Moving pictures

I`ve just seen two pictures of my Dad as a little boy. It`s something I`ve often longed to see, so it was a great thrill and experience to do just that recently.

I feel far more “related” to that side of my family history than I do to my mother`s side, yet, it`s something I know so little about. My Dad never talked about his family much, maybe he didn`t get the chance because on the occasions when I can remember him starting to say something, Mum would then interrupt with something about her family and go off from there.

How I wish that I`d got my Dad to talk about his family and childhood. Not that it was probably very exciting, but just to hear the everyday things that he`d done, to find out what he`d been like as a boy.

Why do we always realise things too late, to do anything about it?

Missing Indicators

Having written the other day about flashing speed limits, something else that annoys me when driving is the number of drivers that think other drivers are mind readers! Where have all the indicators gone, don`t they make cars with them on now?

An inedible pear

As I write this I`m sitting looking at a pear.
It`s a beautiful pear, but it`s brown.
No, its not a rotten or decaying pear, but I`m not going to eat it.
It`s got a lovely feel to it, it`s very smooth and shiny.
It is in fact a wooden pear!
It, to me, is a real thing of beauty, it`s a finely turned and crafted item, the grain of the wood so perfectly flowing with the shape of the pear, and so beautifully polished. It makes me just want to hold it and feel it.
What skill some people to do have, to make such wonderful items from natural material.

Wonderful world

I`ve been thinking this evening with some friends about “What a wonderful world”. All sorts of images come to mind, from the gift of human life, to all the plants, animals, seashore, birds, countryside, rainbows and so much more of nature.
But as well as all the natural things that make up the world, thinking about it, it seems to me that acts of kindness, thoughtfulness or helpfulness at the right moment, and at someones time of need, can also make it a wonderful world.

Start of the Week

Its Monday… the start of another week – or so many say and thus dislike Monday`s. But, yet we also say on a Sunday that Sunday is the start of the week.
So how many starts does a week have?

Flashing speeds

We seem to be getting more and more flashing speed limit signs on roads now-a-days. Those ones where as you approach them, if you`re doing over the speed the light up to warn you what the limit should be. But, I wonder how effective they really are? I always get the feeling that once I`ve got past one without lighting it up, I can speed up!! I`m not saying I do this because that`s what I do (because I don`t), but it`s a sort of instinctive feeling that I`ve succeeded in not lighting it up, so now can go quicker, and it makes me wonder if others feel the same about them?

And the ones that annoy me, are the ones that flash at you long before you`ve got to where the limit starts – do they do that as a warning, or are they just incorrectly set up?!

Reading what I type

I`ve been doing some typing recently of the history of an old evangelist. I`d heard read the story of his life before, but by actually having to type it out, it made me read it carefully and thoroughly, and I found it very inspiring. I`ve noticed before that if I have to type out such items, I find I take in what I`m typing more than if I just read something.

I wonder why that is? And, if I`m odd in this or do others find the same?

Which Nation?

If you`re tired of the nation you live in, I`ve just discovered a way to build a new nation.

In this new nation I wonder what we`d set as our principles, priorities, and rules of government?

Or even what we`d call it…?

The Men are in again!

We always seem to have men about the house this year!
Mother will be getting a bad reputation! - as soon as I go to work, men come in!!
Yes, the workmen are in again, or rather I should say the workmen are out. This time they`re repairing some of the outside walls because being an old house some of the bricks are crumbling.
It`s been a year of different jobs needing doing.
Why is it that everything always seems to repairing or replacing at once, then one can go years without needing anything?

A calm sea

I`ve been looking at the sea again. A calm sea today, but what a variety of colours in it, from turquoise, to sea blue and patches of grey, as the sun and clouds moved across it. Didn`t have my camera with me though, but here`s a picture of a calmer one. The sea is rather like life isn`t it, some days all goes right and its calm, other days are full of problems and turmoil.

Calling alI Inventors!

Coming home with hands full of shopping bags, the other day, having to fish in my bag to find a door key, insert it in the lock and turn it, all whilst juggling bags, I wondered…. Why doesn`t someone invent door keys for houses the same as car keys, that you just have to press, or the even more posher modern ones where you only have to be in the vicinity of the car door and it will unlock for you?
I suppose perhaps there is some reason why it`s not been done, but I can`t think what! It would make life so much easier. And in these days of modern technology surely someone could come up with some secure method of doing so.

Waves of water

As I said yesterday, I love sitting watching the sea, particularly when there are waves breaking, the sound of them is like no other sound. The sight of them at times so majestic, at others gentle and calm, the way they turn over somehow setting off a long roll of turning water, changing colour from grey and blue to white. From the delicate fineness of the white spray, to the contrasting grey heaviness of the expanse of the sea, it’s the same substance. Yet so totally different in its form, what else, I wonder, could change as much as that. Water is an amazing thing, what strength it has, what power.

Waves

I`ve been sitting watching the waves this evening, its something I enjoy doing. So thought I`d share them with my readers.
Might share the thoughts that came to me as I watched them, during this week too!
I always find that I do a lot of thinking and discovering as I watch the sea.
It`s alive.
It`s ever changing, yet constant.

Wishes

If you could have one wish to change something about yourself, I wonder what it would be?

I know that one of mine would be to be able to be better at making conversation with people.
I know I`m useless at it, and find myself just ending up saying "did you?", "were you?" etc.. just to try and keep a conversation going. And how boring that must be for the other person!
Perhaps that`s why I often feel left out of things and feel lonely when with a group of people. I suppose too that its lack of self-confidence - in that I think people won`t be interested to hear what I`ve been doing, or want to say, and that I suppose (thinking deeper), goes back to childhood and being told to be "seen and not heard". I guess our upbringing has a lot to answer for?
But, how to change? that`s the question?!

*I must add - that I like being on my own and am content to be alone, I like my own space, its just that in those type of circumstances I feel lonely.

Realisation

The Communion service I went to this morning, really touched me somehow, it was quite moving and seemed to speak exactly what I needed to hear. I know it wasn`t addressed solely to me, but it could have been for the relevance it had. It did make me think and realise too, that I do need to make more time to read my bible, and to not just read it, but to think about what I`ve read and to pray more. There is a big difference between just reading words and saying I`ve read that!, to reading words and actually thinking what they say and mean, isn`t there?
But, not living on my own, it is difficult to get a quiet half-hour or so to do that, without being disturbed. But I really must try harder to.

Don`t know why, but I`ve got on to writing about colours this week… so let`s have another day of it!....

