Ramblings of a sideways thinker

SUKI's COMING HOME !!

2011-06-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

GREAT NEWS:~
Suki is coming home this evening!. As she is now free off drips, drains ect, & her medications can be given orally, her vets have decided she can come home for 24hrs, they will see her at the hospital tomorrow evening & if all is well & she & her owners are coping OK, she can be nursed at home with daily visits to the vets. The nurses have shown Yvonne & Ron how to handle her & do whats necessary, they are as prepared as possible, & they have lots of friends ready to help & support in anyway necessary. Now they are just waiting for the chief vet to give the all clear when he checks on Suki this evening.
Suki still has a long way to go with her recovery, but it's amazing she has done so well, beaten all the odds that were stacked against her & hopefully will make a good recovery.
It is very much felt that this outcome is largely due to all the love, prayers & healing that many of you have so kindly been sending. Suki is one very little dog ~ but she has recieved SO much kindness from so many people. Bless & thankyou all.

Lynn
pp Ron, Yvonne & Suki. XXXXXXXXXXXXX

A FEW WOBBLY STEPS~A GIANT LEAP!!

2011-06-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

After days of worry & fear for her survival ~Suki has shown her old spirit by *yipping* at one of the Vet Nurses who DARED to walk past her pen without talking to her. She then went on to ASTOUND everyone, when during a full examination & assessment, on being helped to standing

position to assess her back leg, which had at first been thought too badly damaged to save, then despite *heroic* surgery was only given *maybe 30%* chance of being *viable*~Suki took a few very wobbly steps!! Tears all round ~though the chief Vet said he had hay fever!!

This dear little dog still has a long way to go, but it really looks like she'll make it!!~~battered & scarred~ but a survivor !!!

Once again, deepest gratitude for ALL the love, prayers & healing that have been sent to her. Yvonne & Ron are overwhelmed by how many people have taken the time & trouble to care so deeply about their little dog~& about them.

With love & thanks to you all,

Lynn

pp Ron & Yvonne

SUKI UPDATE

2011-06-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

After a slight setback last night~ I am VERY pleased to report that this morning & again at lunchtime, SUKI managed to eat & drink a little, and is taking interest in her surroundings & the people around her.Though her injuries prevent her from making much movement she is responding everytime she is spoken to & licking hands that approach her. Her vets & nurses think she is AMAZING!! Her owners are delighted that THEY will be allowed to touch her when they visit this afternoon. A further operation which the vets had thought they would have do today, has been postponed to 'see what nature can do'~ so it is hoped it MAY NOT be necessary, though there will be some 'tidying up' to be done at some stage.The vets have warned that SUKI will be hospitalised *for some time* and that she is still a VERY sick little girl with a long way to go ~ but they~ & everyone else is smiling!!
Suki's *dad* Ron was bitten during the attack & one of the bites has turned septic & requiring ongoing medical attention. He has admitted to feeling *unwell* today ~delayed shock~ & is having flashbacks of the attack, luckily, we have access to a councellor who works with the troops returning from 'stan & he has offered to help Ron. Suki's *mum* Yvonne has reached the 'anger' stage & is ready to take on allcomers ~ just as well as the Police say THEY won't take any action!!~ But watch this space ~~ !!!!!
Ron & Yvonne have asked me to express their thanks for all your concern, love, prayers & healing thoughts for their *baby*. They are sure with so much love being sent her way she felt she HAD to fight to get better.
PLEASE continue to include them all in your prayers ect ~theres a long way to go before SUKI will be home ~ Her injuries are HORRIFIC ~ but she has survived & with all the love & care she is getting we are hopeful she WILL make a good recovery.

With DEEPEST GRATITUDE to you all.

Lynn xxx
pp. Ron & Yvonne XXXXXXXX

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS FOR SUKI

2011-06-07T02:46:00.002-07:00

My elderly neighbours (Yvonne & Ron) are in shock after their 11yr old Yorkie SUKI was SAVAGELY attacked by TWO Staffies yesterday evening. Ron put himself between SUKI & the attacking dogs in a heroic attempt to protect her.
SUKI underwent life~saving surgery last night, but is this morning described as *comfortable but critical*~ the vet stated her injuries are like *a soldier injured in Afghanistan!!*
SUKI is only tiny, but full of life & much loved. I spent most of last night with Yvonne & Ron hoping and praying for a miracle. The miracle is that she has made it this far!!
If you can spare a few moments to send your healing thoughts & prayers to SUKI & her distressed owners they would be much appreciated. I KNOW the power of these things ~ & I know many of you do to.
Thankyou.
Lynn.

BRYN THE BRAVE !!!

