End of the Year

The last day of 2006, so time to look back and reflect on the year gone by…...

I`ve managed to write some sort of twaddle on here most days of the year, even if it hasn`t been the most scintillating and exciting thing you`ve ever read.

The year has ended better for me that it began. During the first few months I could cheerfully have walked out from the place I worked and not gone back, then during the middle of the year there were big, and I mean Big changes and they turned out to be for the better, and I end the year feeling very happy there and no wish at all to retire or walk out. I suppose that teaches the lesson that one has to work through the bad times to get to the good, and not give up.

As to other sides of my life this year, they`ve been very mixed. Thankfully my parent regained some, albeit it slow mobility, after the fall at the start of the year, but a lot of the time I`ve found it very difficult to have to be so slow when going out or doing anything, when by nature I`m a quick walker and quick person. And I`ve not lost the feeling of being very tied.

As to the new year resolutions I made here at the start of this year - can see that I`ve failed miserable on at least 6 of them. I have half succeeded on the other 5, managing to make a bit more time for myself, to be a bit more tidier and organised. I have at least done some of the needlework picture although not to completed it, and some days have even written my Blog earlier in the day, and I have been out and about a little bit more – even went to the Pantomime this year! But, as to the rest, oh dear!

Perhaps ones I make for 2007 will turn out better.

Ready for the Cold

Well, the "tinsel" that I was knitting over the last few days, wasn`t actually tinsel, it was one of my Christmas presents - three balls of this tinsel like yarn, a pair of needles and a pattern for a scarf. - The finished article modelled here.

It`s certainly warm, and came in very handy for keeping me warm at the recent virtual cricket match in Finland, but as for the colour.... don`t know if it`s really me!

Knitting Tinsel?

What am I doing here? 

Settee anyone?

Watching the adverts between programmes on television over the Christmas period, it puzzled me.... why were 99% of them (or at least it seemed like that amount) all advertising sofa`s and settees in sales?

It made me wonder what the sales people and advertisers were aiming at. Did they imagine that people sitting watching the adverts are sitting on something so uncomfortable that they would be enticed to want to dash straight out and buy a new one? And where do they think people, straight after Christmas would get the money to splash out on a new settee? Maybe they think they`ll fool people into thinking with all their price slashes, that it`s cheap.

But, as someone I used to know used to say "If you don`t need it, it`s not cheap whatever the price".
How true that is.

Reflections

Now that Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both now almost over for this year, and it feels quite an anticlimax in a way, after all the work and hustle and bustle of weeks of preparation for it. It didn`t somehow seem or `feel` like Christmas this year. Well, I should say that at home it didn`t feel like it, it seemed more like an ordinary day. Maybe it`s because we didn`t spend it how we`ve normally spent it, doing the traditional things that we do, because we had a third person with us, unstead of just being the two of us. Or, perhaps its just signs of getting old?

The real feeling of Christmas I did find was at the very good services that I attended on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and the atmosphere of being there with others.

It`s two years today since I wrote my first post which was reflecting on Christmas. And, having just re-read it I think it`s a far better post than the one I`ve written today, so follow the link and read that instead today!

Nativity Scene

I share with you today, a view of part of our Christmas decorations. My nativity scene. It`s not valuable in a monetary sense but to me it`s priceless. The stable was made over 20 years ago by my Dad, just out of cardboard which he schemed, cut, glued together, then painted. It`s one of the few items left that he made.

Petrol and Wine

With the campaigns now-a-days that are needed to remind people of the dangers of drinking and driving, what do you think I found on visiting our local petrol station yesterday to fill my car with petrol incase I needed it over the Christmas break?

There, as soon as you entered the shop part to pay for your petrol, was a table with a young man offering everyone small glasses of wine! They were doing a wine tasting, I assume to try and promote sales of it, but as I guess 99% of people going in there to pay for petrol would be the driver and not the passengers, what a very stupid idea. Ok, that small amount in the glass may not do any harm, I felt it was very irresponsible of them, to even offer a small amount. And, thinking further along those lines, why are petrol stations allowed to sell alcohol which could encourage people could buy it to drink straight away whilst driving?

(And, if you`re wondering....no, I didn`t partake of the wine!)

Hurray!

I feel like shouting "HURRAY".
After days and weeks of thinking I`d never get everything done for Christmas, I can thankfully say it`s all done, the cards are sent or delivered, the parcels wrapped and posted or ready to be given out, the tree is decorated, cards are strung and hung to decorate the walls; the shopping is all done; the cake made, iced and decorated, mince pies made; holly wreaths put on the graves; and the house tidied, and there`s still one day to go! The only thing left to do is cook the goose!

Or, is it too good to be true.... have I forgotten anything?!

Love is.....

I came across a Christmas version of Corinthians chapter 13 on Kathryn`s blog, to whet your appetite to read it all, (by following the link), here are a few lines from it, which seem to me so apt……

If I speak in the tongues of Christmas materialism and greed but have not love, I am only a tinny Christmas song or an out of tune choir.

Love is kind and lets the couple with only a few items go in front of you and your bulging shopping cart.

Love always trusts that the hiding places for presents will remain secret for another year.

Love does not delight in the commercial bandwagon but rejoices with the truth of a baby born in the stable.

More lights

I apologise to any readers who may be getting tired of pictures of lights, but as Christmas only comes once a year, here`s another pretty scene for you to look at. Then I promise I won`t post any more lights this year.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Walking along, looking at some Christmas lights the other evening, I nearly jumped out of my skin! It was dark, there was nobody about, yet suddenly a loud deep voice behind me, started shouting "Ho, ho, ho....merry Christmas", I literally jumped forward from where I was standing, should I run, and which way, or what? I dared to look round, there was no-one there. It can`t be Father Christmas already I thought, it`s not Christmas Eve! Where was the voice coming from, it was still singing gruffly away merrily. Then I looked down, and this is what I saw!



This small snowman, about 8 inches high, jigging about and giving a Christmas greeting to anyone who came within a short distance of him.... or was he there as a deterrant to anyone thinking of damaging the lights and Christmas ornaments all over the house? It certainly made me jump.

Being Appreciated

I`m not (at least I hope I`m not) boastful, but I am so pleased, and surprised, by some lovely compliments paid to me yesterday by the new owners where I work, that I want to share the news, but it isn`t me to speak about such things, so, I`m just going to write about it on my blog.

The care and attention to detail that I take in my work had been noticed and was commented on, and my willingness to do the extra items they asked me to at times. And they said if they gave me too much to do, I was to tell them. Now, that surely is a first, for a boss to ask the staff to say if he gives them too much work! Previous ones have just wanted things done regardless of how much one already had to do.

One of the things said was that "they`d love to be able to clone me" and have lots of me!!! Can you image that, dozens of me all over the place!

It was really good to feel appreciated.

Seeing the Wizard

I`ve done soemething this evening that I`ve not done for sixteen or seventeen years!, and that is to visit a local theatre to see a Pantomime.

I was persuaded by a work colleague to go with a group of them who were going, and at first I declined, but eventually they "twisted my arm" and I went. And, I`m glad I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening after a nervous start. I found myself relaxing and losing myself in just being there, forgetting the things that were bothering me.

So the Wizard worked his magic on me for a while!

Flagged Down

I was driving home from the "big city" late the other afternoon. It was dark, so I had my lights on. Approaching a town on my route home, I spotted some police cars ahead, parked on both sides of the road. As I got near to them I saw a policeman indicating to me to go left. I assumed that there`d been a accident of something which had closed the road ahead.
I slowed, checked my speed (I wonder if others find they automatically look at that when they see a police car or officer, even when you know very well that your`re not speeding) anyway, I indicated to turn left although I couldn`t see that there was a road on the left to turn into. As I turned I saw another policeman waving with a long red laser like light beam (like something from a Sci-fi film) for me to stop, which I did, as by now I was wondering and anxious as to what was going on.
I wound my window down, and the policeman came over to the window. "You`ve got your fog lights" on he said. "Oh, sorry" I replied, and completely flustered by it, couldn`t remember where the switch for them was! I put my hand to what I thought was it, (at least that was where it was in my last car) "No that`s not your fog lights" he said. By now I was totally flummoxed, and he had to suggest where they were, and the said lights were then turned off.
I expected at any minute for him to ask me to prove that the car was mine, as I didn`t appear to know where things were! But, thankfully he didn`t, he just asked my name, and waved me on my way.

