Tuesday 31 May 2011

He wore - -

- - blue velvet --da-da-da - - -played on the radio this morning as I was coming in to work - listening to the words triggered a memory. - - - the Artisan was wearing a blue velvet jacket the very first time I saw him. It made me smile so much - blue really is his colour - it matched his eyes! Actually I think his eyes sre getting bluer as the years go by - if that is possible of course.

The young man in the blue velvet jacket stood in the entrance hall - such a vast space - how was he supposed to find the meeting room of this club he had been told about? The stairs alone were grand enough for a stately home - and the doors and corridors off the hallway were just massive - and therefore intimidating. He looked round again then set off down the corridor past the stairs - hoping for a sign on a door which might help - nothing. Turning round again he returned to the main foyer - and set off in the opposite direction this time, just as the outside door opened with a flurry of cold air as several young men and girls entered chattering and laughing together, followed closely by a middle aged man and his wife, and a couple of tall and rather handsome young men. Richard and Nick saw him as they came in and headed straight towards him - slapping him in the back as they caught him up to him - "Hey good  to see you, come on up with us" said Richard and turning him round the three of them joined the other young people heading up the stairs. Richard & Nick chatted away introducing him to everyone in the group.
A slight girl with long blonde hair had also noticed him as she arrived - and that first glimpse had been enouigh - she felt as if someone had just prodded her in the back - yet she was the last person though the door - whilst the voice in her head kept on repeating -"Well - what are you waiting for? That is who you are meant to be with, Well - what are you waiting for - go ON!" It made no sense - another feeling of being prodded in her back jolted her into movement - she turned round - no one there! "How odd" she thought. She shook herself slightly, shrugged her shoulders and tried to put the feeling of knowing a total stranger out of her head.and headed up the stairs behind the rest of her friends - -

Sunday 29 May 2011

Moments in between - -

 - - a couple of  weekends ago on Amy's blog she posted a challenge to scrap the day - ON the day - I was going to have a shot at it - but life kind of got in the way so I didn't actually scrap any photos. However the challenge did set me off thinking about those kind of everyday moments - the moments in between the activity that fills our days in our busy lives - those big happenings in life, Births, Weddings  are all such big milestones - and we remember them so very well, but Amy's challenge was to scrap the other stuff - - so I found myself thinking of the mundane, the ordinary, daily life type of occurrences. Those that might be so ordinary  that there are no photos to go with any of my thinkings and from there it led me to a few very precious - moments ? not sure how to describe it best - feelings that keep me warm inside - I think - is the nearest I can get to putting it into words. Thinking about them made me realise just how important these thoughts are to me - and how frequently they pop into my head to make me smile inside- and I hope that I never ever forget them - so I am "scrapping" them here on my blog - just in case I do!
  • the smile in his eyes as they meet mine across a room
  • the feel of my daughter's hands in mine and my son's small arms round my neck
  • the strength in my dad's hugs when I was small
  • my grandad's whistle - (non existant really as he had lost all his teeth as a young man - so he kind of whistled through his gums!) and my granny's laughter
    • shared hugs with my mum, dad and sister known in our family as "piggy-mustards" (Don't ask me why my baby sister called a huge family hug by this title - but it stuck - and has passed into the family folklore to my own children)
    None of them especially exciting - nothing I could actually take a photo of really - but stuff I think I do need to record for me - so thank you Amy for the prompt - even though it led me down a slightly different path.

    thanks for stopping by.

    'til later
    Bannaghtyn Jx

    Tuesday 24 May 2011

    Remembering Rhymes -

    - - do snippets of nursery rhymes ever float into your head when you least expect them to? They do mine and today I found myself thinking back again to times in our campervan. If you have ever had one you will know that the VW Camper really rather "plodded" along rather than zipped by - so getting to most destinations always took some considerable time. With children in the back I am sure you guess that keeping them entertained was a rather important part of our travel! One of the games we played was - see how many nursery rhymes you could remember. We all had to take turns and no one could repeat one that we had already sung! Oh how funny it was  - the Artisan was hopeless - well his children thought he was - because he always got the words wrong (deliberately? you ask - No he genuinely didn't know the words!) - and as for me - they would never let me finish mine! They always said I knew too many :(
    I don't actually know how many such rhymes there are - but we did once get to a 100 before the game palled and we moved on to I love my Love with an A - - - but that's another story.

    How do you entertain yourselves whilst travelling? And how many nursery rhymes can you remember?

