Equality for women? Undervalued Mums?

Another Friday! Where does the time go? I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Easter and had the lovely weather which we had in Lancashire.... It was so spring like!  In fact so spring like, it inspired me to draw and paint this little creature!

 She is unfinished as yet.............!

Of those of us who are Mums, is there anyone who feels like society undervalues the role of Motherhood?  Out of the Mums who go out to work, I wonder how many of them actually feel that time has moved on in the way it is claimed to have done?  Have we women really got the equality that we have been told we have?

Too often the truth is, that, yes women now have the opportunity to study and achieve jobs that they could have only dreamed of years ago, but it seems to me that a high percentage of women who now work full time are still also carrying out all the 'traditional' chores that they always have done! Ok, a lot of men do help out more, and spend more time with the children, etc., still it would appear that women are multi-tasking big time these days! In fact, what fantastic multi-taskers we women are! I only have to read all the wonderful blogs out there to see what mammoth acheivements are under our noses everyday! Working, selling, crafting, baking, bringing up a new generation...... the list is so long!

Not one of mine!   Sourced from the internet

Some women who work are reported to be suffering a great deal of stress, and can feel guilty that they can not spend more time with their children. Other women who are stay at home Mums often say that they feel under-valued. I know that when I was bringing up the children at home all day, when I did venture out to some adult occasion, one of the first question I was always asked was " and what do you do?" Once I had replied that I was a housewife and looked after children all day, more often than not, they were visibally unimpressed, and could barely stop themselves from yawning!

 OOOH, what do you do? I stay at home and look after the children.......

My sister- in-law agreed with me, telling me that she felt like people suspected that she must be the most uninteresting person in the world. Believe me, she is not, and never will be!  Why is such importance put on title and salary, and why does someone have to be making money to be considered worthwhile to others? After all even Mums who don't go out to work are still working...hard!

 Sourced from the internet!

Besides being very hard work, bringing up children, in my opinion, whether you work or not, is the most important and rewarding job you could possibly do, so why is it not regarded more highly. What could be more wonderful than nurturing a tiny child into an adult, giving them as good an experience as we can, making sure that they have a childhood to look back on with warmth. I have mentioned before, but George and I adopted our three children, and from the start, due their ages and other issues, the social worker preferred me to be a stay at home Mum, so that is what I did. I enjoyed all the domesticity and cosiness of home, but I do understand that not all of us are the same. Some women love their jobs, and others go to work through necessity. A lot of women work these days, perhaps most,  so taking into the consideration the fact that a lot of women do go out to work.............

.................What about the media?  Why are we still being bombarded with adverts on the TV which  show women dusting, and hoovering, and carrying out all the 'traditional' domesticated tasks.   Why not men?  Little girls are still bombarded by the media with images of domesticity,  and boys still with guns, fighting and action!

In my first marriage, I had no children but worked full time, and yet I was still expected to wash, iron, cook, clean, shop, etc. One of the things that would really grate on me was that although we both worked full time, and on occasion, I often worked longer hours, It was I who had to tend to the household management and when things were not done, eyes did not look toward my husband as the rather shabby housekeeper,  oh no! They looked towards me! His Mother would have looked down on me, but my Mother would have encouraged me to go on strike!

                                                How True!.......................................................

He could always get away with lolling inert on the sofa! Have things really changed that much since I wonder? I would like to say yes, but have they?  What do you think? Some men now really do take on a more hands on approach to the children and home.... but how many stragglers are there still out there? Quite a few I suspect! For the women who have a straggler in their lives and who also work, they now have more workload than their pre-women's movement ladies! As they now have a full-time job too, as well as all those chores! Yes, we do now have labour saving devices, but even so ! .........

One of my stitcheries

Whatever we choose to do, or have no choice, work, stay at home or a mix of the two, society should value our mothers so much more!  I really should have posted this for Mother's Day!

Before I go again, I would like to thank Tracey, my lovely friend and partner in laughing out loud at what life throws us for this very  happily recieved award!

I am supposed to tell you all  seven things about me that you may not already know. Hmmmm, there are some, but I think I will not! Ha ha!