2011-05-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today,Beloved Bryn has undergone major surgery to remove another tumour~ from the OTHER leg to where he had the cancer 15 months ago. Our vet thinks that despite this being a large & *nasty* tumour that it is benign ~ though obviously, we await tests to confirm this.
We have known there was a problem for some time, but had hoped surgery could be avoided~largely due to fears about anaesthesia~ but when the tumour started to break down & weep a week ago, the decision was made to operate, but to wait till today when all services ect are restored after prolonged Bank Holidays!.
After a VERY worrying few hours,~ the operation taking 2 hours!~ Bryn is recovering comfortably. He is on some heavy duty pain relief & will be on VERY restricted exercise for a few days, but if all goes well & the skin graft on the wound holds well, our vet says he will be fully recovered in approx 2 weeks ~ if the wound gives problems it will obviously take longer to heal~but we will cross that bridge if we have to.
Bryn has been so good & so brave ~ I think he desrves a medal, but I think he would prefer some specially cooked chicken & my undivided attention ~ both of which he can have in abundance.
You have all been so supportive in the past when Bryns health has caused alarm & I know several people I tweet to have lost pets in the recent past, I didn't want to stir up more anquish for anyone, so I decided not to say anything until now. So, I hope you will all share in our relief that all has gone well, and celebrate Brave Bryns journey on the road to recovery. I look forward to posting pictures of his triumphant return to the park & his rightful place as the head of his gang *the geriatric reprobates* in a couple of weeks time!!

BRYN'S BIG PARK ADVENTURE!!!

2011-03-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

YOWSERS!!~~~She's ready at last!!~~~O~W~T~S!!!!~~~Let it be right~OO~PLEEESE let it be right~~If she turns left it's flippin Tesco's~AGAIN!! ~~YIPPEEEEEE~ RIGHT it is!!~~ PARK~PARK~PARK!!~ COME ON!!~~ Stoopid scooter,COME ON !!~~ It'll go faster 'n THAT!!
(many sniffs, stops & 'squirts'later)
THE PARK !!~~F~R~E~E~D~O~M !!~~ & a little pee mail here & a nother pee mail there~~~~Hi harry~SNIFFF!!~PHEE~EEEWW~ Yor mum still feeding you that cheapo dog food I see, MY mum wouldn't DARE give me anyfink but the best,~~WOOOWWMPFFF~~ Hi Barney~Hi Monkey~~HOOWWWWLLLL~~Hi gang!!~~ Whose got the footbal??~~OK~~ I'm goalie~~~ On me 'ead mate~ On me 'ead~~ WHHHHHHOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
WOT THE BARKING 'ECK IS THAT???!!!! ~~TOMMY.....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!~~~
OH MY DOGGY AUNT!!~~~It's a DOGGYGOBBLEMONSTER!!~~~ & it's EATEN Tommy !!!!!
QUICK GANG~~~ LEGS ~~LIFT!!~~~~PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! That'll teach it!!!~~ NOW~~ ALL race round & round it, B~A~A~A~A~R~R~K~K~K~!! OK Gang~ We've got it worried~~ HEY!!~~ Theres Tommy!!! Come on Tommy~~~ GANG~~~~RETREAT !!!
HE WHO FIGHTS & RUNS AWAY~GETS TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY !!! Meet you here same time termorrer lads!!!!~~ We'll see 'im off proper termorrer !!!!!

BRYN'S RESULTS

2011-01-24T11:01:00.000-08:00

GOOD NEWS:~
Bryn's blood tests have shown active antibodies fighting a virus ~ a change of Anti Biotic should clear up the infection the virus caused & further samples have been sent to a Virologist for identification ~it's possible vaccination possible/neccessary for full protection in future.
The Ultrasound has shown no 'nasties'~ though Bryn' liver,pancreas & lungs show signs of infection~(much as expected). The Sonographer (snograffer!!)was VERY thorough & showed & talked us through it all ~ I was most impressed!! the recommendation is to re run the ultrsound in a couple of weeks to ensure nothing has been masked~ but this is purely as a precaution.

Today Bryn has been having small meals at frequent intervals, & has had spells of trying to be 'normal' but quickly gets tired & goes very 'flat' & needs a lot of rest. Obviously the activity of today has taken a lot out of him ~ but he has 'sung' the Emmerdale theme tune tonight!. I am very happy to say he is on the road to recovery & I couldn't be happier!!.

Bryn & I are SO VERY grateful for all the support, love, prayers & messages over the past few days, we send our love & thanks to you all.
Lynn xxxxxxxxx & Bryn )))))))))~wags

BRYN~~UPDATE

2011-01-22T06:05:00.000-08:00

GOOD NEWS~~ Bryn is 'holding his own' tho still VERY ill. The vet has changed his status from 'Critical' to 'Serious' & although *Cautiously optimistic* keeps reminding me that anything can happen & 'we are a long way from safe'.

What happened??
Yesterday ~over a course of hours, a slight 'reflux' turned into severe vomitting~& then early hours this morning it turned into vomitting blood. Bryn was rushed to vets around 3am~ with return of Cancer suspected!.However, examination & tests have been clear so far~tho Bryn will have an ultrasound on Monday as a precaution. Around 7am it looked like we would lose him to multi organ failure, but luckily he responded to emergency support & medication. Our vet now suspects a virus, which had hit REALLY hard due to Bryns impaired immune system which is still recovering from the Chemo which ended in August, which allowed it to attack his organs,(blood tests will confirm/or not on monday). Meanwhile, he is getting top class treatment, the vet says if he goes on as he is I can have him home tomorrow ~ with vet on 24hr call!!

Thank you ALL for your support, messages & prayers ~ they have seen me through some very dark hours, you are all wonderful. XXXXXXXX )))))))~wags

WHO WANTS TO BE MILLIONAIRE?~~~I DO !!

