Meeting Monica
Posted: Friday, 31 August 2007 |
Last Sunday, while I was oot and aboot taking photos, I met a lady called Monica. She made quite an impact on me. Not because she could鈥檝e talked the hind legs off a donkey, not because she is a seventy-year-old single lady travelling the length of the UK on her own, and not because the camper van she was driving was old enough to be on my childhood tv shows. It was because, to me, it looked like she was in Control Of Her Own Life.
Does that seem a silly thing to say? Is being in control of your own life totally obvious to everyone but me? I now strive to be in control, but this is a fairly recent development for me, and I spent a large part of my adult life oblivious to the whole concept.
So I have great admiration for those of us like Monica. She, in her own small way, is brave, adventurous, independent, and loving life.
Here is a link to her own short video story, do have a look, it鈥檚 not long, just a couple minutes, and worth it. (I am trying to make this a live link, but so far I have had no success in this IB skill. Even after reading the Help section. If it鈥檚 not live, please just cut and paste into your address bar.)
As for me, I now enjoy the things I like, and practice saying No to the things I don鈥檛. It doesn鈥檛 happen like this all the time, and life can still fling crap in my direction occasionally, but I am gaining in confidence all the time, and having loads of fun along the way. It can be a steep learning curve sometimes. I have dreams for the future, when more of my time will be my own, and although I know that the ideas I have may never happen, the possibilities that lie in front of me are endless, amazing, and exciting.
Anyway, Hi Monica! I had a great time meeting you!
Here are some of the photos I was taking when I met Monica.
(I have since been trying to perfect the 'flooer-photo' technique, by making use of my tripod. The result was more in focus!) And no, sorry, I don't ken the names of the flowers, but if you do, please enlighten me in a comment.
p.s. This being International Blog Day, I鈥檓 supposed to recommend 5 blog sites for your to look at. Well, sorry, but I actually don鈥檛 know any, I鈥檓 just Island-Blog-Addicted, not Blog-Addicted.
Does that seem a silly thing to say? Is being in control of your own life totally obvious to everyone but me? I now strive to be in control, but this is a fairly recent development for me, and I spent a large part of my adult life oblivious to the whole concept.
So I have great admiration for those of us like Monica. She, in her own small way, is brave, adventurous, independent, and loving life.
Here is a link to her own short video story, do have a look, it鈥檚 not long, just a couple minutes, and worth it. (I am trying to make this a live link, but so far I have had no success in this IB skill. Even after reading the Help section. If it鈥檚 not live, please just cut and paste into your address bar.)
As for me, I now enjoy the things I like, and practice saying No to the things I don鈥檛. It doesn鈥檛 happen like this all the time, and life can still fling crap in my direction occasionally, but I am gaining in confidence all the time, and having loads of fun along the way. It can be a steep learning curve sometimes. I have dreams for the future, when more of my time will be my own, and although I know that the ideas I have may never happen, the possibilities that lie in front of me are endless, amazing, and exciting.
Anyway, Hi Monica! I had a great time meeting you!
Here are some of the photos I was taking when I met Monica.
(I have since been trying to perfect the 'flooer-photo' technique, by making use of my tripod. The result was more in focus!) And no, sorry, I don't ken the names of the flowers, but if you do, please enlighten me in a comment.
p.s. This being International Blog Day, I鈥檓 supposed to recommend 5 blog sites for your to look at. Well, sorry, but I actually don鈥檛 know any, I鈥檓 just Island-Blog-Addicted, not Blog-Addicted.
Comments
A very inspirational and lovely blog. I too feel that it is time to take control of my life. Its been governed by others long enough. Super photos too, wish mine turned out like yours. Will have a look at Monica's link - she sounds like a fine lady !!
Squidgy the Otter from Coll
Just had a look at the video by Monica. Fantastic, an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Squidgy the Otter from Very Impressed
I wish you the best of luck in your pursuit of taking control Ruthie. Good things come to good people, so you should be alright there, but you can't sit and wait, and I know by reading your blogs, that you're not a sitting and waiting person, you're a get up and do it person ( apart from the hoosework, I gather) and I have no doubt that you will one day do it. Could somebody please slap me... I've just read this, and i've looked in the mirror, and it is me, but is it a new me, no this is all about Ruthie. If you ever write your life story Ruthie, All About Ruthie, would be a good title. Keep striving on.....
Tws from The Control Room
I'm in control of my life, although I'd better ask Herself if I am, just to make sure, but she's away to Inverness, and there's lots of those yellow sticky label things aboot the hoose, remember to feed the dog, I'll give her a few chews just now, in case I forget, keep away from the cooker, ok I will, feed the goldfish, I do that one already, sometimes, I'll stop now, but you can see how in control of my life I am, and you, if you try very hard, and do a lot of socialising, could get to my pinnacle.
Tws from Control Tower
I think [sometimes] that not worrying what others think [as against in CONTROL of one's life which sounds kinda straitjacketed] comes with maturity [like a good wine?] I left NZ just over a year ago though several of my children live in Australia, so it wasn't altogether a foreign country, and after "discussions" with one son decided, against his wishes, to come up here to the Outback and work in a pub. Away from family and those I grew up with I am sure I have found myself ... and don't really give a darn about what others think. And ... in the process, have a lot of laughs and fun!! A simple philosophy ... Take a Chance of Life and Living. Your photos are absolutely glorious!!! The white flowers with the black seed pod looking things ... did you "acquire" a few seeds to grow at home Ruth?