 Ok then!
1:  I still suck my thumb! Yup!
2:  I am double-jointed and can get in a lotus position, but these days... I may not get out of it again!
3: My wolf whistles, which I learnt from the boy next door when I was 14, can echo for what seems like miles across hill and dale.
4: I like eating left over takeaway curry for breakfast... Oh yes, I do.
5: When I was little I wanted a monkey as a pet so much that I made up a story to my Mum, that the man next door had one... and she told everybody that he had. Then I had to go and tell them all that he did not!
6: When I was little I used to make friends with children who nobody wanted to be friends with. One little girl smelled so bad, but I persevered and tryed to pretend I couldn't smell anything! But it was awful! It was dire! But I wanted her to feel loved, so I sat listening to her and trying not to inhale!
7: I am actually a real loner, and can go for long periods of time without seeking out any ones company at all, but heres the twist... I am a really friendly person and love people! I even suspect that there are people who have known me for years who don't  realise I could actually become a real recluse or hermit, and be happy!

Here are my nominees! I really almost didn't choose anyone as I find it so hard! I don't like to at all!

The Girl
Mummy mad
Valerie
Dee
MMB
Jacqueline


And everyone else too..Please take this award!

Also a big thank you to my lovely, and caring friend Jacqueline who has dedicated this lovely post to me! All about the fight to survive the dreadful disease that breast cancer is. Thank you  so much, you are such a warm and beautiful soul!

Anyway all you lovelies, have a wonderful and happy weekend, and I shall be catching up with you as soon as I can do! 

Lots of love  Suzie xxx

April Fool! And a happy Easter you you all!

Hello everybody!

How the devil are you all chaps?  Well and happy I hope!   Its Friday! Gosh How did that happen! No I am just April fooling... I know you are not all chaps, and this is not Friday!  Yes, this is thursday.... due to the holidays and other plans and obligations I shall be occupied with many goings on over the break, so if you don't hear from me, please don't think I have forgotten you. You are all always in my thoughts!

 A spring time stitchery, with one of my handmade buttons. And yes I really do believe that there are fairies at the bottom of my garden!

                                I love making the table spring like and cheery for Easter time!

Can you believe it is Easter already!??? 

Well it is April Fool's Day today isn't it?  Have any of you been playing Tricks on anybody?  I can be a bit of a practical joker at times... Once I dressed up an artist easel, complete with face, wig, boots, and even wavering fingers, and placed it behind My Mother's bedroom door, ready for her to come in from my Aunts in the evening. It had taken me all evening creating my fiend, I whiled away the hours humming to myself like an insane frankinstein, while occasionally giving out a little chuckle!  I kept giving it practice runs by pretending to be the 'victim' and rushing in to the bedroom to see the ghostly face and the fluttering fingers emerge from the darkness. By the time she came home, I couldn't attend the 'show' because I was on my bed in a helpless fit of hysterical giggles! .....When she finally got up from her bed, after recovering from the shock, she did see the funny side of my antics!

Carrying on from last weeks post, the next day after my operation ( when I was just about coming around) was April fools day, and looking at poor George's despairing face by my bed, (his body was actually there too!)  I decided to try to bring some humour into the situation (it was hard though!)... I said, after he had tryed to cheer me up by telling me of an April fools played at work, "well, I have had a right old one played on me this year"  "What??  what was it?"  he asked looking slightly confused.... "Well!"   I said ......."someone has nicked me boob!" His face brightened quickly, and the awkwardness of the situtaion was lifted, as he realised that I was still my daft old self! I was thinking of him really, because he must have felt so useless and helpless, and obviously didn't know how to, or whether to talk about the whole hideous affair! I couldn't bear to see him so lost and worried about me! I have always used humour to deal with lifes traumas, and when I stop you all have my permission to hunt me down and shoot me! I now am reconstructed, and secretly give myself the nickname of patchwork Frankie, as I am a mass of scars... my proud war wounds!  (Frankie after my creator.. Frankinstein, and patchwork I think is quite apt and actually rather amusing... as the stitcher has been stitched!)

                                 One of my stitcheries with alittle bit of Patchwork Frankie thrown into the mix!

