SPC Tools Week 2. The Eyes

I had so much fun doing this challenge, but, it only fell into place last night at 10pm. I had used one of the tools listed on the site to create a picture, couldn't work out how to save it, so, I took a picture with my mobile phone of the screen. Then, I found out I could use so many different tools on my phone it is unbelievable!

I stuck to just using one, so I can use the rest for future weeks.

I adore this picture, I created it from nothing, and it looks so peaceful.

Apart from the cursor in the picture, d'ooohhhh!

I played around with it, and came up with these.







But my favourite is.......

It's stating the obvious, but I love it.

I hope you enjoyed my creations, using the simplest of tools. My phone.

You can see more Self Portrait Challenges here.

I had a visitor stay with me last night. Another family bereavement meant my Sister and her family made a trip to see us, and my 19 year old Niece stayed with me for the night. By the time we got home she was exhausted and went straight to bed. But having Take That, Robbie Williams, stage school and Drama training in common, made for lots of conversation this morning. She is carrying on with what I would have done had my health not interfered, and I wish her all the best. She is determined to fight hard to get the place she wants at University, and I'm sure her talent and determination will win her a place.

The Gentleman from work had forgotten the link to the blog, so I gave it to him yesterday. Don't forget to read last weeks! I wrote a whole post for you!

Life goes on, hubby is away and working too hard as always..

For now.......

Love and hugs

Whisky

xxxxx

A Year Older, But No Wiser & SPC Online Tools Week 1

My apologies for not blogging recently, things just seemed to hit me much harder than expected.

I slept a lot, as usual, on Friday, Saturday I was ok, due to a test drive in my soon to be new car, and having a pre birthday meal with Sis In Law, Mr Bleach and the two girls. I hadn't realised how much it had helped take my mind off things.

Sunday, my birthday, I got up after hearing the phone ring. I should have been in a jolly mood, after all it was my birthday. Hubby told me we were to expect visitors and I promptly burst into tears, crying and wailing that I didn't want to see anyone. I acted like a thirteen year old, not a thirty six year old.

An hour or so later I had calmed down, but I still didn't feel as if I wanted to see anyone, or celebrate my birthday after losing Pop. Visitors came and went in a bit of a blur. Cards and gifts received, as usual Clever Crafting Friend, and Navy Wifie have me down to a tee! A gorgeous chocolate bath set and (Holli will be soooooo jealous!), A lovely cupcake mug and coaster set, and pretty hair bobble, delivered in an adorable cupcake bag!!

We went for dinner at Mum and Dad's. I was at last allowed to drink as hubby volunteered to drive home. I only managed one glass of wine, but lots of Mum cooked food.

Home late, and then I realised, although it was Sunday here, it would soon be Monday in Australia, the day of Pop's funeral. I kept it together until I went to bed, then I had a little cry......realised that's not what Pop would want, and finally drifted off to sleep.

It's still hard to realise he isn't with us anymore. All I can do is treasure the memories, of him and Nan at my wedding. Their previous visits. The smell of Pop's rolled cigarettes that smelt so wonderful to me. And of course our trip over there three years ago at easter.

This weeks Self Portrait Challenge to me, although sticking to the rules of using online tools, is exactly how I feel right now.

It's the picture that I added to my site as soon as I created it. I used one of the tools as recommended on the site, and came up with this picture. I used a picture of me and turned it into a "Xanga cartoon character".

Looking at it now, although there is a recognisable smile there, there is still sadness in the big eyes it has given me.

It's almost as if the smile is hiding the sadness and the tears, exactly as I am right now. People at work keep asking if I am ok, I reply yes I'm fine and smile. But deep inside my heart is breaking.

So, the Tools for this weeks challenge have helped me show how my inner soul is feeling right now. After all the eyes are the view of the soul aren't they?

I pick up new car this weekend. No more ickle purple people eater for me :( It will be a bright red ka called "Dot". Right now it's the only thing that's keeping me happy.

I'll pull through like I always do, my friends have been there for me as always. They have listened to me talk and cry. They have supported me, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Normal transmission will resume shortly.

The smile will soon be back I promise.

