wagwaan?

The glass is half full...

You know, I think I just realised something. I never used to think of myself as an optimist. Years ago I was such an anxious person, always worried about stuff - probably not helped by marrying the wrong person.... Anyway, I was reading someone's blog and she was mentioning what terrible things are in the news and other blogs, and then I realised that lots of people have been complaining how other people in the scrapbooking community have been bitchy or whatever, and I thought to myself, I don't feel that way. I don't focus on the terrible things that other people focus on. Of course I see them, but I choose to see the good that people do, the little things that make the world a good place, and I'm glad I see things that way. And I think my mother would be proud of me ("think positive Jennifer!" is the phrase that I heard over and over when I was growing up!) but most of all, I think life is too short to go through it whingeing and whining. I want to enjoy life - I have had to put up with my fair shit of crap in recent years, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger eh?  I'm just excited about the future, is all, and I wish everyone else could be happy too.

So today, another picture of something that makes me smile - Wayne got me a new phone (second hand, but then my phone was more like 4th hand!) and yesterday my colleague Jane came back from buying her lunch and gave me and my other colleague, Cerian, a Hallowe'en gingerbread biscuit each. How sweet!  I'm feeling really happy at work, and so relieved that my new boss and colleagues are so nice, especially after enjoying my previous job and liking my boss so much....

Yep, all in all, life is sweet!

Wow! I'm so proud of my daughter

Today, Claire had to go to College to see her tutors and find out how she did on her first assignment. We already knew that they had browsed her folder, and the head of department had enquired whose book it was. When Claire said it was her's, he said "well, of course, it would be"... So today she got told that she got an effort/behaviour mark of 2 (1 is bad, 3 is brilliant). He said if she had got a 3 that would be "freakishly weird", so we are happy with the 2! For the 5 modules she had to do within the project she got 3 passes and 2 merits! Wow! I'm so proud. And the head tutor said he expected her to finish the course (there are 3 marks) on either 3 merits or a distinction and 2 merits. He has such high regard for her, it's fantastic. 

All in all, this photography course really does seem to be the thing that Claire is cut out for, and I wish her Dad could be involved and see how happy she is (she is "not speaking to him at the moment").  Proud mama moment!

Oh and we've discovered my all time favourite tv series is on More4 every afternoon: thirtysomething. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that series. I can't wait to tape it and watch it tomorrow!!

I have a backlog of photos...

I've got around to resizing some of my recent photos. First, Claire and I went up to London recently, remember?  Well this is a shot of our feet - love the Converse and Crocs combo LOL  Crocs are officially THE most comfortable shoes you could ever wish to have on your feet. It's like wearing slippers, honest!

Here's my daughter on the Tube. It's a bit blurry but you can see me in her glasses...

Claire had to take various pics for College - frame, time, detail, focus etc. I saw Big Ben from within some arches and tried to show her an idea for a frame picture. She went with something else in the end.  Huh. I thought mother always knows best???

We went over the bridge and to the new Evelina children's hospital at Guy's and St Thomas's... gorgeous place!  My company is one of the benefactors and my boss is going to a Golf day on Thursday to raise money for equipment for the hospital. I was blown away....(click on the pictures to see full size):

 

Downstairs is the waiting area for outpatient clinics, with the coolest pyramide slide and blue screen seating: when you sit there you see yourself on an ever changing tv screen - clouds, the circus, underwater scenes... We were like kids ourselves!!

Upstairs, via the lifts "Moon" and "Sun" you get to the conservatory and you can see the wards too. The school is at one end of that floor, and there is a huge sculpture in front of it.

After admiring the beautiful place (Claire said "I wish I could have been in a hospital like this when I was little!!!" LOL) we went on to the Imperial War Museum - not as depressing as it sounds. I only took two pictures, but I just love the first one, the parachuting dog. I couldn't find the info on it, but everything there is based on fact, so.... The planes and bombs are all real. Boys love this place!

THE BEST NEWS!!!!!

I phoned my brother Nigel today as he had been to visit my mum.... the news is: SHE CAN USE THE TOILET NOW!! Now, I know this might seem like an overshare, but you see, ever since her stroke at the end of May, she has had a urinary catheter on and off, and worse, she has had to wear a nappy. So degrading. But now, she is walking, she can use the loo, she is coming along in leaps and bounds and she really can see the light at the end of the tunnel, i.e. she hopes to return home in the not-too-distant future, maybe with a home help or something. How fab is THAT???

Here are some piccies of her with two of my sisters. Family resemblance anyone?

Oh, and to celebrate hugs, check out this link, that I found on Tara Whitney's blog. It makes me smile, but people have been reduced to tears by it!!  Love the music, too....

Yay I'm uploading photos!

I have a bit of a backlog to upload. First, the pics from St Albans Abbey & Cathedral that I visited with Wayne a while back.

I love the light streaming in through the window:

And this 18th century graffiti! :


I also wanted to post this pic of the gorgeous watch that Sarah (sarah106) from the Pad made for me. It's a brilliant price (which I shan't reveal in case I order some for friends' presents!) and a perfect fit. It's chunky and gorgeous and made of real Silver. Thank you Sarah!