Anyway folks, I really have been mad busy, what with Aunty Chaos (oops, sorry! But honestly, she really is!), home and my secret project! What will you all be up to at Easter? Rolling eggs? Flying a kite maybe? Hmmmm.......

Whatever you may all be doing... I wish you all a lovely Easter.

                                                  Awhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! !!!!!!!

Good egg!  Love and blessings to you all! Suzie xxx

My 6th birthday in my second life! Springing in!

Hello to all of you, my friends!

Spring is here at last. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! It makes me want to re-decorate the house and air out all the rooms.  Pretty up the surroundings!  Oh how I would love a bit of this!

                                A beautiful Cath Kidston Spring bedroom....yummy girls!

Doesn't it just fill our hearts up with hope and cheer when we see the beautiful bright bobbing heads of daffodils? Every spring I love filling the house with them. They bring a certain life to each room, and sunshine each day.

Now I don't know about you, but It just isn't the start of spring at all until I have held a daffodil up and said into its bewildered bloom...."Calling all cars, calling all cars"  Hee hee! Yes, I do. I do it every year! Poor George!

Well it is now six years since my breast cancer diagnosis!  And the start of my second life! Hey hey, its good to give myself two birthdays!  I had my biopsy on the 9th March and my first operation (a masectomy) on the 31st of March 2004. In fact, I got out of hospital just in time for Easter, and still remember the mix of fear (I hadn't got my pathology report back yet) and pure wonder at the way everything was painted more brightly, scents were keener, the breezes softer.

Many hours were spent while recovering from my op, and then going almost straight onto the chemotherapy (4 weeks after my op) watching the birds going about their busy days and reflecting on life and the importance of being in the moment.  I sat gazing out onto the garden from my armchair, wondering how I had never noticed before... so vividly, so real, so intensely.... just how beautiful this world is! Of course I thought I did  know. But I wasn't really awake! But I woke up fully that Easter! I found the beauty almost unbearable, it was so intense.

I wanted to hold it all in my eyes , my heart, my soul, I never wanted to let it go,  I did not want to leave this earth so young (just turned 46 then). My heart ached at the thought of leaving my loved ones, friends and such beauty, and even all the long term problems that I had had before the diagnosis, somehow now didn't seem all that bad! I just wanted to live!  I ached for life.

This is the blessing, the gift that I was given. Because from that day to this, I have never forgotten how lucky I am to still be here. To be here to enjoy another spring, another Easter.

                                       sourced from the internet!

I had such pain, mentally and physically back then, but such joy too!  So spring and Easter mean so much to me! Spring... a time of renewal, new starts, energy and hope! That is when my second life began!

All these photos of the churchyard were taken by me on Wednesday in Poulton le fylde, On a rainy spring day. Usually the flowering is much more profuse, it is a little sparce this year. People travel here every year to take photos, it is such a gorgeous display (photos not doing justice) and they buy postcards which are for sale in St. Chads church (where my Mum's funeral was, and where I was married to my first husband in 1978!)

I am looking forward to Easter!

                                            sourced from internet

These look like they could be full of good ideas for Easter......

Bright and cheerful, cosy and welcoming, Cath Kidston again..... slurp! Sheer eye candy!

Now a thank you to the very lovely Martha who you can visit here, please do go and see her! She sent me this gorgeous little owl pin and card all the way from America! Thank you so much Martha, you are a star!

Lovely isn't it?

Anyhow, I must dash (to bed!) I have taken to posting my posts after midnight on Friday, but yet it still says that I have posted on Thursday!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Lots of love Suzie xxx

I forget to pray for the angels, and then the angels forget to pray for us...

Happy Friday! (again date says thursday, but its Friday morning after midnight)

Do you ever get the feeling that you sometimes get a little helping hand from somewhere? Some may believe it is from Angels, some feel it is from God, others from the universe, or from the source... Others may believe that it is just from coincidence or chance.  I think anyone who knows me well enough by now, from reading my ramblings, will probably be pretty sure which side of the fence I am sitting on!  I feel that there is always someone or something looking out for you!

 A glimpse of one of my stitcheries with a handmade button, which I made from fimo clay. It is good fun making buttons!

