July 26th

Pisces - Fish - Aquamarine - Waterlily



I don't know any Pisces people but while I was browsing around looking for a pretty picture ar somthing interesting about Pisces I found a website about the world's largest jigsaw. It has 24,ooo pieces and when it's finished it is 168.5 in x 61.8 in (14ft 0.5 in x 5ft. 1.8in). The finished picture is the one below but if you want to see it in more details you can look at it here. It is an absolutley gorgeous thing but who has time (or space) to finish such a monster. Maybe I'll put it on my list of things to do when I retire 'cos I know how much free time you retired ladies have to spare - lol.

July 25th

Aquarius - water - Amethyst - Fruit Trees



Aquarius - that'd be my Mum then. And my Nan. Not that they would ever have liked being grouped together in any way whatsoever. Two formidable ladies, two big influences in my life, both strong, charismatic and more than a little scary. They just never got on, at all.

I had a wonderful relationship with my mother for the whole of my childhood - she was my strength, my foundation. Her love and belief in me let me know that I could do anything I wanted, be anything I wanted and gave me the strength to follow my dreams.

If I could do one impossible thing before breakfast it would have been to allow my Mum to heal the rifts that grew so deep between her and her mother so that she too could have know the support and love that was there for her - even though she could never see it herself. My Nan really did adore her but had absolutely no idea how to show her that.

July 24th

Capricorn - Horned goat - Ruby - Ivy



I've been a really grouchy old goat recently.
The holidays are here now and I'm already starting to feel a little more human. Lazy days with no time-tables make me feel so much more relaxed. Who knows - I might even catch up with the housework!

July 23rd

Sagittarius - Centaur - Topaz - Dandelion



This is my adorable Saggitarian. I don't know if she's typical of the sign as I've not really known many other saggitarians. According to the stuff I've read on the 'net today she doesn't seem that typical - although she is definately quick-tempered and appears irresponsible (as her write-up suggests she would be) but she does not forgive easily and she is not particulary easy-going (contrary to her supposed typical traits).

On the whole my girl is loveable, intelligent, understanding, flirtatious, and sympathetic. She's going away for the holidays tomorrow - she's got a summer job working as an airplane mechanic near my Mother-in-law's so she'll be staying there for the holiday's. She's going to have a fantastic time there - planes, freedom, an abundance of guys to look after her (well, she is the only female there except for the secretary). I know she's going to be really happy.

Just wish I wasn't going to miss her so much....

July 22nd

Scorpio - Scorpian - Chrysoberyl - Geranium



This is me!

I have had this necklace for a loooong time: my Nan bought it for me for my 21st birthday. Well, actually, my Nan sent me the money to buy it for my birthday because she wanted to get me some jewellery that I could keep and when I saw this in The Great Frog in Carnaby Street I fell in love with it. She hated it! However, I still wear it lots so the essence of her wish is definately in her present.



As to the charaturisitcs of my sign - out of these lists I'd say that social, brave and jealous miss the mark but the others are pretty much true for me. Actually I'm not sure about the hypnotic part either, but according to at least one close friend that's true at times too.

July 21st

Libra - Scale or balance - Opal - Daisy



Balance - don't talk to me about balance!

Life without balance is a desperate and frustrating place, one that we probably all know intimately at times. Certainly one that I know too intimately at the moment. I have too much to do, too little time, too little money. Most of all, when I'm being honest I probably just have too many excuses and too little self-control. Or do I have too little help and too much on my plate. Some days I wish there was someone out there who had all the answers and could tell me exactly what to do to make everything easy and happy. Even when I know what some of the answers are it seems so impossible to make the changes that I need to make; I start off with great intentions then get distracted and go off at a tangent. Will I ever actually find a balance in my life?

I know I used to have balance but then I had children. Is it their chaos that makes me less centered? Will I return to being a calm and accepting person when they they are grown

I have a feeling that I won't know the answer until I'm well past this part of my life and I'm looking back wondering why I let it get to being like this. Or when I look back and realise that everyone has times like this (please tell me at least some of you do - is it really just me losing my head in this hectic world?).

The one thing I do know is that my kids are growing up well. I love them loads and they love me too. We're friends and makes everything worthwhile.

July 21st

Libra - Scale or balance - Opal - Daisy



This is our Virgo girl and today is her Leaver's Day assembly - she moves to secondary school in September. Not that she's worried about it as her two big sisters are already there to look out for her. Actually she doesn't seem to worry about much - or maybe she hides it very well. Of my four daughters this is the one I feel I know least well; she is still a bit of an enigma to me although she doesn't try to be in any way. She is gentle and kind and helpful to pretty much everyone (well, she usually is, although recently she's had a bad dose of year-six-itis: the arrogance that seems to affect most kids whilst they are the oldest year of their primary schools).

I often get the feeling that one day this girl will turn round and let us know that she's done something truly amazing without any of us knowing that it had even crossed her mind. She seems to quietly get on with things without ever seeing the difficulties that most of us see - she just takes things in her stride and moves through life with a smile and a reassuring hug to anyone that needs it.