Happy Birthday Alice! Watch “Alice Cooper – Poison” on YouTube

Happy 74th Birthday to Alice Cooper otherwise known as Vincent Damon Furnier. Born as Vincent (his uncles namesake) on February 4th 1948. Known for songs such as Welcome To My Nightmare (I’m) Eighteen Elected and Poison released July 17th 1989 when I was heavily pregnant with my first child.. 🥰

Again I was quite young when his band was founded but I remember the song Schools Out. I also remember vaguely his theatre make up with his black eyes. I also had a certain poster of Alice on the wall.

I can’t remember what he was wearing or the colours. I remember I used to kiss all the posters goodnight.. As you can imagine as I was that young the centre of the poster where his face should’ve been was torn and soggy! But in the summer of 1972 when Schools Out was released in the UK I was only three! ❤️

The Influences Of Heroes Living Or Departed – Meatloaf, David Bowie & Other Idols…

Hello lovelies on 21st January 2022 Heaven gained another angel in the irreplaceable form of a talented artist performer actor and a good human. Known as Meatloaf, born as Marvin Lee Aday, he later changed to his preference of Michael.

Everyone is influenced in a positive and or negative way. But it is how you deal with it and its consequences on yourself and others that’s important.

For me I have many heroes and influences in my life which has lead me to make some positive changes and learn from the poor decisions I made.

For me I never stop learning I’m certainly a student of life and learning, music and film has always been a source of comfort creativity knowledge and inspiration.

My parents and my siblings & family were my first influences along with David Bowie Marc Bolan Alice Cooper and the UK groups like Slade and others. I was a toddler or preschooler of the 1970s and music was what grabbed my attention as a hyperactive inquisitive curly haired child. My mother was a singer not professionally trained. But she had talent and sang at the request of her family and friends.

Mum always sang around the home music was and still is my background to life. We sadly don’t have any audio evidence of this but if I were to choose a singer she resembled it would be Connie Francis or Doris Day..

Coming from a English and Welsh Romani Gypsy family music creativity is in our culture. I was surrounded by creative people it is in our DNA. My family could play various instruments including the fiddle, piano accordion Castanets harmonica (we called a mouth organ) paper with a comb and even spoons.

But I digress, the influence Meat Loaf had on me is profound on multiple different levels. What I liked about Meatloaf was he always told a story even when he was standing on the stage.

Then came the MTV video era and videos like Dead Ringer, I Can Do Anything For Love.

But it was his resilience through adversity. His determination to succeed and the capacity to forgive his father. Who had one point tried to kill him with a knife after Meatloaf’s mother passing.

He continued on his path using the name Meatloaf. There seems to be several origins of how supposedly given due to his size as a baby.. Others mention it was due to a cruel comment by his sports coach. Regardless Michael Lee Aday took the name and made it his own. He owned the name Meatloaf ❤️

Children & Their Filters (Or Lack There Of!)

Hello lovelies I had a rough night broken night’s sleep againnn. I don’t think I helped my situation as I forgot again to apply my HRT gel. I have also forgotten I have reached my goal of no Pregabalin so of course my sleep was affected. Yippee! From the first time I’d tapered my dosage, each time it affected my sleep the first day.

I make a habit of taking my phone everywhere with me incase I have a fall and need to call for Kev’s help. Anyhoo digressing again.. I was in the bathroom and knocked the phone while in my pocket. I quickly took it out to turn it off and saw it was on Facebook Videos.

Like anyone I enjoy a good belly laugh and seeing Ginger Billy (self titled-not by me!) I thought I’d start it from the beginning.

Well anyone who likes to hear of stories where children unintentionally embarrass their parents loved ones or any adult caregiver. You’ve come to the right place..

Ginger Billy is on Facebook he’s American, and from the deep south and posts videos about his family and the antics they get upto.. Very funny at times and seems to have a big following myself included..

