The most unflattering piture of me EVER!

It's Friday and a bank holiday so I thought I would give you all a good, belly ranching laugh;

The most unflattering picture of me - EVER!

This is what happens when you marry a farmer's son. They invite you down for a visit, during which you somehow find yourself wearing clothes you wouldn't wear if the curtains were open, let alone outside in a field and you end up pulling faces that make you look like a gummy granny while turning turf!

Aren't my gloves gorgeous though? You have to admit that! ;)

Gardening; My Green Fingered Update!

I blogged a wee while ago about my foray into gardening and I thought you all might like a short up-date. I am happy to report that I have not killed anything. If anything my veggies seem to be thriving. I know I am as shocked as you are.

In fact things have been growing so well that three days ago I even branched out [excuse the pun] and planted [several] pepper seedlings. My plants are yet to bar any 'fruit' but the appearance of some ripe veg isn't expected until the end of the summer so I am not worried.

Check out my progress for yourself:

My tomatoes; the back view

My tomatoes; the front view

My little sweet chillies


The new additions; pepper pots!

99 Things about me

I've been meaning to do this post for ages, but never got round to it!
Copy the blog into yours and bold the ones you have done!

1. Started your own blog - Yes, but I don't have many followers!!

2. Slept under the stars – A very, very long time ago.
3. Played in a band - does an orchestra count?
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to DisneyWorld
8. Climbed a mountain – surprisingly I have!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo – unfortunately for everyone else!

11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child – but possibly in the near future!
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - No but I'd like to!
18. Grown your own vegetables – I am right now!
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - Yes twice, I never realised it was so small!
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked – don’t tell my mum!
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort –

25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon – ha ha not a chance
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice – I’ve always wanted to go to Venice, hint, hint!
29. Seen a total eclipse - Yes we had to wear these weird glasses!
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run – I have actually, even I’m surprised at that!
32. Been on a cruise - I'd like to
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie – Michael Collins
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies – well they were Brownie Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt – no but I’ve always wanted to! – have no idea why!
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone – this is actually one of my biggest fears, I can’t imagine the pain!

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle – my Ex was a ‘biker’

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book – Distinctive Weddings; Tying the knot without the Rope Burns and hopefully book deal two is on the way with ‘Purple Tulips’
81. Visited the Vatican – for my 30^th!
82. Bought a brand new car - My first car was brand new
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House – does the outside and visitors centre count?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life – first aid training is essential for everyone!
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club – also started one too!!
93. Got a tattoo - I keep toying with the idea
94. Had a baby – someday

95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit – it wasn’t me, I swear!
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee – only last year, it hurt A LOT, and I cried like a baby!

Vampires in the Pathology Department?

Yet again I seem to have some unexplainable symptoms and my sadistic nurse and doctor are yet again intent on draining my of every last drop of blood!

Despite my complete fear of needles and the sight of my own blood I was anxious for them to take it all as soon as possible, [I’ve been very unwell for 2 months and I really just want to get to the bottom of it] so I asked to be taken in ASAP [which turned out to be after normal blood testing hours and had to drive the blood to the hospital myself].

Firstly the experience was a complete nightmare for someone with my fears; they couldn’t find any viable veins! I was bone dry [so to speak]! As it is, my veins are rarely easy to drain but this time, nothing! Forty minutes it took to fill 5 little vials.

Vials filled, I head to the hospital, my blood in a large shiny gold bag – the only thing the receptionist had to hand to hold them. So I get lost, several times, trying to find pathology. Eventually I find the elusive ‘hatch’ and hand my ‘present’ directly to the pathologist and get lost yet again on the way out.

So a few days later I call the nurse for the results, only some a back, all fine. I call back a few days later for the rest. ‘ Em Blá, I’m afraid the hospital lost the last of your blood’ – WHAT? ‘Yes we’re not sure what happened, can you come in and we can take more?’

Once I picked myself up off the floor I thought… clearly there must be vampires in that pathology department cause no hospital would be that disorganised?! Right? ;)