Exciting News

I have now become a stampin up demonstrator. Yes after 4 years of using the products I have decided to take the plunge and become a demonstrator myself, about time too. I cant think why I didn't do it sooner. I think it was because I have done other 'party plans' and they were to much hassle etc etc, but I enjoy going to the stamp parties, we make a couple of cards, have a good chin wag, its more like a social event than a 'sell party'. I am not even that bothered if I do much in sales. I can get my stuff cheaper and have some fun along the way, how easy is that. I shall continue to blog my creations for challenges on this site as thats what I love to do, but I have a new stampin up blog (sort of empty at the mo) which I will use for that side of things. If you are visiting and interested in having a party etc please feel free to go to the link to my stampin up blog on the top left of this blog and follow the prompts there. Otherwise continue to enjoy my creations as much as I enjoyed making them.

Jo

Life returns to normal

Well I am back from my trip and life is beginning to return to normal. I do however need a holiday to recover from my holiday LOL. It was a difficult trip for lots of reasons. One of my best friends from school died before I got to visit her and my only saving grace was that I was able to attend the funeral. It makes you realise that life is so short and not to put off tomorrow what you could have done today.

It was nice to visit family and friends and I had good laugh along the way. Its the year of the 40s for most of my school friends. I hit my target just before flying and had a lovely PJ party. I got to got to another best friends 40th while in UK which was ace.

Of course only I could have had a volcanic ash storm delay my flight. We were exceptionally lucky and managed to get one of the first flights going back to Australia on the Wed when the airports reopen. I have to take strong medication to be able to fly (scared silly) and was a bit worried about going through the ash but I was fine, I think I was just glad to be going 'home'. Australia is now my home and will remain so.

Jo

Encouraging news

Life has had a few ups and downs at the moment. One thing to be truly grateful for is my wonderful hubby who takes a beating from me all the time LOL. (Not literally), he has discovered a love of being Jamie Oliver which I am encouraging as much is humanly possible so I dont have to cook. My kids are great and I am thankful that I dont have the worries that so many of my friends do. Ashley my middle son at 18 is the only one that causes me some worries but thats me not him. He is in the navy and doing very well studying hard, drinking hard and smoking like a chimney, a typical navy man. Ryan my eldest at very nearly 20 is a nurse and doesnt drink much and doesnt smoke, is considerate but very messy......My little girl who turned 15 last week is no trouble at all and sometimes that worries me, she doesnt go out at night but hangs out with her best friend all the time. I know silly for being worried about nothing eh.

Me i am weathering along at the moment, new MRI has revealed another lesion on my spine, but no new ones in the brain. Bit pissed but then thats life. I have been reading about a new procedure to do with blocked drainage veins in the neck, which when unblocked have given significant relief to MS sufferers, and the italian doc doing the research (who has a wife with MS), has been very excited about the results and after testing all the patients at the hosiptal with neurological problems including MS only the MS pts had these blockages and 100% of them at that. To many to be coincidence. He also followed up with testing of many more too. I have decided to go to my GP next week and see if he can get me the ultrasound of my neck to see if the veins are blocked at least, before my appt with my neuro. Australia seems to be a bit behind on new procedures and as America has only just started considering this, I fancy it could be a while til it reaches our shores. So If I have to I will pay for the ultrasound to see.

The weather is very hot at the moment and I have even been in the pool a couple of times woo hoo. Well thats my info for now, sometimes I like to write it down as I dont like to burden my thoughts on the people around me and most aren't interested anyway. Sometimes its very lonely in my little world.

Jo

Its Been a while

Its been a while since I last posted, 2 reasons,

1 My mojo left me for a while.......

2 My health hasnt been so crash hot, I was back in hospital with a flare of MS and it really hit me over this time. I managed to work but that was about all. I did however spend some time wisely whilst lounging on the the lounge by stamping and cutting out embelishments. Hubbby was none to chuffed with the bits of paper all over the place LOL.

Now people have said to me, why are you working when you feel so rough, but MS is like that, and life has to go on and if this week has shown me one thing, its that as long as you pace yourself you will get through and even though I had to work full time this week due to job share on holiday, I actually feel much better than Monday. So there you go, sitting at home with my feet up wont make it recover, time does.

I have been a bit more creative this weekend (althoug I couple I am not sure about) and I have made some cards today at a stampin up card party and I am so glad I went. In fact I made a couple more cause my son knicked one for a birthday tonight LOL and one of the designs was a very nice male card which are so hard.

So tomorrow I will photograph them and upload the light is bad tonight and my camera skills are shocking LOL.

Jo

Inspiration.

I don't know about many crafters out there but I find it hard to find my Mojo sometimes and love to have a challenge to work towards. It doesnt have to be one that gives you a prize but I do need that little nudge to do something. If anyone knows of any good sites that give you challenges please let me know.

Jow

Gossip

Well I haven't really ever posted about life with me, so here goes.

My son Ashley has been in Navy training now for nearly 3 weeks, had nice chat with him last night. Seems to be doing ok. Hard work and pleny of Ironing LOL.

Ryan my eldest has just qualified as an Endoresed Enrolled Nurse and is currently looking for a job closer to home. He has an interview on Wed at the hospital I work at so fingers crossed, but his interview skills are practically non existing and his manner can sometimes come across as arrogant. He isnt really but he doesnt communticate to well with adults unless they are elderly. I am so proud of both my boys, who can ask for more from them. No drugs and aged 18 and 19.

Rebecca my youngest is 14 and dont i know it. Generally she is a good girl, not interested in boys, spends most of her time with her friend Rachel, in fact I think thay are siamese twins. But how nice to have such a good friend. She is doing very well at school and seems to thrive. Homework is a big issue, she doesnt do it. But still seems to scrape through with very good reports each year/term.

Its coming up to our being here for 4 years on 3rd May and we have no regrets about our move. We do miss family and friends but the lifestyle here more than makes up for it. Violence is much much less than UK, but is getting worse. We basically stepped back 10-15 years in time. My job is looking pretty darn safe and so is hubbies, we cant ask for more than that.

My MS has been a major issue since dx in Nov 07, but seems to be pretty stable. I get very stiff/numb/cold feet which is my biggest problem along with a major jaw issue which cause great discomfort. I take lots of meds to try and overcome it and also see a chiro (which I hate doing) The man is sooooo nice and very good. My jaw has been heaps better since seeing him on Wed, so heres hoping. I have just had molds taken to have a mouth guard made to hold my jaw in the correct position at night and to stop me grinding (if i do). I wish I didnt have it, its so dabiliating sometimes and people dont realise cause you look good and seem fine. So I am going to say this once 'why me'.

Hey you know this is good to get out what you feel LOL. Feeling better already.

Jo