A one off comment.

Its so very rare i ever get into a discussion about 'religion'..and i do know that many lovely folk have many different beliefs, i would NEVER argue that my belief is the right one...but it is the right one for me.
I have lovely friends who do NOT believe as i do, and some dear friends who have NO faith whatsoever...and i care for them all...they ALL have something to add to my life, & hopefully I do to theirs... However God as proved himself to me,..sometimes through extreme circumstances, its not usually the good times that make a person believe..but adversity....my life as not been easy..but the Bible does tell us that this is a fact that will happen....sometimes when you start to believe....life gets much harder, (is that some other power trying to test my 'faith')..maybe, I'm really not sure about that.
I was once an atheist...couldn't believe there was a God, not when the World is in the mess its in etc...when my daughter became disabled with M.S...when my best friend died while i was a teenager, many bad things happened in the family that i find hard to talk about etc, etc....pretty much like most folks lives i suppose.
One day, many years ago, i heard a man speak about a ' personal relationship' with God through Jesus...and i started to listen..it was as if someone had switched a light on in my head....Its a very long story, but basically the Bible was no longer a dry old book of things that happened long ago.... he made it make sense and i wanted to learn more..a big step for me....things i had never realized before.....IF i'm honest i had not read much of it at all... I just didn't think it was relevant to life today.... Since then so many things have happened that have totally & utterly convinced me that God is real...and that he did come to Earth..to give all who believe in him 'Eternal Life'...no one has to believe, of course,..but i do now, ..totally..I knew my life wasn't going to suddenly become wonderful....and it certainly didn't !!!.. but despite so many very bad times..my faith is still strong... A few years ago i lived on a very busy Main road in Tamworth at the time....the children were still young & i had been to visit my Mom in Birmingham ( i had been a Christian for about 2 years at this time ) ..as i was driving down my road....i suddenly had a strong ,strong compulsion, that i cant explain... to drive past my own house......at the same time it was as if someone held the steering wheel and would not allow me to turn into my drive....the kids were yelling ..why haven't you gone up the drive Mom !!..all i could say was....i dont know, i cant explain it, i just cant turn the wheel !!!.....only a matter of a minute later the compulsion left me..and the steering wheel was under my control again....so i went to the next side road & turned the car around...as i was driving back up the road on the other side, i hit a very bad traffic jam, that seemed to have come out of nowhere.... and was only moving about a foot every couple of minutes, and it then stopped completely.....so as the kids were hungry, i decided to park up in a side street and walk up the road and collect the car later......The terrible shock as i approached my house was unbelievable,.. crowds were gathered around my drive & in my garden......there right on my Drive were my car would have been, & my children would be getting out, had i turned when i normally would....there were two cars that had crashed into each other ( one from the other side of the road i later heard)..and both had landed on my drive and garden..and were a mangled Mess....even writing about it now..my blood runs cold...we would have been mowed down on our own drive..it took an ambulance and firemen ages to cut the folk free and remove the vehicles.....i know we would have been seriously injured at least, probably Much worse had i been able to pull onto my drive..as it must have happened just secinds after we drove past...and the kids would be getting out of the car....Jimmy was a baby still in his carry cot in the back,... and Simon & Vanessa were only only very young.
I Know in my heart that God prevented that tragedy...it was not just coincidence..many may say i was 'lucky'....but even as i drove past earlier, & didn't understand why ..i felt a voice saying..'Trust me'.......awhen i was an Atheist i would NEVER have believed this could happen....but i know it did so did my kids...even now they sometimes talk about it.
Dont get me wrong....i would Still believe even if this didn't happen......but it built my faith up & despite all the bad things that have happened since...i still know God is real...i still cant explain why there is so much poverty & cruelty in this World....BUT if you have a belief in the power of good (in my case God)..you must also believe in the Power of Evil ( everything, especially spiritual things as an opposite, this is recognized by most religions)......i know i believe this.., its a long story and its explanation is too complicated to talk about in a small blog like this.. ..Do you know that the Bible actually tells us that the Devil...is the ruler this World, at this present time. ??.....but those that believe in Jesus will have eternal life in the next one.?..we were never promised an easy ride down here..just that God would be with us, if we believe......I once said i would NEVER bring Religion into my blog....but just this ONCE i felt i wanted to stick up for what i believe.......while deeply respecting the belief of others who may totally disagree with me. ..I will not write on this subject again, as it is not a Religious forum/blog..but i have so much to be thankful for & i wanted to speak about it...just this once.