Christmas Lights

I always enjoy seeing the lights that people put up on the outsides of their homes and in their windows at this time of year, and the thought that they do it for the pleasure of others as they don`t see them themselves, (unless they sit outdoors), but it makes me wonder......... how long before these health and safety experts decide that they`re a danger and decide to ban them, in the way they ban so many things. After all to anyone driving along on these dark nights it could be distracting and make one look to see what it is thus taking their attention from their driving.

Anyway, from the safety of the computer, here`s some Christmas lights for you

It`s Postponed

How I wish that I could say "It`s postponed for another month" about Christmas this year.

I normally feel on top of things, but this year I`ve got a list of jobs as long as your arm (as the saying goes), still to do. There`s the cake to marzipan and ice, a present to buy for my parent and I`ve not much idea of what to get, presents to wrap, decorations to put up, presents to post, flowers to arrange, wreaths to get and put on graves, shopping to do.......and so the list goes on. I`m quite envious (and I know its wrong to be envious), of those who can say they`ve done it all. It`s not that I started late doing them, infact I made the puddings and cake earlier than normal, so I don`t know what`s gone wrong.

Well, that`s not strictly true, I do know partly why - I`m down in the dumps over an aspect of Christmas this year. Normally its just my parent and me and we have a nice day not doing much, and its about the only couple of days in a year that the two of us have together, just with each other without a third person. This year, we`ve got to have her "boyfriend" too and the thought of it is really getting me down. I had no say in the matter.

I know that the jobs will get done in time for the day, or at least I keep telling myself that they will. But, it would be such a help to postpone it for a month!

Ten days left

Ten shopping days to Christmas (well, 12 if you count Sunday`s, but I don`t as I won`t encourage shops on Sundays - but that`s another story, as they say) and I`ve got a big headache. All my presents except one are bought - but, what on earth do I buy my elderly mother?

I`ve got her clothes in previous years so don`t really want to do that again unless I can find no alternative. She`s got far too many ornaments and bric-a-brac already, so anything like that is out! Because she`s getting less and less mobile I don`t think tickets or vouchers to go anywhere like the theatre or a coach outing are any good because she probably wouldn`t be able to do it.

I toyed with the idea of a laptop computer, because she`s tried using mine once or twice under my instructions and enjoyed it - but yet it`s very expensive for the amout of use I think she`d really make of it, so I don`t think that idea would work.

I must get her something - but what?? And I`ve only got a few days left to think of it and go and get it.

Splashing water

Walking along the road on my way back to my work place after lunch, I became aware of the sound of water falling onto the pavement. It wasn`t raining, and I looked around to try and see where it was. It sounded to be splashing quite heavily and droppping from quite a height. Must be someone`s overflow pipe I thought, yet I couldn`t see any pipes, maybe someones washing an upstairs window and its dropping down from there, but there were no window-cleaners about.

I looked up higher still, and... what did I see? A most unusual sight. Right at the top of a tall two storey building was the guttering at the edge of the roof tiles, and in the corner of that, where obviously two sides of the gutterings met making a bigger area, there sat a bird (from the distance I was down, I couldn`t tell if it was a blackbird or a starling), and it was having a great time bathing in the water in the corner of the guttering, and sending the water showering down on anyone who happened to walk below!

On the lookout

One leg or two??

What did your place look like years ago?

Do you ever wonder what the town, city, village, hamlet or wherever you live, looked liked in the 1800`s and 1900`s?

A friend introduced me to an interesting site the other day, where I could see historic photos of the place where I live. All you need to do is type in either the post code of where you live, or the name of the place. It was fascinating, and at least one of the photos contained a photo of my great, granddad.

I`d love to......

Having said (written) yesterday that I`d write today about the 10 things I`d love to do, here they are, in no particular order.

1. I`d love to be able to draw. I`ve always longed to be able to sketch things, not to be a great artist, but just to be able to do something that doesn`t look as if a 3 year old has done it. (no disrespect to any three year olds who read this!)

2. I`d love to have a family and children to call me, Mum, or Mother or Mummy.

3. Playing the piano is something I`d also love to do well. I was taught years ago to play but didn`t keep it up, and now can only barely pick out the notes one handed as I read the music to play a tune if I know how it should sound!

4. I`d love to find Tunis Cakes in the shops again at Christmas. They are one treat which I miss so much. There`s no other cake like them at all.

5. I`d love to retire. Although having said that, it`s not because I don`t like work, after all the changes and events this year its become a much better place again to work in. Its that I`d like the time to do what I want to do while I`m still young enough to do it.

6. To have more confidence in making conversation with people is another of the things I`d love to be able to do.

7. I`d love to find where I put things, without having to turn the house upside down looking for them at times!

8. I`d love to have a house, or flat to myself to live in.

9. I`d love to have stained glass windows in my house, as I adore the beauty of them, especially with the sun shining through them.

10. I`d love to be able to be free, to be me.

Well, thats ten of my "I`d love to...." Wonder what others would put as theirs?

Things I`ll never do

I`m cribbing my theme today from reading Dave`s blog, which set me thinking, what would I put as the 10 things I will never do. And I think they would be....

1. I`ll never go scuba diving. For a start I can`t swim, although I possess a school certificate which says I can swim!

2. Nor would I ride a bike. I can`t see what keeps them upright.

3. I`d never smoke a cigarette as I`m dead against smoking, although part of my work involves handling and dealing with them, which is a bit ironic.

4. I`ll never be a nurse. I`d faint at the first sight of a spot of blood and be flat on the floor.

5. I`ll not go down into a cave or mine, not even if someone told me it was full of gold and I could have it all if I went down into it.

6. Picking up a spider in my bare hands is also something I`ll never do

7. I`ll guess I`ll never get married. Because who would want a middle aged woman who has the encumberance of an elderly parent.

8. I`ll never eat foreign food. There`s enough good old British food to keep me going.

9. I`ll never go through the channel tunnel. I hate enclosed spaces.

10. I`ll never walk off the end of a pier. Well, not unless my parent drives me to it!

So, there`s my ten I`ll never do`s.
Maybe tomorrow I`ll put my ten "What I love to do`s"

Do it Yourself!

I guess we`ve all seen as we`re driving about the countryside and are familiar with the various "Pick Your Own", signs along the way. Usually its pick your own strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, and other fruits. I`ve also seen one for carrots and another for potatoes.

But, I think the one I saw today really has to beat the rest, it was - Dig your own Christmas Tree. Now who really wants to do that? Is it the growers just getting lazy and wanting the customers to do all the work for them?

Strange Day

I`ve had a strange kind of day at work today.

There`s been a kind of mystery in the air since just before the weekend. No-one knew what was going on, yet we all could sense that something was "in the air", that something wasn`t right, that something was going to happen.

This morning I was working in my office when the boss, who we hadn`t seen since before the weekend, yet came in. She asked me to do a couple of jobs that normally she would have done, and then started a mad clear out of her drawers and shelves etc, saying she had to tidy the office up. Leaving the office to do something a colleague said to me, has she gone yet? she doesn`t work here now I hear. So that was it, I thought. Yet, working back in the office it became an uncomfortable atmosphere, knowing what I knew from the colleague, yet the boss saying things and acting as though things were normal in lots of ways.

Eventually, we were told officially that she was leaving. I`m not going to write here why because we don`t know the actual details.

But, it was certainly a strange atmosphere to work in this morning, and with everyone very subdued the rest of the day.

Endurance

The title of todays post, comes from the theme from the sermon of the service I attended this evening. And what a test of endurance that turned out to be too.