Listen and enjoy… You can almost feel the embarrassment coming through the screen.. I’ve also been in this kind of situation with my youngest who liked to ask questions too… Suffice to say I was belly laughing with tears running down my face.. ❤️

https://fb.watch/aQFR-b4U2Y/

Birth Month Flowers |From Flying Flowers

Good morning my lovelies waking up early again in the morning and unable to sleep I decided to read.

I’ve always adored all kinds of flowers aswell as non flowering ornamental aswell as edible plants and flowering edibles. I have also read about previously florists assigning flowers to each month of the year. This is also true of Gemstones..

Interestingly I read Korea has a birth flower list which you can find in the link below..

So while remembering my birth stone used to be Sapphire, I thought I’d find my birth flowers. They are varied lists of flowers assigned to the month depending on the country.. my birth flower I believe is an Aster.. they are related to daisies and one of my favourite flowers.. I also have some as a tattoo on my wrist…😁

Birth flowers hold a special meaning with books on the language of flowers. It became popular in the Victorian era in England.

Flowers from the way they were chosen and arranged. Aswell as how they were given and received held a secret message or desire for the receiver. Just like today, according to interflora flowers were given as birthday gifts in Roman times aswell ♥️

https://www.interflora.co.uk/blog/birth-flowers-by-month

https://www.flyingflowers.co.uk/page/birth-month-flowers

Canna Mom’s Parenting With Cannabis..

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211116-the-cannamoms-parenting-with-cannabis?at_custom4=F8EDC0AA-67CB-11EC-AE51-2D0EBECD475E&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom3=BBC+News&at_medium=custom7&at_campaign=64

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Happy Holidays… 🥰

Hi ya lovelies just wishing you a wonderful peaceful holidays doing what you enjoy with the people you love.. Or even a day of self care and pampering yourself if you are alone…

What was Christmas like as a child for you? When my parents had the money then we would find a big pile of presents mine in one corner of the room my older sister’s in the next corner.

A window was in between as we lived in a ground floor lower level flats which I shared a bedroom with my sibling.

However I was a child of the 1970s and money wasn’t regular due to my having severe back problems having to take time off to lay on a board on the bed and a collar on his neck. Fortunately his health improved and got help for his back.

But I still remember the feeling of excitement. I was hyperactive and never slept well at night insomnia has been a long term companion.

I was the first to wake up which could’ve been anything from 3 am in the morning. I would always dive out of my lovely big wooden bed and creep down out of the door turning right into a narrow hallway.

Passing the toilet on the right and my parents room on the left with the kitchen door opposite.

Ahead of me was the living room door closed shut. Putting all my 4 year old weight on the handle grasping the handle with both hands while balancing on my toes enables me to open the door.

Usually I would either return to the bedroom whooping and running shouting to my sister to wake up as Father Christmas has been. I noted the mince pie we left for him at bedtime and the carrot for Rudolph along with the drink was gone!

As I got older the plan was as I woke first I was to wake up my sister and I then go and check to see if Christmas had come to us. Then I’d return and report what I saw then she’d get out of bed grab my hand and we’d both return to the living room at the bottom of the hallway.

The first present I remember receiving was a little toy piano it was stunning little piece. Fairly bright red in colour although (for people in the UK or have visited the UK the best likeness was the telephone and post boxes). It was a miniature baby grand piano (the lid didn’t lift and was moulded closed I think? -I will try to find a image of one) with tiny black and ivory keys when played it had a clinky and slightly tinny sound but I cared not one jot.

I fell in love with this little toy and what I could play on it. (Falling In Love With You by Elvis Presley was the first song I practiced as my mum was a huge Elvis fan)

As Romani Gypsies music is an intrinsic part of our culture my favourite instrument to play is the piano and any kind of keyboard instruments. I played and learned by hearing then playing the songs I’d hear on the radio. Or when my parents played records on the radio gram. I’d try to play along on the piano.

Later on as we got older I graduated to a organ which had a completely new sounds for me to experience and play with..

