When you travel to visit family and friends, do you like to use public transport or do you prefer to drive yourself?  I like to drive because then I can travel at the time I choose and I have a degree of control of the journey – and usually it is cheaper than public transport.  I like to know my route, and alternatives in case of a traffic jams.

Since the price of gas has shot up to such a ridiculous level, I decided to travel by train to visit my sister.  I live just outside London, to the south west, and she is in one of the London “villages”, to the south east.  These villages used, many, many years ago, to be completely separate entities with their own stores, village green, church and so on.  Now London has crept out and they have all become part of the city – but still with their individual “High Street” with stores, banks, coffee shops, restaurants and railway station**.  Many have even managed to keep the village green too.

The railway system of Great Britain is the oldest in the world*. The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies, and the current network still reflects this with London itself having 7 mainline stations, each serving different parts of the country, meaning that my home station is on a different line to that of my sister’s home station.  So my options were to go all the way into London, Waterloo Station, use the underground (subway) to get to Victoria Station and then get another train out to my sister’s place, or see if there were a common station on our routes.

I discovered if I changed at Clapham Junction I could, in effect, change lines. Many routes from London’s two busiest termini, London Waterloo and Victoria, funnel through Clapham Junction and it’s 16 platforms,  making it one of the busiest in Europe by number of trains using it  – more than one hundred an hour outside peak periods.

So one cold day I set out on my adventure!  I had a 20 minute walk to the station, 10 minute wait for the train then a 10 minute ride to my first station where a change of platform was easy – just under the train line and up the other side. The train was on time so that meant I only waited 15 minutes. This train took me to Clapham Junction – and here I hit a problem.  As I said, there are 16 platforms in use so you leave your platform and head to the central walkway.  The TV screens only show the final destinations of the trains so if you want one of the smaller stations on the route, you have no way of knowing which platform to head for.  I found a small blackboard that listed stations in alphabetic order and told you which platform to go to – but unfortunately the one I wanted wasn’t listed!  Finally I found someone to ask and was pointed in the right direction – but just as I arrived at the platform, the doors of the train closed and I missed it!

I explained my predicament to the station guard and she said that I should catch the next train all the way into London Victoria, go to platform 7 and get the train from there.  I followed instructions but found that platform 7 was being renovated so no trains were running from there!  It turned out to be platform 6 – on the opposite of the station!  From there the journey went as planned – total time 2 hours.  Usual driving time – 2 hours too.

During my visit with my sister, I kept checking the clock the whole time because I didn’t want to miss the last train back before the rush-hour – when the fares go up.  The return journey took 2½ hours – including a half hour waiting on a draughty platform because the connecting trains didn’t.

Conclusion – the cost was comparable but the hanging around on station platforms was annoying.  Maybe I’ll stick to driving but work to drive in a fuel efficient manner.

*Link to map showing the Railway Network
**Link to London Rail map

Great Words From Napoleon Hill:

You can’t control others’ acts, but you can control your reaction to their acts, and that is what counts most to you.

No one can make you feel any negative emotion — fear, anger, or inferiority — without your express permission. There will always be people who find perverse enjoyment in upsetting others, or who simply play upon your emotions so that they can use you for their own selfish purposes. Whether or not they are successful depends entirely upon you and how you react to their negative behaviors. When you are forced to deal with such people, recognize from the outset that they are trying to upset you, not because of something you may have done to them, but because of some problem they have with themselves. Tell yourself, “This isn’t about me. I will not allow this person to upset me. I am in control of my emotions and my life.”

Several years ago we bought a place in Spain.

Now when you hear this, what do you think?  “Villa”  with terraces, a blue pool, views of the sea, sitting sipping wine in the hot sunshine?  If this were a movie – there would be a screeching of breaks as the dream screams to a halt – and the real picture comes in to focus.  Think “2-up-2-down basic house” with animal sheds “leaning to” on all sides – no terraces, no pool, no sea.

