I recently had to evacuate, along with many others, the building where I was working because it filled with smoke.
As we stood outside in the cold, (at least it wasn`t raining!) with no coats and no possessions, I suddenly started thinking, my handbag`s still in there. What will I do if I don`t get it back? And all the things that are in it started to go through my mind - my house and car keys, a friends house key, my credit cards, my purse, my cheque book, my mobile phone, etc...etc.. - all essential items. It was an alarming thought.
And, I thought how wise men are who have all their items in their pockets and not in bags, when things like this happen they have their essentials with them.
Fortunately, nothing burnt down and I was able to retrieve my bag after about an hour.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Singleness
I recently had to fill in a questionnaire, and amongst the questions on it was about what type of person I would like, or think, should be the successor to the current one.
Should they be male; female; single; married; married no family; married with family; etc....
(ok, I know in these days of discrimination that such a question shouldn`t be asked or take place in any decisions, but it was there, and I answered it) .
And, after answering it, as male and single (having worked with females, I find males easier to work with, and a single person probably gives more time to the job). I realised how my answer, - as a single woman - could be interpreted!
That it was that I was looking for a "man"! - And, before anyone one wonders, No I`m not...... although if Mr. Right did come along and didn`t mind the burden of an elderly parent...who knows?!
I wonder though, how many other single people like myself find it as difficult as I do to make friends with people of the opposite sex for fear of being thought that more than friendship is being sought?
Should they be male; female; single; married; married no family; married with family; etc....
(ok, I know in these days of discrimination that such a question shouldn`t be asked or take place in any decisions, but it was there, and I answered it) .
And, after answering it, as male and single (having worked with females, I find males easier to work with, and a single person probably gives more time to the job). I realised how my answer, - as a single woman - could be interpreted!
That it was that I was looking for a "man"! - And, before anyone one wonders, No I`m not...... although if Mr. Right did come along and didn`t mind the burden of an elderly parent...who knows?!
I wonder though, how many other single people like myself find it as difficult as I do to make friends with people of the opposite sex for fear of being thought that more than friendship is being sought?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The Tates
Have you met the "Tate Family"? No? Well, let me tell you about them.
Firstly, there is the old man Dic-Tate, who is rather bossy and wants to organise everything himself. Then there is his cousin, Ro-Tate, who delights in changing everything round. Mrs. Agi-Tate is well known for stirring up trouble, along with her short tempered husband, Mr. Irri-Tate. Whenever new ideas are suggested Mr. Hesi-Tate, and his wife Vege-Tate, always propose that the plans be deferred until next year. Mr. Imi-Tate wants everything to be like it was in his previous Company. Then there is Mr. Devas-Tate who has a gloomy, negative outlook that seems to cast a shadow on every situtation.
However, I do want to tell you about Mrs. Facili-Tate, who is most helpful and hard working. When it comes to thinking things over, and coming to prayerful and thoughtful decisions, you can rely on Mr. Cogi-Tate and Miss Medi-tate to offer sound advice.
Well, that just about completes the family - except I forgot to mention Mrs. Ampu-Tate, but she has recently cut herself off completely!
I wonder how many of these Tates we know, and which one/s we are?!!
Firstly, there is the old man Dic-Tate, who is rather bossy and wants to organise everything himself. Then there is his cousin, Ro-Tate, who delights in changing everything round. Mrs. Agi-Tate is well known for stirring up trouble, along with her short tempered husband, Mr. Irri-Tate. Whenever new ideas are suggested Mr. Hesi-Tate, and his wife Vege-Tate, always propose that the plans be deferred until next year. Mr. Imi-Tate wants everything to be like it was in his previous Company. Then there is Mr. Devas-Tate who has a gloomy, negative outlook that seems to cast a shadow on every situtation.
However, I do want to tell you about Mrs. Facili-Tate, who is most helpful and hard working. When it comes to thinking things over, and coming to prayerful and thoughtful decisions, you can rely on Mr. Cogi-Tate and Miss Medi-tate to offer sound advice.
Well, that just about completes the family - except I forgot to mention Mrs. Ampu-Tate, but she has recently cut herself off completely!
I wonder how many of these Tates we know, and which one/s we are?!!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
From Seeds to.......
Do you remember these pictures? ......
Well, here is the final result........
A mini sunflower!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
English language (2)
A few more oddities from our use of language (sent to me by the same friend).
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or
French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads,
which aren't sweet, are meat.
Quicksand works slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?
