Natasha’s Notebook » 2008

From victim to champion

October 15th, 2008 by Natasha

A FORMER victim of domestic violence has set up a website which gives names of all residents in her state of Lake County, who have been convicted for domestic violence.
The list stretches to those with protection or restraining orders and the reason for the database is so that women can check to see if new boyfriends have a history of violence.
The pioneer of www.theweakervessel.org, Myra Spearman was nearly killed by her ex-boyfriend. Myra endured 14 years of “physical, verbal and emotional torture” ~ she was quoted in the Post Tribune. She later found out her abuser had bullied before.
How incredible! This brave lady was pro-active and by setting up the website ~ is a victim no longer.

Posted in Observations, Today's News | No Comments

The day I found my Wedding Dress

October 10th, 2008 by Natasha

WITH the date set and venue booked, mum suggested I start looking for my wedding dress. I had browsed the internet for style ideas and came to the conclusion ~ that it would be a long search for my dream dress.
Although the dresses I saw in the photos were all wonderful in their own way, I just felt they had nothing to do with me. In my mind, the dresses belonged to the models who were wearing them.
Dress after dress
In hindsight, I think the reason that not even one dress appealed… was because they were being worn by another/someone else.
Of course I didn’t know this at the time. At the time, when my Maid of Honour emailed me dress after dress I just felt thought ‘this is gonna be one long search!’
Anyway, mum & I set aside a Saturday in September and decided to start with the wedding dress shop in our home town (the same high street my brother and I traipsed around the shops with mum as kids)!
I spied the magnificent rows
This was the first time I had ever entered a bridal boutique and didn’t really know what to expect. The young woman in the shop was attentive and very helpful. Behind the counter were two adorable little girls, her daughter and sister. And behind them, through half drawn curtains I spied the magnificent rows of real life wedding dresses!
When it was time to proceed to the wedding dress part of the shop, I think my heart skipped a beat, just like it did when my beloved proposed. I would challenge any girl or woman to not feel something stir in her soul upon viewing those spectacular works of art.
Trying on the dress
And here I was… up close to the Cinderella-style, beautiful ball dresses! I could touch the fabric and feel the material. So as the two girls behind the counter played with their Ken and Barbie dolls, just as I used to do when I was their age (on their wedding day was my favourite) I was getting ready to try on one of the dresses.
My mum had picked it out. The dress was close fitting and had lace detailing all the way down. The hands-on assistant helped me get into the dress. When I glanced at my reflection in the mirror ~ I thought it was really lovely. And more than anything… I admired the dress.
“You’ve found your dress..”
Then another dress came to my attention and I cannot remember if it was my mum or the assistant who picked it out. Now, when the assistant helped me into this dress… I smiled a huge smile and I felt really excited. And it fitted like a glove!
My mum then said with eyes the size of saucers: “You’ve found your dress. Don’t bother looking anywhere else. And I’m buying it for you!”
Well, that’s the story of how I found my wedding dress…

Posted in Out and about in London, Observations | No Comments

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From victim to champion

The day I found my Wedding Dress