2018-05-26T12:27:41+01:00

7 Wonderful Things About Summer

May 26, 2018February 9, 2019/Judy E Martin/42 Comments

The sun has finally come out again, and it is beginning to look like summer. Here are some of my favourites things…

Enjoying all the beautiful gifts, nature has bestowed on us. The flowers, now in full bloom, not only do they look gorgeous, some of them have a beautiful scent too
Good old BBQs, I do love them. It is particularly lovely when there is a load of you getting together enjoying the flavoursome food, and each other’s company.
The sea. I love swimming in the sea in the summertime. A beautiful hot day, lazing on the beach and then cooling off with a refreshing swim.
Not having to remember a coat! It is great just being able to go out in short sleeves without having to worry about getting cold.
Listening to some great summer tunes! I love music at the best of times, but I always feel happy listening to the sounds of summer!
The light mornings and evenings. I have never been that keen on the dark so having so much daylight really lifts my spirits, especially when I get up nice and early and the sun is already shining brightly.
People come out of hibernation. There always seems to be more to do in the summer, People feel much more sociable, and get-togethers happen frequently.

What do you love most about the summer?

#Sillysaturday Maggie and Shelma in Town

January 13, 2018February 12, 2019/Judy E Martin/31 Comments

I have teamed up again with the talented Sandra (or Daffy as I like to call her), from Wild Daffodil to bring you another bit of silliness this Saturday. Sandra is incredibly artistic and creative, and I just love the images she has created out of shells, stones and flowers.

One of the nicest things about Sandra’s blog is that you never know what she is going to get up to next, from beach art to knitted wigs, and mandalas to making spirals in her garden.

Here is our little story for this week. Our good friend Maggie bumps into her friend Shelma shopping in town.

Maggie went shopping in town

Enjoying a good look around

She thought it was great

Bumping into her mate

They went to a café to sit down

They chatted over a nice cup of sea

Both of them buzzing like bees

Comparing their goodies

From high heels to hoodies

The sales made shopping a breeze!

It’s So Awkward Being Me!

October 12, 2017/Judy E Martin/11 Comments

Don’t you just hate the type of women that always, without fail, manage to look perfect; from shiny, healthy, beautifully styled hair to their pedicured toenails! Unfortunately, I am not, and never will be one of those women, preferring to be awkward instead – but how I envy them!

Take how I dress for work, for example; aside from the very unflattering uniform, (which by the way, is the shade of grey that is achieved by putting a white and black item in the same wash on a high temperature; it looks dirty before I have even started). I never bother to wear any makeup (it would be pointless as I get soooo hot on the ward) and I usually put my hair up in a clip, so there is no styling involved. If I did make an effort to wear make-up and have some stylish up-do (which iI would have to get someone else to do anyway…I’m rubbish with hair), then it would all be ruined within the first hour of me being there!

As I mentioned, I get boiling and, after a while of running around, the sweat is dripping down my face, which is bad enough (and embarrassing) without imagining what the result would look like if I had carefully made up my face. Not only would I have ghastly streaks down my face from rivulets of sweat spoiling the foundation, but no doubt, the mascara would run, causing hideous black, spidery smudges mingling with streaky foundation! ( I am there to try to help the patients feel better, not scare them into an early grave)!

Talking of work, I used to have a colleague called Jenny who was one of these perfect women. We used to work in the Operations department of a busy travel brochure company, so could mostly wear what we wanted to work. On this particular day, she and I both turned up in identical outfits! We had on hot pink 3/4 trousers, a black top and black mules.

Neither one of us knew the other was going to wear the said outfit, and that was only the start of my humiliation! Jenny is tall, willowy and blonde, and she looked fantastic. I am blonde, but that is where the similarity ends, as I am also short and chunky! Needless to say, everyone commented on our outfits, and my other friend made it worse by calling us Bim and Bo (put it together and you get…the picture)!