    Thanks for stopping by
    'til later


    Bannaghtyn, J x

    Saturday 21 May 2011

    The hands of time - -

    - - - moved steadily round the clock face, eating yet more of her precious minutes, she knocked once more on the shop door - still no answer - other premises were beginning to show signs of life as it crept up to 7.45am - the newsagent was positively busy - and the green grocer was putting out his stands - whilst across the street - a light went on in the one shop that might be able to help her. " Please, please be willing to open" she thought waiting for a gap in the traffic to dart across the road. She could see a figure moving inside as she hurried to knock on the door - the young blonde women opened the door looking slightly bewildered -
    "Can I help you?" she asked
    "Oh I do hope so, I had an appointment over the road - but she hasn't turned up - I know it's a bit cheeky - but I don't suppose you could do my hair could you?  Please? Please?"
    "You mean now? Right now? I'm not open yet!" said the shopowner
    " Please - - If you could - -  I don't know what else to do -- please - - - I had an appointment with the hairdresser across the road - but I think she has forgotten me - she hasn't turned up  - I know it is an imposition   - - I don't have much time - -  Please ?Please? -   It is rather a special day for me you see - I would so appreciate it - and there is still no sign of life over there" The young woman realised she was babbling stupidly even as she pointed across the road and looking at her watch - -   "You see - -  I am getting married at 11am."
    "Oh my - what time? of course I will, come on in - what do you want me to do? Do you have a veil? Or a hat. My name is Karen by the way" bubbled the younger girl - - -


    That's how I met the young woman who did my hair for the fourteen years I lived in that area. She decorated my hair with flowers on that day and I felt like a queen - and it rained  - - as I arrived to marry the man I have shared the last 25 years with -my beloved, my friend, my rock, my partner, my mate, the father of my children, he is my everything and I love him now as I did then and yes I would do it all again  - - and it didn't matter a jot what the weather did as he has always brought me sunshine!. Today is our Silver Wedding anniversary - - and it is raining! Do I care? No, not in the slightest.  - - - only I just would really like to know where all that time has gone - because the hands of time never stop moving do they?


    Thanks for stopping by,
    the first part of this story can be read here

    'til later
    Bannaghtyn

    A day for - -

    - - making memories. It had to be didn't it? Because today was the kind of day which doesn't happen very often in anyone's life. They woke to pale gray skies and the threat of rain - but that didn't really matter -  what did was getting all that needed to be done fitted into the limited time they had, getting the house ready for anyone who might wish to come back, getting herself off to her appointment, the little one up, bathed and dressed in all her finery, getting ready themselves - - -
    Rushing about madly she shifted furniture around to make space in the small front room, spread a clean cloth on the extended table and get out cutlery before heading out the door to her appointment."I'm off now " she called up the stairs - a muffled answer floated down - she had to dash or she would be late. They were opening especially early for her so she had to be there!
    Running along the road she felt a few spots of dampness on her cheeks - "Rain, rain go away, Come again another day - - - - - " danced through her head in time to her steps as she hurried along the road. There was a brighter sky comimg in- -  so hopefully - - - - The bus arrived at this moment so she got on and paid her fare, just a 15 minute ride and she would be there. She checked her watch - time was really tight actually.
    Reaching her destination she left the bus and crossed the road to the shop,  pushed the door handle to go in - only to find it resist her with a vengeance. It was locked - she knocked briskly, and waited fully expecting Trscey to open the door to her but got no response. ~Oh NO, the voice in her head almost screamed, she's forgotton me -- she knocked again this time with real desperation - still no response - what was she to do? how long could she afford to wait to see if anyone arrived? She felt a  little foolish now - standing outside THIS shop at 7.15am on a Wednesday morning - even the one across the street was all closed up, I'll wait 15 minutes she thought as she wandered disconsolately towards the bus stop, wondering what she was going to be able to do herself if no one turned up to open for her? - - - -

    To be continued - -
    Til later

    Bannaghtyn J x

    Friday 20 May 2011

    Today I am liking -

    - that the swallows and swifts are back in such numbers

    - the scent of Mayblossom in the air - it smells like summer did when I was a little girl


    - sunshine and blue skies after days of fairly heavy rain (all our weather has come from the west this week!)

    - it's Friday, the streets are full of birdsong and I have a weekend to look forward to

    - Wall & hedgerow festooned with flowers

    'til later

    Bannaghtyn J x

    Wednesday 18 May 2011

    Quotable Women - Five favourites

    My fondness for words - so very obvious here as I am sure you will agree dear reader - means I find myself collecting those I like, squirrelling them away for future reference, trying to remember them, to live by their wisdom, to be inspired and to just enjoy the sentiments.