What do certain colours bring memories of? For me its: -
Red – wobbly jellies an aunt always made and brought which weren`t quite set!
Orange - the warmth from a real coal fire
Yellow – a singing canary
Green – home – the paint outside was always green
Blue – has to be - the sea!
Navy blue - school uniform
Brown - chocolate
Black - coal in the old coal shed
White - lilies of the valley

Wonder what colours give memories to others?

Does colour make a difference?

Thinking about colour after I wrote that yesterday, If red is danger, then black seems to be a sinister colour, a bad colour, it often seems to be used to depict evil and wrong.

I used to have a dislike almost a fear of black dogs, thinking somehow that because they were black they were dangerous, until I met a friends old black dog and my reactions changed at once on meeting it. He was `an old softie` very loveable and I became very fond of him. So it just went to show how preconceived ideas about something can be so wrong. Oh, I know not all dogs are the same, in the way that not all people are the same, but it proves one shouldn`t perhaps judge things by colour after all, doen`t it?

Male or Female?

I wonder why it is that we (or I, at least), seem to refer to insects etc., all as “he”. Yesterday, getting hold of a book at work to fill in some information on, I suddenly spotted some legs moving on the edge of it! With an aggghhh! I quickly dropped the book, and made the person next to me jump!
Yes, you`ve guess it, it was a spider. It dropped to the floor and I said there he is. And it dawned on me later that I tend to always say he, when describing creatures etc., yet, there must be female ones. Wonder why they are all `hes` to me? Do others do the same? But thinking about it, as I write this I realise there`s an exception to that… I call ladybird`s `shes`! Maybe its because of the colour?!

Why, why, why?

I`ve just heard from a friend that her friend who is about the same age as both of us, is terminally ill with cancer and has just been told she has only a few weeks to live. I`m at a loss for what to say to my friend to help her. Other than to say, something that I learn from hard experience, - to make the most of all the time you have. I also visited someone last week who has this terrible disease, again not an old person.
I`m sorry to say it, but it makes me question my faith. Why does a God of love allow this to happen? I can understand in a way when terrible things happen because of things people have done, because God gives us the choice of how we live our lives, but natural things I can`t understand.

Wasting food

I think I`ve written before about the amount of food that gets thrown away by shops just because of a date, when there`s actually nothing wrong with it. How can we justify doing this, when so many starve? OK I know we can`t send them it, but why, oh why don`t the firms cut down on over ordering, and then maybe they could consider giving the equivalent of what they lose in wastage to help the starving instead. For example why do the shelves still have to be as full of bread etc., late in the day as they are in the mornings? (that causes a lot of waste, because it has to be destroyed the next day) and that’s only one product. Surely customers are aware enough to know that if they are late there won`t be much to choose from. Am I alone in thinking this way?

What to do with £2,000

The answer to the question on my blog of yesterday, is that I read in the paper that it costs parents over £2,000 to keep a child amused during the school holidays! I couldn`t believe it, I had to read it twice! What on earth do they do to need to spend that amount?

And then I look at the television and see all the poor starving children and families in Niger, and it really makes me mad to think of the way we squander money away on useless things, when so many haven`t the basic things to live on.

How can anyone justify spening £2,000 on a child in just 6 weeks?

Unbeliebable cost

I`ve just read in the newspaper last night, that it costs over £2,000 to do ..?????........... in the summer holidays.
What do you think it is?!

Clashing Dates

Why is it, that for weeks there`s nothing special on, yet as soon as I`ve accepted an invitation to something, I discover the date of the event that I really want to go and see, and of another that I`d like to go and see (yes some Flower Festivals!) are exactly the same weekend? One of them was particularly good last year. And being a working person there is only one day of the weekend that I can go, so it`s no good saying I can do both. The thing I`ve accepted the invitation for isn`t even that interesting as all the other folk that will be there are in the older generation – in their 80`s! I think they only asked me, because they asked my parent to it. Yet, how can I get out of it? I`m in a quandary over what to do.

Peace

Enjoy the scene. (I can`t think what to write today!)

Leading Bird?

I stood watching a flock of birds flying and swooping over the marshes the other evening. They were so graceful with all their twisting and turning as a whole group.
It always amazes me when I see them like that, that none of them seem to collide with one another however closely they seem to be flying together. I`m intrigued as to how they decide which way to go as a flock, which way to swirl round….is there one in the lead? If so, how do they decide which of them it should be? How do they convey to each other when they`re going to swoop left, or right, or up or down?
They all seem to move with one accord. It`s a joy to watch. One of the marvels of nature.

Sunday Best

Why, I wonder is it that if you walk through a town or anywhere on a Sunday morning you can tell the people who are going to church, just by looking at them - by the way they are dressed?
Why do we keep certain clothes just to wear on Sundays?
Is it just because it`s traditional and always been done?
Is there a deeper reason, like giving ones best to God?
Yet, does it really matter what we wear to go to church? Isn`t it more important that we go than what we wear?
I wonder, is that why people and especially young people are reluctant to come to church, because they feel their choice of clothes isn`t consistent with what they see as “church people”.

Age Difference

I`m not as old as I thought!
I spent a bit of time yesterday evening doing this test and discovered that I`m a year and four months younger than I am!
When we have a birthday we often say, we`re not going to get any older, we`re going to start counting backwards, wonder if this is the start of it?!
So long as it doesn`t mean I`ve got to work another year and four months extra before I get to retirement I`m happy with the result!

From Logic to Sudoku

I`ve always enjoyed doing Logic Puzzles. You know - those grids when you have to work out things like who had what for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper and what colour plate they ate it off and whether it was burnt, raw, tough or tasty etc… all useless stuff. But it kept one occupied for hours. Infact at one time I compiled some and even had 2 or 3 published in a magazine of them, but that`s years ago now. I still enjoy the books of them, but have today got hooked onto another kind of puzzle, the Sudoku number squares. I suppose in a way they`re similar to logic. But, I wonder if they`ll manage to keep my interest as long, or will they become monotonous? At least with the logic there`s often a lot of subtle humour in the clues and names etc.
But at least they both help to get me to sit and relax, either sitting in the sun or wherever.

Brothers and sisters

I hope you enjoyed meeting my brother, on my blog yesterday!

But, to be serious, a brother or sister is something I`d love to have. I haven`t got either. I frequently wish that I had. I often think how good it would be to have them, to have a feeling of belonging, to be part of a family, to have someone to share things with, do things with, go places with, as well as to have someone to share the responsibility of an elderly parent. The fact that I`m an only one, and have that responsibility scares and frightens me.

A big brother?

I went to see my brother today.......


hansome chap, isn`t he?!