Why did we buy here?  Our home is situated on the outskirts of a sleepy village which has a social centre, a bar and an olive oil mill.  Our view is – well – stunning – miles and miles of olive trees – stretching away as far as the eye can see – with towering mountains in the distance.  The olive trees are planted in rows – and the direction of the rows varies according to each individual owner’s design so it looks just like a patchwork quilt.  More of the view later!  Our “olive farm” comprises some  35 olive trees, plum, nectarine, apricot and cherry trees, and a walnut tree.  Oh – and 2 wells.

When we first arrived I spoke a little Spanish but my husband spoke none.  We discovered there was another English couple who had a house a little further down the “lane” from us – if we needed anything.  Well, we actually found that our Spanish neighbours were so friendly and so happy to help that we did not need to go “English”.  The Spanish folks were fascinated by us and enjoyed our attempts to communicate – and they went out of their way to speak slowly and to understand our halting Spanish.

For the first few weeks we “camped” in the house – using camp beds and sleeping bags for sleeping, a primus stove outside in the “car port” for cooking and hot water, and we borrowed a small round patio-type table and 2 chairs from the bar.  When we had viewed the house we thought the kitchen and bathroom were functioning – but by the time the paperwork was all completed this proved not to be the case!  For “bathroom facilities” we either went out in the campo or used the toilet at the bar – 7 minutes fast walk!

We quickly got our toilet working – even if we still had to fill the cistern with a bucket.  Then we purchased a stove, fridge and bed.  There was a log fire in the kitchen and our “sofa” was a straw bale covered with a throw. We felt like royalty in our “new” home.

(to be continued… Be sure to check back!)

While giving blood yesterday – I got to wondering what the blood types A, B, AB, etc really mean.  I know my blood type and I hoped it was “rare” – making me “special” (lol) – so I decided to read up about it.

Why is blood such an important part of everyday life? Blood is the liquid that circulates throughout the entire body, carrying nutrients to every cell and at the same time carrying away waste products. Blood plays a central role in the body`s defences. Through a network of miles and miles of vessels, blood is pumped by the heart to  every part of the body

If you have blood group A then you have got the A antigen on your red cells.

Blood group B means you have the B antigen, while group O has neither, and group AB has both A and B antigens.

The ABO system has associated anti-A and anti-B antibodies, antibodies being the body’s natural defence against foreign antigens. These antibodies are found in the plasma.

Blood group A has the A antigen. This group recognises the B antigen as foreign and can make anti-B antibodies.

Similarly, blood group B has the B antigen and therefore recognises the A antigen as foreign and can make anti-A antibodies.

Group AB has both the A antigen and the B antigen so this group makes no antibodies.

Group O has neither A nor B antigen so this group can be given safely to any other group. This is why Group O donors are known as ‘universal donors’. Group O can make both anti-A and anti-B antibodies if exposed to these antigens.  My son’s blood is Group O and sometimes his blood is collected in a special “blue bag” signifying it can got to a baby unit.

Giving someone blood from the wrong ABO group could be life-threatening. For instance, the anti-A antibodies in group B attack group A cells and vice versa. This is why group A blood must never be given to a group B person.  Many people carry a card indicating their blood group in case of an emergency – do you?

The RhD system

Another important blood group system in transfusion is the RhD system.

85% of people have the D antigen on their red blood cells and are RhD positive.  The remaining 15% lack the D antigen and are RhD negative.

Your blood group is defined by your ABO group together with your RhD group. For instance, someone who is group A and RhD negative is known as A negative.

That’s me!  And according to the table below, I am one of the 7% of this blood type in the UK.  Rare?  Not really!  Do you know your blood group?

The figures for the UK shown below are provided by the National Blood Service:

Yesterday my son and I went to give blood.  Why?

Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you and me who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for our donation.

When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group.  In both America and Ireland, currently only 3 out of every 100 people donate blood.  In the UK only 4 out of every 100 people donate, but in  Australia it is an amazing 1 out of every 30!

