Lo 52

Here's my LO 52 a review of the first and last.

day 366

Day 366 - New Years Eve
Prompt 366 - Our Final Day
My Way
"And now, the end is near;

And so I face the final curtain.

My friend, Ill say it clear,

Ill state my case, of which Im certain.

Ive lived a life thats full.

Ive traveled each and evry highway;

And more, much more than this,

I did it my way.

Regrets, Ive had a few;

But then again, too few to mention.

I did what I had to do

And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course;

Each careful step along the byway,

But more, much more than this,I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew

When I bit off more than I could chew.

But through it all, when there was doubt,I ate it up and spit it out.

I faced it all and I stood tall;

And did it my way.

Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.

Ive had my fill; my share of losing.

And now, as tears subside,I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that;And may I say - not in a shy way,

No, oh no not me,I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got?

If not himself, then he has naught.

To say the things he truly feels;And not the words of one who kneels.

The record shows I took the blows -And did it my way!"

- Frank Sinatra

May I take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you, for joining me in this incredible journey. It has been tough some days, and I admit not to making it each day, nor did I take only self portraits! But that's life. I still did it "My Way". I hope you had fun. I know many of you have had a really tough year, others have lost family members, and others have gained family members. A shout out to my inspirational slimmers, Kay and Lynne, to all the UK 365ers that I met back in October. To all the new friends I have met on Flickr, it has been a wonderful year for making new friends. I hope you will take the time to look back at your year in review, 52 layouts and a journal full of your words and thoughts for 2008.

I am going to take a few weeks off, and I will be back mid January with a new challenge " A snapshot of my life". This will not be a 365 self portrait challege. Check back over the next few weeks when I will be sharing pages from my journal, my layouts from the year and the preperations for my 2009 challenge.

Have a wonderful New Year, I wish you all a prosperous 2009!

All my Love

Oh what can I say I love the new me that has been uncovered this year, I love that I now like some sp's of me even more, and I love life most of the time. I achieved over half my goals which is 50% more than normal, and I have made some of the most fabulous friends ever. Thankyou to Anna and all you girls for your caring support and friendship long may it continue!

Kay

day 365

Day 365
Prompt 365
"Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.”
- Charles Chaplin

Oh plenty of laughter with these two around!

day 364

Day 364
Prompt 364
"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world."
- George Bernard Shaw

DD helped out with this one, thanks Dee.

days 362 and 363

Day 363
Prompt 363
Rest is not a matter of doing absolutely nothing. Rest is repair.
-Daniel W. Josselyn

Oh I'm so good at this.
Day 362
Prompt 362
Things are beautiful if you love them.
-Jean Anouilh

We love getting out by the river no matter how cold and windy.

days 359, 360 and 361

Day 361 - Boxing day
Prompt 361
"May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!"
- Author Unknown

Peace decended on our house last evening and will be disrupted in the nicest possible way again today for a while then we're all back to normal.

Day 360 - Christmas Day
Prompt 360
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

Jack Frost nipping on your nose,

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,

Help to make the season bright.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,

Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way;

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.

And every mother's child is going to spy,

To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

"And so I'm offering this simple phrase,

To kids from one to ninety-two,

Although its been said many times, many ways,

A very Merry Christmas to you."
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

All from all of us to all of you.

Day 359 - Christmas Eve
Prompt 359
"The family is one of nature’s masterpieces."
- George Santayana

A lovely family day in London to start off the Christmas season.

LO 51

Here's my Lo 51

day 358

Day 358
Prompt 358
"Everyday is a cause for celebration."
- Anonymous

I was thinking about this and then it came to me, today at WI I managed to complete my first month maintaining my target weight. Definately cause for a celebration for me.

day 356 and 357

Day 357
Prompt 357
"Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." ~ Peg Bracken

Dee is starting on her gitfs of time and love, christmas cookies ready for the family on christmas day.
Day 356
Prompt 356

"The earth has grown old with its burden of care But at Christmas it always is young, The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair And its soul full of music breaks the air, When the song of angels is sung." ~ Phillips Brooks (1835-93), American Episcopal bishop, wrote 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'.