2010-05-20T01:48:00.000-07:00

LONG BLOG WARNING!!~~ You've started & your gonna have to stay till you've finished!!

Shortly before I lost my mum,we were sitting watching a NEW quiz on TV~ Who wants to be a Millionaire~ answering the questions (as you do!) & when the phone in details came on the screen, mum jotted them down on a piece of cardboard (mums bit of recycling!)and gave it to me,saying I should phone in & give it a go as I've always been good at general knowledge (my heads FULL of useless information!). I put the piece of card in my purse & thought no more about it. A couple of weeks later we lost mum.

Several months passed, then one day I found the forgotten piece of card. Just seeing mums writing & remembering that evening broke my heart. I put the card back in my purse~ it was a little bit of mum to carry with me. But I couldn't stop hearing mums words, & eventually I rang the number. After a message giving dates of shows & what to do next, you get a multi choice question, press number such & such ect, if selected we will call you. Nothing difficult!.I began phoning in on a regular basis~ in a way it was a connection with mum. Then the phone bill arrived!! A trip to the building society to take the strain of the budget!I still made regular calls to millionaire but was a bit more selective, making sure I covered all available dates,& included the costs in my savings, so when the phone bills arrived I would draw the money fom my savings account. I got friendly with the girl at the building society & we got talking about *millionaire*. I said I don't know WHY I'm bothering ~I'd have trouble finding up to 10 phone a friends ~ & None of my friends would go with me anyway!(ashamed of me!)To which Linda was quick to respond SHE would LOVE to go with me, So~ the pact was made.

Sometime later ~a Sunday lunchtime ~the phone rings ~ Who wants to be a Millionaire~ you have been selected as one of the 100 from whom the 10 contestants will be chosen. OH YEAH !!??~ I've pulled enough pranks in my time to be wary of anything out of the ordinary~ & I have one or two friends who desperately want payback!!~ I'm certain this is a set up!~ The caller INSIST they are genuine, and says it will take about 10 minutes to go through formalities before asking a question which could take me to the next stage. OK ~I'm being set up ~I'll waste 10 minutes, I'll let whoever is behind it have their revenge~ fair do's!!. The spiel covers had I any criminal convictions, basic personal details,free to attend on the date,any childcare/care provision available, ITV rules ect ect, ~I answer, all the time looking for 'the hook' but it's now starting to dawn ~ this COULD be GENUINE !! Then we get to the question ~always numerical answers at this stage~ if more than 10 people from the 100 answer correctly they will ring again during the week with knock out rounds~ I'm now begining to believe this IS real! QUESTION ~In square kilometers to the nearest(??can't remember??) How big is Ghiana??~10 seconds to answer!!~ I gave a number in hundreds of thousands just off the top of my head!!~ The caller repeats the number back to me for confirmation. I am informed if I have been successful I will recieve a phone call the following Friday between 4pm & 8pm to make arrangements for me be on the show the next day (saturday). If necessary, they would call with knock out questions during the week. Meanwhile, I might like to sort out who my phone a friends would be. I come of the phone TOTALLY confused!~Is it a set up?~Or not???
WHAT if it IS genuine? How BIG IS Ghiana? ~ Some of those African countrys are HUGE ~and some are TINY!!~~ How big is a kilometer??~Is it bigger than a foot?? Damn French making us go metric~ How many hundreds of thousands did I say?? Is that a big lot or a little lot?? If this is a wind up, it's a goodun!! Should I tell anyone about it or not??~~ OH HELL!!~~ I'm working next Saturday!!~ Should I take a days holiday or not?? FLIPPIN 'ECK ~~ WHAT SHOULD I DO ?????
To Be Continued

The Phantom Puzzler~( I DIDN'T DUNNITT!! )

2010-05-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

OK ~So I've pulled a few pranks in my time,~Oh alright, more than a few, But PER~LEASE!!~~ What do I have to do to convince you ??~~ I RETIRED from *Puzzle Phantom* when I had to give up work.HONEST.
I had NOTHING to do with that poor old chaps missing last piece from 50,000 piece Jigsaw. HONEST.
I didn't plan, set up, suggest or organise ANYTHING to do with it. HONEST.
I had NO KNOWLEDGE the puzzle was in progress, & don't even know where in the country it is. HONEST.
You can check my cache of *Missing* pieces if you want ~ you won't find it cos it's NOT there. HONEST.

The boredom of long nights walking the corridors in a retired vicars home was relieved by the odd few minutes being spent in the *puzzlers* corner putting the odd pieces in whichever puzzle the residents had on the go at the time. However~ even in the cold dark hours of the night my *imp* was restless. Soon just adding pieces wasn't enough~ I started removing previously added pieces~'hiding' one piece under the board, so that it could 'mysteriously' appear completing the picture that the puzzlers had despaired at the day before, then muttering about prayers being answered when the puzzlers saw the completed puzzle. It even got to the stage where a half done puzzle of Brixham Harbour suddenly became a view of the swiss alps over night complete with boats !! ( I'd discovered that series of puzzles are cut on same machine & were interchangable)
The *Phantom* was born!. All were suspected~ except me~ I worked nights, residents only saw me in emergencies. The place was buzzing, residents were talking to each other, they went into Marple & Columbo mode. To tell them the truth would have spoilt their fun!
I moved on to another unit~(the nature of the job)~but wherever you went, there were ALWAYS puzzles & puzzlers ~ The *Phantom* struck again!!! A Leg~end was born!!

