Dreams, Dreams, Dreams

Its has bothered me for a few years now. I hardly ever remember my dreams. I remember as a teenager deciding what I would dream about before I slept, I even remember of those dreams.

I believe that I probably do dream but what bothers me is; is the fact that I don't remember my dreams an indication that I am out of touch with myself and the direction I should be going. At least twice a year. Especially when I read something that references Carl Jung. I never completed reading any of his work but I have read a lot of people who are influenced by him.

Wordless Wed Autumn

Sleet/Snow

Music, politics and coffee

Today I have listened to a new artist in order to answer the dneero question. Discovered that Bruce Springteen was mentioned in President Reagan's run-up election and he apparently supports Obama.
And I am going to make myself a plan cuppa Joe. Wonder where that nickname came from?

'A cup of Joe,' as a reference to a cup of coffee, first appeared as popular slang in the 1930s and 40s. Opinions differ on where this phrase originates from, but presented here are a few different theories. read more on BBC - h2g2

You Are a Plain Ole Cup of Joe

But don't think plain - instead think, uncomplicated You're a low maintenance kind of girl... who can hang with the guys Down to earth, easy going, and fun! Yup, that's you: the friend everyone invites. And your dependable too. Both for a laugh and a sympathetic ear.

What Kind of Coffee Girl Are You?

Suffering and longsuffering

Last week I was in a bible study and these two words kept popping. I am now reading a booking that is also dealing how to get rid of what holds you back from achieving your destiny.

I grappling with the idea of how to experience joy, abundance and freedom.

And I am wondering if I have confused suffering in general with suffering for a specific belief or ideal. I can remember that fighting for something I believe actual brought me joy and freedom even if outwardly I was being reject and actual lost the battle. But I was being true to myself and my belief.

My father brought me up with the concept that if you cheat and lie etc with small stuff you will with bigger stuff - I think it is a biblical concept. I really took this to heart growing up to the extent that I would even play with my family on Christmas day cause my uncle felt it was okay to cheat cause its just a game. I got the nickname of Stationmaster. I never resented this I felt justified in my stand.

I have since realsied that we have different ideas about what is wrong and right. And there are just some things I no longer feel is important about "fighting" about.
I have learnt to be open and accepting of peoples differeces and to give people space to be themselves (at least I think I do).
What I am struggling with is that i do not always feel the same freedom- I am constantly be warned not too open with others, to protect myself and my family. That people will judge me and what I say or do will come back to hurt me and my family in some later on - if not immediately.
To some extent this is true cause we have seen it happen to other people - but with my whole being I also believe that it is untrue and that I cannot continue to live my life in fear of rejection and judgement.
My question is why is that other people do things that others don't agree with but they are not "kicked out" - or even if people disagree with them they are still part of the community and given the freedom to express themselves.

Unconscious Mutterings Week 300

Unconscious Mutterings host by LunaNina

1. Contemplate ::think, Buddhist, nuns, priests


2. In the house :: all day!


3. Classical ::music, timeless


4. Quest ::adventure, journey, searching


5. Best friend :: Claire, Denise, Claudelle and Ruth


6. 1991 :: the year I had a summer romance,turned 16, didn't reaise that the irritating boy at camp would later become my husband


7. Never will :: I ever give up on life


8. Fool :: hardy


9. Unhappy :: in love


10. Best man :: 4 Weddings and a Funeral

Yikes I have lost my files

I lost a lot of files over the years. Once when lightening struck my computer. When I back-up disk no longer worked. When backing up - I thought all the files tranfered but they didn't.

Its so irritating, time-consuming but it happens.

TGF

Thank goodness its Friday normally applies to most people - but wonder about people that end working harder on Saturday.

Conversation on Charities

In South Africa there many organisations that do charity work. But I have never been bombarded as much as I am now by Charity orgnisations. There are so many in the UK.
I have to wonder how successfully and effective they really are in getting people in the community to support them and in carrying out their tasks. I wonder if the bombardment leads to people get so irritated or desensitised that they just ignore the notices.

People are more likely to give to an organisation that they have some connection too. I give to ones promoted in my church (Meals on Wheels, ADRA, Welfare) my daughters school (McMallian Cancer and Barnardo's Children Charity), affect/help friends and ones I have worked for or with.

Interestngly, I volunter at CAB (Citizens Advice Bereau) and quite a number of people don't realise that is a charity and not a government organisation.

Donated the money for this conversation to Habitat for Humanity. A school I taught at in Cape Town fundraised and volunteered for it.

