It's a disaster!

Not that I am one prone to over-reacting but I do think the end of the world has come! My puter is bust! jiggered! dead! knackered! caput! and I am oh so very very sad! In fact I cried over it yesterday I was so sad. I can't believe how much I have come to rely on it. I think I love it! (not in a weird way!) I took it to the apple store today and the man supposedly fixed it but when I got home found that he hadn't so that was a waste of time. Now I'll have to go back to the store in Westquay and I hate going to Westquay and it looks like the only time I can do that is Saturday which will be a nightmare! Oh it's a disaster! Thanks be to Suz who currently allowing me to use her little puter until she returns home from seeing her dad.

I would also like to announce that I am now officially a candidate (Cando Bradbury as my brother calls me!) I have been officially accepted to go to The Salvation Army Officer Training College in September. I have lots of mixed emotions about it which i have no doubt gone on about before but on the whole I am quite excited. When you become an candidate you get a badge which has a big star on it and inside the star is a big C which stands for Candidate. I've decided that on my badge it stands for Clare - "May I be a bright star shining" yeah? Anyway, I'm not wearing it coz it's embarrassing but I have displayed it proudly on my purse alongside my candidates fellowship badge. I've decided that I'm not gonna take up badge collecting! Too many holes.

So tonight I'm getting a bit of culture and going to the theatre with some people from work and we're going to see High Society. I've only previously seen the film and the last time I saw it was when I lived in Glasgow. I went to the Glasgow Film Theatre on the invitation of my friend Claire (yes I do have a friend called Claire - and it's not me before you think I've got some sort of split personality) to see the film on weekday afternoon. It was a sing-along-a-High Society. I think that we were the youngest people by about 40 years there. It was a very surreal experience - something that I'm quite used to having when I'm with Claire! But it was a good laugh and one of life's memories that you wouldn't be without!

laters
cx

Noo That's Whit I Ca' a Ceilidh!

Last night I went to a Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee). Now a ceilidh is a scottish dance and the video clip gives you a little taster of what they're like. It wasn't quite like the one you see in the clip - we didn't wear all the scottish gear and we certainly didn't dance so well or take it so seriously but It was a cracking night and very good exercise.

When I lived in Scotland at just about every celebration we had a ceilidh. They're really cool because everyone of all ages can get involved and have a dance and it doesn't matter if you don't have a partner to dance with because you just go and get anyone up - ladies dance with ladies, children dance with adults, however the men don't generally want to dance with other men unless it's an adult/child which I can understand. The ceilidhs are one main thing I really miss about living in Scotland because they were always just so much fun.

So last night they had one at Shirley SA. It was a good laugh and everyone really entered into the spirit of it. You see if you've got a good caller to tell you what to do it doesn't really matter if you don't know the dance. They're easy to pick up and even if you don't pick it up, it's just a jolly good laugh making the mistakes or just making up you're own dance. Dr Phil was very funny doing his version of The Dashing White Sergeant.

So anyway, this morning my body aches considerably; I don't remember feeling this sore after the ceilidhs when I was younger - but it's worth it! If you've never been to a ceilidh - get yourself to one but remember to wear comfortable shoes and light clothes because it's energetic and you'll probably get very hot with all the jigging about!!!!

laters
cx

Miss Congeniality

Last night I watched this film with Fi. What a laugh! I spent the whole film either laughing or thinking - "that's me!" Now I know I'm no Sandra Bullock before anyone reading this says "who's she kidding!" but some of her personality traits and lifestyle stuff was scarily like me! I'm not sure I'm ready to be too specific but for instance I know that I don't have the most gentil laugh; that at times I eat like I've never seen food before and that it's a constant wonder to me that I have not broken my ankles on any of the high heels I've occasionally worn (it's been pretty close sometimes and I have managed to scratch poor Margaret Moore's car when I went over on my ankle wearing stupid high heels)! I don't have a talent for playing the glasses (of the drinking kind) Like Gracie LeBush but I have been known to play the spoons to Salvation Army band marches in my past - which is equally unique. I tell you - I was the highlight of the singing company programme with this talent!

