Calculators - good or bad?

Are calculators and computers such a good idea in primary school learning? Do they really teach children and young people the way to count, reckon up and subtract figures? I`m not talking about complicated mathematics for complex uses, but just ordinary everyday maths which we use everyday for tasks like shopping.

At least two incidents recently really made me wonder about this. First in a store, the young lady on a till had to count out change for a purchase from a £10 note, could she do it? No. She had to turn to the older cashier on the next till and ask her to come and do it. Second time, I observed a customer count out the cost of her shopping in small change, give the handful of the change to the young cashier. The cashier looked at the pennies and silver and had three or four goes to count it to see if it was correct, in the end she turned to the older person on the next till and said I can`t do this, can you count it !

So, isn`t it time we taught children how to count without having mechanical devices to just give them the answer?

Daisy

Looking through some of the photos I`d taken during last summer, I came across this single daisy, so as I`ve nothing interesting to write today, enjoy the picture.

Alone with thoughts

How I wish I had a brother or sister to share things with, especially at the moment when I feel so much responsibility for a parent. I feel so alone. I know there are some people who will help with some practical issues, for which I`m grateful. But there is so much is going round in my mind – what to do for the best; where to put my priorities – parent or work; what if this…; what if that….; what`s best to do?….etc...etc.... Oh, why haven`t I got a brother or sister to share it with, to talk all these things over with.

Scenic photo

As I can`t get any inspiration on what to write today, here`s a photo of a favourite duck feeding spot.

And, talking of birds, hope you like the little pet who`s joined my site. (on the right hand side bar. click the word `more` and see what happens)

Unusual travel

I had the unusual experience of having to catch a train today – and found forgotten pleasure in a train ride, even though it was only for a short distance, there was something quite relaxing about the sound of the wheels on the track and just watching the countryside go by, looking into peoples back gardens. Something I used to do quite regularly – no, not look into gardens!, but use the train. And that today followed the very unusual experience of having a ride in an ambulance – not, I hasten to add, thankfully as the patient.

Sitting doing a word puzzle in a book as I waited for the train today, I uncovered a quotation that seemed so apt to me at present: “Anxiety is simply part of the condition of being human”. Only snag is, it didn`t give any ideas on how to cope with being anxious and worried.

Crash, bang, wallop!

Its 3.30 a.m. and I can`t sleep I`m worried, so I`m going to share that worry on here.

About an hour ago I was woken from a sound sleep by a noise – a lumping bumping noise. I jumped out of bed, opened my bedroom door and there found my parent had fallen on her way to the bathroom, and was lying full length on the floor near the top of the stairs.

But, how to get her up, that was the problem. She can`t get herself up. She`s no light weight and has a leg which won`t bend. At that time of the morning I couldn`t ring anyone or get a neighbour and I`m alone in the house with her. Eventually after a lot of struggling between us I managed to get her up.

But now I worry – what if it happens again and I can`t lift her, if I can`t get her up what do I do. The weight of responsibility feels to be so heavy on me, and I`m scared and worried.

Red Sky

Red sky at night
Shepherds delight
Red sky in the morning
Sailors warning.

That old proverb/saying came to me as I saw this sky last night. It looked so beautiful and such unbelievable colours. If anyone had painted a picture with the sky that colour, I`d have though it wasn`t life-like. But this really was the colour of the sky here yesterday evening.

Stocktaking

Fancy a bit of stocktaking?
I know it`s quite customary for shops, warehouses, factories, depots and other places to have annual or regular stocktakes, where they count everything they have. But, I heard of something the other day that caused me to stop and `take stock`……

A zoo was going to do a stock take, and count all their creatures but as well as just counting them, they were going to list how many male and how many female of each species they`d got. Now, I can understand how they could count a cage of sleeping lions or tigers, or an enclosure of penguins – so long as they stood still!, but how, I wondered, does one count birds in an aviary that are constantly flying too and fro, and what about the stick insects and tiny insects no doubt hiding amongst foliage in their tanks, how does one count them, let alone decide if they are male or female!

And, further to that, what happens if the count of giraffes doesn`t match the quantity they think they should have? Or if they are a tarantula short…. do they put out an alert and go looking for it?

It puts a whole new meaning on the word Stock taking doesn`t it?

Lifetimes

I heard this on the radio this morning, and it made me smile, so thought I`d share it….

On the first day, God created Dog and said, “you`re to sit at the door of the house and bark at everyone who comes in or out of the house or goes past. I`ll give you a life span of 20 years”. “Twenty years!” said Dog, “that`s too long to sit and bark, I`ll give you 10 years back”. “Alright” said God.

On the second day, God created a Monkey and said, “you`re to perform monkey tricks to entertain people, I`ll give you a life span of 20 years”. “Twenty years! That’s far too long to perform tricks” said Monkey, “I`ll give you 10 years back”. “Alright” said God.

On the third day, God created Cow and said, “you`re to graze the pasture, produce calves, produce milk and work for farmer, I`ll give you a life span of 60 years”. “That’s far too long” said Cow, “I`ll give you 40 years back”. “Alright” said God.

On the next day God created Man and said, ”you`re to eat, sleep and have fun, I`ll give you a life span of 20 years”. “That`s not long enough” said Man, “let me have the 10 years Dog gave back, the 10 years Monkey gave back and the 40 years Cow gave back”. “Alright” said God, “that will make 80 years. For the first 20 years you`ll eat, sleep and enjoy life, for the next 40 years you`ll work hard and produce a family, for the next 10 you`ll perform monkey tricks for your grandchildren and for the last 10 you`ll sit and the door and bark at all who pass” !

A Beautiful growth

For the last few weeks, we have been watching something that looked at first to have no life, gradually grow and flourish. First there was a tiny green tip, then gradually leaves grew up tall before the flower spike appeared. I always love to see the spring flowers emerge from their bulbs and open to full beauty.



This is a photo of one of the hyacinths which we now have out in full bloom.
It`s just a pity that there isn`t a way (yet!) to include scent on blog postings! The perfume from this hyacinth is beautiful.

Longer days

The nights are pulling out now, and I was able to walk home from work in almost daylight tonight. Much better! Each year there somehow seems, to me, to be less and less really long dark evenings. Years ago they seemed to go on for ever and be a really long winter. Is it just my imagination or are they getting less.

Thinking of that expression I`ve just used, which is commonly heard when the days begin to get longer, set me wondering why do we say that the nights are pulling out, who first coined that phrase - or that one, come to think of it! Gosh, that`s three phrases in a short sentence. Where do they all come from?

But, getting back to the first one, it set me picturing a little old man or elf like figure somewhere literally pulling hard on a string to make the day light last longer. Strange how expressions can bring farcical pictures to mind isn`t it.

