I was just uploading photo's of our latest band practice to Father Jack's blog and came across the following photo. This is the Cake of Awesomeness(TM)! My Twin and I created this masterpiece when she came to visit me last July. Blood, Sweat and indeed Tears (not literally, obviously) went into this fascinating creation!



This time next week I will be visiting her in Essex and I CANNOT WAIT to create something bigger and better!



All hail the Cake of Awesomeness!!!

Yes, I can admit it. I have an addiction. No, it's not drugs. It's worse than that. It makes me hyper and all buzzed up.

Yes, you've guessed it. It's RAINBOW DROPS!!! You know, the cool sugar coated maize and rice puffs. Man, they are ACE!! I bought some out of Somerfield the other day for a sense of nostalgia...and now i'm hooked! I've quit coffee and taken up Rainbow Drops!

Just so that ya'll know what i'm spraffin' on about, here's a wee pic (see how i'm incoporporating more photo's in my blog too...2 birds with one stone and all that!)



If you go to their website you get to watch a video of them being made! And sign up for competitions, etc. Hmmmm was a bit embarrasing though when i signed up for the newsletter (that's not the embarrassing bit!) and it asked me if I had my parent's consent to sign up!! Something not right there!

Anyhoo, must go annoy fellow colleagues with my hyperness now (i've had a full bag already and it's only 1030am!)

This is my cat. She is called Misty, and she is old! This is a picture of her most favourite position in my house. On the window sill, next to the radiator! Her usual stance is to lie with her front paw on the radiator with her body half hanging off the sill (as kindly demonstrated in the picture below). This unfortunately does not bode well sometimes when she underestimates the size of her v. the width of the sill and every so often you will hear her falling off onto the ground below. The cutest part about my fat cat lying on the sill with her paw on the radiator is that every so often she will raise said paw and shake it, as though to cool it down (like she's just realised it's actually burning), then she will place it tenderly back into her original position.

Misty the crazy fearless radiator loving cat is purr-less, which makes it considerably harder to know when she is happy or not, but I like to think that she has a constant smile on her face. Last Christmas, her buddy and partner in crime; Gemma (my pony sized golden retriever) passed onto doggy heaven. Misty took it hard. She no longer had anyone to tease, to chase, to spend her days with and it has taken its toll on the poor little soul. She is no longer the independent kitty that she once was and is more dependent on us humans now. This suits me fine since getting a hug from Misty is the best (apart from when she gets bored and decides to try to draw blood from you arms).

Misty Moments (her sunday name), long live your specialness.

Crazy cat.

There's been a lot of hype over the past 3 years (yes, I said years) regarding this weekend. As you may or may not know (if you don't then i'm appauled!) that Sunday is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Rabbie Burns. Scotland has been working up to this, making plans and marketing the idea of how big this landmark date is. Scotland will be celebrating his anniversary all year long.

The song that i've posted below, Caledonia, is a Scottish anthem. It was written by fellow Scot Dougie Maclean. Scotland is also known as Caledonia, and this song is all about being away from Scotland and missing it so much that he comes home. Funnily enough, the campaign for this year is called Homecoming! I remember singing it when I was a wee girl with my daddy and have grown up hearing it. It's as famous as our "national anthem" Flower of Scotland. If there's one song that makes me love Scotland more and gives me goosebumps, it's this song. It makes me so proud to be Scottish. At the moment Caledonia is being used as the trademark song for the Rabbie Burns campaign and famous scottish celebrities have signed up to sing on it, including Chris Hoy, Lulu and even Sir Sean Connery (who is a fellow Edinburger!).

Here's the original...




And here's the Homecoming Campaign....



Enjoy....go on, admit...you all wish you were a wee bit Scottish, don't you!?

Hmmm I had loads to write about earlier today when I was at work, but then I had two mega meetings that I had to go to, which took up the whole day so didn't have a chance to blog, therefore it's all gone straight out of my mind!

I've not been my usual perky self this week. I took a "funny" turn on Sunday whilst at church. My face went all spasmy and I couldn't move my mouth or anything. It was how I would imagine having a stroke would be like. Then, Monday I had a nose bleed, then again on Tuesday night. Wednesday I felt like death warmed up, real sluggish and feeling faint, so I went home from work early. Today I'm just knackered! Unfortunately for me, I picked the busiest week ever to not be well and i've been in and out of meetings all week. How is it that you go into a meeting with nothing on your "to-do list" and end up coming out of it with 2 or 3 pages worth! Honestly!!

Anyway, I had to get myself a new Ipod this week as my old one broke and there was no chance that I was going to go to Australia without any music to keep my occupied for the 29 hours that it's taking to get there!

So, if you've read my previous blogs you will know that I am in a band called Father Jack. Yes, some of you may know it as Hands up for Norris!, but we decided on Father Jack instead. I have set up a blog for FJ, the link for which can be found on the right hand side of this page. We will be updating it frequently and will aim to post pictures, clips and videos as we collect them. Feel free to check it out!

It's hard to explain how you feel inside sometimes. I mean *really* feel. Sometimes you can't quite get the words out, then you get all confused and they end up coming out all wrong so you either sound like nutcase or a stalker cos you've said too much and made things worse (usually alcohol is involved) or you've said too little and you sound like you're either depressed and emotional or you're bottling things up. Either way it's bad!

