Just a little update....

Just thought I'd do a quick post before I go away - something horrid happened tonight as well. I was sitting at the computer doing some loading of stuff for sale on Ebay, and there was this bang outside. At first I didn't pay that much attention, then I glanced out of the window, and the cars were stopped, and this woman was running down the road. So I looked properly, and it seems a car had hit a motorbike, and the poor bloke was lying in the road, all tangled up with his machine.
People were out there helping, so I did what I thought was the best, and called the ambulance - loads of people were on their mobiles, so I guess they were doing exactly the same.
The good news is that the victim eventually sat up, and the police/ambulance turned up very quickly considering - he was taken off in the ambulance, but he was walking wounded, so I think he's had a pretty lucky escape. I didn't see what actually happened, so I couldn't tell whose fault it was, but the car involved was going in the opposite direction. People do drive like maniacs on this road from time to time. I was at the pedestrian crossing a month or so back, with another girl, and had pressed the button - we were both of us standing politely waiting for it to change. Very little traffic around, and that may have been the cause, 'cos the light changed, and I happened to glance to the left before I set off. The car immediately approaching the crossing had stopped, but there was a huge lorry behind it, clearly going way too fast, cos instead of stopping, he swerved around the car that had stopped, into the oncoming traffic lane, overtook and carried on! Both myself and the other girl were absolutly - well wouldn't you be pretty shocked if a ten ton lorry doesn't stop, but zooms straight at you? If we'd taken a step into the road, we'd have been killed, and since the light had been long green, we would have been entitled to have stepped out. But cos I guess we're, well I guess, used to this bloody road, you don't step out, you have a bloody good look. Because some of the drivers out there are maniacs, and seem to think they're filming the re-make of what was it, road race 2000? The one with David Carradine where they mowed down people left right and centre. Lunacy.

The ZOO!

Yes, oh yes I have a weekend off!!! Since it's been like about two weeks since I've done anything but work night shifts, the idea that yes, time is coming when I can get myself together, go out.. be with people... woo hoo!!!!
So what have I done with myself? Well two large packages of new beads arrived today - very nice too. More to come which is even nicer..!
I went out because I had things I needed to buy - and more than just food and beads! Got myself some lovely Anya potatoes at ye old Sadbury's, dear God am I really posting about my food shopping list - well the potatoes were nice, and the spinach and rocket I got to go with it were equally delicous. But enough of all that, I went down to our local shopping centre. I spent way too much money - but this is not a total disaster, as I have been working hard to get a bit extra together for exactly this reason. Soon I am off to the Lake District, for a long weekend with friends - so presents were needed. And more than just presents, new clothes! yes, got mayself new shoes, very nice little suede boots, two new plain black v neck sweaters - I go through plain little black tops like others go through whatever it is they go through! - and a very nice, rather dressy little black top - very flash this, for nights out. Don't do many of them, but quite enjoy the odd opportunity to dress up. Got more tissue paper and chain for the keychains. And then I started the fun bit, presents.
My friends have a daughter of approaching six months by now I should think. Just the darlingest little girl, and an unparalelled opportunity for a single childless woman like myself to get loose in a toy shop. As it turned out, there was absolutely nothing that floated my boat. Not a multicoloured catapillar, or fluffy lamb that reached out and said hey there loose cashcard, buy me, me, me! But, at ye old Sadbury's, I wander into the kids section, and joy oh joy their having a sale on the stuffed animal section. So I have bought this little girl a zoo. I swear, she now or soon will, have an entire zoo.
I bought -
A rhino.
A zebra.
A giraffe.
A lion.
A tiger.
An elephant.
And a monkey.
All exactly the right size for a six month or so old hand to be able to get hold of, and I would think start to wave around pretty soon. Just gorgeous. I can't wait to see her face, as animal after animal comes out of my bag. It's an entire, wonderful, zoo.

Stuff!