One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? Is it an odd, or an end?
In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
Have noses that run and feet that smell?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all
No doubt there are lots of other examples, but I`ve bored you enough by now, so I`ll change the subject for tomorrow!
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or
French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads,
which aren't sweet, are meat.
Quicksand works slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?
One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it? Is it an odd, or an end?
In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
Have noses that run and feet that smell?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all
No doubt there are lots of other examples, but I`ve bored you enough by now, so I`ll change the subject for tomorrow!
Friday, August 17, 2007
English language
Talking about the use of words in the English language a friend has sent me this:
20 Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
More on this theme tomorrow!
20 Reasons why the English language is so hard to learn:
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
More on this theme tomorrow!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
"Did you enjoy your trip?"
"Did you enjoy your trip?" That question was asked of me the other day, and it set me thinking and wondering why do we use the same word to mean different things. I`m not just talking about the word 'trip', but so many words in our language can have two or three completely different meanings.
You`ll probably assume by the question that I`d either been out for the day to somewhere, or been on a boat, or plane, or for a holiday, but the fact is it was none of those.
I was working in our church with a friend one day last week, and had gone out to get something. On coming back in through the door I stepped over an electical cable wire which was on the floor across the doorway from a hoover that someone else was using around the far side of the church, but having put one foot across it and about to put the second one over suddenly the cable wasn`t on the floor it was about 18 inches off the ground so caught my second foot, unable to save myself although I tried, I ended up going flat out full length in the centre aisle, with a good old wallop!
Fortunately, apart from two huge bruises on my knees and a slight graze on my arm, I didn`t do any serious damage.
But, my trip wasn`t a good one!
[If you`re wondering how the cable got to that height off the floor, the person vacuuming had pulled it to try and get a bit futher and hadn`t looked round before doing so]
You`ll probably assume by the question that I`d either been out for the day to somewhere, or been on a boat, or plane, or for a holiday, but the fact is it was none of those.
I was working in our church with a friend one day last week, and had gone out to get something. On coming back in through the door I stepped over an electical cable wire which was on the floor across the doorway from a hoover that someone else was using around the far side of the church, but having put one foot across it and about to put the second one over suddenly the cable wasn`t on the floor it was about 18 inches off the ground so caught my second foot, unable to save myself although I tried, I ended up going flat out full length in the centre aisle, with a good old wallop!
Fortunately, apart from two huge bruises on my knees and a slight graze on my arm, I didn`t do any serious damage.
But, my trip wasn`t a good one!
[If you`re wondering how the cable got to that height off the floor, the person vacuuming had pulled it to try and get a bit futher and hadn`t looked round before doing so]
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Who is it?
Well, I said a few weeks ago that I`d share with you the picture of how I got dressed up as a nursery rhyme character the other week..... here it is. Any guesses who I`m meant to be representing??
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Best Wine last?
I attended a wedding today, not of a young couple, but of an elderly couple. Both had been married before, and their partners had died, one fairly recently.
The Bible reading they had at the service was about Jesus`s first miracle of changing water into wine at the Wedding at Cana. At first I thought how appropriate to have a reading about a Wedding at a wedding, until I heard the line "Everyone else serves the best wine first and after the guests have had plenty to drink he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best till now!"
Now, whether anyone else would think the same as me on hearing that, I don`t know, (probably not, because I come up with odd thoughts at times!) but I felt that it could sound very hurtful and upsetting to the children of the first marriage/s, if they took the wine to refer to the first and second wife/husband. No doubt it was their choice of reading, but it just seemed a little strange to me at that point.
Maybe I`m just going on personal feelings of how I felt (and still feel at times), over my parent seeming to be putting someone else in my Dad`s place after he had died and she found another man friend. Maybe others don`t have the same problem with it.
The Bible reading they had at the service was about Jesus`s first miracle of changing water into wine at the Wedding at Cana. At first I thought how appropriate to have a reading about a Wedding at a wedding, until I heard the line "Everyone else serves the best wine first and after the guests have had plenty to drink he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best till now!"
Now, whether anyone else would think the same as me on hearing that, I don`t know, (probably not, because I come up with odd thoughts at times!) but I felt that it could sound very hurtful and upsetting to the children of the first marriage/s, if they took the wine to refer to the first and second wife/husband. No doubt it was their choice of reading, but it just seemed a little strange to me at that point.
