Me and ma girl.........

All going well up in sunny Stornoway!! Last Friday, Dave, Jac & Baby Jude came up to Lewis for a surprise visit!! We had an absolutely amazing time. I actually fell off my chair as they just walked into my house last Fri as Rebekah and I sat and ate our dinner! Loads of photos to upload! They stayed for a long weekend.

Rebekah turns 4 a week on Wednesday......Isn't it amazing how much things can change in 4 years?! She really is becoming so grown up! What a wee star she is! :-) xx

Summer 2009

Hi all!
We are down in Westbury, near Bath and having a great time! Summer hols have been excellent so far....lots of news to update you on so I will get back to my blog soon! Promise!
xx

She makes me smile....

Hi!
Don't you just love it when certain things in your life make you smile so much! Rebekah Catherine does that to me.....every day! :D

Oh the drama!

Have a look at the stunning beach at the top of my blog.....I love it! That's The Traigh Mhor, in Tolsta. It's about 7 miles away from our house. Its great to go to......except for days like today...where we have hailstones! Not good! During the week, we have had rain, rain and more rain, thunder and lightning, strong gales and now hailstones.....all with a tiny wee bit of sun stuck in for good measure!! We can't really go out anywhere today, without getting soaked!

Perhaps that's a good thing as I have got a Drama play to write, and 2 Gaelic stories and a Gaelic group recitation too. I usually love to write..........except for today. I am completely distracted and have no motivation or inspiration. They need to be completed for Monday....Agh.... Does anyone have any good themes I could use?! No Dina.....I am not going with the 'airidh' suggestion!!! That got well out of hand and was well over the top!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Good fun tho! I hope you have deleted all evidence Mrs Smith!

Ok, must begin play.........Here goes!

xx

I'm back! Did you miss me?

Hey!
I'm back.....hope you didn't miss me too much!

Not long back to work after a fabulous Easter holiday. The whole family were home and we had a great time. Feeling pretty flat now with everyone away. Never mind, I am hoping to go away a week on Thursday through until Monday for the long May weekend. Looking forward to that. Sometimes it's good to get away!

Just wanted to ask if you have ever woken up in the morning with the awful realisation that you have broken something that was absolutely fine, and now have no way of fixing it? It's not a nice feeling at all. Perhaps it was by saying or doing the wrong thing and deep down you knew you were doing that, but desperately didn't mean to. I used to think that all things, no matter how broken they were; could be fixed...but not now.......and that's a shame.

A sentimental ornament, a piece of jewellery, a photo frame or the little glass heart that sits on your bedside table? When they are broken, you just want to lift up the pieces carefully and place them back together. Why is that not so easy to do? It just doesn't want to be put back together or mended so you have to put it away in a box, or even; throw it away.

Have you even woken up with the equally awful realisation that what was broken was friendship? Friendship that had made you smile, made you laugh and made you love. Not a friendship that meant you were in love, purely a friendship that made you love.

When you stop for a moment and realise that the break was all because of you, do you hurt?

A few years ago, I learned to be strong again...........I learned, through the love of family and friends; that it was possible to live for every moment and be me again. This learning was of the best kind. I learned that you can really be your true self with someone you feel safe with and who you can trust....

Ever since that time, although I say I can be my true self, I am too scared to ever let anyone get any closer than they need to......only so far, only so much of me they can know, before I break it. There was a ridiculous reason for me doing so, but not anymore.... I say things that don't make me me, that don't make sense and that I most definitely don't mean. For doing so, I am sorry. For hurting, I am sorry too and for breaking, please forgive me.

So my lesson to myself, that I promise I have learned today - Be the friend that I know I can be, all of the time - Be the listener that I am, all of the time - Be the lass that tells the truth all of the time - Be the one that no longer uses words that have no truth or meaning, as I know they hurt - Be the me that I am......all of the time.

So my lesson to others and not just myself........Never let the sun go down on an argument, life is way too short. May you smile with your family and friends as the sun sets.......

Ah hee, nach mi tha domhainn a nochd.....Guess I just realised I needed to be.

Le sin, tha mi duilich, uabhasach duilich. Tha mi an dochas nach eil thu fhathast fiadhaich.....

Jo xxx

P.S. Remember Lewis Lasses, I mentioned those songs that play??!! Loads of those lately....
P.P.S Some final thoughts to leave you with tonight.....See if you agree....

"As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken, probably more than once, and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot; who calls you back when you hang up on him; who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead; who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your joggers; who holds your hand in front of his friends. Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the one who turns to their friends and says, ..That’s her."

