How many expressions are there...

for vomiting?

Hurl.upchuck.blowchunks.spew.puke.heave.throwup.sick.tossmycookies.

I know there are lots more. But because I feel so nauseous, my brain has shut down in sympathy. Husband's had it worse than me (4 times worse*) but I still feel vile. Celyn had a throwing-up bug last Saturday (24 hours) when (which IS quite amusing) she spewed on her Nanny's dog's head. Ha ha ha ha ha. Poor Mintoes! However, it seems, she has lovingly passed it on to me and Danny. The day before the seminar. And the day of the Swansea Crop.

* Edited to say twice as worse, as I have thrown up yet again. Ain't that nice?!

So I'm staying home tonight and Sue's running the crop for me (bless her). And I'd better feel better in the morning or it's going to be a nightmare of a day. Spew.

When you THINK your children have been naughty...

Surely little could beat this.

*hyperventilate, hyperventilate*

I mean REEEEALLY hyperventilate! I'm surprised this mother had the calmness to even take a picture! Perhaps she used it as evidence in the court case as to why she was giving up the children for adoption...?

LOL!

I'm It

Just remembered (because I've been stooopid busy) that I got tagged by Nattie. Huzzah!

So...what I've got to do (for tag number 1) is:

1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence.
3. Post the text of the following three sentences on your blog.
4. Name of the author, and book.
5. Tag three people of you own.

Ummm...I'm striking out here as the nearest book to me was Apples for Jam (recipe book) which had a honking great picture on page 123. Start again. The next nearest book was a children's version of The Iliad and The Odyssey which Celyn had migrated into the office for me. Doesn't even reach page 123. Ho hum. START AGAIN! Okay...here we go...3 sentences from page 123 of Spiritual Roots of Human Relations by Stephen R Covey:

"How widespread is this mote/beam sickness! To some degree, it afflicts all of us. The doctrine of magnifying our own stewardship is the only medicine that will bring about a permanent cure. In other words, to improve a situation, I must improve. To change my wife, I must change."

This is my husband's book as I'm not a huge Stephen R Covey fan I would like to point out. But GOOD POINT Mr Covey! LOL

Next tag from Nat was: Who am I? Describe your personality in a paragraph or two.

Blimey...that's a bit deep for a Thursday afternoon innit?! Right...I shall answer in a bit of a stream of consciousness typie manner:

A child of God is one of my first thoughts. My beliefs have and still shape who I am and how I behave and how I repent of how I behave sometimes (bwaahaahaa!). And how I think of others. I am wholly imperfect is the next thought. And I am a bit of a paradox...I am confident in lots of things...my ability to get things done right, to learn, to organise, to teach, to talk to people in certain setting (put them at their ease, etc). And yet I'm incredibly insecure when it comes to one-on-one friendships and also my body (both of those cover a huge spectrum of behaviour). So people read me wrong and think I have broader shoulders than I do, and I get terribly hurt if people are mean to me. I'm also a paradox in that I am a worker...I work hard and expect others to work hard too...but then I can be dreadfully lazy sometimes as well.

I think I have a good sense of humour...a sense of the ridiculous...and I never take myself too seriously. I can be intolerant (bad Chrissie, bad) and impatient...intolerant of stupidity and inefficiency, and people smoking anywhere near me (I'm shockingly rudely intolerant of that). And I have a personality where I am able to watch behaviour and see both sides of a situation. And finally I am fiercely loyal and very loving towards people I care about (even though they might not know it). I will happily give people hugs and kisses and tell them how I feel about them, given half the chance! BUT I detest confrontation if it's negative...I'll run a mile in the other direction rather than tell someone they've upset me.

Ta da! Phew, that was hard!

Okay...I tag Sue, Debbie and Rach. For both. Hah!

Crafty Women's Tips And Fiddles

Oh my heavens this is SO SO FUNNY! Thanks to Amber for telling me about it. Had Husband and me wetting ourselves laughing.

