WOYWW & a football fan's tribute

So my post today is in parts - feel free to read some or all of it as you wish.. I'm linking up with Julia and everyone else over at The Stamping Ground. 

My desk -

No, your eyes are not deceiving you that really is a dog on my desk. Baxter. My constant companion. He loves to sit on the desk to watch the world go by. He usually sits, but he decided to lie down earlier so I snapped the photo quickly before he changed his mind. When the sun shines he makes sure he gets what parts of him he can in those rays!

 

The rest of my post is my tribute as a football fan following yesterday's historic verdict finally delivering justice for the 96 Liverpool fans who were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough on 15th April 1989.

 On that day in 1989 I was with my family watching Bristol Rovers play away at Brentford. I was 13 years old. Like every fan who goes away to a game you think about the match, the result and enjoying the atmosphere with your fellow fans. Today I have some memory of being in the ground at Griffin Park that day, but unless I google it I can't remember the result nor the team that lined up. I do remember parts of the journey home. Sitting in silence. Listening to the radio. Trying to understand what was being said.

At no point did I think of my safety nor the possibility of never going home after the match that day. 

 

 Those Liverpool fans would have started their day like we did. They went to that match thinking about the game, thinking about what the result maybe and were most definitely looking forward to the atmosphere of a cup game. 

 

 Like me, I'm sure they never thought of their safety or the possibility of never going home after the match that day.

 

But 96 football fans never did go home.

 

Here we are 27 years later and finally the truth has been told. Justice & the proper unlawful killing verdict has been granted.

 

As a football fan who went all over the country in the late 80's and early 90's as a child and as a teenager with my family, I experienced those pens and fences and barriers that were present at every ground. Like every other fan. Those 'safety' measures were not like ones you see today. I still remember how it felt being crushed up against a fence or a gate. It happened to me a couple of times. It was only for a few moments. But. Still. 

 

It was horrific. 

 

I can't let myself think about what those Liverpool fans experienced that day.

 

The years that followed will go down in history as one of the biggest cover ups & legal battles. 

 

I went to Hillsborough to watch Bristol Rovers. Think it was 2007/2008 season. I took Keagan. I remember arriving down the famous Leppings Lane road. I remember standing outside the away end looking up and down the road. I remember feeling uneasy. It seemed even smaller in reality. This road. This road that 24 thousand Liverpool fans would've walked down. The area outside the turnstiles was supervised and organised for us. But it didn't take much to imagine what it must have been like for those fans. 

 

I couldn't stay outside. 

 

We sat in the upper tier looking down over the central areas. I couldn't help squeezing Keagan's hand tighter. Even with all the seats and modern safety in place I felt on edge. Uncomfortable. My head was filled with those pictures we've all seen on tv. Rovers lost 6-2 that day. It didn't matter to me. Not that day. Not there. 

This is the away Leppings Lane end now. The tunnel is still there. I think we were sat in the middle section above it. Right above the 2 central areas. 

 

I've never visited the memorial at Hillsborough for the 96 fans.

 I regret that now. 

Over the years I've stood in silence or in applause to honour the 96 at numerous football matches. As the years went on my respect and admiration for the families grew. They never gave up. No matter what was thrown at them. They stood up to the dinosaurs and those in power. 

As a football fan you just knew those Liverpool fans were not to blame. 

I can't imagine how the families must feel today. 

The truth. Justice. Accountability. 

 

#JFT96 RIP 

Take care Zo xx

 

 

WOYWW 359 - stickers!

Hello everyone - apologies for my blog quietness. I promise I'm making up for the silence in usual Zoe chatterbox-style!

Today I'm here to share my desk as per many over at Julia's Stamping Ground why not pop by and join in?

So my desk - 

 Right hand side looking untidy - there's my Prismapencils & colouring book, lots of boxes under desk and a box of Euro 2016 stickers.

 Window side is a bit sparse. The sun is shining beautifully this morning. You can see my planner in the window as well as my Cinch machine. On my desk is the Euro 2016 sticker album.

Yep I decided to go with my inner child and collect football stickers for this Summer's Euro's in France. It worked out cheaper to buy a box of sticker packets than to keep buying odd ones. I'm fighting the urge to stick them all in one go! I'm just grabbing a few packets each day and am thoroughly enjoying the process.

There you go. Not crafting as such but it is sticking!!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 356 - What? Again?! Really?!

I think I've lost a few days. I haven't finished visiting desks from last week and yet, here we are again!

WOYWW is a wonderful world of desks and friends - real life ones as well as friends we talk to online. For me, WOYWW has been a constant. No matter how I am it is always there. And so are the friends. A simple word. A virtual hug. Always there for me.

Pop over to WOYWW headquarters to see what and why we do this

I've not been so good. February and March have blurred into one. I'm resting and coping, but still. I've done very little crafting though have found colouring to be a great therapy. It's helped me cope with the pain. Giving me a focus.

Anyway desk -

 As said I've been colouring. Using my Prisma pencils I've finished these pages. The colouring books are Wild Savannah and the Secret Garden. I've bought quite a few of these posh colouring books!!

  

The other thing to be found on my desk is Baxter. Once again he grabbed the opportunity to chill out and watch the world go by. Well the desk is empty he seemed to say to me!

I have managed to go to footy a few times. Thank goodness for my wheelchair and my mum who pushes me around so I can meet up with friends in the bar before the game. Mum's not bothered about the football, but she comes so that I can still go now that Keagan has moved away. A pre-match selfie!

Anyway you all take care. Zo xx

WOYWW 355 - What have I missed?

Hello desk dashers. I feel like I've not posted for an age. Well it has been a few weeks. I've been rubbish in health and at posting!

So I was determined to join in with everyone sharing desks over at Julia's Stamping Ground.

