Grateful* - Blogtoberfest: cinq jours

I am in the second week of holidays. Last week we went away and this week tinniegirl went back to work while I have another week off. It is a double edged sword for sure because at the moment I am working in a school on a casual basis and during school holidays, there is no work for me. I have attempted to get some other work, but so far, no good.

The challenge for me then is to relax and enjoy myself with the knowledge that I have no money coming in for these 2 weeks of lazing around, which is exactly what I have been doing.

I am using this gift of time to do some thinking about my future and I have been exploring some different ideas - this is what being out of work can lend itself to I've found.  have realised that I have been gifted with many things this year, even though it has been an incredibly difficult time! With a bit of distance it is always easier!

There are so many things I am grateful for

• My beautiful partner and her never ending support and love for me
• losing my job (in hindsight!)
• rediscovering my passion as far as work goes 
• time
• the special people in  my life

among others.

I am truly blessed to be able to enjoy the early spring weather we are having and so I practice gratitude.

(I LOVE this song and couldn't choose a set of lyrics so I have included all of them!)

I've got a roof over my head
I've got a warm place to sleep
Some nights I lie awake counting gifts
Instead of counting sheep

I've got a heart that can hold love
I've got a mind that can think
There may be times when I lose the light
And let my spirits sink
But I can't stay depressed
When I remember how I'm blessed

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful

In a city of strangers
I've got a family of friends
No matter what rocks and brambles fill the way
I know that they will stay in the end

I feel a hand holding my hand
It's not a hand you can see
But on the road to the promised land
This hand will shepherd me
Through delight and despair
Holding tight and always there

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful

It's not that I don't want a lot
Or hope for more, or dream of more
But giving thanks for what I've got
Makes me so much happier than keeping score

In a world that can bring pain
I will still take each chance
For I believe that whatever the terrain
Our feet can learn to dance
Whatever stone life may sling
We can moan or we can sing

Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful 

*Grateful - John Bucchino

Collecting You*- Blogtoberfest: de quatre jours

 I learned, just the other day, that I may be a collector! (Like they say you never stop learning!)

I would never have described myself as one, but for years I have been collecting things, and now I realise I may indeed be a collector!

I have enjoyed accumulating various items of a similar nature for years, but I had never actually thought of my things as collections until now. Tinniegirl recently gave me a beautiful book as an early birthday present ...

Which came in a beautiful tin ...

(Which may or may not form part of a collection of tins I may or may not have ...)

... and now I have a completely different view of what I have been doing all these years. Yes it seems I am a collector |kəˈlektər|, noun
a person or thing that collects something, in particular
• a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby

NOT to be confused with a hoarder |hôrd|, noun
a stock or store of money or valued objects, typically one that is secret or carefully guarded

It seems that blogging every day in October for Blogtoberfest may bring out some of my - what I now call - collections for your perusal.

If you read my blog you will know I love to read. What I have discovered is that along with that pastime, I may have been accumulating bookmarks. 

Stay tuned, you never know what else will pop up. I have discovered collections within collections within collections .... oh no when will it stop!!!!!

I collect my information then I stow it all away
Call me when you breeze through 

to your appointments
The work you do
Call me, 

I'm collecting you

*Collecting You - Indigo Girls

Life* - Blogtoberfest: de trois jours

There are times when we are reminded how short life is. For me, this is one of those times.
There is never a better time than RIGHT NOW to begin living the best life you can!

Sometimes living out your dreams,
Ain't as easy as it seems
You wanna fly around the world,
In a beautiful balloon

Life, oh life, oh life, oh life,
doo, doot doot dooo.
Life, oh life, oh life, oh life,
doo, doot dooo

*Life - Des'ree

First Cut is the Deepest* - Blogtoberfest: deux jours

Sometimes the simplest things make me so happy.

We bought new knives yesterday and I am stunned by how good they are, as well as how we put up with the old ones for so long! What a treat.

They make me extra keen to cook, which can't be a bad thing.

The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest 

*First Cut Is The Deepest - Rod Stewart 

Addendum: I was informed that my other template was not allowing comments, so I have reverted for now and will happily receive comments. Thanks for visiting.

Get The Party Started* - Blogtoberfest: le premier jour

 

I'm joining in with Blogtoberfest hosted by tinniegirl, who also happens to be in the above photo with me (lucky me!!)

The idea is to post every day in October.  

(It seems I'm off to a flying start as I hurry to get this post done before I head off to bed!!!!)

I can tell you now this will be a challenge, but I'm up for a challenge at the moment! Hopefully it wont be too bad as there are many things coming up this month. For one, it's birthday month for me, and I'm also looking forward to catching up with one of my dearest friends who I haven't see for ages, and I will hit my 100th post in a week or so. Assuming I don't use up all my news at once, I should be fine. I have been saving news also, so it should be an action packed month! I'm also counting the days in French - because I want to! Thanks for sharing this journey, I'm really looking forward to it.

  details are here if you want to play along.

I think one of my biggest challenges will be choosing songs as titles for my posts, which I have done all year. I think today's song is very appropriate given it's a Saturday and all. So let's ...

Get this party started on a saturday night
Everybody's waitin' for me to arrive
Sendin' out the message to all of my friends
We'll be lookin' flashy in my mercedes benz
I got lotsa style, got my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean

I'm comin' up so you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better get this party started

*Get The Party Started - Pink

The Book Of Love* - Part IX

37. Run For Your Life - James Patterson (and Michael Ledwidge)

Sourced from Google Images 

38. The Past and Other Lives - Maggie Joel

Sourced from Google Images 

39. The Hidden Child - Camilla Lackberg

Sourced from Google Images 

40. Trail of The Dead - Jon Evans

Sourced from Google Images

And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things

*The Book Of Love - Peter Gabriel

Antmusic*

The last 5 days have been spent largely unplugged.

We went away where there was no internet and no phone and it was lovely. 

We were going to take our music player with us, but we forgot that, so no music either. (We afforded ourselves one luxury and took our coffee machine)

There was lots of reading and walking and sleeping and eating. 
A lovely time to decompress and get ready for Blogtoberfest!

So Unplug the jukebox 

and do us all a favour

*Antmusic - Adam Ant