Artistic flair, Chiros and Dresses...

Here’s some creativity! Well, as you know I’m on Slimming World (and doing v well- lost 5lbs and counting- I hope!!), and one of my fave nibbles is Babybels lites –small snack-size Edam cheeses. One of my wee habits is rolling the wax cover of the cheese into little balls. At work today, I rolled two of them together, and then one of my pals (Spanish-speaking Jane) gave me HER Babybel ‘coats’…which made it bigger again. I then added the wax strip and made a little mouth, then Jane added some goggly-eyes and some hair from a wee stick-on bug she had on her pc. Resulting in this amazing creative piece of nouveau sculpture!!!

The EdamBoy I made for my pal Margery to cheer her up!

I'm feeling good- Chiro chuffed with my fast progress since the 'funny do' four weeks ago. To be honest I didn't realise I was being monitored so closely, and infact I thought my progress was normal! Saw him last week and he's v pleased with how I'm doing. Neck has still been a tad shady but the Kapake painkillers keep that in check, so that's fine. Still overly-tired, but could be down to weather or my new meds, although I have been told it's the after-effects of the 'do' on my body. Advised that although I'm coming along faster than most patients, I'm still to expect some after-effects as my body was in distress for hours, and they still don’t know what it was. I await my neurological appointment with interest!

So I'm sleeping well and eating well- still at Slimming World and enjoying it! Yes, Celia has found new recipes and so isn't bored to death like last time. Hope to lose some more weight (weigh-in tomorrow night)...1 wk to the wedding in Ireland. I bought a dress three weeks ago and it didn’t fit. Now it DOES! I know I know, enough laughing…dress! I know Janet, the bride, will take the pee out of me...last time she saw my legs was when we were in school uniform... and I'm not joking lmao!!!

And just to confuse/enlighten...

Here's a picture of my desk at work!!

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Saturn- seen as never before....

This is a real photograph from the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn...Oct 06

With giant Saturn hanging in the blackness and sheltering Cassini from the Sun's blinding glare, the spacecraft viewed the planet and rings as never before.

It revealed previously unknown faint rings, even glimpsing their homeworld.

The images were acquired as Cassini drifted in Saturn's shadow for 12 hours, 1.3 million miles behind the gas planet.

Needless to say, my astronomy heroine from childhood, (and often on Sky at Night) Dr Caroline Porco, a.k.a The lady of The Rings, was behind the images, as the Lead of the imaging operations centre at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado.

The beauty of my favourite planet, the third largest object in the Solar System (after the Sun and Jupiter), is immeasurable. But this image is mindblowing...not just for it's beauty, but in just reinforcing how far humankind has come, to be in the position to be able to TAKE these images.

Science and beauty in one.

Astronomy is not just a science, but also an expression of how the human potential of logic and imagination can overcome obstacles, and fulfill desires of knowledge once considered to be dreams of fancy.

Long may it continue .....




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The Perfect Gig - New Order

New Order + Blackpool= once in a lifetime opportunity...

Yes, New Order in Blackpool!


As my beloved D is a massive NO fan (and I'm pretty keen too), it was a no-brainer back in the summer when the tour dates were released. They usually hang around Manchester, and D and I have seen them there twice together. They hadn't played Blackpool for nearly 25 years, and D's birthday is in December, so I leap at the chance to get tickets for an early birthday pressie.




We had a few pre-gig drinkies in a great pub in town (Gillespies) where we caught up with some mates, before setting off to the Winter Gardens, where they played in the gorgeous and ornate Empress Ballroom. It was packed. I mean, as in, totally packed. Wasn't this full for Radiohead, nor Placebo, who we've seen in there this year.


It was a cracking set- full of old Joy Division favourites, as well as belting out new and old NO tracks. The gig started with the new classic Crystal, setting the tempo for the rest of the night. Ceremony, Temptation, Love will Tear Us Apart and The Perfect Kiss were just some of the crackers that were belted out to the rapt and energised fans. Absolute class act. D and I caught the taxi home, and hit the DVD player with more NO, having a few naughty drinkies until way past the witching hour- on a school night! Tut tut!


