Last day of 2011

Well here we are at the end of yet another year. I can't believe it's been 11 years since the Millenium. How time flies. I hope and pray this next year will be a better one for everyone but especially for my sister. I pray that she gets the right treatment to ease her suffering with the terrible disease that she has. I pray that my mum and dad will continue in good health and stay with me for many more years to come. I pray that my children stay happy and healthy and that maybe one of them will give me a Grandchild this next year ;) I pray that my hubby is not such a crabby bad tempered old man and that he learns to chill out a bit! I love all my family and friends so much and wish every one of you a Very Happy 2012.
God bless xxxx

Soon be Christmas

Well another 12 sleeps and it will be Christmas Day and I have only bought a few presents. Although it's my absolute favourite time of year my heart isn't in it this year. The weather doesn't help with all the wind and rain we've been having. Makes you just want to stay in by the fire. It sounds like a force 10 gale out there at the moment.
Hubby only has couple of hours left of his 50's! He had a lovely party on Friday and Mario took us both out for lunch today. We're going out tomorrow with Lucia and I'm taking him out to a nice restaurant next week so he's doing ok.
I've been in so much pain with my hips and knees this past few days and it's been unbearable today. Just hope it eases for Christmas or I'll be back on the steroids for a while to calm it down.
I'll be back maybe tomorrow with an account of hubby's day :)

Comedy Carpet Opening

I had a great day today. I went into town to watch Ken Dodd open the new Comedy Carpet on the prom. It was designed by artist Gordon Young and is amazing! Waited about 2 hours for him and I got soaked to the skin when the heavens opened. Everyone had to shelter in the tower entrance and when it stopped raining most people went back across the road but I stayed put. Eventually Ken came out and I got some great video of him walking past me. I went back across and got some photo's of him but they're not very good. There's something wrong with my camera. Not happy :( Anyway I enjoyed seeing him and managed to shake his hand. I told him I used to go to his shows when I was a child and he said " You still do don't you?" lol. Bless him. He's amazing for his age.

Ken Dodd and right behind him is the Comedy Carpet's artist Gordon Young!

After he left I went and did a bit of shopping ( for socks!) and then decided to go in the tower ballroom. I'd seen on the I Love Blackpool site that it was free to get in today between 3-5pm so thought I'd go and have a coffee and watch the couples dance for a while. There was hardly anyone in there because they hadn't really advertised it except on the site. I'm so glad I saw it ;) What a fantastic ballroom that is! The architecture is beautiful. Oh and guess who was coming down the stairs as I was going up? Ken Dodd! So I got to see him again. All in all I had a wonderful few hours. I love Blackpool!
Here is a link to my photo's if you'd like to see them ;)
https://skydrive.live.com/?sc=photos&cid=8e1722ecfdc302ad#!/?cid=8e1722ecfdc302ad&sc=photos&nl=1&uc=134&id=8E1722ECFDC302AD%211620
Links to the local news reports on the comedy carpet
http://www.itv.com/granada/blackpool-comedy-carpet92646/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-15237217
and a still photo from the ITV local news film of me taking video of the tower! It's at 1.21 on the ITV news ;)

Blackpool tower

Picassa!

Just having a play about in Picassa. Love it!

Scripting!

Wow! I can't believe I have finally learn't how to script! I first tried to do it 2 or more years ago and gave it up as a bad job, but yesterday I thought I'd try again and had a look on youtube to see if there were any video's on how to script in PSP. Low and behold there was and by someone who's scripting group I already belonged to.....Dark Angel! I am one of those people who needs visual as well as written instructions on how to do things and these videos were perfect! I'm so happy that I've managed to learn something new even at my ripe old age of 56 ;) I've just made my first tag in ages and am going to get back into Just Gorjuss group. I've missed it so much.
Here is the link to the videos if anyone's interested in learning to script and here is the tag I just made ;)