Yup! I believe ( by choice and by experience too) that there are forces at work behind the scenes, which we can only imagine. I say choose, because, lets face it, it is so much more exciting that way. Well, to me it is! Also, through life I have had way too many experiences which to me have shown that there is more to it all than just what we can see in front of us with our two earthly eyes!

My title today comes from Leonard Cohen's wonderful song, So Long Marianne. ( I adore him!)  Some think him depressing. Not so, to me he writes the most deep and beautiful poetry and sets it to music. In fact, I see the humour in it, which many overlook. He is brilliant, and I am sad that I have not managed to see him in concert yet.

What do we do when, by whatever reason, we are given a helping hand from out of the blue? Well I know what I do! I say thank you! Out loud sometimes!  Just imagine for a moment, if the coincidences and the synchronisities of our lives were really, really, actually something else, something magical? Wouldn't it be rather rude of us not to say a big thanks? If we forget our Angels ( or the forces of nature, God, etc.) then they may just decide to take the day off!

 One of my Angel Angst stitchery designs.... Angels need some care and attention too!

It sometimes is an eerily strange experience that may happen, and we may feel a strong sense of wonder at how such a thing could be. On the other hand it could be much more subtle, and it would rely on us to be much more observant. For instance, as I am writing this, I stopped to pour myself a cup of tea, and the bubbles on the top of the tea formed an absolutely perfect heart! What a shame I didn't have my camera to hand to show you all! So I found this picture on the internet to illustrate my point!

In fact, Not long ago, when I was feeling a bit down, I seemed to see hearts all over the place!  Is it grasping at straws?  I don't 'feel' it is.  Some times we get signs.... When we were buying our home, I kept seeing things to do with owls, and everytime the sale was going well (it dragged on!) owls kept popping up. We thought we had lost it for the 3rd time, and I had all but resigned myself to forget the house all together. But, one night I dreamt about the large tree in the front garden.

 Mr. Owl Tree!

 In the dream it was in the park across the road from where we lived then, and it kept coming closer and closer. when It was very close, I could see about 6 owls sat in the tree looking at me! That is why our home is called Owl Tree Cottage! The next day, we got a viewer and then another offer and moved soon after.  Just another coincidence?

Yes I say thank you out loud, and I also salute magpies! Poor George, what does he live with? And speaking of magpies.........

Sometimes we may be helped by being given a warning. I am a little superstitious for some reason, when it comes to magpies, well why take a chance?! So I do salute them. I think one is unlucky (sorrow) , 2 for joy, etc.

So when I saw a single very dead magpie lying in the middle of my lawn, I was not feeling happy, it made me very unsettled. Put that together with a horrible dream which George, the next night,  had had about someone stabbing me in the chest (left side), I began to worry that something was afoot. Maybe that was why, shortly after a few more strange 'signs' (?), I examined myself thoroughly in the bath..... and found the lump in my left breast. Another coincidence? A series of events, which maybe in the singular I would have ignored, but in the plural pushed me to feel that something was amiss, that needed my urgent attention.

I could actually write pages on some very strange events and experiences... but thankfully for you all... I won't!

SO! That is why I always remember to say thank you. We don't like to be taken for granted after all, do we? 

This week I have been to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D......I loved it! Some have said that it is too dark a story, but lets face it, the original story was a dark tale, so this is a follow on from there with a Tim Burton treatment, which I thought has worked very well indeed..

I have been drawing again this week too, practising for a project, which I shall divulge at a later date, if it all goes well. A sudden and unexpected opportunty has arisen, and I have decided for once in my life, to not think, but just do! If I think, I will bolt off like a frightened rabbit! When I was made, they forgot to fill the confidence container! That, is why again, I have not attended to blogland as much as I would like too at the moment. Here is a practice doodle/ painted thingy (not related, just messing!) I often draw, but I haven't picked up a paint brush for a long, long time! So I rustily and gingerly had a quick dabble.  They are not finished yet either!

Kitty M at Dolliedaydreams is hosting a lovely cheery Easter giveaway. Please pop along to visit her!

Anyway folks, have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to shout out thank you very loudly if you feel like you have been helped in some way!

Love to you all Suzie xxx

Off Yer Trolley!