The angels are singing in my head when I get a lovely cup of hot chocolate in my hands like this one.

day 354 and 355

Day 355
Prompt 355
"May peace be more than a season, may it be a way of life" - Unknown

Definitely found peace here today especially walking out on the golf course to take shots at the deer! camera shots of course.

Day 354
Prompt 354
"A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;It makes no noise at all,But softly gives itself away;While quite unselfish, it grows small."
- Eva K Logue

Really enjoyed playing with my camera to attempt this photography prompt and managed quite well for me. I got a couple I really like not up to others standards but hey it's a step forward.

day 353

Day 353
Prompt 353

"There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child"
- Erma Bombeck
Reflect on Christmas past. What are your fondess Christmas memories?

I always think back to when I was ten. I desperately wanted a dog of my own and Mum was dead against it even when my friends dog had pups she wouldn't give in. That christmas it was still the only thing on my mind and I woke to a 3 ft long bright orange sausage dog with black ears that had tartan undersides. It was hideous but I adored it, I made a lead and collar for it and dragged it absolutely everywhere with me. I insisted on having it in bed no matter where it had been dragged that day and it had to sit under the table and in the car with me too. My Mum really regretted buying it and it's still in her loft today. I never got a real dog until I was in my late twenties but I'll never forget opening up the wrapping on that orange monster of mine.

day 351 and 352

Day 352
Prompt 352
"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."
- Norman Vincent Peale

This is one of my beautiful christmas musical ornaments I love the detail and it's great to take the time to look at them.
Day 351
Continuing the Festive theme this week
Prompt 351
"There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions."
- Bill McKibben
Do you have any Christmas traditions?

I hope this is going to be a new tradition in our house, we ate out last week and saw this clever idea and pinched it. Instead of all the old tacky deccy's all over the house we have wrapped our pictures on the walls and they look so fab I love it.

LO 50

Here's my weeks piccy's all together with a couple of extras to keep the feeling going.

day 350

Day 350
Prompt 350
"I'm dreaming of a "---" Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know"
- Bing Crosby
What are you dreaming of this Christmas?

I was dreaming of getting everything ready in time but now that I've broken the back of the worst of the tasks I feel much more in control thank goodness.

day 349

Day 349
Slight change to todays prompt. Its my birthday so we are going to celebrate today!
Prompt 349
"Celebrate good times, come on!

(Let's celebrate)There's a party goin' on right here

A celebration to last throughout the years

So bring your good times, and your laughter too

We gonna celebrate your party with you"
- Kool and the Gang
What are you celebrating today?

Mum and her younger sister getting together for a chat and lunch, only the second time this year but that's the first time in 4 or 5 years IYSWIM. Shame it couldn't have been the youngest sister too but 2 are better than none.

days 347 and 348

Day 348
Prompt 348
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

'Tis the season to be jolly

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

Don we now our gay apparel"
Is your house all ready for Christmas?

Well my house is certainly no where no near ready, but out today gathering more special things to make it so, meant a walk though the covered market in Oxford which is very christmassy.

Day 347
Prompt 347

"Oh I'm the happiest Christmas tree

Look how pretty they dressed me

Oh lucky lucky me
I got shiny bells the jingle

And tiny lights that tingle

Whenever anyone passes by

I blink my lights and wink my eye!"

This is us pinching decorating ideas John Lewis today, mind I think ours will be somewhat different to this one.

day 346

Day 346
Prompt 346
"It's the most wonderful time of the year.

With the kids jingle belling,

and everyone telling you,

"Be of good cheer,

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."

Oh I'm so chuffed I found these christmas song choccie's yesterday and bought them just in case any of the songs came up and lo and behold the very next day !!!! So here it is.

day 345

Day 345
Prompt 345
"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Ev'rywhere you go;

Take a look in the five-and-ten,

glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,

Toys in ev'ry store,

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be

On your own front door."

