I love Sunday’s…… the one day in the week that is chill out, family time and me time!

Today I am mending what I believe might be day 2 of a hangover of some sort….. and what better way to mend it but writing a new blog post from the comfort of the couch. So here we go!

DOING THINGS WITH ME, FOR ME, TO KEEP MY SMILE

I know I have mentioned it before but I think it worth mentioning again! When I am not feeling like myself, for whatever reason, there is one main thing that I work on to ensure that I can re-build my confidence and my own inner strength.

I work on being a loner, a comfortable loner.

The past two weekends brought this to light again as I had last Sunday all to myself followed by a 4 hour stint in Killarney yesterday as my daughter and friends was attending a Chasing Abbey concert in the INEC.

Starting with last weekend I woke up my normal early time (god be with the days when one would have decent sleep ins) and I got some of the early morning chores out of the way. Sitting at the kitchen table doing some work I realised, with a serious dose of frustration, that working on a Sunday was the last thing I needed, especially when home alone and with the autumn sun splitting the rocks outside the window.

So I packed a bag, got the hiking boots on an headed for the 12 O’Clock Hills in Crag outside Kilkishen. Starting out I still felt frustrated within but after the first 15 minutes of the hike I started to take in my surroundings and by the time I got to the top you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face! What a view and a warm recommendation to anyone who hasn’t completed this trail!! After the 360 degree view at the top, blood (tore my lip) (don’t ask), sweat (it is 900 metres up) and tears from that wind I reached the bottom with my hair smelling of autumn and I was once more ready to take on the world.

Then yesterday afternoon I took my near 17 year old daughter and her two friends to Killarney!! This one a bit tougher to face into alone….  But proud to say I did it and that not only because I couldn’t get out of bed until about 2pm after losing count of the whiskeys the night before. Proud because on a Saturday night I walked into Killarney town (taking in some more stunning scenery) and sat into a restaurant for a three course meal followed by another walk around the hustling and bustling Kerry town.

It may have looked odd that I was on my own but what must have really completed the slightly sympathetic looks I was getting was my inability to stop giggling to myself as I took on the first few chapters of Emer McLysaght’s and Sarah Breen’s book Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling.

Not being Irish but having succumbed to the Irish ways this book captures Irishness in way that would make you cry of laughter. Already on page 18 my first “laugh out loud” moment occurred. Just listen to this;

“And no sooner is she back from the honeymoon than she’s off planning a hen party for her cousin Suzanne. I heard her on the phone the other day organising a cocktail class and describing the Fifty Shades theme to the poor craythur on the other end. I mean, a hen isn’t a hen without willy straws and L-plates but I’ve read all three books out of interest and I wouldn’t want Donna draping anal beads around my neck.”

Absolutely weak at so many components of those few sentences…..

Read it!!!

PRAYING FOR A RAPID UPDATE TO THE FASHION SCENE

So although I managed to survive my own company in Killarney I just about survived the fashion sense of three girls I brought with me.

It is not often that I pray but here it is an official prayer to the fashion gods and the celebs that makes these clothes fashionable to change the pattern (no pun intended) as soon as possible.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, left to the imagination in the little bits of material they wear….. and trying to be a cool sophisticated mum in all of it is not doable….. It is either let them wear it and know it, or tell them no way and they hide it! For Killarney I put the sunglasses on until darkness fell and sat low in the seat of the car anytime they decided to be in my close proximity!!!!

Let’s just say that myself and my daughter won’t be swopping tops anytime soon….

AUTUMN VIBES & 28 MORE DAYS

Finishing this post with a small hello to autumn which has officially arrived! So far so good as it has proven itself to bring many golden moments between sunshine, rain, wind and gorgeous scenery! So many beautiful moments  I stopped the car a few times this week to capture its magnificence.

There are now just 28 days to go until the Dublin City Marathon is on and the one I had earmarked to be my first…. Although back chewing road and still living in hope I am beginning to own up to the reality that it will have to be another one that becomes my first…. But I will still keep it up for 28 more days to see where it brings me.

Leaving you with this quote and all well wishes for a fantalastic October!!!!

“When nothing goes right….. take a left”

It really is as simple as that.

Thought it was time to scribble again!! Just a short one this time. 😁

I am already prepared for my mid October blog post which I myself believe will be quite revealing as it will focus in on my first year as a snap chatter whereas at the same time raising the predicament of whether to remain one or not!!!!

This post however will talk a little bit about my work! Don’t bore people with it too often and also some more of those funny conversations that happened over the last few days.

LET’S START WITH BIRMINGHAM

On Sunday evening I went to Shannon Airport to fly with Aer Lingus (on the smallest plane I have ever been on) to Birmingham where I was going, for the first time, attending a two day IOSH (health, safety and wellbeing) conference, all by myself!!

What an amazing two days! Sure moments of – I CANT TAKE NO MORE INFORMATION – but so many excellent speakers, fabulous participants and of course a Heineken or two to mingle with.