Holy Family R C Church

Inside Holy Family Church the day I got married in 1975. It's unrecognizable now. The pews have been replaced by awful plastic chairs and the whole interior looks bare. Sacrilege :(

A couple of news clips on Derby baths in Blackpool

I'd forgotten how big this pool was! I learn't to swim here :)
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=43641
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=43703

Power supply broken :(

I just noticed the screen on my laptop wasn't as bright as usual and knew the power wasn't getting through so just checked the supply and noticed the bit that plugs into the laptop is broken arrrrgh!Just ordered one on Ebay for £6 but it won't come 'till Saturday or maybe even Monday. What am I going to do with no lappy? I'll be pinching Aniello's that's what!
Just did ten minutes weeding the garden and I'm aching all over. So unfit!
Off to play a spot of poker before my laptop dies ;)

I've decided to learn HTML and found a great site here
I now know the basics woohoo! I love learning new things.
Taking mum to the vet's with Holly today to find out the results of her biopsy. She found another lump in Holly's neck on the opposite side to the first one so it's not looking good. 
Made a few Facebook banners this morning so that looks like a new fad for me. 
Food time!

My winner of this year's BGT!

I ♥ him!

Found one!

Here's one with the tower in the background. I'm going to print out as a postcard ;)

Photo!

I did one with the big wheel in the background but really need to find the photo that I took a few years ago of the Tower. That would be better. 

Chillout day

I'm just going to have a nice relaxing Sunday playing in PSP. I took this photo yesterday of my little Princess and I love it! She decided she wanted to dress up in her High School Musical outfit so I thought we'd add the glasses for effect lol. It'd make a good advert for Blackpool! I'm going to have a go at placing her with Blackpool tower in the background and I'll post it later:)

Matching desktop background

Where is our Summer? Another miserable day that does nothing to lift the spirits! We braved the weather to go into town though and bought a couple of the dine in for 2 meals at Marks & Sparks. One thing that did lift my spirits was as I was walking behind an elderly couple and spotted that they were holding hands. They looked so sweet :) 
I made a desktop background to match the blog layout that I made yesterday so here it is if you'd like it. 

I've been having a nosy about on the net for animated tuts and tuts for using the special effects that come with PSP and I came across a great site. It's here if you'd like to take a look. Another good site is here I used one of the special effects tuts called Captured Within to do my profile pic. I really like the effect. I'm off to make another blog layout with a new kit from Irene so see you later :)

Love this from Old Blue Eyes.........It was a very good year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwv-DxOPhSc&feature=related    

Worrying news

Holly was checked over by the vet and a sample of fluid was taken from the lump in her neck. The vet said to think about the fact that it may be a tumour because of its position near her glands plus the fact that he couldn't drain much fluid off it. I hope and pray it's not cancer for my poor mum's sake. She adores her cats but they are getting on a bit. Mum worked out that Holly's 14 in December and Max is a year younger so they're not youngster's anymore. Holly fought like a tiger when the vet was taking the sample though!
Here is the matching header to the new layout.

New Blog Layout

I made a new layout for my blog last night and I love the way it turned out. I want to get back into making sig tags, desktop background's and blog layout's so I've made a start. 

If anyone would like to snag it here it is. Just click on it for the full image and save to your compy.

I'm going to make a matching header later on today so I'll post that too.

Taking my mum to the vet's later because her cat Holly has a lump in her neck. Hope it's nothing serious because mum's cats are her babies!

Hope my girlies are enjoying themselves on their respective holidays ( Lucia's in Magaluf and Lella's in Gran Canaria ) Praying they don't have problems getting back into the UK with the threat of the Iclandic ash cloud covering most of the UK by Friday! 

Ah well I suppose I better  make a move as it's now 11.30am and I'm not even dressed!

Ciao for now :)

Mid-Term Break

I studied this poem when I was at college doing my English G.C.S.E. years ago. It's about the death of Heaney's 4 year old brother who was knocked down by a car. It's one of my favourite poems.

by Seamus Heaney

I sat all morning in the college sick bay
Counting bells knelling classes to a close.
At two o'clock our neighbors drove me home.