Maybe I`m just going on personal feelings of how I felt (and still feel at times), over my parent seeming to be putting someone else in my Dad`s place after he had died and she found another man friend. Maybe others don`t have the same problem with it.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Magic Wand
Wanted.... a magic wand!
I`m working on a project with a colleague, but I think he thinks I`ve got a magic wand to do things with. The item we`re working on needs to be ready for the weekend, we`ve been working on it for weeks, but he keeps putting off everything till the last minute. I`d eventually got everything set out nicely on some A5 size pages, produced a master copy of a front page and given it to him, as he wanted to get the covers printed himself. Ok, I thought, that will save me a little time.
What happens?... he proudly brings one of the covers up to show me yesterday - not even done to my design which I`d spent quite a time doing (grrrrrr!), but..... it`s the wrong size! It`s at least an inch and a half smaller in length and an inch smaller in width.
"You can reduce the pages to fit, can`t you" he said! Does he really, seriously think I can wave a magic wand and make everything reduce itself on about 40 pages of print and pictures, and still be readable, and all in time still to print, fold and staple by Saturday, as well as go to work, look after the house, and parent, and do other routine tasks? Not usually one to refuse to do something if I possibly can, I had to say a straight "No, I can`t" to him "You`ll have to redo the covers to fit". (And how quick he`ll be getting them is another question altogether)
So, if anyone`s got a spare magic wand... send it this way.
I`m working on a project with a colleague, but I think he thinks I`ve got a magic wand to do things with. The item we`re working on needs to be ready for the weekend, we`ve been working on it for weeks, but he keeps putting off everything till the last minute. I`d eventually got everything set out nicely on some A5 size pages, produced a master copy of a front page and given it to him, as he wanted to get the covers printed himself. Ok, I thought, that will save me a little time.
What happens?... he proudly brings one of the covers up to show me yesterday - not even done to my design which I`d spent quite a time doing (grrrrrr!), but..... it`s the wrong size! It`s at least an inch and a half smaller in length and an inch smaller in width.
"You can reduce the pages to fit, can`t you" he said! Does he really, seriously think I can wave a magic wand and make everything reduce itself on about 40 pages of print and pictures, and still be readable, and all in time still to print, fold and staple by Saturday, as well as go to work, look after the house, and parent, and do other routine tasks? Not usually one to refuse to do something if I possibly can, I had to say a straight "No, I can`t" to him "You`ll have to redo the covers to fit". (And how quick he`ll be getting them is another question altogether)
So, if anyone`s got a spare magic wand... send it this way.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Stained Glass
I love stained glass windows, and I came across this beautiful one in a village church recently. The sun was shining through it really illuminating the colours to their full beauty. I don`t know what it is about stained glass windows but I can stand and look at them for ages. I am really captivated by them. It is somehow, to me, a very relaxing thing to do, yet inspiring at the same time. Perhaps because it actually make me Stop, and be still for a while.(Do click on it to bring it larger and take in all the details)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Time and Tide
Time and tide wait for no man - so the saying goes, and how true that is for me this week.
I`ve not even had time to write anything on my blog here. What with having to find a costume to dress up in (as I wrote about one day last week), and maybe one day I`ll share a picture of how I looked dressed up in a big hat, flowers and a long skirt - if you want to hazard a guess at what nursery rhyme character I decided to be from that description feel free.
But, besides that, all my spare time has been taken up trying to beat a deadline to get words and pictures compiled together into a publication for which the deadline is this weekend to get it printed for next weekend.... and I`m not winning with it. The colleague that I`m doing it with is so dithery and wants to keep adding unnecessary bits to it.
And, that`s all beside the proper job, housework, demanding parent etc..etc... so it really does feel that time and tide are winning here at the moment. Why does everything happen at once. Another week I`ll have nothing to do!
I`ve not even had time to write anything on my blog here. What with having to find a costume to dress up in (as I wrote about one day last week), and maybe one day I`ll share a picture of how I looked dressed up in a big hat, flowers and a long skirt - if you want to hazard a guess at what nursery rhyme character I decided to be from that description feel free.
But, besides that, all my spare time has been taken up trying to beat a deadline to get words and pictures compiled together into a publication for which the deadline is this weekend to get it printed for next weekend.... and I`m not winning with it. The colleague that I`m doing it with is so dithery and wants to keep adding unnecessary bits to it.
And, that`s all beside the proper job, housework, demanding parent etc..etc... so it really does feel that time and tide are winning here at the moment. Why does everything happen at once. Another week I`ll have nothing to do!
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