Personal Needs Analysis tag

Head and Tails is below

I was tagged for this meme by Gill. It's a really fun one! If I've mentioned you, you are tagged! (BTW I chose the least offensive alternatives here LOL)

eveyinorbit: a pedicure
AuntieM needs: help
breepre needs: to go and make some yummy hot toast
Angel needs: to be easily visible by the public
Kristine Kate needs: o shake her bootie!!!

(If I've tagged you, all you need to do is Google the name of the 5 bloggers you are tagging with the word "needs" attached and see what comes up)

Wired (Head or Tails)

Bet ya can't guess...?

Wired… Too wired to sleep, Too wired to wash my Jeep, Too wired to even weep, Though out of me you won’t hear a peep… Acquired through the mail, Required is a scale, Attired in bright white, Inspired by its use… So little as to be quite selfish, Not made from a shellfish, Surprisingly got my wish, Best if kept in a Petri dish… Can’t sleep, not tired, Back to saying I am thoroughly wired, Still will get today a great deal done, Hey its 7am and I can see the first rays of the sun… © ed ~ 9/5/05

Two thumbs up for Nando's Belfast

Nando's Belfast

Nando's is a South African franchise that does Portuguese styled peri-peri- chicken and more.

I was taken there for my birthday and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. It tated exactly like home and the service was great. They had the friendliest Northern Irish waitresses.

Spur, Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and MacDonalds - all these have been different in some way. KFC and Mac Donalds have been the closest to what i know and like. A family member of mine is in the franchise business. He told me that franchises tend to use local products and sometimes make slight changes to their reciepe and menu to meet locals taste.

So I was not hoping for too much when I visited Nando's. I loved the layout of the resturant as well. It was quite busy, so I think the local people enjoy it too. Well done Nando's - thank for a great Birthday meal and a taste if home.

Nando's set the US Ablaze (July 2008)

Nando's is also well known for their spicy adverts.

Times are tough (advert)

I say .... you think

Meme hosted by LunaNina

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Magical :: Forest, tree, unreal
   
2. Shrimp :: cocktail
   
3. Project Runway :: Runaway horses
   
4. Economy :: credit crunch
   
5. Porch :: sports car, rich old men
   
6. State of affairs :: need to be sorted out before you die
   
7. .com :: internet, google
   
8. Fifty cents :: does not go very far anymore
   
9. Ripping :: knitting - frogging
   
10. Bull :: ...%*! (guess you can figure that out), red Bull, Spain and bull fighting
    

Thoughts (Woman issues)

WOMAN ISSUES

I have so many different thoughts running through my head at the moment. One thing is for sure, I am not thinking very clearly. That scares me the most.

I got confirmation yesterday from the doctor that I have Polycystic ovary syndrome.
She also assured me that since I don't want to fall pregnant or go on the pill that I needn't be
concerned about it. I however remember that my gynae told me that if I didn't sort it out, that my risk for cancer in womb later on in my would be increase. She agreed to refer to a gynae here in Northern Ireland. Apparently that will take 3-4 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seen that its not life threatening I guess I can wait. Just hope I don't forget - like I did the ENT - waited 3 months for the appointment - still remember the day before about and then on the day it completely slipped my mind. That has never ever happened to me before.
But the health system here confuses and stresses me out completely. The three of the four times I have been in that building I have cried.

Got a few other things bothering but I feel so mixed up I cannot even write about it. Not a good sign. I hope a good nights rest will at least clear my head a bit.

A prayer by Thomas Merton

/*M*//y Lord God, /

I have no idea where I am going
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following
your will does not mean that I am
actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please
you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all
that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this, you
will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death, I will
not fear, for you are ever with me
and you will never leave me
to face my perils alone.

/* */

/*A prayer by Thomas Merton*//…/

Born in 1975

In 1975 (the year you were born)

Gerald Ford is president of the US Evacuation of US civilians from Saigon as Communist forces complete takeover of South Vietnam FBI agents capture Patty Hearst, who is indicted and convicted of bank robbery Teamster Jimmy Hoffa disappears without a trace Marines rescue the crew of the American ship the Mayaguez near Vietnam First Lady Betty Ford says in an interview that she thinks her children have tried marijuana Natalie Imbruglia, Drew Barrymore, David Beckham, Enrique Iglesias, Angelina Jolie, and Tiger Woods are born Cincinnati Reds win the World Series Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl IX Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup Production begins on Star Wars Jaws and The Rocky Horror Picture Show are the top grossing films Soul Train premieres on television in the United States "The Way We Were" (performed by Barbara Streisand) wins the Grammy for best song Saturday Night Live and Wheel of Fortune premiere