I'll not pretend to be anyone other than myself (I don't know how to!) - I'm the latter. I'm shy and reserved. I sit back, and unless I'm with close friends/family, I'd rather sit and listen to the conversations around me. I notice everything from body language to the rolling of eyes. To the hidden meanings behind sentences, even to the signs of pure boredom. If i'm not comfortable, chances are i'll be quiet; not wanting to draw attention to myself which is strange (even I can admit it!) considering I was a dancer and was willing to dance and sing in front of complete strangers! Perhaps is a confidence thing. Hmmm. Go figure!

Anyway, going off track here. Not entirely sure as to where my track was going, but I'll keep typing until I find it again! Sorry!

I don't know who reads this blog (apart from Jules!) so guess I can't let rip completely, so i'll keep it unpersonal!

I go to Australia in 6 weeks (not that i'm counting!) and although I'm only going for 2 months, i'm a bit nervous about it! i'm going to be travelling for 30 hours on my own, in different countries. Ok, so i've travelled on my own before, but only to the south of England, so that doesn't count! Hmmm perhaps that's not what worries me the most! I think it's that I have no expectations of what it's going to be like. I'm going to be incorporating a 3 week roadtrip around Oz with a friend of mine, who I have not spent time alone with before. We will be camping and sleeping on beaches, etc to keep costs down. Gosh, I can't believe i'm admitting this, and although i'm quite savvy to the ways of the world, I've never "roughed" it before! I've been camping in the south of France around 6 times (the last evidently supplying me with my first holiday romance - who I still have contact with!), but I don't think it's the same as really 'roughing' it. Don't get me wrong, I'm no girly girl and i'm sure i'll be fine, but I guess everyone thinks along those lines at some point! I guess this is where my new years resolutions will have to kick in! (see resolutions in an older posting). Hmm the good thing is that i'm not so proud that I can't admit my 'difficulties'. I'm getting better!

Right, I've really lost track of the main reason for this blog (which I can't remember anymore) so i'm just going with the random train of thoughts in my head haha!

I'm going to Essex in a couple of weeks! (If my work will give me the Friday off that is!) Yay!! I'm going to stay with my twin (not literally) Jules for a few days - I can't wait! We have a weird, yet special friendship. She's helped me through a huge pile of bad stuff and wouldn't know what to do without her! This is one friendship I'll never let go of! Haha - I sound a little gay there - she knows what I mean though.

My quote of the day - Conscience is the inner voice that warns us someone may be looking.

As some of you may know, I am now officially in a band! We didn't have a name until last night when we agreed on...yep...Father Jack! We had a good practice last night, and have set the 15th Feb for our recording session. Ultimately we are wanting to send out our demo to pubs/clubs initially to get us gigging. We're already sounding pretty awesome (even if I do say so myself!) and with a bit of tweaking we will completely rawk! Once I have a decent recording of our stuff, I may even allow you to hear something!

Right, best get some work done.

I've just been reading through some other blogs and I came across the following. It touched me so much that I thought I would share it...I think it says it all really.


When I say... "I am a Christian"...

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean living" I'm whispering "I was lost" Now I'm found and I'm forgiven.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say.... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say.... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I"m not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow.

I've had my investigator's cap on tonight (umm well for the past 2 and a half minutes) and it has come to my attention that my blogs are relatively boring compared to others. Mines are straight talking weird stuff and on others there is actually intelligent chat...with photos!!


What's that all about!? Do people just go around taking photo's of stuff just to put on their blogs? In a way i'm quite proud that i'm not that sad...yet!

Well folks...I have a new years resolution (a late one, ok!)...I vow to have at least one photo on my blog a week. Ok, pushing it too far. A month - that's more realistic!


Ok, i'm going to trawl through my pictures and find an interesting one for tonight's blog.

First off, Happy New Year!

I've not blogged in a while, perhaps I've just not had anything interesting to write about!

I'm sitting in my house just now, it's just after 1pm and i'm still not dressed. I've just gutted the house (as my mum is coming home today) and discovered that my cat (who is quite old now) must've been sitting on the window sill during the night and didn't quite make it to the floor to be sick. NIIIICE!! The sick was right down the radiator and splattered on the floor! Hahaha, I know what you're saying - thanks for sharing that with me Rho! Hehehe sharing is caring you know! Anyway, it's all cleared up now.

I'm listening to a compilation cd that I made up this morning. Keith Urban is on just now. He's the Country singer dude that's married to Nicole Kidman. Man, he is goooood! I know I am biast as I am a huge country fan, but really, you should listen to him.

My new year was quite quiet. I went to a church party in Gorebridge. The pews were emptied from the church and tables were put round the outside and so it was really good. It was mostly ceilidh dancing, but I didn't really get an opportunity to dance as it seemed I was permanent babysitter for my 7 month old nephew. I swear, I've had that much practice I could be a mother without any hassle. There was about 10 mins of "disco" dancing, which I managed to get up and boogie down to...was quite funny. Everyone was on the floor dancing (including the minister and his wife) and after a medley of Abba songs, YMCA came on, to which my sister, brother in law and I just looked at each other and burst out laughing saying, how innapropriate a song to be played in church! Was hilarious to see the WHOLE church doing the signs for YMCA and singing along at the top of their lungs. Really made my night I have to say!

I have decided to make only 1 resolution this year, which I'm hoping I'll keep. That is, to be less of a procrastinator and more of a "do it now" girl. Also, to have more confidence in myself to know that I can take chances and risk things, even when I don't know what the outcome is going to be. If I don't do it, then I'll never know. Less fear, more courage. That's going to be my 2009 motto! To rely on nobody to make my decisions for me, to know that I am capable of so more more than what I assume I can do. So, umm...actually that's quite a few resolutions there. Ooops!

Right i'm going to go and watch some Stevie. Laters!