Restlessness

I`m restless today. After a busy week last week, tiredness caught up with me yesterday. Today I thought I`d take myself off along the coast for the day. I got some rolls and ham for a picnic lunch, took a chair and a book, and off I went. I sat on the grass along a cliff top and enjoyed it for a while, the sun was warm it was quite peaceful. Then after an hour or two I began to think I shouldn`t be sitting here, I should be back doing……all the jobs I`d left behind. But yet I didn`t want to go back, but neither did I want to sit any longer, and for once I didn`t feel like going for a walk either. A cool mist came in from the sea, so I drove back a bit along the coast and stopped at another place and sat by the water, but again after a short while, I was restless and moved on, stopped at another Staithe, then after a while moved on again.

Why can`t I sit and relax, why can`t I settle. Is it that I miss the busyness and purpose of last week, and now feel flat? I don`t know.

Different Atmospheres

I was writing yesterday about “soaking up the atmosphere”. I`ve said before on here how I enjoy looking at stained glass windows, so that takes me into different churches. I wonder if it`s just me, or do others find the same, that as soon as you open a church door even though they are all churches, they all seem to have a different feel about them. I don`t mean different to the outside world, although they do have a difference to it, but I mean different from one another. Some I like the feel of, some I don`t; some feel welcoming, others don`t; some make me feel uneasy and I want to get out as quickly as I can, others I`m content to walk round and look and absorb it. –
- All different atmospheres.
Yet, why are they all so different?

Atmosphere

I`ve heard many expressions used during the last few days. As I wrote the other day, I was involved with a Flower Festival somewhere. There were the obvious comments like, how beautiful, wonderful perfume of the flowers, better than last year, etc.. but the one I think I found the most memorable was from one elderly lady, who sat on a seat at the back of the church and was heard to say “I`m just soaking up the atmosphere”.

Whilst others were scurrying around (myself included), or casually walking round I wonder, did we really appreciate the beauty, the perfume and the “atmosphere” in the way that lady did, just sitting there, taking it all in.

Maybe `atmosphere` is different for each of us?
To many of us there, it was a busy bustling atmosphere, yes an enjoyable one – but wasn`t there more to it than that?
I walked round that same church early this morning with no-one about, I sat for a while in the quietness just looking and smelling the perfume, and what a different atmosphere.

Beatrice Potter in flowers

Well, its got too late in the evening to write much, so here`s something I saw today

Moving Moments

I`ve been involved with a Flower Festival this week, and have experienced some moving moments.

There was the time yesterday afternoon when I looked across the church and among the people walking round, I spotted the head of someone I knew, standing tall and looking at the flowers. Perhaps nothing unusual in that you may think, but for about the last five of six years he had been in a wheelchair following a stroke, and this was the first time I had seen him walk. It made me feel very emotional. It `made my day`.

The previous day, I`d been very moved by an elderly lady of the church, for years she`d been very, very active in all sorts of ways and particularly with baking lots of goodies, now she was unable to do this. But she came and sat on one of the seats and was cheerfully greeting and talking to people as they passed, giving them a good welcome. I went to speak to her and she said “I can`t do anything now to help the Festival”, I told her that she was doing a very important job, just by being there to speak to people. Then on just giving her a simple flower festival badge to wear, she said “you`ve made my day”. It really made me think - how just a small insignificant thing like that, could mean so much to someone. Her determination to be there, and her attitude to her problems (by being cheerful and not complaining about them), and her obvious pleasure at such a small thing, was so moving.

Words fail me

I feel I ought to say something about the terrible events in London yesterday, but words fail me.
So I`ll just say that my thoughts and sympathy are with those who are still worried and anxious about friends and loved ones who they know are in London at this time and they haven`t been able to get contact with; with those who have been injured; with families and friends of those who are bereaved.
And I give thanks for all the rescue and care workers.

Olympic games

So, Britain`s won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. It`s going to cost billions of pounds, yes billions not millions according to the news on the radio this morning.....

Strange how extortionate sums of money can always be found for things like that and not for medical care for those waiting for operations for years, or for helping to feed all the starving and underpriviliged in the world.

What peculiar priorities people have, when to just show off ones strength or ability in sports and games seems far more important that the lives of poor and hungry people.

I shan`t be giving a pound, nor even a penny to support the games!

Flower

Sorry, no time for a blog today..... have a flower instead!

Questions, questions, questions

I`m only going to write something short today, not that any of my blogs are very long, but today even shorter than usual, because I`ve so much on to do today preparing for a big event.

But, it`s struck me, looking at the blogs I`ve written over the weeks, just how many of them are all questioning ones. What a lot of questions I must have going round in my mind. I didn`t realise it until I came to start writing daily blogs. I used to always keep a diary with daily entries, but those were always just on what I`d done each day, and got very monotonus reading! Got up, went to work, came home, had tea, spent the evening doing...... and that was about it. Whereas here I tend to write more of what I`m thinking, pondering, wondering, questioning over.

Well, having said it was going to be a short one today, its ended up longer. Wonder why?!

How many worlds?

I keep hearing the expression The Third World.
It makes me want to ask, what or where are the First World?
and who or what makes up the Second World?
Why are the poorest countries referred to as The Third World, surely there is only one world?
We may have different life styles but we are all on the same earth, the same world in the same universe.
By saying we have different life styles, I`m not meaning that they should remain poor, far from it, but I`m wondering about our use of language in describing them.
Do the people in the poorer countries refer to us as the First World?
In these days of political correctness, it seems very exclusive to use the term third world, when we do all live in one world. Surely there could be better expression, if one is needed at all.

ID Cards

There`s been talk recently about the government bringing in ID cards for everyone. Yet so many people seem against it – but why should they be? If one has nothing to hide, what does it matter if one has to carry a card? Or maybe those who are against it do have something to hide?

Now-a-days so many businesses and firms just ask for a postcode and then in an instance their computer can tell them your address. It makes me wonder (not that I`ve anything to hide) just exactly how much information is stored about me on various data systems. And if that`s the case what difference would it make if we had to carry a card, if our information is already known.

It would certainly assist shops, pubs etc., when it comes to knowing the age of a young person – or perhaps those young ones are the ones that are against it!

"Put your wings down"

Why is it, I wonder, that even in the narrowest of spaces, in queues in shops, in the aisles of markets and many other places, men will stand with their arms akimbo? They block gangways, take up the space of two people, they`re in the way of people trying to pass, and they seem oblivious to this. How I long to say to them “put your wings down”. Why can`t they stand with their arms at their sides?

I expect some body language expert would tell me there`s a reason for it, but I fail to see what it could be.

Recreation

I`ve discovered (at long last!) that days of recreation really are necessary, to re-create us.
To stop and take time for ourselves.
That discovery came to me from my day out yesterday. The break away from routine and work, really did me good. I should do it more often! I feel very relaxed and calm today.
Now, I`ve just got to remember that!
And to do it more often!