However since a small child I was familiar with the Spanish Castanets guitar, playing the Spoons, harmonica or I knew them as a mouth organ. A fiddle, and a piano accordion were instruments my grandad played.

These are also instruments common to the Gypsy culture and my mum’s voice was her instrument too. Anyhoo I digress too much…

What was your earliest positive Christmas experience? As Romani Gypsies well in my family everyone was christened in a church of England church and mum and dad always told us the story of Father Christmas and the stockings you leave on the end of your bed. But if we stayed awake then FC wouldn’t come. The stocking was the big clue that he came and filled our stockings with some satsumas in one of my dad’s socks and a sweetie sometimes if money was good.. ❤️

Björk – it’s oh so quiet

Hello lovelies this song covered by Björk brings back some precious memories of my youngest daughter. My mum could and would spend my childhood singing. She would tell us every time a Connie Francis song come on the radio that it was her. As Connie’s her chosen name it so happened my mum sounded just like her. As young children, it didn’t take much convincing as I knew my mum’s name was Connie and that was it…

Anyhoo It’s So Quiet was released in November 1995 two months after my youngest daughter 3rd birthday. This was her first attempt at singing. Being the youngest of 3 girls she was laid back and followed what her sisters were doing.

But occasionally she would surprise you with a little dance or song or an amazing story she was very creative. It started as a typical toddler does with the sshh and her tiny finger squashing her little plump lips.. Her eyes huge and round like saucers her fine blonde hair hung in a curtain of baby ringlets below her ears.

She went on to sing at a local youth club with one of my eldest friends who could also sing. Anyway my youngest went on to sing at the local festival.

Her song of choice gives you an idea of how great her singing voice is the song was Respect by the great Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. In the mean time enjoy ❤️👑😎🍀

Reactive Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia from the Mayo Clinic.

Hi there my lovelies just thought I’d share this interesting article with you. It’s talks about Reactive Hypoglycemia (RH) and how it describes how the blood glucose levels can spike higher causing Hyperglycemic symptoms.

It also tell you how to avoid eating the foods that trigger these spikes. Plus my Facebook page link below if you want to see other information.. ❤️ enjoy ❤️

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778

https://www.facebook.com/MyReactiveHypoglycemiaUK/

My Journey From Able Bodied to Disability and My Perspectives.. ❤️

Hello my lovelies as you may or may not know I have disabilities. I used to be able-bodied ‘as they say’ 

Essentially, I had no physical or mental health conditions that caused any permanent disabilities) other than asthma from childhood. ❤️

I had no family or friends with disabilities. Then in 2009 I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis 3 prolapsed discs which permanently impinges the nerves in my left side and Neuropathy.

I was disabled in what seemed like overnight and I have both physical mobility issues aswell as the disabilities you can’t see.

Although that being said, going from being able to walk to the bus stop for the journey to work and home was gradually getting worse. Then it was too painful to walk any distances without pain and the osteoarthritis got worse.

In addition I have a previous injury which on occasion causes the shoulder to impinge and freeze. So now I have to rely on my mobility scooter if I want to be independent giving my Kev a break from pushing me (luckily was given to me by a thoughtful neighbour)

Generally I use my specially adapted wheelchair to take me to appointments (too far away to use the scooter) with a hydrolic suspension (and a memory foam pad on top of the foam cushion to help cushion the pain over bumpy paving and roads – as I’m sitting on my pain). ❤️

One of the main exercises I loved was running.. My earliest memory was the sensation of the adrenaline and rush endorphins you get from running and getting to my destination without having to stop.

Whether it was prearranged as in a sport day race as a child. Or much later in my 20s and 30s I began running to and inside the gym aswell as around my local neighbourhood. It was fun running different routes being able to run and beat the personal goals I’d set myself. ❤️

It was after my 40th birthday is when it all changed for me. My main thought was how I was often in my own world. Using the streets and the journey to and fro work as a warm up for the workout in the gym. Even between shopping visits, I would always run or at the least walk quickly when I was in a crowded place.

