#AtoZChallenge: To Observe is to See

My life is crazy right now. On the surface everything appears very normal and boring. But inside me there is a tornado building, and something has to give. It occurred to me that a good word for today’s #AtoZChallenge would be observe for the letter O.

As a writer I pen tales based on the people, situations and places I observe. Being a mother I continually watch my children as they grow and develop, and at the moment I observe the subtle differences between their personalities.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: To Observe is to See

Sometimes I feel very silly because I fail to observe the wider world around me. For example, when driving out and about, my husband seems able to observe not only the road and other vehicles, but everything beyond. It takes all of my concentration just to navigate through the journey safely, and to maintain a conversation with my passengers. Oh, and usually I am the one responding to the children and their demands from the back seat!

I am not the only person that has struggles. All around the world people are battling to survive, to heal, to escape, to work through a whole host of challenges. In the western world we observe these struggles from a sympathetic distance, and yes, there are lots of people who get stuck in and help. For me on a personal level, I am at the stage right now where I need to fix my own life situation, so that I may then move on and help others if they ask.

Too busy thinking

All too often we are so busy thinking about what needs to be done, what has been done, and what we want to do, that we forget to simply stand still and observe our place in the world. I live a very quiet, simple life, but I am surrounded by loving family and friends, and I never go hungry. That is a huge blessing, and today I want to take a moment to observe my good life, and then move on from the self-imposed barriers I have erected. Have a lovely Thursday my friends!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: Notebooks and Nappies

I have chosen another amusingly random title for today’s #AtoZChallenge post. For the letter N I allocate notebooks.

The reason I called the post Notebooks and Nappies is because these are pretty much my basic key items of luggage when I go out and about (I keep a notebook in my baby change bag, just in case). I was going to write a post about normality or something like it, but then I remembered I already did that one in the #AtoZChallenge 2013, doh!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Notebooks and Nappies

There are several notebooks knocking around my house at the moment. Most are mine, but a few do belong to my husband and daughter. He needs them for his professional research, and she acquired them from me when she saw me writing notes for my various projects (and the shopping lists). I love the art of writing, even if it is simply a brief scribble on the back of an envelope.

Writing in a notebook has always been one of my simple pleasures in life. I used to write random quotes on my school exercise books, snippets of poetry that came to mind, or even just sentences copied out of text books. I just love to write, and on occasions when I knew that I needed to write but I didn’t know what to do, I would pick up a notebook and a text book and be well away for an hour or so.

I love collecting notebooks!

Collecting notebooks is also a very pleasurable activity. I suppose it is just another aspect of the human nature and its need to collect things per se. Some people collect ornaments, or paraphernalia, or specific items of interest. I don’t actually collect notebooks on purpose. I seem to have acquired some as gifts along the way, others I bought out of necessity, and yes, there are some that I buy simply because they are pretty!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: Battling the Laundry Pile

Are we halfway through the #AtoZChallenge already? Wow! Time is flying once again. Today I allocate the letter L to laundry.

My reason for this is because it takes up so much of my time these days. My washing machine never stops, or at least that’s how it feels. My bedroom often resembles a Chinese laundry, and on dry days my washing line in the back garden is full.

#MummyMonday Reusable Nappies and Terry Cloth Nappies hanging on a washing line copyright Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Reusable Nappies and Terry Cloth Nappies

#AtoZChallenge: Battling the Laundry Pile

Where does all this laundry come from? Mainly my children, and also my own clothes tend to get smeared with what I like to term ‘baby residue.’ Not a day goes by without me being covered in milk, or crushed biscuit, or something a little less appealing that leaks from baby’s nose… I really appreciate my automatic washing machine.

We just returned from a week away, leaving my husband at home to go out to work. Since we stayed with my mother-in-law I was able to wash clothes and nappies every other day, so I wasn’t expecting to return home to an overflowing laundry basket. I think I just washed a whole week’s worth of my husband’s boxer shorts, because he never quite got round to putting a load on to wash when he got home from work at night.

Catch up with the laundry

So there I am. My mission this week is to catch up with the laundry created by a family of four, by which time I will be preparing to wash bedding and towels… it never ends! Have a great week everyone!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: My Kitchen Quest

Following on from my ‘junk’ post on yesterday’s #AtoZChallenge, today I allocate the letter K to kitchens.

I never used to think much about the kitchen. It was a place where food came from, where the dishes were stored, and that was about it. I was never going to be the stereotypical Stepford wife, happily baking, cooking and cleaning, keeping an immaculate household and model children and husband.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: My Kitchen Quest

Somewhere along the line, after my husband and I bought our first house, I gradually became more obsessed with wanting the perfect family kitchen. By that I mean a big room where we can fit a table and chairs, space for the dog bed and bowls, and most importantly, enough cupboard and worktop space for me to enjoy creating nutritious, interesting meals for my family. I know, I know, it is one of those idealistic images sold to us in glossy magazines.