A day out at the Show

I`ve had a great day out today!
I`ve been to somewhere, or should I say something, that I`d never been to before.
The weather was perfect, not too hot and with some clouds to stop the sun from being too overpowering, even a welcome light shower of rain for a few minutes.

Probably having lived in Norfolk all my life, it’s a bad admission to say that I`d never been to the Royal Norfolk Show before. But until today I hadn`t.
I can see now what I`ve been missing – a very enjoyable day out. Looking at beautiful flowers, plants and flower arrangements, animals, birds of prey and evene seeing a falcon splashing about having a bath in a shallow dish of water, seeing the skill of various crafts people, standing listening to a pipe and drum band. So many varied sights and sounds.

But I think what made the day so enjoyable was having a friend to go with, to share it with and to chat with.

It`s half gone

Where do the hours and days go to? Tomorrow will be the last day of June and half way through 2005 already. We`ve passed the longest day, so now the nights will start to get darker earlier, yet where have all those long summer evenings gone which we used to have? They used to seem to last for weeks.

Is it because now-a-days we`re always planning ahead so much, not living each day as it comes? I`m always thinking of what I`ve to do tomorrow, the next day, next week…. At times the lists of jobs, either mentally or written down (in my case mostly written down, so as not to forget them!) seems to get longer and longer, but the time to do them gets shorter and shorter. But, no doubt, as always, things will get done in time. I`m not saying I`ve too much to do, but just musing on how the time seems to run on quicker. For instance, I always intend to write my blog earlier in the day, but somehow it always gets to late evening before I actually sit down to do it.

Engage Brain before Speaking

Someone I knew used to say that he had those words written beside the telephone.

Maybe I should have written beside my computer…. Engage brain before writing !
I had no intention of offending or being insensitive to my readers in what I wrote in my Blog yesterday. Apologies if I did.

I suppose it goes to show how people interpret things in different ways, what I took to be an inanimate object could be read by someone else in a different way.

Is that where and how a lot of misunderstandings in our world happen today?

Saints galore!

I was just looking up something about St. Christopher, and discovered that there are saints for almost everything under the sun!.....
there`s saints for toothache...., pencil makers...., shoe shiners...., sheds..., florists..., button makers..., telephones..., television..., fireworks..., kidney stones..., needle-workers..., zoos (which of course turns out to be St. Francis).
Why do sheds need a saint? Or kidney stones? Or telephones and televisions? Or fireworks?
But from the lists of hundreds and hundreds of them, I don`t see one for shop-workers, factory workers or office works ! - why not??
Wonder if there will be one day??

Seen today

I found this beautiful window in a small country church this afternoon. The sun was shining through it, making the colours really glow.

It`s lovely the `treasures` you can come across in these small country churches.

Is it up or is it down?

Isn`t it strange how we use the words up or down to relate to going anywhere? Instead of just saying “going to”
From where I live I`ve always used the expression “going up the town”. Yet from a different road and direction I find myself saying “going down the town”. No, the town isn`t at the top or bottom of a hill, and I don`t live at the top or bottom of a hill, so why do I use that expression. And others like “down to the beach”, “up the city”, “up to the church”. I don`t know!.
I can remember writing in an essay when I was at primary school (and we`d had to write what we`d done at the weekend or something), writing about going up the town. And when my work came back marked, it had been crossed through as incorrect and a ladder drawn beside that expression. At that age, I couldn`t understand why teacher had drawn a ladder or what was wrong with it, because it was normal language to me to say that. It puzzled me for ages. But, it`s about the only thing I can remember about any primary school essays…. That`s odd too, isn`t it?

Which tea to choose?

Having written a Blog on coffee, (which I don`t drink), I thought I`d look up Tea, which I do drink. And I found in the Rainbow of Tea, that there`s far more varieties of tea without counting all the various blends than there are of coffee. And then of course there`s flavoured teas, According to the article flavouring tea has been done for centuries with onions, orange peel, peach leaves, berries, jasmine, orchid, rose, and magnolia. And even some manufacturer has even produced flavours from banana to toffee pudding! I wonder who drinks them? especially the onion tea? Can`t say I fancy it. I`m not adventurous with food or beverages. Think I`ll stick to plain tea. Might venture to try Earl Gray one day though!
But, to go back to my first blog on tea & coffee, as there`s far more varieties of teas than coffees why do people offer coffee first?

Numerous varieties

I`ve just been looking something up, and am surprised to discover that there are over 3,000 varieties of it worldwide, roughly classified into six basic categories which are white, green, oolong, black (also called red), pu-erh and flavoured.

What is it?

Bats and Balls

Through the winter I usually play table tennis once a week, and I`m missing it. But I`ve just found a great way to play table tennis at this time of year! I definitely need more practice though, I think I do better with the sound on as it makes it more realistic. I`ve played some single games and tried the tournament but I can`t at the moment get past beating the purple bat! But I`ll keep trying.

Only thing is, I`m not actually getting the exercise from running around, like I do with the winter game!

Coffee aroma and taste

Coffee seems a strange thing in a way, because having expressed my dislike of drinking it, I suppose I should say that I do like the smell of it ! The aroma from ground coffee or even a cup of good instant coffee is good. So, why doesn`t it taste like it smells?!
I`ll happily eat coffee cream sweets, or coffee cake too, and enjoy the flavour of them, so why doesn`t a cup of coffee have the same type of coffee flavour? What have they done different to it?

I knew there are many different kinds of coffee beans but I`ve just discovered there`s more than I thought! In the coffee encyclopedia, it says there`s over 60 of them, and over 900 volatile aromas! Wonder who identified and counted all those smells?!

It still won`t get me drinking it though.
I`ll stick to tea.

Coffee or tea?

Reading again through the piece I reproduced for my blog yesterday, a question came to me from the last line of it….
Why is it people always think of having a cup of coffee?
What is it about coffee that makes people always offer that to visitors or friends?
Why not a cup of tea? Or even a glass of juice, or even water?
Surely I can`t be the only person who doesn`t like or drink coffee, can I?
Or am I, as I`ve said before an `odd one out` !

Filling a jar

The following was given to me the other day, and at the bottom of the page, it said please share it - so here it is on my blog today......

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large empty jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if it was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognise that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things – God ,your family, your health, your friend,s and your favourite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like – your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else – the small stuff.

“If you put the sand into the jar first”, he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are really important to you.

