2016-01-05T08:07:35+00:00

Just Jot It January 5th – 2016

January 5, 2016/Judy E Martin/36 Comments

We have an interesting prompt for Linda’s Just Jot it January today, ‘2016.’ I don’t tend to think too far ahead ass regards to planning out my year, being more the type of person who sees where life takes me.However, there are a few things that I would like to this year. I

However, there are a few things that I would like to this year. I already have the idea for a follow-on novel to the one I wrote for NaNoWriMo, and it would be wonderful if I could manage to write that, bearing in mind, there is still a lot of work left to do on the original one.

I have my 50th birthday coming up next month and still have no clue of how I am going to celebrate that. I aam not one of those dare-devil types that wants to bungee jump or skydive or something. In fact, being terrified of heights, I can think of nothing worse. I would actually like to survive whatever experience I undertake!

I know I need to take more care of my health this year, both physical and mental. I have to face up to the fact that I need to stay on my meds for depression, and not to cut it right down when I think I am feeling better! I also need to keep my blood sugars under control. It still actually hasn’t sunk in properly that I am diabetic, and I really do have to watch what I eat!

I always enjoy new challenges so will continue to join in with whatever bloggy ones take my fancy. I also love taking the little mini courses run by ‘Open University’ to broaden my knowledge. I have an unquenchable thirst for learning new things, and I want to learn a bit about photography so that I can use mostly my own pictures on my blog.

Whatever this year brings, one thing is for sure, you will probably end up reading about it on my blog!

Ronovan’s Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt # 78’Vast’ & ‘Clear’

January 4, 2016/Judy E Martin/27 Comments

Ronovan has given us the words ‘vast’ and ‘clear’ for his first weekly haiku challenge of 2016.

Here is my attempt:

Just Jot It January 4th – Dachshund

January 4, 2016/Judy E Martin/39 Comments

I have managed to stick with the prompts so far for Linda’s Just Jot It January challenge. Today’s however, is rather tricky as I do not have a dachshund, nor have I ever even met one!

Hmmm, I know, I will write a haiku about one!

Short legs, long body

Skilled in the art of hunting

Looks like a sausage!

Short-haired-Dachshund (1) — Iamge courtesy of Wikipedia

New Sensation

January 3, 2016/Judy E Martin/46 Comments

I came across the Daily Posts Prompt for today which was to write about fashions that you love, and from what era they come from.

I am sure most of you know by now that I love the 80’s! Now, I actually like the music from that era, but at the time, I embraced the whole lot. The clothes, and the hair styles, I even tried the make-up too, but I have never been skilled in that department, and the 80s makeup called for a lot of colour and a few hours to spare!!

The one thing I have always loved (and still do) is a bit of sparkle. If it has glitter and/or sequins then I am going to love it. At Christmas in particular, I would probably end up looking more garish than the Christmas tree fairy! As you can see from the photo, I was decked out in top to toe gold! The long, pleated skirt and best top were made of this kind of smooth, slippery material. My hair was the result of a failed ‘spiral perm’ that was popular in the day, and the colour seemed to match perfectly to my outfit!

I seem to remember wearing a lot of shiny dresses in the 80s of bright, vivid colours, banana yellow being a particular favourite. There was a lot of variety around at the time, as I also used to love my frilly shirts, jeans and pixie boots. The jeans had red piping down the side, and we used to have these canvas belts of all colours that we would wear too.

Of course, there were ‘ra-ra’ skirts too. although I did have one of these I was not too keen as they didn’t seem to flatter anyone, and certainly made me look pretty dumpy.

Although my school was pretty strict, especially with regards to uniform, I did manage to get away with wearing a pair of grey corduroy trousers that I I had taken in to make them even more of a ‘drainpipe’ style than they already were. Other than that I wore a pencil skirt, but me being me, got told off for ripping the split that was in the back of it even higher. (I never was ladylike, always running up stairs two at a time, with no thought for the confines of the skirt! More sewing when the teachers noticed and I got told off.

Looking back, some of the fashions seem so ridiculous now, but at the time I was in my element!

