Anyone looking for free knitting patterns for babies then look no further than this link. http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/my_pages/babywear/hkp/028.shtml
I have knitted the above blanket several times with or without the lace border. It is easy and cheap to make.
I make them for friends and even raffled some off at the raffle we held at our wedding evening reception.
So for those stuck indoors wanting some inspiration of what to do I thought I would post this.
Best wishes to you all.
Fee
Saturday, 30 January 2010
No Wonder I dread doing this!
I learned a lot last night at the Poolside Helpers Course. I certainly had my eyes opened to a lot of things.
When I was young we were taught swimming at school. One of the methods was a huge metal hoop on a long handle. I expect some of you may remember seeing these at a swimming pool you may have used over the years.
The use of these was for the swimmer to hold onto or be put in the middle of the hoop as they swam around the swimming pool. After a while the teacher would remove it. If the person learning to swim didn't realise it had gone it was fine. However, if the person swimming in the pool did realise they panicked and went under water.
The best way to teach anyone no matter what age to swim is to get them used to the swimming pool area first. Remember there are a lot of strange noises and smells for them to become accustomed to. Once they start to relax then gently coax them into the pool. Once this is achieved and they are in the shallow end get them to bob up and down. If they are unsure of this hold their hands and do it with them.
To get them adjusted to the water and not to scare them ask them to put blow bubbles in the water (DO NOT tell them to put their face under water as this will worry them). By making it fun the fear goes.
I still dislike my face going underwater as when I was taught to put my head underwater I was told to hold my nose. This made me fear the water going up my nose and I still have this fear today. I overcome this with a nose clip. If I had been taught the blowing bubble method perhaps I would not be so afraid.
Playing in the water is the best way to start swimming as once happy playing in the water every step of swimming can be fun.
Once a person is happy blowing bubbles in the water the next step is get them to wave at you while standing up. Then gradually get them to do this going under the water. This again takes the fear away and the person being taught is not holding their nose.
Now I understand my fear of going underwater more I will try and make my swimming much more fun and play at it. Instead of making it a task.
So much for the theory of chucking a person in at the deep end. This may put off a person swimming for life. After all swimming is a life skill. I am so glad I have learnt to swim and I hope that my journey from now on will encourage others to take part in a sport everyone no matter what age or disability can enjoy.
Best wishes
Fee
When I was young we were taught swimming at school. One of the methods was a huge metal hoop on a long handle. I expect some of you may remember seeing these at a swimming pool you may have used over the years.
The use of these was for the swimmer to hold onto or be put in the middle of the hoop as they swam around the swimming pool. After a while the teacher would remove it. If the person learning to swim didn't realise it had gone it was fine. However, if the person swimming in the pool did realise they panicked and went under water.
The best way to teach anyone no matter what age to swim is to get them used to the swimming pool area first. Remember there are a lot of strange noises and smells for them to become accustomed to. Once they start to relax then gently coax them into the pool. Once this is achieved and they are in the shallow end get them to bob up and down. If they are unsure of this hold their hands and do it with them.
To get them adjusted to the water and not to scare them ask them to put blow bubbles in the water (DO NOT tell them to put their face under water as this will worry them). By making it fun the fear goes.
I still dislike my face going underwater as when I was taught to put my head underwater I was told to hold my nose. This made me fear the water going up my nose and I still have this fear today. I overcome this with a nose clip. If I had been taught the blowing bubble method perhaps I would not be so afraid.
Playing in the water is the best way to start swimming as once happy playing in the water every step of swimming can be fun.
Once a person is happy blowing bubbles in the water the next step is get them to wave at you while standing up. Then gradually get them to do this going under the water. This again takes the fear away and the person being taught is not holding their nose.
Now I understand my fear of going underwater more I will try and make my swimming much more fun and play at it. Instead of making it a task.
So much for the theory of chucking a person in at the deep end. This may put off a person swimming for life. After all swimming is a life skill. I am so glad I have learnt to swim and I hope that my journey from now on will encourage others to take part in a sport everyone no matter what age or disability can enjoy.
Best wishes
Fee
Friday, 29 January 2010
Are you Looking to Change Your Life?
Yes I am. I am looking to be healthier, happier and motivated to achieve my goals.
