Inspiration Wednesday!

Inspiration Wednesday is the inspired idea of The Weaver of Grass! Do click on her name to visit her blog, see her own post and the list of other participants ...

The idea is to blog about who or what has inspired us. Of course, I have to start with Maureen! My serene and beautiful wife, pictured above, who has been my biggest inspiration and encouragement all our years together. I've been moved to create a new header especially in celebration!

And our children! Pictured here house-hunting before finding Necky Knoll House, you can see that even though we do not always seem to be looking in the same direction, we are all sticking our necks out together!



My former work-colleagues at Storey and Tawle Accountants also gave me great encouragement in my decision to leave to follow my dream of setting up Giraffe World Tours. (They've been regular customers ever since - so it wasn't that they were glad to see the back of me!) Their gift of my lovely new telescope reminds me of them every time I use it to look across at planet Earth from our Camelopardalis constellation!

I can list so many who have stuck their necks out to follow their dreams: My glamorous sister Nektareeni, initially a lawyer, who set up her own boutique and jointly owns the Gleeful & Greedy Restaurant with her partner Girth, pictured below.

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Our dear friend Trachelus Aplombus, engineer with AFF Gas and local historian.

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His apprentice, Nukkle, who plays drums with The Stiffnex band in his spare time - often getting his spanners and drumsticks mixed up!

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And of course all my dear human bloggy friends, without whom there would be no motivation to blog across the intergalactic space! Thank you all so much for your inspiring blogs and your encouraging comments.

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I hope you will join in with us in our song, 'With Our Necks Entwined' which tells of our decision to move house and set up our family business. It has an easy to sing chorus, sung by Maureen and Nexi, and maybe you will be able to identify the rest of our family's voices in the verses!
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Stick your necks out for your dreams!

A Proud Dad (with Ear Defenders) ...

As many of you will know, our eldest daughter Nexi is studying at Art & Design College. Her most recent assignment has been in film.

For her project, Nexi chose to film her younger sister Necky Becky, (pictured above), singing with her boyfriend Neko's band, The Stiffnex.

I expected extreme sibling storms, squalls and shrieks - but no! (Although you may dispute the latter when you watch the film). Nexi and Necky Becky worked together splendidly as a team, together with Neko on guitar, Sgruff on bass and Nukkle on drums.

So here we have it - Nexi's debut pop video, 'Be Who You Wanna Be!' with Necky Becky and The Stiffnex!

I'm a proud dad! But I'm going to hide in the kitchen until it's over ...

Goldheart

Tom Atkins' lovely poem 'Ivy' set me thinking about my favourite ivy, Goldheart. (Hedera helix 'Goldheart' if you like your Latin!)

As well as admiring the plant, I've always loved the name. Goldheart! Heart of Gold ... It conjures up all good things: kindness, generosity, loyalty, inner beauty, love.

My train of thought has continued on to remember the many 'Goldhearts' in my life.

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I am keenly aware of the recession and economic trials currently on planet Earth, so my focus has been on people who have helped me at times of extreme economic pressure in my own life.

When Maureen and I have gone through hardship, unable even to buy food, there have been Goldhearts. Folk who have brought provisions ... It has seemed quite significant that these were not often from the comfortably off or the wealthy. On the contrary, many could be referred to as the 'have nots'. Yet they shared what they had: half a loaf of bread ... some fruit ... cereal ...

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In those dark times they shone like beacons - and they will always continue to do so in my memory and in my heart.

Sometimes it is a word of encouragement or affirmation that is given. When my neck is wilting at the obstacles on a chosen path, the word 'Yes!' can make me stand up straight and stick my neck out for my dreams once more!

'Yes, I know you will make it through!' ... 'Yes, you have what it takes!'

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At other times what we may need to sustain us is beauty. Beauty in nature, inner beauty, the beauty of art.

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One of my very favourite blog posts, which made me cry many tears of joy, is 'Beauty' by L. Rochelle at Two Ghosts.

Gold in the pocket is very nice . Gold in the heart is beyond price.

******One whole year of blogging!

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On 3rd March I will have been blogging for a year! Most of you will not have read my earlier posts, as I didn't enable the Comments facility until around December. If you would like to read my first post, on March 3rd 2008, click on The Escape of a Giraffe Accountant!