It is hard to single out one speaker, or one topic which was better than the others but one of my favourites (that I hadn’t seen or heard before) was the Health, Safety and Security Manager from Merlin Entertainments whom spoke about the Smiler crash (roller coaster ride in Alton Towers) in a very clear and open manner…… One thing he said that stuck with me and which I believe may be applied to life as well as work is that when in a crisis “run to manage it or someone else will manage it for you”.

Outside of lots of ideas and want to do’s within my career I also had some good me time and give myself a little pat on the back for going it alone!! Had some great food in some very nice restaurants, I toured the city and the Bullsring of course and had some CIDER which I would gladly go back for too!!!

AND THEN THE HAIR…….

A few times over the last few weeks I have got comments about (not my words) “the dramatic change in my looks” over the last few years. As late as today at work, when wearing a badge with my photo, someone said you might need to request a new one of those badges because you can’t be wearing someone else’s!!

It has also been brought home to me what one of those main changes are….. my hair!! I have this un-tamable mess that loves weather but does not love me!! But I have learned to appreciate its bushiness, frizziness, curls, kinks and temperament. However, I have never, ever had anyone come up to me and want to feel my hair….. until yesterday!!!

After facing straight into the winds of Ali my morning sleekness had turned to – how will I word this – a mess!! However, walking through Birmingham International, this young Italian man (totally stereotyping because of his accent) came up to me and said! Can I tell you about our skincare product. I very politely declined and he followed up with “Madam (oh there is that age thing again), would you mind if I asked you a question? I said of course not, ask away. Quoting the Italian

“I love your hair – can I feel it”…… WHAT????? I just laughed that one off nervously and politely answered, as reared by my mother, maybe another time…….

Then I thought this whole hair thing was over until a feedback form was filled out today after training delivery and one of the guys in the room wanted to answer (thankfully didn’t) to the question “What did you most like about the trainer”.  The answer….. “Her Hair”.

Is it time to go short again…….?????????

Have a great weekend 😄

PS. Got a new book solely because of the title and the chapter names!!!

This blogging is coming easy these days! Life is currently full of rollercoaster adventures and conversations through which is see the opportunity to write.

For this one it started with a conversation I had with my mother during a recent few days of ill-health… when she was trying to cheer me up (really debatable) like only a mother can!!

Part of the conversation was about the sound effects of bowel movements when unwell but I won’t go into that conversation here, nor anywhere else….. although it did make me laugh!

WHAT IS A RIPE WOMAN IN A GAME OF SCRABBLE?

So the other night, lying on the couch at home reading a book I got a very welcome phone call from my mum. The one person that you always want to talk to when sick, the one you know will make you feel better by just her voice and words.

Well….. Hmmm

This one call was a bit different as I think she seemed to struggle (it must have been a struggle??) with what words of encouragement to give. So as I told her about feeling like I was dying (possibly slight exaggeration) she said something like this;

“Don’t worry, you will be back to yourself soon! (So far so good) Because you are a very ripe woman……”

Now what is that supposed to mean I had to ask? Ripe…. Ripe… No matter how many times I say it I can’t figure out what encouragement that would give me. Ripe….

So she of course went on to try her best to tell me I was a very attractive, ripe woman, which as you can imagine made me jump off the couch. I didn’t jump because I suddenly felt better, I jumped to run to the bathroom to count the wrinkles.

So later that evening I was sharing this story with my near 17 year old!! She started to giggle as she explained the modern terminology for what my mother had just called me.

If we were playing a game of scrabble you would be given the following letters;

I might have had to Google the meaning of this word (FYI not proving anything about my ripeness) and Google told me this;

A sexually attractive older woman, typically one that has children…..

They are lucky I have a sense of humour!!!

#TEARS TO WONDER

Last night I took some time out to movie watching, which rarely happens, as I cannot sit still!!! The pick of the night was the movie Wonder with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic and the very talented Jacob Tremblay.

I think I cried from start to finish…. What a truly beautiful story about the struggles to fit in just because we look different than others and equally portraying the difficulties for those that love us unconditionally.

In the movie there was a scene between Auggie (the lead character) and his mum (Julia) where Auggie was really sad and angry because he saw himself as ugly, or more because others sees him as ugly. The rescue words, true to a movie, where that our faces holds the map to the journeys we travelled. Wrinkles each occur because of what we go through on that journey (good and bad) as well as scars because of battles we have had (good or bad). This to me was a wonderful sentiment to why our faces are the way they are. They represent our journey – so far  – and no matter what, that is beauty.

There was however one line at the very end of the movie stuck with me;

“We all deserve a standing ovation, at least once in our lives”.

Hear, hear!

NATURISTIC

I can’t believe that is a word!!! Just said I would chance typing it in and no red lines appeared. Learning is never ending.

To finish this blog I want to re-mention the impact that nature has on managing my me.

When the world starts spinning to fast my favourite go to place is nature….. it has an amazing amount to offer and when it comes to Ireland, possibly more than many other places. Especially when you live in a rural, a very rural, part of the country.

When not feeling well during the week I made my way out into the fields and hills near my home. The sun was shining in my face, the wind blowing through my hair and my feet were getting uncomfortably wet in the long grass. But the sound of my feet walking to the grass made up for it.