I don`t know whether the preacher wanted to make his congregation experience endurance, but his sermon on it lasted for over 35 minutes! That`s far too long for my concentration and there was so much unnecessary repetition too (and I guess for others too, judging by the way everyone seemed to start fidgeting). The whole service instead of being the customary one hour, went on for 80 minutes. Is it any wonder that church attendances are falling? If I had been someone attending a service for the first time, I know it would have put me off and I wouldn`t go back again. Infact, I know for sure that I`ll never go again when that particular person is in the pulpit or taking the service.

Surely a preacher or minister should be able to get across what they want to say in a concise way. There are some that do, and they manage to say far more of meaning and relevance in a 10-15 minute sermon that can be remembered and thought about afterwards, than those that spend longer waffling on.

Infact, I probably `put my foot in it` because as I left at the end, I said to this one that it had been far too long a service!! But, if no one tells them, they don`t know, do they??

Advent Calendar

Do you know what kind of trees are decorated in India at Christmas time? or what they call a Christmas tree in New Zealand?

As we enter the season of Advent, here`s an interesting Advent Calendar full of interesting facts about Christmas around the world.

Autumn Colours (2)

I`ve had too much of a headache today to think what to write, so here`s another picture of some nice autumn colours.

Strange isn`t it, that somehow if I`m going to feel unwell it`s always on my day off, and not on a working day, wonder why that is. And I had so much planned that I wanted to get done today too. Oh well, maybe next week.

Aroma

There`s a lovely smell in our kitchen this evening and a feeling of satisfaction.

Why? - I`ve made the Christmas cake. I love weighing out all the different dried fruits, sultanas, raisins, a few currants, some peel and of course lots and lots of cherries. I must confess though that with the cherries it`s a case of two in the bowl and one in the mouth as I do it ! Plus some of the sultanas find themselves getting eaten too and not put in the cake.

Name change

I wonder how many of us are content with the name we were given by our parents. I know that when I was at school, I disliked my name as it was different to everyone else`s. Most names you heard you knew more that one person with, but there was only me with my name, I suppose thinking about it now it made me feel isolated. I couldn`t even use my middle name, as I disliked that too, and that was also a name that no-one else seemed to be called!
How I wished I`d been called Mary or Susan.

Your Russian Name Is...

Kiska Laryssa Kuznetsov

What's Your Russian Name?

I`m glad I didn`t have to learn to spell that as a child !


I should add, that now I`m older, I`m pleased that I carry my two grandmothers names as my name, although I didn`t know either of them.

Multiplying fruit !

We`ve not got an apple tree in our garden, so a few weeks ago our next door neighbour gave us some of the windfall apples from her tree. I made an apple pie from some of them for lunch the next day, which we enjoyed with some cream, and put the rest of the apples in the fridge to use another day.

A couple of days later the lady across the road from us, brought a bag of apples over, she`d been given some and thought we`d like some. We appreciated the thought and the apples.

A week later a bag of apples appeared on the back door step, a couple of days later a bag of apples sat on the front door step. These also were turned into apple pies and two frozen and one eaten.

On the Sunday, at church, "Would you like some apples, I`ve had some given me and I don`t do any cooking now" said an elderly lady. So as not to hurt her feelings or generosity we said "Yes, please". In the fridge they went, to join all the other apples already in there.

Another week passed, and one of the neighbours brought us another bag of apples..."there`s so many on the trees this year, that we don`t know what to do with them all, and thought you might like some more" "Thank you", we replied taking the bag. This time, there was no more room in the fridge, so they sat on the kitchen work top.

Coming home the other day, what do we find?..... yes, a bag of apples sitting on the step. And then the next day at church, the elderly lady says "I`ve brought you another bag of apples" !!

Now, sitting in my kitchen are 8 big apple pies which I`ve made this afternoon, and there`s still a big bag of apples sitting there looking at me as if to say, do something with us......

......but what?!

(all of them are cooking apples)

Dreaming of Birds

I had a strange dream last night, and it`s still haunting me. It`s seldom that I dream, or should I say it`s seldom that I remember a dream, because don`t they say that we all dream every night?
And, do dreams really have a meaning, and... if so....what does this one mean?
Anyway, on to my dream......

.... Something thumped on the window of the room I was in, and looking up I realised that it was a bird that had flown into the window. I could see it on the ground outside obviously having stunned itself. I went and opened the front door to go out and see if it was badly hurt. But as I stood there at the door instead of staying there or flying away, the bird, a seagull, quickly hopped and fluttered its way to me and jumped into my arms. It had only one leg. It looked trustingly up at me.

I hurridly thought what can I put it in, I hadn`t a box handy, so grabbed a red plastic storage type basket and set it in that, found something to put some water in and set that in the basket too. My parent by then had appeared on the scene, and said "you can`t keep that in here, it will make a mess and a smell". "But the poor thing may be hurt", I said. She repeated what she`d said, so I went to carefully carry the bird in the basket out to put in the shed.

What happened after that...... I don`t know.....the alarm clock work me up!

But, I can still somehow see the trusting face of that seagull as it jumped into my arms. Odd, isn`t it?

Nice Day

A lovely autumn day today, the sun shone, the sea was beautiful shades of blue just gently lapping on the sand, sea gulls were whirring overhead, the sky going pink and orange as the sun began to set, so I took a photo of it, and here it is.

But, it doesn`t really capture how lovely it really was. You needed to be there to really appreciate that, the sheer expanse of the sea as far as you could see looking right, left and straight ahead, the colours ever changing in the sky as the sun dropped lower and the atmosphere of the place.

Really, that`s made me think, its so much like life isn`t it? You have to experience things for yourself to really know what they`re like. You can imagine and picture from what others tell you, but it`s not the same as knowing for yourself. 

Secret number?

One of my birthday presents yesterday was a digital photo frame. I unpacked it from all its packaging yesterday evening, plugged it in using an adapter as another plug was also needed in the socket. And reading the instructions, switched it on, inserted my memory card and started to watch my photos changing one by one in the frame.

Then.... all at once they stopped and it went black. I tried switching if off and on....several times, but no it wouldn`t work, I checked the plug was in, yes that looked ok. I re-read the instructions, yes I was doing it right. In the end I gave up and thought, it must be faulty.

So, today in my lunch hour, found the receipt, rang the number of the large multiple store where it had been bought, and grrrrh... got press 1 for..... press 2 for.... press 3 for.... press 4 for..... None of which seemed to have any relevance to what I wanted. I just wanted to speak to the store to see about them changing it for another one which worked. Anyway I pressed one of the numbers which sounded the most likely, and got press 1 if you`re a business customer, press 2 if you`re an independent retailer, press 3 if you`re........ So I put the phone down, and tried again the number and a different option. What did I get?.... press 1 for computer..... press 2..... press 3..... all for computer problems. I tried again and eventually I managed to get someone answer the phone - are you the Norwich store, I asked, oh no he said, in a deeply foreign accent, it`s the call center. I tried to explain what I wanted and he said oh you want our techincal staff I`ll put you through.... now I`m getting somewhere I thought, and what did I get..... back to the press 1 ,2, 3 for computer problems. I gave up.

Ah, I know I thought, I`ll look in the local phone book that will give the store number. Out came the phone books, yes there was the store and the address, and the phone number....the same phone number as I`d been dialling. Why, oh why, don`t they put the actual store number, how are people expected to ring the store about anything. Why be so secretive about the number? By then my time had gone and I had to rush back to work.



I`ll give it one more try this evening I thought, I`ll try it plugged straight into the socket and not into the adapter.... what happened....it worked!! Am I glad that I didn`t manage to get through to them after all !

Another day older

Another day, or I should say year, older. Thought I`d share with you some a picture of some of the 17 cards I received and some of my presents.

Update on the birthday cake.... it`s not ready..... so it`s cream cakes for tea tonight instead.

Cake making

This, I think, is the first time I`ve had to make my own birthday cake, and it`s sad in a way.
Not that I mind the baking, I enjoy making cakes and biscuits.

