End of the month tag - November

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?    I have read 'The Book Thief' this month - In honour of  'Remembrance Day'...I have read a LOT of magazines this month too - Lloyd brought me home Redbook, I also read Creating Keepsakes, People, Avenue, Edmonton Woman, Ladies Home Journal.....I read a few non-fiction books too!!! 

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?  The Proposal, New Moon  Santa Buddies, there are probably more but I can't think of them......I did watch the last Jon and Kate ;)  

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?  Celebration of Lights, Daves party to celebrate his Doctorate,  Kidz Quarterz with the homeschool group, Dinner out with the girls at Montanas :)  Cinema with Lloyd, endless date nights, family dinner by candlelight, Festival of trees.....hike at Elk Island Park and geo-caching on Remembrance day......family movie nights.....family dinner at Swiss Chalet....

What gifts did I give and/ or receive?   I spent the entire month choosing gifts for family and friends - I have had great fun selecting things I think the recipient will love!  I am all set for Christmas so that I can focus on my JYC class - although I daresay December won't be gift-buying free!!  I received wonderful gifts from Sharon and Stacey - as well as the gift of their time - and the others who came out for my girls night out!!!

What special or unusual purchases did I make?     We bought a new Christmas tree - and I added to my collection of tree ornaments and Christmas decor.  

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?  None really although coming off my meds meant I had mega migraines - definitely going back on them!!!

What were my accomplishments this month?  I took part in Shimelles 'Blogging for Scrapbookers' class.  I signed up for two other classes.

What were my disappointments this month?  I was very disappointed with SAIT and ended up cancelling my course with them.  Considering they are an 'Institute of Technology', their 'computer fundamentals' class is not Mac friendly!  I can't believe they would have a computing class that can not be completed with a Mac - and even if I missed out the first two windows-based modules and did the rest of the class on my Mac, they wouldn't let me take my exam on a mac!!!  My Tutor was totally useless and couldn't even answer basic questuions about this issue.  I ended up cancelling the course and this means I can't do the other classes that I REALLY wanted to do, because computer fundamentals is the pre-req course :(  Poo on YOU SAIT!!!

Anything else noteworthy to include?  Lloyd had time off in November and that was LOVELY....we are both excited about CHristmas - he was keen to buy the new tree and help decorate YESTERDAY - it's not even December yet!!!  :)  It has been a wonderfully close time with my gorgeous husband :)  I miss him terribly when he is at work.  

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Tomorrow is December 1st!!!  Can you believe how FAST this year has gone????  :(

Tomorrow is also day one of Journal Your Christmas  and I can't WAIT to begin :)  My album is all set to go and I have my box of supplies at the ready!!  If you haven't signed up for this class then DO IT NOW!! It is wonderful already!  I thoroughly enjoyed Shimelles last class 'Blogging for Scrapbookers' and am still learning so much from it!  The chat continues in the forums for both these classes which is soooo great :)

Tomorrow I also start Ali Edwards December Daily which I am tying in to JYC.  I am sooo looking forward to capturing our Christmas in a mini album!!  :)

Come and join us!!!

New Moon....

On Saturday we went to see New Moon at last! After last years 'first night' experience, we 
decided to leave it a week or so before going to see it - to avoid the crowds and screaming 
teens ;)


There was a bit of an 'Oooooooh' over a half naked Jacob, but apart from that there was no 
screaming like last time!


All in all I REALLY enjoyed this movie - sooooooo much better than the first one - you could 
tell more money had been spent and more time had been taken to make it a GOOD movie!  
New Moon was also my favourite book :)


Lloyd really enjoyed it and had a lot of questions about the two last books having seen this
film! He likes the first movie too which we have on dvd (I know I said I'd never buy it lol but I 
gave in hahaha). In fact after watching Twilight on Sunday he said he would have liked to 
see New Moon AGAIN!! :)


This weekend we also watched 'Crossing Over' again......and 'Firewall' again....and we watched 'The Proposal' too :) Lots of relaxing with movies over the last few days!!!


ETA: Stupid blogger is playing up with the editing on my posts again so words are split between lines and there are big gaps between paragraphs no matter what I do :(

Scenes from my window today....