The thing is I actually have friends who are fortunate enough to own houses with kitchens like these. They are beautiful spaces; practical, liveable and full of warm, loving energy. And I will have a larger house with such a kitchen very soon. There is just the small matter of finances to deal with first (more overtime, my darling husband?!)

My kitchen isn’t that bad

My kitchen now really isn’t that bad. I mean, we have a beautiful, cosy two-bed terraced house that was built in 1896. I love the history of our home, and both my husband and I intend to restore it to what we see as its former glory one day, when we can afford to do so. The kitchen is a small, square room at the back of the house, and we would prefer to build an extension so it can become the big family kitchen-diner that I dream of.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? Have a lovely weekend!

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: The Joy of Discovering Junk

This may seem like an odd title for today’s #AtoZChallenge, but bear with me and I will explain. I allocate the letter J to junk, and by that I mean the idea of collecting items that other people might consider to be junk (or rubbish here in the UK).

A more popular name for the habit of junk collecting is vintage, or maybe retro. In fact, there are lots of descriptions for this most exciting form of treasure hunting.

#FreeforallFriday Antiques and Collectibles at Dagfields Antique Centre copyright Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#FreeforallFriday Antiques and Collectibles at Dagfields Antique Centre

#AtoZChallenge: The Joy of Discovering Junk

I have always been drawn to old items of interest, whether that means old buildings, old furniture, and old cornucopia; just about anything that has a story to tell. Anything that other people might call junk. I am never happier than when I take time out to visit my favourite local craft and antique centre, Dagfields, and when I go away on holiday I love to discover junk shops, antique centres and craft fairs.

Another junk shopping habit I indulge in is visiting charity shops. Since the decline of the UK high street in its traditional form, we have seen an explosion of charity shops in our towns. In my home town of Middlewich, for example, there are three charity shops on the main high street, and it is only a small town. These charity shops are excellent places, however, and I find lots of fantastic bargains in them.

Revisiting the charity shops

While visiting my family this week I have revisited the charity shops in my former home town, and I was very pleased with some clothes I discovered in the Douglas Macmillan charity shop. I am now itching to revisit Dagfields, and actually to go further afield and explore the junk shops locally that I haven’t been to for a long time.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: Use your Imagination

Our imagination is a wonderful tool, and the perfect word to allocate for the letter I in today’s #AtoZChallenge post.

I was struggling to think of an appropriate letter, and then I saw my daughter running around playing a lively game with her fairy friends. Well, enough said! She is wearing a pretty, red party dress over her t-shirt and leggings, and has invited the fairies to a special party. It sounds fabulous!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Use your Imagination

I love using my imagination. I do it all the time. As a writer it is essential for weaving my stories together, and of course, I wouldn’t have those stories in the first place without my imagination. My world is populated with whimsical creatures, both cute and not so cute. Just last night I woke with my baby and took a visit to the bathroom in the dark. For some reason my mind flitted back to memories of the horror film The Woman in Black that I had seen about two weeks ago. Needless to say I got back into bed very quickly!

During my studies of the occult world I have learned that our imagination is key to connecting with the world of Spirit. When we take time to meditate, we imagine places of calm and tranquillity, as a method to soothe the active mind and help it to rest. Sitting in a dark stately home in the middle of the night, performing vigils with fellow ghost hunters, we must learn to separate our imagination from the reality of the sights and sounds around us.

Ultimately, without the use of my imagination, my life would be a very dull existence. Just now, for example, I am sitting in my father-in-law’s office, working on his computer, and the view from the window is a luscious back garden flanked by green fields and tall trees. Beautiful! It is your imagination that puts the picture together as I describe it.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: Hooray for our National Health Service!

My word for the #AtoZChallenge today is health, corresponding with the letter H in our alphabet list.

There has been a lot of discussion lately in political circles about the National Health Service in the UK. Many people complain about the reported ‘postcode lottery’ for health care, while others campaign tirelessly to keep their local hospitals and health centres open and operating within the community.

Thank You to the NHS shared by Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
NHS wings image courtesy of Three Little Flowers blog

Hooray for our National Health Service!

Our nation has been very proud of our free health care service ever since it was introduced sixty years ago. I for one am very grateful to have it, since I receive regular treatment for a rare and chronic eye condition called Distichiasis (double row of eyelashes). I have associated Dry Eye Syndrome, and the whole thing can leave me with a lot of pain, a continuous sensation of grit in my eyes, and general tiredness on days when it flares up. I have scars on my corneas as a result of the eyelashes scratching my eyes, but fortunately I have received excellent care from doctors in the Midlands and North West NHS trusts.

We have every reason to be even more thankful for free health care now that my father-in-law will need months, if not years, of rehabilitation after his recent accident. Many people are quick to complain about long waiting lists for routine operations, or about not being able to see their doctors at short notice, and I do agree with those complaints to a certain degree. Ultimately, however, I know we are very fortunate to have access to such health care, and so today I say a big Thank You to everybody within the NHS for everything that they do for me and my family.

