Best Gift or Greatest Gift

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.

Hello my Friends

I think I have been writing long enough to go from calling you a reader to a friend, after all we share our thoughts and lives with each other.

I read the prompt several times and decided that by the use of the word best and gift puts a huge difference on the answer. I was going to answer along the lines of greatest gift but that would have changed the prompt completely. So that is one to bore you another day 🤭.

Best” is the more general term; it's the highest degree of anything positive. “Greatest” is more apt when we want to indicate size, distinction or renown. “Greatest” may be an overstatement when applied to everyday things.22 Mar 2016

My Best Gift Ever was when I was about 7 or 8 looking back I can still feel the magic in the air. It was Christmas Eve and I found a letter off Santa in my sack. Your main present is in the pantry ho ho ho. Merry Christmas love Santa x

I rushed out to the pantry there was this bike with a bell 🛎️ for me, my first 🚲 bicycle . Now I can tell you it was an old third bike that my step dad had lovingly cleaned and polished that old bike and sprinkled it with care. Nothing in life has made me as happy as this gift did. It wasn’t because we couldn’t afford new, it was because he knew this bike would be scraped and marked. Around the farm it would be filthy. He seemed to know it was part of a bigger plan ,

All these yrs later approaching 50 to be honest I think about that gift, it really was the Best Gift I have ever received, given to me by the Greatest Gift I was lucky enough to have in my life My Step Father. See that’s the difference between Best and Greatest…….

Till we meet again

From my world to yours

Kim-Louise

Did you say Budgie?🤭

Write about your approach to budgeting.

Hello Dear Reader,

At times in the past I feel my approach to budgeting has been like many countries around the world. I start with an income, expect that income to then stretch beyond any realistic total. When the figures don’t add up blame the world economy and the ozone layer.

Now I have took my head out the sand and actually written out my income (when I found it), outgoings (I must be paying for me and the entire street) cancelled a few non essential items that were frivolous (ok I have re-added food).

I then took A (income) minus B (outgoings) ‘

Result = negative equity

Ok then I shave more of the outgoings and wow on paper it balances.

Then I try to live for the month according to the number that is the BUDGET.

So far I have been trying to stay within the boundaries of the page this month. But it has not been easy, I don’t think there has ever been a time that I have not worried about money and bills.

Now I am older I find myself in the horrible situation of being disabled and unable to work, so my only money is benefits. This means that children are now adults, and I really do have to live within those numbers on that page. No holidays, well there hasn’t been for a long time , trying to redecorate my home on a shoestring, cause the Budget dictates so. Having to get a gardener in not a luxury but a necessity, eats into my budget.

I have to say I detest the word BUDGET .

I am going to claim I run my home like the UK parliament runs the UK, in deficit

I need lessons from British Gas as the reports state British Gas has announced its profits for 2023 increased 10-fold to £750m see they can budget, hey some of that is my money.

Anyway don’t do as I do stick to whatever works for you and if you haven’t found it yet, search the internet for a plethora of ideas

Many Smiles sent to you

Kim-Louise

Patriotic USA or UK

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

Dearest Readers

I am hoping you are all well, and looking forward to whatever season is next upon us.

Now to the prompt that has brought me here today, am I patriotic?

To be honest I always associate that word more with the USA 🇺🇸 than the UK 🇬🇧. I guess that’s because of History taught in schools, I was taught that the American patriots and the British loyalists had issue, which is really rather daft because all the patriots wanted was freedom from the rule of the British to live under their new rules in a new world, the Americas.

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” – Martin Luther King Jr

Patriotic – Myself I love my country, but I see its faults. I’m not a nationalist, which is technically the equivalent of patriotic in British terms if we are going to be correct. Maybe I am a loyalist, or a mixture of both.

The UK was once a glorious nation proudly flying the red, white & blue, the British Commonwealth, Our Queen, the NHS and school system was all something to be so proud of , I know this to be true as I grew up in this time, when we had our ups and downs but knew how to stick together to rally through.

Then the world started to unravel and doors once closed were flung open wide, the UK being so stuck up thought it’s ok we will survive. But the clouds got darker as it rained with people from other EU states and then the boat people looking to the UK as a free door mat.

I’m not criticising those that fled to Britain’s front doors in droves, they had a need for shelter and the UK well it just handed homes,money, NHS, all for free. We started failing, falling to our knees. The country is dam well sinking, I truthfully cannot say my heart is behind the UK in its policies and crime has increased everywhere. Our NHS is not the same and will disappear into a more corporate look and become private run.

My loyalties are what hold my heart. I’m loyal to my family, to honesty and I have deep regard for our Royal Family. Miss our Queen Elizabeth I I who was an icon in this modern world.