It`s sad though to realise that my parent has got so elderly that she`s unable to stand for the length of time it takes to weigh out and mix the ingredients. So it was with mixed feelings that I mixed up the recipe for the "traditional" cake, an orange chocoloate chip one that we always make for birthdays and special occasions, and baked it this afternoon. Thankfully it looks to have turned out nicely. But, whether I will get it finished with it`s coating of chocolate in time for tomorrows tea, I don`t know.

Morning sky

I just had to run and grab my camera as I dashed out of the door to go to work this morning, to capture this beautiful unusual red sky and cloud formation.
Just hope it doesn`t live up to the rhyme - red sky in the morning, shepherds warning. 

More autumn colour

Enjoy another scene of some autumn trees turning colour.
I love to see all the different shades, and how beautifully they seem to compliment one another at this time of year.

What a day!

By lunch time today I was wishing I could go back to bed, wake up and start the day again. Guess we all get days like that occasionally, but this morning nothing went right.

It started when I plugged the kettle in to make the breakfast cup of tea. There was a big flash of light and a bang! I quickly turned it off, unplugged it and then, because I didn`t like the kind of burning smell there was, put it outside the kitchen door - just to be on the safe side.

Time to spare before going to church, so I merrily did some typing on the computer, one neighbour arrived for his lift to church then I waited to hear Mother`s "boyfriend" arrive. Suddenly I remembered that I`d put the car in his garage last night, so had to dash round there to get it and pick him up. On getting there, there was no sign of him waiting. I rang the bell, got the car out of the garage, by which time he`d usually appeared, but today, no, I had to ring again. Typical, just because I was running late.

The service went on, and on, and on this morning too, finishing much, much later than normal. I kept thinking about the chicken I`d left cooking on timer in the oven. Eventually we got out for service, and then as I was about to leave the building an elderly lady, a regular attender was looking for Mrs. C to take her home as the people who brought her had dropped her off that morning as they were going to another church. As by then most of the congregation had departed, I ended up offering to run her home, which ofcourse was in the opposite direction to where I live. That added more time to get home to resuce my poor chicken from the oven.

On eventually driving up our road, what do I find..... a visitor at a neighbours house had parked partly blocking my drive entrance, so more hold-up while I waited for him to move his car. Once parked I dashed straight to the kitchen to take the chicken out of the oven and put the vegetables on to boil. Now to get the chicken out of the roasting tin, the poor thing had coooked so well that it fell apart as I tried to lift it out. Then the potatoes boiled all over the stove.....aghhh.

Then, to crown it all, over lunch her "boyfriend" dropped the news that he won`t be going to his daughters for Christmas. So, no doubt assumes he`ll join us for the day. Without sounding selfish, I don`t want him for the day, it`s about the only day now in a year, that I can spend with just my Mum without him present. It`s a special day in that respect. No consideration is given to how I want to spend Christmas. I could scream.

Can I start the day again!?

Autumn Colour

Between heavy showers of rain yesterday, I managed to get some photos of the autumn colour at one of my favourite spots. So here`s one of them for you to enjoy.

Success

I decided to continue my search today for the bulbs that were proving so elusive to find the other day.

So off I went along the coast a few miles to another garden centre in the opposite direction to the one I`d tried earlier in the week. I wasn`t really very optimistic about finding any bulbs, but the sun was out and it was a nice morning to go for a ride.

As I wandered round the garden centre there were plants of all kinds, some winter pansies and cyclamen, maybe I`ll have to be content with them, I thought, but then turning a corner, I spied on the end of a shelf a few packs of tulip and crocus bulbs. My luck was in.

They`re now planted in pots and sitting in the garden ready to delight me with their blooms in the spring.

Grouse

I`m going to have a grouse, a grumble today - so, as they say "you`ve been warned" before you read this.

As anyone who reads this regularly may have realised, I`ve got a parent who is not able to walk very well at all. Infact she can go nowhere without a wheely walking aid, not even around the house, and if we go out anywhere she has to go in a wheelchair.

Having lived for many, many years in the same town lots of people remember her and ask me when they see me, "how`s your Mum?" My answer is that she`s alright apart from not being any good at walking or getting about, unless I take her out in the car. And, they almost all reply, "oh, she`s like me then, I can`t get around much"....

You may wonder why that annoys me - it`s because they`re obviously able to walk unaided around the town, probably even to the town, some are not even using a walking stick let alone a wheely walker, they`re able to do their own shopping, go for walks etc. So why do they compare themselves to being the same as someone who can`t get out without assistance.
They don`t know how lucky they are.

Bulbs

I`ve been searching for the elusive today!... All I want is some bulbs, I don`t even mind what sort or colour they are, so it should be simple enough to find them, shouldn`t it?

I`ve been in the town, I`ve been out of the town, I`ve found light bulbs, torch bulbs, countless different forms of Christmas lights bulbs, but can I find the bulbs I want? No. Even the likelist place, the place you`d expect them to have them didn`t.

What am I searching for? Spring bulbs for the garden, I`d be happy to find either daffodil, tulip or even some crocus bulbs. OK, I know most people set their bulbs in September or October, but I just didn`t feel like doing them then, I just felt I couldn`t be bothered, couldn`t feel any enthuasism for the work of setting bulbs, so I didn`t get any. Now today, on a very mild springlike day in November, I thought, yes I really must set some bulbs, if I don`t do it I`ll be disappointed when spring comes and I haven`t any to look at. I do enjoy watching them grow and bloom. I really must make the effort and get some and set them.

But, I`m thwarted, and it`s my own fault. So, I suppose that teaches me the old lesson `never put off till tomorrow what you should do today`.

Difficult Question

I`m pondering over a very difficult question at the moment. It`s my birthday in 10 days time and my parent keeps asking me "What do you want for your birthday?". The simple answer is "I don`t know"!

So, I wonder......
What about a Satelite navigation gadget? - yet a) do I travel far enough to need one, b) are they distracting in a car?, c) are they reliable? d) would I really use it much?

Or, should I ask for a small pocket tv that I could have in my bedroom or anywhere? - yet would I really watch it much.

Jewelllery? - no, I don`t wear much, just my favourite pieces

Clothes? - no, she couldn`t choose those for me!

So, what do I suggest she gets for me? I just don`t know!

Beautiful Bloom

Two Minutes

Having observed the two minutes silence, both yesterday and today to remember those who had died in wars, I wondered - why 2 minutes?

Why not one minute, three minutes or some other number of minutes?
Who had first decided it should be two minutes, and why, was there some special significance to 2?

What a long time that two minutes seems when one stands silent, how different to when one has just two minutes to catch a bus, or get to work, or complete a job, or do anything, then it seems to fly by, yet it`s exactly the same length of seconds. Odd, isn`t it.

Armistice Day

At 11 a.m. today, the 11th. day of the 11th. month, we all observe two minutes of silence. Televisoion programmes, news, newspapers and magazines will have pictures of soldiers, airmen and scenes of fighting and war. Of bravery of men and women of the forces.

Now, I`m not saying that we shouldn`t think of them...

....BUT - what about the "ordinary" men, women and children who died in the war - not fighting, but those living their lives at "home", working to keep their country running, and as safe as they could? Like the air-raid wardens, firemen, policemen, ambulance and medical staff, shopkeepers, farmers, housewives, school teachers, milkmen, ...the list is endless. All those hundreds and thousands of innocent people both English and German and other nationalities who got killed. Surely they deserve just as much to be remembered today.

The tree

Well, if you didn`t guess what I was talking about yesterday, they were Christmas Trees. And here is one of them - a shocking pink Christmas Tree.

Now, who I wonder would want one of those in their room? I know I certainly wouldn`t. (and it looks worse in real life than it does in this photo). What the price was I don`t know, I didn`t look but I`ll guess it was probably very expensive. Me, I wouldn`t give you 10p for it!

As for the black ones, how dismal can you get, on what should be a happy cheerful time of year. Ok, I know that Christmas in some ways may not be a good time of year for a lot of folk, but the real reason for Christmas is one for celebrating.

What colour tree will I be putting up (not yet ofcourse), a green one ofcourse. So, who wants this pink one?

