Thank God it’s Friday!

Thank God it’s Friday!

Hello there.
Thank God it’s Friday, eh!
Friday’s Blog a private peek…
Bank Holiday weekend, too. 
YAY.
Dave and I have been doing You Tube recordings together today, up in the art loft.
That’s a first. Usually, Jim and I work together, but
there’s soooo much design work still left to do for our new parchment products which we are launching in June, that Dave has stepped up to the plate as our new Sound Engineer.
Can you believe I got nervous in front of him???
Ridiculous.
Like our first date!
So we managed three projects 
before one of the red lights started blinking.
Battery Low light….
That put paid to our capers pretty sharpish!
JIM! HELPPPP!!!

That’s it in a nutshell really. 
Two middle aged people getting to grips with this fast-moving, 
IT- driven, technological world.
I do struggle with computers and machines, I really do.  
And because the daily tick list is so long when you are running a company, I get really impatient with myself if I don’t grasp something instantly. 
Doesn’t mean I’m useless though, does it?
I can’t speak for Dave, but I know he’s no different.
I hear the language and I can feel the frustration 
when he’s trying to record something on Logic Pro with his guitar.
Doesn’t mean he’s not an amazing guitarist though, does it?
Do you know what?
We’re doing it!
I’ve taught myself to blog without help now. 
I can add all the links myself.
I can drop in and size the photos and lay out all the New Design Club project sheets too, if I have to.
In fact, when I think about it, I can do a great deal.
I know exactly what I need to know to do the electronic job. 
No more. No less.
If I had more time, I would love to learn more, but these skills come so much more easily to young people who were born in this digital age. What I love about working with young people is that they are so happy to share their knowledge freely and patiently.
So I let them !!
Somebody once told me, when I was getting really pee’d off with a computer that wouldn’t do what I wanted it to,
“There is nothing but time and a little patience standing between you and the solution”.
I get that, I really do.
But the clock is ticking, 
and I would rather WRITE a book than learn how to export it in a compressed file to a friend! 
Got to go!
Paul’s here and we are having chish and fips!

Lots of love,

47 thoughts on “Thank God it’s Friday!

  1. Just had a lovely lunch with my school teacher daughter , pored a cup of coffee and your blog always lifts me up higher .,I'm 68 and am trying to establish a blogg ugh . I'm really challenged . Did copy your beautiful teapot and started coloring . You're right mindfulness for sure

  2. Hi Barbara, I always tell my team that they know more than they think they know, they are pleasantly surprised to find that's true 🙂 Everyone brings something different to the party and we should celebrate what we can do and manage what we can't, wow that's deep for a Friday night xx

  3. Evening Barbara… I am also glad it's Friday! At least tomorrow I don't have to be rudely awakened by my alarm…I can wake up when I'm good and ready….
    And tonight I am going to lose myself in finishing colouring the teapot you shared with us this week! I have a long weekend this week and I need to relax and destress but I know I can thanks to you!! Looking forward to Sunday's show and seeing what all the team did with the new stamps…they are lovely!
    As for technology…if you use it over and over it gets easier and becomes second nature.. It's like everything really. I am sure that when motorcars were first invented people found them strange and were frightened of them…today we take them for granted…same as technology. The more you use it the more second nature it becomes!

    And as for being nervous in front of Dave… I can't believe that! But great he's able to help out while Jim is busy!
    Love and hugs! Xxx

  4. Enjoy those fish and chips. If you want really good ones, you need to visit the Black Country Museum or the Blists Hill Museum – there they are done in the old fashioned way. I know what you mean about the electronics stuff. From the very start, I have learned what I need to do the tasks I need. My latest phone took two weeks of searching on Google to achieve the basic tasks I need. I do know that I am better at most computer things than my children, but my grandson knows more than I will ever do, even to the point of getting into the BIOS of the school computer system because he had finished his work, was bored, so looked to see what he could do. I am off now to make a cup of tea and do some colouring in to relax me after last night's rushing around. Your blog is the start of the relaxing tonight. Have a good evening. xxx

