Happy Birthday Karen!

Phew, another VIP birthday!  This time it's my 'baby' sister, Karen.  She lives in London, has done since she was 17 and she loves it there, although she hasn't lost her local accent at all !   Karen is always full of enthusiasm and exuberance and really enjoys life.  She can always 'be bothered' when frequently I can't, something I really admire in her.  She too is a musician, as well as having the 'day job' and so parties are always fun!  I am pleased that as sisters and as a family, we are close.  At Christmas I made her a collage of the different generations on each parent's side.  She was so moved to receive it and said it was "better than diamonds."  No expense there then.  This comment, so typical of her, will from now on, be another family gem!  Have a great day Squis, we love you loads!

Happy Birthday David!

The bulk of our family birthdays are around this time of year - not much planning there then.  I won't list them all but it was Joe's last month, Nick's (stepson) earlier this month and today it is David's. Unlike Joe, he is not named after a song (I know!) but after our GP at the time when I was pregnant with him.  Dr H would call often to check on me and so naming our new son David, seemed the logical thing to do and David Doctor was chuffed!  

I don't want to embarrass him (oh yes I do!) but our David has real empathy with people and can, for example, tune straight into my mood, knowing if there is something 'not right' - spooky! He is strong, solid and supportive of me and the whole family. He took up playing the guitar at a very early age (as the collage shows!) and is now a talented musician, whose musics can tap into a range of emotions.  You can see for yourself by going to - http://www.youtube.com/davepilla

His 'day job' working with people with learning difficulties, requires dedication, compassion and a level of understanding I for one don't possess.  From last weekend, the lead up to his actual birthday has been........eventful for the wrong reasons!  So, I can only say 'A Very Happy Birthday David' and that I am looking forward to celebrating with you very soon. Oh, and here's to the new flat and a good night out! xxxx

                        It seems that all I ever did was take photographs but glad I did!

The Hug

A whole week without blogging and I'm not even sure where the time has gone.  I guess having to get everything ready for the workshops and going to my pa's (kitchen being done) took longer than I thought.  Until I am out and about taking photos of places again, I 'm not sure what to blog about - must try harder. There's something new - me being stuck for words - ha!  As today is Valentine's Day though (what, no cards here?), I thought putting this poem on the blog  would be quite sweet and extend the lurrve' to include those other than your own true love (cats included). Surely everyone appreciates a hug and so today, why not share yours around, I dare you!

A HUG

It's lovely what a hug can do,

Cheer you up when you are blue.

A hug can say "I love you so"

or "How I hate to see you go.

A hug is "Welcome back again"

And "Great to see you, where've you been?"

A hug can soothe away the pain,

And bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug: There is no doubt about it,

We scarcely could survive without it.

A hug delights and warms and charms,

And must be why we have these arms!

Hugs are great for fathers and mothers, 

Sweet for sisters, even brothers!

Kittens crave them, puppies love them,

Heads of State are not above them.

A hug can break the language barrier,

and make your travels so much merrier.

No need to fret about your store of them,

The more you give, the more there are of 'em.

So stretch those arms without delay,

And give someone a hug today!

                                                    I don't seem to have lots of 'huggy' photos!

Happy Valentine's Day!

ROYDEN PARK

Short post today but I wanted to remind any of you with kiddies (or even if you just behave like one!) that the steam trains are running again at Royden Park, luv 'em!  Went there for a walk yesterday which was lovely although I stubbed my toe - doh!  I can just hear my mum saying "Pick your feet up!".  I didn't go out with a view to taking photos so only took a few and none of the train, which was a bit daft.  The walled garden will soon be glorious too. You can walk in Royden and onto Thurstaton for miles, so well worth a visit.  Do you think the wall plaque (in the collage) is a bit scary? 
I have quite a few blogs about different parts of the Wirral now so just scroll down the list on main blog page to find one.  Also, if you have somewhere you think would be worth a mention, along with some photos, then just email me and I will go along and then blog on it.  Almost everywhere will be glorious in Spring!

HOW DOES IT FEEL - to be made redundant and become unemployed?

