J-Bar Blog - 2009 

Wednesday 1st July

The first day of the second half of the year has been a scorcher.  My Sam Burns calendar for July/August  features Newhailes.  My Graeme Neil Reid desktop calendar shows 'Crawling Death' featuring zombie soldiers.

THERE is a month between the swath and sheaf
When grass is gone
And corn still grassy;
When limes are massy
With hanging leaf,
And pollen-coloured blooms whereon
Bees are voices we can hear,
So hugely dumb
This silent month of the attaining year.
The white-faced roses slowly disappear
From field and hedgerow, and no more flowers come;
Earth lies in strain of powers
Too terrible for flowers:
And, would we know
Her burden, we must go
Forth from the vale, and, ere the sunstrokes slacken,
Stand at a moorland's edge and gaze
Across the hush and blaze
Of the clear-burning, verdant summer bracken;
For in that silver flame
Is writ July's own name--
The ineffectual, numbed sweet
Of passion at its heat.

Michael Field (a.k.a.Katharine Harris Bradley & Edith Emma Cooper)  It was a mistake to take the girls on the bus to Musselburgh as we had to jump off halfway when Georgie said she didn't feel well.  After walking the rest of the way, we were too hot and bothered to trudge around for long so we sat by the Esk eating grapes.
  
On the return journey, we got about halfway when the driver told us all to go on to the bus behind.  I must have been the only passenger who wasn't moaning - I was happy to break the journey, albeit very briefly.

We had lunch in Aroma then walked home via Rope Walk to check on the sunflowers (which are faring a little better than the Pennypit park ones.).

This afternoon Georgie fell out of a tree but apart from a swollen and grazed cheek she is fine.

---ooOoo---

I was disappointed to have missed The Age of Stupid at the Brunton tonight.  I booked the tickets based on the starting time being 7.30, which was do-able.  However, in the booking confirmation the time was given at 7.00 p.m.  I know they like to get sat down in time for the show so I suspected it was a case of 7 for 7.30 but phoned the Brunton to check.  They were very firm that the starting time was 7.00 p.m. and the website was incorrect.  This was a bit tight for me so I told my pals not to be surprised if I couldn't make it.  Then, at 7, my friend's husband called to relay the message that the film was actually starting at 7.30....arrghhh!

Tuesday 30th June

A rather lovely competition prize arrived today which I will squirrel away for a birthday present.  Or possibly a Christmas present - I met someone on Saturday who has already finished her Christmas shopping.

Mum's Summer Playscheme featured: nail varnishing of all 60 nails; 'Play Your Cards Right' for sweets; picking blackcurrants and redcurrants; making fruit kebabs with our own strawberries ...and tidying bedrooms.

Website of the day: Yellow Arrows -  now in v3, it uses digital and analog technologies to map interesting physical sites.

Monday 29th June

The first official day of the school holidays has been a little frought.  It's my fault. I should have taken them out somewhere or tried to keep them occupied.

Anyhoo, lesson learned, 50 days to go...

---ooOoo---

I was really pleased with my leeks and bacon in cheese sauce but the kids weren't too keen.

Website of the day:  Room for 5 - hotels for larger families

Sunday 28th June

The mission was to have a fun day in Edinburgh spending as little money as possible.  

Armed with a fistful of money-off vouchers we took the train to the capital (kids go free with FirstScotrail).  First stop was Burger King where we had Buy-One-Get-One-Free vouchers.  We then used the M&S vouchers from my Marathon goodie bag to buy drinks and went to Millies Cookies where our voucher got us 24 cookies for the price of 12!

We wandered through the drizzly but beautiful Princes Street Gardens and stumbled across a surprisingly low key memorial to Robert Louis Stevenson.  We had hoped to find the Crag and Tail geocache but were frustrated in our efforts by the closure of Castlehill.

We went a very round-about way to get to floors 4-6, 24 Torphichen Street to see the Heavy Metal Mouth exhibition.  

The blurb reads: Heavy metal culture represents an attitude which is not generally connected with fine art. Yet from cock-rock to black metal, it is an extremely nuanced, contradictory, and complex organism, mutated on currents of northern romanticism, sublime melancholy, gothic horror, expressionism, fin-de-siècle occultism, surrealist eroticism, and existential doom. From extreme violence to delicate sensitivity, from complexity to minimalism, it is a kind of anti-art with a unique identity; misanthropic, tasteless and belligerent.

These artists draw new metal ores from distorted rock; alchemists of the blazing northern sky.

Artists included Liz 'Eskimo' Adamson, Neil Clements, oor pal Malcy Duff, Benjamin Fallon, Alexa 'Hyperground' Hare, Sacha Kahir, Masahiro Kawanaka, Duncan Marquiss, Rachel Mclean, Emily Ritchie, Norman Shaw, Eddie Summerton and Andy Wake.  

Although we went specifically to see Malcy's 'The Heroic Mosh of Mary's Son' (which was terrific) we really enjoyed all three floors. My favourite was Masahiro Kawanaka's Life Sound Plate made from cassette tape.  We all loved Rachel Mclean's scary videos.  

The former job centre is a great venue, affording 360° views over Edinburgh which prompted us to walk over to Palmerston Place and have a look round St Mary's Cathedral.  The three Millennium Windows designed by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi are stunning and must be glorious when the sun streams through.   I also liked Borthwick's 'The Presence'.  Someday I hope to be able to see the Song School murals - I've been fascinated by Phoebe Anna Traquair's work for many years.