A Winter Walk

Keeping to my new year resolutions I went for a walk this afternoon. Taking my car, I went to the coast and parked near the promenade. The sun was out, the wind cold but bracing. It was a joy to be outside, to be able to appreciate the beauty of a bright winter`s day. The tide was out and there was a long golden stretch of sand and in the distance one could see the sea gently lapping on the sand. It was so peaceful and quiet. And for a bonus, I had it all to myself, on the whole of the promenade I only passed a couple of people out walking their dogs.
Walking along I came across this seagull sitting on a lamp-post and couldn`t resist taking this photo of him (or her). I also saw a small group of Turnstones pecking about, I was able to get quite close to them and stood watching them for a while. There is just so much beauty in nature.

Eye Test

It made my day!
I`ve been told that I`ve got the healthy eyes of a twenty year old!
I went and had my eyes tested today as it`s a while since I had them done. One of the things they did was to take a photo of the back of my eye – amazing, that in an instant there it was on the screen on the computer beside the machine that flashed a light at me and took it. And from looking at that, I was told how healthy my eyes were. It really is wonderful the technology now for tests like that, and we have such a lot of unknown people to thank for their work in researching and evolving such devices.
I still need glasses for seeing distance but I can read any tiny print easily without them. So then it came to selecting new frames, and what a choice there was, eventually I decided on a pair and now wait ten to fourteen days to get them.
Wonder if anyone will notice they`re different when I get them.

Best Prescription

I wonder what the best prescription you ever had. For me, it must be what my doctor prescribed about 12 years ago. Nothing medical !
I`d been going to see him on a few occasions during bereavement (without my parent knowing), and he kept saying that to boost my confidence the best thing I should do would be to learn to drive. It would give me independence, freedom and confidence. Eventually I followed his prescription, and have to agree, it was the best thing I ever did. Eleven years today I passed my driving test, and I felt “on top of the world”.
How I wish now though, that I`d learnt to drive years ago, and so that my Dad could have had enjoyment from it too.

No problem.....ughh!

"No problem" - did I ask if there was a problem?
No.
I just asked a work colleague if they could do something. It wasn`t a problem to start with, it was just a normal job that needed doing.
Why, I wonder, is it so fashionalble to answer everything with "no problem", instead of just a yes, ok, alright or similar expession. It really irritates me to hear that reply to everything, and more and more people are doing it.
Where does it come from? Is it another Americanism got into this country? We can do without it if so. We have a good English language without needing to resort to using such senseless expressions.

Number plate

Wouldn`t it be good if you could design number plates for you own car.
Well here`s mine.



Here`s where to make a number plate for yours

Ten Favourites

Thought I`d share today some of my top ten favourites:

Looking at a beautiful sunset,
Walking along a deserted beach,
Sitting on my own with a book,
Listening to the sounds of a bird singing,
Walking along a cliff top,
Seeing the beauty of flowers,
Having the house to myself,
Listening to a good sermon,
A drive in my car,
Blogging

And my favourite 10 foods:

Fish & chips,
Ginger treacle steamed pudding,
Roast chicken,
Chocolate orange trifle,
Goose dripping on toast,
Omelette and chips,
Toad-in-the-hole,
Roast beef & Yorkshire puddings,
Orange flan,
Apple pie & icecream.

(not exactly a `healthy` diet is it?! but it suits me!)

Wonder what others would list as their 10 favourites.

A week on....

It`s a week ago since I wrote my new year resolutions and posted them on here.

There`s one that I`ve failed to keep so far, and that is to write this blog earlier in the day. I really must aim to do better next week with that one. Just so long as I get the inspiration on what to write, that`s all I need!

The others I`m not doing too badly on at the moment. I`ve been walking to work instead of taking the car, so I class that as having more exercise! My workroom here has been tidied and papers filed and I aim to keep it that way. Some of the others I need to do more work on, but at least I`ve not broken them.....yet!

Next review in about a month.

Words

Blogging is good for me. Having kept a blog daily for just over a year now, I realise how good it is for me.
Not only does it allow me a place where I can say what`s on my mind, sometimes thoughts and feelings that I wouldn`t necessarily want to talk about to people, but which I feel the need to share. But more so because I`ve realised that it`s actually helping my use of words.

That thought came to me yesterday after I`d posted yesterdays entry. A few month ago I would have just used the words bits & pieces or odds and ends, instead I found that I`d used the word paraphernalia. Alright, I must admit, I doubt I`d use that in conversation with others for fear of being thought `above them`, but writing on here has made me stop and think and try to find more accurate words for what I want to say. Although probably my grammar, English and punctuation aren`t too good, I hopefully make it more interesting reading too. I know I certainly now enjoy trying to find the right descriptive words instead of the common ones. So, I suppose you could call blogging an educational exercise?

Bareness

Well, everywhere now looks very bare. I`ve just taken down the Christmas tree, window lights, cards and all the other paraphernalia of Christmas decorations, and how bare everywhere looks. Strange isn`t it, that although these things are only in place for two or three weeks, they become so part of the house that one misses them so much when they are removed.

Yet, on the other hand, for the start of a new year, it seems right to have everything put away, clean and tidy for a new start, a clean start. Well, apart from the cobwebs that now show up now that the ornaments have come down. Must get the feather duster out tomorrow!

Sayings (4)

Having written a while ago about sayings, and not being able to think of anything else to write today here`s one that seems appropriate at the moment.

"Days lengthen, cold strengthen".

It does seem, that since we passed the shortest day, and therefore the days and evenings should be getting that bit lighter, that the weather turns cold and snow falls.
Is there really a link between the length of days and the temperatures? Or is that saying just an old wives tale?!

Cold Feet?

“My feet are cold”….
... It looked to me as if this duck could be saying that in the photo that I took of some ducks on the local village duck pond that we`d been feeding yesterday. There was a large sheet of ice still on the pond despite the fact that the sun was shining brightly. And after being fed we noticed several of the ducks swim out and stand on the ice, most were busy preening their feathers, but this one kept lifting his (or her) feet up!

It made me wonder too what they thought about suddenly being able to walk on water!

Verse for the New Year

As we start a new year, here is a verse – well I suppose a verse, don`t know what else to call it – that I`m going to concentrate more on. I don`t know where it comes from, but it`s something that I have found sometimes comes into my mind and goes round and round, at times when perhaps I`m feeling uncertain, or driving to somewhere strange, or just “in need”. So it`s become quite an important one to me, it`s comforting and strengthening..

The Lord is here
The Lord is there
The Lord is with me everywhere

New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions.