  5. Good evening Barbara, hope you have enjoyed your fish and chips…mmmmm bet they were good…have a great weekend….I am really looking forward to the shows on Sunday…and those fabulous new stamps…clever ladies….hugs…and as for I.T. ….I think I need a Paul too….xx

  6. Evening Barbara, hope you enjoyed your fish and chips. Have a lovely weekend and looking forward to Sunday's show. Kind regards Joanne K

  7. Zgood evening Barbara, I kniw where you're coming from with technology…fgs I dont get notifications again now when you post …infuriating…I got a tablet thinking it would help with the blogging but it takes forever much faster on the lappy…enjour your chish and fips I have spent the afternoon chilled out finishing my teapot x

  8. Happy Friday to you. Enjoy the Fish n Chips I know I would. I have been in to town to visit my husband's new office there was food and drink provided. Then we sneaked off to Sprinkles Gelato (people in Southampton will know). We shared an enormous waffle and had a coffee each. It was a great way to start the weekend. Hugs Jackie

  9. Hello Barb, another great blog post and a good laugh. Say hello to Churchie from me. You and I are of an age Barb, and I work in the IT industry (sometimes wish I did not!), so can imagine your frustration. Hang in there, you are doing great Gal! Have a lovely evening with the Chish and Fips. Hugs to all. Bx

  10. Hi Barbara I am in your club but then we have mastered how to talk to each other on these puter things great blog today have a great weekend looking forward to Sunday T V and colouring my teapot
    Hugs Pauline xx

  11. Hello. It's turned out nice afterall. Glad we've some youtube videos in hand, even if we'll hear the swearing in the background! Love fish and chips but what a bore I'm trying so hard to be good. Have a great evening. xx Margaret Col.

  12. Hi Barb,
    Great blog post today ( as usual). Know exactly where you are coming from on the technology front as well. It's strange that you get nervous in front of Dave. – I am trying to teach myself the keyboard ( musical not computer!) and I get really embarrassed when my Dave comes to watch/ listen. This is someone I've known for 39 years and been married to for almost 28 years! It's just bizarre! Looking forward to Sunday – the new products look fabulous. Love Alison xx

  13. Hello Barbara

    I think you are amazing to have learnt so much. Hope you are not beating yourself up about the things you can't quite grasp.

    I love the 'sneak peek' on Fridays, although yesterday was also a sneak peek.

    Love
    Roz.x

  14. Evening Barbara, have just had chish and fips and jolly nice it was too. I've also had a go at parchment this afternoon in readiness for this new line you are bringing out! And I have brought the teapot print with me to the forest for the weekend too! Digital age… Well I think you do brilliantly so don't underestimate yourself!
    Enjoy your evening with Paul and Dave
    Much love

    Kim xx

  15. Aw Barbara, ye keep tempting me wi things I cannae eat!!! It would be chips and white pudding for me but I've a funny feeling white pudding won't be gluten free!!! Chips should be ok, the next time Nicola comes I can ask her to get me a poke, there's a good chippie literally at the bottom of my road, along with a good bakers, so near yet so far away!!! Just as well I'm housebound, imagine having to walk past those every day knowing they are out of bounds!!! I'll add the white pudding to the list with the bacon piece for when my allergies have settled enough to try one offs. I'll need to 'borrow' a couple of slices of bread from Nicola for the bacon piece though, nae point buying a whole loaf for 2 slices and I'd just end up eating the whole lot, I love bread, wholemeal seeded mmmm!

    I think you're doing great with the technology, you're clearly learning everything you need to know, and the rest doesnae matter! I think people, like yourself, with really arty brains, can struggle with technology /logical things as a sacrifice, your brain can't be expert at everything ;-). And we need a world where we all excel at different things, it wouldn't work otherwise. Enjoy what you can of the holiday weekend, looks like you're getting warm weather again, we're still in winter, the ski centres have the best snow they've had all winter! love Brenda xx