    • "For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others." - Audrey Hepburn
    • "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt
    • "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou
    • "Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." - Harriet Beecher Stowe
    • "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - Maya Angelou
    I would be delighted if you have a favourite quote you could share with me.

    til later

    Bannaghtyn  J x

    Wednesday 11 May 2011

    A Prom to remember


    It has been a very busy week for me this week. Last Thursday was the official start of Study Leave for our year 11 students - - they have the Record of Achievement Ceremony and in the evening it is their “Prom” Ball. As is usual for me, I go along to take some snaps for the school plasma display – and though I can’t show you any other than this of these photos, but I am very pleased with how they have turned out. So are many of the young people in the shots – as I seem to have spent my week printing out copies for them to take home to various relatives. They all look so very elegant , handsome, pretty, beautiful, stunning and excited – and so very grown up!
    The highlight of the event for me was seeing two of our Special Unit children arriving in all their finery – A -------- who spend his life in a wheelchair was looking particularly handsome in his “James Bond” outfit , he also struggles with language – but he made sure we understood who he was dressed like and his excitement brought tears to my eyes. C------- of course looked just like a Princess in a beautiful royal blue gown, silver shoes and bag and a diamante tiara in her hair. A------- had brought a beautiful bracelet as a small gift for C------- and she couldn’t wait to wear it.
    They both had the most wonderful evening - - - the rest of their year group made sure they could get to the dance floor and included them both in the entire party atmosphere. Mum’s collected them at 11.45pm – and when asked if she had enjoyed the Prom, C-------- said “Yes – I keep thinking about it in my head, and when I do, it makes me happy”.
    When her mum told us yesterday it brought tears to my eyes. She told us when she came to Crafty Corner – and it made my day.

    I have a lovely photo of the two of them - so a page is calling out to me. Just wish I wasn't at work today!!

    The Prom
    Our last year now has flashed right past, schooldays are over now at last.
    One more thing before we go. The Prom – a night for us to show,
    How we can do you adults proud. Though we may get a little loud!
    We’ll do our best to keep it fun, for staff and students, so each one
    Will smile when this they look back on. We just wish the sun had shone.
    We look so fine and scrub up well. In Tux and ball gown – Can you tell?
    Just who we are? As we arrive in coach and carriage down the drive!
    We laugh and giggle and admire, each and everyone’s attire.
    The hair, the nails the polished shoes. Excitement , Cheers - and then we choose
    The friends with whom we’ll go inside, for here we can no longer hide.
    From Paperazzi mum and dad, whose pride in makes us so glad,
    We made this effort to come here, to celebrate our final year!
    J.M.H

    'til later

    Bannaghtyn Jx

    Tuesday 10 May 2011

    An Island in Bloom - - -








    Such a beautiful, blossomy time of year - I do so love flowers - If you have any flower photos to share please link them in here - I would love to see them,

    'til later
    Bannaghtyn Jx

    Thursday 5 May 2011

    A Mini Album - -

    - - which now belongs to my elder daughter.
    The theme is home and family - and the photos inside are a random selection of family photos.

    A bit of detail.
    There are lots of pockets with tags - with photos and journalling scattered through the album.





    And this lady was the inspiration - she shared it on You Tube quite a long time ago now.


    I was pleased with the way it all came together. - the papers are all 7 Gypsies - but I can't remember the collection - sorry!

    'til later

    Bannaghtyn Jx

    Wednesday 4 May 2011

    I seem to have spent - -


    - a considerable amount of time in the small square of earth outside the cottage door this last weekend - this small woodland clearing has felt like my own secret garden since we moved here. It is tucked away - enclosed on three sides - and is a flight of ten steps below road level, warm and sheltered, full of bluebells, aquilegia, california poppies and lavender - it is my own small sanctuary of tranquility and always full of birdsong. All the little birds were in and out of the hedges - but robin was flitting and bustling about so busily, feeding nestlings I suspect, cocking a bright beady eye at me to make sure I was behaving quietly - that I found myself thinking of this -