Bryn~Drama Queen!!

2010-02-18T03:44:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know how Bryns progressing~140 character tweets are a bit limiting!!
He started Chemo on Friday,& apart from a very upset tummy & being generally very 'flat', he coped very well. By Sunday he was pretty much back to normal, apart from needing long periods of sleep after short spells of activity. We saw the vet again on Monday, she was satisfied with how things were going ~AND she decided NOT to skin graft on his wound as it is healing 'magnificently'!!

Bryn has got so used to having his leg looked at that he now sits & holds it up for anyone & everyone to look at, and having found that this gets him TONS of sympathy & attention, he has got it down to a fine art!!. I came out of the post office today to find he'd gathered a crowd of 'sympathisers' & was busy 'working' them to maximum affect! ( Oh~the shame of it !!! LOL!!)~I can see him DEMANDING bigger bandages for greater effect !!

I feel I should mention that Bryn has had 3 sessions of healing from the animal healer at our Spiritualist Church, & will continue to have weekly sessions. I also know there are those on twitter who are sending help in whatever way is appropriate to them, I am truly grateful to each & every one.

With Love & thanks to you all for caring about us.

Lynn & Bryn XXXXXX ((((((~wags

Bryn

2010-02-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

As you will know if you are reading this, Bryn has had a big operation on his leg after a tumour burst~ there had been NOTHING to to show there was a problem~tho with hindsight, I realise he had been a bit stiff in that leg for a few days prior, but with no reason to suspect anything else, had put it down to 'screwmatics'!!.After a very worrying few days ~ we now have the results of Bryns lab tests!!.

The GOOD news is it's not as bad as was feared~the BAD news is it's not as good as we'd hoped!! He's had an Osteosarcoma(excuse spelling)removed, which because of area it was in, erupted outwards(which was good!!)the tumour removed was 'encapsulated'(contained in a sac~good!!)~ this (we hope) means theres less chance of cells having broken away.(good!!)
Treatment~ a 4/6 month course of chemo, mainly by tablets,an injection every 21 days,& possibly a short course of radiation therapy (depending on recommendation of veterinary oncologist)
Prognosis~ No guarantees(!!??)~ but 40% chance of making it to 2 yr survival target~ many animals far exceed this.

I don't know what anyone else thinks ~ but to me they are good odds~ especially considering some of the options we could have been facing!!.

Bryns treatment will start next week,I'm told dogs usually cope very well with the chemo ~ I trust our Vet 110%,I've known her since she qualified, she's known Bryn since he was 6 wks old & calls him 'her' Bryn ~ she is taking this personally ~ the fight is on ~ and we are gonna WIN !!!

Friends Forever

2009-10-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last week with a very dear friend who is going on a long journey, & whom I may not see again for a very long time!. We have spent many happy hours remembering old times & good friends, we've laughed, sung ~and cried,at times past and friends no longer with us. We've shuddered at old photo's & the clothes we wore, wondered what became of people we lost contact with, speculated on the outcome of 'affairs' & liasons past & present, lamented at our lost youth & revelled in the freedom age & 'wisdom' has given us. We have talked away the wee small hours, nodded off mid chat at lunch time ~ then, woken & picked up where we left off. Nothing has been left unsaid or unshared, ~ we have had a wonderful time !!!
My friend left on her long journey into a new adventure at 4.20am today ~ she will be in good company with her beloved husband, family & friends. She promised to keep in touch & will contact me when she can. I know she will keep her promise. I treasure the years we have shared as friends, and feel honoured to have spent these last few days with her.
'BON VOYAGE' me 'ol mate ~~~ bet there will be one 'ell of a party in 'eaven tonight!!!

REVENGE IS MINE !!

2009-09-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

AT LAST ~ I'm free of Laurel & Hardy ~ the erstwhile builders & decorators!!
They held out till the very last minute ~ BUT I WAS READY FOR THEM.
They presented me with the bill for the final instalment of their bill, So I wrote out the cheque & gave it to them. They glanced at it and went to their van ~ had a discussion & came back to tell me I'd got the date wrong,~ 'Oh~ have I', I says, all innocent,' well, you know what it's like ~ things take longer than you think,(sharp intake of breath)~ I reckon another couple of days at least, yeah, could take up to a week, you'll just have to be patient!!' ~~ You should have seen their faces !!
OH BOY !!! ~~ THERE IS SUCH A THING AS JUSTICE !!!

PS.
I didn't intend them to cash that cheque, I was prepared to give them a 'proper' one ~ but they didn't ask !!!! BAD LYNN, NAUGHTY LYNN, ~ OH HAPPY LYNN !!!

TAKE FLU SERIOUSLY

2009-07-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Previous Blog was a light hearted side swipe at the dreaded Flu ~ but considering the fact that our government is taking the threat of Swine Flu seriously enough to stock pile Tammiflu & Flu vaccines, issue leaflets & set up a web site,I think perhaps I should look at the matter seriously.

