WOYWW 364 - 7th Anniversary.

Hello fellow desk dashers - it's the 7th anniversary of this desk sharing malarky and you can find all the details and the desks over at LLJ Fabric Frenzy

Now I'm sadly not taking part in the swap as I've not been so good and haven't made anything. I've not done much crafting other than a spot of crochet while resting. The window desk is bare (well there's a WIP I can't share that's been sat there for weeks) but I did snap the right side for you.

There's the pens & trays of pencils. The pencil covered shelves in front of my Ebosser are part of a decorated MDF shelving unit that Debs gave me for my birthday recently. She decorated it beautifully with pencil paper. I'm going to use it to put the pencils or pens I'm using on it so I don't lose the colour combos. At the front are my football sticker swaps for my Euro 2016 Panini sticker book. I only need about 95 stickers to complete now!

As I don't have ATC's to swap I thought I'd share 2 photos with you all. 

The first was taken 26 years ago. It was the first time Bristol Rovers played at what is now the old Wembley stadium. L-R Me, my younger brother Danny, our dad at the back and our friend Paul. 

I've seen Rovers play twice at the old Wembley and twice and the new Wembley. We lost both times at the old one but won both times at the new one!

The next photo was taken recently at a Point to Point meeting where Keagan was working for Team Scott. He works for the Jeremy Scott racing yard where they train both National Hunt and Point to Point racehorses. He's leading up here in the parade ring before a race. 

Professional photographers take these photos. As Keagan was tagged in the photos it meant I got to see it and can share it.

 

Happy WOYWW everyone. You guys are the best.

Take care Zo xx

A moment in History - fears, tears & celebration!

 It's taken me a couple of days to calm down enough to think, to write this.

If you know me, or follow me on other social media you will already seen what happened on Saturday. I am a Gashead you see. I support Bristol Rovers. And have done so for 30 years. I've held a season ticket for many years and go to as many games as I am able. 

Being disabled I use my wheelchair (yes it's blue!) & usually my mum comes to push me round the ground, in the bar and down to where my seat is in the South Stand. Mum's not really bothered about the football but comes to make sure I enjoy my day & helps me do that.

During my time watching Rovers I have witnessed 1 automatic promotion in 1990 and 2 promotions via the play offs. 2007 & 2015.

I have never experienced what I experienced on Saturday.

It was the last game of the season. Rovers were in 4th place. Outside of the automatic places. Basically we had to win and hope that Oxford or Accrington Stanley would drop points.

Here's my day in pictures - 

 My mate Dave (he lives in Huddersfield) was down for the game and I met him in the bar before the match. Pre-match nerves were very obvious.

 

Early on it was a beautiful day. I get to my seat early so was able to take this before it all filled up.

 Our mascot Captain Black Arab walks around the entire ground meeting youngsters and waving his flag!

 The surfer flag was out as well.

I took a half time selfie with my mum. We didn't realise then that we'd witness a very dramatic ending to our day!

At 90mins we were drawing 1 -1 which meant as it stood we would miss out on automatic promotion. Oxford were winning and Accrington were drawing. We had to win. To equal Accrington on points but we had a better goal difference. 

I didn't think it would happen. The players gave everything. We had 35 shots. The ball hit everything other than the back of the net.

BUT. In the 92 min Rovers attacked once again. Matty Taylor's shot hit the post rebounding back to Lee Brown who connected with the ball with his right foot (he's a left footer normally!) and put it in the net. Cue crazy scenes of celebration before everyone realised we still have time to play and Accrington were still playing.

Me and mum stayed in the stand. Many ran on the pitch straight away. I couldn't. I stood there screaming but also knowing we had to wait for Accrington's game to finish.

This was the scene. Taken from the high stand to my right. Over 11 thousand fans were there, (300 from our opposition). There was a subdued moment where everyone stopped. And then the news broke that Accrington's game had finished. They drew 0 - 0 which meant Rovers were promoted on goal difference. We had the same points. 85 points.The roar that went up was incredible.