Jenny and I became good friends, and used to go to the gym together during our lunch hour (why do I set myself up to fail)?! The day I remember vividly (branded in my brain as one of THE worst embarrassing moments) started when both of us were on adjacent treadmills… We built up the speed until we were running. Just before ten minutes were up, I was gloating over the fact that Jenny had slowed down and I had managed to keep up the pace! Well, we all know what pride comes before, and sure enough, I lost concentration and my footing.

I was flailing, desperately trying to stay upright..but no…BANG. I fell on the treadmill which was still going, and it resented my falling on it. So it spitefully chucked me right off and landed with a thud in a heap at the foot of one of the other exercise machines!

I sat there winded and rather red in the face, and my leg hurt and then, Oh no…here comes Mr Hunky Gym Instructor Guy. Great, I look like a right bloody fool. He comes over solicitously, helps me up and leads me off to the changing room to minister to my wounds, which I reluctantly showed him, ( I was dying of shame showing him my tree trunk legs, which were bruised and scraped)! No real damage was done so manfully (or womanfully) I decided to go back out there and workout on one of the machines.

I chose the one where you could sit down, and use the weights to bring your arms backwards and forward( you can tell I am no Gym bunny as I don’t know the names of any of the machines). Anyway, there was a bloke that was working out opposite me who was giving me a bit of a funny look. I assumed he had seen my little ‘accident’ and carried on. He still kept glancing my way, and I knew it wasn’t a lustful look (God knows, if it was he must have been desperate)! I looked down and to my utter mortification, noticed that the underwire from my bra, had somehow broken free and was poking out of my top! That was it, time to go and never return!

Jenny, of course, looked as elegant and fresh when she had finished her workout as she had before she had started!!!

Photography 101: Connect & Tags

March 14, 2016/Judy E Martin/15 Comments

Today’s Photography 101 challenge is all about the word ‘connect’ and what it means to me. As you can see from my photo, this was taken at a family wedding.

This speaks of connections on so many levels. Not just the couple that are getting married and starting a new life together, but of the friends and the family that are invited to share the day with them too.

The gathering together of all those people with one common connection, celebrating a marriage, despite many of them not knowing each other. Eating together, dancing together, and meeting new and interesting people that you may not have otherwise encountered, is certainly making connections!

Just Jot It January 28th – Serendipity

January 28, 2016/Judy E Martin/33 Comments

Today’s word for Linda’s Just Jot it January is ‘serendipity.’ It is a pleasant sounding word that means happy accident or coincidence.

Trying to think of an example of this, was not as easy as I thought, but here is one I think fits the bill.

As some of you may know, I met Mr Grump for the first time when I was eighteen years old. We were both in the Army, serving in Essex, and ended up in a volatile relationship (we were both too young) that finished with a broken engagement.

Anyway, life goes on, and I moved back home not long afterwards, and after a while married. Throughout this time, I kept in touch with my Army friend Karen. We had joined up on the same day and became close friends. She lived quite a long way from me but we kept in contact and visited each other occasionally.

Still the years passed, and twenty-five years later when I was a divorced mum of a five-year-old, Karen got in touch to let me know she had heard from Mr Grump, and that he wanted me to contact him. Apparently, she had been on Forces Reunited looking up some old Army friends to see what they were up to and came across Mr Grump.

Needless to say, I got in touch, we met up a month or so later, and have been together ever since! Karen was, of course, a witness at our wedding.

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! 🍷🍷🍷🎇🎇

Being Neighbourly.

December 19, 2015/Judy E Martin/45 Comments

I might have mentioned before that I live on quite a large square. There are 7 houses along each little row with parking spaces in the middle. It is not a huge area, and I have been here for 12 years since Miss Hap was three months old.

Most of my neighbours have been here for the same amount of time, with a few exceptions of some ‘newcomers’ that have been here for a couple of years. It is surprising though how little I know about any of them. I tend to nod or say ‘hello’ to some of them in passing, and sometimes even have a little chat, but that is about it.

