Another busy couple of days!

Well, we are starting to see things getting done. 

The "cement guys" ,as I call them, came out and graded and framed the area for the driveway. They were due to pour on Monday but have needed to make it Tuesday instead. No worries. I'm happy knowing it's going to be done and will be ok by the end of the month, for me to have the Pod people put the Pod on. 

This looks so small but it's the angle of the pic, as it's 10' x 50'. I'll have to take one from the other direction which gives a better view.

Hubby started "messin' about" in my hallway bathroom, the one that is going to be my sanctuary for relaxing once it's done. He started pulling off some of the tiled surround. We've decided not to replace the 36" wide vanities with the same size, opting instead to go smaller, down to 30". Today we went back to Lowe's and checked out some in the new size, and just have to check the reviews and see whether people like them or have had issues.

Hubby found me an amazing spider plant for $8 in the clearance section. LOADS of babies, so she's in the sink soaking at the moment, and tomorrow, I'll start cutting off some of the trailers and planting them in a circle in some other pots. Poor plant was so light, so def bone dry. I spritzed her all over with Miracle Gro as well so's she knows she's got a home where she'll be loved..

I also bought some hyacinth bulbs, pink, mauve and white, a pack of 15, so I've planted 5 each in pots together, and they'll be a nice fragrance on the front porch when they bloom.  I was also looking for lavender plants or seeds but to no avail.

Hubby also did another concrete slab of the pathway today, and my grandson - Dylan - came over and did some weed-eating.

Earlier, I'd had a doctor visit, and we'd both had chiropractor visits. We met Dylan at Cracker Barrel for lunch, and grabbed some goodies while we were there.

My book of kid's poetry and colouring pages, is coming along. Another "slow and steady will win the race" project. I'm trying to make sure that it's going to be something kids will enjoy. Eventually, I'd still like to do "The Storybook Witch" as a stand alone picture book. but that's not going to happen any time soon.

Well, that's today's blog. Have a great weekend!

Life is getting hectic!

YAY, the walk-in bathtub arrived yesterday! It is currently taking up space in the living room, until we are ready to put it in.

Hubby fixed the ceiling fan on the front porch, so tomorrow I am going to re-vacuum, re-polish and then get all my plants out of the hallway bathroom and back onto the front porch. I've kind of been using the hallway bathroom as a plant nursery, LOL, so they have to come out so that I can turn it into my relaxation spa.

Earlier today, my "tree man" came and took down 2 trees that were half-dead, so that was another project taken care of. 

I've also been in the hallway bathroom taking stuff out of the under-sink cupboard. Let's just say, I've not been under there for YEARS and some of the stuff I threw out was from when Dylan lived with us about 10 years ago! The one thing that I THOUGHT was under there, but wasn't, is a pink ceramic washbowl and jug that a friend made me many years ago, when we were in Germany. I could have sworn it was under there, so now I have no idea where it is. Somewhere safe, because that's one of my "pride and joys" and I wanted it to have a spot as an accent in the bathroom, once we get it done.

Emailed the guy who does the skip rental, so that I can get that delivered, for us to start taking out the bathroom cabinet and old bathtub, and begin with the old kitchen cabinets, wall panels etc as well.  This is going to take us a few months but we are finally seeing a start to everything.

I worked some more on the poetry and colouring book for kids, and am hoping to get that finished in the next week or so, so that I can get it published before Halloween. The first poem is The Storybook Witch, that I've wanted to do as an illustrated kids book for years. This may not be what I envisioned, but who knows? That may come later. For now, this one is a selection of my poems for children along with colouring pages to match parts of the poems. I hope it'll make some little ones happy!

Tomorrow will be another busy day, we have plenty to do!

Heroes #2: Gladys Aylward

Does anyone now even remember Gladys Aylward, I wonder? 

During my childhood, she was quite a famous lady, they even made a movie about her. Because of what she did, I'd even hoped some of my Chinese friends might have heard of her but they hadn't, which I find sad. In 1938, she had led 100 orphans out of Japanese-occupied China, over mountains, to safety, and yet she is now forgotten. Before that, she had worked to stop the practice of female foot-binding that was customary in the region and resulted in the painful tottering steps that were considered desirable back then.