Not looking like christmas in my house yet. Very unusual for me I normally have the deccy's up on the 1st or there abouts but this year I'm more in the mood for it but less in a rush if that makes sense. I have got as far as getting the boxes of dec's out but need to clean the house first. here's the evidence of the first glimpses though.

day 344

Day 344
Christmas is just around the corner, this week lets get inspired by Christmas music!
Prompt 344
The holly and the ivy,When they are both full grown,Of all trees that are in the wood,The holly bears the crown:
- The Holly and the Ivy

I have a beautiful holly bush in my garden I wanted to photograph for this but my evening was taken up by looking after DD who had been hit on the head at school by a netball. She was determined to stay at school even though her head was aching dreadfully and she felt sick! Well needless to say I picked her up and we spent a couple of hours in minor injuries having her checked out. I've got her to bed now and have to wake her in two hours to check she can be roused ok. So I gathered together my appropriate stamps for a piccy instead. I'm sure you'll understand.

LO 49

Layout 49
I love the quote from day 341, use your photo from day 341, and add some "magic" to your layout.

day 343

Day 343
Prompt 343
For fast-acting relief try slowing down. -Lily Tomlin
At this time of the year, we are all guilty of having so much to do and not enough time.

This is sooooo true, I tried to slow down this morning but Mum wasn't having any of it. She was loving being out shopping for a new top for christmas day and some serious bling. It's so good to see and help out with we had a real giggle trying on all the outragous rings in M&S and choosing the largest! This pic is the beautiful decorations in the Oracle centre which I just had to try to capture.

day 342

Day 342
Prompt 342
There comes a time when you roll up your sleeves and put yourself at the top of your commitment list.
-Marian Wright Edelman

DD caught me like this last night, I guess that was me putting myself first being in bed by 9 to combat the tiredness from a wonderful but very busy weekend. Putting ourselves first above the family or work is very difficult at any time of year but even more so in the current season.

day 341

Day 341
Prompt 341

These are the magic years…and therefore magic days…and therefore magic moments.
-Anonymous

I waited for last night ot do this prompt as I knew it would be totally magical and I was so right. Our friend Sandie has to be the most perfect hostess, the house is divine the table straight out of a glassy magazine and the food superb. Ad that to a wonderful group of friends and what more could a girl ask for. A truely magical evening for all.

day 340

Day 340
Prompt 340
"Let us pause to warm both our hands before the fire of life"
-Walter Landor

Oh I'm so happy to oblige with this one, it's certainly cold enough to need to light the fire today. It makes everything so cosy too I love the open fire even if it is a fake one.

day 337

Day 339
Prompt 339
"If cold December gave you birth, The month of snow and ice and mirth, Place on you hand a Turquoise blue, Success will bless whate'er you do."
Anon

It was certainly cold and I actually made it into town in the light, so I was thrilled to catch one of our shops all lit up in it's blue glory as they were shooting Midsummer Murders in there today!

days 337 and 338

Day 358
Prompt 358
“How like a winter hath my absence been. From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year! What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen, What old December's bareness everywhere!"
-William Shakespeare

I don't get to get any nice piccy's in the light on work days so plumped instead for the neccesary accessories for this time of year!

Day 357
Prompt 357

“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
- Dr. Seuss
The end of the year is nigh, our 365 journey is coming to an end, what has changed since June till now?

Oh this is easy for me here's me in june and me now!

LO 48

Here's my love LO

day 335 and 336

Day 336
Prompt 336

Embarrassment
Embarrassment is an emotional state experienced upon having a socially or professionally unacceptable act or condition witnessed by or revealed to others

Oh this is something I used to feel so often and deeply, not so badly anymore due chiefly to increasing age I should think.
Day 335
Prompt 335

Love, loving
Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong effection

Oh how I love these too, we have so little time together really and one of us is often distracted, just like DH to be on the phone or one of us to be on the laptop.