Summer Senita

"Yippee, yippee, Summer's here," laughed Senita.

Happy Cactus Monday to all you cactuteers.

Hope that Summer has arrived in all your lives too.

Giggles #138

"Actually, we were looking for a bit more of a water view....."

Giggles Giveaway

A BIG THANKS to the 13 'girls' who have chosen one or more 'giggles' to have and own.

These are your choices and I am so thrilled that you want them.

They will be winging their way to you all as soon as possible.
If you haven't given me your address yet, write to me: jossross@yahoo.com
If you'd still like to choose one, do it with pleasure!

Thanks again!

Fierce #2 (IF)

A baby crying,

Who knows this sound?

Fierce?

OH YES!

Giggles #137

That wasn't what I meant when I said 'bring a bat!'.

Fierce (IF)

There is nothing more fierce than a mother's love.
Don't deny it....
Don't question it....
And don't ever try to fight it!

Happy Birthday Madiba

I was in Hyde Park in London last night at the 46664 (his cell number on Robbin Island) concert to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.

After another exhausting, frazzled and exasperating week at work, I didn't stay till the end, but only long enough to see this great man; looking frail and bewildered, being assisted by his wonderful wife, Graca Michel, on to the stage, for what I fear will be his last public appearance.

Although he seemed (to me) perhaps drugged on pills, struggling to walk and manage, his powerful words were unforgettable. He was definitely saying 'goodbye' and leaving all his work in OUR hands. What a majestic man.
I love you Madiba, you are my hero.Whenever I am asked who I most admire in this world, it is YOU.
Happy Birthday!

Giggles #136

"Women eat nothing and put on too much!
Men eat too much and put on nothing!"

Junk Modelling

Yesterday we had fun at school making 'junk' models, from recycled boxes, cartons, containers, lids, yogurt pots etc.

The topic was buildings/London buildings, and the kids had a great time.

Today we carried them out to the field and I sprayed them all, while the kids stood well back and watched with awe as they changed before their very eyes.

The London 'Eye' was voted the best one.....

or is it Wembley Stadium?

Giggles #135

"This chip contains 'Ginkgo Biloba' to help improve the computer's memory and mental focus!"

Animal Wednesday and Giggles #134

"The Yellow Brick Road? Never heard of it!"

Happy Animal Wednesday everyone! Giggle.....

Cactus Tuesday and Giggle #133

"Oops, I think I'm in the wrong 'giggle' !"

Happy Cactus Monday on a Tuesday fellow cactuteers.......

Giggles #132

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

Giggles #131

My 'Giggles Giveaway' will continue throughout this week.'

Happy Giggling you all!

Inspire Me Thursday - Friendship

The topic this week is centred around the work of Yeondoo Jung (Wonderland), and it made me think of these two lovely little girls in my morning Nursery class. They have 'found' one another recently and are the now the best of friends. They do everything together and are inseparable. This has been so good for both of them as it has helped one immensely with her written work because she wants to emulate the other, and it has also helped the other with her social and emotional skills as she was a loner.

Here is a drawing one of them did showing the two of them together (always). I have put them into the same class next year in order to treasure and relish this wonderful bond between them. How I wish we could all love each other like these two do!

Hoard (IF)

"A giggle a day keeps the doctor away!"
I have painted over 130 'giggles' and promised to post one a day on my blog for a year.
But I don't want to hoard them, so I am giving them away.
If you'd like one, let me know.

Giggles #130 and Original Giveaway

"When you say I mean the world to you, which part of the world are you talking about?"

As it's the '130th Giggle' day, I would love to send you an original Giggle!

If you'd like to have one of these finely crafted, handpainted magnificent pieces of art (NOT) look at all of them and choose one (or more) of your favourites.

Let me know in the comments section and I will give you my e mail address and you can send me your details.

Giggle giggle, I dare you to own one!!!!

Giggles #129

"Of course I know what it is, I'm in love!"

Animal Wednesday

Don't know what it is or why I painted it, but I like it! It's half a dog and half a kangaroo!

So, let's call it a 'manimal' and say 'Happy Manimal Wednesday ' everyone.

Giggles #128

"My mother-in-law's not fat, she's just gravitationally challenged!"

Giggles #127

"It seems you've picked up a bug Mr Jones!"

Cactus Monday

Hilary gave me a sweet little cactus pair, which I introduced to Senita as the 'Fuzzy twins', her long lost cousins!

She is very happy to have some relatives in the house with her now. She says "Thanks Hills!"

Happy Cactus Monday fellow cactuteers! (and NO rude comments about what it looks like!)

Giggles #126

"You're fluent in twelve programming languages, but you can't even talk to me about the weather!"

Punchline (IF)

Here I am with my friends - Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.

"Sixty, sexy and in the City!"

Giggles #125

"He must like you, or he would've charged by now!"

Happy Father's Day to all the great Dads out there! And to the great Dad in my house too!

Giggles #124

"People who dress their dogs are so wierd!"

Me and my Bro

Bro and I are only 17 and 1/2 months apart in age and have always been very close. (Although I tried to throw him out of his pram after he was born.)

We have lived apart in different countries for 22 years and we hate being away from each other. He is the only person left on the planet who shares all my history! He has visited me in London every Summer for the past few years, and we always have a marvellous time. We hardly stop talking for 2 weeks!

In 5 weeks time he will be here again. Can't wait, bro!

These photos are for you!

Love you lots and lots and miss you more and more as we get older.

Giggles #123

" Tell me Doctor, is it serious?"

Giggles #122

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it!"

(Groucho Marx)

Animal Wednesday

I got a book out of the Library and tried to copy some animals. Ha Ha!

HAW everyone.

Giggles #121

"Go away, I'm busy!"

Giggles #120

"Jack, when you fell down, you broke your crown!"

Senita's dream

Last night Senita dreamed that she went to school with FY to visit all the little Nursery children. And she had such a good time there!

Happy Cactus Monday cactuteers.

Giggles #119

"The prozac must be working. You don't look so grim Mr Reaper!"

'Just passing through'

After (another) stressful week at work, I was on my knees by Friday.

Exhausted, sapped of energy and wondering why the hell I am still working so hard at sixty, I had a chat with Steve who is my counsellor (and I am his).

After quite a while spent discussing the exact problems, he said to me:
"Ma, why are you letting it all get you down? You are just passing through at school, you cannot change the system or the people, you cannot do more than you are physically able to, try to relax and don't take it all to heart so much!"

Suddenly, the constricting band across my chest lifted, and I could breathe again. The magic words were 'you are just passing through'.
Of course I am, aren't we all? Through work, parenthood,adulthood, life ....and, after all, none of this will matter in 100 years!!!

So, I 'picked myself up, dusted myself off', and am ready to start a new week with this mantra running through my head....

you are just passing through
you are just passing through
you are just passing through......

Thanks Steve, for listening....you are very special.

Hummingbird Giggle (Inspire me Thursday)

"I hum because I forgot the words!"

Giggles #118

"There are no icons, it's a chalkboard."

Giggles #117

'A meeting is a gathering of important individuals who individually can't do anything, but together can decide that nothing can be done.'

Forgotten (IF)

Have we all forgotten

how to give a 'helping hand'?

in the workplace,

in the home,

in the street,

in the community,

in the city,

in the country,

in the world?

Why?

another tough week
no time to paint
no space to relax
feel cocooned
yet surrounded
vulnerable
working long hours
becoming a bitch
why?
forced to work
can't retire yet
feeling fretful
acting nasty
some happy days too
in the work that i do
is it enough?
no answers yet....