Sandra Pollock - Life and Times Of
Living the life that's mine.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Dovedale - A place to relax
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Feng Shui Consultation
So how have I managed to finally be persuade to go ahead with this one?
Well about a year ago a friend of my shared with me that she was going to be having a consultation done on her home. Some how she had met a guy who is a Feng Shui Consultant and who also runs a school training people in Feng Shui. Once or twice a year, when the students have completed the theoretical side of their studies, he looks to find people who are prepared to allow his students into their homes to complete a consultation. This way students have a opportunity to apply the theory they have learnt to a real and practical situation, under tutor supervision.
The students are supported my two tutors and what they do in the home and their results are vetted by the tutors, before they are allowed to delivery their results to the home owner. The consultation is free for the home owner. So everyone wins.
I remember saying to her at the time she told me about it that this was a great opportunity and that if this guy were ever to be looking for someone else in the future, could she please recommend me and she said she would. Well a year passed by and true to her word I received an email from her saying that Robert Gray was again looking for volunteer home owns and if I was still interested, I could contact him. So I did.
I was quite exciting to think that finally I would be getting a Feng Shui consultation for free, but then all of a sudden I realised that it was not just me that had to give the go-ahead. I also had to persuade my husband.
Well after some discussion about what would be happening, he agreed. So I set a date. Before the session we had to provide a floor plan of the house, complete with location of furniture,etc. My husband is much better at this sort of detail than I am, so this has been his contribution. Says he would prefer not to be at home, so he is going off to a Porsche event somewhere. And that weekend all of our girls are ways, so it will just be me around with I think about 8 students and too tutors..
The final bit of preparation was the completion of a questionnaire. This asked a few questions about what the main areas were that we wanted the consultation to focus on. At first thought my husband thought that this was looking for more personal information, but this was not the case. It was just a matter of where you are happiest at this point in time, in relation to the 9 categories of life, according to Feng Shui philology and where you were less so. Then choosing 3 priority areas. So not very difficult really, but the start of the process and the list of questions with regard to what was really being asked was the issue for us. This all sorted meant that we were both happy to continue.
I can't wait to see what the results will provide and what suggestions might be made. Will keep you posted, but the process and preparation from our part has been quite interesting. Isn't life fun.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Do I Love My Dog?
She is 9 nearly 10 years old and absolutely adorable. Mostly because she is clearly MY DOG! and does not give her heart to anyone else, including my husband, who I think is a little jealous of her place in my heart.
When I am around she does not respond to him without checking with me first, and okay I can be a little soft, particularly when she wants to sneak into the bedroom and lie down on the floor next to my side of the bed, even though she is not allowed in the bedroom.
After many years of faithful service, she began to 'dribble' around the house. Can you imagine the shock?! Smelly water every where?! Yuck!
Well the rules of the game for me are that she is not allowed to be ill or grow old or anything like that. She has to stay wonderfully young and fluffy and full of energy. You know, just like dogs are suppose to be.
Anyway this 'dribbling' thing started and I was very upset.
For the first time since I brought her home, I had to start thinking about the fact that she might, just might be getting older.
Well panic set in and I must admit that I did not know what to do with myself. The thought of her not being around; not greeting me at the door; not picking up when I'm unwell and nuzzling her cold nose under my arm to make me stroke her; hit me harder than I would have really expected it to. I could not bear the thought.
Along with all of this emotional stuff, was the continuous mopping up. I could not leave her alone for half an hour, before I had to get the mop and bucket out. There were times when I would admit to being a little short tempered, particularly when I was rushing in or out of the house and short of time.
Then there was the trying to get a 'sample' for the vet, which fun and games.
What rubbed salt into my emotional wounds, was the look on her little face, each time she realised that she was unable to hold herself. Well how could I possibly get angry with that. And she knew she was not herself. The sadness in her eyes was more than I could bear.
Anyway, to cut a long and emotional painful story short, we took her to the vet, paid an enormous amount of money out for x-rays, blood and urine tests and god know what else - oh yes, that would be the two courses of antibiotic, and she is back to her lovely, healthy, energetic self - with no 'dribbling' or mopping at all. It was all down to an infection.
But can I put myself through this again? I don't want to have to think about it really, but the truth of the matter is, that I love that silly old dog more than I would really like to admit. And I guess, I would have to find the pennies to pay to make her better if she got ill again (which better not be anytime too soon. I've just about managed to get over this period).
I guess this is all about the shock of or the possibility of loosing something that has been such a big part of your life. Something that you thought would always be there for you. Reality can be hard sometimes.
But she is my dog and I love her. And on reflection, it has reaffirmed my commitment to her, even in the difficult times.
Friday, 20 February 2009
The Influence of a Good Friend
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Stamford In the Winter
I had never been to Stamford before and it seemed like a good place. I felt like visiting what I would call an ‘olde-worlde’ town. I like look at old beautifully designed buildings.
Here are a few of the pictures we took of older buildings in Stamford.
Stamford is a quaint, compact little town that is growing.
I did not get any pictures of the snow covered hills, as we were travelling – maybe next time.
Anyway it was a really lovely day and although it was a bit cold, the sun was out - that brighten things up quite nicely.