Hello dear friends,

And how does this lovely Friday find you all? It may say Thursday on the date, but it is now 1.08 am on Friday!  Have you all had a fruitful and productive week? I often think of you all, all  friends I know here in blogland,  all the readers of my blog, some just passing through... what lives you lead, what books you read, all the things you do,  and what wonderful mixture of events, memories and loves that makes each one of you so unique!  I think of you all with each word I write and thank you all for visiting me.  You make me feel all happy inside!

                                                       HAPPY!

 Thank you too for all your lovely warm and kind words about my Dad's cousin too! I really appreciate you kindness and concern. I loved hearing your funny comments too, you have made me laugh out loud! And I absolutely love laughing out loud, it is the best tonic! :)

What have I been doing this week? Well I have been busy as usual, but actually don't seem to be getting far!   I have been considering what to do with this gorgeous Cath Kidston fabric. What do think?

 On the design front I have been working on a couple of new stitcheries, but I am not ready to show them just yet!
On the home front, I have made another pair of curtains for my workroom, an inspirational pair, to remind me of why I sit in that room in the first place! here they are....  Do you like?

 Please excuse the miserably weeping window! Not very pretty is it!??

On a relaxing front (whats that then?) ha ha, this is the book I am trying to read at the moment. I have started the first few pages several times now, over the last few weeks, as I spend so long between picking the book up again, that I feel I need to start again! I will let you know what I think of it when I finally get it read! I haven't seen the film yet.  I love something a bit deep, and I feel that although it most certainly will be harrowing, it will nevertheless be an enriching experience.

What do you all do to relax? I love sudoku, crosswords, (and of course crafting!, goes without saying!) and now promise you won't laugh,  I love video games, yes I do! Especially the ones in which there is plenty of puzzle solving. I also love the Sims, because I like building houses, furnishing and decorating them and giving the families daft names!  You can go mad decorating, as you can change all the patterns and colours!

 Pictures sourced from the internet.

I can't cope at all with games which are against the clock,or fighting/action ones, as I get in a complete state, and my heart starts to race! You should have seen me trying to play Tomb raider, every one in the room was in hysterics as I shouted at Lara Croft for running wildly around in circles when there was a predator after her! I just could not co-ordinate ....... I was in such an agitated state!

Now then! Shall I give you all one last funny tale? Shall I? One more George story, and this one too, displays what a wonderfully well humoured man he is!  Oh, ok, you have twisted my arm, here goes....

George you are so amusing sometimes!  He loves playing tricks on me!  He once lifted me up in a supermarket car-park and plonked me in a shopping trolley! Oh yes he did, and then he walked off and left me there, with my legs hanging out over the front.   Could I get out...no!   The more I tryed the more the trolley moved about, and the more I struggled the more I began to laugh, I was dangerously teetering on hysterial giggling!

What I must have looked like to the other bewildered shoppers, (who, by the way, were giving me a rather wide birth!)   probably thinking that I had put myself there, and was now laughing like a complete loon on my own! (George had very kindly removed himself to another part of the car park, enjoying the spectacle from afar)   You know that giddy panicky giggly feeling..... yes thats the one!  Eventually, after enjoying himself immensely, he took pity on me and came to lift me out!  He has a bad back these days, so thankfully he hasn't been able to do such a thing again! Or is that sad, that he hasn't?  It is a memory I treasure, because although a tad embarassing at the time, it was also an absolutely silly and childish experience. And isn't a lovely thing sometimes to act carefree and unhindered,  to feel like a giddy child again.  Just to be silly for the sake of being silly!  Wonderful!!!

Now, before I go for another week, I would like to thank  RosieP at Roses and Peonies and Emma at Em's Shabby Shack for giving me one each of this lovely award! Thank you so much RosieP and Emma! You are so kind to have thought of me! I am going to award this award to all of you who read my blog as a thank you for your friendship! Take it with you please!

Also the very lovely martha at Martha's Favorites has told me she has found an owl pin and is sending it to me! Isn't that kind of her. I will let you all see it when it gets here! Thank you Martha!

