Monday 28 November 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy



Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness

Sunday 27 November 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Thursday 24 November 2011

The Thursday Poem



Don't let that Horse

Don't let that horse

eat that violin

cried Chagall's mother

But he

kept right on

painting

And became famous

And kept on painting

The Horse With Violin In Mouth
And when he finally finished it
he jumped up upon the horse

and rode away

waving the violin

And then with a low bow gave it
to the first naked nude he ran across

And there were no strings

attached


Lawrence Ferlinghetti
(24th March 1919 - )

from the book: Poem for the Day One



Wednesday 23 November 2011

Monday 21 November 2011

Our first week as new parents ;-)


Sweetie~pies, I would like you to meet Matty and Nikki ~ our newly adopted pooches :-)

This photo was taken the Sunday before this last, when we were giving them both a sort of "test-run" as it were LOL

The Saturday of the previous weekend we had made some tentative enquiries about adoption with the Greyhound Rescue West of England (GRWE).  On the Sunday we received a phone call asking if we would like to make arrangements for a home-check ~ of course we said yes, sweetie~pies ;-)  On Monday morning we were home-checked and that evening we were told that we had passed their requirements.  On the Tuesday I met Matty; Adrian met him on Saturday; and we both met Nikki on Sunday ~ boy, did things move fast!

We had a long-standing arrangement to go to a gig Sunday evening otherwise we could have kept them on Sunday LOL  But they arrived bright and early last Monday morning and here we are, dog owners once more :-) 


After the sadness at having to give up Daisy for rehoming, we decided to adopt dogs again ~ the house just didn't feel right with no furry friends.

Nikki is the beautiful fawn lurcher and Matty is the extremely handsome black greyhound :-)


Both Nikki and Matty have come over here from Ireland, having been rescued by GRWE.
 
Sadly, my loves, they both have some physical "issues" ~ especially poor Nikki as you will see if you look closely at these photos. 


Matty is four years old and has never raced.  He was kept in a shed on an allotment, I believe. 
He has a birth defect in that his front left leg is bent; he has suffered a cruciate injury at some time in his life, which although healed does cause some stiffness; he has an undershot jaw; and he has lost the end of his tail. 

None of these injuries cause him any serious difficulties although he can't jump into the back of a car because of his leg problems.  He loves his walks and food in equal measure LOL

Matty is a very happy chap who just seems to love life and people.  Nothing much seems to bother him and to see him when we take the dogs out for their walks you would think that he had known the area all his life!


Sadly, Nikki's history is rather more tragic.  I am sure that you can see how thin she still is, as well as all the scars she has.

She was rescued by a GRWE volunteer in Ireland.  She had been abandoned pregnant and with horrific injuries.  The GRWE think that she was used in badger baiting; she has completely lost her lower lip and some teeth (and still has to have another four or five removed) and has had to have surgery on her jaw. 

Nikki has had a broken left hock at some point, which has self-healed but not in the right position.  The bone in this leg also has shotgun pellets embedded in it.  She has masses of scars on her head and face, as well as her legs and body.

Whilst she was in foster care in Ireland she gave birth to eight puppies.  We have been told that she was a very good Mum who only needed a little help with the pups.  I look at her thin little body and wonder how on earth she managed to grow eight puppies, let alone give birth to them and they all survive.  My first sight of her made me cry ~ how can people be so cruel :-(

She is, naturally, wary of new people but soon comes round.  She is a very affectionate little girl who soaks up love like a sponge.  With Matty being so laid back, he is the ideal companion for Nikki.  I am certain that as time goes by his influence will help her gain in confidence :-)

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy



There is no failure.

Only feedback.

Sunday 20 November 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Thursday 17 November 2011

The Thursday Poem



Imagination

There is a dish to hold the sea,
A brazier to contain the sun,
A compass for the galaxy,
A voice to wake the dead and done!

That minister of ministers,
Imagination, gathers up
The undiscovered Universe,
Like jewels in a jasper cup.

Its flame can mingle north and south;
Its accent with the thunder strive;
The ruddy sentence of its mouth
Can make the ancient dead alive.

The mart of power, the fount of will,
The form and mold of every star,
The source and bound of good and ill,
The key of all the things that are,

Imagination, new and strange
In every age, can turn the year;
Can shift the poles and lightly change
The mood of men, the world's career.

John Davidson
(11th April 1857 - 23rd March 1909)

from the book: Poem for the Day One

Monday 14 November 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy



The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said



Sunday 13 November 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Saturday 12 November 2011

Sometimes...

Friday 11 November 2011

Remember Them.....



The Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blessed by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sighs and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Rupert Brooke
(3rd August 1887 - 23rd April 1915)

from the book: Poem for the Day One

Thursday 10 November 2011

The Thursday Poem


Young Woman Reading by a Window by Delphin Enjolras



Night

The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies,
When love is done.