What am I doing to achieve these? I had a visit from Health Trainers this week, they do home visits or you can attend a centre if you wish. It is a free service run by the NHS. They weighed me. Good news since the beginning of January I have lost half a stone. However, I still have a high BMI of 30, this should be lower. What can I do to change things?
First of all make sure I get three meals a day. I am not very good at this. I started well today. I had a poached egg on brown toast for breakfast. I had a baked potato and salad for lunch. I had half what I normally have for tea rather than a whole tin to myself I had half a tin. I have eaten fruit and drunk some fruit juice.
One warning I have received is don't count 5 portions of fruit as your five a day as they are full of sugar too. So I am doing well when I wrote my daily behaviour sheets today. No snacks at all in between meals. The ladies who visited me also checked how much alcohol intake I have per week and if I smoked. Good news, I don't drink much alcohol so that is not a worry. I have never smoked so that is ok. It is just diet and exercise we need to concentrate on.
What do I need to change I need to do vigorous exercise? I know I do disability sports and swimming but this is not enough to get me out of breath after ten minutes. What I will do is four very fast lengths when I first go into the pool and then take it more slowly and swim lengths the rest of the time.
So I am being positve, trying to achieve my goals, aims and dreams.
The Health Trainers Scheme is not a short quick fix. It is a slow realistic plan. They also recommend various gym courses and exercise programmes to suit the client.
Good luck if any of you have plans for the New Year. Go for your goals and achieve them.
Best wishes
Fee
What am I doing to achieve these? I had a visit from Health Trainers this week, they do home visits or you can attend a centre if you wish. It is a free service run by the NHS. They weighed me. Good news since the beginning of January I have lost half a stone. However, I still have a high BMI of 30, this should be lower. What can I do to change things?
First of all make sure I get three meals a day. I am not very good at this. I started well today. I had a poached egg on brown toast for breakfast. I had a baked potato and salad for lunch. I had half what I normally have for tea rather than a whole tin to myself I had half a tin. I have eaten fruit and drunk some fruit juice.
One warning I have received is don't count 5 portions of fruit as your five a day as they are full of sugar too. So I am doing well when I wrote my daily behaviour sheets today. No snacks at all in between meals. The ladies who visited me also checked how much alcohol intake I have per week and if I smoked. Good news, I don't drink much alcohol so that is not a worry. I have never smoked so that is ok. It is just diet and exercise we need to concentrate on.
What do I need to change I need to do vigorous exercise? I know I do disability sports and swimming but this is not enough to get me out of breath after ten minutes. What I will do is four very fast lengths when I first go into the pool and then take it more slowly and swim lengths the rest of the time.
So I am being positve, trying to achieve my goals, aims and dreams.
The Health Trainers Scheme is not a short quick fix. It is a slow realistic plan. They also recommend various gym courses and exercise programmes to suit the client.
Good luck if any of you have plans for the New Year. Go for your goals and achieve them.
Best wishes
Fee
I Have Done It
I have now completed the first step of my journey to become a swimming coach.
This means I will receive a certificate in about six weeks time.
The next step has been taken I have ordered the text books I require to embark on the next level of training.
This will involve actually getting in the pool and have demonstrations. I can't wait to find out when the next course is and get stuck in. In the meantime I now await the textbooks.
I have made some new friends and the course has certainly opened my eyes to hazards around the pool and in it.
Best wishes
Fee
This means I will receive a certificate in about six weeks time.
The next step has been taken I have ordered the text books I require to embark on the next level of training.
This will involve actually getting in the pool and have demonstrations. I can't wait to find out when the next course is and get stuck in. In the meantime I now await the textbooks.
I have made some new friends and the course has certainly opened my eyes to hazards around the pool and in it.
Best wishes
Fee
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Sharing an Experience
I met up with a friend who has had similar surgery to myself.
We are both over the first year of the operation and hurdles have had to be overcome in many ways.
My friend is going to tackle a hurdle I myself have already crossed. It is to go swimming for the first time since the operation.
In January 2008 I bought a specialist swimming costume. However, in June 2008 I finally plucked up courage to take the plunge.
I fully understand the feelings my friend is coping with. No one can force her to swim, she has to decide herself.
Once the decision is made as to when she wants to go swimming, she knows she can count on me to go with her and help her through such a traumatic time.
