you’d be, but you will be doing things that suit you in a profession you believe in. Don’t let life randomly kick you into the adult you don’t want to become.</i></span><br />
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Life is down to us. We can influence our paths and lifestyles. We can decide for ourselves how we want to live. And, now this is the key, we can work out what makes us happy, motivated and alive, and then we can live our lives so that we are happy, motivated and alive.<br />
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It is so true of life today that so many of us find ourselves leading a life we don't find 100% inspiring, 100% fulfilling or 100% the life we really want, and, if we are honest, we often fall into sub 50% of these things. Why? Because when we are young we are living our lives by experiencing and learning about life, what is out there, what it's about and what is fun for us and what is not. But to do this we need to 'exists', we need funds to experience things, to eat and live and to go places and meet people. So we work, and so few people actually start off doing what their hearts' really desire, often because at this stage of our lives, we have no idea really what that is.<br />
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We have to take the stepping stones to get to places and even to know these places (careers) exist. That sounds fair enough, we take steps towards our goals... but like I said, so often we do not know what those goals are. and then before we know it, we are in a career in a town in a life we just 'fell in to' because change is hard and life just keeps ticking on.<br />
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It has taken me to my fourties to really learn about what makes me tick, what makes me truly happy and what I need in my life and what I don't. Learning to have control of your life and then enabling it is so hard. I have (unfortunately-but-turned-out-to-be-fortunately) had the time provided for me to actually fully re-evaluate my life and where I'm going and why. Not an easy task and I am stumbling all the time, but I am taking the opportunity to change my life so I can live the life I want to live.<br />
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Now, all this sounds a little selfish (self absorbed), but I am not doing this in isolation. I am doing it within the parameters of the family I love, striving to make this the best life for them too. If I am in a good place, then that reflects on those around me. I have had to make sacrifices (little luxuires really are more of a luxury these days) and I have to make compromises (I still have bills to pay and mouths to feed), but I'm finding a balance and letting me lead my life, not life lead me... well, I'm trying.<br />
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Chris Hadfield has led a life so extraordinary, so 'out of this world' that I can only image (and secretly envy) from afar, but his passion and drive is not so out of reach. I love the NASA philosophy of 'prepare for the worst - and enjoy every moment', and even though I have not always prepared for the worst (it just catches you unaware sometimes) I am the kind-a-gal that 'moves past the worst to live the best'.<br />
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What about you?<br />
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PS. I'm just starting Chris Hadfield's book... no way I wasn't going to read a book with THAT title.V R Healhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10313080804725577556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6635277997931926577.post-7767843621704388922015-06-29T11:18:00.000-07:002015-06-29T11:18:41.707-07:00Pets Run this House (3)<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">This is the third part of my anti-flitting campaign, and the third concept page from my book, Pets run this House, that I am sharing with you.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;" /><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">
I really need a creative, booky kick up the bottom. So that's what I'm doing. I'm giving myself a kick(start). I've posted two mock-up (and remember these are mock up and not final illustrations) pages already of my almost-but-not-really-finished books to see what you, my lovely bloggies, think. Should I finish? or should I file near the trash?</div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;" /><a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.com/2015/06/pets-run-this-house-1.html" style="background-color: white; color: #bb2188; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">See the first blog post, Pets Run this House (1) ></a><br />
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<a href="http://vrheal.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/pets-run-this-house-1.html" target="_blank">Take a look at the first page I posted ></a><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.3999996185303px; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">Here's the third page...</span><br />
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