31st October - 31 days - Close

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Close and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Phew it’s been a close thing but I can almost say I completed this challenge. Well I did get to the end but a few posts edged over the midnight time line and one day got merged with the next. But over the month I did 30 posts!

I actually did more than 30 posts as I still managed to do a few regular posts including memes and book reviews. Go me!

I will admit that some days it felt like a chore and I was really glad to use the timer to keep my posts short and punchy. I’ve also not been great at checking out new blogs although there were a couple that I’ve added to my reading list.

Now I have to try and maintain the momentum. With the nights drawing in (our clocks went back this weekend) and the weather becoming colder it should be easier to snuggle up and get writing. In reality we have a trip coming up and blogging time will be limited. Once we get back it will be countdown to Christmas! Sorry to introduce that C word here on my blog already but it will soon be here. It’s getting close!

Phew, 5 minutes is not long! One thing I have learned is that taking up challenges like this needs planning. Early on I did schedule a couple of posts to get ahead of myself when I knew I was going to be busy but then I lapsed back into doing a post a day. That meant burning the midnight oil on several days and just missing the deadline anyway. These last few days were done and scheduled at the weekend when I had more time.

It’s definitely made me think about my approach to the A-Z challenge next year. Something I’ve already started on. I’m not saying any more about that just yet – I’ve been picked to do a guest post on the A-Z site which is due in January and will reveal more then.

If you’re a participant of the 31 days challenge reading this, well done on taking up the challenge and if you’re one of my regular readers thanks for following my journey.­­

30th October - 31 days - Voice

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Voice and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

I love that the blogging community allows me to have a voice. Admittedly sometimes that voice is quiet, for too long, life situations dictate how much time can be given to blogging and sometimes I don’t have anything worth saying.

That doesn’t stop me from talking though. I can always waffle on about my family and daily life even though they might not be interesting to others. (Although who can resist the cute photos of the Grandkids?)

Sometimes I wish I had more words to voice on current affairs and news. But social media can be an unforgiving platform at times especially on Facebook or Twitter. I do have a Twitter account but rarely use it. I try not to be constantly on my phone. Even there we use our voices less thanks to messaging and photo apps. And don’t get me started on e-mails. E-mail can be a very useful tool but it’s easy to misinterpret the tone of voice that was intended. People seem to get easily offended by e-mails. They definitely need to be read and read again before pressing the send button sometimes. My account has an unsend button but I’m often too slow to stop a mail going out that might be misconstrued!

That’s when voice to voice communication can be so much better. But in the meantime I’ll keep airing my voice on here in the hope that someone’s listening.

29th October - 31 days - Together

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge.  I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day.  Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Together and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

I struggled with what to put in this post.  I am lucky to have been together with my hubby for over 34 years.  I know that I am very fortunate to have found someone that I’ve been able to spend my life with and we’re still happy together. 

I’m also acutely aware that not everyone is that lucky, or if they do start out with someone things can go wrong.  People end up on their own for various reasons.  Some cope better than others at being alone.  I’m not sure how I would fare.

But even when we’re alone we can still come together.  For some of us that will be at work, others church or just in a shared activity.  Sometimes we come together in support of a cause.  Raising funds for charity or trying to make a change.  I am trying to be more aware of how I can make a difference environmentally.  I’m no saint but I use public transport more now than I ever did.  I try and recycle whenever I can and always try to remember to carry a bag or two so that I don’t have to get a plastic one from the supermarket. I try not to buy bottled water or waste food.  I'm trying to put less in the trash.

I know that, on their own, my little efforts won’t make much difference but if everyone worked together we can make a huge difference.  There definitely seems to be a desire to look after our planet more carefully than we have done up to now but we need to do it together.

28th October - 31 days - Song

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge.  I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day.  Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Song and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Hubby and I do NOT have a SONG.  Our tastes in music are very different, as in he has taste, I’ll hear anything.  Yes I deliberately said hear not listen.  I am not a music buff.  I can’t quote interesting facts about which songs are on which album by who and who the drummer/bass/lead guitarist was.  And no I did not grow up in a music free zone.  My Dad had a radiogram and often played music.  Perry Como & Matt Munro spring to mind.  Can you see where I’m coming from.  (If you have no idea what a radiogram is you can see images here.)