Plaid from who cares whot others think
nice blog ruth--i know how you feel i'd love to be able to control my life! i can only recomend one other blog as i only click on to IB and diggy sands silversprite blog:-www.silversprite.com have a good weekend!xxx
carol from where its b****y windy
Good for Monica, and good luck to her. (I wasn't able to view the video but I read the transcript.) And thanks for the lovely photos, Ruth, the flower close-ups are quite stunning, especially the one with the seed pods.
Jill from EK
Ruth i can't get onto monicas site the"page not found "sign comes up everytime!
carol from where its b****y windy
Bill Clinton met a Monica and she had quite an effect on him! There must be something in the name!!
calumannabel from Isle of Lewinsky
Carol, if you go to www.bbc.co.uk/capturewales, then click on the 'challenge' button, you will see some thumbnails (no Tws, not the kind on your thumb), click on the one that's by Monica Goodrick. Hope that works. Plaid, no I didn't take any seeds, in fact, I didn't actually realise they were seeds until I saw the photos. They just looked like intersting black and white flowers!
Ruthodanort from Unst
To make your link live: copy the URL of the page you want to link to. Highlight the phrase you want linked. Press the link button, paste the URL into the pop up window and press ok. This should do the job but if you鈥檙e still having problems with it email me at islandblogging@bbc.co.uk and we can look at it further.
Anne from IBHQ
Was that some new lingo that you were using there Anne of IBHQ? A lot of links there, you could maybe build a golf course on them?
Tws from The Luddite Bar
Anne, I'll be emailing you then, cos that's exactly what I've been doing. It just comes up as a blank space on my blog.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Plaid, I think you're maybe right, maturity is the key.
Ruthodanort from Unst
I think the AA prayer has a pretty good philosophy for most of us. Change what you can, accept what you can't and hope ( or pray if that is your belief ) for the wisdom to know the difference. I try but fall down at times but the occasional human lapse does not invalidate the basic philosophy.
Hyper-Borean from The Bar
I know how Monica feels - driving on your own to wherever you fancy without being pestered by the small people or the one who sometimes behaves like a small person, can be liberating. Wish I could do more of it - only, the small people.......
Rachondarox from Lancs
Monica sounds to be a very game woman, and an inspiration to us all. Chrissie Mary says that if you squint at it, the coastline on the first snap looks a bit like Hooch from On Top of Ward Hill having a drink. I think she'd been having a sly one herself.
Annie B from the usual
Weyhey!! I've mastered the link thingy!! And it only took me about 2 years.
Ruthodanort from Unst
I think the camper van became my nearest neighbour for a while this summer. Hope her trip has gone well.
Muness from Fetlar
That's awfully awfully clever Ruth...I still have no live lynx...sorry slip of the paw there...links and I'm trying very very hard not to feel JEALOUS. And failing miserably...*wee sniffle*
Flying Cat from forty shades of green
FC, it's to do with the brackets. But they're no real brackets, they're those pointy ones. (If I'm remembering right anyway.) There's a peedie bit whar you're supposed to write the link words, in my case it was 'Monicas Link' (note the lack of apostrophe in the 'Monicas' there, didn't want to tempt fate by including one o those, cos they just don't work with the photos.) The words you write there between pointy brackets < and > is what becomes the button to click on for the link. I wasn't including that bit, so a space appeared instead of the button.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Right.
Flying Cat from having-a-go
I geed to your blog, FC, and clicked on your links to the Orcadian and the Spanish one too, and they both worked. Is this a recent update on your blog??
Ruthodanort from Unst
DID THEY???????? I mean do they? Crikey. Liff is becoming awfully confusing these days.
Flying Cat from puzzled&confused&inhiding
ruth: do you know whats become of scallowawife?? she's went awfy quiet! hope she's okay
carol from where its b****y windy
She's been being inspected and is likely lying down in a darkened cell...sorry...room...
Flying Cat from where links are live and we don't know how
Carol, I think she's a bit busy with her sofa-flitter. No doot she'll come to life sooner or later. I'll pass on your concerns next time I see her pop up on my msn.
Ruthodanort from Unst
thanks,ruth. P.S. still havn't managed to click on to monica's thingy
carol from counting the hours till tonight
Oh yeah, forgot aboot that, she is being inspected FC. She'll be needin all the quiet she can get eenoo!
Ruthodanort from Unst
Very nice photos, Ruthodanort.
mjc from NM,USA
The purple one is scabious.
Flying Cat from Rolling Acres
Scabious. ok. does it have another name? Puffin Billy said it was devil's-something-or-other? I only had half an ear on the conversation, and my memory for such things is bad anyway.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Devil's Bit Scabious, just one of the scabious family. There are others including domesticated, for want of a better word, varieties.
Hyper-Borean from Someone else's garden
Domesticated scabies? Sounds nasty...oh wait a minute while I resize the text...I SAID TEXT!
Flying Cat from a wildflower 'meadow'
Hi Ruth, Monica here i have just read all the comments written by yourself and others,Hi to you all
autofill from north wales
Hello to all especially you Ruth.I havejust read your comments and am quite flattered you find me interesting enoughto talk about,I often think about you Ruth and wonder how you enjoyed your boat trip ? did you get to take it?I will keep an eye on this blog page now i have found it and have a new laptop and have gone broadband ! monica.
monica goodrick from north wales
hello to all you girls up there in Shetland i'm looking forward to one day making a return trip to your beautiful island.I didn't do much last year in my camper van,the weather of course did'nt help.Although I did get as far north as Glenelg, on the west coast of Scotland.I went and stayed with a lovely lady I met while I was in Shetland,she had been working with the elderly in care on the mainland.Will speak to you again soon keep well Ruth, and all your friends.monica
may monica goodrick from north wales
Blogs fae a thirty-something mum of 4 born in Fife, brought up in Orkney, and living in Unst.
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