The Highest of Honours

Okay. Now I love a good laugh. So I do have a blog on my Blog Scraps list which I call 'The Funniest Blog in the World' because it has made me laugh till I cry.

But I think we have a new favourite. Oh yes. Because (here's the clincher)...I am hooting like a demented tawny owl. All thanks to Lorraine of the Scrap Cafe who emailed me this link this morning. Her email was entitled 'Whose Husband Is This?' and I have to put up my hand and say, "Yep. I think that would be mine."

Too hilaaaaaaaaaaaaaariously funny.

Scrapbook Widower Go click on that link. And enjoy a ROFLPIMP!!! Waaahaaahaaaaa ha ha!

Stop Press!!

I've had lots of people asking for us to teach in the South/South East and I'm pleased to announce we shall be teaching our Shape Up seminar in Reading on Saturday, 28 April. The seminar will be up to book fairly soon on the Scrappers Unlimited website (just putting some finishing touches to the details) and then you lovely lot can get booking!!!!

Yey!

DID YOU HEAR THAT TINA!!!??!

SP

Short for Sneak Peek you know. Because you are (in the nicest possible way) All & Sundry (sounds like a firm of solicitors doesn't it? LOL...Messrs All & Sundry).

Anyhooooo...this is another of the Shape Up for Design classes that we (that be me and Julia) begin teaching this Saturday at Crafty-Ness' studios in Caerphilly. I am crazy busy this week getting that ready (i.e. finishing 12 page handout, writing up class instructions, making sure all kit papers/bits and bobs are ordered, making up kits, rocking gently in a soothing manner), sorting out my classes for the Create & Craft day (again in Caerphilly) on 3 Feb, sorting out the Swansea Crop this Friday, ordering papers for the next S Wales Crop and...oh yeah...getting my tax return done (which has to be in before 31 January--blummin' heck).

Plus run a house. And look after a four year old.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... (that's laughter nigh on hysteria, if you are failing to recognise the slightly unhinged tone of the mirth).

A diverse post

Awww. I love children's drawings. These works are the artist Miss Celyn circa January 07, age 4 years 4 months, in the 'enfant mimie' style, completed as a set in church (at least, that's what it'll say in the auction catalogue when she's a famous artist :-D )

Had a lovely day at The South Wales Crop on Saturday. I've now decided that I must find time to do at least one of the classes offered at a crop, as that is by far the only scrapping I ever get done at such events. I completed Helen's lovely class and that was the extent of all scrapbooking I did in the 6+ hours I was there. Ho hum.

So. Changing the subject completely. Who saw Jermaine Jackson singing I Want You Back in the Big Brother house last night? Oh my word, does that man still have it? Yes he DOES! I was lying on the sofa watching the show and when the Jackson 5 Tribute Band performance started, singing that classic classic number, I was vertical within 15 seconds just looooooving the feast of 70s groovy fabulousness. Got to love the Jackson 5. Seriously. If you don't, then I don't know if I can be your friend any more.

It was only my desire to watch every single second of the performance (which was incredibly funny as well) that stopped me from copying all the dance steps myself around the living room. No wonder they won with 75% of the vote!!! How interesting though that although he hasn't done that routine in yeeeeeears, he knew it all perfectly. A testament to how much they rehearsed and how many times they performed it. And how interesting that some of the other housemates said afterwards that they couldn't take their eyes off him while he was singing it, and they were all rather in awe even despite their own celebrityness. No kidding--that band are legendary.

And if Celyn's drawings and a picture of Jermaine Jackson in a fake afro aren't the most diverse set of pictures on a blog entry, then I don't know what is! Bwaahaaahaaa!

Have to say though, all those horrible girls bitching about Shilpa all the time are driving me completely demented. I seriously want to slap the lot of them. Good for Cleo who has stayed right out of it. Jermaine and Cleo are definitely my favourites in there, and get Jade out (could that girl's big wooden spoon stir any faster I ask?). I just cannot abide nasty, sniping, mean, gossiping women.

