Of Decisions and Chocolate...

Have you ever had to make alone a momentous decision which will have repercussions for everyone who is important to you? Trying to see the issues from every angle, considering all the main people it will affect, staying true to your-own-self and at the same time knowing that which ever way you turn things won't be the same again.

I think there are certain events or acts in one's life which yank skewif the whole fabric of one's habits, belief, faith, outlook etc. Sometimes it can be an inadvertent yank such as an accident, sometimes it is anticipated but not to the extent it side-swipes you, like one's first child, and sometimes it is something you never ever thought would zoom over the horizon to thwack you.

This decision or choice comes under the last category...and its not 'luck' or 'patience' or 'thought' which is needed, its a blinkin' crystal ball!!!!

I have always though that as long as one lives mindfully, making careful decisions and choices, then whatever happens (be it good or bad) one can at least believe that at any given point in one's life one made the best decisions given the information or circumstances of that particular time. But what if, years down the line, all those tiny or middling sized choices turn out to have lead up to a massive horrible choice? Can I still say that I did my best even if my best has led to the present situation?

I don't believe in pointless recrimination, never have. I don't look back with regret, largely because I forget stuff! For better or worse, I am a 'present moment' person, which drives my family and friends (and Principal) demented much of the time: I really have tried to change, but it hasn't stuck...which brings me back to this present present...

Just to put events back into their true perspective...a girl needs chocolate, right? Well when I went to get the newspapers after Church I saw Tesco had a special on Thornton's:

Ahhhh! Thornton's chocolates....delish-ness extraordinaire!
 

I could have resisted, of course, but it woulda been rude to do so at the price that was in it!!!!

So I didn't!

Look What Arrived in the Post!!

So there I am, trundling wearily in from school, grocery shopping, doing errands, and then waiting for Youngest to finish her after school activities...and guess what is on my door mat?

A parcel from ULLA!

Isn't that just the best surprise to come home to?! All beautifully wrapped in pretty paper, with twirly ribbon and a lovely card...

...and such very useful things inside!

A tote bag, which is Teflon treated to keep it clean and longer-lasting...and a really useful zipper bag, both made from Marimekko fabric, which I just love!

This tote is going to school with me tomorrow, for sure!

And aha! A bar of chocolate from Finland!...and look! Ulla has even sewn on a 'Kotkarankki' label!

How great is that!

Thank you so much, Ulla! I will really enjoy using these bags, and I will think of you often!

And I will really enjoy tasting the chocolate bar too!

Now I need to get back to my sewing table and make the PIF Treats for my People!!

Afterthought: I have a fridge-magnet in my kitchen which says: 'The one thing better than a good friend, is a good friend with chocolate!'

I reckon that makes Ulla one of the BEST!!

Of Talking Chocolate...

Do you folks ever have a problem with talking chocolate?

I do.

I never knew what it was that caused a hitherto silent bar of chocolate to begin vocalising, until yesterday...

Yesterday morning I tried on an old pair of linen trousers to make sure they still fit me. Instant 'muffin effect'. Oooops! Bit of cutting back needed here, Heckety me ould bean!

Which was fine. Got on with the day, Eldest to train, errands in town, this'n'that at home, chatted to the mobile Butcher (all the farmers are frantically getting in their silage these fine days), etc, had supper with Middlest, fed the dogs...and then...Hark! a little voice from the larder press:

'Eat Me!'

Ignored it, no problem. Again it comes, bit louder:

'Eat Me!'

Do the washing up, make tomorrow's bread, clean the table.

'Eat Me!'

Leave me alone! Have a cup of tea, write some emails, ring some folks.

'Eat Me!'

 Think of the trousers! Think of the trousers! Think of the trousers!

'Eat Me!'

Oh for Pete's sake! So, just to shut it up I went and had two squares.

So much for inanimate objects...So much for strength of will...


The hips were willing, but the mouth was weak.

Death by Chocolate

Did you know that Chocolate is poisonous to humans?

Apparently if you eat 10kg it will kill you, that's 50 large bars ( I worked it out, of course, just so's I know).

But what I want to know is this: WHO ate 10kgs and died and recorded their binge in order to preserve the rest of us from such a fate?

Whoever it was deserves a medal...or a slice of chocolate cake?

Thankful Thursday

Another Thursday and time to line up our Thankfuls!

1. Thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having; arising to blue skies and sunshine every morning is just wonderful!

2. Thankful all three girls were home for the weekend! Dilly gets home every two or four months as she is so busy so its a gift when she is here! As you can see they interact very well!!!

3. Thankful for a safe day out for B's School yesterday. Over 300 students (6 coaches!)went to Galway to cheer on the Senior Rugby team in the Final of the Connaught Cup, and, for the first time in seven years they brought it home!

(got the photos off the school website!) And the report from today's 'Irish Times' Newspaper.

Their Rugby trips are always great fun, heck, they were even great fun when I was there back in the Dark Ages, and to win was a bonus. The School social life revolves around Rugby and music!

4. Thankful for parcels in the post- 'brown paper packages tied up with string'- so exciting!

5. Thankful for chocolate!!

6. Thankful for great surprises- like when I get an email to say I've won a prize! Thank you Kat and Jane!

And now I'm going to go sew- a bit of quilting on a border, play with Ulla's fabric as I've had an idea, make a batch of bread, look for a flying geese pattern for some of the purple fabric from yesterday, wind the two skeins of red wool into balls so I can knit them, and check the soup!

S'long folks!

Today I'm Revoltin' and Rebellin'

Please click here for the One World One Heart giveaway.

I just can't figure what God wants of me; I'm all about in my head, working hard for weeks and achieving NOTHING. I never even read my Permaculture magazine yesterday because I felt bad taking the time for myself to do so.
How stupid is that?

So STUFF IT, I'm taking today out.

I'm going to quilt what I damn well like:

...play my accordian very loudly and badly...
...and then play all the old music I own, even louder, and eat this whole bar of chocolate...Don't tell me this is a fine way of listening to God-
Don't ask is this His Plan for my day-
Don't tell me I'm wasting His Time-
BECAUSE I KNOW!

You can put your ear plugs in if you need to work: but for now-
S'long y'all...

Of Sisters and Mishaps

Here's a misuse of the blogging medium for you:

Last night our eldest daughter was looking at recent posts to catch up on the home news. When she saw the state of the sitting room she texted her sisters with directions to tidy up at once! (They ignored her!)

Sos was reading an old magazine of Mum's this morning and found a recipe for chocolate vodka drink...yeurch! She wants a party after New Year...well she was told in no uncertain terms she can buy the vodka if she wants it- I'm NOT. Anyhow I don't approve of spirits at house parties...in any shape or form!!

B was ready for school early this morning so was dumped pronto and I was parked at the Supermarket by 8.30am. Shopped, was at folks for breakfast by 9.30, and at school by 11.20 to gather and sing with the children who are singing for the Methodist Service next Wednesday. It went pretty well. Sometimes its nice to work with a small group and I think they enjoyed it too.

Finished about 12.45 and set off for home....and then realised I should have had two more people in the car...Turned round, went to park and managed to hit the school gate, wedged the car against it so now I've a big scrawb of red paint along the side...Ah well, things happen I guess...