Liverpool is on fire!!!!

I've just been driving back from the shop and as I rounded the corner I could see smoke billowing from somewhere in town, as usual I had forgoten my camera!! So I quickly grabbed it and shot back up Edge Lane to get this pic....

I know it's an awful photo, but it's a lesson to always keep my camera with me!!!

Jode xx

It's all mine!!!!

I finally picked up my new car yesterday!!!
It's so cute, a little Citron C1 in dark grey and it looks like a little bubble!!
So.......this is a short blog as I'm going for a cruize..........see ye later xx

OMG.....!!!!!!

So, a few days ago I found out that my boyfriend, Ray and I are expecting a 'lil one! Me of all people.....I really had decided when I was younger not to have kids, but I'm so happy!!!!

There are going to be so many changes because of the little one.....The biggest will be the soap business, I can no longer mix up the lye as the fumes are no good for the bump and I have to avoid some essential oils totally.......but everything made for the shop will be pregnant lady friendly from now on, so thats a good plus.

So this is where I start.......
This is my personal blog where I'll be putting my thoughts and feelings about the world.
I'm not sure where it will lead as I never know what I'll be doing from one day to the next. My life is kinda hecktic with beautiful, peaceful lulls when I can reflect on what the hell's going on around me at the time.
And at this perticular moment in time......life is just fine!!! I've had sooo many changes over the last year you wouldn't reckognise me now, and all for the better :)
So I should tell you a little about myself then I suppose.........
OK my names Joanne, aka: jode, jodie, joe, juanita, jojo etc, etc but my freinds call me juan ~ so lets stick with that as we're all friends here!!
I live in Liverpool , England, I've lived in and around Merseyside all my life and find it a sometimes a wonderful place to live and other times, shall we say, NOT so wonderful!!!
My best friends are my older sister Roo, who lives too far away in Prescot, where we grew up with our older brother Pie (not a typo his name's really Simon!) who also live up in Preccie. Sara who lives within walking distance (luckily enough as the road works for Liverpool City of Culture has made a 2min drive take 10min~great for the environment as I choose to walk it now, although the traffic jams it's creating are silly!!!) Sara is also my business partner......last year we started up in business with our passion for all things beauty......we now handmake soaps, lotions, lip balms etc and business is just starting to boom, with wholesale orders to stock nation wide just coming through the pipe line.......OMG we're sooo excited :) Oh I should tell you our name shouldn't I LOL!!! Mmmm... Handmade Soap and you can find us at mmmmhandmadesoap.etsy.com
OK back to introducing you to my friends........Mrs Cat who lives in the most beautiful place in Liverpool Everton Brow, well she lives by it not on it!! I met Mrs Cat through Sara and we've become proper tight over the last few years sharing laughs and tears, the most tears were shed when our best friend Sheree left to live in Australia, although we all talk all the time we miss her sooo much!!

I'm split 50/50 half homebody, half adventurer, maybe 'cos I've got romany gypsy blood on my mums side!! It's been a while since I've actually gor away anywhere, but I'm sure I'll be going camping a few times this summer....fingers crossed :)

My home is full of pets that I've rehomed, I love animals and nature and have done ever since I can remember. I became vegerarian at the age of 15 after reading some animal rights leaflets I found on the bus (the 10a from Prescot to Liverpool...that brings back some memories!).
So, who lives with me now......?
Noodle, my dog, who came to me when I used to work in Animal Aid, an inner city animal rehomeing charity. I worked there with my friend Sheree who handed me this little ball of fluff and asked if I could possibly foster him, so being the soft touch that I am.........he's still here nearly 6 yrs later!!!

This is Ozric, he arrived as an adult, after Nood but from the same place. ALL of my friends are kinda scared of this little fella and rightly so........when he was in Animal Aid he was lovingly known as The Devil Cat and nobody who came to take a cat home wanted him as he WILL go for your face......!!! But who can blame him? He's only got three legs (missing a back one) when I first saw him he was trying to scratch his ear and his little stump was twitching away, I felt so sorry for him, I gave him a scratch and that was it he wouldn't leave me alone. I told the girls who I worked with about him and they couldn't belive that I'd got anywhere near him, so naturally he came to live with me.




The newist edition to the house hold is Dandy~Lion, she's a sweetheart even if she is a little scabby lol!! My friend Cheryl and I rescued her after she had been abandoned in the house next to hers, she was all skin and bones, I've never seen so many fleas on an animal, they had drank her dry, she never even had to strength to stand and fell asleep in her dinner bowl on the first night!


We can't miss out little Maple Syrup, my tiny brown mouse, she's to fast to get a good piccy of, but I'll try to get one up of her soon, just 'cos she's small doesn't mean that she's not important!!

So, I'm thinking that's enough for now by way of an introduction, I hope I've not bored the pants off you too much with my ramblings..... :)
My other blogs will, hopefully, be just as random!!

Have a great day all

Love & Bubbles
Jode
(aka juanitablack)
xx