She was born in London in 1902 and worked as a housemaid before finding herself wanting to become a missionary and go to China. Unfortunately, the China Inland Mission decided not to sponsor her, but she was determined to go and spent her life savings on a ticket to Yangchen in the shanxi Province. The journey itself was dangerous, and took her through Siberia, where she was detained by Russians and needed help from locals to get away from them. She ended up on a Japanese ship and had to make her way across Japan with the help of the British Consulate, and then - finally - catching a ship to China. The journey did nothing to defeat her enthusiasm for what she felt she was born to do.

When she got to China, she made contact with a missionary who was already there, Jeannie Lawson, at The Inn of the Eight Happinesses. It was a stopover point for travellers and often evenings were spent storytelling, and Jeannie and Gladys would use the moment to share stories about Jesus.

She loved China and its people, and became a Chinese national in 1936, and it seems was much loved and respected by the Chinese people back then. They called her "Ai-wai-de" which meant "Virtuous One". 

Her life was not easy but she persevered in many things. She was instrumental in ending the practice of footbinding in the local area, as the assistant to a foot inspector. The culture that prized the daintiness of small feet in women, binding them to break the bones and keep them tiny, was painful and disfiguring. The male inspectors had often received violent reactions from the villages they visited, yet she managed what they couldn't, somehow reaching the people and altering their views on the practice.

She did not shy away from danger, but was somehow led to intervene in a prison riot, where she calmed the rebellious inmates and soothed over the situation. She also offered shelter for many children, orphans found their way to her, and she gave them a home, and safety. 

I think I was 5 or 6 when I first saw the movie "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" with Ingrid Bergman, about the life of Gladys Aylward. I read the book that the movie was based on, "The Small Woman" by Alan Burgess, when I was 7 or 8. The film had (as movies do) taken liberties with the story, and Gladys had apparently been upset by the addition of a supposed romance with a Japanese officer as she felt it portrayed her badly and she stated it didn't happen. There were other discrepancies, but the film was fairly well received and Gladys Aylward's name became quite famous, at the time.

The culmination of the movie was her trek, over the mountains, to get 100 children to safety, away from invading Japanese forces, which actually occurred in 1938. This would have been a miracle in itself, but was even moreso as she was actually wounded herself, making the journey even more arduous.

I have often wished somebody would have made a documentary and interviewed those children, in later years, and got their first-hand memories of that time and this amazing lady. Sadly, when I had tried to find names and survivors, a few years ago, I was unable to come up with anything.

Unfortunately, when the Communists began to take control in China, her life was in danger because they were looking for all the missionaries, and she ended up back in England in 1949. 

Later, after a brief stay in Hong Kong, she ended up moving to Taiwan in 1958. What is odd, is that I remember Taiwan being called Formosa, and yet apparently, it was only called that in the late 19th century, so I have no idea why I would think of it as that.

In Taiwan, she founded the Gladys Aylward Orphanage, and lived there until she died in 1970. She is buried in a small cemetery on the campus of Christ's College there. Her work lives on in Taipei though, as the orphanage is still active today, but renamed the Bethany Children's Home. I'm not sure why they needed to change the name. She being one of my heroes, I think it would have been "nice" to have left it and honoured her memory and all that she did, but I realise that half a century has passed since her death, so maybe they needed to make a "new" entity of the orphanage.

I still think of Gladys Aylward. It seems many of my heroes were people who didn't take "no" for an answer, who didn't let obstacles stand in their way, and who made their own destinies by striving ahead with what they believed they could do.

She showed the difference that one person could make, in the world. She was just a "nobody in particular" and yet look at what she achieved.