Seb Moses & an ORB

Dear Kerry & Dee..i hope you are both ok..i have been a bit poorly, i am going to E-mail you in the next couple of days Kerry as it seems a while since we had a chat...i have put this picture on my blog because when i opened it i noticed what look like an 'orb' near the rabbit....on a larger picture it is very clear...if you remember there was one in this room a while ago..i didn't notice until i printed it out...i didn't use the camera flash as it was a good light...so its not from the flash.....can you see it ok ?..What do you make of it ?? I do hope you are both well..i think of you often.

A Start as been made on my garden Shed.

At long last it looks as if my new shed is going to be built..the other one was about to fall down. This one is almost twice the size of the other one & is built in UPVC..so it will probably last for more years than i will..!!!...Simon & Kieran have been working on it most of the day, i felt terrible as it was pouring of rain for much of the time..I kept asking them to stop, but they said rain didn't bother them at all & they wanted to get it finished..hopefully tomorrow it will be completed, they are going to put the roof on....Then they just have to do the interior floor. It as given them a headache as the ground was so unlevel at the top of my garden and they have had to allow for that and build up parts of it...but i am so pleased with it..cant wait for it to be done..its big enough to put my garden chairs & table in out of all this rain we have been having...i dont think its doing the wood much good.

Moses loves Sebs cage

I have had to bring Seb (rabbit) indoors as the rain as been too bad these past few days to leave him in his hutch....His old cage seems so small now compared to his new big hutch...especially when he shares it with Moses !!!..the two seem to have become really good friends.. I leave the door of the cage open so seb can come in & out, if he wants to while i am home,...I only close the cage when i am going out or when i get fed up of them running around like looneys !!!. Moses now sleeps with Seb after they have taken it in turns to chase each other around & wear each other out......still at least Moses is leaving the older cats alone ..and Seb uses the litter tray so thats not a problem....do you like the pic of Moses checking out the rabbit cages on the internet LOL.

A little stills video of the Arboretum etc

http://www.urldir.co.uk/?p=51


This is a link (hope it works) to the Arboretum ..it shows a few more parts of it & also contains information...there are also a few links to Tamworth Castle & Middleton hall...i have posted on these before in the Past...and some other places..just tried the link and it is working..hope it works in the U.S. as well.

Tamworth Memorial Arboretum

Went to visit the Memorial Arboretum in Tamworth this week...I didn't know until we got there that the Duke of Edinburgh was attending that day.....(we caught him just before leaving, as we didn't get there until around 12.00)..he was unveiling a plinth to the R.E.M.E.( Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers) The Arboretum is a pretty place with lots of trees and gardens..but also a very sad place....when you see the statue and the wall with the names of all the thousands of young men & women who have lost their lives in Wars (1st& 2nd World wars & also the more modern ones in Afghanistan & Iraq etc)..The circular building with the steps leading up to it is where all the names are written .....but the statue was particually thought provocking with the soldier been carried by his comrades....then a wife & children are represented at one end..and broken hearted parents weeping at the other...the names of each soldier that has died was written on the wall behind, along with their regiment ...sadly with lots of space to add more names as more lives are taken in the future......some of them were only 17-18...how very sad....they fought, like all soldiers to keep our country Free..... There were also gardens of rememberance for many other countries and soldiers who were our allies in the Wars, with tributes to all the men who lost there lives fighting for peace....and their regiments.

It is something i dont think about very often..but going here really made me think about the futility of it all....and the grief of the families that are left behind....how would I feel if it were any of my children or loved ones ??....broken hearted......The Arboretum itself is getting recognition from many places in the World, and is visited by many folk from other nations, who have lost loved ones and are represented there....I was so surprised when we spoke to one of the Old Soldiers who had fought in the 2nd World War...he had many stories to tell...but he was still alive, and so many never came back....We will be eternally grateful to them..and must not forget..they were someones husband or father or son..(or daughter in some cases) and many gave their lives at such an early age.....War is a terrible waste of life.

Moses is always here when i am on the computer.