Of course hubby and I had “the wedding song” but even that was just something I picked out according to the lyrics, not because it was our song.  I even had to google it just now to remind me who sang it.  For anyone bothered here’s the Youtube video.

I suspect hubby would be cringing at admitting this was our choice.  Thankfully he doesn’t read my blog.
I'm cringing at the lyrics - it suggests our wedding night was going to be a first which would have made my MIL, a devout catholic very happy.  Fortunately I don't think she was ever disappointed in her son's choice of bride.  Oops I'm digressing!
 

When I’m on my own my house is quiet.  I’m not a radio person.  I don’t have to have background noise.  I’m happy with my own company.

But the weird thing is (yeah ok one of the weird things) that I know when things are going well and I’m in a good place because I sing.  Sometimes in my head, sometimes out loud.  Sometimes a song that’s recognisable (I can hold a tune – JUST) sometimes just made up nonsense.

Talking of nonsense, that’s my five minutes worth today.  28 down, 3 to go.  I might actually have this.

27th October - 31 days - Whole

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge.  I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day.  Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Whole and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Well thanks to my Hubby’s honesty and telling the “whole” truth about his previous misdemeanours (see my previous post) we are anxiously awaiting the return of the document we need to get into Canada.   

We had a similar issue when we applied to both the USA and Australia on recent travels although with both of those applications it was just a short delay before the electronic travel authority was granted. We didn’t have to submit any additional documents, answer any questions or anything else. The completion of the form was the whole process.  I didn’t anticipate that Canada, a Commonwealth country after all, would pose any problems.  Hubby keeps joking that I’d be fine to go on my own. 

 

Hopefully I won’t be doing that.  I’m also reliably informed that we don’t need an ESTA to travel into the USA as we’re crossing a land border (by Greyhound Bus).  We’ll travel down to Burlington and our son’s in-laws will collect us from there.  We’re going to spend a week with them in Barre, including Thanksgiving which I’m so looking forward to, before a couple of nights in Boston before heading home.

Of course if I was on my own I’m sure I would cope but Hubby makes me feel whole.  As do the rest of the family.  Although I’m quite good at coping with my own company.  Until the house starts making noises.  But that’s a whole other story.

26th October - 31 days/Five Minute Friday - Moment

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge.  I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day.  Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Moment and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Hey wait a moment, today’s prompt was listed as Capture. What?  That was yesterday?  Oh no, I’ve missed a day, mainly because it was hard to capture a moment to myself yesterday.  I was on Nathan duty as usual but it was his Mummies’ wedding anniversary too so they went out for dinner and I babysat for them.  Hubby joined me for the evening but by that time I had managed to get Nathan to sleep and he stayed asleep until after his Mummies came home.

Anyway I didn’t get to do a post – by the time we got home it was almost midnight and I admitted defeat.  I’ve done one too many midnight dashes the last week, it’s been busy, and I just needed to sleep.  Especially as the night before I hadn’t slept well at all.

Hubby and I are travelling to Canada next month and then on to Vermont to celebrate Thanksgiving with our son’s in-laws.  It should be very exciting but….

We have to get an electronic visa waiver to enter Canada.  Mine was processed within an hour.  Hubby being his usual honest self, declared the various minor offences he has from the past, all to do with driving.  Nothing major, just a few silly mistakes.  But ….. the response from Canada was he now needs to produce a Police Check.  You can imagine my initial reaction.  Panic.  Police checks can take a while.  We don’t have a while.  Fortunately we have more than a few moments and we can pay for the privilege of having a response within 2 working days.  It took almost that long to get the necessary photo and paperwork together, scanned in and submitted!  By me.  Hubby is technology challenged.

