Yay!! How about That?!

For new Followers, you might like to read this post before you go any further, and you will see that I had been having a bit of trouble applying for my new Passport.

But, guess what, it's just arrived (very quickly I thought) AND they accepted the photos that I sent up to them where I was wearing my glasses!  Result!!

So much for those jobsworths at the Post Office.  I'm tempted to go up and wave my new passport in front of them - BUT, I won't do that because I'm a nice person. LOL!

Anyway, I just thought I would share this piece of good news with you, as you had to listen to me complaining the other day.

Time For A Clear Out?

When I was younger, I used to love going to Antique shops and Fairs.  My husband and I used to spend hours at weekends, always looking out for special pieces that we thought would look nice in the home.

However, as I am getting older I find that I really do want to de-clutter and have a good clear out.  These things do   go with the house that we have, which used to be two 17th Century farming cottages, which were then renovated and knocked into one, but I find myself wanting a complete change of scene!

Just a few of the collected pieces

What would you do?  I have bought a few more modern bits recently and I have to say that I like them.  

I certainly can't imagine either of my daughters wanting any of the things that I have collected over the years, and then, of course, there is the dusting.  Say no more!

Isn't it funny how our tastes change at different stages in our lives. 

In  the 1960's my home was very trendy.  In fact, my daughters look at photos and say "why didn't you keep any of this stuff.  It is so NOW?!".  Doh - because, where would I have kept it all these years, that is my reply. 

I will finish today with this little cartoon, which certainly made me smile.  I hope it will also make you smile!

"Sunday Snap!"

I have been trying to think of a snappy title for a post on a Sunday, which would give me a day of rest from my blogging adventure, and, hey presto, it came to me like a bolt out of the blue.

I shall now make Sundays my  "Sunday Snap" day, when I will  post a photo which, hopefully, you will enjoy.

So here it is, my very first Sunday Snap (I feel I should be cutting a ribbon here, or unveiling a plaque, or throwing a bottle of champagne at my laptop).

This is my little grandson having fun with his mum's friend.  I love the photo because it looks as if he is actually flying, and, also, for the sheer delight on his face!

Exciting Adventures

A couple of days ago, Just Martha over at Jelly Shane awarded me the A Blog with Substance Award.  Thank you so much Just Martha - I really do appreciate that you thought of me like that.

Please pop over to see Jelly Shane, and I know that you won't be disappointed.  I always look forward to reading her Blog posts.  She lives in Australia and her husband (Silver Fox) went down to Brisbane to help a relative that was affected by the terrible flooding that occurred there. 

Actually, I've just read a quote on her Blog, which says "Correction does much, but encouragement does more."  That is so true and I am sure that this adage would work well with a lot of people, especially young offenders.

As is usually the case, this Award does come with rules, and I have to - GUESS WHAT?! - tell you seven things about myself.

1.  I once swam across the River Mississipi.

2.  I have seen The Sistine Chapel with its magnificent ceiling in the Vatican City in Rome.

This photo really doesn't do it justice, I'm afraid.

The Creation - part of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel



 3.  A couple of years ago, I did some whitewater rafting in Colorado.

That's me (with the sunglasses on) behind the chap in the front on the left hand side

4.  I did do a bungee jump, but I would never do it again.  It was far too scary!

5.  I have visited St Tropez in the South of France.

6.  I have been on a gondola ride in Venice.

7.  I have bathed in the Dead Sea in Israel.

The minerals in the salt in the Dead Sea bring therapeutic healing to the mind, body and spirit.

Now comes the time when I have to pass this Award on - oh my goodness, this really does get more and more difficult, especially as a lot of the Blogs that I enjoy are 'Award Free' zones.  Anyway, here goes :

Shady Dell Music & Memories

Raising Redheads 

Just Being Me

Tales from a Loser

The Middle Side of Life

Okay, I suppose I had better admit that a couple of the above facts about me are not quite true (!) .  I just wanted to make myself sound a bit more exciting for you! Shady gave me the idea when he commented on the facts about me in Thursday's post, and he mentioned that I hadn't told you about the time I climbed Mount Everest (blindfolded).  So I'm afraid he's the one to blame!!

Four of the facts are correct.  I will leave you to decide which ones!

Oh, I am enjoying this blogging journey!







Romantic Post - Number 2

I Will Love You Forever
by Amanda Nicole Martinez

I love you so deeply,
I love you so much,
I love the sound of your voice
And the way that we touch.
I love your warm smile
And your kind, thoughtful way,
The joy that you bring
To my life every day.
I love you today
As I have from the start,
And I'll love you forever
With all of my heart.

Flower Language

The flowers that men send to their valentine also carry a meaning.  Send the following blooms in your bouquet and you will be sending the message :

Anemone  -  a dying love.

Lily

Forget me not

yellow crocus

snowdrop

pansy

poppy

periwinkle

tulip

Crocus  -  a yellow crocus worn in the buttonhole on St Valentine's Day will entice your future intended love.

Daisy  -  innocence.



daisy



Forget-me-not  -  true love and constancy.

Fuchsia  -  elegance.

Lily  -  purity.

Pansy  -  loving thoughts.

Periwinkle  -  early friendship.

Poppy  -  consolation.

Snowdrop  -  hope.

Sunflower  -  warmth of feeling.

Tulip  -  a declaration of powerful love (red), hopeless love (yellow).

Add rosebud petals to your bath water to conjure up a lover (not suddenly appearing in the bath I hope!!).

Put red rose petals in a red velvet bag and pin this under your clothes to attract love.

A rose given with its thorns removed, but still with its leaves means :

"I am no longer afraid to reveal my feelings; I live in hope."

