The Gallery - Self portrait

Yes I too am the one always behind the camera in this house, the one taking hundreds, not thousands of images. 

So when Tara at Sticky Fingers posted that this weekstheme was Self Portrait.

So May I present, me

 

Me and the boys all snuggled up and watching Doctor who a couple of weeks ago.

Me with Mini as a baby with long hair, before my operations

Finally me, about an hour ago, after my first trip to the hairdressers in a while, shorter hair, a lot greyer, but happy.

The Photo Lottery

I have been tagged by The Musings of a geriatric Mummy and I am sure someone else too, to do the Photo Lottery Meme, the rules are:

1. Open the first (oldest) photo folder in your computer library
2. Scroll to the 10th photo
3. Post the photo and the story behind it
4. Tag 5 or more people to continue the thread

OK the oldest digital photographs I have on the laptop are from 2003 and our trip to South Africa. This is the tenth one and not all that stunning in its imagery, but as a part of modern history it is just beyond my comprehension.

For this is the cell that Nelson Mandela occupied for approx 18 years during his imprisonment on Robben Island. He was finally released only 13 years before this picture was taken on 11 February 1990 (he didn't spent the last part of his sentence on Robben Island).

The whole tour of Robben Island was very emotional, as we were shown round by an ex-prisoner and oh my it was certainly an eye opener. The hardships that these people endured. The hard labour where they were forced to work in a Lime Quarry and were refused a lot of basic medication.

We were amazed by South Africa when we visited and had the best holiday ever. You have to remember that this is a third world country, with such a mixture of first and third word, that it is mind boggling.

The people we friendly, the hospitality excellent, the food was outstanding and the scenery well out of this world. One day we hope to be lucky enough to take our boys and show them.

Plus I am very envious of anyone who is going to the world cup. They will have a fantastic time, in a beautiful country that has come such a long, long way since the days of apartheid, but still has a long way to travel.

I need to Tag 5 other people to do it too and I am going to tag some of the new people I have been introduced to via The Gallery

Mums gone to....

What's happening at my house

Barefoot in the Kitchen

Freckles family

Kelloggsville


Now if you have tagged me recently, please can you drop me a line, as the flu has fried my brain and I can not find my notebook where I write all these things down - doh, I am having a homer moment as we call them.

Young at Heart Photo Albulm

I was tagged by the lovely Linda at You've got your hands full for the Young at Heart Photo Album and I was overjoyed, as I now have a new to me scanner and I want to use it!

So this is me (I am the one with the red shoes on, in case you were wondering) and the wonderful Rupert the Bear posing at Peasholm Park in Scarborough in what will have been the mid 1970's.

Back then I adored Rupert, almost as much as I adored my Dad and Grandad and here we will have been on holiday in our touring caravan, me, mum, dad and Grandpa.

I had an idyllic early childhood, my Grandad lived at home with us and although we didn't have lots of spare cash, we had lots of love and we went on lots of holidays in the UK in our great trailer tent, which was upgraded this year to a touring caravan.

My Dad and Granddad worked together, lived together and also holidayed together and I was always sandwiched between the two.  We visited most places in the UK and it was brill.  I remember brown curtains, sideburns, getting washed in a bucket and lots and lots of giggles.  It was a different time, a more innocent time and in some ways it is what me and MadDad are trying to reproduce with the minimads.

Now on to my taggee 

She is sat on her very favourite ride on orange rabbit and actually appears to be all fringe. She has obviously been hard at work doing something as she is sporting a lovely Noah's Ark apron.  What else can I tell you about her well she has a lovely baby boy, loves penguins and Cornwall and can not be categorised.  She is wonderfully creative and a great baker.  Have you guessed who she can be and where she is hiding yet?

Have you guessed who it is?   Find your way to her blog where she’ll post her contribution and name her own tagee soon. All she has to do is include the meme name Young at Heart Photo Album in her post so Tara can follow it as it winds its way through all the lovely blogs out there…

Top 5 moments of 2009

Before I start on this I want to say a great big thank you to all the NHS staff out there  and all others working this New Year.  GrannyMad was admitted with low oxygen levels late last night and is being looked after and hopefully will be home tomorrow.  Makes me really thankful for all the wonderful compassionate health care staff that are out there.

The lovely Sandy over at BabyBaby Tagged me on the high 5 Meme, so I have to name my top 5 moments of 2009.

Baking cakes with MaxiMad on his 4th Birthday on the day I was initially released from hospital.  It was bliss my favorite things all rolled into one.  Baking and family.  My friends had brought rounds food and cakes and my inlaws have sorted out the birthday cake, so I had so much fun watching the little ones ice the cakes.

Camping in our tent in Henley on Thames, we so enjoyed the holiday, a week together in the fantastic weather.  I so loved blowing out mini's candles on his smartie cake and meeting friends we left down south.

The Wiggles - yep in the flesh.  We took the mini's as a present for MiniMad's 3rd Birthday.  It was truly amazing and I have seen some live acts and bands!

MaxiMad starting Reception.  A wonderful, emotional and seminal moment for me, although it passed without incident or excitement for Maxi!

Finally Nativity time.  I cried buckets, more than I ever imagined I could.  I had held on to this moment during my darkest and scariest time and being there to witness such a joy-filled expression of love, faith and pride in children so young.  It was the moment of the year for me.

I have been blessed to have had such a wonderful year with my family.  Thank you for all the comments on my previous post, but you know what, it hasn't been that bad.  You need to experience the lows to feel the highs. 

BRING IT ON 2010, I AM READY, I AM WAITING AND I WILL BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY MOMENT I CAN REMEMBER TO BE!

A great big thank you to everyone out there who has read, commented and  been there for me and my blog. 

I am supposed to pass this on to 5 people, but I want to open it up to anyone who reads the blog.  Please list your top 5 on your blog for me to read about too, please!