K is for Kalem

Kalem is my first grandson, born on June 23rd 2005. That boy is the apple of my eye! He is a bundle of adventure wrapped in a blanket of wonder! He is just entering the 'Why' stage. All you parents know what I'm talking about here. When my kids went through it years ago, I used to get so fed up having to answer questions that just resulted in another, 'why' but now I'm a seasoned veteran and I can answer away all day!
Kalem never stops moving, he is constantly looking for something to touch, eat, pull apart and investigate. He is amazed by the smallest of things, like how a worm keeps moving when you chop it in half (actually, so am I) and spiders webs. He loves getting dirty in the garden or anywhere else. He likes splashing in puddles and running in the rain. He sometimes even likes sitting still and drawing pictures for grandma but not for long though! When he shouts, 'Grandma' my heart leaps and when he runs into my arms for a kiss and a cuddle I melt. He is great fun to be around and as grandma I can be silly with him.
But the best bit about being his grandma, I can send him home when I've had enough!

J is for Jamie

Jamie is my youngest son. As I've explained in an older post, he is Special Needs. He was born 9 weeks early, weighing just over 2lbs. He came home at 4 months old and just never progressed. By the time he was 10 months old I knew there was something wrong. He wasn't rolling over, sitting up, trying to crawl or reacting to people. I managed to get him into an assessment program where they decided he was Special Needs but didn't know what was actually wrong with him. At 18 months he was seen by a genetisist and I think the Lord was with me that day. The doctor we saw had written his thesis on Dubowitz Syndrome so knew as soon as we walked in the room what was wrong with Jamie. I was given some information on it but there wasn't much known about it really. Unfortunately, Jamie has it in it's most severe form so his outlook wasn't good. It was probable he wouldn't walk, talk or look after himself.
However, owing to great perserverance and excellent Special Needs schooling, Jamie walked at three years, began to form words at five years, feed himself at six years, toilet himself at 10 years.
He is still very far from being able to look after himself and will never actually be able to live independantly but he has made great strides in his life. Every new skill he learns is a great achievement. He will always have the mental ability of a five/six year old but that doesn't matter to us. He is a happy, sociable boy who loves being around people. He loves going to church, to parties, to the theatre and restaurants. His great love is music, especially the guitar. He has never been able to learn to play but he strums his guitar and sings his songs in his own special way.
As Mormons, we believe that people like Jamie are valiant, perfect spirits who have no need to be tested like the rest of us. They will go straight back to God's presence and live with him. So it is one of the greatest blessings to have the chance to nurture them in our families.
I consider it an honour to have Jamie in my life. He is my precious treasure who teaches me many things, like patience and the joy simple things bring in life. I love him just the way he is and would never change my special boy.

Sky+

We just got Sky+ and I love it!
Our video broke down a couple of weeks ago and we've been considering getting a Freeview Hard drive box. Then we saw the advert for Sky+. The last time I enquired about it Sky weren't in a position where they had competition so it would have cost me £199 to get the box, £50 fitting and £20 extra a month on my subscription because we have multiroom. I wasn't paying that and felt that as a loyal customer for over 10 years they should be offering me something a little better!
Then came Virgin Media. Now Sky has competition from Mr Branson and even BT are bringing out a box so they have had to back track to keep their customer base. The advert said, one off payment of £99, free fitting and no extra to pay each month. Woooohoooo, I was in the market for that!
So now we have a shiny new Sky+ box. Why do I love it, you're asking? Well......

I NEVER HAVE TO MISS CORONATION STREET EVER AGAIN, OR EASTENDERS, OR MEDIUM, OR LOST OR ANYTHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!

You think that's sad don't you? I know you do, LOL. But honestly how many times have you been in that situation where you are so looking forward to just sitting down and relaxing in front of the telly to watch a program and the phone rings, the doorbell goes, somebody needs feeding, etc, etc. You have to miss half of the program and can't get into it once you've missed the beginning. Or you miss it all and it's the vital conclusion to a series. It's annoying isn't it!
Well with Sky+ that never has to happen. You can pause live tv, I know how cool is that! You press the pause button and it stops the programme then you press play and it starts from where you paused it. Or you can record it onto the hard drive and save till later. But the best thing is the Series Link. You record the first episode, press Series Link and it remembers and records every episode for you. I'll never have to miss an episode of Lost or CSI again.
I love modern technology!

I is for Ice-Cream

I've loved ice-cream ever since I was a little girl. I love it in any flavour (except chocolate), adorned with sauce, with nuts, as it comes, luxury types, ordinary types, with fruit in or without. It's fair to say I just adore it, in all it's forms.
When I was young, the Seargents ice-cream van used to stop right outside our house, at least twice a day and I always had to have one. I was lucky enough to have five uncles and an aunty who all lived just three houses away from us, so there was always somebody around who would buy me one. I developed chillblains on my lips because I ate so much of it! But Seargents ice-cream is so creamy and delicious you just have to keep eating it. It is sooooo much nicer than any other ice-cream I have ever tasted. I haven't had a Seargents for many years, they don't have an ice-cream van anymore. You only see them at things like village shows and one of the village pubs sells it with their puddings so it isn't readily available. Good job!
Now, I buy my ice-cream from the supermarket. You can get some really good ones these days, like Carte D'Or and HaagenDaaz (sp!). But even the supermarket's own brands are getting better. I have to limit myself to a carton once a month. I can eat a 2 litre carton in one sitting, without any trouble, so you see my predicament. If I eat it any more often it will just add to the extra pounds I'm already carrying.
Don't you think I'm good, seeing how much I love it.