I am very aware that I am 31 now and need to start acting like it. Part of this awareness has brought about the decision to try and be a little bit more lady like so that people might think I'm older. I quite enjoy it but the Miss Congeniality in me keeps peeping through - no matter how hard I try - I just give my true self away in some generally small but sometimes mahoosive way. But is that a bad thing? Why should I try to be something I'm not? Ian (who I work with) and I often talk about the need to be authentic and if we want people to respect us and respond to us then one of the most attractive traits we can have is authenticity.

I was having a right old moan today because I was fed up of feeling like some people were patronising me and treating me like I'd just left school rather than someone who has had some experience of the world around me. So then I get to thinking - how can I act in order to try and change how I feel people see me and treat me? I guess this is something that I'm really conscious of as I think about going into training and becoming an officer - I really need people to take me seriously. After chatting with the wise old bird otherwise known as my mum (Lady Rosa Jean) she made me realise that if that was how people did see me then that perhaps it was their problem and something they need to get over - if indeed they actually do feel that way and it's not just me! But also that God has made me me for specific reason - whatever that is, perhaps I'll never know but I guess I'll just keep on being the clumsy but well-meaning me - aka Miss Congeniality!

laters
cx

P.s. Happy 30th birthday to Heidie my lovely sister-in-law!

Veggietales

Aw this song is cute! Veggietales are cracking!
laters
cx

When I grow up I'm going to be.....

Remember as a child you couldn't wait to grow up and had these great ideas of what you were going to be or do as adults: an actor? a dancer? a fireman? a footballer? a policeman? When I was younger I always wanted to be either a teacher ( I used to love playing schools!) or own my own motel - like Crossroads and drive a racing green Escort XR3i convertable and my husband was going to be called Gary.

I'm reading Cure for the Common life by Max Lucado at the moment. In this book Max talks about us finding our sweet spot - the spot where everything is just perfect. In relation to this he writes about us doing the thing in life which makes us happy and brings out the best in us. He suggests that if we want to know what the futures holds then we need to look backwards with regards to finding the perfect role. He expands on this by suggesting that we think back to the things that we did as a child which made us happy and that should give us a good indicator as to what will make us happy as adults. It seems ironic that another thing which made me happy when I was a child was playing Salvation Army's (I was the officer!) and I also loved going out and about with my mum whilst she was doing officery things like home leagues, over 60's clubs, jumble sales and visiting. Now I am actually about to do that for real!

Talking about jobs, I love meeting people with unusual jobs. I'm excited that I know Nick who works as a member of the cabin crew on an aeroplane and can just phone in and say "I'm fatigued" and can get a day off; then there's Sandy who's a school photographer! How cool is that? Jackie is a florist; my cousin works for Scotland Yard as forensic scientist - that is very exciting but he says it's not like CSI which I was a bit disappointed about. Then there's Amanda who's trained to be a beauty therapist just recently. I was her model when she was training.

You can't be everything in life and it's good that God made us all so differently so there's a bit of diversity and hopefully a bit less boring. We can make the most of each others gifts and best bits. For example I have these pamper evenings in my flat for Linda, chris and now steph. We eat together and then Amanda comes to the forefront using her best bits by pampering them. For example, my model (Linda) will now show you what happens. There's facials, eyelash tints ...

and pedicures ...

and we have a very nice evening. Amanda does a very good job. I can recommend her! Unfortunately, I might not live to organise another pamper evening after this posting when Linda sees these pictures displayed for all to see! But it's worth it!

