Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea

I'm just after finishing this book.

I read a lot... hungrily... greedily... a lot. I cannot go to sleep at night without reading.

Therefore I have read a lot of books.

This book is one of the few that will have a life long effect on me. Not only did it challenge my ignorance of Muslims, it restored my hope in a better future for the children of war torn countries, it gave me a charity that I know I can support and stand behind 100% and it gave me someone to look up to again.

I have read numerous books on Afghanistan lately, I do not know why but it fascinates me. I have also read a huge amount of books about Saudi Arabia and various other Muslim countries. Ones that, I have to admit, shaped my view of the Islamic faith and the people who held to it. I cannot explain why I have been fascinated with that part of the world or the prevalent faith from the area since the age of 14 but I have. And never have I read a book from such a genuine person so willing to immerse himself in the culture to try and help them in a way that has nothing to do with his own agenda, and everything to do with simply tackling issues like racism, ignorance, illiteracy, terrorism, gender inequality and bettering their lives.

He does it in a way that is respectful to the people he is helping, by raising them up to help themselves.

It is so simple yet so effective.

The amount of respect I have for Greg Mortenson is more then I can explain. That he holds true to his vision, that he sacrifices so much in his own life to help these people, that he does so with such integrity... it blows me away.

I am rambling. I really really HIGHLY recommend this book. I learned so much. I was challenged. I sobbed at bits and grinned like a fool at others. It's all true. He is making a difference. And best of all I have a place again to give what I can to help him make a difference.

It feels good to have a "hero" again and to be reminded by example to open my heart and mind and shut my mouth :c)

<3

*Squeal of Glee!*

My best friend and my daughters god parents just had a baby boy! I texted her this morning telling her oh hehe how neat I had dreams last night about you having your baby - everything was perfect. Then tonight as I tucked Bella into bed I got a text from her husband announcing the arrival of their first son, second child. Samuel. Just over 6lbs.

I am so so so stupidly excited I want to drive up to the city right now and meet him. Which I can't I am hoping I can see him Thursday before I go on my trip to London with Tom.

I honestly dunno what to do with myself right now, I am THAT excited and happy.

Also, that's the second time I have done that - dreaming the arrival of a baby like that. The first time it happened I dreamt my friend went into labor at home but it went wrong and if she didn't go to the hospital her and the baby would die. I woke up really really upset, told myself I was being silly and went back to sleep. In the morning I rang her and it turned out that night she had gone into labor at home, the baby went into distress and her womb had torn and she had to have an emergency c-section. Freaky, eh?

But anyway! They were ok in the end and my friend and her wee one are ok and I need to calm down because omg yay!

lol

^_^

<3

Why did I procrastinate?

I had everything I needed to make everyones presents by the middle of November... and now I am rushing. Because I have ignored it lol.

Because I have been sick for like a month running now, I decided to cut my work load and not do ornaments for Bellas school fundraiser. I feel kinda rotten about that, but sure, we can next year. Or even in the spring. Last night, curled up in my slippers and warmest clothes I snuggled up to the table and started finally painting ornaments. Whenever I finish one I get a huge stupid grin on my face because they are WORKING OUT! yay. lol

After this painting session it is time for the sewing sessions to begin. Despite the work and feeling like homemade gifts aren't REALLY good enough, I am actually really enjoying myself. I hope everyone likes what they get though. I always worry about that when it's handmade.

How are your preparations going?
<3

(Also Nevyn - The so ugly he is cute rooster? I laughed at that one. He seems really docile for the moment anyway. Tom researched his breed, the Brahma, and apparently they are the calmest of all roosters. We'll see - if that bastard goes for me he is going home to chicken lady! LOL)

Ok! It's been too long

So here is a huge update.

The weekend away? Gorgeous. I will let the scenery that does it no justice speak for itself.



















We disappeared Friday for a lovely stay at this incredible hotel called the Maritime. The place was gorgeous, food was decent, dinner was perfect, etc. Loved it. Got to wander around together and just enjoy each other :c) My only complaint was the itchy blankets on the bed. I turned to Tom and snapped "It's like something the red cross would deliver to a mountain village after a natural disaster. Stupid Sherpa blanket." Then I laughed because I thought I was hilarious lol.

On our way home we stopped off at our chicken lady and got some new hens. I wanted like... 4. Saw some breeds I had been looking for (Marans and Fenton Blues) so I ended up with 6, included one exbat rescued hen. Tom wanted to get this HUGE Brahma Rooster for his mum, but unfortunately she'd been warned off roosters and wanted nothing to do with him! So I ended up taking him home because he couldn't be parted from his rooster lol.