Pay attention to things that are critical to your happiness. Take care of the golf balls first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled “I`m glad you asked that. It just goes to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there`s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

More food handling

Following on from yesterday.....
With all the rules and regulations they keep bringing in on handling food, I`m wondering when the day will come when they say, it`s not hygienic and will ban the way bread is distributed in Communion services!
Just think about it, the bread is first cut up into pieces by someone in their kitchen, then transported to the church, put on an open plate and then picked up as individual pieces and given into people`s hands. How many hands handle that one little piece of bread?! I often wonder too, why the pieces are so small, if it’s a taste of the banquet prepared for us! But that`s getting side tracked.
Only on one occasion, years ago, have I reluctantly accepted the bread… on that occasion the hands of the person who was giving it looked very grubby with black nails. It later transpired that he`d come on a bike and his chain had come off on the way, so he`d had to fix it. But, I survived the bread!
But how long I wonder before some “wise health official” decides it should only be given out with protective gloves on or using tongs!!?

[No, before anyone thinks it, I`m not saying there should be regulations on it, far from it…. But with all the petty things they come up with, it`s a thought isn`t it?]

Food rules

Now-a-days, there seem to be more and more rules governing the handling of food, what with all the sell by dates, use by dates, the way fresh meat mustn`t be in a counter next to bacon, or bacon next to cooked meat. That food should be handled with tongs and not hands. Obviously some of these are very necessary, but it makes me wonder two things.
Firstly how did all our ancestors survive to their 80`s and 90`s without all these rules and regulations!? In their days, butchers had an old wooden chopping block, which they scrubbed down, (now not allowed) and sawdust on the floor (yes, I`m old enough to remember going in one regularly like that!) There were no "dates" on food, one used one`s common sense as to whether something was good to eat, or if it was past its best. Good food didn`t get thrown out because it was “past the date”, even though there`s nothing wrong with it.

The second thing?.... I`ll tell you tomorrow.

Sad birds?

I`ve just come back from doing some shopping, and driving along the road, I saw ahead of me something fluttering on the road in the breeze. As I came to it I saw that it was the black feathers of a blackbird. The poor thing had been hit by a car or something and was lying dead in the road. Was it on its way to its nest with some food for its young, I wondered. Were there a family of chicks waiting for it to return, wondering what had happened to it? Would they survive? Would the other parent bird survive to look after them, or would it too have some misfortune come to it. I do hope not.
We so often see birds and other creatures lying in the road, particularly in the country lanes, where they have been hit by vehicles, I always hate to see it, it`s so sad. But I`d not thought until today of the knock-on effect it could have, that others could die because that had died. So, I urge all drivers, please consider the wild-life when you`re driving.

Here`s a favourite view of mine

Weaving, stitching and knitting

Writing about weaving yesterday, it could so easily apply too to tapestry and cross stitch, which I enjoy doing. Looking at the back of my stitch work, seeing the way the threads overlap and the colours intertwine with one another, the dark and brighter ones, patches of each. That there is a purpose to them all and a place in the pattern of it for them all makes me realise that in life it must be the same too.

Today I`ve just come across a ministry of knitting. It`s something I`ve not heard about before, but what an inspirational way to spend ones time knitting. It makes me feel that I`d like to start doing something like that here.

The Weaver

Thinking about the dark glass I wrote about yesterday, and the way my thoughts have gone over the past few days reminded me of another item in a similar vein.

The Weaver:
My life is but a weaving
between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colours
he worketh steadily.

Oftentimes he weaveth sorrow
and I,in foolish pride
Forget that he sees the upper,
and I the under side.

Not till the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
in the weaver`s skilful hand
as the threads of gold and silver
in the pattern he has planned.

Dark glass

Looking at a stained glass window again today – yes, the sermon was very long! – I found that the window said something else to me…….

I saw in it several dark brown pieces of glass and other dark colours, I`d never noticed them before, I don`t know why I hadn`t because they must have always been there, but the more I looked at it, it made me realised that those dark colours were very important in making up the whole picture, the whole pattern.

That set me thinking, that maybe these `dark times` that we all have from time to time are also important in making us the whole person that we are.

Insight

It came to me today, that this is my life, that I`ve got to make the best of what I`ve got, where I am, and not keep hankering after what I`ve not got. It must be where God wants me to be, and I`ve got to accept that.
I think it`s helped me think, by writing what I have this week.
I also remembered today a prayer I`d come across some time ago in a book of Norfolk Prayers,
to quote part of it:

Lord, help me to accept
where I am
at this moment.
It may not be where I want to be,
but the beginning of my healing
is in the acceptance
of where I am.

And if I don`t know
where I am,
or what is happening,
or what may happen,
then help me to live with
`not knowing`,
if that`s where I am!

Lord, you know exactly
where I am,
In your love,
you are with me,
here, in this place.
Thank you, Lord.

I`m not rushing!

I`ve had a day off work today, and had the house to myself most of the afternoon and evening, and its been lovely. I can get so much more done too when I`m on my own. I`ve had time to do both housework and some of my craft work. I know mother can`t help being slow, but doesn`t she realise that when she was my age she did things as quickly as I now do. All I keep getting told by her is “you`re always rushing doing everything , slow down”. I`m not rushing, I don`t want to slow down, I`m not old, (yet!!) It`s so frustrating.
I suppose that`s why I keep writing things like this here, because it’s the only safe way I can have of releasing the frustration, or trying to.

Mixing Ingredients

I was saying the other day about how most baking has four identical ingredients, yet can make so many varied items from them. The four I was referring to were:- flour, sugar, eggs and margarine. There are so many ways to blend and mix them and each gives a different result. Even if different people mix the same ingredients in the same way for a sponge cake when you look at the results all together they are all different.

I wonder who it was that first tried mixing those ingredients and baking them to make cakes, buns, scones, puddings? What made them first try? Who had the idea?

Baking is something we take for granted doing, yet someone first thought of doing it….. when? and where? and who??

Done it!

Well, I eventually plucked up my courage today and went. I knew I had to do it, and no doubt the majority of people would go without a second thought about it. But I`m a coward. As I sat there waiting, my number was the next one, but the clock kept going round, no-one went in or out, I got to the stage of telling myself that if I wasn`t called in another 10 minutes I was going home. But just as that ten minutes were nearly up, the number changed and I had to go in. It was all over in a couple of minutes, it didn`t hurt, and I asked myself afterwards what was I so scared about….. but I know I`ll be exactly the same the next time I have to go.
Where did I go?... yes to have that blood test that I was told I had to have. I`m sure that 99.99% of you reading this, will probably think what a stupid creature, but as I said in yesterdays writing I am an odd one out!

Discontented

A bit of thinking aloud today……Why can`t I be contented with life?