Joseph

When we went to the panto a few weeks ago courtesy of Uncle Jeff, I noticed that Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was coming to the Swansea Grand. I completely love that musical and so was very happy when Celyn also seemed keen to come and see it. Tickets are now bought (woo hoo!) and darling daughter and I have been singing along and discussing the story to the Donny Osmond CD (with the Toronto cast, where he performed in the show for 6 years). Every time we get in the car. Much to Danny's chagrin (he makes faces akin to someone under torture).

And so today I got Husband to hook up our now dinosaur extinct video player (which is only about 2 years old!) to the little portable telly and put them in Celyn's room, so she can watch the Donny Osmond video of Joseph (made in 1999 in the UK...which is about the time I met Mr Osmond himself. Now there's a story...)

I am not a fan of children having tellies in rooms. The amount of terrible things that are on TV these days, it is just not appropriate (IMHO) to have TV where they can freely watch more or less what they want. But as a one off to watch Joseph, which (IMHO) is good Sunday viewing, then I was Mrs Naggy Britches getting Danny to set it all up.

And do you know what?

My office is next to Celyn's bedroom and at the moment she is lying in bed, singing along to the parts she remembers...and it is her THIRD run through of the video today. I've never ever known her be so so so into a film before and I'm so chuffed I can't tell you. Because now I have visions of Celyn and me watching all the musicals together and going to the theatre together, because Husband hates them.

She takes after MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! (I love love love love love love LOVE musicals, oh yes I do!)

Blogger's being a norty noo noo and not letting me post pictures. Big tsk! I'll tell you about my encounter with Mr Osmond next post :D If you're good.

More events booking

I have just finished loading a couple more of the Scrappers Unlimited Design Seminars onto the Scrappers website. Two more seminars to get booking. So go see...go on, go on!

I can't linger this morning as I've just had a phone call (literally just put the phone down) from Husband who has locked his keys in his car.

*Chrissie breathes very very very quietly, slowly shuts her eyes and sighs*

Danny: Are you busy?

Me: Whyyyyyyyyyy? *said very very suspiciously*

Danny: Well (goes into rambling story about picking up something from somebody and someone not hearing the doorbell so going back to his car to phone the house and then locking keys in the car)

Me: Oh no!

Danny: So can you come over and get me?

[bearing in mind that my real work of the day is done when Celyn is at school in the mornings, which is NOW]

Me: *trying to be kind* Oh. Okay. Shall I bring the second set of keys?

Danny: This is the second set of keys. *giggles nervously* [i.e. he's locked the second set of keys in the car and he's lost the first set of keys]

Me: *breathes, sighs, shuts eyes* Riiiiiiight. *trying harder than ever to be kind* Right. I'll be right over.

So. Please go and book and brighten my day... :D

It's Competition Time

Well, I'm appealing to all you clever people out there who can do this sort of stuff. As you can see, I've recently done a bit of a new look on my blog. Slapped on a fresh coat of paint and changed the furniture around. But I am so completely hopeless when it comes to creating banners (the wonders of Photoshop are a mystery to me) and I need a new one. Desperately. My poor blog looks very very sad at the moment without anything but words at the top. Poor sad old blog.

So...I thought I'd run a little competition. If you would like to design a new blog banner for me, I will send the person who makes my favourite one...the one I use...a big pizza box FULL of stash (cardstock, papers, charms, stickers, fibres, ribbons, brads, etc.).

So who's up for it? Eh? Eh? I'd be EVER SO grateful!

My email address is Chrissie@ScrappersUnlimited.co.uk and the deadline is Wednesday, 31 January (that's 3 weeks today).

Circles and Twirls

This is another of my layouts for the Shape Up for Design seminars. Well...part of it anyway...for delegates' eyes only at the moment.

Two days, two layouts AND I'm back in my normal twirly whirly style. The sun's come out (although apparently there's another 'front' scudding across the Atlantic towards Wales - grrr! - but we'll completely and utterly ignore that fact for now). I just LOVE SUNSHINE. Seven more weeks till March which is a Spring month, oh yes it is. AND it's Desperate Housewives Wednesday (got to love that show!). AND tonight is eviction night in Big Brother.