Feeling much more lively. Dunno what it was, but feeling much more lively. So I've been making some new stuff & putting it on my various sites - got this new keychain on Etsy, check it out...

Big or what? It is actually, it's 8 inches long and it jangles as you move - full of vintage beads, but it's unique. And there's lots of people out there who want something uniqe.

Check it out - Sunspark58.etsy.com

slightly less boring everyday life!!!!

Well I do feel a damn sight less lethargic, that's for sure. Not that I could put my finger on anything that's changed - but wierdly, Lisa at work said she felt very similar (it seemed to me) today. So maybe there's some wierd sub-virus going round. I mean dullness can hardly be contagious can it - or can it... (dee-dee dee-dee... ) yeah very twilight zone!
Yep I can see it now. A dull little corner of Bristol is detatched from the mainstream universe, and tucked into an alternate.. and the bus comes and goes without a blink and we move from one to the other without realising. I dare say there's a quantum physisist out there nodding to him/herself and saying it happens all the time - just the native inhabitants don't turn up with Spocks to-die-for goatee, and those dinkly little knives tucked into the top of Uhuru's boots. Which given our neck of the woods, frankly is a good thing.
Actually I think about alternate universes, and so forth quite a bit. I remember being knocked sideways by Descarte's wax analogy as a kid (no go read it for yourselves, it'll blow your mind especially when you think about how old it is) and the old apple bit, ie is our universe is a particle of dust sitting on top of an apple that's about to be popped inside someone else's mouth on another world which in all probability is a particle of dust floating about inside someone elses' universe.
Probability is wierd isn't it? I have a good story about this. Years ago, I used to work for the Birmingham Rep Theatre in yeah, you guessed it, Birmingham. I went to see the first night of a production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and frankly I can remember being pretty blown away by the set (they'd turned the old Hamlet set around and used the back of it, which is pretty neat), and I'm fairly sure Daniel Gerrol was in it, but I can't remember much else about the actuality of it. But the opening scene when they're sitting there tossing the coin and arguing about whether it comes down heads or tails.. that I remember very clearly. Because as they said the lines about it had to come down one of the other, and tossed the 'coin', up it went, down it came, and promptly got stuck in a stage floorboard. You couldn't have put money on that. That's probability for you. So what were the odds on Lisa feeling as dull and lethargic at work today as I felt yesterday, and maybe who knows, who will feel tomorrow? Maybe it really is contagious. Maybe we hand it on from one to the other on a daily basis. On the other hand, maybe it's the luck of the draw and sheer coincidence. Who, indeed, knows?

Boring Everyday Life.....

Oh I feel very dull today. Maybe it's the excess of work I've been doing lately. I've been getting home and doing nothing, no new keychains, bookmarks.. whatever. Just very dull as if I'm wrapped up in cotton wool or something. Like I'm not part of the world but sort of floating around it. It's probably being tired from the night shifts last week or something.
Still, one presses on. I cooked the other night, so there was cassarole to re-heat for dinner - and thank God for that too, 'cos we had a training session at the end of work and I was later back than normal. I had it with rice & cooked a little extra, so there was rice to make salad from for tomorrow's lunch. God how we have to think of these things - what can I cook tonight that I can make dinner out of for tomorrow. Still on the plus side, I don't often do rice salad, and it'll make a nice change - tuna, peppers, olives, a few chopped up radish. I meant to fling onion in there too, but I've just realised I forgot it. Maybe I'll chop half an onion before I go to bed.
Maybe it was the training but when I got home I made a cup of tea and sat down to watch the news - and fell asleep! I hate doing that when I'm working day shifts, 'cos you don't go to sleep properly at bedtime, and then you wake up the next day feeling dull too. Talk about a vicious circle.
Still work in itself was a pleasure - I work with a very good bunch, and there's always something to have a laugh about. Even if it's a casual Oh my lord type laugh, look at what I've just done. I must admit I've spent a fair while trying to fill out an appraisal form - it's coming up, and I don't know. I'm not the 'what have I done best recently' type. I could pick holes in myself as an Olympic sport I think. Actually that's not strictly true, it's just that the things I've done best recently don't actually relate to work work. No that's not quite true. I've done one or two things recently that I am quite happy with, that I think went moderately well..
I've had enough for tonight, I'm going round in circles!