I LOVE my little kitty..he follows me everywhere..but whenever i am on the computer he is there with me..one of these pics was taken yesterday (the one where he is awake)..the other one, where he is sleeping was taken tonight..i think he just got sick of me been on here..so decided to go to sleep...he as exhausted himself chasing around after the other cats and jumping all over them..but they are getting used to him now..and i think this stage doesn't last too long anyway...but i will miss some of his antics when he does finally calm down.

I am not giving up on my Ab machine.

It was great yesterday to get support from my friends about my Ab machine...also from anonymous (Sarah)..thank you all ...I thought folk would laugh,... it was an inspiration for me to get positive feedback.....I am VERY serious..these 60 year old abs..need some serious help.
I wont overdo it, and i do a warm up before hand as they tell you on the dvd...i am just doing a couple of minutes morning and evening and building up the time gradually...i also have it on its easiest setting at the moment ( i tried it on the highest one and i literally couldn't move it..LOL)....but i'll build up gradually...I am determined !!..my oldest son saw it today and he said..'what on earth do you want that for at your age mom'......ouch !!!....that as just made me even MORE determined to use it until i feel fitter and get rid of my bumps and bulges ..(.well some of them).. i know i wont look like those gorgeous young women who sell it on the T.V.....i'm OLD.. NOT stupid...i just want to feel better & have my clothes look good again...it wont be easy...but i am determined...thanks again for your support..Joy

Ab Machine.

This is my new Ab machine..it as got very mixed revues on the net, some pretty bad....Jimmy tried it yesterday and said he thought it would do the job as it wasn't easy to do (apparently no pain -no gain !!)..he could feel it on his abs on the highest level & he is very fit...I couldn't even move it on that one, It as 5 levels....i am finding it hard even on the 1st one.. i can feel it on my abs etc..so i am hoping that combined with a healthier lifestyle i will feel & look better in a few months time..friends say i'll get fed up with it before then...hope i can prove them wrong as i do want to get fitter.

Making friends at Last.

I think Bailey and Moses are making friends at last...at least they seem easier in each others company..they both ate food next to each other this afternoon and seemed relaxed...i think Moses knows when Bailey is asleep to just leave him alone....the others just show no interest most of the time.

Raining so hard...LOVELY !!!

I dont think you can see it in this picture..but it as rained almost non-stop today...and for once i am not going to moan..it is lovely..it as cooled things down a lot...but its still pleasantly warm..

I have brought myself a sort of excercise machine that i have seen advertised on the T.V. shopping channel for several weeks now......i couldn't make up my mind about it, but the results do look good on T.V...so i took the plunge last week and ordered it..and its been delivered today.....Just have got to get Jimmy to come upand set it up for me.....i will put a picture of it on my blog tomorrow...now please TRY not to laugh !!!!!......fortunately it is for any level of fitness as you can alter the tension etc on it ( that means abasolutely nothing to an old couch potato like me however )..but watch this space....who knows i might transform myself !!....whooops there goes another pig, flying over my house LOL

Happy 4th July.

Happy 4th July..have lots of fun...dont get too sun burned in all that heat...its a scorcher again today here..so im sure its the same over there in the U.S.

Let me know how you celebrated..did you do anything special to celebrate Independance Day ??..or was the heat just too much ??

93 degrees & climbing !!!

Its So hot here these past few days..our heat is a horrible damp 'clammy' heat..not like some European countries where the heat is dry and a little more bearable.....I do worry about the animals in these conditions, so i rooted through the garden shed & found this old umbrella, a bit scruffy but it helps to shade Sebs hutch a little... the cats just want to stay indoors.....Martha has the right idea...get close to some water.

Aquilegias (Columbines)

Just thought i would put these on my blog...i have just brought the packet of mixed Aquilegias (Columbines)...so HOPEFULLY i will get some the same colour as Kerry's next year......but I think its pot luck with these packets which colours you get !!!....I have the blue and the pink ones like the ones here..but mine are finished for this year as you can see by my picture..only the seed heads left...I do have to remove some of these or they will spread TOO much all over the garden......but i have just given my friend a load of Aquilegia and also Lupin seeds...Do you know what the name of yours are Kerry ??..the colours are so pretty.

How Sad is This

This is a sign showing the limits of the area where the Japanese were allowed to walk...one wonders what would happen if they were to venture further afield ??

With a sentry on Duty i doubt many would try.