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Boxing Day Dippers 2011 ...

Just sharing some pics I took at the traditional Boxing Day dip on Worthing Beach.



The tide was in, and the sea was choppy, but many braved the elements!



It's a great annual charity event ...



... guaranteed to put a smile on your face!



More pics are on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.300822456625939.67000.100000945627664&type=1

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chasing one's tail ...

Of which I have been doing rather a lot of lately, being busy and not very productive.

We decided to make time on Bank Holiday Monday to get out on the bikes, finding ourselves parking up in the village of Southease, near Lewes in East Sussex, which meets up with the South Downs Way.



Somewhat sultry, and what with a steep incline and a blustery wind, I found the going a bit tough, to say the least!

J ended up cycling on ahead, as he needs to build up his fitness for the charity cycle ride he's doing at the end of July.

J's received £197 sponsorship so far for the British Heart Foundation, and J's employers have pledged to double the final total. How fantastic is that!



Talking of tails, it was a treat to be able to get up so close to the animals.



This lamb wasn't lost. Its mum was close by.



Aaah, or should I say Baa!



Back into the fold, with a huge expanse in which to roam, to run free without care or purpose.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

oo

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heart love ...

A person's world is only as big as their heart.

This year J is taking part in The South Downs Way Randonnee Challenge, a bike ride, which sets off from Winchester.

It's split into three stages, 100, 65 and 35 miles. J will be joining it at the last stage, which leaves from Devil's Dyke, finishing at Eastbourne.

This event is held in support of the British Heart Foundation.

If you would like to sponsor J, just click on the widget on the sidebar. It's that easy!

We'd be so appreciative of any donations received, the minimum is £2.

Thank you very much for your support.

Louise x

o

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the importance of being a Mum, a Dad, and a friend, love and happiness ...

The sun is pouring through the window and it's March 4th, the date my Mum and Dad got married, back in 1961.

How time flies. Today they would have been celebrating 49 years of marriage. That's if they hadn't got divorced, and Mum hadn't left us for which I hope is a place where the sun shines bright.

When a marriage breaks down it ends, when someone dies, time somewhat heals, but grief and sorrow can show no sign of an end.



One mustn't rely on support, but it is gratefully accepted when it's received.

That's were blog friends come in.

Look at that cute bunny above!

Lisa from Periwinkle recently lost a very close friend.

She came up with the brilliant idea of making cute egg-cup cosy bunnies, with the consent of the pattern owner, with all proceeds going to his charity fund.

Aah look! After e-mailing Lisa with a special request for one with yellow stripes, she made a custom, custard cosy especially for me!

This bunny is sitting next to two items of my 'modern' yellow Cornishware. Ones which I cherish, ones which Mum gave to me after visits to what once was, the factory shop at Church Gresley in Derbyshire.

If you have yet to discover Lisa's skill with knitting needles take a look on her blog, or better still take a look in her shop on Etsy.

To have this bunny in my home makes me very happy!



As, I am sure regular and long-term readers of my blog know, my Mum died, on a sunny day very much like today, of secondary Breast cancer.

She was happy when in remission, but became very depressed and dispondent when she lost the use of her dominant arm, when cancer cruelly spread to her bones. Never being one for giving up, she gave up.

The subject of cancer is one very close to my heart.

That's where blog friends come in.



Back in October, a good blog friend of mine over at Life in Red Shoes, who leaves 'witty' comments over on my garden blog, was holding a Pink giveaway to highlight the fact it was Breast Cancer Awareness month.

She asked for comments from those touched by breast cancer. After reading her very emotional and touching account of losing a best friend, I left a comment. This is the link if you would like to read it, but do have a handful of tissues at the ready.

Look, yours truly only went and won!

Not only did I receive the giveway of a set of emaculately hand-made dishclothes and a set of potholders (another cleverclogs knitter), enclosed was a lovely card, and little bags of seeds collected from flowers from her garden, for my garden.



Love is a difficult word to define.

The word love, of which I confess to using in blog world in a rather indiscriminate manner, can mean many things.

This is the card I sent J as his Valentine. Now, I love him to bits!

I thought you might think it sweet, and as a gesture of blog friendship, and love in a different shape and form, I send it to you.

We haven't kept every card we've sent each other over the years (too much stuff lying around the place does my head in), and what is a lovely cuddly bear, who is is happily surrounded in pink love hearts, will inevitably end up head first in the blue bin!

But not blog friendships, I do hope!

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plan bee ...

Bees will travel a long distance from their nest to find pollen and nectar. Some bees dance, in a figure of eight, to spread the word of a juicy source! Plant Michaelmas Daisies in your garden and you will have bees buzzing with excitement on a sunny day.

Bees are nature's number one pollinator, but they're on the decline. That's why the Co-operative have launched Plan Bee. If you want to find out how you can do more for bees, click on the link.

It's busy being a bee! How about giving them a well-deserved boost with an energy drink. Mix two tablespoons of white granulated sugar with a tablespoon of water in an eggcup, and then place amongst a bee-friendly flower.

Please do not give them brown sugar, honey, Red Bull or Lucazade!

o

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anzac biscuits ...

Unlike the lemon cake, I didn't make these, and we did infact devour the whole packet a week or so back. I often buy Anzac biscuits, they are one of my favourite biscuits for dunking (bad habit I know), and more importantly a percentage of sales go to charity. In previous years the sale of these biscuits have raised nearly £40,000 for the Royal British Legion’s vital welfare services.