To have more patience with my parent

To make more time for myself

To make more time to pray and read my bible

To complete a needlework picture I started a few years ago

To be more organised

To keep things tidier

To have more exercise

To try and talk more to people, to try and make friends

To overcome the nerves I get at times about going anywhere

To find time and space to sit and read

To write my Blog earlier in the day

Having started writing this list of new year resolutions, (and it`s several years since I did make any resolutions) it came to me that maybe they`re not really all resolutions but some are ways in which I know and feel that I badly need to change. But yet, what really is a resolution? I looked it up in the dictionary and found – firm intention; great determination; - so maybe these are resolutions then.

Can I keep them though! Readers will have to keep nudging me on them!

I Wish a Happy New Year and good health to everyone who reads this.

Looking back

It`s the last day of the year, so I`ve been doing a bit of looking back, with a mixture of feelings and emotions.
I`m still single and 99.9% happy to be so, but yet sometimes I wish I`d got a partner, someone to care about me.
I`m still living in the same house as I`ve lived all my life, which in which we had the kitchen and bathroom completely refurbished this year, it was a major upheaval, but well worth it.
I`m still working at the same place, but have cut down my hours so only now do 33 hours a week. It`s lovely and has made a big difference to me.
I`ve come to accept a bit better my mothers` relationship with her man friend than I did at the start of the year, yet at times I still feel a lot of resentment, both for her putting him in my Dad`s place and for the way she always considers him in doing and arranging things, before she considers me and my feelings on them. Yet, in another way it`s a good thing as at least it gives me a few hours to myself each week.
My Church work is still a lifeline to me, having no family of my own this means a lot to me and gives me a purpose and sense of belonging. But I feel that my faith needs to grow more.
My main worry during the year ( and which will continue, I know) is the way my parent is getting older, slower and less able to do things, and I worry that I won`t be able to cope in time to come with that on my own. And having no brothers or sisters to help, it does frighten me at times.

But overall, it`s not been a bad year, just a very ordinary one.

Wonder what 2006 will bring

Snow

What beauty there is in the way such tiny specks of white frozen water can form together and delicately cover everything.

On this day in 1969

36 years ago today by the date, I did something for the first time.

Yes, it`s the day I started working where I still work. Isn`t that boring?! During that time I`ve seen 7 managers come and go and am now on the 8<sup>th</sup>. one and that`s not counting all the short term relief ones we`ve had. The firm has changed hands at least 4 or 5 times, if not more I`ve got lost on that count. But then, does one ever really know who one works for now-a-days? There`ve been happy times, more so in past years than recently, (and that`s not looking at it through rose coloured spectacles), it’s a fact that several of us agree on. “Things aren`t what they used to be”. It used to be a good `family` atmosphere and everyone helped one another, now its all money, money, money orientated.

I never thought when I walked in there thirty six years ago that I`d still be there all these years later. But yet, where have those years gone to, it doesn`t seem that long in one way, although looking back it feels a life-time and I don`t feel I`ve accomplished very much with my life.
Roll on retirement!

Why is it....

I`ve not got much time to write anything tonight, so just an observation, or a question, call it what you like!

Why is it that when you`ve plenty of time, everything goes right and jobs get completed before time. Yet, when you`ve not got time everything goes wrong, and hinders you and it’s a struggle to get it done in time.

Shepherds

Back to work today. Is Christmas Day really only 2 days ago? In some ways it seems much longer, how quickly we get back into everyday routine.
It set me wondering – about the Shepherds after they`d been to visit the baby Jesus, what did they do, in the following days, weeks, months and years. Did they tell everyone they met – but being out in the fields would they really meet that many people to tell? Did they quickly get back into the routine of looking after their sheep? Did the events of that night seem like a dream to them? As time went on did they wonder if it had really happened or whether they imagined it? Did it change their lives?

Boxing Day

I think my brain must be having a Christmas holiday too. I can`t think of much to write about today. I`ve taken my Mum out for a ride this morning, as it`s a nice sunny but cold day. Would have liked a walk, but she`s not able to walk anwhere now. So, I think it`s now a case of go and sit round the fire and read a book I had as one of my presents yesterday. Had some nice presents this year - no hankies, calendars or smellies!

I`ve just realised, it`s exactly a year since I wrote my first blog. I`ve just looked back at it. If you weren`t reading my blog then, you might like to look back at that too.

It`s Christmas!

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO
EVERYONE READING THIS TODAY

You may like this link for Christmas

The Night before Christmas

It`s the night before Christmas, the cards are all posted, parcels all delivered, the decorations are up, the goose is cooked. In fact everything now all seems rather “flat”, after all the weeks of preparation there`s nothing else to do. It makes me wonder, is it at times the planning and preparation for special events and times, the thinking of ways to surprise people, or anticipation of something, that gives more “lift” to us than the actual event?
Maybe I`ll feel different tomorrow when it is actually Christmas Day.

(00.40 a.m.) I`m now going to add a post-script to my earlier post (above). Having just attended a inspiring midnight communion service, the feeling of flatness has completely gone, and the real meaning of Christmas has returned. The service gave me a tremedous feeling of peace.

Greed or service?

Forgive me, but I`m going to have a moan today!
In this day and age is there really anyone who desperately can`t manage without shops being open for just two consecutive days? With the advantages of today`s living with all the freezers, fridges and long life foods around, the mountainous trolleys of goodies that everyone buys for Christmas “just incase” and then continues eating for weeks afterwards, Why do shops need to open on Boxing Day?
Is it really just to provide a service, surely the real reason is the greed of the bosses. Those bosses of course not working themselves on Boxing Day, they no doubt have the 2 or 3 or even more days off to celebrate the holiday. It seems to me that things are going backward instead of progress. It seems to be going back to the days of Scrooge, where no consideration is given to the workers.

Snow for Christmas?

Looking at Christmas cards set me wondering…. Did they really have white snowy Christmases years ago? It just seems that a lot of Christmas cards always have old fashioned scenes of people out enjoying skating, sledging, shopping, in the snow. Robins sit on post-boxes, or gate posts or branches of trees all covered in snow. No, not the robins covered in snow! I mean the things they`re sitting on.
Do they really portray how life was or is it all just a dream world?

Angels

We sing quite a lot about angels, especially at this time of year and I`ve been trying to find a picture of an angel for something I`m doing, but somehow despite looking through lots of clip-art images of angels I can`t find anything that seems suitable. Some seem too much like cartoons, others in un-angel like situations, nothing seems right. But then, what do I really expect one to look like – I`ve never seen one!
I know there`s several references to angels in the Bible, but was that the imagery of the time it was written, did it have another meaning, or were/are there real angels? The whole concept of angels is something I find very difficult to picture or imagine. I know we sometimes use expressions like “she`s a little angel” of a little girl that`s exceptionally good, or “you`re an angel” of a friend who`s done us a good turn. But are angels real or are they just imaginary?