After the calming atmosphere of St Mary's, we walked along to Studio One where I spent many a happy lunch hour 20-odd years ago.  It is still a delightful shop, crammed full of the unusual and the handmade but this time I spent more time saying "Don't touch!" than I spent browsing.

On the return journey from Frugalburgh, I picked up a discarded copy of Spectrum which contained an article listing 50 Scottish attractions which don't cost a penny.

We already knew that you don't need to go to a gallery to see fabulous artworks and you don't need to spend lots of money to have a good time, but it was good to have that reinforced.  (But kids, a little less whining, wandering off and picking up things in shops would be good, pleease).
 
---ooOoo---

Nigel and I watched Rushmore this evening.  I really enjoyed it.  The soundtrack wasn't bad either.

Saturday 27th June

We awoke to the sound of flutes and drums.  Alas, it wasn't the Prestonpans equivalent of Pride.  It's that time of year again.  
.
We divided into three separate teams.  Emily went off to Melissa's bowling party; Nigel took Lucy and Georgie with him to the book group meeting in the library; and I escaped to the Small World shop.

The shop was busier than usual with people clearly stocking up on their favourite before we close for the summer break (the shop reopens on Tuesday 4th August).  I borrowed The Fairtrade Everyday Cookbook from the small selection of lending books in the shop.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes out.

---ooOoo---

Currently, at any given time, at least two Barkers are having communication problems; sometimes as many as four.  Some cannot communicate without whining.  Some cannot communicate without shouting. Some cannot communicate.

Friday 26th June

I've finished reading Cockroach which offers a dark slice of the Montreal émigré underground inhabited by an unnamed thief during his visits to a court-appointed psychiatrist.  I enjoyed the hallucinatory elements and the general trippyness of it.  I think Nigel will enjoy it, it's quite a 'male' book.

---ooOoo---

People have moved into the houses opposite.  It is strange to think that 'Athena Grange' (which sounds like a Harry Potter character) was just a mountain of earth a year ago.

---ooOoo---

I was attempting to spread the contents of the composter into what will be my vegetable patch.    The stuff in there hasn't rotted down enough and it is absolutely crawling with bugs.  To make life that little bit more interesting, I no longer have a garden fork.  It is hard, sweaty, disgusting work.  Georgie came outside carrying the post.  InStyle magazine offers 'Fast Fashion Fixes', a feature by Lizzy Jagger on 'A Model Holiday" and my favourite "Unleash your Inner Supermodel".  I've unleashed her and she's yielding a blinged up Dolce and Gabbana spade.

---ooOoo---

School's out!  And Emily is partying with Sophie.

Thursday 25th June

Today was the last day of nursery and every bit as emotional as I expected it to be.

We are glad to be looking after the stick insect.  I hope some of the eggs hatch over the summer.

The squabbling has already begun in earnest so I am going to work extra hard to keep everyone entertained and happy.   I've added a summer holiday activity booklet to the Stuff we make section.  The quick link is http://tinyurl.com/toodarnedhot

I've also made a dinner money ready reckoner because I'm rubbish at the 17 times table (and I'm a geek).  Blimey, I'll be forking out £13.60 a week.  That could buy me a copy of Fantasy Annual 5, New-Age Renaissance Man: Confessions of a Middle-Aged Italian, or Matthew Kenney's Entertaining in the Raw (this information brought to you courtesy of Amazon Filler Item Finder).

Wednesday 24th June

We got Lucy's 'Learning Story' home today from nursery.  She started the folder two years ago and it is a record of her progress made through the Curriculum for Excellence.  It is heartwarming stuff.

---ooOoo---

The garden is awash with the scent of peonies in their last few days of glory.

---ooOoo---

Tonight's Rathayatra veggie feast was great fun.

Website of the day:  Air Sickness Bag Virtual Museum - the museum of bleurggh currently exhibits 2155 bags.

Tuesday 23rd June

I had elevenses with Annemarie and Jane today and over scones and tea in Annemarie's garden we heard all about Jane's adventures in Chicago.  We are so glad she is back!  We also held the inaugural meeting of the East Lothian Book Club for Fabulous Wifies (or something - the name needs some work).

I always seem to leave Annemarie's house with more than I arrived, usually books, this time, lily of the valley... and two chariots.  I'm borrowing the chariots for Rathayatra tomorrow.

Back home I unravelled the garden hose (which is a much bigger job than it sounds) and watered the garden which was a bit too exciting for Lucy who decided to have an impromptu shower.

Peter is working in the area so popped in and spent some time with us.

Monday 22nd June

While digging a hole for the neighbours' new fence at the back, the workmen went through our gas pipe.  

I immediately took the girls out the front door.  The workmen hadn't managed to track down the correct number* so I called 999 and was put through to the National Gas Emergency Service.

These things happen and I don't bear any ill will towards the workmen (although if the situation were reversed I would definately feel the need to apologise for any inconvenience).  I was however extremely pissed off with the bloke from Carillion.  

I hadn't a clue what was happening or whether it was safe to go back indoors.  When pressed, he said that a team were on their way to repair the pipe and...if I had a gas oven then I could always get a takeaway for tonight's tea. For that comment alone the misogynistic git wasn't offered a cuppa.   Three hours later, my gas was still switched off but a second man was working on the pipe amid lots of laughter and blokey banter - and I was none the wiser.  Curiously, they were considerably more informative to Nigel and once the pipe was repaired he came in to check the hob and the back boiler.