I think about how I narrowly bumped into a wheelchair user where I was rushing and didn’t see them where they wasn’t in my line of sight. At the time I was mortified I’d caused a inconvenience and worse still I could have hurt them unintentionally.

They were very nice about it and sadly due to memory or time passing. I can’t even remember if they were male or female. But in my defence I’m going back almost 20 years ago since this near collision occurred.

From that moment I became more aware of my surroundings and looking out for anyone who is in mobility equipment. Even more so now, as I can see how challenging it can be as a wheelchair/mobility scooter user.

Especially when it comes to navigating shops and public walkways and busy city and town centres.

The biggest misconception is that people seem to think mobility scooters well at least my particular one has brakes.

So when I am going somewhere and have to stop. I have to release the acceleration handle to gradually slow it down.

While releasing the handle suddenly stops the scooter it isn’t instantaneous. The amount of times I’ve narrowly got fell on or sat on. The main culprits are where they’re too busy on their phones/ devices to notice me calling their attention. ❤️

Then you get ones that wear headphones mostly people are very apologetic and it’s an expected appropriate response to apologise especially when you know it is your own fault well at least for me. However, you do get the odd individual who will be rude and they find out I don’t take kindly to rudeness and poor manners.

Other than this it’s a lot of planning when I do go out even if it’s just a short distance away from the local town centre I have to plan my journey.

Like most people I suppose too busy with their lives to pay attention to the environment and/or their surroundings. Or that’s the way it seems to me.. ❤️

So think of this post next time you’re out in the community and you happen to see someone using mobility aids. ❤️

Watch “The Secret Tortured Life of Danny Kaye” on YouTube

I’m compelled to write…

Ive never been materialistic. I have always been an individual I occasionally get caught up with nice clothing and boots… Boy I’m a sucker for boots. That and sunglasses 😎

But I am grateful for being able to get out on my mobility scooter on the day when my health is at its best. ❤️

When the weather is good and sunny in the UK. I like to be outside I’ve always been that way inclined.

As my sister’s will attest my parents had a job to keep me in! I like to sit out in the garden.

As I’m of Romani and Kalá descent nature and the countryside is built into my DNA.

I’d often take myself off just to lay on the grass staring up towards the heavens..

Or you would say in society Gypsy or sometimes Traveller because unlike the stereotypes shown on these reality shows (shown in the UK and US) they do not represent us as a Romani and Kalá people.

For instance in certain circles in the UK you mention the name Gypsy. You’ll see the coldness go behind the eyes. It’s a kind of harshness.. you get others that almost (if they’re that brave) look you up then down with disdain.

Or the normal phrase I get is oh I know or have some Gypsies staying/living nearby.. they’re never nasty to my face.

At times it makes you feel like a afterthought in society like we are the last acceptible racism.

In my family we were raised to be polite and respectful towards other people and animals. They taught us not to be prejudiced against anyone for any reason.❤️

Which including some people in society that people that use cannabis are labelled and judged for using a psychoactive substance. Yet it seems to be perfectly ok to imbibe cigarettes and alcohol with no consequences with the law. Yet both according to the world health organisation are psychoactive substances are both addictive and dangerous to human health.

But cannabis or by its more racially emotive names of Marijuana or Mary Jane was banned in the US then slowly around the world. Others did the same in the UK it was 1971. According to Harry J Anslinger disgustingly saying something like ”the darkies would lure white women and seduce them with marijuana”he also including the Mexican people in his diatribe and adopting propaganda.

My earliest thought about race and negative actions/behaviours and ideologies. Was at first witnessing my mum crying while she was watching a program.

It was the TV series Roots it was an award winning TV series about a African American man in a time where people of colour was enslaved and living/working on plantations. My mum knew her Romani history and how all Romani Gypsy were also enslaved at one point in history too. My mum being empathic could resonate. Her sister my auntie (bibee) was the same and my auntie would always say ah poor blood.. meaning she felt the pain of their experience as if they were family.