Looking back to school days, I couldn`t wait to leave and get a job. School days, so they say are the happiest days of ones life, I didn`t find that. Now I`ve got a job (and had it for a good number of years) I can`t wait to retire? I`m discontented at work, with the way things are there now-a days and the hassle of not enough staff, and the unrest among so many of us.

I want a life of my own, before it`s too late. I look at others of my age, they`ve got their own partners, children, homes etc., (I don`t mean I`m jealous, but it just brings make me realise what I haven`t got), they`re doing what they want to do. Me, I`m stuck still at home having never moved out. I`m an odd one out, and with the elderly parent, what chance have I got of finding anyone. My time`s not my own, my life doesn`t seem my own with an elderly parent to live with. I`d love to walk out, get a place of my own, but I can`t.

I know I`ve got a lot I should be thankful for, but I`m discontented with how everything is. Yet, what can I do about it, without hurting anyone.

Word Pictures

I wonder how many people, like me, get amusing “pictures” from various words and expressions?......
Whenever I see along the road the sign “Large plant crossing” – I expect to see a tree get up and walk across the road.
“Cats eyes removed” – sounds as if one should keep ones pussy well away from there, or it could be painful.
“remanded in custody” – have they put them in a jug of custard!
"drawing pins" - what pictures are the pins painting?!

Window thoughts

I`ve been looking at a stained glass window again today.
The more I looked at it the more different shapes and pieces I saw in it. Some were very large, some smaller and some very tiny, yet all were so important to the design. Each one was different but each really mattered. Some had hard corners and edges, others were curved and gentler shapes, yet all fitted together. But without the strength of the lead frames holding and uniting the pieces they would just be a pile of glass fragments, not able to make a thing of beauty and of use.

It made me think, how we could be thought of as those pieces of glass, each of us different, yet God has a place for each of us and its his strength that holds and supports us.

Bird Nest

Birds choose the oddest places to nest don`t they?
Going down the alley beside where I work earlier this week I head a lot to twittering and bird calls that sounded like a nest of young chicks, but I couldn`t see where it was coming from. Then the next day I spotted a starling dart quickly across in front of me and disappear, and I could again hear all the tweeting going on. As I looked up an adult bird sat by a metal grid in the wall. Looking closer at the place the next day I could see that the top corner of the grid was broken making an entrance hole and poking through the lower part of the grid were a few bits of twigs or straw, so I`m fairly certain now that we`ve got a nest of starling in the wall of where I work! Yet, it`s quite a busy alleyway with people always up and down.
I wonder how many other people who have walked up and down there have spotted it?

Flying time

Where does the time go? Every day I think tomorrow I`ll write my Blog earlier in the day than this, yet, here I am again and its past my bed-time and I`m now getting down to writing it. Perhaps tomorrow I`ll do it earlier.
But then, as the saying goes “tomorrow never comes”.
I wonder if other people have the same problem?
I`ve not even been at work today, yet I`ve filled up every hour doing something…. alright, yes I sat outside in the summer house for a while this afternoon, but I didn`t sit doing nothing. I can`t sit doing nothing (or at least not for very long). I took some craft work out there to do. Pity I can`t take the computer out there!
Is time going quicker? It certainly seems like it to me.

Can`t think what to write today, so here`s something I saw whilst on holiday, which I found interesing, both in the way it was made and the number of things contained within it. The more you look at it, the more you can see in it.

If you want to see the other side of the circle, and find out where it is look here

Think before you speak

I`ve just realised, I must be mellowing! I took my Mum and her man friend out to visit a flower festival the other day, and someone, seeing them together automatically assumed they were husband and wife, as they said to me something about my Mum and dad, and, for once I didn`t bite back ! I`ve normally quickly said very sharply “he`s not my dad”, but this time I didn`t. I wondered afterwards why didn`t I?, I suppose to save the other person (who was a complete stranger) embarrassment. And perhaps because it seemed pointless as we`d probably never see them again.

Having said that, it`s not to say that anyone local and making that slip, won`t be told firmly that they`re wrong!

It also goes to show, that one shouldn`t assume relationships between people they see together, doesn`t it. Wonder how many times we all do that and jump to the wrong conclusions. It can be very hurtful, as I know from experience.

Creepy Crawlies

Why were slugs created?!
What useful purpose can they have?

I think I`ve said before that I don`t like “creepy crawlies”…. This afternoon I was potting up some plants I`d bought the other day, and to do so had to empty some containers which had had bulbs in during the spring. On turning one upside down to get them out, and when it dropped out – ughhh there were several slugs and a lot of woodlice at the bottom but now on the top as it sat on the ground. But, what to do about them…. I didn`t want them getting everywhere, in the end I resorted to putting some slug pellets on them and hoping that would do the trick. It took me a long while to risk turning another pot up, eventually I did and found exactly the same, so at that stage I gave up emptying the pots. I know, don`t tell me! - I`m a coward. But why do such tiny things (against the size of us) manage to make one feel so creepy?!

Get Cooking

I`ve been working with some recipes today, and it`s amazing how although the majority have at least 4 basic ingredients in common, they all turn out completely different dishes. It may be the different mixing methods, the different cooking methods, differents heat used. What four ingredients am I talking about?

Inspiring Worship

Although I attend worship almost every Sunday, so often I find it very ordinary, sometimes dull, sometimes seeming to be `in the past` irrelevant to life today (I know it depends a lot on who the preacher is). But, this morning`s, to me, was a really up-to-date inspiring service. The organ sounded so good, the singing went exceptionally well and really uplifted one. No, the hymns weren`t modern, they didn`t need to be, some of the older hymns do have lovely and meaningful words which are still very relevant today. The sermon, linked to the theme of computers was very well thought out and put across. It really was a good morning`s worship. Normally I prefer evening services and find more in them, because they are quieter and more thoughtful, but it will take a lot to beat that service.

I somehow think its going to be one that sticks in my mind for a long time.

They`re back!

Yes, the grockles are back!, they`re everywhere!,
but I think they`ve left their brains behind.
Walking along the pavements one is very tempted to say “Look where you`re going” or “Go where you`re looking”! they all seem to be looking one way and walking in a different direction.
And, Why, oh why, on a beautiful sunny warm day does it take mother, father, all the children a grandparent or two to all wander round a shop to buy one small item, maybe a packet of crisps, a pint of milk, a loaf of bread, then to all decide to stand in the queues at the checkouts, making the queues appear much longer than they really are. Surely commonsense would be for one to come in and the rest to wait outside?
Or is it the novelty of small shops after the big supermarkets that`s the attraction?
I don`t think so, by the way they moan about the length of the queues – don`t they realise its them and others like them making the queues look so huge?!

