Category Archives: silly stuff
Search and Rescue
I think I can officially say… “Summer has returned to southern Norway!”
After a long dark winter the sun has finally come back and even though it sets around 10:30 in the evening, it doesn’t get totally dark. I can still see a glow as it shines all through the night in the north. By 4:30 in the morning it’s on the rise again. I love this time of year the only thing is, for me, it’s hard to sleep.
I stay up late not wanting to go to bed and miss out on anything and wake up early with the sun shining through the curtains. I should buy shades for the windows, but for some reason just can’t seem to do it.
With the weather being warmer (don’t get me wrong, it’s not hot, just warmer) I also sleep with the window open. After living in this house for last twenty years I’m used to the seagulls screaming and squawking every morning, that’s not what’s been waking me up this week…
Being a mother of five, plus one, I know what it’s like to be awakened by the sound of a baby crying for food or a dry diaper, but not because they have their head caught in a fence!
I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Well, I must live on the greener side of that fence!
Every morning this week I have been awakened by the sound of a lamb (yes, lamb as in baby sheep) crying and caught between our fence and the neighbors. I know right away when something is wrong because it’s not a random ‘baaa’ I hear, it’s more like a constant ‘AAAAA!’ Or as the Norwegians would say, ‘ÆÆÆÆÆ!’
It’s impossible to sleep knowing the little tyke is caught (plus all the screaming). So, I put on my boots, walk across the field in my nightgown searching for the lamb in need of rescue.
I don’t know how well it works counting sheep jumping over fences to fall asleep, but I can tell you this, it certainly wakes you up when they get caught trying to wiggle through.
Now for my choice in photos
Here are some of the shots that didn’t make the magazine:
Now wasn’t my choice much nicer?
It’s been quite a year
My good friend, over at Crazy Train To Tinky Town has been kind enough to bestow a 2012 Blog of the Year Award on me… Thank you Dallas!
But am I worthy? That’s the thought I wrestled with all night, instead of sleeping…
I thought about all the hours I spent crying and cursing over my keyboard in the beginning before I got the hang of it. The frustration of trying to figure out what a widget was and all the times I begged my husband to help me learn how to use them. Hearing from one of my children that I spelled a word wrong and the guilt, every time I fell behind in reading posts.
I also remember the thrill I got the first time someone other than a family member left a comment on my blog. That person was Naomi, from Writing Between the Lines.
How happy I was when Kate, from Before I forget offered and then wrote the nicest review of my book.
Cathy, from Expat Alien also wrote a wonderful review without me having to ask. I really appreciated it… Thanks guys!
Lily, from One More Morning who writes the most beautiful poetry and leaves the sweetest comments.
Paula, from Stuff I Tell My Sister who has always been supportive and friendly.
Beth, from It’s a Whole New World who has also been a source of great support.
Debbie, From It’s All About Purple lives in my hometown and is a former classmate of mine. Her blog feels like home.
Robin, from Robin Coyle who always makes me laugh.
Dianne Gray – Maddie Cochere and Dallas are a few more of the great blogs I’ve become acquainted with (I wish I could list them all).
The conclusion I’ve come to is this… All bloggers deserve a Blog of the Year Award!
I guess I’ve already listed my nominations, so here are the rules:
- Select the blogs you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012 Award’.
- Write a post and tell about the blogs you have chosen and present them with their award.
- Please include a link back to this page Blog of the 2012 Year Award and include these rules (do not alter the rules or the badges).
- Let the blogs you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the rules with them.
- You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here Blog of the Year 2012 Award and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience.
- As a winner of the award please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award. Proudly display the award on your side bar and start collecting stars.
Thanks everyone!
Preserving memories
Hello, my name is Maggie and I am a scrapaholic.
Well, I used to be – lately I just can’t seem to find the time for it. I started scrapbooking about seven years ago, while living in Houston. My neighbor was a Creative Memories consultant with a great sales pitch. In no time, I was running back and forth across the street buying her products.
The idea of making albums and preserving memories completely resonated with me. I started out making an album of our time in Texas and that lead to making albums for each of my children. I soon moved on to the grandchildren, weddings, vacations… I couldn’t stop!
I went to all day cropping sessions and on weekend scrapbooking retreats. Women would gather to spend the day clipping, pasting, sharing supplies and ideas. Some of their books were like works of art, they were beautiful. I wasn’t quite as talented, but I had fun.
When the time came for us to leave Houston and move to the Netherlands I went out and bought a hoard of supplies to take with me ($$$$). I was making keepsakes and you certainly can’t put a price tag on that. Can you?
Scrapbooking can be a very expensive hobby. The more embellishment you use on your pages, the more its going to cost you. I’ve made some examples:
I have a die cutting machine for making my own letters, flowers, hearts and butterflies, but I cheated and used sticker letters instead.
See the sticker letters? (not so nice)
Eventually I went from not writing anything more than a name, a date or a place in my albums to journaling whole stories. Thats when I realized I needed to take some writing classes, which led to the book, which led to the blog.
The only thing I have time to make now, are digital ones.