Just Jot It January 3rd – Frozen

January 3, 2016/Judy E Martin/21 Comments

The following post is in response to Linda’s Just Jot It January. If you haven’t already checked it out, please do so. It is a great way to get the blogging juices flowing!

One of the joys of a British winter is often waking up in the morning to a thick coating of frost everywhere. For many of us, this means standing outside in the freezing cold with a scraper, scratching away with numb fingers. Poor Mr Grump, he did use to suffer out there whilst I drank my tea, impatiently waiting for my car to be ready! Luckily this year has been much milder and we have only had the odd icy morning.

We took the decorations down on New Year’s Day, and Mr Grump was climbing up on furniture unpinning all the lights that were around the room. I meanwhile was undressing the poor old Christmas tree. I heard a loud ‘thud’ and a bit of swearing, and spun round wondering what had happened. Mr Grump was squatting on the chair clutching his head, frozen in pain. I however, was stuggling to control my lips from twitiching.

He is a bit of a drama queen when he hurts himself, and was talking through clenched teeth, telling me he hit his head on the celing. I had already gathered this, but him crouching there statue-like, hands over his head was playing havoc with me trying to keep up a sympathetic wife face. I finally managed to prise his hands off his bald pate to see a pinhead sized piece of skin had been scraped off. How disappointing, I thought there might have at least been an egg sized lump after the fuss he made!

TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – Containers

January 2, 2016/Judy E Martin/21 Comments

I wasn’t sure what I was going to use today for TJ’s Household Challenge as ‘containers’ had so many possibilities.

Anyway, I have been on the lookout for a bag to keep my knitting in as a carrier bag is not the best receptacle! I was looking on Amazon to see how much they are and resented paying thirty quid for the bucket bag that I wanted.

However, I came across Craftsy Website where they had free tutorials on how to make one. Bonus! I had a few scraps of fabric leftover and gave it a whirl. I was really thrilled, as although I am not a great sewist (sewer looks wrong), I managed to make it, and I was more pleased as I have not felt like doing any sewing or anything for ages.

After all that rambling here is my haiku (and my bag)!

My new knitting bag –

A few hours, some old fabric

Was all it took!

Just Jot It January 2nd – Pause/Paws #SoCS

January 2, 2016/Judy E Martin/31 Comments

Today I am going for another ‘first.’ I have decided to join in with Linda’s Stream of Consciousness posts as well as the Just Jot It January one!! Please check these out as they are great fun, and I have already met some wonderful new bloggers.

It is not often that I actually pause to think about what I am doing, or where I am going. I am a worrier which means that I very often go over and over things worrying about how I might be interpreted or whether or not I have unintentionally offended anyone, but that is different.

It would be beneficial to me I am sure to have some direction, as I tend to just blunder on through each day not really thinking about what I am doing. I do things ‘off the cuff’ quite often without thinking too much about it.

Even starting my blog, I had no clue really about what I was going to write about or how often I would post. It just sort of evolved really. I suppose in many ways, I could be accused of being careless, as I rush through, going from one thing to another. I decide that I want to do something then go for it putting everything into it. Then I go on to something else.

Maybe I am searching for something, I don’t know because I never pause long enough to find out!

Just Jot It January 1st- Persnickety.

January 1, 2016/Judy E Martin/47 Comments

I am excited to be taking part in Linda’s e where we get to write a post a day throughout the month of January. We can choose whether or not to use the prompt words as we wish. Why not have a go, as it is not too late to join in.

Now I don’t think that I am a ‘persnickety’ person at all. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I am quite easy-going. However, I looked at the word for today and thought that something was not right. It didn’t look quite right to me but I was not sure why. After all. ‘persnickety’ was spelled correctly, but something was off. Then I found it. That hidden ‘s’ that had sneaked in.

You see, over here in the good old UK, we say ‘pernickety’ and that is what I am going to stick to. I know North Americans say ‘persnickety’ but I don’t like that ‘s’ so am going to ignore it!