HMIe is over!!!!!!!!

The lead up to HMIe and the full week of HMIe at school is over!!!!!!!!!
My life is back to normal now!!! Ya beauty!!!! Let the blogs begin again!

LIVE IT UP.............

32nd Birthday Celebrations.....

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12 - did you?"
Add 20 years to that 'Stand by Me' quote and you're there..........

All of my special friends make me...me.

You all know who you are.

From my Wicklow Wanderers to Lewis Lasses,

from those of you who have the misfortune of being my family,

to all those of you on the mainland, reading this...I miss you all hugely!

Finally, to old and new friends in Lewis....

you have made moving home, the right decision for me.

Thank you all.

WEDNESDAY 21 JANUARY

I turned 32.......and no Jac, I didn't find one!!!!

FRIDAY 23 JANUARY

We celebrate, as only we can..........

My 32nd Birthday ~ I dedicate this to The Lewis Lasses. x

RED RADOX...

PICK UP

JELLY BELLY BUBBLES

HS1

SUZIE Q, DO YOU LIKE YOUR BIRTHDAY CARD?

(AFTER ALL, WHAT IS WRONG WITH A 'PIOS' STANDING IN JUST HIS
BOXER SHORTS, IRONING?!)

LOVE HEART BATH BOMB

MATCHING CANDLE - COINCIDENCE

MATCHING UNDERWEAR - ANYONE?

MUSSELS ANYONE?

INTERESTING WINE...

STIR FRY AND CHIPS!

CONVERSATION FLOWING

K & K.....TOGETHER....DEFINITELY

'STORY OF YOUR LIFE SONGS' ALWAYS SEEM TO PLAY

FRIENDS ~ LAUGHING

HOPEFULLY UNA IS RIGHT ~ SHE WASN'T EVEN ON TRUTH JUICE!

BAILEYS LATTE - £5.25!

PHOTOGRAPHS

NOT SO PRETTY.....WRONG POSE, WRONG ANGLE

(What is wrong with me??!)

WHAT A BILL...

WAITER ASKS US TO LEAVE ..... HILARIOUS SILENCE

CASTLE BACKDROP

TOURING....WHEN DID WE LAST DO THIS??!

SAW DOCTORS

SHARE THE DARKNESS

MIX CDS....

CANNOT WAIT UNTIL I GET A MIX CD FROM.....WHOEVER HE MAY BE!!

MENTAL AS ANYTHING ~ LIVE IT UP

STATION!

S.S. CLOSED CHAPTER

HOARSENESS

SMILES

SLEEP............

Girls, feel free to comment, by adding anything that I have forgotten!

Fun and island lass life begin at 32.........
Watch and enjoy!
x

I ALWAYS SEEM TO PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW, WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING TODAY!

It's Sunday night and I am supposed to be finishing work for school that I should have done earlier this weekend! I was having too much fun!! For those of you who know me very well, you will know that I am the world's worst procrastinator!!! Please don't feel you need to agree with me!

I have, instead of writing a Gaelic play that's due in on Tuesday, found myself looking at old digital camera short video clips. I am uploading some so that you can all have a laugh, or so that you can all smile at the same things that make me smile...see if you can work out, which is which!

Up at Nina & MD's just a couple of days after Rebekah's first Christmas - I love this clip!

Beckster's very first Happy Meal, including a free Shrek toy! (Please ignore me in the background...do I honestly sound that ridiculous??!!!)

She definitely takes her singing ability from me.....have a listen to this. She was only 20 months here! Hilarious!

(Crackin') footage from 2008 Halloween Party ~ Did you know that so much fun could be had with toilet paper?

I love this song, simply because it's Brian Kennedy and simply because I recorded this live and close up in The Tolbooth, Stirling last year. It's of no sentiment whatsoever.......now!

My big sis is such a bully!! This was a completely unjustified and unprovoked 'caoran' attack on me....wouldn't you agree?!

That's about all the footage I have the patience to upload! It has taken ages!!

Got a new laptop the other day though, and will set it up at the weekend, so watch out...plenty more footage and plenty more blogs (uploaded in less than 3 hours!) coming soon!

PUTTING THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE

It surely must be bed time! What a day!!

Alarm seemed to go off way too soon, after spending a very restless night tossing and turning! I just could not sleep!

Anyway, time to get up...no bother and got ready for work...all seemed fine. Only thing was, it was absolutely pouring outside and really dark! Shock to my system! Abair dile!!