---ooOoo---

After sampling Thea's delicious elderflower cordial I kept in mind her advice and had a good sniff of the stuff growing in my garden.  Apparently the fragrance is very important - mine smelled of cats piss.

(Apologies genteel readers for the two-piss blog posting)

* - If you smell gas, call free on 0800 111 999. Don’t create a flame or operate electrical switches

Sunday 21st June

Nigel had breakfast in bed as the girls presented him with Father's Day presents: Jumbo Universal Remote Control, a tie and some handmade chocolate and their cards.

I joined Lucy, Andrea, Thea and Emma for an exhilarating afternoon of guerrilla gardening behind Portobello Town Hall.   We all brought food to share to celebrate the summer solstice like pagans.  Thea's elderflower cordial was divine.  We battled with an enormous root, which was in the middle of what will become the growing space, and planted up an abandoned loo with wild strawberries.

Saturday 20th June

I was working in the Small World today while the rest of the gang went to Infant School summer fayre.  They had a great time and unsurprisingly loved the ice cream and bouncy castle.  I hope the school raised lots of money but if Nigel was anything to go by, most of the money went to car booters rather than the school!  He spent a small fortune on books.  After a quiet couple of hours in the shop, I had just enough time for a quick look round the remaining car boot stalls when we went back to find Emily's lost frisbee (amazingly, she found it!).

Afterwards, Carmel came to take Emily to Aoife's birthday party.  It was an art party in Andrew's studio and she came home with a lovely self portrait on canvas.

At teatime we went to a BBQ at our neighbours Barbara and Andy's house - or a 'Barbaracue' as it will forever be known.  Kathleen and Bryson were there too.  It was a nice night.

Friday 19th June

The day didn't start off well.  Emily was not happy at having to go to school while everyone else was at home. After being persuaded to go, she returned home after five minutes.  Nigel walked her to the school gates but she refused to go in the building and they returned home.  This prompted a phone call from the school checking everything was okay (which is reassuring).

It was a fraught start to what should have been a calm day - Lucy's special day of visiting her classroom and spending time with her new teacher (she did enjoy her time and is excited about getting her uniform).  

Emily eventually went to school and returned with her end of year report card - "always sensitive to the feelings of others.....a pleasure to teach".

Website of the day:  Waverley Railway Project - I've probably blogged this before and, I know I'm a saddo but isn't the planned Borders rail link soooo exciting??!!

Thursday 18th June

We were visited by two thirds of the Wrexham Barkers and half of the Basingstoke Barkers today.  Simon is taking part in The Longest Day -  XRV adventure motorcycle forum's '5 capitals in 24 hours' fundraiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.  Bill and Brenda came along too and, as they were all staying over, it was a nice relaxed visit.

Nigel's dinner of mackerel and potatoes with capers and lemon was sublime.

Free clipart site of the day:  better than average line drawings for personal and educational use.

Wednesday 17th June

I had to laugh when I read Chris Lamb's definition of stupidity.  My Friends Reunited equivalent is Facebook.  I occasionally sign in to look at friends' photos but it always upsets me and causes me mental anguish.  It's bad enough reading bitchy comments from people who are old enough to know better;  I'd rather not know that a professional acquaintance has "Just got an airstrip at Waxing Lyrical".  But I really, really don't like Facebook's suggestion that I add a complete psycho to my network based on the fact we have mutual 'friends'/victims.

---ooOoo---

My two favourite items of footwear are unsalvageably busted.  The running shoe type thingies have a puncture on the sole and the green converse no longer resemble trainers. This presents me with a bit of a dilemma.  I can't remember the last time I spent more than £20 on footwear.  Seriously.  My running shoes were in a Schuh sale before we got married and the trainers came from a charity shop in North Berwick.  Despite having an indecent amount of high heels, I'm only really comfortable in heavy duty shoes.  After dinner (egg noodles, cabbage and cashew) I stood up to clear the table and realised I was still wearing my wellies!  However, I have discovered Toms.  For every pair of shoes you purchase from them, they will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need - sort of ethical BOGOF.

Website of the day:  Old Bailey Online - view the records of London's Central Criminal Court from 1674 - 1913.  Read about the 8 year old who was sentenced to death for pickpocketing.

Tuesday 16th June

Our neighbours had their conifer hedge removed today and I love the light streaming the kitchen window.  At some point our détachées will be erecting a fence but for the time being we are enjoying our 'open plan' garden.

I dug up some massive roots in what will become my vegetable bed and used my new riddle on the soil.

---ooOoo---

Emily has been learning about 'cool responses' to bullying at school - i.e. not passive, not aggressive.   She was able to use assertiveness today and articulate to someone how their behaviour made her feel and what she wanted to happen.  I am so very proud of her.   But sad that it was necessary and unconvinced that the person in question will change their behaviour.

---ooOoo---

Our May photaes are up - http://www.barker-family.info/photos/2009-05-May/index.html

Riddle of a different kind:

There are nine balls on the table, on that same table there is also a set of balance scales.   One of the nine balls is a fraction lighter than the other eight, but you cannot feel this difference by holding them in your hand.  You are only allowed to use the scales twice. How do you find out which ball is the lighter one?