Pink & Black

Idly wandering round the large seasonal section of a garden centre and craft place this afternoon, I turned a corner and there was a large, at least 5 or 6 ft high tall black one. It didn`t look at all right, why on earth would anyone want a black one? It was conical in shape but it was black. Going futher I then came across a shocking pink one!, this one was more the right shape for the natural object, but ughhh it was pink.

What`s wrong with the natural green colour? Wonder what I`m talking about?.... will tell you tomorrow.

To print or not to print?

I wonder if any of my blog readers can enlighten me on this?...... I was looking at a general web site this evening which was interesting and thought to myself I`ll print that off to sit and read, then at the bottom of the page I spotted that there was a copyright sign, and the words not to be reproduced without written permission. Now, I thought, do I print it or don`t I? I`m not reproducing it for any commercial purpose, just to read it in the comfort of an armchair, so am I allowed to do that or not? It wasn`t anyones blog or personal information, it was just an ordinary interest site.

Something for Nothing

I was observing people at a sale at a church the other day.

The stalls were piled up with all kinds of goods - there were gifts for Christmas, attractive cards, handicrafts of all descriptions, all good quality items. People milled round picking this up, picking that up, looking at the price, putting it down again. Yet everything was very reasonably priced, low priced infact to what they would cost in the shops. Many things not even being sold for the price of making them, and certainly no charge for the time it takes to make them.

Talking with some of the stall holders towards the end of the event, they all said the same thing, people seemed to want "something for nothing" they expected to pay about 20p for things no matter how much work and materials had gone into them.

Why is it that when people come to a church or charity event they just expect everything cost next to nothing?

Service Time

Working on helping to planning a songs of praise service with someone the other evening, suddenly took my mind back to something I used to do, and it shook me to think that it was about 40 years ago. I really had to ask myself was it really forty years? Where had those years gone to, it didn`t seem that long.

It was at the time when our church Circuit was short of local preachers, so it was agreed that a group of us teenagers, about 6 of us, should, under the leadership and guidance of one of our Sunday School leaders (who was a local preacher), and her sister, should be formed to meet, plan a service/s and go to some of the village churches. I well remember the evenings we spent planning the theme, the readings, the hymns and between us discussing and writing out combined thoughts into a sermon. We then used to sort out who would do what, the sermon was usually split into three sections.

One in particular that I remember us doing was that of the Good Samaritan, where we each took one of the people that walked past the man who had been robbed. And, instead of instantly criticing them for not stopping to help, we considered each of the people and thought about the legitimate reasons they may have had for not stopping, as well as why they should have.

We did several services over a year or two, then gradually the group got smaller until it ceased to be. But it`s a time and experience I shall remember. None of us continued on to be preachers - whether that was the hope, I don`t know!!

So, it actually felt quite reminiscent and a priviledge to be involved with the planning and participation this week. The person I was doing it with had a lot of good ideas, and it went off very well this evening, and seemed to be appreciated by everyone there.

Where`s Guy?

There`s bangs, whoosh`s, cracks, whizz`s and all sorts of unusual sounds going off outside to night. Yes, they`re fireworks, a day early.

It set us pondering a while ago and remembering - what`s happened to all the guys for Guy Fawkes night. You used to see children with old prams, pushchairs, barrows, each having a guy in it - made maybe of sacking stuffed with straw or other material, an old battered hat on its head, and various other clothing on it. And there`d be an old bit of cardboard beside it saying "Penny for the Guy". There used to be a bit of rivarly between children as to who could produce the best one, but for several years now, not one`s to be seen in this town.

I wonder if they`re still made and the tradition carried on in other places?

More Lights

What is a Dad?

What is a Dad?

From earliest memories, he`s a person who`s always there for you.

The one on whose knee you sit to be read stories to
Who you correct for mispronouncing the name of Heidi in your favourite story.

The person who takes you to Sunday school with them, even when they are teaching a class of much older boys and you`re the only girl!

The person who taught you to say your prayers at night.

He`s the person who shares time in hobbies and making and doing things with you.
And as you grow, you share in doing activities and things with them.

The person you look for to come home from work each day, and who you enjoy walking along the cliffs with.

The one who does the washing-up when you do the cooking.

The person who teaches you so much,
and from whom you learn so much without realising it, until you later look back.

He`s the person you feel safe and secure with,
who you love and who you miss so much when he`s not around any more.

Who was this Dad? It was my Dad. The Dad that I give thanks to God for.


Why have I written this today?.....because today would have been his birthday, and I wanted to share some memories of him.

Trick or Treat - NO thank you.

I think weather must know its the end of summertime too, its turned windy and wet today, and just the right weather for Halloween! Right that is, in my opinion so that its hopeully stopped some of the youngsters going out and making a nuisance of themselves, disturbing and frightening elderly people in their own homes.

Why we have to have this American import of Trick or Treat each year now, I really don`t know. It didn`t exist in my young days, and has no purpose as far as I can see apart from being a nuisance. I certainly didn`t answer our door bell when it rang on two separate occasions this evening.

A Scam or not a Scam?

Now-a-days one is always hearing about different scams that are happening, both on the Web and by telephone calls, and other means. It makes one so very wary, and even distrustful of folk. And probably 99.9% are genuine. But, how do you know if the person calling is who they say they are?

I`ve just had a telephone call (the chap rang when I was out this morning and was asked to ring back) He gave me his/a name and said he was from the AA, and wanted to tell me about an new scheme they`ve got out for breakdown cover for parts as well as the call out and it was a special offer price if I did it on the phone. He named the Option I`m currently on with them and explained what the benefits of the new scheme would be and that there was a special offer on it. I asked him to send me details by mail, but he said it won`t be at the offer price if you do it that way, and again repeated what the scheme was and that it would only be £20 if I did it there and then.

I said to him, "with no disrespect to you, there are so many scams about, that I want to see it sent in writing". He offered to quote my membership number. But I`ve insisted that I want something in writing. I`ve just looked on the AA website and there is a Scheme that seems to be the same as he offered, but then again, anyone could read it there, then try it on, couldn`t they?

So, was he from the company he said he was? Or wasn`t he? I don`t know. Although he probably was genuine, I daren`t take the risk. Isn`t it sad though, when you can`t be sure that you can trust callers.

The End of Summer

Yes, it`s official. Summer has finished.

Well, if we`ve had to change all the clocks (and watches - wonder why they never say the Watches go back an hour, is it assumed that watches change themselves?) for the end of summertime, it must mean summers at an end, mustn`t it?

I dutifully went round the house last night changing all the clocks (and watches). It`s surprising how many timepieces there are in a house, but at least they`re all done now. At least, I thught they were, I`ve just looking up now and spotted one I`ve missed, and that reminds me, there`s another I`ve missed too - the one in my car. Oh, well at least the alarm clock is right for the morning!

Clutter!

I don`t know where it all comes from! I`m sure that as soon as I turn my back to my desk papers and bits and pieces jump out of the drawers and scatter themselves across my desk top. If only they would organise themselves to sit in nice neat piles, it would look so much better.
Not, that they`re all waiting to be dealt with, many of them are just waiting to be filed away.

The End of the Road

Driving along this morning on our way to a large store that we go to quite regularly, we set out along the usual route. Turning off the main road we passed familiar "landmarks", like the garden that has 2 pigs in it, a railway signal in another garden further on, and followed the winding road to the end when we went straight across the cross roads and down the road opposite - but today getting to the end of the road, we were completely bemused..... there was no road opposite!

We just sat and looked, we couldn`t believe it, where was the road? What had happened we asked each other, we didn`t remember taking a turning off, we were sure we were on the right road, yes, we must be we`d passed the things we normally see. Where had we gone wrong?

We turned left and then took a road on the right, but that wasn`t the right one, so managing to find an opening to turn round in, we returned to the junction we`d come out of. Looking ahead past the junction we`d come out of, we saw another turning to the left so we took it.....and, it was the road we should have crossed straight over to. .....very odd!

