A Snippet of Life

  Luck isn't only about finance, money, winning, succeeding...I'm currently on a break from all that 'reality stuff' and I would consider myself as very lucky. Lucky to have the best people around me who give me love and support when needed, bring me many fits of laughter and good times, a bottle of wine or 10 when needed, and then help empty them to smack the people who need it!!! (I'm only joking I'm not a violent person) !!! and generally make my life amazing. I have that. The ability to call friends 'family' and family 'friends'...you could be the poorest person with zero qualifications but still so very lucky if you have the people in your life that I do. I'm off to Australia to see the best sights, go from winter to summer overnight and hopefully gain an AUSSIE accent!!! I mean how cool is the AUSSIE accent?!...Yet I am lucky enough to be able to say that despite all this, despite having the best experience of my life, I will think of a...

  English public transport is always an experience. Whatever time of day, no matter what type of people are in the same cabin, I always feel I'm shouting on the phone even if I'm uttering but a whisper! No matter how I'm feeling, in the happiest of moods, I always feel I look like the world is against me (probably the bored looks on everyone else's face rubbing off). And no matter how organised I am with my schedule, I always find myself sprinting for at least one of the trains.   But whilst travelling the other day to London, I found that trains can be eye openers, too. Think I'm weird? Listen up...   I was in a small cabin, with no more than 10 people with me...the announcement came that the train was about to depart and the doors were shutting. All was well until we found that our door was a 'wrongun' ! It shut half way, then clattered a bit, making a racket that could not be tolerated at 1 AM on a Saturday night, let alone 9 o'clock on a Sun...

  This is the phrase best used to describe me. Working at a small village shop, is where I show this trait the most. Knocking stock off of shelves, drinks falling from the fridge, putting hot drinks where the till opens and then wondering why they fell on the floor! Jamming the sugar jar so that I couldn't open it (nor could any of the strong men may I add), then feeling like a complete Don when opening it, to find sugar flying everywhere as I did so! Making too much coffee, "ooh ill have that", then 5 seconds later I've knocked it over, all over the papers (none of this has actually happened to me, of course...hmm) Even when I'm not at work there, I still make spillages outside having coffee!   This doesn't just stay at work either, shopping in town I will be the first to knock a display over, fall over the Christmas chocolates nicely stacked in the window, even fall INTO a basket of goods, I wouldn't put it past me! At a newly refurbished pub, openin...

  I watched a film today that at first is a story with a few jokes here and there and a happy ending, but in actual fact it has so many strong messages inside. It was based on a true story.   Two men. One from a bad background, brought up by his uncle and aunt since the age of 8, uncle dies, aunt has many children, none with the same father, just recently spent 6 months in prison for robbery, thrown out by aunt, you get this gist! The other, a very wealthy man, widower of his much loved wife, paralysed from the neck down due to a paragliding accident, needing constant care. Basically, two men in very similarly negative situations, but having  got to this position in very different ways, the first is the fault of the man himself and the second is simply a very unfortunate man with bad luck.   Of course the two men's paths meet! The ex-prisoner becomes the other poor man's carer, a bloody good one at that, and they get on like a house on fire. They ...

  So...our annual visit to the south west took off with a bang!! A predicted storm, of a larger scale than that of 1987, expected to hit us the following night, and mother is more terrified of a spider living in her bed sheets- but to be honest, he was a whopper! That situation shortly solved by the man of the house ( and with the help of me opening the door I'd like to add-BRAVE), I sat panicking about the position of our caravan right at the top of the hill, already tipping over the edge without the help of the storm. The mother remains surprisingly calm still, although she cannot find radio 2 on her radio! Heaven forbid, I think this may be the end...the storm continues growing bigger, caravan shaking and the windows almost caving in... OH MY GIDDY AUNT CARL HASN'T PUT HIS DUVET COVER IN HIS DUVET YET!!!! The panicked mother continues to stress...'but Mum, we are definitely going to blow over the cliff inside the caravan and it will not be fun' ...'we can't ...

I am no professional, but you really do not have to be, in order to capture this beautiful setting...

  Living in a village is the best thing. I am so lucky to wake up every day surrounded by pure, natural beauty. Beautiful views of the fields, the trees, the countryside. Friendly faces day by day, everyone knows your name, looks out for you, cares for you. Never a dull moment!! From old to young, I love them all. We have the shop, thriving with high spirits, constant custom, the hub of the village! There is the pub, newly refurbished and looking supreme. A warm, welcoming place to go and enjoy a nice, chilled glass of wine, the most delicious food, with company that you cannot beat! Then to the weekend and holiday house crawls, every one offering a large glass, it would be rude not to have that AS WELL! Not only are we a lively, happy warm and welcoming village, but a bunch of alcoholics, too ! (I'm only kidding- I really am! Classy classy)... The lovely school adding to the safe and friendly environment for children to grow up in and make us all proud- the list is endless!  ...

  Working in a village shop, I see every possible type of person that exists, trust me. You have the tight ones (IN/OUT), there are the simple ones, those who haven't quite grasped the art of conversation, the complete opposite who you cannot get rid of, the happy and positive ones, the completely off-the-wall negative ones, the absolutely lovely ones...and I could LITERALLY go on forever. But it is an interesting setting, and I do learn a lot about life in general...on a light hearted note, nothing too deep and completely life transforming, but still, valuable lessons. For example, I now know I'm definitely NOT going to turn miserable as I get older, and I am CERTAINLY NOT going to be a moaner, the type that complain over the matter of five pence, or notice that, that picture that was on the fridge is now on the shelf BESIDE the fridge, the most tiny insignificant detail - I AM GOING TO STAY YOUNG IN THE MIND!   Another thing that really gets me is the speed at which so many...

  Ah, the older generation! Don't you just love them? I tend to reignite my love for them whilst on public transport, mostly, as they brighten the journey because let's face it- who ENJOYS public transport? Nobody... Until Bill jumps on for his daily ride 'Ello Marg' he says to his pal from the next village, who also shares this daily journey, same time, every day. 'Alright darlin' ?! Ow ya doin' she replies in true Suffolk style!    Then there's the typical conversation of 'what you doing for the rest of the day?' 'Oh nothing now, I've done it all already!'...or the busier ones may be 'nipping to the shops'...or if they are really REALLY busy they may be going out for the day.  THEN there's the gossip...'haven't seen Greg on here lately, maybe he's taken a liking to that girl he met at Bingo last week' ... I just LOVE it- Dear old people, NEVER change.