I was able to pick and eat a few blackberry’s whilst watching the clouds float by. I got to spend some quality time with me….. in a real rescue environment.

This is where ripe makes a bit more sense….. When you can stop and smile at the sea, the grass in a field and just lie on the grass and look straight up at an amazingly star filled sky. (sober).

By the way that word (naturistic) would give you a scrabble score of 12!!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!!

Since the last blog I have had no option but to continue on the streak of #tears18 as the response has been, to say the least, overwhelming.

Thank you to all those of you who have read it, sent your messages, invited me for tea, shared your own sadness and for all the very kind words of encouragement. They mean a lot.

If I have learnt one thing about blogging and sharing thoughts is that two main items get read about quite promptly!! Misery and talk about bodily parts!! Who would have thought??!! 💁

CONTINUING ON THE BUCKET LIST

The bucket list adventures continues…. and I am still not admitting to them being any part of a midlife crisis. Not quite there yet.

There are four main things on the go at the moment;

1. Marathon Training – although I have been out injured for over two months (one of
   the reasons behind #tears18) I am now slowly returning to my running. Not yet fully convinced that I can or will make the Dublin Marathon but keeping it as a target so that I don’t lose focus fully. Have over the last few weeks built it from 10 minute runs, to 45 minute runs and only this last Sunday I mustered a 8 mile run, so will keep slowly increasing time and distance hopeful of a decent return…….. If not I will totally aim for the Beer Marathon in Germany or the Wine Marathon in France. Training must be so much for fun for this too!!
2. Motorbike Rides – part of my bucket list methodology is to face things that I am afraid of but yet have a burning passion for….. I think Harley Davidson’s are awesome…. But I am terrified of the speed on two wheels and in particularly in curves. Therefore I have signed up to MC Lessons. I want to see if I can break that fear and get myself a license to ride a HD! Wish me luck.

3. I am now working on the design of my third last tattoo. I want to get one this year, one for my 40^th(agh next year) and then none until my 80^th Would be delighted to hear your opinion on my tattoo plans for this year! Below is an image of the starting point. It’s my starsign and constellation. What do you think? I also need to select where to put it….. have been considering neck hairline, centre of neck (just under the collar) or in the total opposite direction, my foot.

4. The writing of my book! Have my typing fingers back again so have over the last few weeks got some good writing done…. Not sure if it will ever be fully ready or readable but I’ll keep trying. Besides that I have got the notion that I want to write something more fictional (me and my vivid imagination) so need to keep moving the first one forward!!

I have my bucket list book in which I write about these adventures! One that will be great to hand over to the grandkids someday. Or maybe that will be book 3!!

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS?

In August I finally got the opportunity to go home to Sweden. It was my first visit this year and my first mini break since I was away on my cruise in January…. Which leads me to tell you about my knickers being back to front for a full day….

When educating others around the importance of stress management I often say that we need to realise that the body, mind and soul requires holidays for us to remain focused, motivated and passionate about what we do. Self-love is something that is required to stay strong, energetic and confident. Good to tell others when you forget to practice what you preach…. So I think one can say that I am slightly tired…. Won’t push for exhaustion just yet (hello #tears18). However, when it takes you a full day to realise that you have been wearing your underwear, not inside out, but back to front…. Did I say a full day…. You may realise that you need a break!! So November and NY with my family can’t come soon enough.

So back to where my heart will always be! This week I celebrate 18 years in Ireland. 18 amazing years, which as you know was meant to be 6 months. However when I went back home in August I got some really amazing quality time with my family, friends, the Swedish lifestyle, ABBA and Mamma Mia (don’t tell anyone) so for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel ready to come back to my other home and it didn’t help that my amazing little 12 year old was crying to see me leave as the two of us also got some exceptional quality time together laughing at silly Swedish words (infart, utfart), eating Swedish sweets followed by gyming it off!!!

Once a Swede always a Swede, no matter how Irish I may seem by now!!

BLUE WHALE TESTICLES

This last month has been full of celebrations. My birthday, 7 years of self-employment, 5 years as the Director of Modig and 18 years in Ireland!!!

Being a director, self-employed, is like being on a continuous roller coaster!! Which means if you like adrenaline and risk taking…. You will love it, at least when you’re on top and not queing waiting for the next ride!

For me I try my best to remain up there!!! How?? Through learning more, talking to more people and to make it fun for me and those around me. Health & Safety was never what I intended to do when I grew up… still not sure…. But there are many days that I come home knowing that this is my passion. Because health and safety doesn’t have to be met with an “aghh noo not again” or “here they come to wreck the day” or “more paperwork”.

So when I updated my Manual Handling Training presentation lately and in an aim to (don’t get bored just yet) showcase what incorrect handling can do with regards to transmission of weight we spoke about over a tonne being transmitted across the spine…..

What weighs a tonne?? Most will guess a car or even a small car. But very few will know that it is also two grand pianos or one blue whales testicle!!! What you learn when googling what weighs a tonne…. 🙈😄