For now

Hugs and love

Whisky

xxxxx

Pasta, Spinach and Pancakes

Yesterday at work I had my monthly review with Boss S. It, as always, went well. SHe seems really pleased with my progress, and my determination to gradually increase my hours. As from next week I will be doing two full days, and one half day. Then it's only one more step to my full working dream of three full days :)

Next week I have agreed to work Monday all day instead of Tuesday to help them out. There is loads of training going on, and it will leave them really stuck on the sales desk, so of course I obliged. They have been so good to me, I am willing to repay it with compromise :)

It started off slow, then geared up a bit. It seemed to be dragging then before I knew it, it was time to leave. I headed for my journey to French Friends house, confident of the way as hubby had talked me through the directions.

But......this is me, the woman who can't get from A to B unless she has had a test run. So, onto the never ending ring road, missed the turn off I needed, but didn't realise until three junctions later! Found an island, turned round, and was straight to her house :)

It was good to see her, and of course doggy Sammy :) She cooked me a gorgeous dinner of walnut and gorganzola pasta parcels with spinach in greek yoghurt and pesto. Followed of course by pancakes!!! Scrummy and and I was completely stuffed.

We sat and chatted about work and things, and then we did some readings with my Tarot cards. I don't follow strict diagrams for laying them out in pattersn etc. I shuffle them seven times myself, pass them to whoever wants the reading, ask them to shuffle themn then split them into three piles for past present and future. They seemed to be quite accurate! I don't embellish the cards or their meanings, I simply find the card in my book and read out the meaning stated there. That way I'm not making things up, I'm being completely honest to the cards and the vibes they are getting from the other person.

We also did some question readings. Think of a question and pick on card, and the same but split the pack into three again. We both did it, and the readings, I think, were spot on! But.....the cards did tell us when it was time to stop. They always do that. They can tell when they are being overused, or being used for too accurate an answer.

I have been bidding and watching on e bay for sooooo long for some Angel cards. I recieved some the other week, but they weren't what I wanted. I found the ones I wanted and got outbid every time! Until yesterday. A last minute bid, paid straight away, and they arived this morning! They are exactly what I was drawn too, and perfect! I can't wait to read them for myself this evening after I have dlivered my Avon.

Life is so busy for me now. Compared to twelve months ago, I am a completely different person, and in a good way. I have some strength and energy, but a vitality for life I had lost somewhere in amongst my hospital stays.

Hubby came home for one night last night. He looked exhausted, he has so many long drives this week bless him. He'll be back on Friday, and I will snuggle him, and rub his brow to help him sleep. I'll miss him until then.

Just a short post today.

My SPC didn't seem to go down too well yesterday? Someone even left a comment inferring I was breaking the rules by writing like a penguin. Surely all ideas thrown into the mix are interesting, even if they are a little profound! Ok, so I didn't take a picture of myself, I can't always do that with hubby not here, it would end up being the same picture over and over. But, yes I will try harder for whatever the next challenge is. Photography isn't my strong point, but my imagination is. SO if I use my imagination around a picture it's just my way of being involved.

I'll keep trying, I'll keep thinking.

For now

Love and hugs

Whisky

xxxxxx

SPC Black & White 4 - Penguin

I can live on the land, I procreate on land, lay my eggs on land, and raise my hatchlings on land. Yet, I am most at ease in the water.

On land I stumble around, my feet seem to get in my way, sometimes I lose my balance and then I end up in a heap on the floor.

From inside my enclosure I see the look of delight on the watchers faces. Adults holding children up high to catch a glimpse of me. Or children bending down low, their faces pressed to the glass leaving vapour trails from their breathing apparatus. For some strange reason they don't have flippers like me. They have these rounded things on the end of their legs. They all seem to have different colour rounded things. Some of them even totter around in a worst state than me on spiky multicolour rounded things. How strange?

They don't have wings like me? They have long protuberances with ten tiny things on the end of each one? They seem to feed themselves with these, fluff their fur, wipe their faces, scratch themselves like the monkey's, and the grossest thing ever.....the little humans even stick their protuberances up their breathing apparatus, come out with something and leave it on the glass! Now how disgusting is that? Don't these creatures have any manners?