Ah me. All's well with the world.

I felt a bit discouraged yesterday because both of my 'Get Healthy in 2007' buddies, Debbie and Linz, had lost 8lbs in their first week of eating in a diety type manner. And I lost half that. But this is my big downfall... I get down and then give up. Husband said the same to me when I first started--his one big piece of advice was "Just don't give up this time. If you have a bad day, pick yourself up and carry on. Don't give up!" Anyone would feel discouraged with that dreadful grey, rainy, grey, miserable, grey sky for days on end...no light = sad Chrissie.

So. Today is The Sun's Come Out So Don't Give Up Day! *Chrissie rattles a collection box and proffers an Angel Kiss flower in the form of a badge* Sounds like a song from 'Annie' doesn't it?

MUST do some exercise today. Hoo haa!

Here's the first...

...of my 2007 teasers *phnaar* Just a little corner of my latest layout which all and sundry aren't allowed to see just yet. Sorry sundry.

I've been working like the clappers to put together the Shape Up for Design seminar which Julia and I are teaching all over the place this year (along with the other two design seminars). Five layouts between the two of us, plus a 12 page booklet handout, plus instruction sheets for each project--and then sorting out who's coming, what they want for lunch, making up the kits--it doesn't take half a day to sort out, that's for sure.

Yesterday I was working on one of my layouts - It's All About Love. It needed to be in a graphic, clean style to teach the delegates some particular principles...and this style is not normally me. I can't tell you how desperate I was to start throwing on circles and swirls. But I got there in the end! And today I am working on a layout with circles and twirls and all I want to do is graphic.

Contrary moo.

And as for this weather. I mean, I'm sorry to get so hackneyed as to talk about the weather but really, it does take the piddle, it really does. Days on end of a grey bowl covering my piece of the earth, with drizzly murky rain and even more grey murky light (NOT very good for getting shots of one's lovely new layouts, now is it? Eh? Eh? Had to resort to sitting in the car at lunch time when the sun *snort* is at its highest in the sky *snort* to get some decent photos. Any neighbours who witnessed it must have thought me deranged).

I feel a little tantrum coming on, so I think I shall go make a sandwich and get on with my layout instead.

Only one place left at the Shape Up for Design Seminar in Caerphilly by the way.

I've been having a play...

What do you think?

I want to change my header which is why I haven't replaced the old one...but also I'm Mrs Dozy when it comes to creating such stuff (anyone fancy doing one for me? *sigh*)

New elements apart from the very very boring header(!) are the 'What's Entertaining Me Scraps' section on the sidebar with little pictures (ho yeah) and the very cute Total Visitors scrolling bar with a little ladybird who flutters in and out and who I shall call LooLa.

So who wants to come scrapping then?

Finally finally finally I've got back to work and I've been a whirling dervish today, indeedy doody.

And one of the things I've been doing is preparing and uploading the info for our new design seminar...Shape Up for Design. The very first of these this year will be held at Crafty-Ness in Caerphilly (that's in South Wales) at 9.30 to 5pm, Saturday 20 January. The day includes five classes with full kits, all with the theme of shape and all interrelated, and we aim to show our delegates how great designers use shape to best effect, so that their designs are interesting, cohesive and beautiful. You'll receive a fab handout to review the things you've learnt during the day too.

We love teaching these seminars...at the end of each one Julia and I always agree that the most rewarding thing is that we actually TEACH something. People leave with new ideas on how to create their own designs because they've been given real design tools to use. So it will be exciting to get out on the road again and teaching again, which is certainly what I love to do!

The day also includes lunch, a goody bag, and 5% off purchases at the shop that day. So if you fancy booking you'd better be quick as most of the places have already gone before we even start! LOL Cerrrraaaazy. Take a look at the Seminars page on the Scrappers Unlimited website now. And take a peek at our feedback on these seminars too :D

Right. I'm on a roll...got to keep on keepin' on. Next! *ding ding*

Keep meaning to say...