When is blood needed?  I’m sure you know this but a few examples are:-

• A car accident victim may require up to 30 units of blood
• A bleeding ulcer could require anything between 3-30 units of blood
• A coronary artery bypass may use between 1-5 units of blood
• Someone with a blood disorder, one of which that means the person cannot produce normal haemoglobin for her red blood cells and so she relies on donated blood to survive. This person requires several units on a regular basis.
• Haemorrhaging in childbirth, etc could require more than 5 units of blood

The general guidelines for donating blood are as follows:

• individuals must be healthy and be at least 17 years old
• weight must be at least 110 pounds
• individuals must not have donated blood in the last 8 weeks (56 days) or a donation of double red cells in the last 16 weeks (111 days). Healthy means that you feel well and can perform normal activities.

If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, “healthy” also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.

Before you donate:

• drink plenty of water
• get a good night`s sleep
• have a good breakfast or lunch
• eat iron-rich foods — red meat, fish, poultry, beans, iron-fortified cereals, raisins, etc.
• avoid fatty food before donating — tests for infections done on all donated blood can be affected by fatty materials that can appear in your blood for several hours after eating fatty foods. When this occurs and required testing cannot be performed, the blood may need to be discarded.

Be sure to bring personal identification.

Why give blood?

• You will ensure that blood is there when you or someone close to you may need it.  Most people don`t think they`ll ever need blood, but many do.
• Blood is something money can`t buy.  It is something one person can give to another.
• You may become a hero in someone`s life — a newborn child, a mother or father, brother or sister.  You can give someone another chance at life.

In fact, just one donation can help save the lives of up to three people.

World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor day was first held in 2004 and it was the decision of the 58th World Health Assembly to create this annual event.  The day is celebrated on June 14th every year and it serves to raise awareness all over the world of the urgent need for more blood donation.   The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2011 is “More Blood, More Life” – to reinforce the urgent need for more people all over the world to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly.  For information about this year’s plans visit the World Blood Donor Day website

Plan now to participate in World Blood Donor Day 2011 – find your nearest session blood bank by searching on the internet  – and get signed up for June 14th!

Work is crucial and important. Ideally, when we work we are able to use our talents, gifts and strengths to the best of our abilities to serve other people, and through that service, we see a return that sustains us.

Work pays the bills, enables us to participate in leisure activities and serves to make us feel needed. Having work or a way to contribute makes us feel like we matter, have a purpose and adds to our human dignity.

Work is a consolation for those who have it and a longing for those who don’t.

Work can be an enjoyable part of our lives fun, invigorating, exciting, fulfilling and glorious.  You can have the best time of your life when you are working.

Or is work merely a means to an end?  Not happy that it’s Monday – or whatever day of the week you class as your 1^st working day?   Is it that the weekend of fun is over and you are back to the grind of work?  Did you know that all of this is up to you, and not your boss or coworkers?

What do you picture in your mind’s eye when you think of that word “work”. Are you wearing a suit or uniform, adhering to someone’s protocols; or are you wearing a Hawaiian shirt and “chilling”? Are you in a cubicle in an office or in a place of your choice, be it at home, on the beach or aboard a ship? Are you bored or are you lost in doing something you love? Are you laughing with colleagues or competing against them?

It was while contemplating these and other such questions that I came to writing this blog.  I have done a variety of “jobs” in my career and have come to the place where I am “unemployable” due to age, desire to travel, too many qualifications or too few – depending on the employer.  So I have decided to be my own employer and do the things that I love and feel fulfilled doing.

I am making money working online and meeting people all over the globe – learning from some, helping others – and realising what a wonderful thing the internet is for building friendships and a great working environment.  And I can take it with me wherever I go!

I’d love you to connect with me by following my blog or by adding me as a contact on Skype – and if you don’t understand Skype – why! Leave a comment below and I’ll pop on over to you and help you out!