    Donna, I'll need to miss our colouring in session today. I'm feeling extra extra not well and just about to head off for bed :-(. It's ok it's just my cfs because of garden day on Wednesday. It always takes a couple of days for the worst of the affects of doing something to appear, and I was already extra not well for nearly a week now, so it's hit me extra hard this time. The upside of it taking a couple of days is if I've got extra stuff that needs doing and I'm able I'll do it the second day! If I'm going to suffer for doing something I may as well make the most of the time between and squeeze every last ounce out of me first!!! The only trouble with this is these days I'm not fit for anything any day!!!! I might still be up for it tomorrow. Love Brenda xx

    1. Brenda – we have a chippie up in Inverness that does GF batter one day a week, and I've been making GF cake and shortbread today! Hope you're feeling better tomorrow – I know that feeling of fatigue is just so awful. Thankfully my ME has gone now, but I remember it well – hope one day yours will be just a memory too, S x

    2. Morning Brenda hope yer better the day. Somedays I turn day into night if you know what I mean nap to much in the day then can't sleep at night trying to stop that .
      Anyway take care and hope your feeling better soon
      …..Dot xxxx

    3. Thank you everyone :-). Thought I best check in just now in case Barbara's blog today is too late for me, wasn't wanting anyone worrying :-). I've got up, not sleeping much anyway and hate lying in bed all day, and Daisy hates it too, when it gets to being after midday I start getting hassled to get up!!! So I did and then went back to bed!!! I've got my wee chore done and going to curl up in my beanbag and maybe do a wee bit sewing or crochet or something. It's like flu but without the very high temperature.
      Donna, can I have another extension please!!!!
      Susan, what gluten free flour do you use, is it different to the rice flour stuff? I can't use that because of the texture (Asperger's thing) and it seems there's something in it that is triggering my allergies too, Autism means your body can react in a totally different way or even the opposite way to all sorts of things. I'm meant to be looking at buying a flour mill so I can grind things like maize, oats, chickpeas to make my own flour. It's an expensive, complicated business having all these food allergies!!!
      Glad you got your teapot printed off Dot, I'm just using cheap pencils, they're sort of ok, pretty rubbish, it takes a lot of work to get colour from a lot of them and you can't darken them by going over more, it's one shade or nothing!
      Love Brenda xx

    4. Hi Brenda, I use the Doves Farm gluten free flour for most of my baking – I think it's a mixture of different grains. I don't mind the texture of it, but I know what you mean about some flours being a bit weird to the touch – I'm a bit like that with semolina! Susan x

  16. Hi Barbara, hope you enjoyed your chish and fips! Looking forward to the shows on Sunday. I am sure it doesn't take you long to pick things up when you try something new. Technology is changing so fast its a wonder anyone can keep up! Be proud you have made a wonderful blog. Xx

  17. Hi Barbara
    You do make me smile. I struggle with the techno bit as well. I have a theory that artistic souls find technology and computers incompatible with their arty side. It's so regimented and restricted that it stifles the freedom that a creative person needs. In my case it's not being able to teach an old dog new tricks. I am looking forward to Sunday. What are you plotting with Paul while you are enjoying those Chish and Fips?
    Crafty hugs
    Chris X

  18. Hi Barbara, Just realised the time when I got to the chish and fips…haven't had mine yet!!!
    As for technology…I studied Computer Programming when I was 32…was really good at it too, but that was all about designing computers and programmes to work for other people. I too can turn the air blue with frustration when programmes don't work or simple communications just have a mind of their own…I really wonder sometimes who wrote the programming!!! Unfortunately The big IT guys release programmes and patches before they have ironed out the bugs in them (I know this for sure as my Sister has to solve these problems on a daily basis…she in a computer engineer and analyst – she can turn the air positively black!!!) So don't beat yourself up. You ARE doing brilliantly with ALL that you do. I would need to hire about thirty helpers to do what you do and that would probably just be in the office never mind anywhere else! Ok…off to see if one of my family will cook me some food, I'm sure we have some lol
    Hugs
    Emma xx

  19. You go girl! I use to train people on software systems and I know the fear, the desperation and the upset that can be caused, and the amount of people that use to say, 'I'm so stupid'! I always said 'How can you be stupid when you don't know?' I had all the patience in the world for people wanting to try and learn, whatever they wish to. The greatest satisfaction is when their face would light up after a little training, and they would say, 'WOW, that's great!' So well done you Barbara, very proud of you! 🙂 x