In the porch I met my father crying--
He had always taken funerals in his stride--
And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram
When I came in, and I was embarrassed
By old men standing up to shake my hand

And tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"
Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,
Away at school, as my mother held my hand

In hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.
At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived
With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops
And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him
For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple,
He lay in the four foot box as in his cot.
No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.

A four foot box, a foot for every year.

To read more of Seamus Heaney's poems click HERE

The 6 O'clock News

by Tom Leonard

this is thi
six a clock
news thi
man said n
thi reason
a talk wia
BBC accent
iz coz yi
widny wahnt
mi ti talk
aboot thi
trooth wia
voice lik
wanna yoo
scruff. if
a toktaboot
thi trooth
lik wanna yoo
scruff yi
widny thingk
it wuz troo.
jist wanna yoo
scruff tokn.
thirza right
way ti spell
ana right way
to tok it. this
is me tokn yir
right way a
spellin. this
is ma trooth.
yooz doant no
thi trooth
yirsellz cawz
yi canny talk
right. this is
the six a clock
nyooz. belt up.

O Holy Night

A lovely version by Celine Dion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jr-2eyRtV4&feature=fvwrel

Angel in blue

This always reminds me of my step-dad Bill. It was his favourite music and mum had it played at his funeral. It's a beautiful piece of music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-TiphIjLaU

Before You Were Mine

Carol Ann Duffy

I'm ten years away from the corner you laugh on with your pals, Maggie McGeeney and Jean Duff.The three of you bend from the waist, holding each other, or your knees, and shriek at the pavement.Your polka-dot dress blows round your legs. Marilyn.

I'm not here yet. The thought of me doesn't occur in the ballroom with the thousand eyes, the fizzy, movie tomorrows the right walk home could bring.I knew you would dance like that. Before you were mine, your Ma stands at the close with a hiding for the late one. You reckon it's worth it.

The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh?I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics, and now your ghost clatters toward me over George Square 'till I see you, clear as scent, under the tree, with its lights, and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart?

Cha cha cha! You'd teach me the steps on the way home from Mass, stamping stars from the wrong pavement. Even then I wanted the bold girl winking in Portobello, somewhere in Scotland, before I was born.That glamorous love lasts where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine. 

Our Grandmothers

by Maya Angelou

She lay, skin down in the moist dirt,
the canebrake rustling
with the whispers of leaves, and
loud longing of hounds and
the ransack of hunters crackling the near
branches.
She muttered, lifting her head a nod toward
freedom,
I shall not, I shall not be moved.


She gathered her babies,
their tears slick as oil on black faces,
their young eyes canvassing mornings of madness.
Momma, is Master going to sell you
from us tomorrow?


Yes.
Unless you keep walking more
and talking less.
Yes.
Unless the keeper of our lives
releases me from all commandments.
Yes.
And your lives,
never mine to live,
will be executed upon the killing floor of
innocents.
Unless you match my heart and words,
saying with me,


I shall not be moved.


In Virginia tobacco fields,
leaning into the curve
of Steinway
pianos, along Arkansas roads,
in the red hills of Georgia,
into the palms of her chained hands, she
cried against calamity,
You have tried to destroy me
and though I perish daily,


I shall not be moved.


Her universe, often
summarized into one black body
falling finally from the tree to her feet,
made her cry each time into a new voice.
All my past hastens to defeat,
and strangers claim the glory of my love,
Iniquity has bound me to his bed.


yet, I must not be moved.


She heard the names,
swirling ribbons in the wind of history:
nigger, nigger bitch, heifer,
mammy, property, creature, ape, baboon,
whore, hot tail, thing, it.
She said, But my description cannot
fit your tongue, for
I have a certain way of being in this world,


and I shall not, I shall not be moved.