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

I will be 33 years old tomorrow

Famous people who turned 33 this year include:

Angelina Jolie
Charlize Theron
David Beckham
Drew Barrymore
Enrique Iglesias
Jamie Oliver
Kate Winslet
Lauryn Hill
Liv Tyler
Milla Jovovich
Tiger Woods
Tobey Maguire


According to Wikapedia these are some of the reasons 33 is significant in Religion:

• This number has the meaning that good will always triumph over evil.
• Jesus's age when he was crucified in 33 A.D., according to many, though not verified historically. ^[1]
• In the religion of Islam the Muslims believe that the dwellers of Heaven will be existing eternally in a state of being age 33.^{[citation needed]}

Other:
Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three

A normal human spine has 33 vertebrae when the bones that form the coccyx are counted individually

New Car

okay its not so new its a 2004 model but our old one was a 1992 model!

Banbridge

Motherhood – a Roller Coaster Ride 2008

I am going to this event. We are making a ladies night out - Going for supper first.

Is being a mum still the thrill of a lifetime? Or are you saying, “Stop the ride! I want to get off”?
Dianne Parsons is your host for a frank, fun, chat-show exploration of motherhood.

“We were
all so encouraged and left having laughed so much.”
A mum after Motherhood – a Roller Coaster Ride!”

You may be a new mum who’s excited at what’s ahead; or maybe you’re wondering if you’ll ever have a good night’s sleep again.

Or perhaps you suspect your teenager’s underpants are lurking under the bed until they’re ready to walk to the laundry basket themselves!

You might even be dreading the day your child leaves the nest.

Wherever you are in the roller coaster ride of motherhood, you’ll find Dianne's warmth and wisdom encouraging and life affirming. Special guests* Moya Brennan, Marion White and Jean Gibson are joining Dianne to chat about the ups and downs of life as a mum. Inspirational music from singer/songwriter Moya will be a special treat on the evening.

At the end of the evening:

• You’ll have laughed a lot
• You’ll feel affirmed as a mum
• You’ll know that even when your kids are driving you crazy, most of it is normal!
• You’ll leave the motherhood guilt thing behind

To book:
Click on the venue of your choice on the right or call us on (029) 2081 0800 to book for this event.

Tickets: £6.00 each

Save £2 per ticket
Buy four or more and pay just £4 per ticket.

5 Ways Blogging has affected me

Unconscious Mutterings are below

The rules:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you either positively or negatively
2. link back to the person who tagged you : Picked up the tag from Gill Jottings
3. link back to this parent post: (the parent post link has, unfortunately, been lost along the way….)
4.tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them!

1. My blogging definitely started as a way to release some pent up negative energy - I was not managing to keep up with my journal and in way I wanted to get feedback from people who were involved with me and did not know (neutral) . I have since deleted both those blogs - it did help to vent and sort through things but I didn't want to have that negative energy around me any more.

2. Blogging has become my outlet to try new stuff, be creative eg. photography, slideshows, memes, challenges etc.

3. It has become a source of information sharing. I love that it is two ways. I learn from others and they learn form me.

4. I like the fact that I have made friends and contact with other people. I believe that we are all interconnected and it is important to touch and be touched by others - Blogging is just another way that helps make that connection for a brief moment. I have really benefited from the advise, care and wisdom of commentators' on my blog. Just knowing someone out there cares enough to take the time to "hear" and responds.

5. Blogging can sometimes be time consuming. Like all things in life once needs to strike a balance.

I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you are keen to do this one please leave me a comment!

Unconscious Mutterings Week 298

Hosted by LunaNina

1. Zoo :: In to the Wild


2. Neighborhood :: Desperate Housewives


3. Salute :: soldier, Goodbye


4. Immortality :: has always existed


5. Dominion :: power


6. Rhonda :: not a name I hear often


7. Parties :: Birthdays, Political, sides


8. Prince of Darkness :: the devil


9. Garbage :: in, garbage out


10. Standard :: of living, measurement, critrea

Bookmarks

These are the bookmarks I made for a swap.

One those days

I have had one of those off days today. I almost didn't blog but I am in a swap where I have committed myself to blogging for 100 days.

I have had to bow out of a few swap due to our budget not working out and because I didn't want the pressure of being involved with any long term plans and commitments.

Better to keep stuff to a minimum while I get back onto my feet physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.