I know my parent humans have manners. They come into our territory twice a day with a bright orange container full of.....Oh dear, I seem to be drooling at the thought of it! Full of fish. My friends, family and I go simply silly with glee. We waddle as fast as our flippers will allow, we band around our parent humans and call for food. Some of us that are able to even jump elegantly into the water and catch the fish they throw.

My favourite habit is to look as if I am going to catch it, miss it by a nanosecond, watch the fish fall to the bottom of our territorial water and gracefully glide down and pick it up. That way to me the fish seem alive as they should be.

Whenever I do this the humans, both adult and children alike seem to act like seals and bang their protuberances together to make the most awful racket! They show their teeth, at least thats what I think they are. They don't have beaks like us.

I've often wondered how these humans procreate. After all, it must be one big egg they lay to get those terrors they call Children. Speaking of which, my little ones are calling. They aren't yet black and white like me, with sleek feather which are waterproof. They are still grey and white, with fluffy feathers to keep them warm. I must save them a fish. Well I say save. I have to eat it of course and then regurgitate it to feed them with.

I wonder if that's what those mini humans do when they wipe their protuberances on the glass after sticking them up their breathing apparatus? Maybe it's excess food they don't require?

Well I for one don't fancy eating it.

I'd much rather be a penguin, so much more elegant.

I'd like to thank Aunty Whisky for translating for me. She says I may be featured on some web site called
Self Portrait Challenge? Oh I could be famous, I could be recognised around the world! Oh my flippers are itching at the thought of it, notice the extra wiggle in my rear as I walk away?

I'll hand back over to her now, as she tells me I have limited time to tell you things. Bye for now, and please don't leave behind your excess food......it's really annoying!

No I haven't flipped, I just wanted to do something completely different for this weeks SPC.

I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.

Love and hugs

Whisky and Pippa the Penguin


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SPC Week 2 - Black & White

For once I am prepared, organised. Thanks to the 4 inches of snow we had last week I have a multitude of ideas for this weeks Self Portrait Challenge, theme being Black and White. Last weeks post provoked quite a few comments, and made a few people think about an animals/dogs point of view.

This week, apart from anything else, I had soooo much fun preparing for and taking these pictures. It made me relive my youth, and for that I am grateful.

The day began with me driving to my parents house doing no more than 10 miles an hour, I don't understand some of the nutters that risk theirs, and other peoples lives by driving any faster than that in the blizzard conditions we had. I took my hubby's advice, drove slowly and in a higher gear than required, and used the gears to bring me to a stop, rather than risking a tail spin in my little car.

Mum and Dad had so much fresh untouched snow, that I just barged outside and decided to make a snowman for the three year old girl who lives next door to them. I did get some funny looks from them as I rolled it down my parents drive and into their back garden, but when I looked later it had been lovingly decorated :)

More of that later, let's get the SPC photo's on first!!

I finally realised that the snow in my back garden could be used as a tool, and not just something that looked nice. So.....using a garden candle I wrote this as one of my attempts.

Again I wrote the words "Black and White" in the snow.....using it as a canvas to express the idea.

Then I realised that none of my posts are complete without a .....

Snowy Hug!!

Footprints in the snow followed by.....

Handprints in the snow, or are they angel wings?

Just to prove how much snow fell.

The daffodils were confused?

and so was my garden mole!

My lovingly made snowman, now lovingly dressed :)

Only to find a few doors down.....

A friend of his had joined in the fun!

Even snowmen can be 2 faced!!!

or just have one face viewed at a time......

But what's this I see?! Uh Oh, looks like someone has been playing like the birds and the bee's

Where there was one, now there are two....nothing like a snowman cuddle :)

So, not only is snow a valued event of nature, it can entertain yet at the same time be dangerous, be fun, yet at the same time say something, and be cold but be made to be a warm hug.

I hope you liked the "Snow Show".

