Eight years, thanks to you all.

This little message popped up on my screen Wednesday afternoon. I can’t believe I have been blogging for eight years.

Thank you to everyone who follows me or even just visits. You make me what I am.

A Big Thank You

Well I am so honoured and excited to tell you you all that I have been nominated in the Best Lifestyle Blog Category.

Thank you so much to those who put my name forward for this nomination, I am so grateful.

I would like to wish all nominees in all categories all the very best of luck.

If you have not already ready done your Nominations you can do them here

All information about the Bash which is on Saturday 15th June 2019 at the Grange Wellington Hotel in London can be found here

This will be the fifth

year for the B.B. and people from all over the UK, Europe, the US, Canada and even Australia attend.

Honestly guys it a wonderful event and a great way to meet blogger’s and make friends.

Thank you all again. 💜🤭

You can find the Blogger’s Bash ana ABBA Awards page on Facebook.

And at @bloggersbash on twitter.

#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 27th

Our prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 27th is brought to you by Enthralling Journey! Click here to find her last postand say hi while you’re there! Enthralling Journey’s word for our prompt today is “cathartic.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Have fun!

Cathartic

Last year those of you who know/ follow me helped me through the last withdrawal from all pain medication. A few years back I managed to get off of tramadol. That was a long and hard journey but I got there so when it came to getting off of Gabapentin.

I thought this can’t be so hard? It’s a neuropathic painkiller. I had been on it for over eight years I weaned myself down from four times, six hundred mgs a day to one hundred mgs twice a day then finally 100 mgs every other day. With no great help from the doctors who just want to hand them out like sweets to keep me quite.

I kept you informed up to a point until I was taking one 100 mgs morning and night one day and just one 100mgs in the evening on the alternate day. Then down to one pill every other evening. I have said nothing since but I am tablet free and have been over five months now but even more important I am no longer measuring the pill free time.

It is Cathartic ( yes finally I am using the prompt word) to be free of the ties that being addicted to painkillers bring.

Yes, I am free, the physiological freedom, the purging of needing is truly Cathartic. If anyone is going through the same journey I will say it is not easy. Emotions, physical pain and true fear are battles to fight but if I can do it anyone can. I am not pain free but I am drug free.

I have kept quiet about being free of all my medication because at first I was afraid to actually say it out loud, publicly. So please keep it up if you are going through withdrawal of any kind. Drugs, drink, gambling, being in an emotionally bullied situation. Do persevere, do ask for help do let friends and family in. The results are Cathartic.

Thank you all for listen and your support. 💜💜

Happy Father’s Sunday.

To Father’s everywhere, two poems I wrote in 2015.

Acrostic, Father.

Photo from Here

First and foremost he is constantly there

Always ready to support you, comfort and to care

Tough when needed and loving too

Hoping always the best for you

Everlasting patience where you are concerned!

Rooting in corner praising you highly for the accolades you’ve earned.

💜💜💜

New Father

His hands are too big

Like his heart and the love he has to give .
His fear is tangible but he holds the baby
His own, his son. A leader of men …maybe.
This life, these eyes dependent on him
My boy my lad his heart begins to sing.

💜💜💜

Finally I bring this one out every year.

A tribute to my Father 1905 – 1976

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He was a quiet man, he was a helpful caring man.

Handsome in his youth a dashing man,a fighter for rights.

A union man, a fighting for the under dog man, a “I’ll do it if I can man” .

He met my Mum, a wooing man, a handsome flashing eyed Irishman.

A black haired almost wild man, a stand up for what I am man.

A good man to trust your life to and my Mum did,

He was an out in the open man. What see is what you get man, nothing hid.

He worked hard he was a family man. A sturdy, bring home the wages man,

A giver, comforter, a lover man. A home maker man some one to carry the can man.

A there until the end man.

He was a stern man, when you had done wrong, though he was a quick to praise man.

A happy to teach you a lessen in a song man. A teacher man,sometimes a preacher man

An always there when it counted man. He was a father of the bride man, and he handed all his daughters away.

He was the man who supported his sons when they became the married men.

He was a support man, and adviser man the lover of lilies of the valley man.

He was reunited with my Mum man when they saw us all gone.

He was a plain man to the end man, not a flourish and bouquet,

Nor a black magic man,an honest to the end man.

He was a deaf man, but he heard what was important man!

At the end, a blind man, in stature a tiny man in truth a giant man.

A truly missed man , a wish you where here man.

He is a gone but not a forgotten man.

Image of the Lilies

Happy Father’s Sunday All.

Thank You.