Early shoppers

Why, I wonder, is it the men who shop early?! No, I`m not talking about doing Christmas shopping long before Christmas, but looking at the people who shop in the town early in the mornings, I`ve discovered that the vast majority of them are men. Some I realise are on their way to work, but many of them are retired or don`t work, so it sets me wondering, why, when they`ve got all day ahead of them do they go into shops as soon as they open? Is it that they don`t like to be seen to be shopping by the ladies? Maybe it`s that they`re not as organised as ladies and have to come out to get something for their breakfast!

It reminds me of when the post-office used to be opposite to where I worked, and on pension days you would literally see the same nine or ten old men all jostling for position to be the first in the queue for when they opened the door – did they think the post office would run out of money if they weren`t first in?!

Christmas card verses

I don`t know why, but this year I seem to keep remembering things from Christmas`s past. Like for example, whilst writing my Christmas cards, I found two verses from cards kept coming back into my mind.

“From the four corners of the earth
the wise men came to pray,
and I too pray that love and joy
and peace may come your way”

“May the star that led the Eastern Kings,
to the humble manger bed
shine out for you and guide you too,
through all the years ahead”

The verses were from years and years ago, when I was maybe in my early teens. My parents and I would sit round the table, all the cards spread out in neat lines, and they would pick look at a name from the list then pick up various cards from the table, read aloud the verses until they were satisfied as to which one to send that person. And, so I suppose that was how from one year these couple of verses stuck in my mind. I`d not thought of them for ages, yet this year they came back to me. Odd isn`t it how the mind works. Does anyone else remember verses like that I wonder.

Differing Attitudes

I`ve attended two different Christmas style services today. They were both good and gave food for thought.
At the second one, children were participating in miming the story of Mary & Joseph, the Shepherds, Angels and Wise Men, to narration and with various songs. My attention was caught though by two of the men in the congregation, probably both were fathers or relatives of some of the children. One had a small boy in his arms and he stood throughout the whole of the time, showing the child what was going on and taking part in it. The other had a digital camera and was repeatedly taking photos of all that was going on seeming more interested in that, than what was actually being said or sung.
It made me wonder, which of the two men would actually remember most about the service afterwards? Would it be the one with the photos to show for it, or the father with the child. Or, maybe, even that child itself would remember what he`d seen from his dad`s arms.
(I found that seeing the father with the child and his caring attitude very touching)

Christmas character

I came across this on a blog I was reading, so thought I`d try it and see what Christmas character it made me

Ah, you are such a beautiful person! You are the
peaceful snow on a winter day. You would be
considered a calm person that does not let much
bother you. You find joy in tranquility and
beauty. You are probably one of those people
who take in deep breaths before anger hits you.
You have great traits about you, and you get
along with people well. Merry Christmas =)

A lot of it I would hesitate to say was `me`, but I do find joy in tranquillity and beauty of nature so at least a bit of it is true.
Still, I always find it`s fun to do some of these light-hearted quizzes.

Getting ahead of myself

Having woken up this morning with a splitting headache which lasted most of the morning, and not feeling too good, typical on a day off I thought. I didn`t think I was going to be able to get done all I`d hoped to do today. But in the end I actually got a lot of jobs done this afternoon, I`ve marzipaned and iced the cake, wrapped my presents, put cards on strings and hung them up, plus a few other tasks, and can actually say that I think I`m ready for Christmas and there`s still a week to go yet – what a change from previous years when I`ve still be icing the cake on Christmas Eve!

Now, all I need to do is get a few early nights sleep because maybe that`s what the headache was telling me this morning, that I need a bit more rest. Still, I have spent a nice quiet hour this evening sitting watching tv with just the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling away.

Tree Decorating

One of the things that really says to me that Christmas is coming is putting up and decorating the Tree. I`ve just spent a pleasant evening doing just that. Its a job that I enjoy doing every year, and its one of the seasonal jobs that`s never a chore to do.
Not for us a `designer` tree with everything in blue and silver, or red and gold, or any other stylish combination. There is, to me, a lot of memories in the decorations which go on the tree as our ornaments have come down through the years, with usually the addition of one new piece each year. The oldest, and my favourite has to be this one.



She`s only about 3 inches tall, and although now getting rather worse for wear, is very precious, because it was given to my Dad one Christmas by a family that he knew when he was in Belgium during the war. We even still have the original box in which it was given to him. I often wonder, as I handle it and hang it on the tree, if the family that gave it to him are still alive and if they think of that at Christmas too.

Have you got a license to do that??

I head a rather ridiculous item on last night`s television news.
Apparently it`s illegal to go carol singing in the streets, or at an old folks home or any venue at all unless you`ve bought a license to do so!
What is this country coming to, when the simple pleasure of a group of people carol singing could be breaking the law. Alright, I can understand if they say they`re collecting for charity, there should be some way to ensure that the money is for the charity, if that`s what behind this, but it didn`t sound as if that was the reason. Even if a group go to entertain at a hospital or similar place they (so the tv said) need a license to do it.
What happened to the Christmas spirit of good will? Why should people who are willing to give their time to give pleasure to others be expected to pay out for a license to do so. To me it seems ridiculous.
What ever next? Will we soon need a license to walk along the sea front, or even down our own streets?

Christmas Lights (2)

Everywhere one goes at this time of year after the sun goes down, lights shine out – from windows, on walls, on roofs. Not just in towns but even out in the countryside one will suddenly come across a blaze of colourful lights. Every year there seem to be more and more people decorating the outsides of their homes with Christmas lights, there`s Santa`s and sleighs, snowmen and trees, reindeer and bells, holly and stars. It struck me, how generous all those people are – not just in the fact that they have to pay for all the electricity they use!, but because all of it is not for their own benefit because sitting inside their homes they cannot see the outside, so they must be doing it for the enjoyment of all who pass by.
It seems to me, that they are, in their way bringing light into darkness. They may not see it in the same way we think about the Light coming into the darkness but they are giving joy to those who pass by. It`s given me the reminder of a line of either a rhyme or a song that I`ve heard at sometime, but I can`t remember where I first heard it, but it seems quite appropriate. “Now light one thousand Christmas lights in this dark world tonight….” But I can`t remember or find the rest of it.

Christmas Lights (1)

Here`s some Christmas lights I saw recently. Will write more about that tomorrow.