Posting the post below!

Boy I dunno if anyone else has been having this trouble getting photo's on here. I've been trying to post this lot below for a while now - still they look good so no probs.
I'm pretty shattered from working loads of night shifts recently - trying to put together some extra money. My body clock's turned completely - I was up and wandering around at three a.m. last night, and slept in til midday. This is no good at all.
Particularly since I'm supposed to be at work for 8 a.m. on Monday! Still I daresay I'll cope somehow.
Been hard at work putting together stuff - thread bead onto headpin, cut to size, make ring.. I'm dead chuffed with the results though. And I'll be making more of these keyring bracelets. I work with a team of women of all different ages, and loads of them go out clubbing - and yes even I remember from way back when. Who wants to carry a whole keyring with you? No what you need is one of my nice new bracelet keyrings!
Just think of your sisters, daughter's, friends out there who need one of these! Now take a look at the photo and go visit my etsy shop!!!

What I've got for sale in my Etsy Shop!

This is my new idea - it's a bracelet with an integral keyring for keeping your doorkey on for a night out. Check out Sunspark58.etsy.com for all the details!

On the right is a keyring charm - Blue Heaven. Cobalt blue beads, with star charms and silvertone metal beads. Nice and big so you don't loose your keys!

This is pretty fab crimson keychain on bronze. Loads of heart shaped beads, amethyst and ruby beads... nice warm colours for autumn!

And this is the final item, beautiful blue keychain/bagcharm with some gorgeous blue beads - some have a touch of gold foil. Check out the enamelled dragonfly charm at the base!

Got this fabulous new outlet to sell my stuff on - Sunspark58.etsy.com - wandered on to this site a few days ago, and Wow!!! It's specifically set up for handmade stuff, and I can see I'm going to be spending my Christmas pennies there. But apart from all this, I set up a shop, so if you like the stuff you're seeing on this blog, then wander over there and have a look.

And this is the photo of the mobile charms & Shepherd's Crook bookmarks. These are amazingly good bookmarks - they hook over the back of the spine of the book, and hold in place very firmly. And the other brilliant thing is because they're all unique, if you give them to your family at Christmas, you'll know who's reading what book. Coming from a family who argue about who's going to read what first, this is quite an advantage!

Talking of reading, I currently have three books on the go. A biography of Mrs Beeton, that I have to admit is a lot duller than I expected it to be, a thing called 'The Historian', which apparently is about Dracula being a librarian - to be fair to this, I did try to start it Friday at about three a.m. when it was quiet, and frankly I don't think I got any further than about two or three pages into it, as my eyes just went boggly and I couldn't carry on reading. But what I'm really reading, frankly, are Watergate books. I'm a big Watergate freak, and I saw All the Presidents Men on the box the other day (for about the nth time) so I ended up re-reading the book (again for about the nth time) so having piqued my interest, I went looking for what's new in the field since Mark Felt was revealed to be deep throat. Now I'll admit my local Waterstones is pretty much king of the mundane, run of the mill and bog standard book shop. It's bang smack in the middle of Bristol, and ok, there's not a lot of room there. Hint to the ruling cadre at Waterstones - when they finish rebuilding Broadmead, get in there, and get a bigger shop! But I have to say you go in there looking for books on pretty much anything beyond say romcom, pretty pretty redecorating, a crime book or whatever - if you want something a bit more than mundane, run of the mill or bog standard, then go elsewhere. You won't find it at Waterstones. But I was pushed for time, so went in looking & could only find Bob Woodward's book. He appears to admit that he left it to late to go pushing as to exactly what it was that made Felt feel he had to do it - to be the source in the garage, backing up what Woodward & Bernstein turned up. I have to say that's such a tragedy. To have lost the first hand account of the motivations of this man is an almighty loss to history, although I guess it's always possible that Felt could have left something somewhere that might turn up.