(If you are very good I may tell you the answer tomorrow).

Monday 15th June

Sunday 14th June

Trying to get the children to help around the house is nigh impossible.  I did my very best to keep up everyone's spirits, plied them with energy snacks, kept the mood light and the music heavy.  And what happened?  Tthey ran riot in the garden beheading all my flowers.

Website of the day:  Behance network - "a free platform for the world's leading creative professionals".  We're not worthy (bow, bow).

Saturday 13th June

After quite a late start, we walked to the station just as it started to rain.  And rain. And rain.  It was very heavy and I felt sorry for the people attending the gala.  

It took us a while to find the pony rides at Leith Links because there were so many stalls and activities at Leith Festival Gala Day.  The girls waiting patiently in line and were delighted to have a wee ride on the cute ponies.  Lucy decided that hers was definately a pony, rather than a unicorn as "it didn't have a 'une'".

I got a henna tattoo on my hand.  We browsed the bric-a-brac stalls.  We ate pakora and samosa, soaked up the atmosphere, listened to Leith covers band Streetcar on the main stage.  

Leith became my home as a 16 year old setting out to conquer the world.   I love the energy, the edginess, the boho vibe, the diversity, the dynamism... and the roughness round the edges. Yes, it's vitally important to support your local community (I do try!) but it's also important to enjoy yourself and today my spiritual home had more on offer than my residential one.

Today was a really smashing day out...  

...then we came home and the girls behaved dreadfully.  Grrrr.

Event Plug:  Prestonpans Infant & Nursery School Summer Fayre and Car Boot Sale  - Saturday 20th June, 10-12 p.m.   Bouncy Castle, Tombola, Raffle, Refreshments, Homebaking, Ice cream and fun and games galore. 

Friday 12th June

It was nice to meet fellow Small Worldy Jane and have a blether.  We were out and about looking around the town at the gala decorations.  This year's theme is 'mining'.  Not the easiest subject to portray in your front garden but people have done a fab job.

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I was interested in an item on eBay but I suspect some shill bidding.  It may be perfectly innocent but both traders are currently selling items which have clearly been photographed in the same house and garden!  ‹(•¿•)›
.•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•.

I registered for Architect in the House - I do hope I'm successful as the scheme, which raises money for Shelter, is always oversubscribed.

Website of the day:  ohdeedoh - kids design blog from the stable as Apartment Therapy.  It features our polystyrene wall art project.

Thursday 11th June

I'm not sure where today has gone.    I could really have done with an extra pair of hands today.  Or well-behaved children.  Or a smile or friendly wave.

After nursery, Lucy and Georgie ran amok in the Small World shop.  I'm going to have to stop taking them in there.   At least I could console myself with the fact they weren't the naughtiest children at the Primary School, where we went to watch Emily compete in Sports Day.  Her house, Gryffindor Drummohr won.  The other houses were Mercat, Inchview and Bankton.  

The headteacher praised the pupils for being supportive and encouraging.   I could do with a little support and encouragement myself.

Website of the day:  Babooshka - the place to buy Matryoshka dolls.

Wednesday 10th June

Buying a new diary is always a vexatious issue for me.  I always seem to compromise on some factor as there is never the perfect one for me.  For the past couple of years I've used the Dairy Diary  and, although I like the page layout and the recipes, I don't need 70(!) pages of 'useful' info (including stuff about stoats and weasels; Tudor architecture; and 'Chair embellishments').  

I bought a personal organiser from the Small World shop last year and today I ordered a portable 6 hole punch for it.  This means I can make my own inserts where necessary (D*I*Y Planner will be useful) and add in anything I can punch a hole into.  There are ready-made refills available but the diaries tend to be aimed at business folk with a Saturday and Sunday squeezed into a wee space in the corner - and I've never yet found an address book which is fit for purpose.  

Random stuff:

My fevered brain is quite addled - I keep getting mixed up between Santander and Setanta.

My only decent-sized strawberry has disappeared.  "Why did you eat the strawberry Georgie"? "Because I wanted to see what it tasted like."  Fairenough.

We always knew there had been a pond in the garden.  It has been covered over but now I'm wondering whether it would be a big job to reinstate it.  More importantly, could I make it safe?

Lucy:  "Let's go outside Georgie, Mummy is a little bit grumpy."  I wasn't!  I only asked them to wash their hands before lunch.

Where is my Eat Natural bar?

Will I get to go on a transporter bridge?

Website of the day:  Jupiter Artland - contemporary sculpture, near Edinburgh.

Tuesday 9th June

After three and half years of legal wranglings, I'm happy my sister can finally put behind her the dreadful car crash (I resist saying 'accident' as that would imply it was somehow unavoidable).

I can't help feeling that her 'friends' of the fair weather variety would have been a damned sight more supportive if her injuries were the kind you can put in plaster (or plarster as we say up north).

Website of the day:  Eat Seasonably - food at its freshest - better for you, better for the planet

Monday 8th June

I went to investigate the excited chirping coming from the garden and was met by at least half a dozen great tits on the tree.  They were so tame I was able to stand in the middle of them all.  What a great start to RSPB's Make your Nature Count week.

Feeling fluey but trying to be brave and not whiney!

