Time is flying!
3 Fridays have passed and our little group is forming. There’s 8 students all bringing different experiences and styles. It feel exciting that we’ve start the massage course.
There is a lot to learn. It feels very satisfying to be a student again. Making flash cards to learn the anatomy and phisiology. I have to find some will volunteers for me to practice on. That shouldn’t be too hard!
Feeling very happy with where I am at :-)
I heard this in a conversation on radio 4 and I hadn’t the foggiest on what it meant. I couldn’t even guess from the context. I liked the word!
So like a good student I looked it up.
“to waver in mind, will, or feeling : hesitate in choice of opinions or courses” 
I knew a Medlar was a fruit, but couldn’t picture it so I looked it up!
Its in season now, and looks a little bit like a mis shapen pear. I found this description from long long ago. I’m not sure I’d be game for incipient decay – blue cheese is one thing but blue fruit – bleeugh!
Parkinson in 1627 spoke “of the pleasant sweetness of the fruit when mellow.” But today they are nowhere available in shops or markets and impossible to find except in a few private gardens. This should change. […] The unique dark green brown fruit […] is picked after a hard frost. The flesh is then still hard, green and austere and must be kept on a dry cool shelf until the pulp softens and mellows when it turns a light brown. This process is known as “bletting.” The pulp has then a distinctive pleasantly acidulous flavor – source here.
Medlars have been cultivated since ancient times for their edible fruit which, as Alfred Rehder so delicately describes, “after incipient decay becomes soft and of agreeable acid taste.” This after-ripening, known as bletting, is similar to the ripening process of American persimmon. Bletted fruit has flesh with the consistency and taste of apple butter. – source here.
Keep your eyes closed if you are one of those bah hum buug folks! I felt a chill in the air and started on some yummy homemade mincemeat.
I decided to aim to make it suitable for vegans as if it it turns out well, perhaps I can sell it in the shop! kerching!
I have just spent an hour or so weighing, chopping, grating, squeezing & mixing the ingredients. Now the ooozy mixture will given a nights rest to blend and in the morning it will be slowly baked in the oven. This way the vegetable suet will melt and coat all the fruits and thus prevent mould and fermentation!
I absolutely love baking mince pies and hopefullly in a month or two others will be spreading the baking love and cooking with this batch of homemade mincemeat!
Now, to make some gorgeously stylish labels and perhaps some lid covers to make them look extra special. 
I bought my first massage table out of the paper! I have put off starting the course as it is just too much for me to be starting a new job, the extend exercise training as well as the massage course. But it was in the paper as a great bargin. Its good condition and fine to use whilst I am learning. Only downside is that we live in a tiny house and have nowhere to put it. It is currently in the sitting room. I think it will have to get moved to the study. But again it’s a tiny house and the massage table will dominate any room we put it in. Ideally, I’d love to create a space like the picture above. Totally calm and relaxed.
Its so good to give a massage on a table rather than a bed or floor – more comfortable for everyone! :-) I’ll keep up the practsing when I have a willing volunteer – I just try different things and follow my instinct on what might feel good.
I recently had the first of my 12 lessons. The course leader was excllent frun, bright and very knowledgeable.
I am totally overwhelmed by the thought that I am aiming to lead chair based exercise classes. It’s definitley case of the concious incompetence!
By next week I have come up with a 4 finger and hand movements to a peice of music. This is when I have no natural rythym.
By golly, this is going to be a much harder goal than I had imagined! 
Today was day one of an Introductory massage course. It went really well.
I came to the door of a old house which is used as a holistic healing centre. It has such a great vibe to it, light and airy and definitely lived in.
6 students and a really great teacher. Lots of discussion and practice. Today we started with some self massage and to break the ice hand massage then in the afternoon some head neck and shoulder massage. It was great to spend some time in a very calm learning environment with likeminded people.
I’m totally zonked out, brain ache and a warm comforting feeling of this could be very right for me to do!
Yesterday I went to Heeley farm a community farm and environmental centre in Sheffield. It is a great little place and run in a very thoughtful way to benefit the environment and local community.
http://www.heeleyfarm.org.uk/index.php
I went to investigate goats – I have been imersed in interent reseach and wanted to start talking to people and meet some goats!
It was great – I reall think I could enjoy taking care of some goats. I just need to find some land to use as it wouldn’t be peossible where I live. It needs to be local to me, secure and suitable for the goats. I don’t know where to start – but have my eyes peeled for opportunities.
I have been thinking about doing the Extend training for the past 2 years. It is a professional qualification to learn how to lead exercise classes for the over 60’s and the less able. To encourage people to lead healthier, longer lives.