Preserving Houses

Writing yesterday about that House that I visited the other evening set me thinking - all the Stately Homes and Houses that one visits are all from many centuries past. We enjoy looking at the items they used to use and the way they used to live. What a hard life those working “below stairs” would have had, it makes me appreciate the life style I`ve got today. (No, I`m not a rich person with servants!!) In particular I like looking at the kitchens, seeing all the gleaming copper pots and moulds on shelves, and the utensils they used, and the dining rooms seeing all the tables laid out with beautiful crockery, glassware and cutlery. It all tells of a completely different way of life.

But, what will people in the future look back at? –
will there be Houses and homes of the 1940`s, 50`s, 60`s…. and so on, complete and set out in how they were when they were lived in, for people to walk round in the way we do in these, or will all of that be lost? Surely it`s part of our history and heritage that there should be some preserved in that way, so that people in the future can look back and see the lifestyle of their ancestors and compare them to the items and home they have, and see the progress. That`s ofcourse assuming things continue to progress. What will the homes of 50 or 100 years time be like, what will they have in the way of gadgets and furnishings???

An Evening Out

I made the decision on my dilemma of earlier this week, and went and met my friend this evening. I went through a few foggy patches on the road there, and thought to myself `it`s a good job my parent doesn`t know it`s like this!`

S and I met as arranged and we had a very enjoyable evening. She had been doing a lot of flower arranging in one of the National Trust properties for a special Christmas event they had on, and this is what I had gone to see. In the grounds of the place were marquees of craft stalls, which we also enjoyed browsing round, not buying!, just browsing. But what a lot of talented people there are about. We then went across the courtyard in which a band was playing Christmas music and entered the large House where we were met by the sight and sound of handbell ringers playing carols on the beautiful old wooden staircase in the centre of the entrance hall, then we progressed round the various rooms which had been decorated especially for the evening.

In one of them the very long highly polished table was set out for a meal with attractive crockery, cutlery and beautiful table arrangement flowers. A large garland of greenery adorned the old wooden mantle-piece and a tree of sweets stood on the sideboard. On entering another room a group of gentlemen in evening dress were entertaining with barber shop singing alongside a tall decorated Christmas Tree. In these two rooms in particular I really felt transported back to Christmases of years gone by and could imagine that that was how it was celebrated. Coming out into the cold frosty air, there was a stand selling hot chestnuts and more Christmas music being played creating a lovely atmosphere.

I am so glad that I resolved my dilemma and went.

Writing Cards

I really must get down to writing my Christmas cards. I found this the other day, so thought I`d share it with readers on here.

I have a list of folks I know – all written in a book
And every year when Christmas comes I go and take a look.
And that is when I realise that these names are a part
Not of the book they`re written in, for they are in my heart.
Now each name stands for Someone,
Who has crossed my path sometime,
And in the meeting they`ve become the rhythm in each rhyme.
And while that stands fantastic for me to make this claim,
I really feel that I`m composed of each remembered name.
And whilst you may not be aware of any special link,
Just meeting you has changed my life a lot more than you think!
For then I met somebody the years cannot erase –
The memory of a pleasant word, a helpful deed or just a friendly face.

So never think my Christmas cards are just a mere routine,
Of name`s upon a Christmas list – forgotten inbetween.
For when I send a Christmas Card, that is addressed to YOU,
It`s because you are on the list of folks that I`m indebted to.
I really am the total of many folks I`ve met,
And you are just one of those I prefer not to forget.
Whether I have known you for many years, or even just a few,
In some small way you have had a part in shaping things I do!

Every year when Christmas comes I realise anew,
One of the best gifts that life can offer is knowing folks like you.

So may the peace of Christmastide, that thankfully endures,
Leave it`s richest blessings in the heart of you and yours.

Eyes

I`ve just discovered on doing some reading of a wildlife site that there`s a creature that has 8 eyes! Do you know what it is?!

Watching spiders

It must be my week for spiders. I`ve just been fascinated by watching a programme on television about them. They really are very clever creatures, in the different ways they spin their webs, and the uses they have for them, the different types of silk each spider can spin from their bodies for various purposes. What a marvel of nature those webs are, so fine and thin, so delicate and so intricately shaped. To see the spiders so close to under the magnifying lenses of the cameras and to see their features and faces, to observe how carefully one of them prepared the place to lay her eggs and then the care she took to ensure they were protected and looked after, was quite something. Nature really is so wonderful if only we took time to stop and look, isn`t it.
But whether that will make me feel differently about them when I next encounter one, I`m very doubtful !

Spiders again

I`ve written before about my dislike of spiders, but this incident which happened to me this afternoon may give you a smile, it didn`t me at the time.
My parent was out, so I was having a turn round of furniture in a room, don`t know what she`ll say when she come back about that, but that`s getting sidetracked from the point of what I started to write. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw something black drop down inside a desk cupboard I was emptying prior to moving it, I looked again and couldn`t see anything, so it must be a shadow I thought. A little while later, there sitting on the edge of a board I saw it – yes a black medium sized spider. Aggghh what shall I do, I was alone in the house with it, I couldn`t leave it there because I`d always be wondering where it was whenever I went in the room. I`ve got to be brave I thought and get rid of it somehow, then I remembered the upright vacuum cleaner standing near me that I`d just been using, so I put the longest fitting pipe attachment on to the hose of it, switched it on aimed the nozzle to the spider and at the instant I got near the spider something touched me on the shoulder – did I jump!!
Eventually, common sense said it couldn`t be that spider.
I discovered that as I`d stretched the hose to get the spider so I`d pulled the cleaner and its handle had toppled towards me and touched me!
Sorry to any spider lovers, but yes, it did end up in the cleaner.
But, maybe it had it`s revenge in the way I almost jumped out of my skin!

To go or not to go

I`m in a dilemma. I`ve been asked by a friend several weeks ago, to go to an event with her on Friday evening, its about 20 miles from where I live, and I`ve said yes, because I want to go to it with her. But I still haven`t managed to pluck up the courage to tell my parent that I`m going. There`s nothing wrong with the event, and nothing wrong with the friend, but I know my parent will object because of me driving on my own late at night because she`ll worry herself sick about it. It`s beginning to play my nerves up and make me feel unwell. Or, am I feeling a bit like this because in the back of my mind her worry about my driving late at the weekend is also a worry to me? Do I tell my friend I can`t go and make excuses, although she`s probably got the tickets now? Do I go and worry my parent for the evening? I`m torn between the two.

