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Thursday, 05 November 2009

  • This week...

    • I began making my first dress. A wonderful, kind, encouraging woman with a real gift for teaching is taking me through it step by step and I'm so excited. I'm using material from Uganda that used to hang in my room as curtains so the finished product will be full of memories too.
    • I started making Christmas decoration hearts. Normally I'm a real scrooge and insist on waiting until Advent to admit anything Christmas-related into my life but this year I'm so excited to make and wrap presents and decorations that I can't wait.
    • I cooked roast dinner for 10 people (with a friend's help!). I want to do this more often.

    Craft and cooking and creativity restores and builds up my soul.

     

Monday, 16 February 2009

  • 25 things ... or not

    So ... I'm way too late for this 25 thing and far too wordy to condense information about me down into facts. Instead, I'll write some (maybe 25, maybe I'll get bored!) notes under different titles. Feel free to suggest a heading you'd like to hear more about, but I can't promise I'll oblige.

    1. Rain

    Rain is important to me. One of my email addresses is rainkisser. I chose this address when I was young and thought it was cool for a variety of reasons but it still reflects me, or how I would like to be.

    In the part of Uganda where I grew up, rain is a blessing and a sign of hope. Rain, especially the first downpour of the season, was always greeted with much rejoicing.

    I still get excited when it rains properly after a long dry spell, particularly if the air has been heavy and close with the weight of it.

    I would be disappointed if it did not rain on my wedding day. I may have to have guests with watering cans standing by to create some artificial rain if the clouds fail me.

    One of my favourite sounds is the pattering and pounding of rain on a metal roof. The closest I get to hearing this at the moment is when it rains at church. I always get a silly smile on my face when this happens and sometimes it even brings a tear to my eye.

    On that note, here's a little tangent ... I sometimes think this love of rain must have got into my tearducts because I cry frequently. Whether I'm sad, angry, frustrated, laughing, empathetic, happy, surprised, tired ... - my default setting is tears. I have cried in most of the cafes in Sheffield.

    You may think this love of rain makes Sheffield the perfect climate for me but this is not so! The rain that makes my heart sing is a constant, knicker-drenching downpour you can feel and see coming. This rain lasts for hours and renders outside activity impossible until it stops completely, leaving behind a beautifully fresh landscape. Piddling English drizzle that goes on for days frustrates me no end.

    My cheerful flowery wellies go some way to making damp grey days bearable. They also diminish the frustration I feel at having to wear shoes for half the year.

    That about covers rain. Next topic: names.

Thursday, 13 November 2008

Monday, 03 November 2008

  • This and that

    • Thanatology intrigues me.
    • Je suis libre. Rein und heil und ganz und frei. Freedom to be.
    • Until a few weeks ago, I've never noticed a man look at my chest instead of my face when talking to me. It has happened several times since I started this new job and it's deeply unpleasant.
    • Walking along a beach when it's cold and blustery is invigorating for body and soul.
    • Every now and then I catch glimpses of my dreams becoming reality.
    • I haven't taken the time to be creative for a long while and I am beginning to feel the effects.
    • The X Factor is quite exciting this year - I'm hoping for an all-female final.
    • I'm going to try out a recipe for Hot Little Christmas Cakes this week. I know it's ages until Christmas, but they sound so yummy.
    • I went to an Andy McKee / Don Ross concert with friends last week and it was amazing. This version of Africa moves me every time I hear it.
    • I also watched High School Musical 3 and laughed 'til I wept the whole way through. I've been doing that a lot recently.

Friday, 12 September 2008

  • As it’s been more than a month since I posted my resolutions, I thought it was about time I posted an update – at least for my own benefit.

    • I haven’t yet been Salsa dancing (unless boogieing in my room counts!) but I have decided where I will go when I go. In the process of looking for somewhere, I found the most amazing tiny chocolate which has book-reading, knitting and chocolate tasting evenings in the lounge next door. Attending a knitting evening might have to be added to my list too!
    • I don’t fit into my post-CF clothes yet, but I’m closer than I was.
    • No progress whatsoever on the dress-making front, unfortunately.
    • My paint-by-numbers energy has been directed to card-making for the moment. I've been giving them away to people left, right and centre. Also, my sister and I are making a big set of hand-made cards as a wedding present for a family friend.
    • Still haven’t got involved with that work. Part of me is waiting ‘til I get a permanent job, rather than a temporary one, so that I can plan according to the time I’ll have.
    • Similarly, I haven’t yet found/chosen a course because I’m waiting to see what money and time I’ll have available.
    • I haven’t started knitting anything but, as I mentioned above, have found somewhere I can go once I do.
    • Bread-making energies have been directed to cupcake making and decorating, again as gifts.
    • I haven’t yet left the country, but I haven’t gone stir crazy either – a minor success. (Oh, I went to Wales, but I’m not sure that counts. I also spoke a lot of German and taught my housemate some French, which was equally good for my soul.)

     
    On reflection, I really haven’t achieved much on my list, so I’d better use what’s left of this month well if I want to get anything ticked off by Christmas. I have been making many other lists relating to many other things and have definitely been able to cross things off those. Oh, the simple joy of crossing things off lists!