As stated previously, I have been attacked by the Flu 3 times in my life ~at aged 9yrs I got the 'Asian Flu' of the 1960's ~as a young mum I was struck down violently & suddenly by the seasonal Flu of '82 & again in '94 when my immune system was compromised. I must state categorically, I am talking INFLUENZA ~ not the psuedo flu that warrants a week off work ~tucked up under a duvet on the sofa watching daytime tv,~ I'm talking about a sudden & violent attack on your body, which drains every ounce of your bodys resources to fight it, and leaves you as weak as a kitten for sometime after ~ so much so, that it's months later, when you eventually feel really well, that you realise just how much fighting the Flu had taken out of you!!
So many people will THINK they have had the Flu, when in fact what they have had is a heavy cold (NOT to be underated as very debilitating) that if infected by the real thing, they will wonder just what the hell has hit them! ~ it is only those who have REALLY suffered the verocity of the real thing who will truly understand the threat posed by Swine Flu.

Whilst not wanting to be a scaremonger ~ I do feel people should take the threat seriously, & be prepared. Here I think the government have missed a trick in not encouraging/advising people to take action NOW in using preparations like ECHINACEA & ALOE VERA (& there are others) to help boost their bodies own immune system to help resist/fight the virus if it attacks.
Hopefully, the predictions of a Flu Pandemic will be as accurate as the weather forcasts & we will all be complaining that 'they' got it wrong AGAIN ~ but there is no harm in being prepared ~ just in case !!!

It's JUST A COLD !!!!

2009-07-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ib dota told!! By dose ib all bunjed up & by ears 'urt~ BUT IT'S JUST A COLD!!

It's NOT the PIGGIN 'FLU ~ I've HAD 'proper' flu three times in my life & I've had dozens of colds, ranging from sniffles to stonkers~ & you can take it from me ~ I DO know the difference!!

MY Guide to diagnosing 'FLU !!!

* If you can stand up ~ It's NOT Flu !!!
* The stairs present a challenge greater than conquering Mt Everest ~ It IS Flu !!!
* If you can feel EVERY bone in your body, including eye sockets & bones in your ears, & they ALL ache at once ~ it IS Flu !!!
* If you can get to the bathroom without spending an hour planning HOW you are going to get there _ It's NOT Flu !!!
* If you lie shivering & sweating in your bed, worrying about the bedside rug (?????)~ THAT's Flu !!!
* If you have 'mirages' of a glass of water ~ You've got Flu !!!
* If you lose ALL perception of time/day/night ~ YEP ~ You Got It !!
* When you try to stand up you find your legs have turned to jelly ( wobbly leg syndrome)~ FLU !!!!
* And on the 6/7th day you struggle down to the sofa ~ only to find you don't feel as 'better' as you thought you did ~~ UH ~UH ~ 'Flu !!!!!
* Three or four weeks later ~ just after yet another coughing fit when you think you must surely have brought your lungs up ~ you will turn to family /friends & say ' I've had the FLU'~ and you will KNOW you have had it !!

So, Dear Friends, If at times I seem a bit paranoid about the impending 'Swine Flu' ~ perhaps you will understand WHY !!

WHAT IS SIDETHINK ????

2009-07-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

I discovered I was a sideways thinker at a very early age. I didn't know it was sidethink back then, I just knew I saw things differently to other children. Luckily, whilst still in primary school, I had a teacher who understood EXACTLY what I meant when I said I read in pictures. This wonderful lady ENCOURAGED me, where others would have tried to change me.Thanks to her I had the confidence to accept I was 'different' & embrace it. Eventually my 'difference' rubbed off onto some of my friends, so I had people I could share ideas with. Even all these years later, though many of these friends live half a world away, we still keep in touch, & the emails I recieve prove they are still flying the flag for sidethink.
I have been asked, 'what is sideways thinking?'. HMMM !!~ WELL~ I've never really analyzed it before ~ you either gettit or you don't ~ But here goes!!
Sidethink is looking at the world from a different angle ~ not any particular angle, just what suits you. If you are new to the idea of sidethink, I would suggest you start with perhaps just a small side step from your 'normal' thinking, & then try something a little more adventurous as your confidence grows. I should mention here, it is only your MIND that has to change direction, your body can stay totally still, ~ so there are no physical demands to hold anyone back. With a little practice you will soon find your mind will automatically go into sidethink mode when triggered by outside sources. A good way to start is to NOT try to think at all, and let your mind take it's own course ,~ then ACCEPT the course it takes & RESIST the urge to CORRECT it into NORMAL thinking, & follow your mind wherever it leads you. Practising with friends who are also willing to try, is not only fun, but can lead you into places you never knew existed. When I was working in our local hospital 'on loan' for a month, every member of staff, plus visiting consultants & surgeons & G.P's 'converted' to sidethink, & formed the first chapter of GhOSTs ~ Grand Order Of Sideways Thinkers, complete with 'secret' sign,initiation ceremony & badge. On a visit to the hospital last year,(25yrs later) not only was I amazed to find some of the original team still there , but GhOSTs was still alive & flourishing!! Wherever I have worked I have either found sidethinkers or made converts, & they have always been happy places to work. So, you see, there is no limit to where sideways thinking will lead you & it makes the world a happier place.Give your mind it's freedom & make people smile ~ you'll find it makes you happy too !!!!!!.