Do you guys know about Bloglines? It is a fantastic FREE service where you make your own list of blogs you like to read regularly, and then when the blog author updates, it tells you (you just go to Feeds and it highlights and lists all the blogs that have been updated).

I use it all the time (as I couldn't possibly trawl through all 60+ blogs I like to nose at on the off-chance that they may or may not have updated it!). Gosh...60+ blogs...I seriously don't sit here looking at blogs all day...honest I don't guv'ner. Honest.

Later bloggy peeps.

Edited to add instructions for how to use Bloglines!

Okay...

Go to www.Bloglines.com and register an account (very quick...they just want an email addy, a password, your time zone (that's GMT if you're here in Britain!), and your language. Done.

Right...Then log in (email addy and password)
Then click on Subscribe (which is on the home page, in yellow, at the top of the circle of titles)

Then type in the address of the blog you want to watch...i.e. www.LifeIsScrap.blogspot.com and click Subscribe next to it.

THEN...You may be given 2 or 3 options of 'feeds'. I usually just click the one that has the most subscribers to it (I don't really understand what that part is...but hey, my system works for me! LOL)
Ignore everything else...unless you want to watch a blog and don't want people to know you're watching it...in which case click on Private in the Access block.

Then click Subscribe again at the bottom. Done.

You will see the blog you just subscribed to on the left. The ones that have been updated are always in bold.

To add a 2nd, 3rd or 4th blog...click Add at the top of the list on the left, and start the process again.

Hope that makes sense to everyone :D

So when do you do yours?

Are you one of those people who are dragging the tree back into the garage at 1 minute past midnight on 27 December, or possibly as people are still singing Auld Lang Sayne? Or do you stretch it out till the bitter end, and wait until the very last evening of 12th night before all the Christmas paraphernalia comes down?


I had intended to get all the decorations down by today but realised yesterday that my auntie and uncle are coming by for a visit on their way home from a 2 day break at The St David's Hotel and Spa (there's posh!), so I have to keep the house looking festive until they've gone. Probably as they're walking up the path to their car actually - LOL. I'm itching to get it all down now...but then again, the tree does look so pretty lit up at night.

Anyway, as the last hurrah before Christmas is officially over chez nous, here are a few of my holiday photos for your delight. Blogger has been mucking me about for the last day or so and not letting me upload photos (grrrr!) so I hope that it will let me....


Top two photos: Celyn and Nana on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day...Celyn searching for her presents (she can read her name now!!) Celyn and her friend from school caught eating the Quality Street (day after Boxing Day). Celyn (and her daddy) in her new Christmas jim-jams from Nana (which, in a happy manner, matched the tree and daddy's hat!) (Christmas Day evening).

Going Public

That's one blog title you don't want to do a typo on... (bwaahaahaa)

Okay. Here we are then. Happy New Year and all that.

January 2007.

The 1st of.

A new month and a new year.

It's like a brand new, clean stack of exercise books at school (from which, of course, you take yours from at least 3 down because no one but no one takes the TOP one...do they?)

It's like a brand new car...unsullied by crumbs or family faloolaa.

It's like a brand new scrapbooking tote...all clean and lovely and waiting to be filled with stash but in an orderly and pleasing manner.

Enough of the analogies already.

I'm going public. Because it's got to be done.

My mate Debbie told me a couple of weeks ago that she's been diagnosed borderline diabetic and because it is in her family, she is determined (De. TER. mined) not to become diabetic and be having to inject herself every day and all that. So it's a healthy, get fit and happy life from tomorrow.

And I will be joining her. Because I pondered her quest and thought she could do with the support. And also because I am so badly overweight it's not funny (since I got married, and then more pounds went on when I was pregnant). And I don't want to have any fatty diseases either. I want to go into Next and be able to wear any of the clothes in there. I want to run and play with my daughter. I want to be able to go places and not feel uncomfortable because I don't have the right clothes (because I can't find any) or shoes. I want to feel sexy. And I don't want to miss out on opportunities because of my body!