I miss my goats

 We were driving through a beautiful old neighbourhood, where one of my AVON customers has recently moved to, when I saw a sign about renting goats to clear your yard, and that was all it took. I missed my goats. They all crossed the Rainbow Bridge years ago, but at one time we had four. Rammy, Cleo, Red and Sadie. 4 different personalities. 4 Nubians. I used to love sitting down in the field with them. Cleo would stand behind me on their play box, and rest her head on my shoulder. Rammy would rear up and bring his head down perfectly to touch my outstretched hand, and he was the one with 2 different calls - "maaahh-meee" and "daaad-dee". People didn't believe it, until they'd come over and hear him for themselves.

My goat days began July 19th 2003, when we brought Rammy home. He'd been born in June weighing only 3lbs, and was still needing bottle feeding. He was a darling. He was so little, even then. The tiger lilies were bigger than he was.

On the 13th August we got him a companion. 

Our Miss Cleo.

He was our Rameses, to her Cleopatra. She was a darling. She was 4 months old when we got her.

They thrived, and hubby made them separate stalls in the old pole barn, so they had their space, but put wire mesh between at the bottom so that they could see each other and not be lonely overnights when we'd put them to bed. Yeah, we were that kind of goat parents! The vet who came out a few months later, and taught me how to give them their shots, said he'd never seen such pampered goats. LOL.

They were only knee high back then and gambolled about, skipping and bouncing around the yard. It was so sweet watching them, they were so cute.

Being Nubians, they grew fairly quickly and were both very healthy.

In January 2004, we brought Red and Sadie home just as a snowstorm was about to hit. I was still working at the time, and not as disabled as I became 2 years later, and had been trying to help another lady with her 2 goats that were sick. She kept bugging me to come more (I was trying to go there 2-3 times a week) and then started telling me I needed to take the goats to mine so that I could get them well. I said I couldn't do that because of my 2, I didn't want to make them ill.

She called me one day and told me she couldn't handle them any more and that she was giving them to me. I told her they'd still have to stay at hers as they were sick. The next day (with a snowstorm due in that evening) she called me around 7pm and told me I needed to come and feed "my goats". I was horror struck. She wasn't even going to feed them now she had "given" them to me. I told Mark, "ok, we need to go and get these goats", so we loaded up a cage and a tarp to cover it on the journey back, and drove to Fountain Inn to get them. A couple of years later she accused me of stealing them and tried to badmouth me through goat groups that we were both in, but t ended up that I wasn't the first person she'd done the exact same thing to! It was sad. I hadn't realised what a nasty person she really was.

We had just made it home that night (24th January 2004) as the snow started to fall, and it was bitter cold.

We doubled Rammy and Cleo up in one stall and put Red and Sadie in the other. We knew what was going to happen, because of the mesh at the bottom of the divider, and with 2 days, I was dealing with 4 sick goats. That was when I learned to give shots. They all had to have antibiotics, and I was having to squirt Nasalgen up their nostrils for almost 4 weeks.

Ye remodelling has begun - slow and steady will win this race!

Let's just say, we thought we had everything planned out. The truth was, we were so far off the mark it was ridiculous. 

I began by getting quote to redo our bedroom bathroom, it is small. Ballpark with the first few quotes - between $14,000 and $20,000. WOW! That was with us providing the shower, loo, sink cabinet and tiles so basically the labour for repairing the floor, under the shower, and ripping out and putting the stuff back in. Me and my (hopeful? Definitely lowball) idea of $5000 for it was waaaay off the mark. I do have one more man who is going to come out and take a look as soon as I figure out when, who I'd already mentioned the previous quotes to and he'd said his prob wouldn't be as high. So, it may be that the bedroom bathroom will end up being professionally done. We shall have to see. 

Meanwhile, we have made a beginning on the kitchen, and ordered the walk-in bathtub for the hallway bathroom. I am already looking forward to soaking in it, lights out, candles lit, soft music playing. That will be my new bedtime routine in a few weeks. I'm thinking, it will do wonders for my blood pressure.