Fascinating needlework

Visiting the Quaker Tapestry the other week, reminded me of another great piece of stitchwork that I went to see a few years ago. Done in a totally different style to the Quaker one, it too was very, very impressive. No, it wasn`t the Bayeux one, to see what it was, have a look at this. I enjoy stitching, and have done 4 fair size tapestry pictures, but nothing on the scale of these. I`m full of admiration for those who can produce such a wonderful piece of work, and so large. The hours and amount of stitches that go into them, is astounding.

Speeding along

What a different conception to speed one has when driving to being pedestrian. Driving along on holiday recently on the motorway, I`d been going with the speed of the traffic and the road limits, then I stopped for a break and sitting there munching on a sandwich idly watching traffic passing, it seemed to be going so fast. And it struck me (no not the traffic literally), that I too had been going at that speed, yet from inside the car and driving it was totally different.

What makes it seem different? It`s still the same speed.

Gardens

I`ve just been watching the Chelsea Flower Show on TV. What wonderful gardens and not a weed in sight!
How different to mine. Still, as they say a weed is a plant, only its in the wrong place. But, why is it that the weeds grow quicker, taller and stronger than the plants I want to grow?! My garden really wants to have something done to it, to make it more interesting, but I`ve no skill for that.
Looking at the programme, what wonderful plants there are, what a variety of colours, sizes and types. Isn`t nature wonderful. Even when it does get a helping hand from all the growers and seedsmen to produce the unusual colours and shades.

If it ain`t broken, don`t mend it !

I had a telephone call the other day from the doctors receptionist to inform me that they wanted me to have a routine blood test. Am I the only coward over this? Even the thought of it makes me go pale.
I also am thinking, but I feel fine, so why should I go and have one, my normal tablets must be ok, and if they change or mess about with them then maybe I won`t feel so well.
After all, if ones washing machine, kettle or whatever is working fine we don`t take it to bits and interfere with that do we. As the saying goes, if it ain`t broken, don`t mend it!
So, do I go or not?

Along the cliff top 

A Sunday Afternoon Walk

The sun was out, there was a breeze but it was a warm one so I took myself off for a walk this afternoon, along the cliff top path, and it was beautiful, the sea was calm and pretty shades of blue. Wild flowers growing along the side of the path were gently moving in the breeze, skylarks were darting about and the sound of bird-song could be heard. I watched the birds for a while, their swooping and diving at speed so fascinating to see. Such a beautiful world and just five minutes drive away. It was peaceful, there were a few other people walking, but no noisy radios or chatter, all just enjoying the natural surroundings.
It made me remember how as a child, that was the thing to do on a Sunday afternoon – go of a walk. We always did it on each Sunday if the weather was fine. Strange, I`d forgotten that till now.
As I walked along, I resolved to myself, that I really must make time to do this more often, to get out and enjoy a walk. To make time to do it, and time for myself. It only took an hour, but did a lot of good, as well as the exercise (badly needed!) it gives time to think, to clear ones mind and just Be.
Maybe those older folk whose habit it was to have a Sunday afternoon walk, knew a thing or two!

Intelligent Creatures?

If you read my blog entry for yesterday, you may have thought
“what a load of old squit!”

But, I think there`s also a serious question behind it… do crabs think?

We know that dogs are intelligent and can be taught to do useful things, like guide dogs, hearing dogs for the deaf, police dogs etc. Other animals and creatures show signs of being clever too, like the way squirrels can work out how to get a nut from various tests set for them. Even my canary knows how to ask for a bath, he`ll go to his water, start splashing his beak in it and then start shouting, he`s discovered that if he does that we give him what he wants.

So, do crabs and other sea creatures have brains and intelligence?

Crabs eye view

Ooooh, come on Sis it`s time to play and see the big wide world again. Look, there`s all those long things coming down from above us again. Do they think we`re hungry? Which do you fancy - the bit of bacon, the crust of bread or that smelly old bit of fish? I like the look of the one on that orange string, I`ll get hold of that. Here we go, have you got hold of one too?..... up we go…. Now, let go! Let`s do it again, before we let them get us right to the top! Suppose we`d better let them pull us right up this time, ready? I`m racing you, mine`s going up quicker.
Oh, aren`t those children big against us, I`m going to wiggle my claws and my feet at them, listen how they squeal ! Funny isn`t it, how we can frighten them small as we are. Now what`s happening to me, my feet are getting tangled up in that boy`s mesh on a stick – O I see, he`s afraid to get hold of me, to lift me off the bacon, not like the brave girl whose gently lifted you off.
Well, I`m on my own now in this bucket of water, funny, its not like one I`ve been in before I can see out of it, still I can crawl round and see all sorts of things, don`t know what they are, some of them make a noise too. Wonder where Sis is. Oh hello Uncle Salty, have you come up to play with the children too, wonder who else will end up in here with us.
It`s getting crowded in here, there`s Crabby, Oneclaw, Brac, and some I don`t know, wonder how many more of us he wants to catch, I`m getting hot too under the sun.
Now, we`re moving, don`t swing that bucket so much, I`m getting bucketsick, slow down boy. Oh, at last, now just a gentle tumble and roll, we`ve out!, now I can crawl slowly back into the water and go and find my friends and hear where they`ve been and what they`ve seen up there today.
It`s quite an exciting life being a young crab!

Talking about catching crabs yesterday, made me think and wonder what its like from the crabs point of view, so have let my imagine run with it!

Under the Surface

I was watching some children dangling fishing lines into the water the other day, they were hoping to catch some little crabs, and they were succeeding. Looking down into the water, it was murky and opaque, you couldn`t see the crabs, you couldn`t see anything below the surface but there were things below the surface.
And it struck me, we can be like that water. People only see the outer side of us that we are prepared for them to see. But yet there can be a lot going on in our lives, with our emotions, our feelings, our doubts, our uncertainties, our worries, that are hidden from view.
It made me wonder, how well do we really know people that we think we know? People we work with, people we meet, people we live with. Do we need sometimes to do like those children and delve under the surface, to really get to understand others better?

Selfish?

Thinking about the thoughts and feelings I`ve got of wanting to be a bit freer, to do less, and to be me.
I`m also wondering today though, am I being selfish in wanting space and time to myself?
Yet, God has given us so many good things, shouldn`t we make time to enjoy them, and make use of our gifts and skills in hobbies etc.
But on the other hand, shouldn`t we use His gifts for the benefit of others and so keep busy that way and not for oneself?

I`m confusing myself now!!

Hold on? or Let go?