Christmas Trees

As a change from flower festivals, I went to a Christmas Tree Festival this afternoon. I`d heard of them in previous years but not seen one before. I was very impressed. At first glance the church was filled with a mass of twinkling coloured and white lights. Then as I walked round looking at the trees they were all totally different, one was decorated with spectacles, another with tiny dolls in national costumes, another with cassette tapes, a very tall one had all kinds of sweets and knitted liquorice allsorts on its branches. There were teddies on one, hearts on another, newspaper cuttings on another, some had hand-made decorations by children and play groups, these caused a lot of appreciative comments from the visitors….and so it went on. Over 55 of them. I found it a very moving experience to realise that all of them were in support of a different charity or organisation, and to realise too that there were so many “good causes” all in need in the locality and that people had spent so much time in arranging and decorating the trees to support their cause. Their work being recognised and acknowledged by the coins the crowds of adults and children kept dropping into the various collecting tins and boxes.

The most emotional moment to me was the way at the gentle sound of two hand-bells gently rung a couple of times and a lady`s voice, all went completely quiet even though the church was packed with people, as everyone stopped and stood where they were to share in a short time of prayer. I somehow found that a very emotional moment, to think that all of us, strangers to one another stood in prayer together for the work of the church and the various organisations being represented there.

Three weeks today

Three weeks today will be Christmas Eve. By this time of day all the shops will be closed and what we haven`t bought by then, we`ll have to go without! But with the amount everyone seems to buy I can`t see any of them going without. Every year people seem to buy more and more and more, it seems almost a phobia that one will not have enough, so everyone buys far too much “just incase”….
Wonder if there is a word for it?
Maybe it`s called Consumeitallitis !

Santa

With the police having a good crack-down on drink driving this month, it seems a coincidence that my cousin in Texas has emailed this to me this morning. Here`s what could happen to Santa if he started drinking. (use the arrow keys to move Santa and mind the railway track!) Have fun with it.

It began with two darning needles

I`m always interesed looking through old pages of newspapers or magazines that I come across, not so much at main the news articles, but at the adverts and other bits and pieces. In the magazine I wrote about yesterday with the recipe in, I came across this article

Incase you can`t read it, this is what it says:
"Telegraphic communication became possible in 1837, but at first messages could be sent only by Morse Code. A Welshman, David Edward Hughes, a Professor of Music living in the United States, sought to invent an electrical apparatus that would transmit typed messages. One evening in 1855 he borrowed two darning needles from an old lady and began to use them as vibrators.... Thus was born the telegraphic type-printer - the forerunner of the modern teleprinter.
The inventive spirit of Hughes is still alive in Britain today. The electricity industry, for instance, is continually developing new appliances which increase the output of our factories and farms and make life easier in the home. On the electricity supply side, too, marvels are being done to overcome the post-war power shortage. Already electricity may be used freely at all times except at peak hours. Soon the nation will be able to enjoy even greater benefits from the new electrical age."

How far we have come in those intervening years, when something we type on here can be seen all around the world the next second to being posted!
What will the future hold?

More cooking

After making the Christmas Pudding yesterday, I decided to make the Cake today. So for the first time in umpteen years the cake`s made, as it should be, weeks beforehand!
So I`ve really excelled myself this year! Now all I`ve got to do is ice it, and it looks as if that might even get done before Christmas Eve this year.

I wondered as I made it, why despite the fact that we`ve got quite a number of recipe books, that for these two items I still go back to the old recipes that we`ve used time and time again, instead of using a perhaps slightly different one from a newer book. Is it because it`s out of habit or because it`s tried and tested, or traditional? Looking at the date on the yellowing page of the magazine that the Pudding recipe is on I found that it`s from the
“Woman`s Pictorial” 3^rd. December 1949, price 4d. ! We`ve certainly had good value from that magazine recipe over the years.
Wonder if anyone else uses a magazine over 56 years old for a recipe?

Christmas preparations (1)

Well, I`ve done it.
I`ve been going to do it for weeks, but either haven`t felt in the mood to do it, or haven`t had the time to do it, or haven`t had all the essential ingredients to do it, but now this afternoon I did it. And in a few hours time it will be cooked and ready. A lovely smell is beginning to permeate the kitchen, bringing back memories of past years, past times. Strange isn`t it, how smells can evoke so many memories. This one brings back thoughts of happy times, of watching mother making them, of my small hands trying to stir them, of dad tying the covers on with string and securely knotting a handle over the top in the way only he could do. Happy memories.

What am I talking about…. our Christmas puddings.

Boxes

Boxes, boxes everywhere, and not a space to spare!
No, I`m not talking about Christmas boxes, I`m not one of those organised people who`ve done all their Christmas parcels up yet. I`m talking about all those boxes that one just has to keep.
It seems to me that now-a-days, whenever you purchase something, its always in an enormous box, and the instructions say “keep the box” in case you need to return it – but, they don`t tell you where to store all those boxes. I can`t put them in the cupboard, that`s full – of boxes already, there`s no room under the beds, nor on top of the wardrobes, the cupboard under the stairs is full, there`s only a small opening to the loft and a lot of the boxes won`t go through it, no matter how we twist and turn them. We`re drowning in boxes!
What anyone who lives in a small flat does I dread to think, we have at least got a medium size house, but still have no where to put all these boxes.
And, if we dare to throw one out, it`s sure to be just the one we need isn`t it?! I wonder what other people do with them. Do they keep them or destroy them or where do they put them.

Seagull

One of the presents I had for my birthday was a new digital camera –so look out for more photo`s on here! I`ve still many pages of the instruction book of the camera to read yet, but this is one I took with it today. The seagull kindly `posed` on the post while I sat in the car, just before it poured with rain.

Coincidence?

So, the licensing hours for places selling alcohol have been extended. Is it a coincidence I wonder that two of our members of staff failed to come in to work today, the next day to the new extended hours?! (As one who doesn`t drink I fail to see the need for any extended hours anyway).
It really makes me wonder what the country is coming to. I saw a week old baby today and I wonder what things will be like when he grows up, are `we` ruining the earth and existance?

Do Birthdays make one older?

So, I`m a year older ! No I`m not!
I`m a day older than I was yesterday, and by the time I finish writing this I`ll be ten minutes older than I was when I started writing it. So why do we say at birthdays that one is a year older? Thinking about that set me pondering - when were birthdays first thought of? Did they mark or celebrate them in the first century AD, or in Roman times, or was it even earlier than that, I read in the bible accounts of meals and feasts, were any of these perhaps birthday celebrations?? Or when did somone first decide to do it, and who was the first person to celebrate a birthday?!

Age - all in the mind?

Fifty two today.
Yet, where have those years gone to?
When I was a child anyone over 50 seemed old, so do I appear old to others, maybe to those I work with?
Yet I don`t feel old. I don`t feel any older than I did ten or more years ago. Well apart from a few occasional aches and pains, but we won`t go into them!
So, is age all in the mind?
(yes, the little one`s me)

Floral Mystery

When I arrived home at lunch time today, there sitting waiting for me was a long narrow box that the postman had delivered. What was it I wondered and who had sent it. Intrigued, I tackled the staples that were holding it tightly closed and found inside wrapped in green tissue paper, a beautiful bouquet of carnations, direct from Jersey. Who had sent it?
I found the gift card in the box, “Thanks for all you kindnesses.
Happy Birthday for the 24^th.” But, there was no signature, no printed name, nothing to tell me from whom it came.
So, it`s a mystery.