That was when I sent mum to get my chair as I was not going to sit and watch everyone on the pitch I wanted to join in!

I confess as I waited for mum I shed a few tears. I couldn't believe it.

I took a few pics on the pitch.

In the end box is our owner and his directors, chairman and his family.

The players were held aloft on shoulders and everyone sang and danced and celebrated together. The players hugged and kissed everyone.

 I was sat at the side of the pitch when our manager came over. Yep Darrell Clarke is one amazing man!

 Our top goal scorer came my way as well, surrounded by elated fans.

Someone took this from the executive boxes. What a scene!

I have to thank Liz - Crafty Sunflower for taking this photo of me and mum on the pitch! We waved to each other before the game as we can see each other from our respective seats. Mum was pushing me away from the crowd at this point.

I managed to get mum to manage the crowds to capture these pictures with players.

 With Lee Brown - our goal scoring hero. Also 1 of my fav players. Yes I gave him a huge hug and kiss!

 Will Puddy - yes he got a hug and a kiss too.

 Rory Gaffney. Another recipient of a hug and kiss from me.

Lee Mansell - my other fav player. And yes you guessed it. I gave him a huge hug. But when it came to a kiss. He didn't just offer his cheek he grabbed my face and planted a huge smacker right on the lips. So funny. You see Lee is known for his kisses!! (Long story - he once kissed an opposition player to diffuse a situation in the pitch!) 

My mum found it all rather amusing!!

So there you go. We got home just before 7. It didn't feel right to sit in home on my own, I was on cloud 9, buzzing, so me and brother Danny and sister-in-law Jen, who were also at the match, went out for a celebratory drink (well I had coke!). 

Mind you our evening was very quiet compared to most. A busy road just round corner from the ground had to be shut as Gasheads filled it for many hours. Players were carried down the road on the shoulders of the fans. Even our owner went down for a while to celebrate with the fans at the pub. No security guards keeping fans and players apart like they do in the Premier league.

Here's our owner Wael Al-Qadi being carried to the pub.

Here's Lee Brown being carried - shirt soaked in champagne & cider but it didn't matter. All the players went out with the fans and celebrated into the early hours.

 

I already have my season ticket for next season. Little did I know when I bought it that I would be watching League 1 football!

UTG

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 361 - something new.

Hello desk dashers - I'm joining in with Julia at The Stamping Ground for our usual weekly desk share.

I'm presently setting up my new phone so my desk is now covered in phone stuff. Transfering from old to new phone is so easy now. I had to put them back to back then connect lead from 1 to other. It's now installing and doing everything itself having copied from old phone. Exciting. Can't wait to play.

Earlier I took these photos of my desk - 

 Right hand desk is a mess. You can see my storage block Julia made me with all my tools & bits bobs I use all the time. Then there's the trays of pencils in front of my copics. My Euro 2016 sticker album is there also.

My window desk is bathed in sunlight. The WIP book folding project is to the left then there's the huge piece of white card that I use to put projects on to take pics.

The finished project is a little picture hanging for my friend as she's just had a baby boy. I really challenged myself with this. As you all know I'm a copic marker girl but I thought I'd be brave and attempt to colour with my Prismas on kraft card. Must say I'm very very happy with myself. Here's the finished project - 

A close up - am so pleased with the skin. I've never managed to blend as well as I have here. I deliberately didn't blend the blue babygrow as I wanted it to look like material.

Have a fabulous week. It's warm here so I shall have my rest sat outside reading in the sunshine later.

Oh many of you who see me on other social media will know I had a fall on the stairs on Saturday. I'm ok but it was the kick up the backside I needed to make that phone call to see about a stairlift. I'm on the waiting list for an OT consult. I've already had an OT consult couple of years ago and had my bathroom changed to a wetroom and other equipment installed. So they already have my file and information. Fingers crossed it won't be too long. 

I always said I would make the call once I started feeling unsafe on the stairs and I wouldn't wait until I really hurt myself to do it.

Take care Zo xx

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