'Sylvies girl'

2009-06-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today in Tesco's I saw a couple of mothers & daughters of various generations, new mum & fussy new granny, 30? & middle aged mum discussing problems of teenagers, & daughter with elderly mum ~~ and I was so jealous!! I hope they treasure what they have.
All my life I was known as 'Sylvies girl' or 'Sylvies daughter'.It didn't bother me too much as a kid, despite being farmed out to babysit or run errands for Mums friends, but as I became a teenager I started to resent the way I was seen as an unnamed extension to my Mum. Oh, I didn't mind the ever increasing demands on my 'free' time, what I objected to was not being me ~ with a name!!This lead to a lot of friction at home, & with the changing of the age of majority from 21 to 18 just weeks after my 18th birthday, I realised I could leave home & 'find' myself,~ which I did by taking a summer job as far from home as I could get!. The day I was leaving, mum came with me to the local station, when the train arrived she decided to come with me to the main station,~ I realised later she was hoping I would change my mind. When I boarded the train that would take me to my new life, I had no thoughts that Mum would miss me, yet despite the fact we had fought like cat & dog for the last couple of years, we were actually very close. I think I knew as the train pulled out, that despite the this being just a summer job, I would not be returning to the family home at the end of the season~ I would find a way to stay or move on to pastures new ~ the world was mine! This was very daring for a girl in the 60's!!!
I revelled in being ME ~my own person, & the summer flew by. I decided to stay in the area as I'd made friends ~ I only went back 'home' for visits, and every time I again became 'Sylvies girl', but my relationship with Mum had changed~ we were best friends, & it didn't really bother me then.
Strangely, 15 years after I left home, Mum & Dad decided to move to a town near me, & as my marriage was ending, it was Mum who was the best friend who helped me through the trauma( that's another story). Within a year of Mum & Dad settling in the area, not only was I divorced, but I had moved to 'their' town & we all worked together(my part time 2nd job, as I had 2 teenage boys to put through college!)~ but once again I had become 'Sylvies girl' but by now I was resigned to it!!~ I no longer resented it, mum was my bessie mate~ we laughed, cried, argued, dyed & permed each others hair( with varying results~there's trust for you!!)we shared everything & saw each other everyday ~ these were very happy years.
It's Mums Birthday today ~she would have been 78 ~ sadly, we lost her to Cancer 10 years ago. At her funeral, someone who had known me for years asked me what my name was ~ they only knew me as 'Sylvies girl'!!

How many times in the last 10 years I would have given anything to be 'Sylvies girl' again~even just for a minute.

Get Fit or Diet ~~Can be VERY trying

2009-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

In my wardrobe are clothes in 3 sizes ~ large ~ X large, and B****y HELL!!. As my health probs have limited my mobility more & more, I have been losing the battle of the bulges, Not that I'm overweight ~ I'm just under height! ~ I'd be PERFECT if I was just 11 feet tall !! I've tried ignoring my weight & concentrating on my height ~ but alas, so far havent managed a single centimeter!. Every so often I decide DRASTIC action is called for & start some new diet & try some new fangled exercise plan. SO, last week I again took myself in hand ~ this time I was determined to change my lifestyle, & eat 'proper' REGULAR meals!. Day 1~ first problem ~ I am NOT a breakfast person!!~ however,I was determined!!~ so I struggled to swallow some muesli!~oh boy, I was determined it would go down, but throat said..Nooo!!!I was very good at lunchtime with a healthy snack, then a jacket potato for tea. So far so good!! Day 2 ~ I tried with brekkie ~honest I DID try~ lunch slipped to late afternoon & the snack gained a bag of crisps, but I WAS trying!. Tea was a bit of a fridge clear out,~shame about the half a bar of Turkish Delight I found at the bottom of the salad drawer,~ but waste not, want not!! Day 3 ~determination renewed~ skipped brekkie~ 2 ryvita & marmite mid morning ~ shared a bag of chips with a friend for lunch, felt REALLY guilty, so had a bowl of cornflakes for tea about 9pm. Day 4 ~wheattie bangs & yoghurt for brekkie!! felt very virtuous! salady lunch ~ being good ~~~~Whole box Maltesers whilst tweeting to twitter tweeps ~ OH S*** !!! This really isn't good !! This healthy eating isn't as simple as it seemed ~ maybe exercise is the answer !!
HMMM ~ Shopping channels have some interesting exercise gismo's ~ that wobbly javelin thing looks good,~ don't think that headless horse thing is really me~ AH,~ Vibrapower!!!~The belly wobble platform thingy ~ Now THAT looks interesting ~Hmm, 30 day money back quarantee~~lets give it a go!!
Day 8~WHEY HEY !! ~ Exercise wotsit arrived, & it really was only a two minute job to set it up ~ Well done Ideal World !!!~Lets give it a go ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~eeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE
~ Don't worry ~ I'm all right ~ or at least I will be when me boobs & bum (& a lot of other bits)~ start wobbling in unison !!. Don't know if it's gonna do much for my figure & a few of me bones are no longer where they should to be ~ but perhaps it takes a day, or two ~ or a week, or two before you can tell. I shall just have to suffer it, perhaps if I fit it in before breakfast, & mid morning,& after lunch, & before tea, then after tea, perhaps a session whilst watching TV, definately before bed !! ~ Y'know ~~ I think I could get into this exercise malarkey ~ ~ ~ ~ ~!!!!!!!!!!!