But it`s a mystery that I shall have to solve so that I can say Thank You.

Crazy golf

I`ve just been playing a game of crazy golf, but I didn`t do very well! Took over 40 shots more than the recommended. Guess I need a lot more practice.
Still at least I didn`t get cold or wet and have to walk miles round a course to do it!

Autumn Colours

Having written yesterday about the delights of autumn colours, I dug out of the cupboard some photo`s I took in a previous year of a beautiful autumn day in Norfolk, and having now treated myself to a scanner thought I`d try and put them on my blog piece for today, so here they are.

A country drive

It was a beautiful autumn day today, but a sharp cold one, so instead of going for a walk, I went for a drive round the country lanes, no particular destination, just a ride to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.
We saw some lovely autumn colour in the leaves on many of the trees. Such varieties of shades from yellow, gold, orange and with the sun shining through them and the breeze gently stirring them, they were a delight to view. There were carpets of fallen leaves too under the trees and contrasting with the green of the grass where they had fallen on the banks. Further on the movement of a flock of sea-gulls over a field caught our attention they were following a tractor ploughing the field. There was grace and pattern in the systematic way the ones pecking in the rich dark earth of the furrows made, at the furthest end from the tractor took to the air and came to the front and settled again, a constant circular motion of movement of them all in harmony. To complete the real country scene a horse with a small carriage came trotting along the lane towards us.
As the afternoon wore on the sun began to drop lower in the sky and became a striking orange, lighting the sky and hanging as a huge golden ball. Trees stood silhouetted starkly against this orange sky, making visible their shape of bare branches.
What a beautiful world, and how lucky we are to have all this so near where we live.

Contestants

Watching a quiz game show on television this evening, I began to wonder (yes, I seem to do a lot of wondering, don`t I?!) why it is that they never have disabled people as contestants? I know some disabilities could be inappropriate in practical ways for some quizzes, like for example a visual quiz for a blind person, but there`s nothing to stop such a person being on a question type programme, is there. With all the laws now against discrimination against disabled people, surely they should be included in such activities.
And, why do they seem to not have people that are unemployed and could do with winning some money, nearly always contestants seem to have good jobs.

Here`s a version of one of the game shows that I found that one can play on here. ( I only managed to get to £250 though!)

Saving items

If you had to evacuate your home quickly, and could only take 3 things with you, I wonder what they`d be?
I`ve been thinking about this, since hearing a similar thought this morning. It`s made me think what do I treasure? What couldn`t I do without. I think it would have to be: first my cross on a chain which has very sentimental value, second my photo of my Dad, thirdly my handbag! (And of course the pet bird)

Too money orientated?

A chance comment made to me the other day, set me thinking. Do people feel they have to be rich to go to church? Is this part of the cause of the reported falling church attendance now-a-days? Are the poorer and less well off people stopping away because they feel they can`t afford to go to church?

Even over the last few weeks on Sundays at the church I attend, besides the `normal` collection in the service, there`s been an extra collection for a cause, gift envelopes for different causes, children with collecting boxes, boxes available to take home to collect in, and others- like tickets for events, cards and items for sale, which one sometimes feels obliged to buy.

Are things like this putting people off coming to church? Do they feel excluded because they can`t always afford to contribute, so they stop coming to worship? I wonder.

Is the church getting too money orientated? There are other ways of showing God`s love, in caring. I`m not suggesting that we shouldn`t support needy causes and disasters, but at times it seems as if worship is being lost for money-making.

Is this all contributing to falling church attendance?

The North Wind

The North wind do blow
And we shall have snow
And what will the robin do then, poor thing?
He`ll sit in the barn and keep himself warm
And hide his head under his wing
Poor thing

This verse, learnt years and years ago at school came back to me today with the icy wind that`s blowing about here. I don`t know where the verse comes from, or who wrote it, or if it`s part of something longer. Still, it shows I did learn something at school !! even if it`s something not very useful!

We call it a lazy wind – it goes through you and not round you!

News?

What is News?

I`ve just looked it up in a dictionary and it says “new or interesting information about recent events”. And, interesting (in the thesaurus) could be classed as absorbing, entertaining, engrossing, intriguing, fascinating, gripping, and stimulating.

So, why are all the news programmes on television so full of gloom, of depressing news? Why do they never divide the programme time between good and interesting things that have taken place? Why is it all on tragedy and disaster, or scandal? I know that we have to be informed of such things, and it would be wrong not to, but at the same time why isn`t good news shared? I can`t believe that there aren`t good things happening in the world. If “news” is meant to be interesting information about recent events, we should be told about them too. Why can`t they even up the balance of the programmes, so that we don`t switch off at the end, feeling so depressed with everything?

Given or Taken?

I wrote a while ago about some expressions in language which I dislike – there`s another one, that I`ve heard several times these last few days, which I also think is inappropriate to use. And that`s - “gave their life”. It`s been used a lot in different services/programmes especially relating to war times. Did those soldiers (and civilians) really willingly give up their lives. I can`t imagine that they purposely went out there to die which would be “giving” as it would be done intentionally. Surely we should say “those who died in war”. or even " those whose lives were taken through war".

What present to buy?

Stuck for what to get friends for Christmas? I came across this novel idea for Christmas presents the other day give them a piece of the moon, or an acre of Venus. Now, I wonder what would one do with that? How would you get there to use it? Could you build a house on it, or farm it, or what?

Of course to own a piece of Paradise sounds far better – now perhaps I should include that on my Birthday list for 11 days time! But then, what could I do with just a square foot of paradise? Not big enough to put a deck chair on, and it may not be on the beach anyway!

Appreciating Life

Maybe its because of the sad event of this week (which I wrote about earlier in the week), or memories from last week, or because tomorrow is Remembrance Sunday maybe it’s a combination of all three, and thinking about those whose lives have been cut short. But, I keep getting a line come into my head today, I`m not sure whether it comes form a poem, a hymn, a song, or where but its `Treat each day as if thy last` or words to that effect.

Reading someone`s blog the other day, they were talking about buying things to treat themselves. I can relate to that because I was brought up to save, and not spend, but yet these last few years, it`s come to me that one should enjoy what one has and make the most of it. I`m not saying be rash and go bankrupt!, but to have what one needs and gives pleasure while one can enjoy it.

I think it`s a lesson I`ve learnt, but still need to keep reminding myself – that time is precious and we should make the most of what we have.