Names:

Brahma Rooster: Mjollnir
Fenton Blue Hens: Magrat (white) Esme (darker little one) & Ogg (brownish wee one)
Marans: Light grey = Daphne Dark grey = Mau
Battery Hens: Griaffy & Bambi (Courtesy of Bella lol)
Brown Hen: Joyjoy

Before we left for the weekend I did the following:


It's been a busy few weeks. And I have developed Bronchitis so after finishing a load of reports and updates for work, I am disappearing to recover before I hack up a lung. I have already put my back out from coughing. Time to curl up in the house for a few days doing nothing at all.

Before I go, today when I was cleaning the chickens houses, I moved a huge bag of sawdust for bedding and found a stash of chicken eggs in a hidden nest. Gnome had left me 15 eggs! I checked them all and luckily they are all still fresh. Like christmas for a small holder lol.

<3

Weeeekend Here!

Just Sayin!

lol I will have loads of pictures by Monday ^_^

I might not either... lol we'll see.

I finally watched Food, Inc

Capitalism really is the devils wet dream, Monsanto is the antichrist and the FDA is it's whore.

I cannot explain how frustrated, furious and angry this all makes me. Any frustration I was feeling about my goal of growing all my own food and eating myself healthy and holding onto my daughters health has gone straight out the window and my determination has completely returned. I cannot fathom who easily we are giving up such precious things like our health and well being. Ugh.

<3

Contemplations

My year of nothing is going well enough. Except, well, falling in love isn't nothing per se... but you know what I mean.

I contemplated making a 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days type deal found here but... having a list of 101 things to do did not seem to accommodate my year of nothing plans.

In the short time I have been working on this year of nada, I have started to find the threads of the life I wish to lead. Beyond that I catch bare glimpses of a future I know I will love, but now is not the time for it. Now is a time of discovery, exploration and ultimately healing.

It's very hard to live free when your health sucks. And mine does. My immune system is weak, I have constant anemia and between getting every bug out there, feeling exhausted and my PCO attacks, living life the way I want seems like a pipe dream. So baby steps.

As I discover and explore and assess these threads of my future I am finding, I am planning on spending 2010 healing. I have a plan. It's outside medical establishment because they gave me no answers. I'll blog about my plan at a later date when it's fully formed.

In the mean time, I find myself lost in a daze contemplating the various aspects of myself. Where I go now after walking away from Christianity. Where I go now after the healing process I have been through after my abusive marriage. Where I go now as a cynic. As a dreamer. As a rebellious ever questioning curious misanthrope.

I read these blogs from women who appear to be on their own journeys of figuring themselves out and it all seems so magical. It really does. They captivate the magic of life, especially in their photos which is why photography is one of my big loves in life. They view things from a deep instinctual gut level area. With their prose, they pull you into their world. The women who do this while incorporating the raw hideous reality of life have my instant attention. Because while I have always loved the magic of life it viewed through the absence of the nitty gritty painful sewage that can also be life. Seeing those two aspects merged and understanding the sacred in the horrific is something that absolutely captivates me.

I will never forget buying a scrapbooking book and flipping through it to find the author had scrapbooked a page dedicated to her stillborn child complete with photos. Or her sisters accident that left her paralysed including close up photos of her stitched up back where they'd performed surgury on her spine. Lupus. Suicide. She scrapbooked it all. And in doing so made each situation sacred. And acknowledged.

I read books lately written by druids who celebrate their cycles and bleeding. Who the hell celebrates bleeding? These women do and to hear them write about it captivates me. I read books on where a womans mind goes during the different stages of her cycle. I've read fiction about defying the Gods, raging at Them and questioning Them and ultimately rejecting them for the here and now. I've read of death and disease in such profound ways that I will never look at either the same again. I've read of the traumatized and poverty stricken with smiles on their faces and exuding such love that the well off interviewer left with a destroyed soul at the realization that they had more then he.

These questions and realizations make people uncomfortable. And all too often there is someone waiting with a god damn box to try and force me back into. No. Never again. Not unless you want to face the savageness of my defiance.

Life is not what I thought it. By any means. Everything is up for scrutiny now. The deep I go on this journey, the more I am challenged, the more I face... The more I find myself, my peace and what it truly means to live well.

I'm curious though. Of where I will end up. Where these threads will lead me. Very, very curious.

<3

Pictures of the Flood

The city where I work (30kms away) was hit badly too and tomorrow will be an adventure to see how much my office was affected. The weekend calmed down but the wind is still unreal and the rain just won't let up. Hopefully ye had a more enjoyable weekend lol.

<3