Francis William Bourdillon
(22nd March 1852 - 30th January 1921)

from the book: Poem for the Day One

Wednesday 9 November 2011

New beginnings of this 'n' that


What do you think to this pile of scrummy goodness then, my loves?  Those colourful yarns are now a new crochet WIP for my daughter who asked for a "blankie" for her 21st birthday, which is at the end of January.  I am under strict instructions that it must also have a label on it to commemorate said momentous event LOL  I asked my son (Sam and Beverly are twins, in case you had forgotten) if he would like a blankie too but he very diplomatically declined my kind offer ;-) 

I am still working on the giant granny square and really must get it finished soon as it is to be a Christmas gift!

image from FreeDigitalPhotos

Another new beginning: I have joined a gym!  Yes, sweetie~pies, you did indeed read that correctly: your's truly has JOINED A GYM!!  To be totally honest I haven't really exercised, other than walking, to any great degree since I left school.  I never dreamt that I would see the day that I would step over the threshold of such a place but it's true, I have JOINED A GYM ;-)  I did my first "proper" session today and at the end I was hot and sweaty and, frankly, pooped but boy did I feel good inside.  On the walk back home, I just couldn't stop myself from smiling.  Who would've believed that I would join a gym and actually be smiling after a work-out!
image from Clker.com

And finally, my loves, the best new beginning of all: Adrian and I have decided to adopt another greyhound.  Well, to be more accurate we are going to adopt two of the little beauties :-)

We completed the online form on the Greyhound Rescue West of England (don't let the name fool you ~ they rehome sighthounds all over the country) website on Saturday and on Sunday we had a phone call asking if we would like to be home-checked.  Naturally, the answer was yes and that evening I had another phone call from the local "home-checker" who asked if she could come over the next morning.  Again, the answer was yes and we were home-checked on Monday. 

Monday evening there was yet another phone call to say that we had passed the home-check ~ and would we like to meet a dog who was currently in foster care locally!  Adrian was unable to take time off work this week but I met the lovely greyhound yesterday ~ and fell totally in love :-)  He is a gorgeous little boy ~ well, I say "little" but of course he is a greyhound so isn't exactly tiny!  However, he is pretty small for a boy and I really don't think he is even as big as my beloved Amber was.  Anyhoo, Adrian is meeting him at the weekend and I'm hoping that he likes him as much as I do.  Hopefully we will also be meeting a girl greyhound who may be ideal to make up the other half of the pair :-)

Naturally, sweetie~pies, I will keep you informed of all the doggy developments ;-) 

Monday 7 November 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy




Faith is like radar that sees through the fog

Sunday 6 November 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Saturday 5 November 2011

Too...Much...Stuff...

I will be perfectly honest, sweetie~pies: I look around my home and feel totally overwhelmed by all the “stuff” that I see.  I'm flitting about from one damn thing to the next, barely landing in one place, like the proverbial butterfly ~ and I am awfully tired of it all.  Thankfully I have been doing a fair bit of thinking and decision-making these past few weeks, and have finally reached a point in my head where I know that it's the right time for me to start decluttering and downsizing all the collections of this, that and the other that I have started. 

I feel like I am finally coming out of a tunnel into the light and fresh air.  Of course I do realise that this has been of my own making, but at the time it felt so comforting and safe.  It’s almost as if I have been wrapping myself up in all this "stuff" for some kind of protection ~ which on reflection I rather think I have, my loves.  It has certainly been an easier path to take than sorting myself out, that’s for sure!  But the clearing/sorting out of my wardrobe and drawers has given me an incredible boost; I was absolutely amazed at how much better I felt for having done it.

I also realise that it must seem rather incongruous, sweetie~pies, to be talking about decluttering and downsizing hot-on-the-heels of the recent posts showing my summer acquisitions ~ and I have to tell you that there are more photos to upload and post yet!  But my plan isn’t to stop collecting; rather it is to confine myself to those things that I truly love and which give me the most pleasure.  Although I have not yet physically sorted anything out, I have made some tentative decisions on what will be going and what will be staying.  And even that small first step has lightened the load which I feel I have been carrying on my shoulders and in my mind.  This decluttering/downsizing exercise will be carried out in The Shed at some point as well.  First things first, though, Sharon ~ concentrate on getting the house sorted out to start with ;-)   
There are to be even more changes in my life over the coming weeks/months and I will share them with you later, my loves, as they happen.  In the meantime, you will no doubt be looking forward to seeing the results of the downsizing and decluttering ~ I am certainly looking forward to sharing the process with you! 

Friday 4 November 2011

Some words to remember...