A rose without its leaves and thorns sends the message :

"There is nothing to hope or fear."

fuchsia

 

Handing it over ...

Well, in Tuesday's post, I said that I would hand over the LOL Award and explain the rules that came with this Award.

Firstly, I would like to pass on the Award to :

lyndylou at The Giggle Fest

Please pop over to see lyndylou.  She is a very brave single mum who has two children.  Holly, who is an absolute delight and gorgeous Jack, who is disabled and needs 24 hour care.  Her wicked sense of humour shines out from her Blog, and she is fully deserving of this Award.

For lyndylou's  information, the rules of the Award are :

1.  Link to the person who gave you the Award. (I did this in Tuesday's post).

2.  Pass the Award along to anyone you want to, who posts about at least slightly amusing things, and tell them you have done so.

3.  Say five things about yourself that no-one knows about.

4.  Pass these rules on.

It's number 3 that I am finding it increasingly difficult to do!! I'm sure you must all be getting really fed up with hearing different things about me, and I'm finding it hard to remember what I've already told you - it's my age you know!!

1.  I once took a ride in a hot air balloon and drank champagne at 1,000 feet.

2.  I would love to own a retro Vespa scooter.

3.  I worked in Admin for most of my working life, before I became a Massage Therapist.

4.  I suffer from vitiligo. (that's vitiligo - not vertigo!!).

5.  I used to love reading Enid Blyton books when I was a little girl.

I still have my copy of this actual book, which is now 55 years old!

My good friend over at Facing50withhumour  has very kindly given me The Awesome Blog Award.  Thank you so much for this.  These Awards always make me feel very humble.

There are no rules with this Award, so as I think of  all my Followers as "awesome",  I am going to do exactly what Facing50withhumour has done, by passing on this Award to all those who comment on my post today, so when you have placed your comment, please do not forget to take this Award with you.

That's fair, isn't it?!

Tomorrow will be Romantic Post number 2!



Film Review

My thirteen year old granddaughter, who lives in France,  went on a school trip on Sunday.  She has gone ski-ing down in the French Alps, so I am hoping that she is having a lovely time and keeping safe.

My friend and I went to the cinema again last night, and this time we saw Morning Glory, which starred Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum and Patrick Wilson. 

A brief summary of the story is that Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) thought that she was going to be promoted at a local TV Station.  Instead, she is shocked to find that she is being sacked.  She then gets a job as Producer of a breakfast TV show, where the ratings are nothing short of disastrous.  To increase  ratings, Becky decides to employ veteran news reporter, Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) to co-host the show with daytime diva, Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton).

Unfortunately, things do not go as planned and, to cut a long story short, Becky's new boss (Jeff Goldblum) informs her that unless the ratings improve dramatically, the show is going to be axed.

I love Diane Keaton and, I have to say, for a woman of a certain age, she really does look fabulous.  Harrison Ford was really getting up my nose whilst I was watching the first part of the film, but I suppose that goes to show how well he was playing the part, because he really was a pain in the proverbial.

With the show due to be cancelled, Becky decides to take the bull by the horns and change the format of the show, and, for me, this is where the film really took off.  You must watch out for the weatherman from here on in!  The film comes alive and my friend and I were really laughing out loud.  It was so funny.

You also have a romantic interest going on throughout the film with Becky and a fellow producer (Patrick Wilson, who is very easy on the eye by the way) who falls in love with her.

It's a feel good movie, and has a happy ending, with Mike coming good in the end.

Would I recommend it?  Yes, for a light-hearted evening out, I would.

I have noticed that I have gained some new Followers recently, so I would just like to say a very big welcome to you.  I thank you for following and hope that you will visit often.

New Award on the Block!

Yes, that's right, there's a new Award on the block - the LOL Award, and I've got one!!! This new one was very kindly presented to me by Becca. 

Now I can only think that it was my comments about my Wii Fit age that has swung this Award for me, as I'm sure you will agree you don't really get a laugh a minute when reading my posts.  Anyway, thank you Becca.  I was really thrilled (and that doesn't happen very often these days!!  Come on now - that must deserve a LOL!).

Golly gosh, does that mean that I am going to have to change tack here and come up with something really funny every time I post.  Well, sorry, folks, but that's just not going to happen!  (I can feel Becca trying to wrench that Award back even as I speak).



To try to be deserving of my new LOL Award, I thought I would try to give you a few funny quotes today, which, hopefully, might at least bring a smile to your face.  Here they are -

Experts say you should never hit your children in anger. When is a good time? When you're feeling festive?

They've finally come up with the perfect office computer. If it makes a mistake, it blames another computer.

If it weren't for electricity we'd all be watching television by candlelight.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.

I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.

I used to have an open mind, but my brains kept falling out.
 

What, you want more?!

Everyone has a photographic memory.  Some just don't have the film.

Always borrow money from a pessimist.  He won't expect it back.

I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

I will mention about the rules for this Award in tomorrow's post.

Don't worry, thisisme will be back to her normal self tomorrow!

Time for Some Romance

As February is fast approaching, when we celebrate St Valentine's Day, I have decided to bring some romance into your lives.  Therefore, from now until the 14th February, I shall be interspersing my normal posts with some romantic ones.  Eat your heart out Barry White!

Today, I give you a list of top romantic films.  Please feel free to add any that you might like and which are not on the list!

Casablanca

Brief Encounter

Wuthering Heights

Ghost

Bridget Jones Diary

The English Patient

Titanic

Shakespeare in Love

When Harry Met Sally

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Pretty Woman

And now my two favourite, black & white tearjerkers, which are about as romantic as you can get!

Camille

Greta Garbo & Robert Taylor

Now Voyager

"Oh Gerry, let's not ask for the moon, we have the stars"