No angel stretched protecting wings
above the heads of her children,
fluttering and urging the winds of reason
into the confusions of their lives.
The sprouted like young weeds,
but she could not shield their growth
from the grinding blades of ignorance, nor
shape them into symbolic topiaries.
She sent them away,
underground, overland, in coaches and
shoeless.


When you learn, teach.
When you get, give.
As for me,


I shall not be moved.


She stood in midocean, seeking dry land.
She searched God's face.
Assured,
she placed her fire of service
on the altar, and though
clothed in the finery of faith,
when she appeared at the temple door,
no sign welcomed
Black Grandmother, Enter here.


Into the crashing sound,
into wickedness, she cried,
No one, no, nor no one million
ones dare deny me God, I go forth
along, and stand as ten thousand.


The Divine upon my right
impels me to pull forever
at the latch on Freedom's gate.


The Holy Spirit upon my left leads my
feet without ceasing into the camp of the
righteous and into the tents of the free.


These momma faces, lemon-yellow, plum-purple,
honey-brown, have grimaced and twisted
down a pyramid for years.
She is Sheba the Sojourner,
Harriet and Zora,
Mary Bethune and Angela,
Annie to Zenobia.


She stands
before the abortion clinic,
confounded by the lack of choices.
In the Welfare line,
reduced to the pity of handouts.
Ordained in the pulpit, shielded
by the mysteries.
In the operating room,
husbanding life.
In the choir loft,
holding God in her throat.
On lonely street corners,
hawking her body.
In the classroom, loving the
children to understanding.


Centered on the world's stage,
she sings to her loves and beloveds,
to her foes and detractors:
However I am perceived and deceived,
however my ignorance and conceits,
lay aside your fears that I will be undone,


for I shall not be moved.

Weekend Glory

by Maya Angelou

Some clichty folks
don't know the facts,
posin' and preenin'
and puttin' on acts,
stretchin' their backs.

They move into condos
up over the ranks,
pawn their souls
to the local banks.
Buying big cars
they can't afford,
ridin' around town
actin' bored.

If they want to learn how to live life right
they ought to study me on Saturday night.

My job at the plant
ain't the biggest bet,
but I pay my bills
and stay out of debt.
I get my hair done
for my own self's sake,
so I don't have to pick
and I don't have to rake.

Take the church money out
and head cross town
to my friend girl's house
where we plan our round.
We meet our men and go to a joint
where the music is blue
and to the point.

Folks write about me.
They just can't see
how I work all week
at the factory.
Then get spruced up
and laugh and dance
And turn away from worry
with sassy glance.

They accuse me of livin'
from day to day,
but who are they kiddin'?
So are they.

My life ain't heaven
but it sure ain't hell.
I'm not on top
but I call it swell
if I'm able to work
and get paid right
and have the luck to be Black
on a Saturday night.

Still I Rise

by Maya Angelou
You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? 'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don't you take it awful hard 'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines Diggin' in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I've got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history's shame I rise Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Amazing Peace

By Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.

Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
implore you to stay awhile with us
so we may learn by your shimmering light
how to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.
On this platform of peace, we can create a language
to translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.
At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ

Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices to celebrate the promise of
Peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul

Hello :)

Thought I'd just pop in to say hello to anyone who may read this. I haven't forgotten my blog, just been so busy lately. We had the Dance Sparkle show last week which took up a lot of my time helping out. I thoroughly enjoyed it and watching my little princess dance. She was so good considering how shy she used to be. Can't wait for next year's show now!
Went to see the newly renovated Winter Gardens yesterday with mum and sis and we had such a laugh. They had an exhibition on of old slot machines, a jukebox, side shows and hall of mirrors. Mum was hilarious laughing at herself in the mirrors. It reminded me so much of my childhood and what a fabulous mum she was and still is. We always have fun and a laugh. Roll on the next day out lol.
Actually, seeing the Winter Gardens in all its new glory gave me the idea to set up a blog dedicated to my home town. I love Blackpool and am so proud of its amazing heritage that I want to exhibit the many photograph's I've taken during the rejuvenation of the town. It may take me a while but I'm determined to pay homage in my own small way to the town that has given me and so many thousands if not millions of people who have either lived here or spent holidays and day trips here such wonderful memories :)

2nd January already!