Went to the Polyclinic to get my cold sorted out - the over the counter medicines and herbal teas were just not getting the job done. Couldn't fall sleep last night because of the blocked nose, coughing etc...... while I was waiting for the nurse I just cried. Its the second time since I have moved here and in the same place. Now I have an appointment on my birthday - thats next Friday to talk a doctor about the small cysts in my womb - I can't just go straight to a gynaecologist. I missed my previous doctors appointment. I am really worried that I only had one menstrual cycle this year that lasted just over 7 weeks.

Well I have a apple crumble in the oven - going to have supper (tea) by a friend tonight. Busy day ahead of me tomorrow. So I just have to pull myself together and get on with living!

History of coffee and Women

So my question is, when were women in Europe, particular Britain allowed to drink coffee??????

Have you ever wondered about where coffee comes from? Its role in History.

I trying to find out if I could buy Nestle' COFFEE-MATE Irish Cream. I ended up on the Nestle' Uk site reading some interesting facts and history about coffee. I few things I knew already. So I decided to a wider search.

1. “Grounds for Divorce”: As early as 1453, Turkish girls were trained in the art of coffee making to better attract, and keep, a husband. Not to be intimidated, however, the women in Turkey understood the coffee art works both ways and Turkish law protected them by stating that a many who fails to provide his wife with her daily quota of coffee leaves her with grounds for divorce (no pun intended.)

2. 1650
The first coffee house opened in Oxford, England, but women were not allowed access, other than to serve men. A number of British women wrote a lengthy petition (now in the coffee museum, London) to the coffee houses requesting access. They were refused.

3. Dorothy Jones of Boston was the first American coffee trader. It was in 1670 that she was granted a license to sell coffee.

4. The banning of women from coffehouses was not universal, but does appear to have been common in Europe. In Germany women frequented them, but in England and France they were banned^[5]. Émilie du Châtelet purportedly wore drag to gain entrance to a coffehouse in Paris ^[6]. In a well-known engraving of a Parisian coffeehouse of c. 1700 [3], the gentlemen hang their hats on pegs and sit at long communal tables strewn with papers and writing implements. Coffeepots are ranged at an open fire, with a hanging cauldron of boiling water. The only woman present presides, separated in a canopied booth, from which she serves coffee in tall cups.

5. In 1727, it was a woman who inadvertently helped Brazil become the largest producer of coffee in the world. The wife of the French Guyana governor was smitten by a visitor, a certain Brazilian captain lieutenant of the Coast Guard, one Francisco de Melho Palheta, sent to the French Guyana by the emperor of Brazil purportedly to patch up things between the Dutch and French Guyana. Alas, that was a hoax as his real goal was to obtain coffee seeds. So eager was the Governor's wife to please her lover that she hid coffee seeds and cuttings in bouquets of flowers and sent them as tokens to her beloved. The cad returned neither the seeds nor her love but, instead, abandoned her, galloped to his ship in the harbor, and sailed away to the Portuguese colony of Para in Brazil and played his part in coffee history.

6. American ladies, furious at the taxes on tea (how is one to budget for the household with such expenses!) the wives from the First Lady to the wives of congressman said, no to tea and coffee became the socially acceptable beverage at every gathering and event from New York to Philadelphia, from D.C. to Roanoke, making the tea party in Boston as inevitable as the sunrise.

International Women's Coffee Alliance

5 Reason (not) to drink coffee ( some good reasons to drink)

How to give up coffee by Steve Pavlina

Red Door

Black *OR* White

Photo from the Blog Everything That Remains

Head or Tails

The first thing that popped into my head was Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (Skittle has the it up on her post), then Michael Jackson's Black or White and Chess.

A common question in Chess is, is it better to be Black or White.

Snippets from Chess Players:

There are a number of ways to look at this.

"Offhand one should say that white is better. In the opening white tries to secure an advantage which he hopes would win him the game. Black on the other hand is trying to secure equality. Only when he has equalized can he start to look for an advantage himself.

There are some openings in which black counter-attack before he has complete equality but in them black's game will always have a slightly fragile quality to it. All you have to do is look at a database and you will see that the winning percentage for white is higher in most openings. Sometimes slightly and at other times much more than slightly.

However. It is easier to build a black opening repertoir. You decide on one response for black to e4, one to d4, and perhaps one to c4. If you understand opening principles you should be fine at least in the beginning. White on the other hand has to prepare for every response to his favourite king pawn, queen pawn etc. For example somebody once said that the only problem with the Ruy Lopez is the Sicilian defense.

Once the opening is over however the colours make no difference at all" Fallen Angel

"From the theory of chess (mathematically proven), there is no "stronger" side: if a game were to be played correctly from both sides, it would end up in a draw, the advantage of white having the first move not being enough to secure a victory.