I have written all my Christmas cards out, except for the few that I give to the neighbours. Problem was, I didn’t know half of their names or those of their kids, which resulted in a quick text to Miss Hap (who was having a sleepover at her friend’s) to ask her to fill me in which she did.

Me and Mr Grump had to pop out this morning, but I was not feeling too good at all. My head was all over the place and I didn’t want to go out, but I did and quickly dished out a couple of the cards I had written giving the rest to Mr Grump to give out.

I moaned at him when he got to the car thinking he had pushed one through the wrong letterbox, but he hadn’t. That was me, I realised. I had given a card to next door that was meant for someone else! Embarrassingly, I had not written them one at that point either as they were the ones that I didn’t know all of their names as they had only been there for 2 years! The ones whose card it was have lived in the same house for twelve years and their daughter grew up with mine, being good friends!

As it was, one of the cards I put the house number, as nobody knew the name of the family, despite us always saying hello and them coming round to pick up parcels that we take in if they are out when the postman comes.

Just before dinner tonight, there was a knock at the door and I could hear Mr Grump laughing and talking. When he came in he had a card with him and a box of chocolates. I opened the card but was none the wiser when I saw who it was from, as I didn’t recognise any of the names. It turns out it was the family we had taken parcels in for, thanking us for it with the gift.What a nice thing to do.

I still feel bad that I didn’t have a clue what their names are though!

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

November 30, 2015/Judy E Martin/16 Comments

My dear friend Erika has nominated me to take part in this challenge again. Please visit her blog for a daily dose of music, wisdom and enlightenment. I am so pleased she nominated me for this challenge as it is one of my favourites.

Challenge rules:

Post 3 quotes on 3 consecutive days
Thank the person who nominated you
Nominate 3 new bloggers each single day of the challenge

In light of the season, and recent events, I am going with a theme of thankfulness, and the ‘quotes’ are my own.

For the last day, after posting on family and work, this post will be about leisure. and of course, you all know what my favourite leisure activity is 🙂

For me, being a part of the blogging community is having a wealth of taleneted,empathetic, funny, and articualte people as my neighbours who are always there for a chat and a bit of advice.

Judy Martin 2015.

I would like to nominate the following to take part if they fancy it 🙂

Nick

Anand

Tess

I’m Not Good At Goodbyes!

October 27, 2015/Judy E Martin/38 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “If You Leave.”

I was going to write a little update about my new job this week, but when I saw this prompt about leaving, I thought I would tie it in as it fits perfectly.

I am not a person who likes change very much. As you may have gathered, I am very routine oriented, set in my ways, and I suppose, a bit of an old stick-in-the-mud really. however I knew that i was going to have to bite the bullet and make a change in my life, or shut up moaning about it!

Without going into details, work at the hospital had changed since I had started there some five and a half years earlier. I used to love going in to work every morning and was always upbeat about it. A year later, I ,moved wards as part of some training I was doing and stayed there for the remainder of the time.

The camaraderie amongst the staff was what kept me there for so long; they are a wonderful team and coped with numerous changes without a lowering the quality of care they gave to the patients. Then slowly, but surely, and for various reasons. staff started leaving, and the dynamics were changing, as was the atmosphere. Morale was pretty low by the time the 20th person in a year had left, and I must admit, this was when I decided it was time to go.

Nothing stays the same of course, and sometimes change is for the better, but it did not make me feel better at all.When the job came up in the community, I decided to go for it. As you know, much to my surprise and delight, I got the job!

I then panicked for a bit as it meant change, and although I wanted it, I was worried about starting again. After all, I knew everyone at work, and they all knew me, Not only that but I was confident in my job and knew what was expected of me. In my new job, I would be learning a totally different way of using my skills with a whole new group of people who I didn’t know.

Well, I made the decision to take it. I knew that it was the right thing for me to do. I was not happy at the hospital anymore, and I would be a miserable influence on others which isn’t fair.So here i am, three weeks in and on a week off already! (I had already booked this week off for half term)!