I seem to have done a lot of thinking and discovering on this holiday. Without consciously being aware of doing it!
It has been good to be free for a few days of the responsibilities I have.
The break has really done me good, not only in the sense of helping me unwind, but in making me really stop and think.
What am I doing with my life?
What should I be doing with my time?
Am I making the most of it?
Should I be spending more time making the most of my free time, instead of being busy all the while?
I know that there are “lifelines” which have been invaluable to me over the past years, but, I wonder now, is it time I let them slacken, maybe even let go of some of them?
Dare I take that step?
My instinct is to feel that I am being led to do less, to make the most of the precious free time that I do get to do what I want to do, follow up some of the hobbies and interests I now have. To make time to relax too.

Changing Views

Isn`t it strange how one`s views of a place can be changed.
For years and years I`d wanted to visit the Lake District, it sounded such a beautiful place, but each year`s holiday came and went and we never went there. Then years later, I learnt to drive and went to my “dream” place. Was it as I`d imagined it to be, no. The scenery was there, but it seemed disappointing, flat, it just didn`t do anything for me.
Yet, having been into a little of the area last week, (yes, some of the same area as before), my view of it was completely changed.
That set me thinking and wondering, why. Looking back, I can see now that it wasn`t the area that was wrong, it was me that was wrong, my feelings and emotions were at a mixed up and sad time in my life, that everything was looking grey and that coloured my view of where I was. That wherever I`d have gone at that time it would have seemed the same.
So I`m glad I`ve had the opportunity to go again and really appreciate the beauty of the area. And discover something about myself at the same time.

Inspiring Tapestry

One of the highlights of my holiday was a visit to the Lake District and in particular to visit the Quaker Tapestry. To realise that people in many countries had all taken part in stitching part of the 77 panels, telling the story and history of the Quakers and insights into life in the early centuries, was quite inspiring. Also, enjoying needlework, it was interesting to look closely at the way they had been stitched to give depth to them. (the panels can be seen at www.quaker-tapestry.co.uk/panels.htm)

Refreshing Holiday

I`ve just had a wonderful weeks holiday staying with some friends the other side of the country. I didn`t realise how much I needed a holiday until I got there. I do feel so much better for it. Just time to relax, to not rush around, to unwind. To have someone to have a leisurely walk by the sea with, for a day out touring the beautiful countryside, To be in the easy company of friends and after catching up on news, the ability to spend an evening just companionably sitting with them without any of us feeling the need for any conversation much, but just feeling at ease.

It`s not until one stops that one realises how much that break is needed is it?

I feel totally relaxed now, infact I`m finding it difficult today to put my mind to doing anything now I`m back, I`m wandering aimless round the house, wondering whether to go out, whether to just sit down, whether to do bits around the house, but yet feeling inclined to do nothing!

Bluebell time

Can`t think what to write today, so here`s a photo of a Bluebell wood for you to enjoy instead.

Holiday jobs

Why is it, I wonder, that when the prospect of a holiday is looming, there always seem so many jobs to be done in the time before it? Holidays seem to make work! Why do I feel that I must leave every loose end, tied up? Are they really worth it, with all the rush of jobs before them?
Or, is it only me, that feels that everything must be left straight? Why do I feel that? Is it somehow a fear that one might not come back? Or perhaps its subconsciously wanting to come back to a fresh start? I don`t know what it is. But yet, perhaps prospects of a holiday are good in that it makes one finish jobs that have been sitting on the side for weeks?

HURRAY!!!

Hurray!, Three cheers! Success at last!
And grateful thanks to a friend for a suggestion of what to do and for being willing to come and look at the problem.

Do computers have minds of their own?!
Do they like to be mischievous and play us up like naughty children?
I think this computer must have known someone was coming to look at it, because suddenly this afternoon before the friend arrived, it decided to behave and let me get in to read my mail.

I know when things go wrong we often hear people say it’s the computer`s fault, and I`d always thought, no it must be the operators fault, that they`ve put the info in wrong etc., but now I`m not so sure. And I`m not saying that I don`t tap wrong keys or enter wrong items, I often say my `trademark` on a lot of the items I produce contain a `deliverate mistake` (and I`ll leave you to find the one on here!) but I know in this case that I hadn`t done anything different to what I`d always done to open my Inbox.

So my frustrations gone today, and all`s well.

Computer Frustration

I`m going to have a moan today! I`m fed-up and frustrated.

Strange isn`t it how we`ve come to rely so much on computers and technology?
Until about eighteen months ago, I`d not got onto the Internet, now that I have I use it constantly. It`s so handy to just email messages instead of disturbing people by ringing them up, they can read their mail when they`re ready.
But now I`ve got a problem with it and I can`t solve it, and its getting me more and more frustrated. I just keep going round in circles on it.
What`s the problem? I can`t get into my email inbox.
I sign in, yes and remember the right password, then it gives me a security square to tap in, I do that, and it go back to the log-in one, and round and round and round we go on those two screens and don`t get into my mail. I could scream!! Its so annoying and frustrating, and time wasting. And I don`t know what to do to read my mail.

Now it`s giving me messages, something about cookies - is it hungry? does it want a biscuit?! What does it want to let me get into my mail?

In a shower of rain

As I sit down to write my blog today, there`s a large pigeon sitting on the fence in the garden, and he (or she!) is doing something unusual, or at least something I`ve not seen before.

There`s quite a sharp, heavy shower of rain but, instead of flying away, there he (or she) sits, lifting up its wing and spreading the feathers out letting the water get underneath them, as if enjoying a shower! Then it turned round and did the same with the other wing and spread all its tail feathers out too, before settling down to preen all its feathers. I`ve seen birds in the bird bath before - infact there`s a blackbird in it now, (must be bath day!) and I know our canary likes to splash in a bath (no, not the bath in the bathroom!, a special one that goes on the cage), but I`d not seen a bird having a shower before. It looked to really enjoy it.
I wonder if others have seen birds shower, or is it unusual?

Where locals walk

Having written (and had a moan, yes I do have a grumble now and then!), about visitors to the town yesterday, I go to thinking....
When I go on holiday, am I as bad? Do I wander and stop suddenly when I see something of interest? I suppose it`s because one isn`t tied to be at a certain place at a certain time (unless catching transport), that one feels more at ease to just take things at a more leisurely pace. Must remember to be aware of locals who have to get to work, or from A to B for a reason.

(The way to recognise `locals` here, is they`re either out very early before the grockles are about, or else they`re mostly the ones walking along the edge of the road instead of the pavement. I passed as least 3 like that in 5 minutes at Saturday lunch time!)

Recognising locals

Well, its a Bank Holiday weekend again, and the town was jam-packed with visitors yesterday. Why do they wander and meander all over the pavements, stop dead in front of you, stand in the middle of the pavement to have a gossip, with children and dogs at arms length??

How do you tell who are locals and who are the grockles (visitors),? There`s an easy way!....