Hugs

Whisky

xxxxxx

SPC Weeks Black & White

I have racked my brains all week for this. And I just couldn't come up with anything. The camera we have is cr** at night shots. I tried all sorts to take some pictures of some amazing shadows being thrown into our conservatory by the moonlight, but they just didn't work.

Firstly, I hope that V and A don't mind me using Sammy the dog as this weeks focus. It's one of the few pictures I took of him during his last stay with us. Here's the reasoning for using his picture.

I don't think anyone knows for sure, but it is said that dogs only see in black and white. They use their other senses like smell and sound more than their eyes I guess, or the power of their eyesight doesn't require them to visualize in color.

So....imagine life from a dogs point of view. Firstly you could be at absolutely any height, from a yorkshire terrier to a great dane. Secondly you can smell another dog, or food from miles away, thirdly, noises can upset you or excite you depending on what they are. The sound of food rattling in your bowl can make you instantly drool, the sound of fireworks can scare the bejesus out of you.

But your view. You see familiar surroundings, the sofa, your food bowls, all in different shades of grey and black and white? Friendly faces, just features outlined. No blue eyes, or red hair. You recognise people mainly by scent.

The outside world, to us a lovely lush green field, brightly colored flowers, blossom on the tree's, white clouds against a brilliant blue sky. To you, is it all one color? can you define a tulip from a rose? A tree in autumn full of reds and golden oranges, do you see that as just grey leaves?

Maybe colors aren't important. Maybe you can tell what we are thinking by the expression on our faces, the tone of our voices?

We know that some animals see in colour, otherwise why would beautiful butterflies be able to camouflage themselves as leaves, or chameleons be able to disapear into their surroundings if they couldn't see in colour? Why would flowers be brightly colored if insects couldn't see the vivid reds and yellows.

Ohhhh. this post has left me totally confused, and probably has you as well. All I know is, that dogs are man's best friend, and maybe we should take a tip from them. Rely more on facial expressions than any other thing?

Hugs

Whisky

xxxxx

SPC B&W - Round Like A Circle In A Spiral

The challenge this week at Self Portrait Challenge is to express yourself in black and white. I thought about it all of last night, and only came up with one idea.

My life seems to follow a never ending circle. Healthy and happy, seriously ill or recuperating, and then back to healthy and happy. I have so many photographs of me looking skeletal, pale, horrible, but finally, I have some pictures of me looking reasonably well.

A lot of people have said to me lately that I look the best I ever have......if only they knew.

When I was seventeen, just engaged to hubby, I had the opportunity to "make it" as a singer. An agent had heard a demo tape my parents paid for me to have done in a recording studio, it was being copied in a sound studio, he heard it, and signed me immediately. He told me I could be the next Patsy Cline, he offered me talent shows, entering the Eurovision song contest, and a job singing on a cruise ship. He wanted me to sign on the dotted line there and then. My parents said it could be "my" chance, even soon to be hubby wanted me to go, even though it would have meant being away from everyone for months on end.

The only thing missing from my portfolio were pictures. So, my parents, yet again, out of the goodness of their own heart, paid for me to go to a studio and have some portraits done. I only have one of the originals left, and it happens to be black and white.



This picture represents me with a future, with health, with happiness and the thought of marrying the man I loved. I never took the chance to go on that cruise ship. The gulf war started, and the thought of being in the ocean scared the heck out of me. If I had gone, my disease would have taken a hold of me whilst I was on that ship, away from my family, friends and soon to be husband. Yes, maybe I did loose the only chance I had to make singing my career. But I gave it up for the people I love, and because of my illness.

At 32 hubby made my dream a reality. To visit my family in Australia. To spend some valued time with my Aunt and her husband, the cousins who were born when I was last there, or been born since, and my dear dear Pop. My disease was in full swing, but for that time I was in remission. I had three cherished weeks with my family in Australia, and they are memories I will never forget.

But even in this picture, you can see the shape of my face, gaunt, tired, my hair, cropped because I couldn't look after it at the length it was while I was ill. A precious photograph of me in a motel in Australia, dampened by my illness. (and also my attempt to turn it into black and white!).