So, the kitchen is going to be a major makeover. My grandson, Dylan, replaced part of the ceiling for us, where we'd got damp spots from a series of leaks before we redid the roof. Hubby has now pulled off the wall panels over the original fireplace area where there is now a gas heater. He is going to insulate it and then put up drywall. Eventually it will have tiling there, above the lower brickwork exposed wall which I want left "as is".

I like exposed brickwork. We are planning on mimicking it somewhat, at the other end of the kitchen, where we'll have the same tiling as a backsplash to the stove and between cabinets and a fake brick arched area over the stove to hide the hood. Methinks it will look pretty. My stove choice is an antique white (to me, it looks like cream, but who am I to judge!) and my cupboards will be a dusky grey blue. I can't think what they call the colour off hand. Eventually, the walls will be painted a very light baby blue and I'll have blue curtains, I'm thinking blue/white check but shall have to see.

The walls, as we take off all the old panelling, we'll have to get an electrician in to rewire everything as - with this being an old house - the circuit gets overloaded if I have the air fryer and microwave going at the same time. Added to which, the wiring to the middle light fitting (of the 3 in there) has given up the ghost so it needs to be done, and that's something we will need a professional to do.

But we have made a start. The next few months will be a journey - hopefully a good one!

Heroes #1: Isambard Kingdom Brunel

 Suffice to say, I have loved this man since I was a child, and my nan introduced me to some of his marvels, on our holiday trips from London down to Devon and Cornwall. I loved his tenacity, his obstinacy, his unwillingness to give up when he experienced "failure" in a  project - he just went back to the drawing board and took another look until he got it all figured out.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a name synonymous with innovation, engineering prowess, and audacious vision, stands as one of the most celebrated figures in the history of industrial revolution. Born on April 9, 1806, in Portsmouth, England, Brunel's remarkable achievements and indomitable personality left an indelible mark on the world, shaping the course of engineering and transportation.

Early Life and Education

Born to the renowned French engineer Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and Sophia Kingdom, Isambard Kingdom Brunel inherited a legacy of engineering genius. His early years were marked by exposure to the world of mechanics and machines, as his father was a pioneer in tunnel construction and industrial design. This early exposure laid the foundation for Brunel's insatiable curiosity and passion for pushing the boundaries of engineering.

Architect of Bridges and Railways

One of Brunel's earliest achievements was the Thames Tunnel, often dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Constructed under the River Thames, this marvel of engineering showcased Brunel's creativity and determination. Despite numerous challenges, including flooding and financial setbacks, Brunel's innovative tunneling techniques paved the way for his future endeavors. There is now a museum at the site of the Rotherhithe engine house (where the drainage pumps were situated) called the Brunel Museum.

However, it was in the field of railways that Brunel truly revolutionized transportation. As the chief engineer of the Great Western Railway, he introduced the broad gauge, a wider track that allowed for faster and more stable travel. The Great Western Railway became a testament to his vision, with impressive viaducts, stations, and bridges that demonstrated his mastery of both form and function. Some were timber framed while others were brick, stone, concrete and steel.

Iconic Ships and Maritime Legacy

Brunel's genius extended to maritime engineering, where he produced some of the most iconic ships in history. The SS Great Western, launched in 1837, was the epitome of luxury and speed, setting new standards for transatlantic travel. This was followed by the SS Great Britain, a revolutionary steamship with an iron hull, propelling the maritime industry into a new era of efficiency and design. I Loved visiting this ship, it really opened my eyes to quite a few things - the "First Class Cabin" which was so small, and the bed which would definitely not have been comfortable. It was fascinating, to me, to be walking where he might have walked when examining the ship during its construction.

Yet, it was the SS Great Eastern that truly encapsulated Brunel's audacity.

An engineering marvel of unprecedented proportions, the SS Great Eastern was the largest ship of its time, boasting innovative features such as a double-hulled design and a massive screw propeller. Despite facing financial struggles and setbacks during construction, Brunel's determination led to the creation of a ship that defied convention. Sadly all that remains today, at the Millwall Docks where it was built, are some of the launch ramp.