Poole's Christmas tree - very safe :)

Check out this Christmas tree!!  It's actually in the town close to where my Sister lives in England (I think she is classed as Bournemouth now and not Poole where she did live.....)

I saw this on Free Range Kids and I also think it's ridiculous and that the world gets stupider every day!!!

Karen if you are still reading my blog, I think you should send us a picture of you next to the tree :)

17 Again!!

I'm not part of the official '17 again' blog train today, but I thought it was a fab idea!!  You have to write about your life at 17!!  Then post a picture of yourself at that age!!  So here goes, this is ME at 17 :)  


The year is: 1989


My hair colour is: brown

My hair style is: All cut to one length in a kind of triangular bob....half way between my chin and shoulders....longish and wavy at times.....then I cut it shorter!

My favourite brand of makeup is: Rimmel or the one from Boots

My "fashionable" item is: My little brown sweater that went to my midriff and I picked it up in a thrift store.  

My favourite colour is: brown

I drive a: nothing - I didn't learn to drive until my 20's

On a Saturday I go: to town with my friend Nicky or work at the Co-op department store if I'm still in yeovil...or once I moved to Epsom I would go to the social club or in to London.

On a Sunday I:  stay in bed and be VERY lazy.....eat a roast dinner....watch tv.....

Monday-Friday I go: part of the year I was working in a department store - then in October I moved to Epsom and started nurse training.  So I was either at work OR in school studying for my nursing.

My best friend(s) is/are: Nicky Foster and then Nigel - my future husband!!

My favourite place to go out is: London OR The Water Palace in Croydon.

My favourite subject at school is: I wasn't in school any more unless you count nurse training!

When I grow up I want to be: married lol - despite being in nurse training I had no real ambition ;)

My favourite drink is: anything DIET!!

My favourite food is: cottage cheese with smokey bacon flavoured chips in it!  Sounds gross but I LOVED it - I really miss smokey bacon chips for my cottage cheese!!

My favourite shop is: The Clocktower Cafe in Epsom (does that count?)  OR maybe Top Shop!!

I want to marry: Nigel lol - I met my first husband when I was 17 - although I was still writing to Lloyd and kept asking him to come and visit me in Epsom!!

My favourite actor/actress is: No clue - I only had eyes for Matt Goss from Bros lol

My favourite band is: Bros

My favourite TV programme is: Brookside (a British soap about people living in a cul-de-sac).

The one thing I want to do but can't is: be skinny and not have to worry about food!

My most used mode of transport is: The bus!  My legs!!  Especially in Epsom!

If I had all the money in the world I would: start an eating disorder clinic

I wish I could visit: America

My favourite sport is: swimming at the Water Palace

This fall I: met my future husband!!

At Halloween I dressed up as: nothing. That was kids stuff in the UK...

I recently saw: Born on the Fourth of July - my ex and I ended up missing the last train home because of how late the movie ended in London (we saw it in Leicester Square) and so we booked into a hotel for the night!  

I am reading: Jack Lyttles 'Mental Disorder'.  A little light reading for my nurse training lol - oh and ANYTHING to do with eating disorders as that was what I wanted to specialise in!

This is me in my nurses room in the accommodation block at the hospital:  

Random pictures of me from that time:

Why don't you join in on your blog and write about YOU at 17 - add some pictures too!!  Leave us a comment here to say you've done it, and we will drop by :)

You can check out the official '17 again' blog train at Liberty Cottage!!

ETA:  Also, would YOU go back to being 17 again if you could?  Was it a good age?  I ahd a lot of fun back then BUT I would NOT go back to being 17 again.  I am LOVING my thirties and am so much happier and self assured and comfortable with who I am.  I would NOT want to go through my 20's again - no way!

If I had to go back I don't think I'd change a thing - because all my mistakes brought me to where I am now.

Music Monday....

I'm going to try and remember to post a song every Monday - soemtimes it will be a song that I'm loving right now...and other times it may be a 
song that means something to me or has been important in my life.


Todays song is 'Already Gone' by Kelly Clarkson. It's one of my favourite songs at the moment. Such a sad song - but such a haunting song too! It's in my head constantly :)


Enjoy!!