In practice, playing with white gives you the advantage of selecting the opening, which is not a minor advantage, especially for non advanced players.

I agree, though, that in the end, at non GM level, it is probably just a matter of preference.

Cheers all, Andrea
---------
Playing on Playchess.com as AndreaCoda.

Benjamin Franklin once wrote:

"The Game of chess is not merely an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of chess, in which we have points to gain, and competition or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or want of it. By playing at chess then, we may learn: First, foresight... Second, circumspection... Third, caution... And lastly, we learn by chess the habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs; the habit of hoping for a favorable chance, and that of persevering in the secrets of resources."

Interested in reading Life and Chess Analogies:
Life is like a game of Chess by golbguru from Money, Matter, and More Musings

Obama plays chess against McCain by Jennifer Shahade

Baking and Crafts

I completed my daugher's slippers, I posted the the Two needle Slipper pattern here.
The photo is below.



I made cup cakes for Sabbath School - I the children to decorate as "angle wings"
And then I got them to stick together paper puppets for the Children's story in Divine Service.
It worked out very, very well.



These are the scones I made last week. It is the first scones that I have baked that I am totally happy with. Recipe:

500ml (280g) cake flour
15ml Baking powder
2ml salt
75ml caster sugar (I used normal sugar because I didn't have the other)
65g margerine or butter
1 egg
125ml milk

Method:
1. Sift dry ingredients together. Add sugar
2. Rub margarine into dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix egg and milk together and add. forms a soft, but not sticky dough (I added a little flour to make it less sticky) 3. Shape as desired and place onto a greased baking tray or into a muffin pan. Bake in a preheated oven 200C or 400 F for 12-15 minutes
4. Serve with honey, syrup or jam and cream. I love it hot out of the oven with real butter!




Friday night's supper was the South African traditional dish Melkos. I also made apple crumble for PotLuck with the cooking apples I was given. First time ever - it was a success.




Apple Crumble recipe: http://www.cookuk.co.uk/cake/apple-crumble-recipe.htm
With step to step photo guide on how to make it.

Word Association

So what's the first thing that pops in your mind when you read the ff words?
Today strangely enough it was either synonym or completing it as a sentence.

Hosted by LunaNina

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Insight :: wisdom
   
2. Irksome :: irritating, annoying
   
3. Maybe :: possibility, uncommitted
   
4. Confirmation :: assurance, Catholic ritual
   
5. Bib :: Baby
   
6. Stop! :: that right now
   
7. Lobster :: seafood
   
8. Boys :: will be boys
   
9. Fire away :: go ahead ask - I have nothing to hide
   
10. Give up :: don't you dare - Don't give up, don't give in
    

Quotes

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
~Meister Eckhart

O Lord that lends me life,
Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.
~William Shakespeare

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. ~Aesop

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
~William Arthur Ward

Harvest Service (festival)

This is a new concept for me. I remember reading about it in stories and hearing songs. But I have never been part of a community that really celebrates it. And not just now and again but every year. Almost every church in the area is advertising their Harvest Service. Even churches which would not normally make a big thing of Easter or Christmas because of its pagan ties. Harvest Festivals also have very deep pagan ties. Very, very interesting.

I came across a website that gives resources to schools in the UK to incorporate cultural events into the school curriculum. I really liked some of their recommended focuses and thought they were very applicable.

First was Sustainable Development (we responsible for our ecology) and Fair Trade.
We are now in a global village and very much dependent on harvest worldwide

Second was on Foreigners. I think this is another worldwide issue one that people are struggling with. Should we welcome them? - are they just draining our resources? What value do they add? etc....... They use Ruth as an example to show how important it is to make space for Foreigners.

The third ....... for the life of me I can't remember what the third point was could have been Ecology. For some reason I cannot find the original article.

So what am I doing for our harvest festival?

At then moment I preparing some crafts - making puppets and cupcakes which will go with the story i am going to tell of the The Little Red (a little different from the original version)
Also making a potato dish, salad and apple crumble (with cooking apples that were given to me) for potluck. fingers crossed that it will come out alright - besides the salad - i am trying out new recipes for the rest. As my friends know - I am no Martha Stewart.

Can you change your life?

You Can Change Your Life

You've probably already improved your life a great deal, and you're no stranger to change. You're able to make very difficult changes in your life. It's all about state of mind. And even if you have some trouble changing, you're smart enough to get support or take a different approach. So go ahead and dare to make things better. You know you can do it!

Can You Change Your Life?

The River Bann in Banbridge