Remember, remember, the 5th of November



Have fun, my loves, but stay safe ~ and remember to look after our furry friends :-)

Thursday 3 November 2011

Alone again...


This has been such a horrible week, my loves: on Tuesday, I took Daisy to The Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester to be rehomed :-(

The photo below shows some of the wounds I received from her on Sunday.  They may not look like much (it wasn't easy taking a photo of my right arm using my left hand) but they were incredibly painful ~ as I am sure you can imagine.

Daisy had been becoming more unpredictable since she was spayed, lashing out and hissing for no reason.  A couple of weeks back I was sitting on my armchair, with the foot-rest up, and she attacked both my feet.  It was so unexpected and just came from nowhere.  Then on Sunday she climbed onto my lap and then just launched herself at my arm, puncturing my skin as you can see.  I have more puncture wounds further round my arm and another on my thumb.  She then leapt off, walked around the footstool and attacked my feet just as she had done previously.


It was extremely frightening, to be honest; she just went absolutely wild. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I cried, not only with the pain but also because of the shock of it all. Adrian was stunned, too. In fact, her had to chase her away from my feet because she didn't want to stop.

On Monday I made an appointment to see our lovely vet who checked Daisy over and said that she certainly appeared to be in good health with no pain issues. The vet, Sarah, wasn't happy at all with the punctures and after looking at them for a second time told me that if they had been bite wounds, she would have insisted that I go to A&E to have them checked over.

We discussed what could be making Daisy behave in this way and Sarah said that it could well be that she is part feral, especially since the unpredictable behaviour has become worse since she has been spayed. It could also be that she is going a bit "stir-crazy" being a housecat; the vet nurse I spoke to when I made the appointment said that ordinary domestic moggies don't really make terribly good housecats.  Sarah said that we really can't live with Daisy being so unpredictable, and of course, it could be dangerous if she were to attack a visitor ~ especially someone like my Mum, who is diabetic. She has suggested that we could seek advice from a cat behaviourist but if Daisy is feral then this may not make much difference. Other options are to try to rehome her to somewhere like a farm for instance or to allow her the freedom to go outside rather than keeping her indoors. The last option, if all else were to fail, would be to have her put to sleep :-(

Frankly, I didn't think that it would be that easy to rehome Daisy ~ let's face it, farms generally have more cats than they actually need or want as it is. Euthanasia would truly have had to have been the very last resort ~ she is only about two years old, for goodness sake!  It was just so awful here after I came back from seeing the Vet; my arm and feet were so sore and I was nervous each time Daisy approached me or walked by *sigh*  Adrian and I discussed things and in the end decided that we would open the door to the back garden the following morning.

In the end, though, I just couldn't bring myself to let her go outdoors here; we live on such a busy road and if she had been run over then I would never have forgiven myself.
 
I telephoned The Wood Green Animal Shelter and spoke with a really lovely lady there.  She immediately told me that Daisy was exhibiting all the signs of total frustration at being kept indoors.  Other signs include things like excessive grooming, something which Daisy was starting to do.  The Wood Green lady totally understood my reluctance to let her go outside and said that they would be prepared to accept her for rehoming. 

So, sadly I took Daisy to the Shelter on Tuesday.  The staff were so kind and told me that I had done all that I could for her. They don't rehome their cats as wholly indoor ones so she will hopefully be found a new home where she can gradually be introduced to the outside world.  I just had no idea that things would turn out this way; she had been living as an indoor cat for two years prior to coming here.  I have since been told, though, that apparently Daisy "could be spiteful" at times ~ unfortunately I did not have that information before taking her on :-(

I still feel pretty terrible right now even though everyone keeps telling me I have done the right thing for Daisy and for us. I'm as tearful as I was when Amber passed away back in April and once again my home feels empty.  We will not have another cat whilst we still live here on this road.

However, Adrian and I have decided that we will give ourselves a little time and then adopt two small dogs.  I just can't bear the house feeling so empty..... 

The Thursday Poem




The Old Man's Comforts
and how he gained them


You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
The few locks which are left you are grey;
You are hale, Father William, a hearty old man,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.

In the days of my youth, Father William replied,
I remember'd that youth would fly fast,
And abused not my health and my vigour at first,
That I never might need them at last.

You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
And pleasures with youth pass away;
And yet you lament not the days that are gone,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.

In the days of my youth, Father William replied,
I remember'd that youth could not last;
I thought of the future, whatever I did,
That I never might grieve for the past.

You are old, Father William, the young man cried,
And life must be hastening away;
You are cheerful, and love to converse upon death,
Now tell me the reason, I pray.

I am cheerful, young man, Father William replied,
Let the cause thy attention engage;
In the days of my youth I remember'd my God!
And He hath not forgotton my age.


Robert Southey
(12th August 1774 - 21st March 1843)

from the book: Poem for the Day One