Website of the day:  Vegware -  compostable, sustainable partyware

Sunday 7th June

At this time of year there is so much happening.  It's great to have a choice of interesting things but, inevitably, it means I miss out on other things.  I  enjoyed my time in Porty today but would have liked to have gone to the open day at the mandir in Leith.  The Summer Fayre at St Gabriel's looked a lot of fun too.

At the Portobello Town Hall Site, the hard work of the past two weekends is evident.  There is still a lot to do but it is great to see some progress.  When I got home I began to feel shivery and unwell.  My nose hasn't stopped running.  Perhaps I've dug up some ancient spore.

Website of the day:  Cockenzie Power Station - the coal-fired power station must close by 31 December 2015.  Learn about the various options at a community consulation event.  Wednesday 10th June, 12-8 p.m., Port Seton Centre, South Seton Park, EH32 0BQ.

Saturday 6th June

Today we went to the Arts Market at Out of the Blue where we had lunch (fish soup, home made burgers and bacon rolls) in the fabby Arts Cafe.  It was really quite busy and there were loads of wonderful stalls including Frugal Cool, Alice Melvin, Lynsey Walters Jewellery, Rachel Mary Elliot Tartan Glass, Montserrat Castellano, Sharon Whyte, Carmenland and Knock My Socks Off.

We then went to 'Parklife', part of the Leith Festival organised by the 'Friends of Dalmeny Street Park'.  I helped plant herbs in the raised beds and the girls enjoyed having their faces painted and going on the bouncy castle.  From Scottish Natural Heritage stall I picked up a packet of 'Bird, Bee and Butterfly' seed mix and a lovely booklet 'Go wild with your child'.  It was really nice to have tea in a real teacup and saucer (with poetry at the table!).  The tea was served from flasks which were refilled from nearby tenements.  It was a real example of what can be done with a bit of community spirit and made me think about what might be possible in Cuthill.

---ooOoo---

Tea was fried polenta and cheese, avocado, ham and boiled eggs -scrummy.

This evening, I really enjoyed Snowcake, a finely balanced not quite a road movie, about the friendship between an autistic woman and a traumatised man.

Website of the day:  Free Minibooks -  printable light-reading from Featherproof

Friday 5th June

It was nice to see my mum and Alan this afternoon.  The girls were very excited to see them, not least because of the giant Smarties cake they brought with them.  It was a sunny enough to have lunch outside.

I was pleased the new TFT monitor arrived from Dabs.  I'm glad it was easy to put together because the instructions were not terribly helpful:

"Connecting Cables to PC and Monitor (Referred images for operation).  Lie the monitor fitly.  Align the base rail into the stand runner by hands, and then use proper power to insert.  Hold the stand cover in the right way by hands, and then insert it into the stand."

Website of the day:  Social Innovation Camp - think tanks to formulate web-based solutions to social problems

Thursday 4th June

Eeeek, we forgot to renew barker-family.info so haven't been able to receive mail today.  We've put 50p in the meter and are up and running again but I'm afraid if you emailed us today we won't have received it.  Soz.  Must say I was pleased with Lunarpages support (even though it wasn't a hosting issue).

The Small World is Venue 39 in this year’s 3 Harbours Arts Festival of 'Art in Unusual Places' so I popped in to have a look at their exhibition of hand-embroidered, appliquéd and sequinned cards.

---ooOoo---

 I went to the polling station after nursery drop-off.  It was very, very quiet.  On the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, anyone one hasn't exercised their democratic right to vote should hang their head in shame.

What do you have for European Election dinner?  Red peppers?  Left-overs?  Chez Barker we are having Democracy Pizza -  with elect your own topping.

Website of the day:  27b/6 - 'Jeff's workout' will make you wet your spandex pants. 'Dear Neighbour, you are not invited to my party' gives me chest pains.   

Wednesday 3rd June

We know Lucy will be in a P1/P2 composite class of 24 in August.  There will be plenty of familiar faces from nursery together with eight new friends from P2.  We are now waiting to find out who will be teacher, exciting!.  

I received my Bzz Agent pack containing two packs of Seeds of Change organic chocolate bars.  One is Apricot & Cashew Milk Chocolate, the other is Orange & Fig Dark Chocolate.  Oh, the trials of being a product tester...

''Word of Mouth' marketing is big in the US but still quite new here.  It's weird being sent freebies in exchange for my opinions.

Weirder still is why I'm so bothered by people's opinions of me, but, I am, and their unpleasantness hurts. It would be much, much easier to be megalomaniac.

---ooOoo---

In the absence of a toxic waste crate, I put the BNP pamphlet in the paper recycling crate and was glad to see the back of  it.  How can people with so much spite and intolerance be happy?

Website of the day: The Spoof - made-up stories, dog found at centre of universe etc (I always knew everything revolved around the Barkers)

Tuesday 2nd June

After waiting all day yesterday for a parcel to be collected, I felt like I had been released from prison after the courier came round today.  With my new-found freedom I went to Lidl where I got a bit carried away and filled all four shopping bags.  Fortunately for me, Mo was there with Michael so they gave me a lift back up the hill.

Nice to see Christine looking well today.  Our paths haven't crossed in ages.

Great to hear Jane will be returning soon - if anyone can get a 'East Lothian Fabulous Women's Bookgroup' off the ground it is J-Bo.

Really enjoyed Mary Portas this evening.  The big message was Donate - Don't Dump.  Charity shops are not to be used as dustbins.  Give only quality, saleable items.