So.

I'm going public.

I'm getting healthy in 2007. This is my year. Me and my mate Debbie.

Go us!

Ooo...cool challenge

Silly, but I love lists like this. I was wandering around on Two Peas in a Bucket and found this. You have to publish the list, highlighting the ones you've done (I've highlighted mine in green). If you're reading this and fancy doing it, just cut and paste m'dears (but let me know so I can read yours too :D ). In counting, I've done just over 1/3 of the list. Some I will never do, so don't even ask. And some are actually ambitions (but I'll leave you to guess which ones).

Edited to put the link to the original thread on 2Peas: Two Peas New Yearsy Blog Challenge Thread

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink (nor shall I)
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain (what? for fun?! Not in a car? Ha--I don't think so...)
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone (and had water left over in the bath? Eureka and all that)
8. Said “I love you’ and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped (not in a million years)
11. Visited Paris (several times...and once 'illegally' but that's another story)
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea (in Athens, Greece)
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights (big ambition of mine)
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards) (several...in the US and UK)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables (should do this *guilt, guilt, guilt*)
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars (at Bear Lake, Idaho...no tent or nuffink...absolutely beautiful)
20. Changed a baby’s diaper (ooooh yeah baby...lost count of how many times)
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower (see 19.)
23. Gotten drunk on champagne (nor shall I ever)
24. Given more than you can afford to charity (I didn't say yes to this because if you've given to charity and you are still solvent and have something to eat and somewhere to live, you COULD afford it...)
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (too many times unfortunately!)
27. Had a food fight (in a tent! Which nearly came down in the process. SO funny!)
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger (and he was the brother-in-law of someone else in Scrap Land...and I shall never tell...it did not work out well - bwaahaaahaa)
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse (if you didn't answer yes to this one, where WERE you a few years ago?!)
34. Ridden a roller coaster (the first one was Space Mountain and I had NO IDEA it WAS a roller coaster...dumb 18 year old! But you would NEVER get me on one of those big mamas in Florida not for love nor sixpence, no way Jose, uh uh!)
35. Hit a home run (I may have done this once in rounders...)
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (quite a lot...and with no alcohol involved)
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales (another ambition)
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip (all round the UK with an American friend who (we discovered) had contracted glandular fever (mono) and he kept falling asleep on me! Ho hum)
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach (on honeymoon)
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland (lovely country, horrible trip)
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow (at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire...three times!)
56. Alphabetized your CDs (I have too many not to really...can't find them otherwise)
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day (but not for many years)
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain (see 49.)
65. Gone to a drive-in theater (in Provo, Utah...well...on the road to Springville somewhere)
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites (in several countries, including Britain, Greece and America)
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days (who would DO that?)
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice (the only reason I didn't answer yes to this one is because we thought it was too pricey and didn't bother...but I have been on boats in Venice!)
80. Gotten a tattoo (no, and nor shall I ever)
81. Rafted the Snake River (no, but I've watched others do it! And been to Jackson Hole)
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage (lots of times)
85. Been to Las Vegas (Boxing Day 1989...stopped there for a few hours driving from Provo to Los Angeles and won $40 which paid for us to get into Sea World!)
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house (twice)
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (or…raising children)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (I've cycled all over in France...but not on a tour. There was one day when we cycled from Reims out in the country...the whole trip was about 30-40km...I was knackered! Good day though!)
100. Picked up and moved to another city to start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge (okay, I lie...I drove over! BUT I screamed all the way...I was SO excited!!!)
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking (um...like...every day...?)
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (no...but I'd like to)
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart (not that I know of anyway)
111. Helped an animal give birth (when you say 'helped'...I was moral support for our cat and her kittens when I was a teenager :D )
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari (another ambition)
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol (nor do I want to...hate guns)
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse (not that I enjoyed it much...I don't like horses (to ride) and they don't like me)
119. Had major surgery (unfortunately)
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (again with the walking up and down hills thing...why would anyone do that for fun???)
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states (this question can be interpreted 2 ways ...have you visited more than 50 foreign countries, wherein the answer is no. OR have you visited more countries than you've visited US States, wherein the answer is absolutely yes...7 states but 12 countries)
124. Visited all 7 continents (Nope. Visited 3. Would LOVE to visit them all though)
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes ... yum!
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read (actually, lots of these)
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream (well, maybe...)
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care (No. Thank goodness)
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair (when I was a missionary for my church)
146. Dyed your hair (every month!)
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident (but not for a long time! I have 8 years NCB!)
150. Saved someone’s life