Provided there are no glitches it should all be fine but I’ll be relieved when everything is sorted.  It was obviously playing on my mind the night before last.  I dreamt I was on a plane, stuck in my seat with hubby nowhere to be seen and he had my suitcase!  I really was captured but thankfully only for the moment it took me to wake up.

Who says there no sense in our dreams?

Today I’ve had more than a few moments to myself.  I decided that as Wendysday got taken over by laundry etc Friday would be Myday this week.  After sorting out the police check paperwork I’ve spent what was left catching up on blogging and TV and anything else that has captured my interest.

24th October - 31 days - Brief

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Brief and here's my 5 minutes' worth brief attempt:

Wait! What? On the one day of the week (Wendysday) when I have more time than any other, when I can plot and write and edit and then edit again the prompt is Brief?

How ironic is that? I know that many of my recent posts have definitely been brief and timed to 5 minutes quite precisely but I was looking forward to today when I had no commitments and some time to myself (hence Wendysday) to actually composing a sensible post.

Well I’m still not going to be brief. Where’s the fun in that? I’m here to waffle.

This is my day, a day for lying in. TICK

A day for breakfast in bed if I’m lucky. TICK (Although I could have done with less garlic in it – hubby does like to experiment but sometimes he’s a bit heavy handed with things. Yes I know I shouldn’t complain but if I don’t tell he he’ll never learn!)

A day to organise myself for the rest of the week. Little tick – not there yet.

A day for catching up on TV I’ve been catching up on laundry instead. Well it has to be done eventually and at least during a day at home I can whizz through it and get it dried thanks to the tumble dryer. It’s a reasonably bright day but the temperature has really dropped since the weekend so it’s not drying outside weather.

Time with hubby? Possibly. A new local bar is advertising an evening for trying out their new wines and we’re hoping to go but it may be too busy. Not sure if you had to book in advance. We’ll see.

Time for catching up on other blogs. TICK

Time for shopping – there are a couple of things I must get today. It’s only going to be a brief visit to the shopping mall but unfortunately it needs to start NOW!

I’ll be back!

23rd October - 31 days - Common

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.
If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.
Today’s prompt is Common and here's my 5 minutes' worth:
 
Our street borders a piece of common land. The land was originally part of Epping Forest on the outskirts of London. It’s now owned by the Corporation of London. Because the land can’t be built on there are no houses on one side of the road so we have an unobstructed view of the land. 

It’s used for a variety of things – football, model airplane flying, visiting fairs and circus groups from time to time and it’s also a haven for wildlife. It’s definitely an oasis in the middle of urban London.

During the 2012 Olympic games it was used as a base for the police, in particular the mounted division. Special permission had to be gained through Parliament for temporary structures to be erected and part of that agreement included funding a renovation of one of the pond areas where I often walk.

Now we are facing a new initiative. A company wants to hold musical events next year open to at least 30,000 people. It is already causing ripples through the local community. Some members see it as a great opportunity, others see it as something to be prevented at all costs.

I can see there being organised sit ins and protests. Watch this space.

22nd October - 31 days - Help!

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Help and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Help. I need help to get through this challenge! Once again it’s late in the evening and I’m trying not to panic about getting a post completed in time.

Why I should get so worked up about it is a mystery. After all who will it affect if I don’t manage it? Only me and my need to not be defeated. I’m like that with puzzles. I love doing logic puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and so on and I hate it when I can’t finish one.

But I am useless at asking for help. Always have been. I think partly because, although I have 2 older brothers, I’ve always felt very much like an only child. There are big age gaps between us so we were never in the same school phase or moved in the same circles. We didn’t really overlap at all.

Growing up I think I was quite self-sufficient and as an adult I’ve faced a few difficulties over the years and mostly without help.

There have been time though when I’ve recognised that I need help and have asked for it.

But going back to this challenge, the stress is self-inflicted. I chose to take part and the competitive side of me won’t let me give up. I know that no one else can create my posts for me. No one else can manage my time so that I’m not always rushing against the clock. This one is on me. Thankfully I have time to get this post finished and live before I turn into a pumpkin or a raving lunatic.