The first thing to be done will be to decide whether to borrow a specialist swimming costume or purchase one. Then I will telephone the chosen venue to make arrangements to make the transition easier.
After the swimming session, I know a few days later m friend will look at her swim wear, bikinis etc and decide what she wants to keep and what she can't wear. When I did this I sobbed.
My wonderful husband supported me through this trauma. He asked me if he could do it for me. The answer was a resounding NO as it was something I just had to do for myself.
I have told her I am there for her, no matter what her needs, whether it be a visit, a telephone call, or some support in any way I can.
One thing I discovered is, it is hard to cope with these things on your own but once someone hear that others have been through it, thoughts of "if they can do it so can I" come into one's head.
I wish I hadn't had to learn these things on my own but I have and did.
Now to be able to offer the support I never had to someone who really needs it is a wonderful feeling.
Also knowing who to contact to get the support needed and finding this information is the most difficult thing. I just wish there was a one stop shop for this but at present there isn't.
That is why I am doing the training course I have embarked on so that others in the same boat as me can cope better knowing there are others out there who care and realise what they are feeling. Other courses will follow I hope so that I can achieve my goals.
It is doing something positive that is keeping me going right now.
Best wishes to you all.
Fee
We are both over the first year of the operation and hurdles have had to be overcome in many ways.
My friend is going to tackle a hurdle I myself have already crossed. It is to go swimming for the first time since the operation.
In January 2008 I bought a specialist swimming costume. However, in June 2008 I finally plucked up courage to take the plunge.
I fully understand the feelings my friend is coping with. No one can force her to swim, she has to decide herself.
Once the decision is made as to when she wants to go swimming, she knows she can count on me to go with her and help her through such a traumatic time.
The first thing to be done will be to decide whether to borrow a specialist swimming costume or purchase one. Then I will telephone the chosen venue to make arrangements to make the transition easier.
After the swimming session, I know a few days later m friend will look at her swim wear, bikinis etc and decide what she wants to keep and what she can't wear. When I did this I sobbed.
My wonderful husband supported me through this trauma. He asked me if he could do it for me. The answer was a resounding NO as it was something I just had to do for myself.
I have told her I am there for her, no matter what her needs, whether it be a visit, a telephone call, or some support in any way I can.
One thing I discovered is, it is hard to cope with these things on your own but once someone hear that others have been through it, thoughts of "if they can do it so can I" come into one's head.
I wish I hadn't had to learn these things on my own but I have and did.
Now to be able to offer the support I never had to someone who really needs it is a wonderful feeling.
Also knowing who to contact to get the support needed and finding this information is the most difficult thing. I just wish there was a one stop shop for this but at present there isn't.
That is why I am doing the training course I have embarked on so that others in the same boat as me can cope better knowing there are others out there who care and realise what they are feeling. Other courses will follow I hope so that I can achieve my goals.
It is doing something positive that is keeping me going right now.
Best wishes to you all.
Fee
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Star Signs
I know some of you will think I have gone off my trolley. Perhaps I have but something in someone else's blog got me thinking about star signs. This particular person is a gemini.
With my mother being this star sign - meaning twins and myself being part of the only set of twins in our family it is something that intrigues me.
I therefore looked up both my star sign and that of my mother, which also happens to be the same as my husband (Gemini). My father is also the same star sign as me.
On looking both star signs up. Gemini are like minded souls with Libra. Yet Libra has a perfect partner in Gemini. (strange that life doesn't always work out according to stars, but there was an explanation further down the page of the website I found Gemini's are overtaken by curiousity. (more like grass is greener on the other side scenario). This does not apply to my current life I am pleased to say.
Sometimes I feel like a cat with many lives. I count the past as one life and this present relationship/marriage as my second life. Neither of which have been boring. Challenging definitely but life is full of challenges which I face head on.
There are times when I feel I could run away from all my problems but I expect we all feel like that at times.
This is the link I got the information about both star signs from http://www.kellystarsigns.com/starsigns/libra.aspx -take a peek and see what you find out about yourselves if you wish.
I warn you not everything applies to all as in "ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL".
When I read out the information to my husband about his star sign he agreed with some things and not others.
It certainly made us smile and gave us a giggle.