OOOOO~ just noticed~ you can change the speed on this thing~~~ yyyyyYYYIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

WOW!!!!

2009-06-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

Wherediditgo!! ~ I know there was a whole one & I've hardly used it ~ now it's binandunangone! There was plenty off it, I even had some to spare, now ~ nadda, nuffink!! I remember using a bit of it this morning, & scattered some around at lunchtime. I did lose a bit when I nodded off this afternoon, but I made up for that by saving some this evening, but now I'm having to s t r e t c h out the last little bit to make it last!!!
OH WELL !!~ never mind, there will be a whole new fresh one tomorrow~ I shall have to be more careful & use it wisely~ make every bit count!
Tomorrows another day!.
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I had a terrific flash of de'ja vue whilst blogging this & clearly remember whats to follow ~ hope it's right!!!!~~ you'll know if it is !!

Serious Stuff

2009-06-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

Today is Fathers Day.
I 'lost' my Dad a couple of years ago.~No, he didn't die, I can almost wish he had. Sadly, my Dad has Vascular Demensia ~ a particularly nasty form of demensia which is caused by circulatory problems. As a point of interest, the mental care team tells me, if he had not given up smoking over 30 years ago, he would have been in this situation YEARS sooner!. As it is ~ with hindsight,~ I reaslise the early signs were there many ,many years ago. I was Dads carer until about 6 months ago ~ but unfortunately, after a particulary nasty 'episode' I had no alternative but to let others take over his care. I will just mention here something I will be blogging in the future ~ whilst 'elder abuse' is a recognised problem ~'carer abuse' is VERY rarely picked up or highlighted, yet it is far more common.
Sadly, my Dad will have no idea it's a special day, I doubt he will even know who I am. He's been a good dad,I love him dearly, we have shared so much, and there are so many happy memories, but as I see him as he is now, & bear scars, mental & physical, from the years of caring for him, I find it difficult to associate him with them. I hope in time I will be able to look back over the years & just remember the happier times ~ but just now it breaks my heart to see this once proud, clever, funny, loving man, brought down to what he is today. Nobody deserves this, certainly not my Dad.

Wheres the blessed~~~~~~???????

2009-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Theres an invisible 'someone' in my house & he's driving me NUTS!! Everytime I put something away, along he comes & moves it!!I turn the house inside out, searching in the most unlikely places, getting more & more annoyed & agitated~whilst he stands there snickering!~ I'd whump him one if I could see him!! Then, when I've given up the search, HEY PRESTO !~ the very thing I've searched for appears right under my nose!! Sometimes he varies the game by waiting till I've bought a replacement for the missing item ~then returns the original, so I now have two! ~ then in the blink of an eye BOTH are spirited away!! NOTHING is safe from his attention, at the moment he's taken the TV remote, my hairbrush, Bryns frisbee & the thingy that undoes the radiator wotsit~I'm fed up being stuck on some weird sky channel~my hairs a mess~Bryn's got the ummphh & the radiator is gurgling like a Sumo wrestler with bloat!! How do you get rid of gremlins?(I keep looking at the liquidiser!!) How do I catch the little beggar? Can you buy humane gremlin traps? Is there a bug spray that will work? Is there such a thing as 'gremlin busters'? SUGGESTIONS PLEASE !!!!

Things that go BANG ~or IGNITE.

2009-06-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

I AM THE GREAT LORD DYSON ~ I HEREBY DECREE NO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE SHALL CROSS THIS THRESHOLD FOR ALL ETERNITY ~!!!!
AAAAGGGGHHHHH............................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank heavens ~ It was only a bad dream ~ a nightmare!!! Thankfully it could NEVER happen ~ could it ??!!!!!With my record with electrical appliances I must be in the red in Lord Dysons book! I'd swear I hear sobbing from within the box each time a new appliance enters my home. I've even had appliances which have died of shock before their plugs reached the socket, & the suicide rate of my appliances far exceeds the national average ~ I've no idea why??
I treat them with the utmost kindness & courtesy, I never over work them, feed them good quality electricity~(no cheap stuff!),they get the best fuses in their plugs, no foriegn rubbish!~ they are carefully & lovingly packed away after use, their leads are never stretched to the limit, and any 'extras' they require~i.e. bags,filters,liquids,~ are carefully checked & replaced/replenished as required,***~and how do they repay me~hmmm~~hmmmm~??~I'll tell you how!!!~~ they go on strike ~ leak ~ blow up ~ breakdown ~ catch fire !!! Thats How !!!!!
AH~HA, GOT IT !!~ I've been buying 'stale' appliances ~ past their best before dates! RIGHT~ I'm off to the electrical superstore, at least their stock will be fresh!!!!