Website of the day: Frugal Cool - handcrafted, sustainable treasures from Musselburgh 

Monday 1st June

I'm attempting to be supportive to a friend whose situation is similar to mine was during the grey years.  It's not easy, the people most in need of help are usually those hardest to help. If we only ever spent time with friends while they were 'up' i.e. confident, inspirational and scintillating company...well, that's a scary thought.  

---ooOoo---

The girls and I paid a visit to the Preston Road sunflowers this afternoon.  Amid the weeds, nettles (ouch!) and crisp packets, the seedlings are thriving.

The same woman who saw us planting the first batch was out walking her dog and remarked on their progress.  The passengers on the passing X5 looked confused:amused in equal parts.  Curiously, our neighbours completely ignored us. I guess our 'hood won't be taking part in The Big Lunch...

A stray sunflower seed has found its way into a gap between the road and the pavement and is coming along quite nicely - proof that nature will do her thing regardless of our attempts.

Website of the day:  Portobello Online -  community website serving residents, ex-pats and visitors to Edinburgh's seaside

Sunday 31st May

I left the house quite early to call on Mo.  We had time for a cup of coffee before setting off for our hydration station at Prestongrange.  We arrived on time and got to work opening bottles of water.  

Mo and I were tasked with handing out personal water and energy supplies to some 'elite' runners.  In my case, to #3  Peter Tucker, from Blackheath & Bromley Harriers (who came fifth).  Mo had the more difficult job of having to spot #29, Holly Rush (who went on to win the Women's race).  

Elite or no, anyone who attempts a marathon (or part thereof) has my utmost respect.  I saw some truly inspirational runners including Amanda Peak who was running in memory of her sons Arron and Ben; 98 year old Fauja Singh (of Sikhs in the City relay team) and Kurdish double amputee, Shaho Quadir who, with the aid of crutches, completed the course in a little over eight hours.  

Full results here.

Saturday 30th May

I was on the tombola stall at the Summer Fayre.  It was a popular stall (at a guesstimate I think it probably raised £200).  There was only one prize unaccounted for which was quickly substituted with wine from the 'Hook a Bottle' stall.  I was kicking myself for not buying the terracotta planters before my own money ran out.  

Nigel and Georgie arrived in perfect time to walk back with Emily and I.  We had no sooner arrived home than Annemarie brought Lucy back.  Along with Esme and Jim, they had been to see the Book of Beasts and by the sounds of it, thoroughly enjoyed it.  

After lunch I was back out again to meet up with fellow guerrilla gardeners to clear the area at the back of Portobello Town Hall.  It was much worse than the last vist and we could have done with a lot more volunteers.  Still, two hours of chopping down vegetation and removing litter made a bit of a difference and we will just have to do a bit at a time.  

While on my hands and knees I spotted a hole in the ground.  I peered inside and saw what looked like a large eyeball peering out - a pale brown ball about 6 cm diameter with a black spot in the middle  - it was a wasps nest.  Thankfully in its early stages with only a few angry wasps in it.

I decided to call it a day and headed home.  There were loads of people in Porty today.  Every bit of green space, beach and bench were being utilised.  Summer is here!

Website of the day: Girl Geeks Scotland - a community for women interested in technology, creativity and computing.

Friday 29th May

The day began with trying to get two cats out of the kitchen.  They were absolutely terrified after the back door closed behind them and were darting about everywhere knocking everything in their path.  I let them out and they shot out into the garden - scaredy cats!

---ooOoo---

I was just off the phone from talking to my sister about, amongst other things,  'rules' when Emily came home with a note from school setting out their rules:

Doing as you are asked first time, every time
Keeping hands and feet to your self
Using appropriate language in school.

The only hard and fast 'rule' we have at home is 'Keeping hands, feet and objects to yourself'.   The rules in nursery are quite hilarious as they are drawn up by the children themselves hence include things like "do not pull faces because the other person might think it is really scary and be sad".  

After lunch the girls and I went along to Emily's school to help set up the school fayre.  I haven't been to a fayre in the primary school before and was pleased to see that the teachers all get involved.  There were lots of beautiful items made by the different classes but a disappointing amount of stuff handed in from parents.  I'm certain some of the tombola prizes have been doing the rounds of local events for at least 18 months, presumably they get won, donated, won and donated until they downgraded to bric a brac.

---ooOoo---
 
I used the breadmaker to make the dough for rolls.   I was pleased with how good they turned out.  Warm crusty bread rolls with bacon and black pudding.  Mmmm.

Thursday 28th May

I was painting the communal fence with Bryson this morning.  I suggested having a 'painting party' with the other neighbours bringing a brush (and a bottle!).  Perhaps we could use the Tom Sawyer approach on passing dogwalkers.

I was painting when the nursery coach went past on its way to Biggar and gave them a wave.  Lucy and Georgie have not enjoyed being at home today, even with the added attraction of Nigel being home.  They have been a little demanding.  OK, they've been complete monsters.

Despite having house full of toys, they would rather play with handfuls of gravel and make a mess of the garden.

I popped into the Small World and while I was chatting to Alan and Irene, Lucy and Georgie had turned on the Ecover dispensers. I was so fed up with them (L&G - not A&I).  I felt like locking them in the store cupboard (the one with the loo rolls and spiders - not the one with the chocolate and juice).