We eventually worked out, that since we`d last gone that way, which was a few months ago, they`d moved the road junction from being opposite (and a crossroads) to a few yards further down the main road. But what a confusing and strange thing it felt to have a road disappear.

What`s the secret?

I`ve been doing the job I`m useless at this afternoon. Well, there`s a lot of things I`m useless at, and this is one of them. No matter how hard I try, what materials I use to do it with, I`m never satisfied with the result.

I`ve tried all kinds of spray cleaning liquids, different cloths, washleather, kitchen roll, microfibre cloth and water, but all with the same result – streaky or smeary windows and mirrors.

Is there a knack to it? Or a secret to how to get nice shiny clean windows?

Cuddly clouds?

Listening to the local radio station this morning at work (switiching it off if anyone came to the door!) Yes, I was working too, I can do two things at once! I heard a lovely expression.

The interviewer had been talking to some gardeners and then got on to talking about the weather, and asked why it had been colder last night than the night before. The answer given him was that there had been a "duvet of clouds" over the county the night before, but that last night there wasn`t. I`d heard of a blanket of cloudcover before, but never heard of it being a duvet.

It gave me a lovely picture in my mind of white fluffy clouds being purposely spread out overhead to snuggle the earth in.

Message

Hickory dickory dock

Saw this while I was on holiday recently. 

Sunday again

What little gems of wisdom (or not), am I going to write about today? I don`t really know. It` s been a pretty ordinary day.

I woke up to a beautiful sunny autumn morning, how lovely I thought, I`ll be able to go for a nice long walk this afternoon. But, what happened?.... by dinner time it was raining. I know that physically the rain doesn`t stop one walking, but its not that pleasant to walk in. So, as my parent and her friend were occupying the front room, and I didn`t want to join them, they`d probably go to sleep anyway, so I went and passed the time away on the computer. (yes we still call our rooms back room or living room, and front room, not lounge, sitting room or dining room as seems to be the modern way of referring to them. Wonder why others have changed to calling them that, is it just a way of "keeping up with the Jones"? - but I`m getting side tracked now, lets get back to my day).

I attended two services at our church today, and both were very good. The morning one I found very educational without being way above me. The Minister used everyday language and was very down to earth. She did talk and explain the background to how things would have been in Jesus` s day, his upbringing, how what he said and what he did would mean to people then and what they should mean to us today. It was very interesting. Different to how some of our local preachers just seem to use their sermons as a way to critise so much and to have a "dig" at their pet dislikes, or promote their favourite causes.
I also found myself riveted to listening to the evening preacher (something I hadn`t expected before I went!) . He came out of the pulpit and stood in the pews close to the congregation, and just talked about things that were in his life, and there was just so much in what he said. There was somehow a real tangible atmosphere of - I can`t really find words to describe it, but there was just somehow, something "there".

Bang, Bang

It`s that time of year again, when you`re sitting quietly indoors in the evening, when suddenly loud bangs go off outside, making you almost jump out of your skin.

What am I talking about? Fireworks. I`ve heard the first ones tonight and its still 15 days to Guy Fawkes Night. And that won`t be the end of them, they`ll go on for several days after that I expect. Why, I wonder, can`t youngsters wait until 5th. November, what do they get out of disturbing and even frightening some people by letting them off now.

Funny old world we live in, isn`t it?.......
.......well, not the world, its the people in it isn`t it.

What a catch!

Having finished most of the work I`d got to do the other day, I asked my boss if she`d got a job I could do for about an hour (until the time I left off). To my astonishment she turned round and said, "you can go home if you like". I queried that I`d heard right, and thought perhaps she`d mistaken the time, and said but I`ve still an hour to do, But no, I had heard right. She said, you can owe us an hour, but I didn`t particularly like the thought of that (as it may be at a time when I didn`t want to stay late or do extra). But I said, ok, after all it was a nice sunny day and it would be nice to get out early.

A couple of minutes later, she said to me, trying to sound innocent, you could come in for an hour on Friday morning if you like.... (my day off). So, there was no lay in for an extra hour this morning, I had to be up to go into work at the usual early time, just for one hour. And it was just so that she didn`t have to do some of my work on my day off. It seems so pointless really going in for one hour. I shall definitely be more wary next time such a suggestion is made!!

Ageism

The government has now brought in new rulings on ageism, and the right of people to work beyond their normal retirement.

I don`t think this is a good idea. After all, while jobs are filled by people who carry on working long past retirement age, what happens to all the young people who can`t even get jobs now? If people never retire they`ll be no vacancies for them, and the government will have to keep paying them unemployment money – so why do they think they`ll save by not paying out pensions if people who continue working. It seems ludicrous to me.

I wonder how long it will be before they decide that people have to work until they die?!

I know, I for one won`t be working beyond the time when I can legally retire, and the sooner the better!
There`s got to be a life outside of work, hasn`t there?

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Eggs, eggs, eggs, where do they all come from?! I`ve just opened our fridge door and discovered that we`ve got 2 dozen sitting there.

It set me thinking - how many different things can you do with an egg? I could boil it, poach it, fry it, scramble it, make omelettes with it, make baked custard with it, coddle it (I`ve not done that, but have heard of it), or do some baking with it. What a versatile thing an egg is.
Now, there`s only 2 of us in the house, so to avoild us having to eat eggs for every meal, I`ve had a baking session and now an array of sponge cakes and buns sit in the kitchen. And what a lovely aroma fills the place.

Have I made anyone hungry yet?!

Blogging for History

Only a short blog here today, because I`m goint to take part in the Blogging for History which the National Trust are doing today. If you want to see what it`s all about look here

Jigsaw of Life

I`m going to tell you about another jig-saw today, but it`s a much more complicated one than the straight edged one that I wrote about yesterday. In this one all the pieces seem to be very scattered and none of them seem to fit together well, its as if there`s some of them missing.

The jigsaw I`m referring to is my life. It seems and feels very much like a jigsaw at times. There`s.....
.....my home life
.....my working life
.....my church life
.....my hobbies
.....my parent
.....my obligation to my parent
.....my parent`s friend
.....myself
.....my needing time and space to myselfa

yet, none of them seem to fit easily together, there seems to be gaps and missing linking pieces that I can`t find. In the first three I seem almost to be three different people!... and the other six don`t seem to sit happily together.
What or where are the missing pieces?

Jig saws

I`ve enjoyed doing jig-saws since I was a child. One of my favourites used to be one that belonged to my Dad as a boy (so you can tell it was quite an old one), and it had all straight sides. Yes, even all the middle pieces where straight sided, no knobs and cut out sockets as in the present day ones.

I wonder if others were taught like me to do jig-saws without looking at the picture on the box?! It`s still the way I do them, tip the pieces out, put the box in the cupboard, sort the pieces out into edges and middles on trays, and leave the box in the cupboard until the puzzle is completed. Its much more fun and more of a challenge than looking to see where each piece would go.

I came across this site today. It`s one I`ll be returning to time and time again in my “spare” time.

Just Seven Days

Just seven days ago I was, at this time (5pm), on my way home from a relaxing weeks holiday.

I really had to stop and think this afternoon, was it really only one week ago?
Why is it that only too quickly we get back into the routine of everyday life and work, and it seems weeks ago that the holiday was?

New House

Having written about going to buy a new house the other day, I thought I`d better show you a picture of it, so you can see what it`s like.

Now, I don`t want anyone getting worried thinking I`m leaving the town where I`ve lived all my life (so far), I`m not leaving.

Here it is.....




Yes, it was a new cage for my canary, and he`s settled very happily into it.

How do they get these jobs?

It really made me wonder today, how do people get jobs for which they don`t seem to have even the basic skills needed.

At the checkout in a local store a customer gave the assistant a £10 to pay for his purchases which amounted to £1.24. The young lady on the till obviously hit a wrong key on the keypad which opened the till, but didn`t tell her how much change to give the customer. Shockingly she was totally unable to work out how much change to give and stood there looking completely confused, and had to hold the whole queue up whilst she called an older supervisor to come and count the change out.