I thought I would round off last month's blogs to do with goals, careers etc with a piece I put together some years ago, which may ring a bell or two with others. This is followed by a few pointers which, no matter how hard doing them might be, are perhaps the best way to start getting your life back on track (I would say 'move forward' but I hate that corporate expression) unless of course you have a winning lottery ticket and I wouldn't rely on that! Wallowing is not an option but knowing you are not alone with your fears and worries can be a bit of a relief. Your personal experiences and opinions might be totally different but if you have anything to add, then please feel free to share your views with us.

How does it feel?:

• To be a bit frightened and fearful about the future
• to feel overwhelmed
• To feel a failure
• To see a lifestyle you took for granted, vanish
• To wonder how on earth you can pay the bills
• To become an expert in juggling who gets paid first/at all
• To dread the postman's visit
• To feel really mean telling the children they can't have a couple of quid (Don't worry, they will survive this!)
• To see your confidence and self esteem eroded
• To be 'tired of'......
• To wonder why you bother
• To feel invisible
• To feel alone
• to find out who your true friends are
• To be open and raw to perceived criticism
• To wonder what you actually DID with your money
• To see that turning these events into 'positive opportunities' is never as easy as the book says
• To realise how expensive it is to be poverty stricken

The (slightly) positive side:

• To have time to examine and re-evaluate your  life and priorities and to learn the difference between wants and needs
• To get to know your family better
• To see the importance of creative, lateral thinking
• To recognise what's important in life
• To understand that whilst money really isn't the measure of everything, having enough certainly oils the wheels and cushions life's blows

Next Moves:

• Put your mind to work and remember your attitude is everything.  You don't have the luxury or feeling sorry for yourself.  Toughen up.
• What you believe about yourself and your life is what shapes your destiny.  Check yours.
• Take action, blame no-one, get organised and you can get past this
• Be kind and supportive - of yourself too
• Be a doer and not a talker
• Start now!

It can be hard I know,  and for some more than others.  These are difficult times but getting through them will make you stronger, you just have to keep at it.  Go back and look at the first blogs around goals and careers too. Good luck.

Leeds Visit - The World In A Weekend

My sons live in Leeds.  They went to University there and like many others do, they stayed on. It only takes a couple of hours to commute to and with friends who have children as far away as Cambodia and Australia, I can hardly complain. And well, it is a fab city! You can read more about them at:
Foodandbiscuits.blogspot.com

http://www.youtube.com/davepilla
as I can tend to go on a bit!

So, it was that I found myself there for the weekend, staying with Joe and his lovely fiance, Jo, knowing that I would be well fed and looked after!  On the Saturday afternoon whilst Jo was preparing our Burn's Night feast and Joe and David were celebrating a great win - to do with football and somewhere called Manchester.............I decided to take a walk around the lake in Roundhay Park, which is right by where they live and is one of the largest parks in Europe - see www.roundhaypark.org.uk  

It was the late afternoon of a day that had been very sunny and this often provides good light for taking photos - which as regular readers know, I do - often! Hardly surprisingly, it was very busy and after a while I went off the path up to what is apparently a folly but I thought was the remains of a fortress, and had a good nose about before going through some enchanting woods, then reaching another lake, this time with a fountain. Whilst this was more of a stroll for me, I  very much enjoy walking.  This is because it is a good way, for me at least, to clear my head, chew over worries or generally think about love, life, ideas, dreams and schemes. 

On that day my thoughts turned to what was going on around me and I came to see that this busy park, if only at this moment in time, was representative of an ideal world.  Oh, and how did she reach that one then?!! Well, I reached it by seeing that it was full of:

• Different generations, from tiny tots on tops of shoulders, giggling groups of teenagers, to much older folk, some in wheelchairs and being pushed by friends or family 
• I heard different languages including Polish and French and a few unknowns, in addition to English, with a few different dialects too
• Leeds is a multi-cultural city and this diversity was very evident 
• Different types of families, some clearly 'well heeled' and some seemingly less so
• There were certainly many different breeds of dogs!
• There were walkers, bikers, rowers, joggers, skaters and some prepared for the muddy conditions and some not

It felt safe, ordered, genteel almost and I could sense the presence of people from years ago promenading along (you had to be there perhaps!). Everyone was out to enjoy the same things but maybe they weren't all pondering about them: 

• The beautiful cold, crisp day
• The park itself which even in winter displayed many colour variations through the trees, hills and general foliage
• Being connected to something bigger than ourselves
• The promise of things to come, due to the few early snowdrops and other shoots of crocuses
• Watching a child see different things for the first time, or trying to stay upright on their Christmas bike
• Quality time with family and friends having some fun together

Also during the two days away, we heard the exciting news of three healthy births which was so lovely.  Sadly though, we also had news of the death of a dear friend's mum.  She had reached what many would deem 'a good age'.  She had though, just had a successful knee operation so the manner and speed of her death has left the family devastated.

