Happy New Year

So we are fast approaching new year. Its been a year of ups and downs for me, but mostly ups I think. I have done a lot of writing on my blog and made a lot of great friends via it also. I made a start on my weight loss journey and try to be a better person in general.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog as much as I have enjoy writing it. I am always looking at ways to improve and I hope over the years I have.

2014 is going to be a great year for me I just know it. I am going to stick with my weight loss and improve on that daily. I have a huge amount of lovely things to chat about next year and I will really love to share with you.

So I would love to wish everyone a Very Happy New Year from jollyjillys and I hope next year brings you much happiness and good health

Silent Sunday : 29/12/2013

Silent Sunday:21.12.13

My Sailor Boy

Like everyone at this time of year I have been cleaning!! I have had lots of work done in the house and while that was going on, stuff got put everywhere. So I thought I would start by cleaning my bedroom. I came across some photo albums , and I was then transported to the past lol.

I was a fairly shy teenager. I had weight issues all my life and it messed with  my self confidence, and still does today. I didn't do all the normal going out or parties and no boy friends at all. I used to think if only a boy would talk to me, they would find out I am fun.
Then when I was 19 I bought our local paper for my mum. I was reading through and came across a picture of a young sailor. It said it was a local boy and at the time was  overseas with the Royal Navy. He was asking for penpals from his home town as it was nice to keep up with home.

So I thought I would write to him as I really enjoyed penpals all my life. I was delighted when he wrote back and it began a nearly year of letters. I loved to hear about his adventures and seeing pictures of his life. We really got on through writing and loved to chat and laugh about things. He sent me pictures and I liked what I those showed lol. He was so cute with the biggest brown eyes I ever saw.

So later that year in December 1978 his ship came home and he asked if I would like to meet him. I was excited as I really liked him . My dad wasn't so happy and insisted he came to the house so we could check him out lol. He arrived in his uniform and wow I was happy he was totally handsome and we hit it off straight away. Not very long after he told me he loved me and I remember telling my mum and being so happy.
Then in January 1979 he asked me to marry him and I said yes . It was very hard as people did not think we should get married so soon. We were very young 21 and 20 but we knew we were in love. I married him on the 7th July 1979 and it was a wonderful happy day. He was such a wonderful caring husband and would do anything to please me and make me happy. Those early days were hard at time, but we were blissfully happy.

Many many years have gone past in fact this December its 35 years! We are still together proving that a young love can last. I think we are very different people now and not always in a good way , as we all change so much as we get older.
I still love him but I do wish I could have that sweet little boy back at times lol
Happy Christmas Sailor boy

Silent Sunday :15/11/2013

Mikey Digital Review

Just recently I was lucky to be asked to try the Mikey Digital microphone. I am not so experienced with this type of device so was interested to see if it would be ok at my level. I am not sure what I expected , but when a small box arrived I was surprised. This is a neat little microphone in more ways than one. It is really small so could be carried in most bags or even your pocket with no problem at all.

It comes with a small instruction booklet which to be totally honest I found a little hard to understand. That could be just me and my novice device experience ! I wanted to use it mainly with my iphone as it is the thing that I use the most. It was so easy to plug into the phone and it came up on the screen straight away. It was simple to record with and I thought it gave a nice clear and even tone.
I gave it to my daughter to try as she is at university. She used it plugged into her lap top to record lectures, and play them back at a later date.
It picked up all the sound even from the back of the room to the front, and the recorded sound was clear and sharp. Its great if you are on the move as its so tiny and easy to carry. It even has two settings on the back to pick from, soft and loud environments. Its that clever it can adjust its own level if you need it too.
My daughter also find it so useful to be able to attach to her iphone and bend it over so it could rest of the desk.
 You are also able to record guitars , videos and much more. It really is simple convenience and even comes with it own carry pouch.

I found it very handy and simple to use and would make a great late Christmas gift.

£99.99 l Available from PC World, Dixons, Currys, Apple and other consumer electronics retailers worldwide


Please note I was not paid for this review only receiving the product to try.

Kitchen Adventure's Nearly at an end!

Well I have been keeping busy with the kitchen and rest of the house. My hub has been working his little socks of to try and get it tidy for Christmas. All in all he had done an excellent job and all by himself. We have now finished the dining room and the sitting room will be done by Thursday I hope. The kitchen is still a little way off being finished but not long. He has started putting on the tile and it looks great. Best part was today I got to put my tree up, it took 5 hours to do but I think it looks good.

So I am going to also share a few of the kitchen and dining room. I hope the next lot of pictures will show a finished house ( well part) all ready for Christmas.

Silent Sunday: 7/11/13

Advent

I have had a couple of days to think and gather my ideas, this being after my full November of over 30 posts. I am not sure I could keep that up on a monthly basis as it took a lot of hard work, but it was fun.
I started attending my local church about 2 years ago. I think its ok to say it was with no huge religious feelings that I attended. I felt at peace in the church, I enjoyed the service and the people so I stayed on.

This time of year is very important in the Church year, and starts on the 1st of December and goes through until the 24th of December. Each Sunday a candle is lit and in our church it is normal a child from the Sunday school.

So advent is a Christian festival leading up to Christmas. The name advent means coming or arrival

Advent starts on the first Sunday after Saint Andrew's day (November 30th) and continues through the next four Sundays that will lead up to Christmas day. Traditionally we are encouraged to think on four things as Christmas comes along.

Each Sunday in advent has a theme to be pondered on during the season. In many churches candles (either red or purple) are lit on these four Sundays, and a fifth (white) candle is lit on Christmas day.

There are lots of Church reasons behind Advent but for me it is also one of contemplation and reflection. It is all to easy these days to really get mixed up in the commercial Christmas, and forget the true meaning. Now this true meaning of Christmas can be different for us all.

I choose to use the lighting of the advent candles to look at my life. To remember what is important to me and what I can do to improve things. I would love that Christmas shown on the movies, all snow and warm fires and loved ones all around having fun.

For many that is just not going to happen! I think it would do us all good to stop for just a second and think of the real meaning of Christmas, and look at what we have in our lives to be so grateful for.
I am hoping that this year coming up to Christmas, all my loved ones will be happy and safe. I think that is a gift I would give everyone if I could, along with good health.

So even if church is not a place for you, its still a way to have a good think and for you to spend time loving those special people in your lives.
So candle one was lit last Sunday and I hope that for everyone as it burns it will be happiness to you all.

Silent Sunday