    - - - " and there, lo and behold, was the robin swaying on a long branch of ivy. He had followed her and he greeted her with a chirp. As Mary had skipped toward him she felt something heavy in her pocket strike against her at each jump, and when she saw the robin she laughed again.
    "You showed me where the key was yesterday," she said. "You ought to show me the door today; but I don't believe you know!"
    The robin flew from his swinging spray of ivy on to the top of the wall and he opened his beak and sang a loud, lovely trill, merely to show off. Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off--and they are nearly always doing it.
    Mary Lennox had heard a great deal about Magic in her Ayah's stories, and she always said that what happened almost at that moment was Magic.
    One of the nice little gusts of wind rushed down the walk, and it was a stronger one than the rest. It was strong enough to wave the branches of the trees, and it was more than strong enough to sway the trailing sprays of untrimmed ivy hanging from the wall. Mary had stepped close to the robin, and suddenly the gust of wind swung aside some loose ivy trails, and more suddenly still she jumped toward it and caught it in her hand. This she did because she had seen something under it--a round knob which had been covered by the leaves hanging over it. It was the knob of a door.
    She put her hands under the leaves and began to pull and push them aside. Thick as the ivy hung, it nearly all was a loose and swinging curtain, though some had crept over wood and iron. Mary's heart began to thump and her hands to shake a little in her delight and excitement. The robin kept singing and twittering away and tilting his head on one side, as if he were as excited as she was. What was this under her hands which was square and made of iron and which her fingers found a hole in?
    It was the lock of the door which had been closed ten years and she put her hand in her pocket, drew out the key and found it fitted the keyhole. She put the key in and turned it. It took two hands to do it, but it did turn.
    And then she took a long breath and looked behind her up the long walk to see if anyone was coming. No one was coming. No one ever did come, it seemed, and she took another long breath, because she could not help it, and she held back the swinging curtain of ivy and pushed back the door which opened slowly--slowly.
    Then she slipped through it, and shut it behind her, and stood with her back against it, looking about her and breathing quite fast with excitement, and wonder, and delight.
    She was standing inside the secret garden."

    This extract for The Secret Garden - by Frances Hodgeson Burnett was still is a favourite book of mine - it is still in print but if you might like to read a bit more it can be found online here

    Do you have a favourite book from your childhood which you still class as a fovourite? Please tell me I'm not the only one!

    Thanks for stopping by.
    'til later

    Bannaghtyn J x

    Monday 2 May 2011

    Simple Pleasures


    Such a beautiful day - treated myself to a few bluebells fmom the garden. The cottage now smells wonderful!

    'til later

    Bannaghtyn Jx

    Sunday 1 May 2011

    Twenty years ago today

    She really didn't feel like herself at all - fretful, worried, tearful - not what she should be feeling like anyway. Why, oh why she asked herself, before finding tears welling yet again - no reason she could think of - she should be filled with happiness - she knew that, - it wasn't as if this was the first time she had been in this situation. So why did she feel so low?? Perhaps because the 4 year old was so obviously wanting mummy - and he couldn't have cuddles here, perhaps it was because the older one had been so ill just recently? She only knew she didn't feel right being here - she needed to be at home.
    The woman with the trolley was suddenly at her side - "Are you OK J-----?" she asked gently. Her wise eyes took in the younger woman's face - the brightness of the unshed tears, and the tension in her body, and she nodded to herself before smiling kindly at the woeful figure "Milk in your tea?" she said pouring a cup and placing it on the table in front of the girl, adding two biscuits to the saucer. "Drink your tea and have your elevenses" she said "I'll be back shortly".
    The younger woman stared at the tea cup - maybe it would make her feel a little better - she picked up the cup and moved over to the window. Trees filled with blossom and blue skies - it looked like it was going to be a beautiful Bank Holiday tomorrow - and here she was, stuck in this room! She sipped her tea - "I want to go home" she thought again and once more tears welled in her eyes "I want to go home". A murmer of voices caught her attention - - looking up she saw two figures walking towards her - the woman from earlier, with a man. Oh dear - I wonder what he wants this time, she thought - she made a effort to smile - really he was very kind - "Good morning J-----" he said , "How are you today?" J----- answered in as cheerful a manner as she could - "Doing quite well I think". The man picked up a clipboard and began to study it carefully - he looked again at the older woman with him - "Are you sure it would be the best thing to do?" he asked her. "Absolutely certain" she answered briskly.
    The man put the clipboard down - "Well - since it is such a lovely day - and as Sister assures me that this is the best thing to do for you - I think you should call your husband and get him to come along to collect you and your new daughter - and take you both home" he smiled at the young woman sitting on the bed, holding the new baby in her arms. "But make sure you get plenty of rest now" he said as he turned away.

    Sister looked at the young woman and smiled - "I think this just might prevent the Baby Blues" she said shrewdly - "Let's get baby dressed now shall we?"





    She was quite right - it did prevent the baby blues - which I hadn't suffered from before with my other children - and I am eternally grateful to Sister M---- not only for recognising its start - but for persuading Mr C-------- that I really should be sent home. Because you see - the older one was just recovering from, and the 4 year old was just starting with - the chicken pox. And much as they both loved daddy - they both wanted mummy as they hadn't been allowed into the maternity hospital to see her.

    Today is the twentieth anniversary of that day - when we brought our new baby daughter home - the day before the May Day holiday. This post is also part of Storytelling Sunday - hosted by Sian at From High in the Sky.
    Full details can be found here
    Thanks for stopping by
    'til later

    Bannaghtyn J x

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