Wow! Christmas seems a long time ago now even though it was only 8 days ago. Wanting to take the decorations down but I hate to tempt fate so we'll leave them until Epiphany (Thursday).
Aniello's making a nice Sunday roast of chicken so it's just another relaxing day for me. So spoilt! I may go up in the loft and begin the mammoth task of sorting out the hoards of games, clothes & memorabilia that I have collected over my 55 years on this earth. I'll probably give up after half an hour. I make a pile of wanted and unwanted items and then decide I still want the unwanted items and they go back on the wanted pile. That's why the loft can fit no more rubbish (as Aniello calls it) in. I know that if I carry on storing things up there that one day the whole lot will end up in my bedroom when the ceiling caves in under the weight!
Shower and dressed now then worry for the whole time that Lucia is out on her motorbike! :(

It's my mum's 77th birthday on 7th January. This is for her. For those of January May they always have Something fun to do For in January You start everything anew Jenny Diamond My messy loft

Happy New Year 2011!

Well! What a fabulous night last night turned out to be! Wonderful company, food and fun. We arrived at Jan & Enzo's at 7.30 pm and left at 2.30 am. The time just flew. First off was canapes and mulled wine in the sumptuous lounge then into the dining room for a splendid feast! Janet does a wonderful themed table each year but she surpassed herself this NYE. Black & gold was the theme and it was stunning! Even if I had unlimited funds I would never be able to create such a fabulous table.

For starters we had prawn, avocado with salmon and rocket salad. Wonderful! Then we had a quiz of 16 Winter/Christmas themed questions. I scored 12 and a half points and won woohoo! Didn't expect that with Grammar school educated people in competition with someone who failed her 11 plus HA! I won a lovely enamel butterfly bookmark which will be treasured. 

Next came the main course of fillet steak for the ladies/ribeye steak for the gentlemen, accompanied by asparagus spears and mini roast potatoes served with a pepper sauce. Such a gastronomical delight that I could actually eat it all again right at this minute!

This was followed by a game of family fortunes. What a great game with the buzzer doing its da dah sound. Margaret and I were made captains of our respective teams and although my team was winning into the fourth round ( thanks to Chris ) we lost to Margaret's team in the end. A terrific game for all the family.

Enzo's wonderful dessert creations followed and we all had a piece of each one because we couldn't decide which one to go for. They were utterly delicious. One was a pavlova and the other a sponge gateaux with lashings of cream. Divine! Nigella would have been proud :)

Feeling utterly stuffed by now it was time for another game this time pictionary. That was a fun game too and I must get ours out of the loft and give it a dusting over. We'll play it the next time my kids all come for dinner!
After pictionary we saw the New Year in with fireworks and Chinese lanterns although one firework failed to go off properly and two lanterns almost set Ciro and Enzo alight! Scary stuff. When we'd seen the New Year in we had cheese and biscuits, liqueurs and coffee. A nice chat around the table for another 2 hours and then home at 2.30am. Unheard of usually but such good company was hard to part with. 
A wonderful end to 2010 and a great welcome to 2011 thanks to our wonderful Brother and sister-in-law x
Today has been a total chill out day. It was a rainy dull day but it didn't stop my mum calling round for a New Year's visit bless her. Lucia ended up having to go to the walk in centre because of a pain she's had in her side for 5 days. The Dr reckons she has an inflamed stomach so has put her on some tablets for a week. Hopefully she'll be well by then! Anyway bedtime for me now as it's actually taken me all day-on and off- to write this account of how we spent the last day of the decade ;)
I'm going to try my best to keep a diary on my blog so let's see how long it lasts.