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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#AtoZChallenge: Am I Gender Stereotyping my Daughters?

I have been thinking a lot lately about the issue of gender stereotypes. Therefore I assign letter G to gender on the #AtoZChallenge.

Having two daughters, I am determined that they will not be held back from any ambitions they might nurture. Yes I know that women are far more liberated in society now than they were 100 years ago. But we still have a long way to go, if we ever achieve true equality at all.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Am I Gender Stereotyping my Daughters?

Take me as an example. I was raised to believe that I could do anything I wanted in life, regardless of my gender. My mother always advised that I shouldn’t marry young, and that I should live my life before I had children. As it turned out I met my soulmate at the age of 19, but we waited several years before we got married. Looking back I feel like I somehow submitted to gender stereotyping, and yet I don’t know how or when it really happened.

What is a gender stereotype? Is it that girls are the nurturing, creative sex, which is why we enjoy ‘the arts’ and providing welfare for others, be it children or vulnerable adults?  Is it that boys prefer to be more physically active, and that they exercise their analytical brain functions rather than their creative ones? I don’t know.

How far does gender stereotyping go?

Personally I think we have become our own worst enemies when it comes to equality and the idea of gender stereotyping. I am happy in the roles that I have chosen, and yet I often feel that I should be doing something more outrageous, or simply something different. I worry about the clothes I dress my daughters in, but my eldest is given freedom to choose her own outfits now, be it a puffy pink princess dress, or a green t-shirt with diggers embroidered on it. The same applies with their toys. They both like to play with a mixture of dolls and diggers, and I am happy with that. Perhaps I just need to lighten up and let things be…

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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#AtoZChallenge: It’s all Fun and Games Until…

Someone loses an eye! OK, that was a random quote to begin with, but it is what came to mind when I was pondering the title for my #AtoZChallenge post for the letter F.

I was going to use family as a topic, but then I remembered that I used the same theme, albeit applied to my Redcliffe novels, during the #AtoZChallenge 2013. Change of plan then! Instead, today’s word of choice is fun.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: It’s all Fun and Games Until…

I made a New Year’s resolution for 2014 that I would have more fun and stop being so hard on myself about my career aspirations and general work situation. My children are my priority right now, and all they want to do is spend time with Mummy and Daddy, and various other family members and friends, doing fun things. Easy! Well, it would be easy if we humans did not always put so much pressure on ourselves to create the idyllic lifestyle of effortless charm. You know what I mean; two working parents who enjoy their jobs and career success while simultaneously raising perfectly adjusted children and doing everything they are supposed to do.

What I realised is that there are no fixed rules when it comes to children. We learn as we go along, and no amount of self-help books, parenting experts, wise older people or other such guides will do it for us. Therefore, we should take it easy, stop being so hard on ourselves when we do acknowledge that we make mistakes, and just enjoy the fun times while we can.

The notion of having fun

This notion of having fun is all the more poignant right now, as my father-in-law is currently in hospital following a very serious road cycling accident last month. His recovery is slow, we do not know all the facts about the accident, and we are currently in a strange sort of existence as we wait for him to heal sufficiently to communicate with us. In the meantime, we have to take what fun we can, knowing all the while that a key family member is missing out, and that he might never make a full recovery.

Today my eldest daughter is spending some time with Grandma, enjoying the simple pleasures of baking and walking the dog, and life carries on as normal. It will not be normal for a long time now, because it is dominated by hospital visits and the constant wondering about just how soon we can have our old Dad, Grandad, Friend, back home and back on track. Hence my strange title!

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you tomorrow!

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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#AtoZChallenge: Embarking Upon the Easter Holidays

Wow, the first quarter of 2014 has literally flown away in a whirlwind! How did we end up at Easter already?

My eldest daughter has finished pre-school for two weeks, and now we are taking a week away at Grandma’s house to give us all a change of scenery (and hopefully I get some help with the kids!). For today’s #AtoZChallenge I allocate the letter E to Easter.

April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014 at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
April A-Z Blogging Challenge 2014

#AtoZChallenge: Embarking Upon the Easter Holidays

I hadn’t really made any plans for the Easter holidays, since originally we were preparing for a big family holiday abroad later in the month. Due to a domestic crisis this has now been put on hold for the foreseeable future, and so I feel a little deflated but I know we will get our holiday eventually. Now I think we will simply enjoy some time at home, and we can catch up with family members and friends that we haven’t seen for a while.

We don’t celebrate Easter as a religious holiday in our household, since I personally prefer to recognize the pagan festival Ostara. Essentially I am looking forward to warmer weather, the promise of Spring sunshine, and being able to have a few excursions outdoors, walking in the countryside and picnicking on the beach. How will you celebrate your Easter holiday, if you celebrate it at all?

Thank you for stopping by, now why not check out my fellow writers on the #AtoZChallenge? See you on Monday!

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here

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