It my sentiments entirely and how I feel about people of colour and how I too can relate to people of colour rather than white Caucasian. Which on quick appearance you might think I am too.

However when ive been on holiday or out socialising for the evening/day/nighttime. Often people have mistaken me for Spanish Portuguese, Turkish Persian, Greek, and Italian

As my dear old mum wisely explained that there is good and bad in everyone. But it is how you behave is what matters and to be respectful and polite to everyone you engage with.. I ended up watching it too.

Roots was about a African American named Kunte Kinte it was an award winning US TV series which was shown in the UK in the 1970s.

If you were to look at me some have thought I was Spanish others thought I was Greek and Turkish and begin to speak in broken spanish for instance.

My blood sugar was at its optimum and as that meant the Reactive Hypoglycemia was stable I took a chance and popped out. Its the first time I could leave the home without my coat. Which was great slathered some sunscreen on went my hat and my glucose meter cannabis meds and my back up asthma inhaler.

I also had the radio going so I was ready for a quick trip to Gerry’s At Home. (which iI managed to pick up a lovely net for our bedroom hanging it as a three quarter length cafe style netting to avoid the windows getting condensates in the colder winter months.

I was only out for bout 25 minutes including the journey home I see a lady with a Big Issue, remembering my friend Cassandra and scrambled in my purse to see if i had any change.

I just said in passing to her that there is a lovely young woman called Cassandra and she stands here sometimes and her mum is caring for the children like me shes a Gypsy but Im a Romani … She smile and said I will pass on your message to her as Cassandra is my daughter!!

As I reversed on my scooter I suddenly saw the resemblance when I looked at Cassandra’s mother properly. As my sight isnt as good close up than it is further away.

Medicinal cannabis research gets $1.5m for cancer treatment symptoms

Hello my lovelies Ive been reading some interesting articles and consulting with other people in regards to my cannabis use for pain etc. I thought I would share this and a few more that Ive recently seen while conducting research.

This particular article was published in the latter part of June this year…

https://www.healtheuropa.eu/medicinal-cannabis-research-gets-1-5m-for-cancer-treatment-symptoms/108283/

Future Plans…

Hi there my lovelies I hope everyone is well and healthy as you can be wherever you are ❤️

I never thought I’d say this in all my working life aswell as changing career throughout the years. I have little free time to do things.. I thought I had little free time back then

I worked full-time in Childcare in the last year’s of my working life before I had to retire for medical reasons. This is because I have osteoarthritis of the spine and coccyx, 3 inoperable prolapsed discs aswell as complex multiple health problems..

I used to have multiple jobs alongside childcare and managing a busy full place daycare nursery.

I was also a mum to 3 teens and even found time to go to the gym doing weights, classes, yoga and distance running around locally. Sometimes participating in charity runs like 5k for cancer etc.. ❤️

Since becoming too ill to work and having greatly restricted mobility and breathing difficulties. I have adapted my life to include many different hobbies to keep me busy..❤️

This is only been possible since coming off the majority of painkillers. Im finding Im alert more the cannabis takes over and helps the pain and inflammation. It even gives me an appetite and prevents vomiting.

However I find Ive not got time is not strictly true. When I was in a management training course we looked at time management. This is where self doubt and a lack of confidence can hold me back. This is also where procrastination comes in.

I think I never have enough time in the day to do what I’ve planned.. sometimes that is the case. Its generally due to me trying to do what I used to do when I was able bodied. Although I have accepted my limitations, a habit of over 40 years of being totally independent. Then being able to self-care without relying on others, is a hard habit to break.

But its a work in progress and I always know what to do to organise my time so I can be more productive…

Righto time to go.. thank the lord I never had a RH attack tonight although I had a rough time at 4.30am.. Now I’ve made up my cannabis meds in my little trusty vape

I’m gonna go have it and then fall into bed..(hopefully not literally) Only kidding

Much Love xx