A little bit of a problem among two people I love...

I am tackling a situation of betrayal, regret and disappointment, in which there is a complete unwillingness to try a different approach, even in the face of complete failure to understand and appreciate the issues.

I need to constructively use my creative talents to be gentle, kind and tender in my support of the others. This will culminate in the result:

Contradictory characteristics brought together as a means of resolving a conflict. Refusing to be ruled by negative emotions. Strife brought to a close through clarity of mind and restraint of force. Turning a blind eye to the minor infractions of others.

Here's hoping!

Challenge - Win, win, win!

Lewis Hamilton - the new prodigy in Formula 1 motor racing, won his first Grand Prix on Sunday in just his 6th race in Formula One.

He had never driven at the Montreal track before the weekend, and he gained pole position and led from the front despite four incidences of the safety car and a dreadful accident from which, thank God, Kubica escaped with only a broken leg.

Hamilton said: “It has been a fantastic day for me and my family - this is history. To come here for my first visit to Canada and to win - it has been just a fantastic feeling ..."

So this week's challenge - what is your greatest achievement? When did you last feel like jumping up and down in the air with delight and joy? (Alternatively - would would you LIKE to achieve - get it down on paper and you have more chance of seeing it happen..)

Please post a comment and link if you make a LO that celebrates your achievement(s).

No regrets

A friend has just found out that her husband has a malignant brain tumour. It's devastating for the whole family. But, bravely, they have decided to make the most of the last 9 months of his life. Robert is going to concentrate on his favourite hobby, photography, for as long as he can. Josie has permission from work to travel less and spend more time at home with her husband. Their daughter is going to carry on with her planned gap year. They are going to make quite sure they pack every family happiness they can into the next few months.

One can only applaud them. It must be so difficult not to get caught up in anguish and frustration.

It made me think about what I really want from my life. When I get to that stage, and who knows when it might be – what do I NOT want to have said around my deathbed.

• She never had time for her children.
• She always wanted to go to XX but never got round to it.
• Her house was never clean.
• Her house was always spotless – she lavished loving care on the housework.
• She hardly ever had a smile on her face.
• She never really fulfilled her potential.
• She lived a quiet life and kept herself to herself.
• She always wanted to write but she never really “made it”

What would I like them to say? Or for me to be able to say?

• She brightened up the lives of those around her.
• She was loved.
• She had a lovely smile.
• She knew what was important to her.
• She was a friend as well as wife to her husband.
• She was a friend as well as mum to her children.
• She did great good for her community.
• Her writing touched those who read it even if it was never published world-wide.
• She left her mark on the world.
• She could share her enthusiasm and inspire others to achieve.

What would you like people to say about you? What would you like them NOT to say?

The challenge then is to be that person…

My life in a year

My daughter has just returned from her first year at University. I don't really know what she has done or how she has felt about that year, but it seems a shame not to record it in our scrapbooks. I have some photos from her brief visits home even if she doesn't want me to scrap her own photos..

I'm sure she will need some support in journalling about her year. Here are the prompts I will give her:

My year has been ...
I feel the last year was ...
I feel different from this time last year because ...
My favourite place this year has been ...
The food this year has been ...
I remember most clearly ...
Some of the people I have enjoyed being with this year are ...
It was really funny when ...
I learned a lot from ...
My favourite subject in my course was ...
I will never forget when ...
I'm really pleased I ...

Mosaic

OK, I have to thank Ali Edwards for this link from her blog. Mosaic Maker is a great tool. Find out how you're thinking - select some photos at random that appeal to you, put them together in a mosaic and see what it means to you. There's a surprising number of purple and other bright colours in mine - even the peacock is because peacocks are usually NOT white!


credits from flickr:

1. Lightning in Bucketty, Australia 2. Fly Agaric, Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire, 3. theLight, Leeds 4. White peacock, 5. Astounding*, 6. A s c e n t *, 7. T r a n q u i l l i t y *, 8. mandarin duck in full colour, 9. [photographer's] new shoes!

Taking photos

Of course when I wanted to get out and DO something with a cyberfriend visiting all the way from Australia, the weather turned nasty - wet and cold. Well - how very different from Australia. We managed to get one or two nice trips in between the deluges.

Here are a couple of friends from Newstead Abbey. The peacock took a real fancy to me, followed me all over! This is what happens if you try to make a noise like a peahen - but he didn't display his magnificent tail, which was what I'd hoped he'd do!

Organisation!

I've already said I'm a perfectionist. I'm also an organisation freak. As someone who is chronically untidy and very much a pack rat, I am forever striving to be more organised, in my time management, in my housekeeping (oh my I hate housekeeping!), in my work life, in my various hobbies and interests and of course in my crafting.

This time, I tell myself, this time I will follow this organisational programme through until my house and life is perfect...

So I'm a bit addicted to organisation websites. Here are a couple of my favourites:

Remember the Milk

http://www.rememberthemilk.com/

a web-based to do list and task organiser

Organized Scrapbooks

http://www.organizedscrapbooks.com/

An American site with some good ideas for - well - organising scrapbooking of course!

Check out that fabby scraproom posted on May 22nd.

I'll keep more coming...