Sweet Chariots

Back in 2003 during the Rugby World Cup I had the pleasure of having the whole of the Preston outdoor market traders and the majority of their customers who knew the song sing unto me Sweet Chariots on the Grand Final day... They even announced over the tannoy that there was an Australian in the fabric section. Yes that would have been moi.

England won that was a surprise - no I am not a bitter Australian, no never... Ever want to dig a hole and sink into it?

Swing low, sweet chariot

Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.

But this hymn has some key lyrics which is reflecting my life at the moment. It is in about the third verse I think that has the lyrics that best sums up my life at the moment.

Sometimes I'm up, and sometimes I'm down,
(Coming for to carry me home)
But still my soul feels heavenly bound.
(Coming for to carry me home)

Come on Life what else
are you going to throw at me?
... I should have not done or said that...

Life has been a bit of challenge to put it mildly.  Do you like the use of the understatement for all the major dramas of the last 12 months?  Typical Australian pathos..

Downs:

• Yes it is that time again Professional Development Program aka the dreaded PDP. Have to do so many hours and discovered to meet the amount I need another module before the annual deadline. We are in the mist of a mad rush of 20,000 words (report and essay) in less than a ten days. Who planned this date to clash with undergraduate dissertations hand in and the end of academic semester? You would think for an academic pd program the hand in date would be after EASTER break... Not before.
• Fibro flares, more auto immune developments and the continuing saga of continuing medical issues including skin cancer.  Can we call me a lemon? OMG this body model is so flawed that I want a refund if only I was a car which could be replaced.
• One toxic workplace but I am juggling the three workplaces so I am having a total issue with the space time continuum. Damn I need a Tardis.
• Reclamation of my birth family's Blacksheep crown as "a totally irresponsible flbbertigibbet".  Don't you just love your elders?

Ups:

• My wonderful little family - the husband and tiddlywinks.
• It is spring and the sun is shining. 
• Snuggles from the furry members of the family.
• Those wonderful friends online and in real life who have encouraged me and recently shown me that they care. I got a wonderful parcel of love last week on a day I really really needed it. It was a second part of the monster hug from the Rav Tav.
• Acceptance onto a new course starting in September 2011. It has become the light at the end of the tunnel for all the downs. I am going in a new direction but it is something I have always been interested in - Crafts. Yes, I am going to do a degree in Contemporary Craft.

My light at the end of the tunnel

So I have some good and bad things but if I can just survive the now stuff I have something to look forward to. I really do feel that I am on my way to something wonderful. I just need another round of chemo to remove the last bits of skin cancer but there is only a little bit left. Out, damn'd spot! out, I say! - in my best Lady Macbeth impersonation.

Today's images are from the first parcel of monsters from the Rav Tav Gang. I will have to find the camera to photo the new parcel but I just get this report and essay finished first, 10,000 words down 10,000 to go. 

I did not get any knitting done on the weekend cause I was being a goodie two shoes who was doing her PDP homework in the University library. Knitting has been calling but I am not getting much done. But I see a time soon when I can sit and just knit and it will be for a legitimate cause. I am doing my homework for uni. Yeah right my lot are really going to let me get away with that one but I can keep dreaming. Just let me have my delusions.