In all seriousness I have pride in many aspects of my life in the UK and I know it’s a tough time for majority of us. Hold tight and have faith remember United We Stand, Divided We Fall

I’m just nostalgic for the way it was and how we used to live those were good times

So long winded but I got there in the end

I am sure of one thing I am Me.

Thank you if you got this far

Namaste

Kim-Louise

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

United We Stand, Divided We Fall is a phrase that was first documented in historical use in 1769 when John Dickinson used it in the Revolutionary War song “The Liberty Song

Castles in the Clouds

Write about your dream home.

Hi it’s me again

No I haven’t forgotten you,

Been a little lazy, yes it’s true,

Then this interesting prompt appeared,

My brain chugged, to find first gear

A bungalow large enough for all my books

Of course I want a writing nook

Kitchen glistening spotless, spick and span

Front room gleaming, thanks to polish in a can.

Dining room with my what is it? Oh clutter!!

I call it collections of dragons, fairies,& other.

Hobby room, filled with treasure

For me to paint or create at my leisure.

Bedroom a plain quiet place to rest my weary head

No Italian garden theme, with flowers, around the bed

So Library, Office space, Kitchen, to start

Living & Dining rooms, Hobby room, looking smart.

Now the Bathroom luxurious in every way

Base it on Voque I say.

Add in utility room and a nice wide hall.

Oh my imagination is having a ball.

But before I leave you with my dreams I just to say I am so lucky to have the home I have now. I have a roof and shelter, I have warmth and food, so what I have is a godsend. There is people who would think my place was a dream home.. so always be thankful with what you have.

Sending loads of smiles

Kim-Louise

If you want it think it and if you think it believe it.

Snap, that’s my break finished with

Do you need a break? From what?

Welcome dear Reader

I’m so pleased you are here I was about to tell about needing a break and what from. Come sit a while and let’s chat.

I have been stressed since last week and now I am annoyed 😡 so I have decided that I need a break from the lies and bull sh#t fed to us by authorities and Medical personnel and many more we are supposed to trust. This last seven days I have had lies and been mislead on several subjects that are important and necessary to my well being.

Oh well , no break has appeared just a snap or two. So I live to fight another day, oh and I will fight tooth and nail.

Grrrrrr there’s no need for it is there? Lies I can’t stand and from people we are supposed to trust

Ok my little rant is over we shall contact through our writing another day

Sending smiles

Kim-Louise

How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life?

Dearest Reader

I hope you are well, and if this note should find you otherwise, then I send you all the smiles I can find to bring sunshine into your life.

Significant life events I have been through many good and bad, and try as hard as possible the bad ones force all good ones into the shadows. I believe this is human nature, we are hardwired to remember the negative so that our brains can learn to not do that again. A little like hand in fire, OW burn 🔥 don’t do again. But I think as we evolve into this tech driven world our brains have stopped learning basic simple, ow fire burns, hence all good major events are pushed further back into deeper corners of our minds.

Now the passage of time has influenced my perspective on life more, because what I perceived to be fact or reality at 10yrs of age changed at 20, 30 and onwards. I sit back now and think about a particular time in my 30s and I can see a whole picture whereas then there was just this flat screen a one dimensional view of what was happening. So therefore my whole perspective was incorrect. As I hasten to add is everyone else’s at a given moment because we truthfully only see a one sided view. When we are on the outside of an event or look back with open eyes and a truthful heart, we can then see what happened and how that incident has changed us.

Time gives us a chance to reflect, would I/could I change things, alter my behaviour at that moment. I think most people become reflective over time, and many wonder if pivotal moments in their lives could have had a different outcome.

But ifs and buts change nothing, so all we can do is remember that everything is a learning curve in the book of life. When something goes wrong just call ‘New Chapter’ turn the page and move on.

With that my cherubs I shall leave you in peace.

With Sunshine and Happiness

Kim-Louise

My Oh My, What To Do

Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

Dear Reader

This has been a whirlwind of a week, and I have a feeling the whirlwind is going to turn into a tornado before my life gets back to any sense of normality (whatever normality is).

I digress as usual from the prompt provided, but that is half the fun, digressing.

It so happens today I was adding to my to do list 📋, you know the one, we all have one, some of us write it on a scrap piece of paper or keep a mental note , or even it’s own book to cross off when achieved. Or if you are more like me Giant size Toilet roll wouldn’t be enough. Good thought but now all I can picture are puppies tearing up toilet roll and that’s another to add to my list Toilet Roll, make sure I have enough and don’t get a puppy, or puppies.