Surely for such a job one should at least have basic knowledge of maths. Not necessarily to subtract one figure from another, but to just count back change adding coins as one counts them back.

What happened to those days when tills didn`t tell one how much change to give..... how on earth did anyone work then!!?

House hunting.

I`ve been house hunting this afternoon. Looking for something the same size as the current one, with the same amount of space in it, ......and it wasn`t easy.

The first place we tried they had a few, but they were all too small, more narrow, less head room, the door in the wrong place, and we just didn`t like the look of them, so we came away.

Going on a few more miles we went to another place, wandered round a while then inquired, no they didn`t have them for sale any more, but suggested we tried another place a couple of streets away, so off we went.

This looked a bit more promising, so in we went, and found two that we quite liked. The shape of each of them was different, which would be be best the one which was more like the present one, or the other which was different? Should we go for same or different? So discussions of finer details, like the eating area, floor space, bathing accessibility, etc., took place.

Eventually we made the decision.

Wet through!

I`ve just been doing a job, quite an ordinary job but one which I must confess I don`t do very often if I can avoid it. And, as always I`ve ended up with my skirt, legs, feet all soaking wet and I`ve had to come inside and change my clothes. Is it just that I`m awkward doing it, or I wonder do others get as wet as I do?

What have I been doing? I`ll give you a clue, it`s something outdoors.

Back again

Yes, I`m back from my holiday, and I`m so glad that I went. Not that I exactly did a lot, nor was the weather hot and sunny, infact it was one of the wettest weeks holidays I`ve ever had. But that didn`t matter a scrap. I was staying with friends, so it was good just to stay indoors, to sit and relax and do virtually nothing for a lot of the time. Most unusual for me, I know, but it obviously was just what I needed.

Although I`d taken my laptop with me, and managed to find an internet connection there, I decided to even have a holiday from my daily Blogging, but now I`m back and daily posts will resume. I was glad I`d taken the laptop with me as I spent several hours looking up things for one of my friends, and I think got him interested in actually using it himself before I left!!

Going

Well, this is probably my last posting for a week, because I`m off on holiday. All sorts of feelings are still going through me over it, and playing up my nerves, but I know I mustn`t give in to them. I`m still wondering if I`m doing right or not?

I just keep saying over and over to myself this verse, don`t know where I first heard it
“The Lord is here
The Lord is there
The Lord is with me everywhere”

I went to see another Flower Festival yesterday, this time the theme was "The Magical Kingdom" and had displays all based on Disney films. Many were well known and familiar ones to me like Bambi, Snow White, Lady & the Tramp, but some I`d not heard of, such as this one which I took a picture of.




It`s a disney film called "Mulan". Wonder if anyone else has heard of it? Apparently its the retelling of an old Chinese folktale. 

A Blessing in Disguise

If you`ve missed my blog entries this week its because I`ve been off line for a while. I was trying to get my laptop on to a wireless connection, and having got the neccessary equipment from my internet supplier and being told I would just need to unplug the current Broadband items and plugged in the new one, I expected it to work immediately. I suppose that was naive of me really to expect it to be that simple!

I knew that I had some emails awaiting me, and one in particular I was anxious to read. So, as I was unable to read it, and I was so desparate for the help I hoped it would give me on some personal matters that I rang the person up to see if I could have a printed copy of what it contained. But, instead of getting a printed version, I had a conversation with the person and found it was far more helpful to talk to someone, however stumbling my words came out.

Emails are great, but I found in this instance it was so much better to actually hear a voice and even in spells of quiet within the call, to just know that someone was there at the other end of the line with me was reassuring and comforting. And, although the problems weren`t completely solved I felt a lot better afterwards.

So, losing my connection for a day or so, was a "blessing in disguise".

God moves in mysterious ways........

Got it!

After spending over two hours working on it, I`m feeling pleased with myself as I think I`ve succeeded.
I`ve been connecting and disconnecting leads, plugs, sockets, crawling round on the floor to get to several of them, diving under tables, pulling out a desk to get to a lead which went behind it.... Why is it that sockets are in such awkward places, and connection point on equipent at the back so that one has to pull them out to get to it. Anyway eventually I got it working...what am I talking about, probably something that`s simple to many of you, but at least I`ve done it now.... got my laptop linked up with a wireless connection to the Internet. And, if I`ve got it right, this post will come from it.

Logic

One of the pastimes I enjoy is doing logic puzzles in books and magazines. Infact I have occasionally created some puzzles and did a few years ago even get a couple published in one of the monthly books of them. So, I couldn`t resist doing this quiz to see how logical I am!

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

Blog Motto

I wonder what people`s blog motto would be? I think mine will be "If you`ve nothing to say give `em a picture!"

So, here`s a picture for today.



So.... it`s a household item, but what is it?

Dainty Beauty

I saw this flower the other day and was captured by its delicate beauty. But, I don`t know what it is. The plant was about 2 - 3 ft tall. It was in natural surroundings, so is it a cultivated flower, or is it a weed?

Nothing to say

"If you`ve not got anything sensible to say, don`t say anything"....
I can remember that being said to me years and years ago. Maybe that`s why I`m such a quiet person, and find it very difficult to start up conversations with people.

Anyway, I`m not going to `run on` today. I can`t think of anything to say. That`s why there was no post yesterday either, and only this squit today!

Perhaps tomorrow will be better for ideas.

New kind of Post

I made a very useful discovery a few weeks ago - a much better way to post letters than to queue up at a post office for ages to buy the necessary stamps. I can print my own postage paid labels on here. Wonder if anyone else has found that out?

No Idea

I`ve no idea what to write about today. I said yesterday that I`d try and write more interesting posts this week... but my mind just won`t get there, so I`ll try to do better tomorrow. But, you know how the saying goes "Tomorrow never comes". Oh well, wait and see.

Two weeks today

Two weeks today I should be several miles away from home. Don`t get me wrong, I do like my home, but at them moment I need a break from it. If you`ve been reading my blog this week, you`ll have realised how I feel and that I want and need a break on my own. I shan`t though be on my own as I`m going to stay with friends, but it will be a break away from the responsiblities of here which are weighing heavily on me at present and getting me down, so there I know I will be able to have a rest and relax.

I`ll try and write more interesting posts this coming week, but I just had to pour things out somewhere over the last few days and the blog seemed the best place.

Taxi anyone?

My parents didn`t drive, but I was encouraged or should I say "persuaded" to learn to drive about 14 years ago now, just after my Dad died, by my doctor as a means of helping my self-confidence and to give me independence. I passed my test second time, having failed the first one through being too cautious. Learning to drive was one of the best things I`ve ever done and I love driving. My biggest regret though, is that I didn`t do it while Dad was alive so that he could have enjoyed outings with me.

But, now I`m getting very frustrated and fed by by seeming to be seen as a taxi service, not only for my parent (which is I suppose natural), but now too she assumes that I`ll take her friend here and there and to this and that appointment he has regardless of what I`m doing or planning to do. It`s "I told D you`d take him to........." not asking me first are you able to take ........ It`s most annoying but what can I do?

Disappointment

Living with my parent, (or I should say having my parent live with me, as it`s my house), and having just spent another holiday with her, I was looking forward to having at least a weeks break and having the house to myself this coming week. But now that`s not to be. The person she was going away with is unable to go, so she cancelled too. I am so disappointed. I really need some time to myself.

It is so frustrating, she`s getting so demanding, so slow, so irritable, it takes me twice as long to do anything, go anywhere. I want my home to be a home not turning into a nursing home with rails, high loo seats, high chairs. Everything has to be "her", she doesn`t stop to think how I feel about things. I feel that my life is going past but it`s not my life, I`m not being able to do what I want, to be Me.

I`ve got no brothers or sisters or anyone to say all this to, so sorry my readers, but I`ll have to write it here instead.

Is it wrong to want my own "space", time to be me, to do what I want to do?

"Did you enjoy your holiday?"