New Order may never play in Blackpool again...and boy, 3,000 people, D and I, knew we were watching one of the best live acts you will ever see, in our own backyard.

The Perfect Gig...

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Celia- First Aider Extrordinaire...

Da daah!

Oh yes, Celia has passed her First Aid exams!!

I was very nervous...last time I was this nervous was doing my Degree Finals. Honest!!

The first of the two exams was the oral exam, where the first examiner gave you different scenarios, and asked you what you would do...for instance, someone collapsing with epilepy, heart attack, etc. Questions about how would I notice someone going into shock, what you would do, all that kind of thing. Had fun bandaging a fellow trainee too.



Then I had to go to another room to undertake the practical exam, where someone had collapsed, and the other examiner watched how you put them in the recovery position, and questioned about how you would treat them, watch for breathing, comfort, etc. Also had to do CPR on the CPR doll (where you do heart compressions and rescue breaths). Barrage of questions followed "how many breaths does a person take in a minute; how many types of cuts are there and list them; how would you treat a burn" etc etc. My nerves disappeared and I just went for it- everything became crystal in my head and I felt confident in my knowledge. Weird but great feeling.



I was seriously chuffed, as the First examiner (oral) was an ex-paramedic and now goes around the UK showing NHS nurses and staff how to do CPR in hospitals, and teaches the NHS Resusitation Unit how to do their job. He asked whther I'd ever done First Aid before, as I was a natural, and stated I should seriously think about a change of job! I was floating- if nothing else, it crystallised the fact in my heart, that when I'd done it on my Mum when she had one of her heart attacks (she had 5 overall), I had done it properly.


So now I await the arrival of my work First Aid kit and the lovely bright green tabbard you have to wear on Fire Drills. I shall look soo attractive!! Watch this space for photos lol !!!




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The HOFF!

Jealousy doesn't become me...but my workmate Kieran did something I've always wanted to do...

Kieran and The Hoff!!!

Indeedie! Yes, my work pal Kieran, went to David Hasselhoff's book-signing in The Trafford Centre!


Kieran says that The Hoff is a brilliant bloke, really approachable, really nice and cool!





The Hoff himself



His entourage, however, are gits.

The lucky ones meeting David

As I sit here, typing away, I only wish that I knew that Mr Hasselhoff was so close...I'd have gone too!


Cheers for the photos Kieran! You lucky bar steward....

Positivity!!!

Hi there everyone! Thankyou so much for all your thoughts and best wishes. Wow. What can I say...I didn't realise how many are reading this lol !!

Everything is ok. GP is sending me to the Consultant Neurologist for brain scans, further tests, etc after seeing him yesterday. He tried to dismiss the whole 'funny do' and I kicked off, re-stated the symptoms and basically wore the git down until he confirmed he would investigate it properly, as my Chiro recommended- if nothing else, to totally rule out anything naughty going on. They were a tad worried incase I had probs with one of the arteries in my neck leading to my brain (my response to the GP was "are you prepared to put that in writing- that I have a brain!"- no actually he did laugh- no actually he did...) but he still thinks it is more likely to be nerve related- which I embrace!

So off to I toddled to the Chiro's this evening for more nerve stimulation in the base of the skull and more tests. He's v pleased with the progress that I have made in a fortnight since my 'funny do' and doesn't need to see me for another week. Result!!! Sadly, he won't manipulate my neck anymore, incase it was a TIA or artery problem the other week, and until confirmed it wasn't, he won't manipulate. I understand fully, but a wee part of me, I must confess, is a tad disappointed, as I loved my neck being cracked, the release of pressure is amazingly lovely!

What else? Well I've on the work's First Aider course this week- exam's tomorrow so x fingers etc!! Yes, dear readers, they have accepted me as a First Aider- I'm not sure they know what they've let themselves in for lol. My neck has been a tad tingly, but that's down to the crap chairs making my posture uncomfortable and doing CPR on legless dolls lol! It's in a conference room so can't take in my own medical chair I have for my workstation. Gits. Good side is I'm sat next to a few pals of mine Sue (aka Lara Croft) and Caroline. We've scared the instructor and entertained the troops by talking in European accents between ourselves (an old joke we had when we used to work together...I'm really Sonja from Slovakia)...so everything is as normal as it should be!