Hi everyone who voted for me 💖 I didn’t win in my Catagory, Hidden Gem, but I was so proud and honoured to be nominated. It’s not all about the winning but the taking part, as my Dad always said and he was right.  So I am grateful and I had such a fantastic day Saturday and can’t wait for 9th June 2018. 

Ps. I have never been nominated for anything before not even milk monitor 🤗😁💜💜💜😊

Day 4 LoveuaryLove of my parents

The  lovely  and  talented Ritu  of butIsmileanyway.com has set us all off on Loveuary. I for one am excited with the task. What is love? We shall find out as the month goes on.

Here is  a link  to  Ritu’s  post 

Link  to  Rules  and Prompts

Today, Day 4 I  am writing  a  letter  to  my  long  dead parents  who  I  owe  everything  to and  who  I love  and miss  daily  still. I wrote  a letter  to  them before on  my  blog  but  this  new  letter  is  all encompassing and  full of  things  I  wish  I  had  told  them  more  when  they  were  alive.  I  have  also  included  the  poems  I  wrote  about  Mum  and  Dad below  the  letter.

Dear Mum  and Dad

I don’t think I ever made  it clear enough  how I appreciated exactly  what  you did  for me. It is only  now  as a parent and grandma that I see  what  you must of  gone  through.

Nine   children  you had, nine. You lost  three  but  that was never  your  fault. How  did  you cope  Mum it must of been hard, and Dad  worse  for you because in those days  grieving  was not  the done thing. I lost  three babies  too I could not openly  grieve  either  but  you knew  you silently  gave me strength.

I am in  awe of how  you  always  managed to feed  and  dress us  all. There  was always  food on  the  table  and  somehow  the  doors  were  always  open  to waifs  and  strays who needed help. No one was ever  turned away  from our  door  without  help of  some kind. I can remember  there  being an endless stream  of  family  friends,  or  distant  cousins  with  problems  arriving  on our  doorstep. Some  stayed  longer  than others but no one  was  ever  turned away. I really  don’t know  how  we all fitted into that three  bed roomed terraced council  house, it must of  been like  the TARDIS. 

Who  helped you, did  anyone  or did  you have to struggle  through, learning haphazardly! You,  no  doubt  had  too and  that is  why  you were  both such  helpful parents. I am amazed  at  the sacrifices  you  must  of  made  to  keep us in  clothes, shoes  and food.

Dad, you  worked as a  body maker  for LT making seats on the buses and tubes! Off to work at  5am and home at  5pm for dinner then 6pm the BBC News … silence  reined! You  then  spent  most of  your  evenings  in  the  front room  either  at  the  table or  your  desk  with  your  ancient  typewriter. You had  men visiting  you , sometimes one  sometimes  more all coming  for  help and  advice  because  you  were  a union rep  and  congressman  for  the  NUVB ( National Union Of  Vehicle Builders). The last  visitor  was  about  10.30pm.  At  work  you  were  a union rep you  gave  so much  to others  and  yet  you  always  saved  so much  for us. When  you  retired  you  were tapped out the  length  of  the  factory. ( All  the  men  stood  by  their  machines  spanner  ot  happer in  hand  and  tapped  you  out of  the building, a sign of  respect. ) You  only live a  year or  so after  retirement. 

Mum  you  were such a  gentle  soul I  miss you  so,  You  let  your  body  long  before  you  died  and  that  broke  my  heart  because  I  could not  reach  you. I used  to bring  the  boys to see  you  at  the  nursing  home  you  spent  your last years in… although I  loved  to  see  you  it  hurt  that  you  did not  know  me and  you  did not  see the  boys  growing up . I think  you  missed  Dad  so  much  that  you  left in  soul  leaving  your  shell behind. 

Mum remember Wimbledon week  we had salad every evening because  you loved  the Tennis , funny  thing  Mum I can’t  stand  tennis!

 You have both  been gone so long  and I miss  you  both so. I need  you here  to give  me  the strength , kindness  and love. See  even now I am asking for  your  help. I am  so selfish, I was  so angry  when you died  Mum  because  you were not there  to talk to  me and  help  me, do you know  it took seven years  to accept  that  you had really  gone. Then  the  flood gates opened.

I have  so  many  wonderful  memories of  you  both. Getting up  at  4.30am  and  sneaking  down stairs  to  find  you  dad  shaving  in  the  kitchen,  we  would  share  your  breakfast, porridge or  boiled  egg before  you  went off  to  work.  Going  with  you  to  Chiswick  Park  on the tube  on a Saturday. You  would have  a haircut  while I  sat  and  watched  then  maybe  you  would  by  me  an ice cream. Walking Steve  the  dog  in  the  park … you always  called him Brother …because of  your  union work  no doubt .