It's been a wonderfully foody day.  Grilled goat's cheese and bacon on toast for lunch; and mackerel, capers and roast potato for dinner.

Website of the day:  Leith Festival - the brochure is out and it's looking brilliant!

Wednesday 27th May

Georgie yelled "I want to ride on the bike" all the way home from nursery.  The magic words "Georgie, would you like to be a baby mermaid?" did the trick.  Being a baby mermaid mostly involves me cradling Georgie in my arms while she squeaks "I can't speak, I'm a baby mermaid".

A very dull dinner of baked potato, cheese and coleslaw.  

Website of the day:  Matthewman's Sweetpeas - growers of top quality sweetpea seeds.

Tuesday 26th May

I’ve been writing blurb for Volunteers Week in the hope of recruiting new staff at the Small World. Consequently, I’ve been giving a lot of thought about the ‘V’ word.

 The Small Worldies are truly some of the nicest people I have ever met. However, not all groups fare so well with their volunteers.  I've noticed with other organisations that there always seems to be a self-appointed leader who is always on hand for the media but is as elusive as hen's teeth when there's hard work to be done.  Others turn up with the sole purpose of moaning about how few volunteers there are.

Their reasons for getting involved are puzzling.  Networking?  Looking for a gong?  Empire building?  

I've concluded that there are many reasons for volunteering – some less noble than others.  But whether that actually matters probably depends largely on your own reasons for volunteering.

Website of the day:  Awkward Family Photos - uncomfortable, cringemaking...compulsive.

Monday 25th May

Walking along the main street I heard someone call my name.  It was Laura from the bookgroup.   As I won't be able to attend this Saturday's meet up, we had a coffee in the library and a blether about this month's books Something Might Happen and Reservation Road and the film Coraline.

There is a librarian’s joke that goes along the lines of: a man walks into the library complaining that the fitness book he borrowed is rubbish. 

“It’s not ‘How To Jog’” the beleaguered librarian points out.  “You’ve picked up a volume of ‘Encyclopaedia Prestonpansica’”.

The borrower looks at the shelves where there is a gap between ‘Gra-Hov’ and ‘Joh-Liv’.  He had picked up ‘How – Jog’. 

I have a variation of this joke called “How to Irk” which I might share sometime.

---ooOoo---

When I went to collect the little two from nursery, Lucy excitedly told me all about her trip to 'big school'.  I'm glad she is looking forward to starting school.  Georgie was upset because three children had hit her.  She said she was "too shy" to tell the teacher but after a chat with Miss Dunleavy agreed to tell a teacher if it happened again.  Walking up the hill we were were met by the aroma of vanilla, presumably wafting down from Fords.
 
I had a lucky escape on ebay this afternoon.  I had spotted a nice ecclesiastical collectable with less than an hour to go.  My initial modest bid was quickly outbid.  However, instead of stopping there, I carried on bidding.  Bidding fever had set in and I had bid way more than I would have done for the same item in an antiques shop.  Fortunately, with 22 seconds to go, another bidder outbid me.

---ooOoo---

As it isn't a bank holiday here, we decided to have bank holiday food for tea.  I made up newspaper 'pokes' and filled them with chips and scampi which we ate outside with a liberal sprinkling of vinegar - great fun.

Website of the day: Wage Concern - Save the minimum wage!  

Sunday 24th May

After a lovely lunch of leek bake, bacon, Yorkshires,  stuffing, roasties, carrots and peas, we went for a stroll.  

I was pleased to see the transplanted sunflowers are thriving in the 'Welcome to Prestonpans' planter.  

We continued along to Sam Burns' yard.  We were on the lookout for a small bookcase but instead bought a couple of pretty china plates, some books and videos.  As we were about to leave I spotted a Vax Rapide carpet cleaner which we bought for a bargain £15.  I was very happy.

We walked across the road with our purchases and played for a while with the frisbee and hula hoop.  The girls like nothing better than to run around like puppies and I think the walk did us all good.

Website of the day: East Lothian Community Planning - could this be the place to find out what's happening in the County?  

Saturday 23rd May

I dropped Emily off with Bianca before going to the Small World.  It was a very quiet day in the shop but it was nice to catch up with Bernice who, amongst other things, shares my love of wordplay.  She shared this very long palindrome with me: 'Live dirt up a side track carted is a putrid evil' which is miles better than 'Able was I ere I saw Elba' and infinitely more sensible than 'He won't, ah, wander, Edna. What now, eh?' (which is highly reminiscent of the style of writing of a certain self-publicist who shall remain anonymous, eh?).

Back home Nigel was grumpily trying to make sound appear (does sound 'appear'?) out of a speaker.  

Now, when Nigel is poorly, I run around making sure he has everything he needs to be as comfortable as possible.

When I'm poorly,  I run around making sure he has everything he needs to be as comfortable as possible.  Unless I'm too poorly in which case he sulks as if I'm deliberably being ill.  Am I being mean?  Probably, but it's my blog and I'll whinge if I want to.

Friday 22nd May

I'm croaking away like a frog and feel like I'm wearing a corset.

Emily's behaviour continues to be atrocious and she is incapable of having a conversation without both arms being oustretched, her eyes wide and using a tone that implies I am incredibly stupid (which of course I must be having devoted the majority of my 'spare' time to providing crafts and baking for her 10p stall at school).