I really like the idea of having many strings to my bow – running a couple of classes per week in the local would be a great addition.
I have a provisional place on a course that starts in September. It is a 3 month practical training course, with final exams and competency checks.
I’m really looking forward, I can feel that this is the right next step!
Bring it on ;-)
http://www.extend.org.uk/
http://www.loveyourvagina.com/index.php/index/static
I couldn’t bring myself to buy the Moon cup from my friends in the local organic healthfood shop! Can you imagine the so how’s the menstrual cup going discussion over buying some milk! It’s weird enough being in that shop in the first place :-)
So have just ordered from http://www.mooncup.co.uk/about-the-mooncup.html
I’m excited to try it out – just have to wait for the parcel to arrive, the moon to align with Mother Nature and maybe a stiff drink or two!
Wowzers there is a lot resting on this! Now there is a big bunch of us going to the ball! utterly fabulous.
Have paired up with another girl going – We’re going in matching Zorro inspired outfits. With just enough kink to tease!
Hats, ribbon masks, capes, swords etc Should be an excellent night! Really looking forward to new years eve, eve!
well not the huge amount I was working towards but if I’m honest I haven’t really put the effort in to deserve a better weightloss. Just weighed myself – probably not the best thing to do on Boxing day after all the eats and drinks of yesterday!
Still continuing with this. Making better food choices is getting more natural and am certainly thinking twice about pigging out when the mood strikes x
Well, after a natural pause of 43things. It feels good to log back on. I felt like I needed a break to take stock of 2009 and see what and how things have changed.
Deep breath! I’m so enjoying starting something new! after a couple of years of crap men and pointless tomfoolery!
Getting to know a lovely new man! Although taking it slow as these things work much better without expectation. I think we are both in a very happy place and things are looking good.
No pressure for sex – he is a total gent. He stayed for the weekend and it was so cute, cosy and wonderful. He is all about enjoying this getting to know each other phase. I don’t think I have ever felt so safe and happy to be in a man’s arms. In this moment, I am really really happy!
Brings to mind a wonderful Smiths song…
good times for a change…
see the luck I’ve had,
can make a good man turn bad.
so please please please…
let me, let me, let me,
let me get what i want this time.
haven’t had a dream in a long time.
see, the life I’ve had can make a good man bad…
so for once in my life,
let me get what i want.
lord knows, it would be the first time.
lord knows, it would be the first time…
I loved being a Spook – I filed my first report this afternoon. Great fun and suprisingly thrilling!
With any luck £12.50 will be winging its way to my bank account soon. I hope more assignments come up soon. Although, I feel I worked suprisingly to complete the report. I thinkk it will feel more natural and be easier next time.
And is a total cutie! Wooohoo! Bring on the 19th of December :-)
It feels so very nice to be on the brink of starting something new!
Ooooooooooh is time for a Love Actually style Christmas <3
I enjoyed myself so much last time, I have convinced two friends to come with me for the next one. They don’t know eachother but are both very fun.
Here’s to new year fun and frolics…
If I manage the 10lbs or bust I’ll wear that fab pink dress I was wanting to wear for Halloween :-)
http://www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org/ball_2.html
I’m on the look out for a super mask – any ideas?
I’m so pleased I have found a place where I can go to a ball! I love a bit of fakery and play. So, so so much more me than the local ropey night club!
gave me a top tip to ask at job interview. She suggested that after they ask you “Have you any questions about the role?” To ask a couple and then follow up with this gem…
“Do you have any reservations about my suitability to the post?”
Huge amounts of confidence needed to ask such a question. But I really like it. As it gives chance for you to clarify any grey areas oh and shows you have balls of steel!
I’m going to try it! She’s convinced its won her a job or two in the past.
I have a bad case of “the I wants & the it’s not fairs!”
I have a day off today, I went for a morning walk to get up and moving. Then have come home started the washing/drying cycle…
Made a few hot water bottles and retired to the warmest place – my bed. We don’t have central heating in our house so it is super cold sometimes. I’m under the duvet contemplating everything and doing my best to stay motivated and steer myself away from a tirade of I want…....... and its not fair!
I have just read through my CV and it is utter crap. Need to make it more general and appealing to other industries. I want to send it to a job agency and see if they can work with me to find something better paid for the new year. I’m just feeling so intimidated by even sending it that they will laugh me out the door.
Same with the personal statement.
I need to do these things, my mind is foggy with self doubt and I want to break free.
If I don’t change I’m stuck in this unhappy rut.
