Sunday's Thought

The past is dead. Let it rest
And if you want to know
Your future ...Look to your Present

Exhibitions and Events

Have you ever been to anything like an Ideal Home Exhibition and looked at any of the trade show displays? There is a festival feel about these events, there is often mingling among the smartly dressed sales people clowns and jugglers and the likes to entertain the kiddies. Some sales people even get into the swing of the thing by dressing to a theme that reflects their product. They are places you can get burgers and candyfloss and copious amounts of the wrong types of food as well as the right types. You can also pick up cleaning products and household products that are either just coming on to the market or only normally available by post sales. Like the local community fetes they are always popular.

Last year at my own community's fete an event that raises money for the local school, youth club and some of the services the community offers to the pensioners of the district. I was impressed by the professional look of some of the stalls. When I was young the cake stall was just a table covered with a crisp white table cloth and beautifully presented cakes baked by the local ladies of the community. The decorative truss depicted images from the history of the area, there where old photos and an artistic rendering of what my area once looked like. It was at one time a mill village rather than an area with a collection of housing estates.

The stall I thought was the most amusing though was the religious stall, well it wasn't so much a stall as an exhibit booth in the papal colours of gold and white. At the entrance to it there was a logo floor mat. It had the Vatican coat of arms on it (so I was told). That exhibit booth became Known as the mini Vatican that day. I also thought it apt that beside it Murphy had a stout stall.After visiting the mini Vatican you'd probably need a drink.

In the mini Vatican there where lots of promotional literature and videos about the church. it has fallen on hard times in Ireland many people pay it at most lip service because of its recent history. People have become cynical so they are not the same driving force as they used to be. For sale was a selection of rosary beads, prayers, relics and icons. I couldn't help thinking thats what kicked off the first reformation and that the church needed more than a gaily decorated exhibit booth to win back the hearts and minds of its people.

Beds of Roses and acheapseat.com

Have you ever heard of the expression "you've made your bed now sleep in it"? All my life I have slept on a bed of roses and that's no mean feat considering how uncomfortable and prickly those thorns can be. To help I surround myself with as much love as I can and sometimes the quantity of the love I return may seem poor because I feel myself stretched and torn but the quality of it is fine. It is genuine and wholehearted. Sometimes I think the only coinage we have is our love. I can't say love is all you need, because I am a realist. We do need money.

When there isn't much money to spare looking for deals and bargains can be a way of life but it can also be fun; and getting a bargain will give you particular pleasure when you are looking for something to do with someone you love. If you love concerts, sports or even the very special Tournament Of The Roses parade tickets are for sale on a good website called acheapseat.com They offer great deals to many different events in arenas all around America. For example you can buy United Centre tickets to see the likes of Bruce Springsteen in chicago. Or Georgia Dome tickets to see The Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.

acheapseat.com are very good at offering good deals because they are a big broker and can pass savings they make when they are buying tickets on to their customers. A lot of people become return customers or 'regulars'.If you want to do that something special (like a concert or show) for that special person who rocks your boat or makes your own particular bed of roses more comfortable. I suggest you check out acheapseat.com for affordable deals

Furniture Browsing Morning? No, In Search Of Son

I had every intention of going into town and browsing some furniture shops this morning after I dropped my son of to school. Browsing the shops is one of the strategies I use to ease the stress in my life. Spending money is another strategy. I love spending money (when I have it).

My son who has autism and severe learning difficulties however put paid to my plans. When we were stopped at the lights of a busy junction he managed to get out of the car via the window. He was quick as a flash and across a main busy road and practically out of my sight before I even registered what was happening. Home furnishings soon vanished from my mind as off I ran in hot pursuit.

It was the rush hour and it was at one of the busiest junctions in Belfast so as you can imagine I was beside myself. He has absolutely no conception of danger or the slightest knowledge of road care. He is like a six foot toddler.

As I went to the local police station and wandered around in the sopping rain looking for him thinking him dead I could not help thinking that "I've been down these last few days because my life is hard; sometimes it feels unbearable, but yesterday I knew my son was safe and happy as Larry in his own wee world. I wished I had counted my blessings instead of complaining" I felt as though life was putting things into perspective for me. We found him two hours later hiding in a garage but only because a good woman saw him and phoned the police.

He, off course is none the worst for his adventure but I felt wrung out like a wet rag. A little retail therapy was what I needed (deserved) So I came online to browse the online furniture stores. I dream of someday having a lovely home. I am also in need of a dining room table so thought I'd check out the prices. Mydeco has some beautiful furniture and I had some wonderful ideas of what I could do if my home was not so chaotic and in need of so many repairs.

You'd think after the morning I had looking at furniture and daydreaming about my house would be the last thing I would think about, but it helped me focus and not think about what might have happened.

I am exhausted but he is safe and I am counting my blessings.

Home Security

If you have ever been burgled you will know how traumatic an event that that can be and in this day and age when there are often some horrific stories in the news personal safety and home security is never far from your mind.

Well it is never far from my mind, not lately anyway. Every now and then you hear of someone's home being broken into, being robbed and vandalized.The thought of something like that happening to me is terrifying. I doubt if I would feel safe in my home again. The world is no longer a gentle place where people could leave their door opened all day without worrying.