Look what has arrived in the post everyone! I have been the very lucky winner of this wonderful giveaway from the immensely talented and creative Corinne Phillips, Aren't these brooches just magical! I hope my photographs could really catch the beauty in each of these pieces of art! The fairys even have little necklaces and accessories! And each has a little description! Corinne I am just bowled over by them... I love each one, you are fab! Thank you so much! Please go and visit her! 

Right then, that is all for another week! One more thing though.....Hello Lynne! If you are reading this week, then HELLOOOOO!

Have a lovely sunny (I hope!) weekend!  Love and laughter to you all!

Suzie xxx

Happy Friday! The Ides of March! George is happy to give out free smiles!

Happy Friday!

Another week flown by! Make that another month! March has marched in with the promise of spring, how wonderful is that? Very!

 The eyes of March! ha ha, Oh ok, the ides of March!  Hey, I get the feeling that we are being watched!  I don't always do cuties you know, and maybe this one is a little strange- just one of my mind doodles! This drawing demonstrates my love of eyes! The mirror to the soul! Every time I draw I always start with the eyes, a darn good place to start I think.

This week has been hectic, as I have been helping my Dad's cousin after her hip operation. we have had to get her from hospital and doing shopping etc.,  so I have not had much time to get on with anything else really.  We did manage to go to the pictures on wednesday evening to see Avatar in 3D,  using the Orange wednesday offer of 2 tickets for the price of one.  I loved it! It was a feast for the eyes... beautiful special effects, a wonderful fantasy of other worlds. Unashamed escapist fantasy and just what I needed this week!

Also, a reminder of how mankind seeks out to destroy anything that it does not understand, .... through ignorance, fear, power, greed or religion! I found myself starting (a little bit too loudly!) to protest at the screen in front of me at the cruelty and injustice of the treatment of these soulful and spiritual indigenous people, George had to jab me in the ribs and remind me that I was not at home! I was getting quite involved and emotional for their plight, which although of course is just a film, I was reminded of the terrible atrocities which mankind has committed on their fellow men, the abuse of others cultures, beliefs, customs and rights.

I am now looking forward to watching the wonderful, multi-talented Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland. I can't wait!

Now for something completely different! Ta dah!.........

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF GEORGE!

Now, remember no George has been harmed in the making of this production! (I still have his permission!)

Are we all sitting comfortably? Then I will begin....

A few years ago while we were away on holiday in Herefordshire, after an afternoon of driving to various beautyspots, we stopped off at a petrol station. George got out of the car and as you do at petrol stations, filled the tank. He then went into the garage to pay. Where is he? Ahh here is is now! Tom and I watched him walk towards our car, and then veer off in another direction. Tom looked a bit puzzled and asked me where the heck he was going? We both watched in amazement as he went towards a car which was a similar colour and style. What?!!!...... He got in the car, tryed to put the key in the ignition, shook his head, looked at the keys, tryed again. You could see the confusion on his face... why won't my keys work. We saw him lift his head slightly to look in the rear view mirror, and saw the look of horror on his face as he looked at the two bewildered children sat in the back seat looking at him!

By this time, Tom was crying with laughter, so was I, it was like watching something from the wonderful One foot in the grave. George had turned into Mr. Meldrew! What was really hysterical though was how casually he got out of the car, like it was the most normal situation in the world, and how he strolled (maintaining a casual stance) back to our car and got in, put the keys in the ignition, drove out of the garage and stopped a little further up the road to regain his decorum! Obviously, he was a more than a little skaken, as like he said, what if the driver and parent of the children had come out of the garage sooner and seen him apparently abducting their children!

I am afraid that neither Tom nor I were any comfort to him, as we were still in fits of giggles, even though it was a little scary too, as it did not look too good at all!  But everytime we thought about it or the subject came up again, we collapsed into fits of laughter.  Poor George never did live that one down!   he said when he looked into the mirror and saw the children, it took a minute for his brain to register that they were not the right children!  Or that they weren't those ages either! You would have thought he would  remember what our children looked like!

                                                        Our children, many moons ago!

Coming soon  ... (next week.)....at a blog near you..... George and the curious incident of the shopping trolley!

Hey everybody pop over to see Theresa at Faery Moon Creations, she is hosting  a wonderful Alice giveaway! Its Fab!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! What will you all be doing I wonder?

Love from Suzie. xxx