Don't You Shiver?

I'm telling you...if it wasn't for repositionable Hermafix, there would be a deranged woman twitching and rocking over this side of the country. I have shifted things around and around on this layout for a whole day now. Give the man who invented it an award. Truly.

I've been creating (read 'shuffling bits of card and paper around') for the Crafty-Ness Design Team, which I'm proud to be a part of. In this kit I was given BasicGrey Dasher papers, red, off-white and green cardstock, white snowflake brads and matching fibres (plus some other buttons and charms which I haven't used on this one). I've added my own gem brads and metal snowflake charm. And I've used lots of silver ink. Lots. of.

The title is from the song Shiver by Coldplay, as is the journaling--one of the verses of the song says, "...on and on, from the moment I wake to the moment I sleep, I'll be there by your side. Just you try and stop me." Isn't that how we feel about our children? They're like a piece of our heart walking around outside our bodies. Not that I've got any intention of following her around all her life (which strikes me as a little on the nutty side of things)... it's metaphorical you understand. Although NOW I'm thinking about this, it's giving me palpitations just imagining her flying off to another country on her own or somesuch thing one day...EEK!!! *Chrissie looks freaked out but shakes her head and pulls herself together* Grief...she's only 4...plenty of time before then!

New Year's Eve is fast approaching and it is a time when some people make resolutions or set goals...semantics-pedantics. I did set a couple for this year. In my head. Because then if I didn't do them, I could file them away nicely at the back of some dusty nerve ending that doesn't get much traffic and they *certainly* wouldn't be viewed by any passing critics. Heck...even I might have conveniently forgotten about them. But, yey, go me, I actually achieved two goals. Hoo haa!

I wanted to be much much better at recycling. Well, when I say 'better', what I mean is, actually recycle. Because it's shameful not to when you have bags and boxes and all that malarky these days that the council give you. So, for a whole year (much to Husband's chagrin as he found himself now having to lug out not only black bin-bags but also green ones full of tins and bottles and newspapers), I have sent my recycling off every couple of weeks and stood there looking duly holy and feeling very righteous.

On a side note...Swansea Council drive me crazy because they seem to think we live in the 1970s and don't provide wheely bins for your rubbish. Hence you have black bags sitting around in your garden for a week, which cats and foxes just love to have a forage in. And when I say 1970s, even THEN we were given round bins with lids. Tsk. *Chrissie goes off muttering about 'living in the Dark Ages' and saying words like 'nonsense' and 'ridiculous' a lot*

My second goal for 2006 was to keep a better record of my life. I come at this from a church perspective, which encourages one to keep a journal. I used to be fabulous at this when I was a teenager (when I come across my diary of life at 13 years old again, I shall share bits with you and I promise you will fall off your chair in your asthma-attack-laughing-fit). I was also pretty good right through my 20s. But then I realised that I don't actually enjoy HAND writing things (at uni' I could only ever ever write essays on the computer), especially as I touch-type and do that fast too. So my life became undocumented until I discovered scrapbooking which helped somewhat. But blogging (despite me slagging it off last January!) has helped me keep a record. All year. Albeit not quite as personal as it might be. But hey, it's better than a whole decade of next-to-nothing eh? I print off my blog at the end of every month and keep it in a folder.

So...we come to this new year. Shall I share? Or shall I keep my new goals floating around in a petri dish in my brain? Mmmm....