My car is going slightly better since Da had a look at it - how is it they can fix anything?! Left home at 7.55a.m. - slightly earlier, wanted to be keen and eager on my first day back!! Drove across Barvas Moor, pitch black and wet. Pretty scary stuff. Passed through Barvas to then have some idiot right up behind me with what seemed like full beam lights dazzling me in my rear view!! I politely muttered to myself and sped up (just a wee bit, if you know my car you will will know it's pretty difficult to speed up!!!) Car behind came closer and was practically up my rear end!! So I once again muttered politely (out aloud this time!!) Kept on driving ~ entered Ballantrushal at about 8.20a.m..............AND......... YEP, YOU GUESSED IT.....Police flashing lights came on, right up my ar...behind me!!AGH!!!

I stopped, pulled over and talk about too many questions at an early hour of the morning!!

Did I not know Ballantrushal was a 40? Was I in a hurry? Was I not concentrating? Why on earth had I not changed my licence address? Did I know that in itself was a £1,000 fine?

Still unsure as to whether or not I have been fined, think I have been as I have to present my documents within 7 days!:( Then again, that could just be for a spot check! Ever the optimist - well, they didn't actually say 'Oi you, you are booked!'

What a start to my new term!! Have had a headache for the rest of the day!!

Good to get back to work though and back to the banter...

...Only thing is, the 3 of us didn't smile as much this morning break....we spoke of Simon Macmillan from South Uist - 21 year old missing since early hours of Boxing Day....

Kinda puts 3 possible points and a possible £60 fine into perspective......

We pray for his safe return home and for his family, friends and community.

As to why I have uploaded this photo ~ it's simply one that reminds me for some reason of hope ~ Took it last Easter on the Traigh Mhor, Tolsta.

END OF THE HOLS.........

Oh no......I feel the onset of SNS...on a Monday night too.....not good!! SNS...Sunday Night Syndrome, yep, that feeling I get when I think of a full week's work ahead of me! I love my job when I'm there...it's just the thought of it I don't like. Does anyone else get SNS or is it just me??!! Hey, I reckon that was a mindset I got into a while back, so for 2009 ~ NO SNS!

Rebekah and I have had a really lovely holiday, it's been great! I love being a chilled and relaxed Mummy and having a laugh with the Beckster!

Highlights from the hols have included:-
Santa at the local shop on Christmas Eve.....that was magical!
Wrapping presents after that.....
Christmas Day - perfect!

'Mummy, see I told you that you have been a good Mummy,

Santa brought you the bike you wanted!!!!'

Yep, I got a bike from Santa for good behaviour in 2008 (well, most of the time!) We have been out on the bikes a lot since the weather has been lovely!

Alison & Paul's Wedding - great time!! A perfect day, apart from a flat tyre at some ridiculous hour in the morning!!

Hogmanay Dinner at Nina and M.Ds - quote of the holidays 'Mummy, look, look, my boobaloobs are growing!!!' This came from Beckster out of nowhere at the dinner table! Hilarious!

Hogmanay Party at mine - now that was funny, especially the karen-oke! What a varied vocal range us Lewis lassies have!

New Year's Dinner - lovely family time.....

I will post some pictures later, but now I better go and look out my bits and pieces for tomorrow since I start back at work! Remember when you were wee and you used to lay out all your clothes on a chair the night before a new school term ~ I am almost sad enough to still do that, well, not quite!

Oidhche mhath! Here's to a good term! xx

BLIADHNA MHATH UR DHUIBH UILE!

New Year's Resolution no. 53..........'keep all my New Year's resolutions!'

Ha! Do you believe me? Nope, neither do I! We will see....

Hi! After talking to a good friend earlier on this week, I have decided to create this blog. I hope for it to become an online diary of any adventures the Beckster and I may have in 2009. Knowing me, there are bound to be a few tales to tell! (They better not involve ferries, buses, yesterday's drathais, scrunchies, coleslaw tubs, bodysuits or oversized leather jackets tho'!)

This blog shall be an extra - over and above my written diary, my ongoing book (it was a great idea 3 years ago...I thought I had a lot to tell...bad idea) and my Bebo news! It can replace my Facebook account though ~ never really got into that!

Excerpts and photographs taken from this blog may well be included in my book, which I now aim to complete in 2009! When you have the misfortune of ever reading my 'Bridget Jones type bestseller', you may recognise some quotes from here!

New Year = family ~ friendships ~ smiling ~ laughing ~ loving ~ dreams ~ resolutions ~ past ~ hope ~ believing ....






New Year = New beginnings

Happy New Year everyone! Tha mi an dochas gum bi bliadhna uamhasach sgoinneil agaibh uile. xx