How easy are they to make?

1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 level teaspoon baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water

Mix dry ingredients, melt butter & syrup together in small saucepan. Dissolve soda in boiling water, add to dry ingredients. Cook until golden brown on 180c.



Today is ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand, a day to honour and remember the many lost during the Gallipoli campaign on 25 April 1915. The day was inaugurated on 25th April 1916 to commemorate the first anniversary of the landing of troops. The acronym ANZAC was coined in 1915 when the troops were training in Egypt and the word ANZAC was eventually applied to all Australian and New Zealand soldiers.

plant a daffodil in the field of memories ...

Instead of buying a daffodil this year to support the Marie Curie Cancer Care appeal, I have planted a virtual daffodil for my mum in the field of memories. Click on Marie Curie which will take you to the planting area! Just click on the variety you would like and follow the instructions. To plant a daffodil is free, but you can make a donation if you wish.

I have chosen Hillstar for my mum.

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boxing day dippers ...

This is what some of us Southerners get up to on a Boxing Day morning. For a few years now we have been going down into Worthing to watch these very mad, but charitable fools take a dip. The first year of going we were more intrigued then anything else, and walking along to Splash Point to see them was more of an afterthought, as we usually just looked around a few of the shops at the sales. Anyway we discovered what a laugh it was and it has now become one of those events we go to every year. Last year at least 100 dippers took part, and proceeds every year go to the local hospital cancer care unit. As you can see there was another great turnout out of brave souls and spectators this year, and a dog!

ready, steady ...



go!



enjoy the moment (don't be fooled by the lovely blue sky, that sea temperature is extremely cold)



a very hasty retreat back to the shore!



With both of us amongst hundreds of others, looking on in our lovely snuggly warm fleecy attire, with two great Cheshire cat grins on our faces and having a real good laugh at some other poor beggars expense. This is a great event, catch it if you can.

christmas classics ...

Raymond Briggs' unique characterisation of Father Christmas is based on his father - "Father Christmas and the milkman both have wretched jobs: working in the cold, wet and dark."



"People often ask about the technique in (The Snowman) - it is done entirely with pencil crayons, with no line in pen or pencil and no washes of ink or watercolour."

"In Fungus the Bogeyman I wanted to show the petty nastiness of life - slime and snot and spit and dandruff, all this awful stuff which is slightly funny because it detracts from human dignity and our pretensions."

The Worthing branch of retail chain British Bookshops Sussex Stationers, in Montague Street, is supporting Chestnut Tree House children's hospice's competition. The task is to design a Christmas card for the hospice, which is based near Arundel and is the only children's hospice in Sussex.

Raymond Briggs, illustrator of The Snowman, will be choosing the winners of each age group. The winning designs will be transformed into Christmas cards which the hospice will sell next year. Last year's winners, along with an exclusive design donated by Mr Briggs, will appear in the shops at the end of this month.

For more on Raymond Briggs click on this link.

violent veg pin badges ...

For any of you who have looked in to my garden blog lately will know what I want in my Christmas pillowcase this year? Looking through the brilliant Violent Veg website I have discovered you can buy these great pin badges, although they are currently out of stock, which is actually good news, as the more sold the more money goes to the charity. I hope the production line is busy making more?

Collect all 5 fun Violent Veg 3D pin badges in one fell swoop. You can share them with your friends, or pin them all on your lapel or your bag or wherever. Just buy them and you’ll be helping to support the vital work of our chosen charity, The Anthony Nolan Trust.

Each badge comes with its own Violent Veg cartoon and more information about The Anthony Nolan Trust, the charity that takes back lives from leukaemia. The Trust will receive the full net proceeds from your purchase of these badges.

Did you know that there are around 7,000 children and adults in the UK seeking a suitable bone marrow donor to give them their chance of life? By buying these badges, you’ll be helping the Trust to continue their lifesaving work. Thank you.

Also, the Trust needs to recruit more people aged 18-40 to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register, especially more young men and people from black and minority ethnic communities.

The Anthony Nolan Trust is a registered charity no. 803716.

children in need ...

Don't forget Children in Need this coming Friday. Our annual cake sale is taking place at work tomorrow, so I shall be taking in some extra pennies, and putting on some extra pounds, oh well it is for a very good cause!

Update - many cakes were generously donated for the sale, I ended up with a slice of carrot cake topped with cream cheese icing, a slice of lemon madeira and a coffee/walnut cupcake, I could have bought the lot, but had to be selective!

poppy appeal ...

Don’t forget to wear your poppy with pride.

In Flanders' Fields
John McCrae, 1915

In Flanders' fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders' fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders' fields.

wear it pink day ...

Breast Cancer Campaign is asking everyone in the UK to wear it pink on Friday 26th October and donate £2 each, so the charity can continue researching the cure for breast cancer.

Wear it pink is the biggest event during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and since its launch the event has raised £6.6 million. This year, with our help the charity are looking forward to the most successful wear it pink ever, so join the pink mania and take part in the original and best pink day.

To take part, don an item of pink of your choice. It can be done discreet or daring as you like. The important thing is to have fun and enjoy yourself on wear it pink day while raising vital funds.

I shall be wearing it pink at work tomorrow, I hope you have something pink you can wear, even if you cannot make a donation, just wear pink, it is a great colour after all!

looks like he's been thinking pink too ...

Bless ...!

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i've been thinking pink today ...

... whilst doing chores, about how many pink items I had around the house, these are just a few of them!