My desk is rather colourful. I've not done a lot of crafting but wanted to colour. I bought another new colouring book and decided to colour just for me. I'm using my Prismas. I've been scared to use them. Practicing with my SN pencils instead. But. Oh. My! Prismas are renown for being one fo the best and that they are.

 I confess I took the desk shots yesterday before I started colouring. But took this as I coloured.

Can you spot the bit I've missed?!

Each colour is done with 3 pencils - dark, medium & light. To create the tones. These pencils blend so well. I'm a bold colour girl. But then you know that don't you?! 

I don't start with a plan or anything I just choose my first colour and go. 

 

This is what it looks like now. I've had to move it off my desk to allow Baxter to sit up there for a bit!!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 352 - I'm okay I promise!

Well hello to you all, sorry I've been missing these last few weeks. It's been manic here. 

I'm back to join up with Julia & WOYWW pop over join in and share your desk. 

So you know Keagan came home from Newmarket having graduated the British Racing School, well I've even more exciting news. 

He got his work placement for his Traineeship sorted and I'm delighted to say he is now literally living his dream working in horse racing. 

He's working for race horse trainer - Jeremy Scott - a fabulous yard based in The Exmoor Naional Park, near Brompton Regis overlooking the Wimbleball Lake. Stunning views. It's about 55 miles from here so Keagan's had to move to live in situ. Hence the manic here statement. He had an interview on the Thursday, accepted the job on the Fri and moved there the following Wednesday! With me washing and packing like you wouldn't believe to get him ready.

He's close enough for us to visit and for him to come home on weekends off. Sadly there's no phone reception there, but we've sorted out how to make calls etc using Messenger apps. Thank goodness for the internet! 

I admit I've not been so good since all that dramatic madness of moving! I've stepped away from everything and rested. I've even missed 2 Bristol Rovers home games. Yep. That bad.

Right anyway I'm waffling, but I wanted to bring you up to speed!

So my desk - well I got this idea of some notecards to sell on my Creative Together site. I had these stamps free with a magazine, can't remember which one, but as a dog lover I had to have them!

 So the right side has leftovers from previous makes - pens & papers. My box of pens I use in my planner and the Belvita box is there ready to undo to use as a template for a box to put notecards in!

 Window side is a WIP - space to work, cards I've made and then the stamps, ink and block plus the bits I've printed off to use.

I've moved my planner and Book Art WIP to the window to give me more room. 

There sorry it's a long one, but there's been lots to catch you up with.

Take care Zo xx

The Graduation Post! - WOYWW 349

Ok I'm being naughty and linking this to Julia's WOYWW 349 but I knew many of you would love to see this as well. So it's not my desk more like Keagan's of late!!

Okay so you may have noticed I've been missing this last week. Well things have been a little hectic round here and then I wasn't feeling that great so had to rest so that I would be ok to go and see Keagan graduate from The British Racing School!

Yes 14 weeks have passed and he has reached the finish line of this particualr race (see what I did there?!!) But in truth this is really only the beginning of his racing career. Now we have to sort the final details of his work placement (Thursday. Fingers Crossed) and then get him settled (he's going to have to move to live in situ if everything goes to plan). He has to work hard to prove himself and then hopefully he will be returning to the Racing school to do his Jockey Licence course.

Anyway Monday was an amazing day. I took lots of photos as you can imagine. So here are some of them - 

So at first we were taken to see them in the yard - Keagan chose to ride Run On Sterling who he describes as a big baby who spooks easily & therefore is a challenge to ride. Yep my boy didn't take the easy option! Anyone who knows us will know Keagan is not a little lad, he's 5ft 9/10 so you can see just how large this horse is as Keagan doesn't look that big on board!

They took the horses off to warm up while we were taken to the bottom of the straight gallops to wait for them. They rode right by us before going in on the round to circle to wait for their turns to ride up the gallops in twos.

I took this lovely pic at the end once the ride had finished. I don't have any photos of the gallop ride as I was filming it on my phone instead (I will try and cut a short clip to share at some point). It was amazing -  we rode alongside in the minibus which started with the first rider and then dropped back to the second. This allowed us to see both riders during the fastest part of their ride. The riders allow a good gap between them. 

Once finished we went indoors for the presentation.

 Double Grand National winning Jockey Leighton Aspell was there to present the certificates. It wasn't anything grand and it went too fast to take a clear photo but I did manage to take this of Keagan and Leighton after the presentation had finished. Neither of them are that short, both a good 5ft 9-10. It's the flat jockeys who are tiny!

 Here is Keagan and his room mate Matty. These two will be friends for life now. We all got on and I'm staying in touch with Matty and his mum on FB.

So there you go a super day and I know all us parents and families were very proud. 

Yesterday involved washing. Lots of washing! 

Take care Zo x

WOYWW 347 - the tattoo version

Happy Wednesday desk dashers - of course we are here to share and nose at desks through the magical portal that Julia has created over at The Stamping Ground

Today I'm sharing a different desk. It belongs to Max and he is a Tattooist. The reason for this is it's me having the tattoo!

Earlier today I finally got to have the tattoo I was going to have last year for my 40th, but with everything going on back then it didn't happen. I booked this appointment last October and have been looking forward to it ever since. So here's the pics - 

 So the guide transfer is put on.

Max started with the writing.

 Then he got to work doing the colour work.

 Finished.

The colour is stronger in real life. The patches of the giraffe are detailed with flowers or leaves. Hard to see on here I know. I love it and am so happy with it. It doesn't hurt me that much just an annoying scratch really. But then I am on strong painkillers for my conditions!

In my opinion Max is the best artistic tattooist in our area. He also did my Paris tattoo on my other wrist. Today's design is because of my love of giraffes, art and a quote I've always loved. 

So I hope you enjoyed this different desk today!

Take care Zo xx