In just the couple of days I was away, I saw how great it can be when everyone comes together to enjoy the same things rather than become fractured and fight due to the differences. I felt and shared the deep joy or great pain which are also part of the cycle of life. Bizarrely, these lines from a song came into my head too.  They are from 'Nature Boy' written by Eden Ahbez in 1947, made famous by Nat King Cole and featured in the film 'The Boy With Green Hair' (which I have!).  They go like this:

        "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return"

That is certainly how I felt when I went away for a weekend ..........and saw the world.

Encouraging Creative Children 2

 I have already blogged about this topic but as I am currently designing and trying out new arts/crafts workshops for children, I thought it might be worthwhile updating it. I will do a few more over the coming months too.   Feel free to email me if you have good ideas of your own; want to share anything you currently do with your children; or if they already go to a great arts place then let us all know!  It could go on the blog too.                          

Our children come into the world with remarkable imaginations and an endless capacity to be creative. Can you remember how a chair became a pony, a cardboard box became a den or your ‘microphone’ was really a hairbrush? But creativity isn't just about being able to draw, it’s a thinking process; it’s looking at things in different and imaginative ways; being open-minded and able to ‘lose yourself’ in a task or project for a while.  And it’s fun!  When children create something, they feel a sense of achievement which in turn improves confidence and belief in their abilities.  It encourages them to be active, not passive about life and able to entertain themselves more.  The ability to sit quietly and work on something as simple as colouring or writing is very important. Television, computers and fancy toys are fantastic - but not for use all the time!

                                               

Creativity is like a muscle that has to be worked, so how can you help your children to ‘exercise’ it?

• How creative are you around them?  Perhaps you would like to pick up skills you haven’t used for a while or even learn some new ones.  It is good for them to see this as it will encourage their involvement.

• Make an effort to visit art galleries and museums with them, many of which have terrific workshops, ideas and activities for children which are generally free – a bonus! Merseyside has a wealth of museums so there’s no excuse.  Try the Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm in Bidston too, great fun and they have activity days (see below for details).
• Have materials at home – paints, pens, paper sketch books etc for them to experiment with.   Look in the library or on the internet for information and ideas for projects to do together. Let them be VERY messy and untidy sometimes - you too!
• Find ways to recycle items such as newspapers (great for easy papier mache) kitchen rolls etc.  Recycle old cards which they could then turn into little gift boxes, tags or new cards. Salt dough is cheap and easy material too.
• Encourage them to plant seeds and bulbs and watch their pleasure as they grow.  You could have a small nature table and maybe a place to display their art work. I always loved the nature table in school and wonder if this is still something that is still popular?                 
• Encourage them to make decorations, gifts and cards for special occasions.  It needn’t cost much at all, especially if you collect leaves, shells, recycle things etc. I know from my own family that these things will be cherished for years to come.
• Try not to judge, criticise or laugh at any work they produce, the effects can last a lifetime.  By all means suggest ways they can ‘improve’ things but if they want their elephant to be a green, striped one then why not?
• ‘Silly’ is okay too, in fact the sillier the better! Ask ‘what if’ to encourage them to come up with ideas.  There is no ‘right’ way, only a creative one.

Our children’s physical health is obviously very important, but a safe outlet for self expression is proven to be an important factor in our health too.  The capacity to be creative in different ways is a benefit which will last a lifetime. 

I will be doing 'drop in' craft workshops at the unique Tam O'Shanter Urban Farm in Bidston, on Saturday 11th Feb and full details will be on their website in a week or so.  Do drop by for some fun!  Other venues on the way soon. Now, go and get creative!