So Much Inspiration and SO many lovely people!

I've today completed my third radio show this week! Here's the link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x168j

There are SO many lovely people in this gorgeous medium we call "the wireless" that I wish I had ten sets of ears so I could listen to them all. I'm in the middle of a big Twitter conversation with the lovely Jon off of Radio Wey www.radiowey.co.uk about the "big four" supermarkets. I'm not totally against them, as you might think, because they do provide jobs. And products. But I think that it's all about balance, small people and big business, that's what makes the world go around. There's room for everyone!

Yesterday I took up to Klassy Fabrics in Ebbw Vale, the lovely lady who let me have my supplies and pay for them later. She was bowled over by the thank you card I made her, I also did some screen prints of the blog that I had written about her kindness and took her those. Tomorrow is the (now Bi-) Annual "Mrs Miggins Pie Shop" dinner. It's when I cook for my nearest and dearest lady friends - a Blackadder joke that stuck - and we generally have a good girlie laugh. I've taken the trouble of making some party favours, a bit American I know, but sometimes they DO know what they're talking about, so I took Mrs Klassy Fabrics one of those too. Note to self - find out her name. She actually had tears in her eyes.

Made my day as much as I hope I made hers.

While up there I had a little scout around the charity shops and picked up for £3 a king size duvet cover, relatively unused which is the absolute perfect fabric for my bedroom blind I'm about to embark on. And a really striking, totally unused and utterly beautiful Houses of Parliament tea towel! Sounds bonkers I know, but it REALLY is gorgeous.

And then my friend Jess had a totally GENIUS idea to make it into a blind for my back door. It shall be done and I will share!

So, as you can see, party favours and birthday cards, I think they're really pretty.

But I'm really gutted I forgot to give my trouble making stalker a mention on the radio.

Officially a "Z list" Celebrity Now!

Just when I thought having the pleasure of hanging about at the BBC couldn't get any better, I met Mal Pope and Lisa Rogers today. Liza Tarbuck is now out of the "best friend" spot, Lisa is officially in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tj5t7/Jamie_Owen_and_Louise_Elliott_23_08_2010/

...and now Steve's just been approached by Radio 4 to contribute to a programme about the forces. I ADORE, Radio Wales, especially after the welcome and interest in my inane ramblings, but anyone who knows me personally KNOWS how I feel about Radio 4! Woman's Hour is my ultimate goal. If I achieve that, then I may as well die then as my life just won't get any better.

Been doing some crochet today, waiting to put my house back together AGAIN. I'm now officially halfway through Josie's blanket now. Trouble is it gets SOOO warm on your lap as you're adding to it that it makes you sleepy...YAWN!!!

Nerves, Nerves, Nerves.

I am a little nervous, if I'm honest. I don't know why, it's not as if I haven't done it before.

I made the listings for the radio -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007y9mt

and the online Argus ...

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/8340536.Rock_fan_is_Crumlin_WI___s_latest_president/

I've had a text from a VERY nice lady who want's to join and a phone call from a different lady who can't wait for the next meeting, AND another enquiry! So I'm WELL happy with that.

I must pop off now, been up since half five and I'm shattered...LONG day tomorrow too, and the day after ...

Jam and Jerusalem

Seriously, I know people are surprised at best and laugh at worst when they discover that I'm W.I.

I know it's unusual for someone my age, but it really isn't all jam and Jerusalem. (Although I'm really hoping to learn how to make jam!)

I pride myself on being open minded, strong, and tolerant with interests in many areas, and being in the W.I. helps me to pursue those interests and values. I am the youngest by a few years, shall we say, but only in body. My W.I. friends are really fun, interesting ladies with really valid and interesting opinions and I don't see why expanding your social circle to include a different (sometimes several different) age group should be a bad thing?

We're always told that age is just a number, so why are people so un-nerved by an organisation like the W.I.? Yes, there are some formalities, and they're certainly not my favourite bits, but you have to put up with some things you're not keen on. You can't have your cake AND eat it.

Yes there are a few "hardcore" W.I. members who would rather keep it in the dark ages, but you're always going to get them everywhere. And they do get a little narky as they get older! But inter-generational conversation is rarely a bad thing, things change, develop and move on, but we still need the skills that our previous generations honed. What better place to learn them than W.I. and have a really good laugh while you're doing it!

My friends are so supportive of everything that I do. It's a genuinely respectful friendship, with benefits like discounts for being part of the organisation. I wouldn't be without my ladies for a minute, and have forged some genuine and unlikely friendships, like my old Home Economics teacher.

And best of all, it gives you some lovely excuses to dress up!

You can keep the "Rat Race" - give me the valleys any day!

I think everyone's bosses must have been on the phone to them all weekend warning them to ge their butts into work. A 20 min car journey to the studio took over an hour and a half and I must admit I was like the hulk by the end of it.

Everything had gone wrong. I knew my phone, containing all the details of my appointment, was in my bag when I left the house but it miraculously wasn't there when I got in the car. I couldn't (and still can't find) the charger for the "cat-nab" as my Grandmother calls it, Husbands phone is the most unuseable piece of technology I've come across and it was nearly out of battery.

Very fortunately, I've never met such a lot of warm friendly people in all my life and I felt instantly at ease and welcome. I didn't swear, I didn't stutter, I didn't clam up. And I've had some amazing comments since then, very flattering (any more, please direct them to my agent :-> ) so all's well that ended well. And they even want me to go back, which, truth be told, I'm jolly pleased about.

After all that excitement before 10 am, if I'm honest, I wimped out. I totally did. Husband needed to go to the car part shop for boys stuff I don't pretend to understand and to our local town bank.

I didn't want a cup of coffee in the non-franchised cafe, which is most unusual, and I wasn't especially keen on wandering about a store or high street where I couldn't buy anything even if I wanted to, so, I stayed in the car. Twice.

All the excitement had drained me of mental energy, I think, so the ability to use one's willpower was impaired. I must admit that it made me a little more aware of the force driving us to purchase things. Paul McKenna calls it "emotional spending" and I think I know what he means. Resisting marketing propaganda is one thing when you're all you can be, but look how vulnerable to it we can become by something as simple as a horrendous journey and an unusual meeting.

Had I not been on a shopping ban, I'm acutely aware that a trip to the bank would have resulted in "ooo I just want to look in this shop a second" and "I'll just pop into such and such for some something or other" and come out with 5 things you didn't go in for, and, truth be told, probably don't need.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00pqkbj