I always think it's so odd as well, the attitude that my parents had to John Dean. I mean, we are English here, and had only the most distant, mouths agog type of attitude to it at the time - I mean it was flabbergasting that a real live President could have been such a crook, but I can remember Mum & Dad talking about Dean in terms of being a traitor. They didn't seem to see anything at all admirable about the fact that he actually told the truth. So bizarre that. There they are, this stolidly middle class couple, apalled at what's been going on, the daily revelations in the paper etc, yet instead of applauding Dean's ability to admit what had been going on, to come clean and tell the truth, he was always referred to as a 'traitor.' I think it's a sort of attitude that is parallel to the horror that Philby caused at being a real traitor. Now don't get out of hand here, I'm talking about attitudes to, not the reality of traitorhood. What Philby did was totally unforgivable because there's no doubt people died because of his actions, to the best of my knowledge, Dean didn't kill anyone! But it's the whole male gang type thing, the loyalty bond. Philby was part of the 50s white male establishment in Britain, end of empire, supposed to be England my England to the moment he takes the bullet to the heart. Yet to the Cambridge spies, conscience ruled above loyalty to the country. This is of course, based entirely on what they said, and has not one whit of bearing on what they actually felt/thought/believed internally. Dean was presumably a man of some similar degree of conscience, overbourne in his actions at the moment when the people around him where behaving in what was an extraordinary manner. When it all fell apart - now that's the question. Was he a rat looking for an escape craft and going 'me first, me first!' or was he genuinely saying I can't live with this anymore, someone has to tell the truth?

I don't know, and frankly I'm never likely to. I can't see myself ever likely to be in a position to ask him! But I would have loved to be able to sit down and ask Mark Felt why. And I can't help that it's a total dereliction of his duty to history that Bob Woodward didn't start think about this earlier - although to be fair, he gives a pretty good account of why he felt he wasn't able to. If you feel someone's bugged at you, you're not inclined to go busting in there, and demanding they explain themselves. But under the circumstances, my God, what a loss.

Keycharms!!!

Well here we are again.. I've been working nights over the last couple of days, and slept until about three - got the day 'off'! Then I'm back on for another couple of nights. The backs' picked up as well - didn't have to go trekking off to the doc which is always a welcome development.

Anyhow, having got a bit of spare time, and having done a bit of thinking, I've been putting together a leaflet on the keycharms. I want to try and drum up a bit of interest, particularly in the run up to Christmas. So I thought I'd do a quick leaflet to shove in people's pigeon holes at work.

Now I know there'll be those of you out there thinking wow. That's going to drum up business. And if I was running some kind of multi million empire type thing, I'd agree with you. But I'm running a mini business out of my flat, whilst working a more or less full time job. Last thing I actually want is hundreds of orders I can't fill. And of course, what I'm after right now, is to put the idea in people's heads that hey, a bagcharm would make a nice present for x, or flash a photo in front of someone and make them think, yeah I'd like one of those. Particularly at the moment, when every penny I've got coming in can be put towards more beads, to make more charms to sell nearer to December. And I have to say, I'm pretty thrilled with the latest batch, they look so pretty - I'm aiming at an ice effect, very snowy wintery type of effect.

This is the photo I took to put on my leaflet. I have a nice peice of lilac coloured velvet to use as a background, as the template I used is blue. So I chose a selection of blue and 'icy' themed keycharms. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, actually. I think if everyone saw the photo as it is above (assuming it turns out as well on the blog as it looks now!) people would be beating down my door, but on the leaflet it's a bit imprecise - not blurred or anything, it's fine, but it's not as good as it could be. Thats because my printer's not the finest, I have to use ordinary paper etc etc.