Now, three years on, after eight operations, weeks in and out of hospital, two years and more off work, I look a little more like the old me. The hair is long and full, the smile is back, my face is fuller, and I have the cheeky glint in my eyes again.

(Black and white version)

(colour version).

I have come round in a complete circle. Like a spiral I keep fighting my way back up to the surface, up to the top. I will try my hardest to stay at the top.

Hugs galore

Whisky

xxxxxx

Self Portrait Challenge Week 4

Here goes for my second attempt, and hopefully this time, as I am doing a post straight after this one, I will get the link right!!

As I previously mentioned, one of my new years resolutions, was my daily skin care routine. Which I have been sticking to rigorously. Using my exfoiliating wipes on my face, neck and decollatage, and then using Nivea Creme as a moisturisor. So far I think the effects have been wonderful.

Week one of new skin regime.......



Week two of new skin regime.......



Week three of new skin regime.....




As you can see with pictures one and two, it took me some time to get rid of the pink stains on my hair, but by week three I am seeing a smoother skin, and less facial hair.

I have to add that although this is for the Self Portrait Challenge website, being shy, I wanted to add in a touch of my sense of humour.

I no I stand no chance of being one of the "pick of the weeks". But this is me trying to learn to be adventurous and artistic with the camera.

Hugs

Whisky

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Thumbs Down For Tesco Mobile!!!

After getting one of the guys at work to take the back off my phone, which I couldn't manage to do, I finally put in my new sim card only to find my phone was blocked! I had already phoned o2 to get the authorisation code to keep my old number and was ready to go apart from this.

I rang Tesco mobile and was told that to unlock my phone I had to top up with £30 first!!! I told him politely it was a comlete rip off as I would then have £30 pounds of credit to use plus 300 free texts and minutes. Bye bye Tesco.

So, this morning I did a simple google, unlock tesco phone. Paid £2.99 via Pay Pal, received a code for my phone, entered it, replaced the sim and voila!!! It worked. Wooooohooooooo! I'm up and running. I have just rung Virgin and given them the pac code, and should be transferred back to my old number within a week Yesssss. Normality will resume.

Firstly I text hubby on my new temporary number to let him know it was all sorted, then I text C to tell her to expect a phone call. In fact I have loads of minutes to spare so watch out for your phone ringing if you are in the uk!!

I'm due to see Clever Crafting Friend on Friday and I can't wait. It was only the week before Christmas that we saw each other last, and yes I did notice that she stirred my milky coffee at least a hundred times (wink wink, and thankyou). I'm sure she has plenty to tell me, but after yesterday I have plenty to tell her as well! But no CCF it's not to do with "whatever".

Work yesterday was mental, somethings went on that I can't discuss here, it started strange, and ended even stranger. The atmosphere was terrible. Not with all of us, but just......well just.

I have my appraisal today and I'm sure I will be told all I need to know. There was lots of whispering yesterday, and everytime I thought I could hear I started singing out loud. I don't do listening in on private conversations....it's just not me. At first I was worried that all of the goings on were linked to me, or the dreaded R word. Redundancies. But no, it was centred around someone else entirely.

Got home, had my milky coffee and filled in my Avon forms. Delivered books and orders, got home, oven on, and waited for hubby to ring. We had a long chat. After all I had lots to tell him. Poor chat, I bet he thinks I never stop talking!

I've had a good response to the Self Portrait Challenge, and I will try and put the "button" on the page as soon as I have a minute to spare. It seems the last two days have been spent sorting out sim cards, lost packages, and work.

Anyway.....I really must go, I'm ready to leave for work, but there's one e mail I must do before I go :)

Hugs galore

Boooooh to Tesco Mobile!!

Whisky

xxxxxx

Self Portrait Challenge - First Attempt

I've finally worked up the courage to enter the Self Portrait Challenge challenge.

I believe the theme for this week is New Years Resolutions, or New Year New You.

Well, one of the things I am working up the courage to do, is be myself more, and share my heart...... as shown in the picture above.

I took loads of pictures on my camera phone last night, but none of the resolutions on the pictures were good enough, so I dug out hubby's camera.

So......here goes for SPC 1.

Hugs

Whisky

xxxxxx