***(honestly!?!?~truly!?!?~maybe!?!?~sometimes!??~sorta!?)

Do Not Try This At Home

2009-06-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

Armed with my trusty tool kit~ consisting off assorted broken kitchen knives, a bent 'thingy' that was something to do with old fashioned bed springs, the twisty bit off an old cork screw, a spanner/wrench(can't tell the difference!)that I found abandoned in the road, assorted rubber bands, some blu tac, & my faithful old roll of Gaffa tape~bought at a car boot sale & miraculously seems never ending, I'm ready to tackle any of those odd jobs that crop up around the house.
I have had considerable success~(and a few disasters)~ with my DIY! I once managed to perform open heart surgery on my 'Henry' hoover, & with the aid of a lump of the blu tac reattached the live wire to the wotsit~then with a blue flash & a bang from the 13amp plug, restarted it, thereby gaining several more years of service from good 'ol 'enry~till he died rather spectacularly one day when I was hoovering the front path (but that's another story!).
I once Gaffa taped a neighbours 3yr old son to a door when he was throwing an almighty tantrum ~ worked like a charm~ never had another one, grew up to be a straight 'A' student, tho he does have some odd phobias & a severe nervous tic!
But I digress ~ I'm not bad at the old DIY ~ have been known to change the odd tap washer~(the plumber who came to repair the leak said I'd made a 'half decent' job of it!). I installed the cooker~( it only gives off occasional shocks), changing light bulbs & plugs~Pish ~easy~ do them all the time !!
So ~ when I was looking through the Argos book & saw they had a set of cordless electric power tools~screwdriver,drill & jig saw ~ on special offer ~ Well! ~ it was just too good to miss!! ~ Just think of the jobs I can tackle with those! ~ theres that door that sticks~& that mirror thats been waiting to be put up~ the grab rail for the shower~ that squeaky floorboard~ lotsa shelves~~~~~~~~~>
Trust Me ~ I know what I'm do}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Sideways Thinking

2009-06-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

I've always been 'odd'!!~it's taken many years to understand why ~ then one day I realised,~ when others think ahead,~I think Sideways ~EUREKA ~ I'm a sideways thinker~ and do you know, it's not a bad thing to be!! I view ordinary, everyday things from a different angle,~ & what's more,~ I've found I'm not alone, there are many more like me. The very fact that you are reading this shows you have leanings the same way.

When the (film) STARS shone!!

2009-06-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

In the wee small hours of 'awake again' I was watching an old 'fillum' and thinking back to when we had REAL Film Stars. The likes of Spencer Tracey, Alan Ladd, James Stewart(Ahhh), John (Duke) Wayne(swoon!)Humphrey Bogart(bumpy go~kart!),Errol Flynn, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Gregory Peck,~~~Not forgettting some ladies~~Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Ida Lupino, Jane Russell, Maureen O'hara,Viviene Leigh, Carole Lombard, Hedy Lamarr, ~~and so many more !!!!
They didn't just make films ~ they were STARS !!~ they gave us the fantasy on screen & off.
Their films told real stories you could lose yourself in, & their lives were the stuff dreams were made off. The fact that even after all these years you can get caught up in the magic of an old black & white 'fillum' when you stumble on it whilst channel surfing in the afternoon~ or if your a sleep deprived wreck like me, at silly O'clock in the morning, ~bears testament to the quality of their work. I wonder how many of our later film 'stars' will still have their work being viewed & enjoyed in 50 years time ?!!!!!!!

More rubbish !!

2009-06-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

I've been reading Paul O'Gradys book whilst in the bath!~(don't knock it till you've tried it!!) & found his wanting to name a black African baby 'twizzle' hilarious! ~This got me remembering childhood TV shows,~ Torchy, the battery boy~ naughty Hoppity the twig creature~Four Feather Falls(the forerunner of stingray, Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds~ in SUPERMARIONATION!!!!) & cartoons ~ Huckleberry Hound~Snagglepuss~Popeye~YOGI BEAR~ & the FLINTSTONES.Then the Flying Nun~Mr Ed~My Favourite Martian~Whirly Birds~~ doubtless some of you can add to the list ( I'd love to hear from you!) All this made me recall other things from childhood~ growing up as a 'baby boomer' in the 50's, a teenager of the 60's, becoming a young mum of the 70's~and do you know, ~ It were GREAT !!!!!!

Some Junk I've Thunk!!

2009-06-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Ok~ a taster of things to come! ~~WHY, when the the top sticks itself permanently to the tube of glue, doesn't the glue inside stick to the tube? ~ and whilst on the subject, why does SUPERGLUE stick EVERYTHING it touches ~ except the thing you are trying to stick! ~ And Now I've got started ~ envelopes, ~why do they stick to themselves with NO problem~ until you put a letter in them, when they suddenly become totally unsealable. NOW I've REALLY got going, doors which stick and have to be forced with superhuman brute force to close ~ then suddenly & silently close just as you approach, usually with arms full of stuff, which you then have to juggle as you struggle to force the the darned door to open !!! Is it only me??~ have I offended the universe and now it takes it's revenge??? AHHH ~ one to put in the junk cupboard under the stairs!!!~~~~Thanks, I needed that !!!

What on earth am I doing here????

2009-06-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

As a real Techno nurk I haven't got a clue what I'm doing here or what it's all about??!! I think I shall be using this as a pensieve~(a' la Dumbledore) to store unwanted/un needed thoughts~ ideas & memories ~ a repository for the the junk that clutters my mind~ YIPERS!!! ~like the junk cupboard under the stairs where things are kept ' just in case they come in handy' !!! Well ~ they say one persons trash is anothers treasure!! ~ All I can say is, feel free to have a good rummage ~ hope you find something of interest!!!