Now my to do list has many jobs that are never completed and the worst one is organise my paperwork, actually organise my life, I think I need an expert to come into my life and help me understand my reluctance to organise . It’s annoying me terribly , I feel if I could sort the paperwork it would be a huge achievement that I might find my mojo to apply organisation to the rest of my life.

I am hoping to move soon from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom flat maybe then I will find my way forward .

Or maybe I will sprout wings and become a rather large fairy . What do you mean fat chance? Something has to happen, this organise A,B,C through to Z has been on my list since the day before I had the blood clot on the brain and that was 14yrs ago

I can eliminate a third of my list because that’s all garden related. I guess I find it harder with my mobility being hampered but where there’s a will there’s a way, as I’m always saying I will do it , I guess my will is strong. Look out optimism let’s look at that list again

Think I might let my personal Tornado pass, then start all over again that means a fresh page, and remove things that have gone , include what is relevant, a timetable weekly to keep me on track, now that sounds like a start. Thanks for your help just by listening 🤭

It was nice to have this chance to talk again, take care, smile often, think yourself happy

Sharing Smiles

Kim-Louise

My Oh My, What To Do

Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

Dear Reader

This has been a whirlwind of a week, and I have a feeling the whirlwind is going to turn into a tornado before my life gets back to any sense of normality (whatever normality is).

I digress as usual from the prompt provided, but that is half the fun, digressing.

I am hoping to move soon from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom flat maybe then I will find my way forward .

It was nice to have this chance to talk again, take care, smile often, think yourself happy

Sharing Smiles

Kim-Louise

A Pain in the . . . .

What do you complain about the most?

Dear Readers

How are you all? I’m a little windswept from last week. I didn’t go out much but when I did wow, good job I didn’t use crutches 🩼 I would have been down, and out for the count. Or come to think about it, I like to wear wigs so I can have a different look, now that would have been embarrassing as a large black guinea pig left my head and flew away. Well what else would it look like?

So what do I complain about the most, my head ! Oy you I said head not face

I suffer with Migraines and there is a difference between headache and Migraine I have had a headache every day for over 15 yrs which is fine, ish, because it has been there so long I have been able to dull it down.

But the Migraines are just a complete halt in the game of life for me. This is what I complain about so often.

Yes I moan about disability

Yes I complain about the weather (it’s a British thing)

Yes I complain about 10% of my life but of that 7% is about Migraines.

I have a specific type of migraine called Hemiplegic Migraine, this can mimic a stroke so care has to be taken that paramedics and people you are with are aware of this.

I guess I complain because I can

Does it make things better, well depends really, I feel less stressed by venting, probably not the right way to go but it works for me for now. Most of the time I’m complaining to the stuffed animal on the bed so no harm done…

Put a smile on your face & kind words on your lips,

watch the world change everywhere that you go.

As you walk and talk then smile around

You teach others that smiling is better than wearing a frown

Kim Louise

Have a wonderful week my Unique beings

With Love ❤️ from the Heart

& Joy from soul

Till the next time

Kim Louise

Crazy, curious, come in…

Come up with a crazy business idea.

Dear Reader

I was just thinking 🤔 to myself, wow there are so many crazy schemes businesses and make money quickly ideas how can I top it when I thought !! easy people will pay for literally anything these days , yes ?

So my business is strictly legit ok? It’s called CRaF

CHOSE RENT a FRIEND

Originally it would have been person not friend but that would have have been embarrassing as it read CRAP (oops)

The business is all about mental health and how people are spending so much time alone, conversation is almost a dying art. Now some of the senior managers would have counselling skills for different traumas, but a lot of staff would be friendly happy chatty people who just want to make the world a better place .

They obviously would be trained to the CRaF guidelines and then people would be guided to this service.

Obviously cost is a huge factor in everything, so your friend might meet you in a coffee shop or go to town with you. All expenses are covered for your friend and yourself as in coffee and a cake or even an ice cream. There is no cost to the client .

We are a business like anyone else and we run via donations from large corporations that need to have tax cuts. Any profits split 50% into regrowth 50% into parties, tea dances, choirs, Christmas and as many social events as we can because shutting the door on the world won’t help. But a tea dance might, don’t knock it till you try it. Too many things to list. Just please we don’t allow social media so no phones. Old style cameras only

The aim is to grow homes like this everywhere we can. Within 5yrs the business intends to have 20 houses fully staffed with friends who care. Who can start clients back on the road to socialisation, to overcoming whatever is troubling you. A friend in need we have the friend you need.

This business a new beginning an end to the silence, there will be a lot going on

In this crazy business of mine KLN