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I have thoroughly enjoyed the year - but by far the most fun has been meeting all of you wonderful bloggers, reading your posts and exchanging comments. Thank you dear bloggy friends!

Interviewed by Willow!

What an honour! I am being interviewed by Willow!

Pondering Willow's questions during the small hours gave me much food for thought and I filled several sheets of paper with my ruminations ... I've cut out a lot of my giraffe waffle and streamlined my answers to blog-size!

At the end of the post I will give an invitation to you, fellow bloggers, to be interviewed by me.

Here are Willow's wonderful interview questions!

1. How did you meet your inspiration, the lovely Ms. Maureen?

My first meeting with Maureen Treeging, my dear wife? Ah, now that is a whole story in itself! One that is complex, emotional and far too lengthy to be told in a few sentences. I will not spoil the story for you for the future; for now I give you the setting:

'On the wild Neckmoors north of Raffsburgh grows a forest ...'

2. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

The word 'perfect' makes this question particularly interesting! Lots of things make me 'ordinarily' happy, most of them quite simple, such as a nice cup of tea or a walk in the woods, and of course, the company of folk I love and like.

However, I see happiness more as a choice - and a very active state of mind, rather than a reaction to pleasant things. I desire what is often referred to as 'background happiness' - the state of being free from 'what if?' thoughts and niggly worries, even in worrying circumstances. This requires, (for me), a lot of hard graft, practise and mental discipline, but - oh yes - it does work! Gradually ...

Then there are those transcendent moments of happiness, which are closest to perfection ... those unbidden 'glimpses' - when suddenly there is an upsurge of pure joy, a bubbling of a kind of golden fountain that seems to rise from within. Difficult to describe, but you'll know what I mean if you get them too!

3. What is your most marked characteristic?


My neck? Probably, to humans - although in Giraffe World it is very commonplace!

Or maybe my perpetual expression of bemused intelligence??

4. Other than your loved ones, what is your most treasured possession?

I appreciate and enjoy all my many possessions, but those things I treasure most I do not 'possess'. You cannot hold them, I feel they kind of flow through you and multiply by sharing; hope, love, affection, encouragement, inspiration and humour - oh yes, exuberant, gleeful humour!

(And I am very fond of my new telescope!)

5. What is your motto?

'Stick Your Neck Out For Your Dreams!'



Or in its longer version: 'Giraffitude! finding out who you are and sticking your neck out for your dreams with integrity, respect for others and gleeful fun!'

Thank you for interviewing me, Willow!

Here are the directions;

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).

3.You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Go on - stick your neck out and dare ... I'll be nice to you!

Do, please still leave comments, even if you don't want to be interviewed - I love your comments!

Sport, sport, marvellous sport, permits a giraffe some sobriety ..

I have no interest in sport whatsoever. Oh, but how grateful I am to benefit from a sibling-squabble-free environment, thanks to marvellous sport!

Nukkle has taken his nephew and Necky Becky to the football match in Raffsburgh. Littl' Nicky is at the Gleeful & Greedy Restaurant with his auntie and uncle, where they are holding their annual 'Bounciest Custard' competition.

Nexi and her boyfriend Neko have gone ice skating.


What a haven of peace and tranquillity for Maureen and me! Maureen is at her beautiful carved desk by the window, writing with her antique quill pen. I am at the kitchen table typing on my necktop.

We've had a wonderful family time over the last few days, but isn't it lovely to get a bit of peace!

La Vie En Rose

Maureen and I were listening to the legendary Edith Piaf yesterday evening. Dancing together to 'La Vie En Rose', I felt a huge 'Thank You' to Maureen welling up in my heart.

2008 has been a momentous year for me; escaping from accountancy, moving house and setting up the new business. Through it all Maureen has been there, encouraging, affirming, keeping my feet on the ground, steering me away from my wilder ideas, and above all being with me.

In all the hurly-burly of business, balance sheets and trying to make ends meet, it is easy to overlook the unmeasurable support of one's loved ones. It may be your partner, a family member or a special friend.

Who has helped you most on the path of your dreams this year? Give them a special token of your appreciation today ...

A little 'Vie En Rose' goes a long way!

(Special Christmas message from I.S. to I.P)