Will this year Slovenia’s year?

Oh yes people… It’s Eurovision season. 

Don’t sigh. You know to expect this sort of post from me by now. 

The Eurovision National Final selections started way back in November and are in full swing now.

Slovenia picked their song at the weekend and have chosen a rather epic sounding entry, ‘Verjamem’.

It might not be to your tastes but I think it has a good chance of standing out at the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku (capital of Azerbaijan – time to check out GoogleMaps).

Oh and another thing – I had a weird dream last week that Slovenia won this year. I don’t know why I dreamt it – random I know. Who knows……….

Watch and enjoy! (You’ll all be wanting one of the white head decorations too – so don’t deny it).

The Incredible Bond

I wonder what you thought when you read the title of this post. I wonder what images flashed into your mind as you scanned the words and then clicked on the link.

My post today comes after watching a moving video showing Maureen Walsh, a Republican in the United States of America talk on the subject of gay marriage. Her political direction is not what I am focusing on today – more the words which she shares. The speech she gave was brief – only four minutes, but it felt so personal.

I am lucky to live in a country where I am free to marry who I choose. In fact, I will be marrying the partner I love and want to spend my life with… I am lucky to be here and not in one of the many countries which continue to discriminate so strongly against homosexuality.

Please watch the video. It doesn’t take long. Just listen to how passionately she speaks on the subject.

I wonder what you’re thinking right now…

I am thinking about the words she used:

“How can I deny anyone the right to have that incredible bond with another individual in life?”

So true.

I wish more people felt this way.

20 things that make me happy

Life can be so simple if you allow it to be. There are so many things which make me happy, but these are the best ones.

In no particular order…..

1. Waking up on Saturday morning (there’s nothing quiet like it)
2. Bas. Spending my life with him makes me happier than I’ve ever been
3. Arriving home when it’s been pouring down. Putting on the heating and curling up on the sofa
4. Cadbury’s chocolate (the English cadbury’s)
5. Opening birthday and Christmas cards from my mum
6. Buying new clothes
7. Packing for a holiday
8. Visiting new countries
9. Watching favourite films on the sofa with Bas (The Holiday, Love Actually, 27 Dresses, Devil Wears Prada)
10. Getting emails/messages from old friends
11. Organising trips away (especially the ones to the UK)
12. Christmas with the family
13. Walks in forests (I LOVE that smell)
14. Snow, especially when the sky is blue and the sun is shining on the fresh snow
15. My cats, Fudge and Cooper
16. The first day of the summer holiday (every year I am amazed at how good it feels) – the joys of teaching
17. Finally being able to speak Dutch with confidence
18. The Eurovision Song Contest and counting down to it (this starts 6 months before the actual show)
19. Listening to music on iTunes
20. Bike rides

Looking back at my list there aren’t many which need a lot of money. Just to show that you don’t need a lot of money to enjoy life.