Phew I'm still me and still carrying on. Are you good at asking for help?

21st October - 31 days - Start

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Start and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, particularly with a task that you keep putting off. I’m good at that. Procrastination could be my middle name. (I don’t actually have a middle name.) Why do today something that can be done tomorrow?

The trouble is before you know where you are tomorrow has arrived and then the thing needed doing by yesterday. I veer from being very organised and planning out a timeline for tasks, to rushing around doing everything at the last minute. And that’s when everything seems to take longer than expected.

Cooking meals is a classic example. Why does the prep always take longer than the recipe says so that by the time you start the cooking process the meal is running late?

Probably because I’ve been doing something I want to do rather that something that’s not enjoyable. Procrastinating. When I should just start!

Well that's a stop because my timer went off.  Yes I am using a timer for these posts.  Particularly as I seem to have been racing against the clock (on the last few posts in particular) to get a post finished and published before midnight.  I've just missed the deadline the last 3 nights so today I was determined to succeed.  I was a bit worried though as we have been out all day celebrating the 60th birthday of one of Hubby's sisters.  We went for a tour of a Georgian mansion during the day and then back to her house for a meal.  Tonight I am babysitting Grandson Rory.  Fortunately he has been good so far (took a bottle and went to sleep) and I've managed to get this post done.  

Shh, don't wake the baby!

So I'm finishing now before he wakes up as his Mummy and Daddy will probably be quite late home and by the time I get home I'll have missed the deadline again!

20th October - 31 days - Audience

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge. I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day. Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.
If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.
Today’s prompt is Audience and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

I’m not happy performing to an audience. As mentioned in an earlier post if I have to I will but not through choice. Strange when you consider that as a child I attended a dancing school. I learned ballet, tap and modern. Not only did we perform shows to an audience of proud parents and family members as well as the public, we also entered competitions where the audience also included judges.

I’m not sure how I managed to go out onto a stage, on my own, and perform in that way. But I did. I was never great but I did get quite a few certificates and medals for my efforts. Generally I did manage ok but I can remember one competition where I got halfway through my routine and then just froze. I could not remember the steps and ended up running off the stage in tears. I was given the chance to go on again and I did get through to the end of the routine but I’m sure I was making some of it up as I went along! Fortunately the audience tends to be kind to young children.

These days my audience is the people who read my blog. Some of those are anonymous but I have made some great blogging friends who are here regularly and leave encouraging comments. It’s a great bonus to know that there are people out there who enjoy what I post and come back for more. It is much appreciated.

Whew - going to make it with a couple of minutes to spare today.  Been another busy day spent with these 3 and all their Mummies and Daddies.  Pumpkin picking and then a meal together.  

Happy Days.

19th October - 31 days - Who

In an effort to get blogging on a regular basis it seems I need a challenge.  I've opted to try and complete this one as it's only supposed to take 5 minutes each day.  Of course it takes a bit longer than that to get the post presented how I want it but the content was done with a timer.

If you want to find out more, join in or just check out other participants click on the image above.

Today’s prompt is Who and here's my 5 minutes' worth:

Who would have thought I’d still be here and not having missed a day.  Not me that’s for sure.  I’m good at starting things but not always so great at finishing them.  But we’re past half-way and I’m determined to get to the end.

Yesterday I sort of missed the deadline although those readers in America probably thought I was still on time.  I’m cutting it fine again tonight – it’s been another busy day in our house with 2 of the Grandchildren here. 

Rory and his Mummy joined us this afternoon and stayed for dinner.  They lasted quite a while into the evening before I took them both home.  Hence no time for blogging earlier. Now I’m keeping an eye on the two greyhounds as my son has gone out to meet up with friends and Noah and Mummy will be going to bed soon.

Who would have thought this would be the life I’d be living now?  If you’d asked me a few years ago my answer would have been no but I’m so glad my circumstances changed and I can be at home to enjoy these precious times.

I got to see Noah take a bath today and managed to get Rory off to sleep. Now I’m off to get this posted hopefully before the clock strikes 12!