The Clan siege of Blackpool!

Peter & I xxx

What a lovely surprise! After, frankly, a pretty crappy and worrying 7 days, my dad phoned up on Friday night and said "Peter is here!"

Now I thought that Peter was visiting next week (see my head has been all over the place recently). The last time I saw Peter was at my Mum's funeral, and to be honest, my head was so messed up that day, it was all a terrible blur...all I knew was that he and Trica had made it down, and it was such a comfort them being there, but conversations, etc, I cannot recall.

I fondly remember much much happier times, back to the early 1980s, when he, Tricia (Dad's niece, my cousin) and wee Estelle (3-4 yrs younger than me) visited us in Blackpool a few times. Peter is so full of life, such fun, and a fabulous character lol. Wee Estelle and I used to play together, and I had so much fun when they visited.

So Friday night, from being exhausted, I became seriously over-excited! Darren was laughing at me...after the initial shock I was bouncing around the livingroom saying "They're here! They're here! Oh my God Peter's just a mile away oh he's here!!!"

We quickly grabbed some food, and, although I was supposed to be resting after my appointment at the Chiro's (which went well by the way...just have to rest and have some more nerve treatment until I see the GP Tuesday), instead we stomped round to my dad's house, where Peter was staying in my Mum's old room. Estelle, hubby and toddler Ross stayed at a hotel. I know that after my Mum died, I cleared most of the room, but there were bits and pieces Dad wanted to keep just how it was. I think it was therapeutic for my dad to tidy for Peter- a good and positive reason for such a fabulous man of the family.


Peter hasn't changed abit- I want to know what moisturiser he uses! He was just how I remembered him from my childhood; handsome, full of fun, stories and energy. D and I took round a bottle of Ron Miel (that lovely honey rum from Gran Canaria) and we spent a lovely night chatting away. Dad, as usual, re-told stories we've all heard 50 times, but we didn't care, we just had a cracking evening in.



The only thing that a tad upset me, was when Peter mentioned this chap called Fergus quite a few times, who runs a pub down south near my Aunt Mina. It transpired that this cracking guy is infact my cousin, and my Dad had never mentioned him before. Shell-shocked is an understatement. I know that my Dad was always a sod for not taking me to see O'Neill family in Scotland when I was wee or growing up, but he'd never mentioned this cousin of mine before. I felt quite embarrassed and I even felt in the wrong, even though it wasn't my fault. I didn't actually meet some of my O'Neill family until when I was 25, at a funeral. I have a cousin Simone, also born on the 11th Sept I think, that he always used to promise to take me to visit when I was small, but I have never met. For some reason, Dad never managed to find the time to do that with me. So my bond with Peter, Trica and my childhood friend Estelle, has always been held ever-close to my heart.

I was hoping to meet up with Estelle and everyone Saturday night, so we could all catch up, and she could meet Darren, and I could meet her husband, Colin, properly and 2 yr old Ross. Sadly, I was just too tired, I'd overdone it on Friday I suppose lol, and so Dad and Peter went up to Estelle's hotel. They had a cracking night by the sounds of it lol. I just rested and D and I stayed in.

I knew that they were going back home on Sunday, so come Hell or high water, I was going to make it round to Dad's to see them lol. Estelle was picking up Peter before heading home, so that was a great opportunity to catch up and see her again, for the first time in 24 years. My wee second cousin Estelle is looking fantastic, and still has that lovely personality and is now a beautiful woman, and her son and Colin are great. You can tell they're still a close family, and it's great to see. To be honest I was really disappointed that I couldn't have more time with them, but Peter and I have swapped mobile numbers and the poor soul now has my email address and this Blog address...so we're definitely going to be able to keep in contact more often- and I'll be able to introduce D to fabulous Trica too!

Peter, me and Dad xx

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