Sometimes you hear an alarm go off in a home up the street but there doesn't seem to be anything being done about it and it makes you wonder "What is the point"? When I went online to look for home security systems and price what I could afford I came across ADT. They are a twenty four monitored security service. If anything goes wrong they will get the relevant emergency services out to you as soon as possible. I find it a comfort to think that there will be a response if my alarm goes off. That someone else will be there to either calm me down or help me out is one of the main reasons why I would choose ADT Security System, that plus the fact that they are pet friendly. I was so pleased with what they offer that I had to write one of my 'poems'


When looking for a deal and
Wanting to feel safe.
What home security systems
Suited me best?

With 24 hour monitoring
Low monthly fees
Making my choice
was a breeze

ADT Security was the one for me
When I was choosing
Some home security.

The home security is better than the poetry!

Grant Me The Serenity To Accept

one of the wisest prayers that I've ever known

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference."

This is my mantra.

Carers Code

Ode to serotonin

At the weekend I drank copious amounts of beer and smoked. That was pretty bad of me since I don't drink very much and I have stopped smoking. Since then, my energy levels and my general feelings of well being are I imagine as low as they can go. I am just not used to drinking that much and I think it drained all the natural serotonin out of my system. Serotonin that's the chemical in your body that makes you feel good...or balanced.. right? So I have been piggin out on burgers, pizzas, ulster frys and all sorts of high carb greasy foods to get my energy levels up and my equilibrium back, and unfortunately I am still smoking.
So I have written a little whimsical poem about serotonin....Personifying her with the name Sarah Tonin.

MY POSY POOEEM TO SARAH TONIN

Sarah Tonin
Made me Smile
She gave me that look
She gave me that eye

Sarah Tonin
Can do so much
Change a mood
Gave you a rush.

Sarah Tonin
Made me cry
She shook her hips
And waved bye bye.


That'll teach me to drink copious amounts of beer! Anyway I am coming around now so I think it is time to quit my smoking binge as well as my greasy food binge. The shame of it is since eating so much unhealthy foods I now have an arse the width of the rear end of a bus.........Course the upside to that is "Fat bottom girls they make the rockin world go round" Gotta go there's a disco in my kitchen!

Online Deals and Coupons

At the moment i am busy changing a bedroom into a lounge/office area. A space for me to think, relax and work. I am doing a lot of browsing online trying to find the best deals possible. Findsavings.com offer coupons and offers of a multitude of things from household items to electrical goods to airflights with the likes of Expedia.

I was browsing the Dell website because I want to purchase a new desktop luckily though before I made any purchases I found Findsavings.com with a link to Dell coupons and offers.

My daughter is helping with the decorating, picking colours although I had to curb her enthusiam a little. Dark brown and creamy-orange is just a bit too retro for my liking. We will I am sure reach some sort of agreement but definately not brown and definately not orange.

Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night

I was reading some poetry last night and came across Dylan Thomas' 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night.'


"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

I think this is the general consensus about death, that we should fight it and last as long as we can. This 'fighting' summons up images in my mind of being hooked up to machines and fed medications to keep your body ticking over while bit by bit your quality of life worsens. personally I don't like the sound of that. I really don't! Though I know (or think) except for a small minority of people who commit suicide, that it is a part of our human nature to struggle to the very end and to cling on to life regardless of losing our quality of life.

Finding Math help online

I was never very good at math so when I left school I was happy to forget everything but the very basics. A few months ago I realised that I needed some math help .. preferably free math help if I was going to have a chance with the job that I had my eye on.
There are websites that offer online math tutoring and a personal online math tutor and the very best sites will offer free online math tutoring 24/7. You can plan your tutoring to fit in with your own timetable and you can work at a pace that suits you. So rather than being something frightening and foreign math can be fun.

When I told my friend that I was getting some online math help to brush up my existing skills and possibly introduce me to higher education; she started to talk to me about Scrodinger's cat. "Woah" I said I don't want to be a quantum physicist! I am going back to basics. Weights measures, percentages, easy algebra."
"That's good to" she said. I think she was disappointed though...Smart alek!

Celebrations In Myrtle Beach

I received a text from my cousin Lynn. "Prized Joe away from telly...in hot tub Myrtle Beach." They have a condo in a Myrtle Beach Resort for a short break. It came as a bit of surprise that they took off...but apparently they have something to celebrate "Have news" was last text I received ...So I am waiting with anticipation to hear their news, but I have a fair idea.
I was talking about Myrtle Beach Resorts to them a few weeks ago. I am hoping to bring my family on a holiday to one of the Myrtle Beach Hotels soon, Lynn suggested we should book our holiday over the Labour day Weekend, that way we could have a big family get together.
Next thing i get a text ...They are already at Myrtle Beach chilling out in a hot tub and sipping champagne. I have a feeling the family is going to get bigger.

I am going to die

I am going to die
Climbing up a mountain
Swimming in the sea.
Doing Something dangerous
Will be the end of me.

I won't stay -- won't linger
Surrender breath by breath.
I would rather rush
Toward my impending death.

To depend on others' mercy
To be a burden or a curse
S'not my idea of of living.
I can think of nothing worse

So I am going to die
Climbing up a mountain
Or swimming in the sea.
Doing something dangerous
Will be the death of me.