Nothing like trying to analyse yourselves and trying to work out how others view you. It certainly opened my eyes.
Best wishes
Fee
With my mother being this star sign - meaning twins and myself being part of the only set of twins in our family it is something that intrigues me.
I therefore looked up both my star sign and that of my mother, which also happens to be the same as my husband (Gemini). My father is also the same star sign as me.
On looking both star signs up. Gemini are like minded souls with Libra. Yet Libra has a perfect partner in Gemini. (strange that life doesn't always work out according to stars, but there was an explanation further down the page of the website I found Gemini's are overtaken by curiousity. (more like grass is greener on the other side scenario). This does not apply to my current life I am pleased to say.
Sometimes I feel like a cat with many lives. I count the past as one life and this present relationship/marriage as my second life. Neither of which have been boring. Challenging definitely but life is full of challenges which I face head on.
There are times when I feel I could run away from all my problems but I expect we all feel like that at times.
This is the link I got the information about both star signs from http://www.kellystarsigns.com/starsigns/libra.aspx -take a peek and see what you find out about yourselves if you wish.
I warn you not everything applies to all as in "ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL".
When I read out the information to my husband about his star sign he agreed with some things and not others.
It certainly made us smile and gave us a giggle.
Nothing like trying to analyse yourselves and trying to work out how others view you. It certainly opened my eyes.
Best wishes
Fee
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Art or Writing
I met an artist in Church Stretton today. It was a chance meeting.
For the first time in ages I joined my husband in a drink at a public house before visiting my mother in law. We do this occasionally as a treat. I had a small sherry and sat down to enjoy the moment. As I sat down the lady at the table next to us got up and went to the bar, placed an order while the gentleman with her shouted a comment to her. Apparently she hadn't heard what he had said to her about what he wanted. He then made a comment about women multi-tasking. I was intrigued by what he said and banter started up between us.
He said that he was considering enforced early retirement. I then told him I was already in that position and didn't like not doing anything during the day so had turned my hand to helping others and doing charity work.
He then commented that "you haven't sorted out your own life yet". No truer word said in jest. I know I haven't sorted out my own life yet, but that is what life is a journey and if it was sorted out it wouldn't be such a challenge.
It was then I asked him what he did for a job. He told me he is an artist. I told him I am writing. He then informed me I had the hardest job of the two. I looked puzzled. Explanation followed. Once a picture is in a frame everyone can see it and judge it. Writing:- Everyone has to read it before they can accept what has been written. If a book cover doesn't attract a reader the book may not get read. If a picture is admired it gets purchased.
I thought about this long and hard. In some ways he is right. Surely this is the job of the publisher to ensure what someone has written will sell to a particular market.
Am I disheartened? Not at all. I am more determined than ever to improve on my writing skills to ensure that whatever I write people will want to read.
So watch this space.
Best wishes
Fee
For the first time in ages I joined my husband in a drink at a public house before visiting my mother in law. We do this occasionally as a treat. I had a small sherry and sat down to enjoy the moment. As I sat down the lady at the table next to us got up and went to the bar, placed an order while the gentleman with her shouted a comment to her. Apparently she hadn't heard what he had said to her about what he wanted. He then made a comment about women multi-tasking. I was intrigued by what he said and banter started up between us.
He said that he was considering enforced early retirement. I then told him I was already in that position and didn't like not doing anything during the day so had turned my hand to helping others and doing charity work.
He then commented that "you haven't sorted out your own life yet". No truer word said in jest. I know I haven't sorted out my own life yet, but that is what life is a journey and if it was sorted out it wouldn't be such a challenge.
It was then I asked him what he did for a job. He told me he is an artist. I told him I am writing. He then informed me I had the hardest job of the two. I looked puzzled. Explanation followed. Once a picture is in a frame everyone can see it and judge it. Writing:- Everyone has to read it before they can accept what has been written. If a book cover doesn't attract a reader the book may not get read. If a picture is admired it gets purchased.
I thought about this long and hard. In some ways he is right. Surely this is the job of the publisher to ensure what someone has written will sell to a particular market.
Am I disheartened? Not at all. I am more determined than ever to improve on my writing skills to ensure that whatever I write people will want to read.
So watch this space.
Best wishes
Fee
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