Wow!! Gold Card

I have been sent a GOLD CARD by both dddeeebbbzzz and Eleni. I feel quite honoured as I haven't met either of these ladies other than through our blogs and Shimelle's My Freedom class. Dddeeebbbzzz and I seem to have a lot in common and some of our blog posts end up quite similar - spooky!! Eleni's blog is another one that I enjoy reading and was also found through Shimelle's class.

What a pity this gold card hasn't got a sum of money for me to spend as well - I could think of plenty of things I would like to get or do - especially with the girls on holiday ;o)

Now for the rules :
1. Only 5 people allowed.
2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

This is the difficult part as, quite honestly, I don't know that I have dedicated followers of my blog! I'm going put down MJ - I don't remember how I came across her blog but I've been reading it for over a year and I know she checks in on mine from time to time. Likewise Gretchen pops in from time to time and we started chatting after I took a couple of her classes at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I'm now going to put down the a couple of ladies who may continue to look at my blog after the My Freedom class is over (and here I would have put dddeeebbbzzz and Eleni but seeing as they sent it to me I guess I better not send it back again), so I choose Carrie and Cloclo.
For the person who is new to my blog and lives overseas, I add Tracy. I think I found Tracy through dddeeebbbzzz's blog and when I looked at her blog I realised she lived in Durban, South Africa - close to where I used to live.

Thanks again dddeeebbbzzz and Eleni.
xx

Artistic techniques

Today’s blog prompt: What artistic technique do you love but not use often? What artistic technique intimidates you?

Well, are we talking only about scrapbooking or are we talking about any "art"? Can I include photography in this one? I have always loved taking photos and can sit for hours going through photos and the memories they bring back.

So, as to what technique I don't use often, I suppose that would have to be shooting in Manual mode. I have tried it and sometimes I get good results but sometimes I don't. White Balance in particular can cause me problems. I would love to know why things happen and what I'm doing wrong then perhaps I would use Manual mode more often. I recently took an online course on Photography but I still have an awful lot to learn. Up until recently I used a point and shoot camera and I have no problem with that. They did well for me and I have some lovely photos taken with them. However, Jon bought me a digital SLR a couple of years ago for my birthday and I love it. I enjoy playing with it and get such a sense of achievement when I get things right and get a good shot. I want that to happen more often.

As for what intimidates me, I would have to say it's all the extra functions in Photoshop Elements - especially the layers where I don't have a clue what I'm actually doing. I have bought a self help book and am trying to use it to work things out. However, this is one of the areas where I am impatient. I want to be able to do it and I want to be able to do it NOW - not have to learn all the ins and outs first!!

First day of the holidays has been very relaxed. I got up around 6.45am and came down and did 30 minutes on Wii Fit before getting ready for the day. Emily woke around 8 but decided to lie in bed for a while and read. I only popped out briefly to get cat food and a few items of grocery shopping but have spent the rest of the day pottering around the house. I love this weather and in the afternoon Emily and I both sat outside and read our books for a while. Claire spent the day at Groombridge Place for a friend's birthday and Hugh was working the closing shift today.

Looking forward to more of the same over the holidays. I have been thinking of doing the odd day trip seeing as we'll be staying at home this year. If anyone has any ideas for places to go that aren't too far from East Grinstead, West Sussex, please let me know.

xx

Last Day

Today was Emily's last day at Junior School. She has really enjoyed her time at Estcots and it became her "second family". Needless to say she is sad to be leaving what is familiar and comfortable and apprehensive about the next step into Senior School.

Tonight I wanted to post a few pictures that I took today as well as a couple of photos of Emily's first day at Estcots.

Emily getting ready for her first day at school

Emily's first day in the Infants was also Claire's first day at Senior School. Hugh was cool and going in to Year 9.This morning I went back on to the playground to get a few photos of Emily and her friends on their last day at Estcots. The reason some of the children are wearing normal clothes is that their house won overall and they were allowed to dress in their own clothes. In a way I think Emily was sad not to be wearing her uniform for the last time.

Some fun messing around

Walking into school for the last time.

After school. L-R: Chris, Michael,Elliott, Jake and Emily. Michael, Elliott, Jake and Emily have been friends right from the beginning of their time at Estcots and hopefully they will keep in touch in Senior School as well.

In other news, I went back to Weight Watchers again last week. I'd been kidding myself that I could do the diet on my own, but it wasn't working. So back I went (for the I don't know how many-ith time) and tonight was my weigh in. I had been good all week and was hoping for a good loss but was thrilled to be 5lb down. I know it's just the first week back on the diet, but I'm happy. Now I've got to stick with it - which is why I've decided to put it on here. I'm hoping this will help to keep me motivated because I don't want to be posting how much I put on!!!

Finally, the blog prompt for today was what one thing would you pass on to the younger generation of today. I could think of a few but certainly one thing I would say is, don't be in a hurry to grow up. Enjoy your childhood and build memories for later years. Also, one of the things I've said to my children is - do to others as you would like them to do to you. In other words, don't be nasty, don't mock, be kind and thoughtful and if you wouldn't like someone doing to you what you're doing, just don't do it! I don't think children have it easy these days, there is pressure on them to grow up quickly which I find sad. Take each year as it comes, you'll be older soon enough.

Enough for now.

xx

First Job / Sad news

Today's prompt was to tell what my first job was. After finishing my secretarial course, my first job was as a Dental Receptionist for two dentists in Musgrave Centre in Durban. It was a great starting job and I made friends with the girl who was the Dental Nurse. We ended up sharing a flat on Durban Beachfront - which led to lots of good times. Definitely a good time in my life. Before I end, this morning I was looking at fellow My Freedom members blogs and came across the sad news that Shelley Burkett's 17 year old stepdaughter, Katie, was killed in a car accident over the weekend. Please keep Shelley and her family in your thoughts and prayers at this devastating time. (http://www.shelleyburkett-whateverislovely.blogspot.com/) Thanks xx