In the book Max Lucado tells the story of Charlie Steinmertz who designed the generators that powered Henry Ford's first assembly lines in Michigan. Sometime after he retired the generators stalled and this brought the entire plant to a halt. The engineers just couldn't fix the problem. So Ford called on Charlie to see if he could fix the problem. Charlie fiddled with the gauge, jiggled the lever, tried the button, played with a few wires and when he switched on the master switch the motors started and all returned to normal. Charlie then sent a bill to Ford for $10,000. When he saw the bill, Ford thought it was a bit excessive and so sent a note to Charlie which read "Charlie, it seems awfully steep, this $10,000, for a man who for just a little while tinkered around with a few motors", Charlie sent a new bill to Ford saying "Henry, for tinkering around with motors, $10. For knowing where to tinker, $9,990". Max says that we tinker like no one else and that we should explore and extract our tinker talent because when you do the most what you do the best, you put a smile on God's face. What could be better than that?

So if we all found our sweet spot - the thing that is perfect for us; explore our tinker talent and do the most what we do the best how cool would life be? We could all have so much fun and be very happy and fulfilled!

Just some random thoughts!

laters
cx

The Hills are Alive ...

Oh my word! I've been to see The Sound of Music in the westend! Oh my word! It was amazing! I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I bought the tickets for Suz for her birthday and I reckon it's one of the best birthday presents I've ever bought!

We stayed at Kev's flat which is just by the Globe Theatre. It over looks the River Thames and the scene of St Paul's Cathedral right across the way is absolutely stunning! Bless Kev, He ordered us a car to take us to and from The Palladium which was a real treat. Anyway, we finally got to our seats in the theatre. We were up in Gods so it took a little while to climb the steps - talk about climb every mountain! We were on the back row and at times I thought I had vertigo. However, despite this we still had quite a good view of the stage. Unfortunately, Connie (who won the part of Maria on How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria) didn't perform that night - it was announced that she was unexpectedly indisposed. Once we got over the initial disappointment of that we realised that we didn't really know how good or bad Connie was so it didn't matter and that the understudy would have to be just as good - and she was.

The singing and the live orchestra was absolutely stunning. The show is slightly different to the film but not in a bad way and there were a couple of extra songs which I didn't recognise but it was still fab. The baroness is not as nasty as she is in the film and Rolph doesn't tell the guards when he sees the family hiding in the convent which made me happy. What was also very interesting and lovely was that the times when Maria was seeking advice from the Mother Superior seemed so much more spiritual and poinant - it wasn't naff or overdone - it was just beautiful. Lesley Garrett who played the Mother Superior was amazing and just so suited her role. I will be listening to Climb Ev'ry Mountain with different ears now.

So Suz and I cried our way through the evening. It was amazing! Everyone go and see it NOW!

The next morning I got up early, sat in Kev's front room and this is what I saw:



How amazing! It was also so quiet. I can't quite believe that it was so peaceful in the middle of London. You know I was reminded how everyday, God gives me so much to be thankful for. God has blessed me with a very loving family and amazing friends. Isn't it so important to make the most of everyday and enjoy the people and the things that God has given us because you just never know what tomorrow brings.

This has really been highlighted to me again over the past few days. On Saturday a family who I know from Chelmsford Salvation Army were involved in a tragic road traffic accident.

Len, husband to Jean and Stepfather to Sarah was killed outright in the accident. Jean and Sarah were badly hurt and are currently still in Hospital.

Also in the car was Amelia, Sarah's three year old daughter. She was rushed to Great Ormond Street with serious head injuries.

We have heard today that her condition has deteriorated and that she has been put on a life-support machine. Earlier this Afternoon Jean and Sarah were transferred to Great Ormond Street hospital so they could be near Amelia and the officer from Chelmsford went there along with other family members so that he could dedicate Amelia to God. After this the life-support machine was going to be switched off with inevitable consequences.

My heart goes out to this family right now. It's just such a tragic situation and I would ask you to pray for them as they try and come to terms with all that's happened and that God will just guide and strengthen those people who are supporting them at this time.

God has given each of us this wonderful gift of life but it's also very fragile. He wants us to live our lives to the full - that's wnat he said. Isn't it so important that in living our lives to the full we ensure that we make the most of each day, ensure that we're right with our relationships and with the situations we're facing. Make sure we tell those people who we love that we love them. Make sure we thank the people who have added to our lives and anyone who we've hurt or has hurt us we put in order because we just don't know what tomorrow's going to bring.