GotPassion?

Monday Fun

The good thing about looking after children is that they really don't care about the credit crunch, they care about having fun, they don't even care about looking cute, they just do so naturally like this little guy...

 

The Crazy Cat Lady

When I am old, I am going to have a 100 cats, big wart on my nose, discolored, flowing dressings and a walking stick and be known as the crazy cat lady...

And my cats are going to scare off all the sales people, JW's, and posties with their fearsome looks.

We, the cat and me, are already practicing our scariest stares. The kind of stare that says 'I am going to catch you and tear you into little pieces...'

   

See, look at this teeth and those paws - you dare mess with them??

Ah well, for now I going to being a normal 29 year old Londoner with a cat who she teases with a knitting needle in order to get funky photos and a dad who just rang the bell for lunch and will be in here to demand she moves to the kitchen to eat and so has no time to correct spelling mistakes.

sorry!

From Russia, with Love?

The last few weeks have been a blur of job interviews, meeting children and agencies. In the search for the perfect job. Well the job that suits me most and who I suit most...

It is an interesting business: meeting the children that is. Rather intense. I have met two sets so far. I pulled out of the running for one job as the lady sounded like she had enough applicants and with three prospective families, I had too much choice. I met another lovely lady and her kids and the family really, but wasn't getting the vibe that I would be a good match for them. At times like this, I would really like a crystal ball. How well can you decide if you could spend 12 hours a day with a child, a year with the family based on 1 or 2 days visit? Unfortunately a longer period is generally a luxury. In fact having paid the travel to visit this family, that too was a luxury that I could only just afford.

Next week I am hoping to get to meet some more children, the job is in Moscow, the children will next week be on holiday in Italy which is where I'll go and meet them. Italy sounds exotic and hopefully it will be pretty cool, but you can't deny that going to so much trouble increases the pressure of making it work...

The very strange thing is my Mum is going to France tomorrow en route to see Heather and family in Guadeloupe and as I am meant to be going to Italy next Saturday and could potentially be hired quite soon after - I am not that sure when I'll see her again!

The thought of working in Moscow is certainly stretching the comfort zone, watch this space...

The Month for Birthdays

Happy Birthday Malc!

A way of life

On the news this morning they stated having a pet is indeed a way of life, not a hobby...

Sleeping is hard work, especially when there are distractions. First you have to find the perfect spot...

Such as the seat belonging to the woman of the house, perfect.

Then you have to find the perfect position.

  

Then you have to put up with the girl of the house who apparently has nothing better to do than take 76 photos in order to get some perfect pictures and write blog entries like this.

 

Like I said, sleeping is hard work for cats. Having an owner is a way of life, not a hobby.

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.
- Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire)

This describes one of the reasons I like photography, for Eric Liddell it was running for me it is photography - and autumn in a London park is definitely a good time to experience the joy of photography.

   

   

   

Berry 007

The name is Cat, Berry Cat...

You may think I look cute...
But I am happy to wake you up at 4:30
If I need to go outside
For toilet, hunting, or just because...

I harass you for food
Even if there is food in my bowl
Or you just fed me two mins ago
Or just because I feel like harassing you
For no particular reason
Thats my prerogative

Foes watch out 
For when I am about
I am a force to be reckoned with 

 

When I catch you
You'll be screaming in pain...
Crying for mercy

Watch out, when Berry's about...

The Anotomy of Scrapbooking

So it has been a while, I used to scrap all the time and then just before Christmas I was all busy with work and Christmas and then in the beginning of the new year I was busy making the most of seeing Alyssa and Charis before I left for Hawaii, and then in the last two weeks busy seeing Joel and getting ready to leave and so I haven't scrapped properly in a long time.

Mum did a retreat in the spring with her mates Chris and Gill in Chester which she really enjoyed and she and Heather wonderfully paid for me to do this last one in, the same one in Chester - which I went to and really enjoyed. Not that I was really all that productive, I had just been out of it for so long - it was all about exposure, smelling the smells, feeling the feels (!?) and seeing the sights and obviously having a laugh. I always was rather a solitary scrapper, not that I mind other people but being a rather sociable person, when I am around others I tend not to get too much done, I am too busy chatting. In fact the only reason I think I got anything done on the retreat was I put my ipod on and went into my own world for a bit!

So having done all the agency interviews for my job hunting I figured I could concentrate my mind on scrapbooking a bit and yesterday I managed to complete 7 layouts in one day. Thats right, 7!And I wanted to share the experience, whether you like it or not!!!

I did have a wonderful photo of a tidy desktop to show you how it starts but that has disappeared and as luck would have it I have formatted the camera. Honest! So I bring you in the process a little way through:

 

 

To be honest, it got so much messier.

So so much messier.

But sometimes I think the mess inspires inspiration. I did have a little tidy after I finished although the small internal voice said 'no! leave the mess! mess rocks'.

Thats okay, I get to recreate the mess today, hopefully with 7 more layouts!

And here is the result. Excuse the dodgy photos, but you try getting a decent layout photo...

   

 

   

Happy Birthday to a VIP

Yes its Paddington Bear's birthday today!

   

Okay okay, he shares his birthday with another VIP, yes its Heather's birthday today and in our true family style we celebrate it on the blogs as we can't be together in person...

Happy Birthday Sis!

And here is birthday girl herself..

 

    

5 Things I Miss About You

1. Going to your house and hanging out...
2. Being able to txt you and receive you txt's about all the daily activities of life.
3. Going to the parks with you and the girls.
4. Your great cooking!
5. Your great advice!

The original blog in which I posted his baby photos I think has been deleted but here they are again to refresh your memory, as requested. This is the same little boy I looked after on Friday, amazingly his hair has gone from practically black to practically blond. Amazing!