August 11th (and before)

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me...
Erna Bomback



I wish I had more time in my life to play music. I watch my daughters practice every day and miss doing so myself. At least helping them to enjoy music is something I can do right now - there will be time aplenty to cultivate my own talents when my girls are grown and flying free.

August 10th

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
Leonardo da Vinci



August 9th

"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory."
Ghandi Mahatma



You have to be kidding me!!!

If I spend ages trying to do something and it turns out badly then no way do I feel any satisfaction whatsoever in the effort I put in. Satisfaction only lies in the effort if the result is one that makes you smile.

August 8th

“Appreciation...acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.”
Alan Cohen - author




August 7th

"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. you only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-68) - American civil rights leader





August 6th

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) - Indian political and spiritual leader





August 5th



“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.”
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) - poet

If I can ease the hurts of my children and help them to grow up with the strength to resist the pains that life throws at them then my life will not have been lived in vain.

If I can make my husband's life an happier and more peaceful place then my life will not have been lived in vain.

August 4th (and a bit)

The summer holidays are heare and the kids are at home so blogging is defientely a weekly thing for now.



August 4th

“No person ever ended his eyesight by looking on the bright side.”
Zig Ziglar (b. 1926) - author, motivational speaker



On the bright side:

I might have a new job that has some potential to not only earn some money but to provide some challenges and motivate me to reach higher. just one more interview to pass.....

After ages of getting nowhere with the boat the kitchen is beginning to look like a place I could be proud of owning soon

Jess is away and I miss her. I've not heard from her at all in tha last week so shee must be happy there - mu mum laways said she never worried if she didn;t hear from me 'cos I only called when something was bothering me. I'm hoping that holds true for Jess but i'm pretty sure it does. Bet she's having the time of her life!

August 3rd

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams"
Ashley Smith (b. 1978) - author, speaker





August 2nd

Happiness... is not a destination: it is a manner of traveling. Happiness is not an end in itself. It is a by-product of working, playing, loving and living.
Haim Ginott



Yup - still working on the kitchen :)



August 1st

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
Pope John XXIII (1881-1963) - 261st Pope of the Roman Catholic Church



Parbold had been sunken for about two years when we bought her. The only condition that Iain made regarding my daft idea to buy her was that I found a dock capable of fixing her and a way to get her there. It took me 24 hours to get both sorted. Since then life has moved on so much. She spent exactly a year to the day in dry dock being re-bottomed and made water-tight and then another eight months having her cabin built.

Some days I think that taking on Parbold was the most stupid decision I ever made but other days i *know* that I have the patience and the strength of will to make her into the beautiful home that she is in my dreams. It may be taking me longer than I expected but I know that her potential will be reached. She deserves no less. And in reaching her potential I will be unleashing mine too.



July 31st

"Listen to the Musn't's child, Listen to the Don't's. Listen to the Shouldn't's, the Impossibles, the Won't's. Listen to the Never Haves, then Listen close to me. ANYthing can happen, child, ANYthing can Be.”
Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) - poet, songwriter, musician





July 30th

"Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal.”
Jerome P. Fleishman




So true!!
How much more would I have done if only to make those I love happier.
When those around me seem content with things as they are who am I to change things?



July 29

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
Voltaire (1694-1778) - writer, satirist, author, humanist



Today I actually really appreciate my life. Things are good and life is full of unexplored possibilities.