What the ...?!

So against the everpresent backdrop of not very nice things happening (not really my news to tell and not nice at all) we had my older sisters 50th and FSHubby's 49th this weekend. In an attempt to be jolly we all appeared at older sisters house on Saturday, handed over an expensive handbag, drank champagne & ate cake & got home in time for FSHubby to begin to relax into his next day birthday.

But we had been away from the KC for about 8 hours by the time we got home. She was unusually pleased to see us, came in like a good girl at her appointed bed time and trotted upstairs quite happily, not complaining and wanting to be let into the garage as she normally does. Hmmm ... Then the takeaway was delivered and the film chosen (Sherlock Holmes 2 Game of Shadows - quick aside 50yr old sisters "hubby" made the chair costume at the very end .. if you've seen it you will know what I mean - if you haven't I won't spoil it!), a roaring fire was lit and we all got comfy.

But around halfway through the film, I spied something out of the corner of my eye, scuttling around the sofa. As I had just seen the KC chase & polish off a rather large spider I assumed it was another. Then I saw it again & the stepson shrieked "what the..?!" pulled his feet up onto his sofa (he's 15 - big girl) and pointed at the thing....

The pause button was hit, the lights went up and there he was - a tiny, terrified brown & furry Mr Vole. Who had clearly been brought in much earlier by the KC - no wonder she was happy to be home .. she had rodents on her mind! Mr Vole then ran from the living room to the conservatory & managed to get himself wedged under the radiator. Hastily grabbing a version of the KC Rescue system I poked & prodded and only succeeded in pushing him further into unreachable places. Hubby had a go & despite agreeing we couldn't leave a small rodent running about the house all night, we agreed it was too hard & the film was too good & we gave up temporarily & went back to Sherlock.

20 minutes later we heard the unmistakable noise the KC makes when she has prey in her sight. Running into the dining room I saw him again; poor Mr Vole, who was clearly exhausted, trying to hide from probing claws in a small gap between hubbies boots. This time however I was able to sweep up the KC bodily & put her in a different room & quckly pop the Vole in a takeaway box and take him outside to safety. Crisis averted & Vole restored to nature. And of course, after being let back into the room where there was once a rodent, the KC was sniffing & fussing & she sat in vigil next to the radiator for the rest of the night!

You are what you think ...

Odd times chez the FauxSurrey household. Nothing I want to share publicly (and nothing affecting me or the FSH directly as such) but it has made me ponder & wonder if we really are in charge of our own destinies. In the bad old days BH (Before Hubby) I used to try so hard & stay positive constantly and had written "affirmations" dotted around & about to steer me through dark days, as according to Peter McWilliams & many other New Age gurus in his book "You can't afford the luxury of a negative thought" - a book described as "not a book just for people with life-threatening illnesses. It's a book for anyone afflicted with one of the primary diseases of our time: negative thinking". and so I avoided negativity at all costs often denying what I really felt.

Of course, being grumpy & negative all the time is not a good thing to be but surely we are allowed the odd rant & rage?? And can bad thoughts really truly manifest into "life threatening illnesses" & attract bad things as many in California would have us believe??

Pondering further I then remembered the words of Mahatma Gandhi -  not a 'New Age Guru' out to make money from our fears, but a man who stood firm by his beliefs and demonstrated positivity by preaching non violence.

And he said this - and I do feel there is something in this - “Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny.” Now that I believe.