Book Title

I`ve just been looking at a book – its title “Operation Guide”.
Now, what does that make you think of?
Am I learning how to remove someone`s tonsils, or replace a hip or knee joint, or perform some other act of surgery on some poor unsuspecting victim? No, as anyone who knows me will know straightaway and tell you that that`s not likely to happen, because I`m a very squeamish person!

No, the title is actually what`s written on an instruction booklet. I wonder why they chose to call it an operation guide, instead of just a plain Instruction Book or even a User Guide?

"In heaven"!

I`ve been in heaven this afternoon.
Well, not literally! (but its another one of those sayings)
I`ve been in a large craft shop – they had absolutely everything you could imagine. Paper in all colours of the rainbow, paints, pencils and sketch pads (not that I`m any good at drawing of painting – wish I was). Materials for all types of sewing from patchwork to dressmaking. Buttons and beads in all shapes and sizes, skeins of silks and cotton, containers to store them neatly in, sequins and thread. Things to make, things to colour – you name it they had it.
I only went in to get some needles. Did I come out with just needles?! No, ofcourse not, I ended up with far more. Now all I need is the time to use them!

Swimming with thoughts

I wonder why it is that when I do these “What creature am I” type quizzes I seem to end up with something that can swim! First it was a turtle (see here), now it’s a mermaid. Yet, I can`t swim a stroke. Oh, I`ve got a certificate that says I can do a few yards, but I can`t recall swimming it!

Out of those two creatures – the turtle and the mermaid, I guess in some ways I`m more like the turtle – in respect to having a “shell”, to hide my real self. What most people see is actually just the outside of me.
Maybe that explains a comment that was said to me recently – when someone said that they used to think I was so strict and stern and they were afraid to speak to me. But now that they knew me they knew that wasn`t so. And it quite shook me when she said that to me and it`s worried me, because I don`t want to appear like that to people, because I`m not like that. But I suppose to hide my feelings and the uncertain and lacking in confidence person that I really am maybe I do appear too unapproachable or unsociable. I wish I had got more confidence to talk to people and to make friends. I really shall have to try and do something about it.

Not sure about doing something about the swimming though!

Magical Creature

What kind of magical creature am I?

Well, according to the quiz result, this is what I am!

Your a Mermaid! You are calm and collected. You
are one of the smartest creatures. But people
really have to earn your trust and friendship.

What Magical Creature Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

At a loss

This is not the post I was going to write today, but I`ve just heard of such a tragedy this afternoon that I just need to write something. Just three words affected several of us where I work, (I`m not going to use names for obvious reasons). The words were "Xxxxx`s Yxxxxxxx`s (name of son) dead". He was a young man, with a young family, it was a tragic accident. Some of her workmates and friends were in tears, I wanted to reach out to them, but I felt so at a loss too, I didn`t know what to say. What does one say in a situation like that? How can one help? And at the same time how can one answer one`s own questions of why was this allowed to happen, let alone answer theirs. I felt so inadequate.

Communion

I was privileged today to take an active part in a Communion service. Although I`ve attended and received Communion many, many times, somehow today through being more involved with it, it gave it an even deeper significance. Standing there close to the table with the bread and wine in front of me, looking at them as they were spoken about, and hearing some of the very familiar words, I found was very moving.

My cat

I`ve not had time to write much today, so here`s a picture of my cat. It`s sitting watching me as I type.

Smile Please

Smile Please” No, I`m not going to say you`re on Candid Camera (wonder who remembers that television programme?) It`s not one I was particularly keen on, in it they set up tricks to play on people in everyday life – like a post box which as soon as you posted a letter in, in posted it out to you again (because, obviously there was someone in the post box), but people seemed so flummoxed by it happening and would stand there keep posting the letter in and watching it come back. Surely it had to be a set up of people using the box and not the general public that they said it was, no-one could be that taken-in. Or could they?! And that was though to be comedy entertainment!

Strange isn`t it how a phrase suddenly brings something back, I`d not thought about that programme for donkey`s years. – And there`s another of those Sayings I was writing about the other day, surprising how many we use in everyday language isn`t it.

“Smile please” And, no, I`m not taking a photo either.

So what does the title refer to?.....

It`s the answer to yesterdays “What is it”

A SMILE

What is it?

Having written rather serious entries the last couple of days, here`s a `lighter` one........

It costs nothing, but gives much.
It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
No-one is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it.
It creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business, and is the countersign of friendship.
It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it is nature`s best antidote for trouble. Yet, it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or even stolen, for it is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
Some are too tired to give you one: give them one of yours, as none needs one so much as he who has none to give.

What is it?

Graveside

As anyone who read yesterday`s entry might have expected, I took some flowers to my Dad`s grave yesterday, it`s in a nice spot by the sea and is very peaceful and calming, and I fairly regularly go there.
It`s strange, but I can only comfortably go to the left hand side of it, and kneel there to put the flower in the vase. Somehow I just can not go to the right hand side, it feels totally wrong, I`ve only ever stood that side once. I`m not sure why I feel so uneasy about going to that side, but I think it`s because it was the right hand side of his bed and then of the hospital bed that I always went to and I suppose I somehow see it as that too, it`s a very peculiar feeling and thing to explain, and I`ve never said it to anyone, incase they thought I was mad.
But it’s a relief in a way to actually write how I feel there, and to share it instead of keeping it to myself as I have for so long because I daren`t say it to anyone for being thought stupid. (and as far as I know, there`s only one person that knows me that reads this and I don`t mind them knowing)

Nostalgia

I`m feeling a bit nostalgic today – this would have been my Dad`s birthday. He would have been 83 today. I know it`s just over 13 years since he died, but it doesn`t seem anywhere near as long. I still miss him a lot and birthdays bring back memories. I was thinking a little while ago of the different birthday cakes I`d made for him when I had an interest in cake decorating, there was one I iced with a river scene with a fisherman, another with a crossword, all took hours to do, but I can see now it was a labour of love. He was never one to like parties (and I take after him in that, and in so many ways), so birthdays were a quiet affair, yet I loved to make a fuss of him, to spend time with him. That was so difficult though when he was ill, as I didn`t want him to know how ill he really was, and I was so afraid of showing him how upset I was, that I didn`t spend as much time with him as I wanted to, and how I regret it. I often wonder too if my doing that made him think that I didn`t care? And that worries me still and there`s nothing I can do about it. I cared too much (can one care too much?), that I wanted to protect him from what I`d been told and knew, but he didn`t.

I had another `strange` link with him today too, I had to sort out some new staff clothing, and piling up the packs of shirts I could `see` his hands doing that, because he worked in a men`s clothiers.