H is for Husband

My husband, John, is my soulmate. I know that God sent him to me because we are so good together.
We met 15 years ago, just after I had left my first husband. I was totally off men, never wanted anything to do with them, ever again, I hated men - get the picture!
My friend, Pam, was remarrying her first husband and insisted I had to go on her hen night. I didn't want to go out, I just wanted to hide away and lick my wounds but I forced myself.
We went to a local nightclub and I had to say I was enjoying myself, dancing and having a laugh with the girls. Suddenly this strange guy picked me up, whirled me around, put me down and announced, 'I'm going to marry you.' That was my first experience of John.
We danced and laughed the night away. He walked me out of the club at the end of the night and as I was walking away he grabbed me and said 'I haven't had a kiss goodnight,' then he kissed me in front of a crowd of hundreds, just like in the movies, where the hero bends the heroine over his arm. He got a rousing cheer and applause from the audience!
We agreed to meet the following week and we have been together ever since. On our first proper date we talked as if we were old friends and he constantly made me laugh. I felt so comfortable with him and knew we would stay together. People tried to tell me I was rushing into things, or that it was a rebound thing but I knew I'd found 'The One'. My divorce came through in January 1993 and we married on 13th February 1993.
Over the years, I have grown to love him more and more. We fit together perfectly, we can talk to each other about anything and we trust each other implicitly. John is my rock when I need help, he has a way of keeping my spirits up and making me believe that things are never as bad as they seem. He has loved my four boys as if they were his own, from the moment he met them and they all love and respect him as a father.
He isn't perfect and there are times I could cheerfully throttle him, but he probably feels like that about me, sometimes! John understands me and takes me as I am. He loves me for who I am, warts and all. He makes me laugh, sometimes he makes me cry but he always, without fail, makes me feel special.
I want to grow old with this man!

What Is This Country Coming To?

Our country is reeling in shock today over the shooting of an eleven year old boy by a teenager on a BMX bike. We are shaking our heads and wondering how this can happen in a country that has such strict gun laws. We don't consider it normal for people to own guns. Even our police officers aren't armed, so how can this happen here? That's the question on all British lips today.
But the sad fact is that there is a growing gun culture amongst our youth. They can buy one for as little as £50. That's peanuts to some of our youth, who receive nearly that much in pocket money.
Some will blame the parents of this teenage killer, who apparently shot the little boy dead without flinching, some will blame the police for not doing enough, some will blame society, but when this killer is finally brought to justice will the blame be placed squarely where it belongs, on his shoulders?
This is why we have a growing gang culture, youth violence that is escalating to murder and people being terrorised in their own communties. Because every time these thugs are brought to court there is always somebody who will excuse their behaviour and blame it on somebody or something else. The blame needs putting on those responsible and they need to be treated like the criminals they are and given appropriate punishment.
What's the use in having them sign a piece of paper that says, 'yes, I'm bad but I'll try to be better.' That's the newest initiative from our Government - an Acceptable Behaviour Contract. They seem to think it will make our streets safer and have an impact on our youth, if they have to admit they are naughty, sign a bit of paper that says they are and promise to behave because they have signed. Oh yeah, I'm sure that's gonna work!!!
For all of us who have kids out there, how many times have you said to them, 'Don't do that again.' And how many times have they replied, 'I won't.' And how many times did they go right out and do it again? Well, there's your answer to how much use those ABC's are going to be.
If the government wants to stop these awful crimes from happening they need to get serious and start giving the police more powers to arrest and make the courts hand out proper punishments that fit the crimes.
I don't see that happening any time soon, do you?

G is for Girlfriends

Every woman needs girlfriends. I'm not talking about the ones we pass the time of day with or meet up with now and again. I'm talking real girlfriends, the ones you know will still like you after you've done, or said, something really stupid. The ones you can tell your deepest, darkest thoughts to and they keep it to themselves. The ones who are always there, no matter what time of day or night, to lend an ear or a shoulder.
I have been blessed with three such friends in my life.
Pam is my oldest friend, I've known her since we were both young mums together. We've laughed and cried together many times, over many things. We've helped each other through our divorces, childhood traumas and teenage tantrums. And we can go weeks without seeing each other but pick up our friendship as if we'd met just yesterday.
Then there is Sue. She is a rock that we all cling to. She is one of the craziest people I know, she can make you laugh with just a look, her parties are legendary and she has a knack of cheering up the gloomiest mood. We all send for Sue when we are ill, frightened, miserable or needy. She gives her time, her very sage advice and her help, whenever she is called. But she isn't a pushover by any means. She doesn't suffer fools gladly and she'll tell you straight what she thinks of you. There's no beating about the bush with Sue. I love spending time with her and her husband Alan, who is a perfect foil for her. They fit together so well and balance each other. I've known them for about fourteen years and they are my best friends.
And then there is Helen. She is totally ditzy. She has blonde moments more often than blondes do. But she has the wonderful ability to laugh at herself. She will listen to your troubles and comfort you when you need it. And she will help anybody in any way she can. I value her friendship so much.
These three girlfriends make my life so much richer. I thank the Lord for them and their differences and hope I give them as much pleasure as they give me.