"Did you enjoy your holiday?", "Did you have a good holiday?"... so many people have asked me that question in the last few days, and I`ve found myself automatically replying, "Yes, thanks, it was lovely, the weather was good".......etc. But really that is the polite answer. I wonder why it is, that when asked such questions we always (or at least I know I do), tend to give the answer we think the other person wants to hear and not the real answer to the question, which probably they haven`t got time to listen to anyway.

The truthful answer to Did I enjoy my holiday, would actually be I enjoyed some of it, but not all. A lot of the time I found it very hard work, very difficult coping with pushing a wheelchair everywhere, always thinking what can be done or where visited with an elderly person. It, to be blunt - felt a huge tie. I couldn`t just go for a walk along the cliffs, or to picturesque old towns with narrow, steep, winding streets or anything like that. It`s surprising how even a promenade which looks level and flat, actual isn`t, it leans towards the beach - I suppose to send any sea water back the right way when it splashes over - but it makes it very arm aching holding a wheelchair with more pressure on one side than the other. I had anxiety too over whether my parent was alright, especially when she wasn`t well one day, and then on the morning that we were due to come home, when I went into her room in the morning she told me she`d been sick in the night which made me very on edge as to whether she`d be ok travelling home. The whole while it was so very taxing, I couldn`t relax.

I`ve come back feeling tireder (is there such a word as that?) more tired, than before I went.

Holiday Shopping

Looking at all the merchandise on sale in the stores in the shopping centre while on holiday, when I had time to go round, and round and round the shops pushing my parent, it really made me wonder, does it all get sold? How much do the stores actually sell at full price, because everywhere you went there were signs - half price, 50% off, buy one get one free. Are goods originally priced so high, that these offers can be made to be seeming bargains when infact they are the price one should be paying for the item?

Holiday experiences (3)

LOCKED IN?

I frightened myself one day on my holiday. I think I`ve written here before about my fear and hate of being shut in anywhere, well, while on holiday I happened to go into a public loo, going into the cubical the door slammed shut behind me as soon as I entered. I didn`t like that sensation. It wasn`t a very well lit place and was all dark brown paint. Going to leave the cubical I turned the lock back and the door wouldn`t budge, immediately I started to panic. There was no-one else in there, and not many people at that site, I kept turning the lock knob this way and that, pushing the door, but nothing gave. I looked at the gap at the bottom of the door, but decided it wasn`t big enough for me to limbo under. I knew my parent was in the car, but not very mobile and wondered how long it would be before she came to find me, and I knew she`d be worried when I failed to return. Should I start to shout for help? Would anyone hear me? What should I do?

The toilet roll was hanging on the back of the door, I thought frantically perhaps if I shove hard on that it will help to move/open the door - pushing on that by now in desparation, although it had only been a very few minutes that I`d been in there, I found the toilet roll moved easily, downwards, and the door opened easily! It turned out that the roll had been hanging on the handle of the door that one just needed to press down to open it, but with the darkness of the surroundings I hadn`t been able to see that. Was I relieved!

Holiday experiences (2)

Talking or should I say writing about rain greeting us at our holiday destination, it reminded me of a holiday many years ago when we went to Dover. That was quite an "adventurous" holiday in more ways than one! We arrived there in a torrential storm, thunder, lighning and pouring rain, so much rain that the streets were flooded including the road where our guest house was. Climbing the steps to it and ringing the bell, there was no reply, we waited and waited and eventually after a long time a lady came racing along the road. Not a very good welcome.

Then one night during that holiday, I was sound asleep - it was in the days before we really had the need to lock doors - I was woken by giggling voices and discovered a young man carring a (I assume) girlfriend into the room ready to get into bed...... ! I don`t know who had the greatest shock, them or me!

And another strange thing about that place was that although you met and passed people on the stairs, or they burst into your bedroom, you never saw them again during the whole of the stay. Odd.

HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES

I took my laptop on holiday with me, so wrote a diary entry each day, and here you can read about some of my holiday happenings.

Day 1. It was a bright although not sunny morning when we loaded the car up and set off for our holiday, but part way along the clouds thickened and became showers of rain. For the first year that I can remember we arrived at this holiday destination in rain, usually the sun had shone. To see where we are staying have a look here - you`ll also see the view I had from my bedroom window, which was the left hand one of the two bay windows at the top of the building.

Day 2. Well, what an strange night that turned out to be. I was awoken from sleep at around 2.30 a.m. by sounds of lumping and bumping coming from another room. It sounded as if they were moving all the furniture around, slamming doors as they did so, then there were voices of people talking, which got louder and louder, a mans voice and a high pitched femail voice which seemed at time to be whining and wailing. This kept up for two hours. I felt I wanted to get up and go on knock on the door, if I`d known which door it was, it was loud so I assumed it was from the one next to me or opposite me, and remind them that people were trying to sleep. Needless to say, I didn`t venture out of my room to do so, I just laid there unable to sleep getting more and more irritated and wishing I was at home and not come away on holiday, because one comes away to have a rest. Eventually after a couple of hours it went quiet and eventually I slept till the alarm woke me. Going down to breakfast in the morning, we were told the reason for the disturbance - a couple had been having a punch up in their room (the room under mine) and the proprieter had had to call the police, to take the man away!
Let me hasten to add, that the hotel is in a good area and this was a most unusual occurance.

Day 3. Walked miles today! the sun shone and it was beautiful by the sea. Strange isn`t it, that although I live by the sea, I see more of the sea when I`m away on holiday than I do at home. I suppose there its something I just take for granted, yet, I know I couldn`t live inland or away from it somehow. Once having a holiday away from the sea it just didn`t seem right. Maybe it too goes back to feeling shut in, with buildings all around instead of somehow the openness of the sea on one side

Day 4. "An ill wind...." . My parent didn`t feel very well this morning so was unable to go out. So, I spent a pleasant morning wandering around the shops on my own, and then an afternoon walking and sitting on the sea front, enjoying the sun and the breeze. I shouldn`t say it, but it was nice today to get a day to myself!

Day 5. We found Paradise this morning. A place full of the history of how the earth had evolved, fossils from thousands and millions of years ago. Plants from all around the world - I`ve never seen so many cacti all in one place before!

Paths through gardens with interesting features at every twist and turn, relief from the heat of the sun in the shade of hedges and trees, ponds and streams all full of fish. I was very taken by the pure gold colouring of one of them in particular, I`ve seen gold fish and shades of yellows before but this one was like a metallic 24 carat gold. The trail was quiet and peaceful, we scarcely met another soul as we followed the arrows around the route, giving us time to stand and stare and enjoy.
(to see more, look here)

Day 6. A friend came and joined me today, so, "parking" my parent in her chair for a while we went off for a long walk and a natter. How good it was to have someone to walk my speed with, to exchange news and talk about nothing in particular. We discovered talking together that we both feel lonely at times and feel isolated through being single, finding it difficult to make friends with others. It was in some ways good to know that someone else feels the same as I do, but doesn`t solve the problem. Still we both enjoyed getting together today and catching up on things, and the sun shone again.

Day 7. Round and round the shops. The majority of today was spent pushing my parent around the shopping centre, and in and out of gift shops, book shops, clothes shops, stationers and many more. Not that I minded doing it, and it gave her an opportunity she seldom has of going round large stores and I quite enjoy wandering round shops. Gradually though it became a problem to carry all the bags and so they piled up on mothers lap, until she could just about see over the top of them all! It did get hard work pushing her too as the wheelchair got heavier and heavier and heavier due to all her purchases! We nearly gained several people on mother`s lap too during the day, as people just walked across or out infront of us without looking. I think I shall have to buy her a bicycle bell, or maybe a horn to toot to warn them!

Day 8. Home again. A good drive, which I enjoyed, and the bonus of no traffic jams or road works.

Today`s the Day!

The cases are packed, the car is loaded, the map is to hand, sandwiches are made, so, it`s holiday time! I`ll try and keep a diary while I`m away, then I can share my holiday on here when I return. Now, there`s something to look forward to !
And hopefully, very hopefully, I`ll be able to return and report that my parent did manage to cope with the stairs without blundering down them. Wish me luck.

Finished Result

Here`s what happened to that bucket of flowers.