Personality and Legacy

Brunel's personality was as dynamic as his achievements. Known for his boundless energy, insatiable curiosity, and dedication to detail, he was a man unafraid of taking risks and challenging the status quo. His charisma and ability to inspire those around him were instrumental in garnering support for his audacious projects, even in the face of adversity.

Tragically, Isambard Kingdom Brunel's life was cut short at the age of 53 due to a stroke. He died before seeing the completion of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which I have always felt sad about. However, his legacy continues to reverberate through the halls of engineering and architecture. His innovative designs, daring feats, and relentless pursuit of excellence have inspired generations of engineers and creators.

Today, Brunel's achievements stand as a testament to human ingenuity and the power of unbridled imagination. His legacy can be seen in the bridges, tunnels, railways, and ships that continue to shape the modern world. Isambard Kingdom Brunel's unwavering commitment to innovation and his relentless pursuit of greatness have earned him a place among history's most remarkable and revered figures and he has been a hero of mine for over 60 years.

It was his obstinacy and relentlessness that prompted me to mane my dog after him, when he - too - was exhibiting obstinacy and tenaciousness!

I love to read!

 

The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan Next

I had a mother who read to me Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea, Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth, "Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath. I had a Mother who read me lays Of ancient and gallant and golden days; Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe, Which every boy has a right to know. I had a Mother who read me tales Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales, True to his trust till his tragic death, Faithfulness blent with his final breath. I had a Mother who read me the things That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-- Stories that stir with an upward touch, Oh, that each mother of boys were such! You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be-- I had a Mother who read to me. I love to read, and the above poem epitomizes to me all that is magically wonderful about reading.  I met a lady today who said she didn't read or write very well, she has disabilities, and I felt so sad for her and all that she was missing by not having a skill that I had acquired so easily, and took for granted. I am always reading.  I often have 3 or 4 books on the go at once, different authors, different genres, mainly fiction but the intermittent biography or historical account pops up in there sometimes. I do go through phases, as well as through authors. I read a novel that I like, and then I scour the library for other books by the same person and reserve them.  Sometimes I have 5 or 6 on hold, from favourite authors, particularly when they are newly published. My local library limits books on hold to 10 at a time, but hubby has picked up 8 in one go before, struggling under the weight of carrying them all. Currently, I am reading 3 novels: Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig; Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo and  Headhunters also by Jo Nesbo. I am also reading a rather heavy book, emotionally - The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation by Rosemary Sullivan. I first read The Diary Of Anne Frank when I was 7 or 8, and I have re-read it a few times since then. When we went to Amsterdam in 1998 (a late honeymoon some 13 years after our marriage) we went to the Anne Frank House at Prinsengracht 263. At first, the long line outside was filled with chatter, but as soon as we entered the premises, there was a still reverence. The attic, surprisingly, seemed quite spacious - until you considered the number of people living there.  The fact that they couldn't run water, flush toilets, open windows for air, walk about, all the things we take for granted in our daily lives. Then you could feel the oppression of a smaller space than it first appeared. The view across the canal hasn't changed much in the decades since the war, and the cobblestone streets remain.  One could almost hear the Nazi jackboots marching down the street. Had I not have read the original Diary, there are many things that I would not have found a sad passion for, the Holocaust being one.  Trying to understand man's inhumanity to man, as they say. It taught me about the bravery of everyday people, people who risked their own lives to help persecuted Jewish friends. So, despite their being many who claim that the cold case results are unproven, wrong or even defamatory, I am reading the book with an open mind.  Especially since it does contain input from the Frank family's friends and associates. Emotionally though, it is a heavy book. Hence why I read a few pages, and then turn to one of my fiction ones "for a break". I love reading though because you can escape into other worlds, learn a new skill, or learn about the world and history.  I'm also passionate about early reading, and taught al my 3 children to read and write before school, and over the years - as a daycare provider and children's nanny - I did the same with the preschoolers in my care.  To me, reading provides enrichment and is a basis of preschool teaching.  I also loved to read to the little ones, and even had their parents sit and listen in sometimes. So, now you know.  I LOVE to read!