So yes I am pernickety, and in fact, whilst we are on the subject, I also get mad about the apostrophe. Yes, such a small and inoffensive little thing, but it can cause me to get very cross when incorrectly placed. Cafe’s over here love to advertise their ware’s, using my little friend with joyful abandon. Who wants burger’s and chips? They sell tea’s and coffee’s too you know! Grrrrrr enough already!

Do you realise how much it pained me to write that? Hmmm, I am far more pernickety than I thought over things that most people just laugh about!

Ready to Welcome the New Year.

December 31, 2015/Judy E Martin/34 Comments

Well, what a year 2015 turned out to be for me. It has certainly been a time of change and trying new challenges. I left my job at the hospital after five and a half years and found a new job working out in the community, visiting people in their homes.

I also took part in the NaNoWriMo in November and completed my very first novel. Well, it is not exactly complete as there is still lots more editing left to do! As yet, I am not sure how far I am going to go with it, but it would be a dream fulfilled to get it published, (should it be worthy of course).

The one thing that has been consistent throughout all the ups and downs of this year has been my blog and you, my wonderful blogging friends.You have been there to offer comfort, encouragement, advice, and support. I have laughed, cried and learned lots from your various posts as well. You never cease to amaze and surprise me. The way we all pull together at times is something I am extremely proud of. No matter what time of day or night, I know there is always someone here I can talk to, and interact with, regardless of subject matter.

I have not set that many goals for 2016, but for those of you that have, I wish you every success in achieving them. I wish every one of you health, love and happiness in 2016 and I am looking forward to continuing to share your journeys, as you share mine!

Cheers! 🍷🍷🍷🎇🎇

Cluttered House, Cluttered Mind?

December 30, 2015/Judy E Martin/81 Comments

I may have mentioned that at the moment I am going through quite a bad bout of anxiety and depression. My head feels like someone is wringing my brain out, and there is not enough room in it for all of the thoughts that are going around and around. It is really tricky even trying to string some coherent thoughts together at the moment! It really seems like my head is full of clutter, which is funny really as. looking around my house is pretty cluttered too!

Now don’t get me wrong, the house is quite tidy, but everywhere I look there is stuff! Under the coffee table is jam packed with sewing magazines (I havent done any sewing for ages), all of the shelves in my front room are covered with photos or ornaments, my kitchen draweres are full to bursting with odds and sods, and the bathroom is stocked with enough toiletries to keep me going until at least next Christmas (not that I am complaining)!

I have two wardrobes chock-a-block in the bedroom but nothing to wear, an overflowing knicker drawer and shoes galore at the bottom of my wardrobes, and under the bed, oh yes, and in my ottoman at the end of the bed. It is like a lucky dip whenever I go in there, to get a pair out as it takes me forever to find the matching one!

The problem is Mr Grump is like it as well! He has got a box of hats on top of his wardrobe (everything from pork pie hats, to flat caps and an assortment of sun hats)! He also loves shoes and there are loads under his side of the bed although he only ever seems to wear one or two pairs.

If that wasn’t bad enough Miss Hap has also joined in the tradition! She has shelves of books, and video games as well as all of her hair stuff and makeup. She has now decided that she needs to minimalise her room, but that is not going to be an easy task.

If you were to look in my loft, you would find nearly as much stuff up there that I can’t bear to throw out, as in the rest of the house. I am a very sentimental person and have only just started throwing greeting cards out. I have kept them all for years and years. I also havee clothes of all different sizes up there that I will never wear, along with some baby clothes of Miss Hap’s that I cannot bear to part with.

I am wondering if maybe I should start being a bit more ruthless and chuck out some of this stuff. What about you, do you live in cluttered chaos or minimalist with no mess?

Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Category: humour

Just Jot It January 5th – 2016

Ronovan’s Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt # 78’Vast’ & ‘Clear’

Just Jot It January 4th – Dachshund

New Sensation

Just Jot It January 3rd – Frozen

TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – Containers

Just Jot It January 2nd – Pause/Paws #SoCS

Just Jot It January 1st- Persnickety.

Cluttered House, Cluttered Mind?

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Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

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