Brandon Flowers

This one is especially for you Clare..... Found it in yesterday's freebie evening paper I always pick up to read on the Tube. Mwahahahaha!  Click on it to see it bigger. PS My Claire agrees with every word!!!!

I actually did some scrapbooking...

.... while I was offline. Did two of Wayne which I quite like.  First, this one. I was inspired by an ad, I think it was for EasyJet, anyway it had the tick box thing going on. So I did this:

   

 

And this, which was inspired by an ad for a restaurant, and the circle was actually the edge of a plate..... You can click on them to enlarge them if you like!  I'm pleased cos he seems to like them, and I actually got pictures of him not pulling faces for once.

Grrrr NTL

Huh!  Claire stayed in yesterday so the NTL man could come and install cable again - but broadband isn't working. They say there is a fault on their network!! I'm blowed if I'm paying for a service I'm not getting. They said to wait 24h and Claire is ITCHING to get back online.... Oh well, today it should be sorted.

Last night I had a bit of a panic. My boss is giving a presentation this morning and he had been a bit late coming up with the Powerpoint presentation to do it, but he sent it to me yesterday and I corrected it, prettied it up, did pretty slide transitions etc. Only he was missing a couple of pages and he said he would work on them on the plane. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen because we couldn't get it through to him before he left, so he called me from the airport saying he'd check it overnight and do it himself. I duly sent him an email with the presentation as an attachment, and gave a memory stick with it on to Gillian, my colleague who is organising the do, just so she'd have it as backup. You always gots to have a backup plan!   Then, on the Tube home, I was sitting there, just thinking randomly, and it was as if I was trying to find a problem.... and all of a sudden it struck me: did I press "send"? Did I actually attach the presentation? OMG! The cold sweat and the butterflies.... I had forgotten my mobile at home so I could only rush to the phone at Watford Met and try and call the office, but to no avail. So I spent the evening worrying about it, and came in early this morning in a big panic. What did I find? OF COURSE I sent it ok!  I usually double check my work, so this kind of thing doesn't usually happen, but I'm very good at scaring myself. I tell myself it's because I care passionately about doing a job right!  Well, the relief is HUGE and I'm sitting here with coffee and toast and relaxing a bit until my boss comes in. Sigh.

Great news from France: Mummy is doing so well!  She is back in her room, a bit bewildered as to what went on last week, but a lot better now. My brother even called me last night to say he timed a phone call on my sister’s mobile to coincide with when she would be at the hospital and he had a chat with my mum that was “just like old times”. Fantastic!  She is itching to get back to her own home, and it’s looking more and more likely, thank goodness.

My sisters have been brilliant and have found a gîte in Normandy

that can accommodate all of us and has disabled access and facilities, so we are all going to spend Christmas together!  Every year we’ve been saying maybe next year we’ll do something completely different, and I know that last year I thought I’d like to go somewhere warm this time, but with my mum’s stroke everyone wants to be together again. It kind of focuses the mind…..

I do love the weekends – why are they so short? On Saturday Claire and I went up to London to try and get the shots she needed for her photography course. I thought we could get off at Westminster

because a) I still had a Tesco voucher that I could use to buy lunch at the Tesco Express opposite Big Ben and b) just over the bridge we could go visit the new Evelina Children’s Hospital and get some cool shots. Of course, I hadn’t planned on there being so many darn tourists! It was so crowded just trying to get across the road to the bridge… Luckily, over the bridge the crowds went left to the London Eye and the Aquarium, and we took a right and went through St Thomas’s Hospital until we came to the children’s hospital. Oh my goodness – what a place!  I will add photos on Wednesday. The levels are called Beach, Ocean or Sky, and the two lifts are called Sun and Moon – It’s so modern and airy and bright, you just know if must help the kiddies get better to be in a place like that.

Having looked at the A-Z we decided we weren’t far from the Imperial war Museum and we last visited when Claire was about 10, so she asked if we could go back. We only visited the Children’s War and the 1940s house this time, but it was better than I remembered, possibly because it has been added to since we were last there. I saw that they were going to have various talks and events in October (Black History Month) that might interest Wayne – wonder if he’ll go?

After the museum we jumped on bus (loving the Oyster card!) and made our way back to Baker Street, which was much more fun than being underground – and got the Tube home. My feet were not hurting one bit, thanks to my fab new Croc shoes…. Ugly but so comfy!

Oh, and I mustn't forget: I got a beautiful new watch at the weekend, made by a Padder specially for me. Again, will upload piccie very soon - watch this space!

Rain rain go away....

What a dreary day!  I quite like this weather when I am warm and snug inside, but I don't like going out in it. I just popped out to get myself a baked potato and tuna mayo from Hays Galleria, but I quickly ran back to my desk. It's dead quiet here. I hope my boss's trip to Burgundy is going well. He hasn't phoned so far....   I really can't wait to have access to the internet at home again. It's not really possible to catch up on my blog reading at work, and I can't go on the Pad, so I am missing all my online friends.  Soon though, soon.  And then I'll be able to add pictures to my posts too.

It's Friday, and tomorrow I'm supposed to be coming up to London with Claire so she can take some more location pictures for College.  Apparently the weather will be nicer, thank goodness. 

Well I'm off to catch up on Mir's blog - she does make me smile!  See ya :)