Mum  you  were always  there  when I came  home  from  school, always  played  with  me , I  was  the  youngest of  the  family and  by  a good  while  so I  was  almost like  an only  child  but  not  because  everyone  else  was around  but I too young  to join them . I remember you telling  me  stories  and  teaching  me  to knit  sew  and  crochet  sadly  all of  which I  am useless  at! As  I grew  you  helped  me  with  life  and  although I  never  lived  that  near  to  you   you always  came  to  my  aid if I  needed  you .  When our  first  boy was  born premature and unable  to  breath  you  came  down to stay  with me  when P  finally  came home  from hospital. He  did not how  to  suck  so  you  helped  me  to spoon feed him  until we  got him to use  a teat. So  many  many  things  to  thank  you  for . 

eMum and  Dad  you  took  all six of us  and  taught  us  everything  you knew. How  to face  the  world, how  to love  how  to  be  friendly, caring  and honest. I like to  think that  you  are  watching over us  all and hopefully  being  proud  of us…. well mostly. . I like to think  that  our  beautiful sister  Mary  is  with  you  to after horrendous  illness  and  death  fifteen months ago.

I miss  you  and I love  you !

willow xxxxxxxx

Here is a link to  a poem about  Mum    and  here one  about  Dad.

 

Happy St Patrick’s Day

Céad Míle Fáilte! “One hundred thousand welcomes!”

When I  was a child,  every year  in March  a  box  would  arrive  at  our  family  home in London. It  was always  the same  size  and it  was wrapped in  brown paper  and  it was addressed  to Dad! Every year I was fascinated by  it. I soon learned  that it  contained  a beautiful  green  leaf. The  Shamrock  and it  had traveled to our house  all the way  from Ireland.

Although  we were all born  in London  and our  mother  was English  born in Oxford, the  Shamrock’s arrival  every  year  was a big  deal.

Shamrock

We were  all given a  small spray  of  the  green leaves  which  we all wore  with pride. So Dad  would  go off to  work at 5am with his  Shamrock at  his lapel, we all followed  at  different  times  to school  or  work depending on  what  stage  of life  you  picture  us  at. I remember  we all wore it with  pride .

I went  to a  catholic  convent  as  did  two of  my  older  sisters.  I remember  St Patrick’s  day  was special  at  school  too,  because  we had  lessons  until  12.30pm  then  after  lunch  break  there  were net ball matches  to watch  followed  by  entertainment  in the school hall. Plays, Irish dancing, stories  and songs  all with  an Irish  theme!

 

I am grateful  that I have  happy  memories  of  my childhood , I have  sad, bad  memories too. Being  bullied  at  school  by  my piers and teachers not least! But I have happy  memories  too and I feel blessed for  that  and  for my  parents, my  happy  home  and  my  brothers  and sisters  who I love  dearly  and I believe  they  love  me too!

I have made  lots of  amazing  friends  here on wordpress   so I am sending  you all these  blessings  and prayers . I want to  thank  you all for your support  and say HAPPY  SAINT PATRICK’S DAY to  you all . OH! Geoff at  TanGental who is recovering  from an operation ..get  well Geoff!  Too each  and everyone of  you  consider  this  my  personal message  to you all!!

Right  now  how  to end  this  very  Irish  and  rambling  post………….. awe!  well  you know, make  guess  go on , go on.

Just Jot It January

Just Jot it

Just Jot It January, JusJoJan

Write  it as  you think it , every day  that’s  the plan!

This is Linda’s baby she has us all in tow

It is  not too arduous but to say it is easy  is not

 

Just Jot IT

Just Jot It January, JusJoJan

Anyone  can join in you just  write  whatever  you can.

Do for  your  readers, do it  for  yourself

Just  make sure  you Jot  It , don’t  file it on  the shelf!!

 

This post is part of Just Jot It January hosted by Linda G Hill.

Thanks for tuning in and if you want to join, feel free to click on the link and start jotting!

 

Thank you for the follow.

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I am so excited , silly  me  getting excited  about  how  many  followers I have! I am excited , I am grateful  and I am very pleased ! Just now I received this  badge  and a note  saying ” Your current tally is 1,002.”  Woohoo!!

Thank  you Thank  you so much  everyone  who has or is  or will ever  follow me ! 

I am truly excited!!

 

THANK YOU BARBARA

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Thank  you so much Barbara  at http://idealisticrebel.files.wordpress.com/    I can no longer accept awards   but I need to say thank you for this honour. I am supposed to nominate wonderful  bloggers so I nominate  you all. Anyone  who wants to  please accept and pass on! 

I love  you Barbara  and I love  you all!!