  20. Hi Barbara, what a beautiful flower to start your blog, isn't it a pretty colour. Sounds like you had a fun day with Dave , did you get the giggles? I'm with you on technology, can try to do bits myself but have a teenager and a computer expert to sort me out. I get told off for getting cross with inanimate objects when they go wrong! Enjoy your Chish and fips a great evening with Paul.
    Love Diane xxx

  21. Barbara You make me smile and right now I need it what a week ,looking forward to your you tube Tuesday and your parchment products and colouring books too have a lovely bank holiday weekend to all hugs xxx

  22. Ooooh fish and chips, not had any since I started my diet months ago. I can almost smell them. I have figured out a lot of things with computer but I am lucky that several family members are brilliant if I need help. You could have done with my son today, he is an audio visual technician, loves to tell us how all the lighting is done on productions. Looking forward to seeing the parchment goodies, feel a spending spree starting. Enjoy weekend ,once show is over. xx

  23. Well done Dave for stepping up as sound engineer! My OH has done his first U-tube video today to promote his photography workshops and I'm really proud of him – no swearing!!! Quite a different story to when he was redoing the website or helping me set up my blog. I can smell your fish supper from here, but we've just started a diet, so it's out of bounds for me for a bit longer yet – enjoy! Susan x

  24. The flower in the first photo is stunning, the colour is so vibrant. I'm very busy colouring in my teapot. Such a great way to relax and shut the world out. Can't wait for your 'grown up' colouring book to hit the Clarity website. Bound to be fantastic. XX

  25. Hi Barbara, hope the fish and chips went down well mmm. You aren't the only one that struggles with technology, at least you've got a lot further than I have, you should be very proud with all you've achieved, I wouldn't know where to start in setting up a blog. It took me 18 months to get how to comment on yours. Bet you were only nervous with Dave because you thought you'd have the giggles. What does it matter? At least you give us something to laugh about. Looking forward to Sunday's C&C to see your new products. Enjoy your weekend.xx

  26. Hi Barbara, Talking about making videos.. reminded me about last Tuesdays, I watched with the sub- titles on, some of the words had nothing to do with the video at all, I thought it was funny at first, but when I watched again some of them were quite disturbing, perhaps you can ask one of your techy chaps to take a look. We have been decorating today so had chish & fips for tea a rare treat, (supposed to be dieting,) the smell of vinegar is enough to make your mouth water.
    looking forward to your show on Sunday
    Linda

  27. I like interact with technology 'on a need to know' basis, and that's good enough for me! Anymore and I would just glaze! I hope you enjoyed your fish and chips! xxx

  28. Morning Barbara if it wasn't for my wee grandson Ian 11 me I wouldn't even be here or have my teapot printed but look at me so that saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks is rubbish it just needs time and patience.
    can't wait for Sunday for another Barbara fix now ive got an email thingy might try one o them to get in that spotty cup..xxxxDot

  29. Hi Barbara. Wow, is the beautiful flower in the first picture today actually in your garden? If it is you must keep stopping to look at it as the colour is amazing, isn't it?
    I am not a lover of new technology. It takes me ages to remember how to do something and drives the rest of the family mad as they have to keep showing me over and over again until it finally sinks in. It also makes them all laugh when I have a quiet polite word or two with the laptop etc. if it is not behaving as I think it should be. (Ok, maybe I actually shout and swear at it!) You have learnt so much since your very first post on your blog, haven't you? You are allowed to get upset when things don't go right. Isn't it funny how we all seem to get nervous/shy with those closest to us about the strangest things, you are not alone at feeling like that with Dave. They are the ones that see us "warts and all" so why do we feel like this? Does anyone have an answer?
    I hope you had a great fish and chip supper with Paul. Have a great weekend with safe travels and lots of fun tomorrow. : ) Take care x

  30. I think quite a few of us have mastered the computer by being quite determined but I have to say sometimes I get really cross when things go wrong though. I hope you enjoyed your fish and chips too. x

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