I have been welcomed by the team who all seem to be very friendly. I have learned lots of new techniques, new ways of doing things, and have made friends with Mr SatNav who is going to be a constant companion to me due to my useless sense of direction!

It is going to take me a little while to get re-acquainted with full-time hours, but I know I can do it, (After working for 18 hours per day in a kebab shop 6 days a week in the past, I am sure I can hack a 37.5 hour week)!

My only regret is not saying goodbye properly to the staff at the hospital. I did not want a leaving do as it is not my thing really, and I ended up going very quickly in the end, once the paperwork was sorted this end, so there were some staff I hadn’t seen at all! Mind you, I am not good at goodbyes and bawled my head off on my last day at the hospital!

Be Thankful

October 18, 2015/Judy E Martin/34 Comments

I have been invited by the effervescent Ritu to take part in this relatively new challenge that is going around at the moment. I am sure most of you are already familiar with Ritu’s blog, a mix of wisdom. scrummy recipes, laughter, love and lots more. If not, then go over and say hello, you will be made most welcome.

I particularly like this challenge as it all about being thankful. Sometimes it is so easy to take the most basic things for granted, yet for others, it is something they aspire to. or might never have.

So without further ado let me give you the challenge rules:

*Share this image in your blog post

*Write about 5 people in your life you are thankful for

*Write about 5 things in 2015 that you are thankful for

*Spread the love and challenge 5 other blogs to take part

Five people who I am thankful for in my life:

Coming from such a large family this is going to be really hard!

My Mum: Although my mum is of the generation that traditionally stayed home and looked after the home, my mum went out to work when I was young. She qualified as a registered nurse but gave up after marrying my dad. However, things didn’t work out between them, and although divorce was not that common, mum went ahead and did it anyway. I should imagine she had plenty of gossiping to deal with but ignored it. She then went out to work, forging a career for herself in Social Services. This showed me that it is possible to break with convention and to do what you believe is right, whatever others may think!

My husband: Yes, good old Mr Grump. He is very supportive of whatever I want to do, and encourages me to challenge myself as he has faith in me.

My daughter: I was beginning to think that I would never have children, for one reason and another, but along she came when I was 37 years old. She makes me laugh and drives me mad, in equal measure, but I love her from the very bottom of my soul.

My younger sister: I call her Mrs Masterchef on here. We share the same birthday but are two years apart, so are very similar in many ways, especially with our sense of humour. She is there when I want to have a moan, and I always get a warm welcome, whenever I go to see her.

My older sister: She has always been there as someone I can go to when I am feeling upset or down. When we were younger, she looked out for us quite a bit (as well as telling us off)! As with my other sister, she is very family oriented.

Five things in 2015 that I am thankful for:

The rest of my family that I didn’t mention. Despite us all not living that close to each other, I know that when needed, they are there, and it is always lovely to catch up with them at family dos!

My health: I know I have been moaning about my cold, then feeling sick (now I have got cold sores all over my top lip), but in the grand scheme of things I am bloody lucky really. Some people would love to be able to get up in the morning without pain, or actually be able to walk to the shop. I know how lucky I am to be able to do these things and so much more, and am very thankful.

My job: I know I have only just started this job but I am thankful that I have it, and am really looking forward to actually getting ‘stuck in!’

My blog: I am so thankful for my blog which helped so much with my depression, leading me to meet some wonderful people.

My friends: I actually do not have many friends as such, that I see, as I am pretty unsociable! However, I am very grateful for them, and always love it when I see them.

My Nominations: I am going to have to break the rules on this one, as I cannot choose only five people who I want to share the love with! If anyone fancies having a go at this challenge, then please, consider yourself nominated!

Rhyme and No Reason!

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

Tag: friends

7 Wonderful Things About Summer

#Sillysaturday Maggie and Shelma in Town

It’s So Awkward Being Me!

Photography 101: Connect & Tags

Just Jot It January 28th – Serendipity

Being Neighbourly.

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

I’m Not Good At Goodbyes!

Be Thankful

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

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