But on the positive side:

This morning, I saw a bird taking food from the feeder and feeding a little bird waiting on the branch above.  This continued for about five minutes.
I enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada much more than I thought I would.  

Tuesday 19th May

I've not been too well today. I could really do with phoning in sick to my boss.  Oh, that's right, I don't have a boss.  Best get on with it then.

Website of the day:  Skull a Day - a skull, every day.

Monday 18th May

I've won a copy of Cockroach in a Waterstone's Card prize draw.  I can't wait to start reading it, it looks great.

Had a fun afternoon with Georgie trying to 'teach' me how to play dominoes.

Website of the day:  Stories from Space - unusual and whimsical site from a woman who sees and makes art in all sorts of places.

Sunday 17th May

It was lovely to sit in the garden reading the papers and doing not a lot.  

After a traditional Sunday dinner we went out for a walk.  First stop was the 'Welcome to Prestonpans' sign on the top road where I transplanted a couple of my sunflower seedlings.

We paid our first  visit of the year to Prestongrange Museum and went on the last tour of the day.  The volunteer guide told us about his plans to start a 'Friends of Prestongrange' group to do some clearing, repairing, painting etc.  I'd happily  lend a hand as long as it didn't involve working at heights.  I really didn't like being at the top of the Beam Engine house and Georgie knew it.  The little minx kept sticking her legs through the railings and looking at me to gauge my reaction.  It's funny how I'm happy to be subterranean but not high up.

Had a laugh watching Extras this evening.

Saturday 16th May

Along with Rosemary, I was working in the Small World today.  It's good to have more than one person on for practical and safety reasons (and for company of course!) but there wasn't really enough work for both of us so I did some weeding on the path.   I put my bubble machine outside in the hope that it might attract some customers but the wind was blowing the wrong direction!

It was nice to meet fellow volunteer Patricia.  Our paths haven't crossed before because we work different shifts.  Sandra also popped in which made the volunteer count higher than customers.  Emily, Lucy & Georgie were delighted to meet Sandra's new dog Molly who is very well behaved and loved all the attention she was getting.  
  
 I was glad to see that both the 'Police Station sunflowers' and the Pennypit sunflowers are starting to grow.

When we got home Nigel cooked a fabulous lunch of sausages and puy lentils.  

We watched Waitress, a bittersweet film about an unhappily pregnant woman who pins her hopes for escape on winning a pie-making contest.  It was okay but I prefer eating pies to watching them.

Friday 15th May

Three cheers for Emily who had a great day today:
- no work needed following her dental check-up
- did well at swimming lessons today
- won the 'dress as a famous sportsperson' thing at school (she went as Paula Radcliffe).

Thursday 14th May

The Special Uplift service is available to East Lothian householders who have excess domestic refuse or bulky household items they need collected.  You can book a special uplift by calling 01875 824 305 (local rate).  You need to have a list of the items to be uplifted.  

Allegedly, you can also book an uplift at a Local Area Contact Point (or Area Office) but I haven't successfully managed to do this.

Oh, and book it before 1st July when the SNP/LibDem administration will start charging £22.50 per uplift.  Councillor Paul McLennan admits that this ludicrously backwards step "could lead to a rise in flytipping". (no kidding, Sherlock!).

We have the smallest size of rubbish bin which is rarely full as we reduce, reuse and freecycle (and compost) wherever possible and could very easily make do with a fortnightly refuse collection.  If we have occasion to use the Special Uplift service we will effectively be penalised for not owning a large vehicle.  What price a SNP Council Tax 'freeze'?

---ooOoo---

My free fuschias from the Guardian arrived today.  The offer is still running (£3.28 p&p).  I received two boxes of plants, so I gave one to Rosie who came round today with her arms full of lunch.  

It has been a great day to be outside.  It got a little too hot for Lucy and Georgie today but they retreated into the cool end of the garden where the trees provide a great canopy.

Things you don't want to hear:  "Come quickly, the water is coming very fastly!" (Lucy trying to fill a watering can)

Website of the day: The Future Shock - time-travelling prank thingy - too weird to explain

Wednesday 13th May

Lucy was off on a trip to Biggar Puppet Theatre with the rest of the pre-school year nursery class so it was just Georgie and I this morning.

'Mummy and Georgie's Day of Fun' went like this:  We had a lovely day with a trip to Aroma for breakfast followed by a walk along the beach and a splash in the sea.  Georgie collected lots of 'treasures' from the beach and then we went to Lidl where I even let her sit in the trolley - a rare treat.

We had a play in Cemetery Park and then called in on Betty.  It was lovely to sit in her conservatory overlooking the lovely garden and have a catch up over a cup of tea.  Betty has a lovely Bird of Paradise plant, currently sporting two large flowers. She gave us lots of seed packets (nasturnium, foxgloves, gypsophila, larkspur, nicotiana, delphinium, polyanthus, aubrietia, petunia, cosmos, sea holly, candytuft) for guerrilla gardening and, when we left her, we sowed the gypsophila, nasturnium and candytuft in the Wilson Avenue site.

Lucy came off the bus white-faced but she hadn't been sick (hurray!).  She really enjoyed the performance of Pips and  Panda and you can read her report here.

I had a go at making moss graffitti this afternoon.  I blended yoghurt, beer (sorry Nigel!), moss and compost in the food processer then painted a letter 'B' on to the brickwork.  I hope it works but after I did it I research other people's methods and they don't seem to add the compost.  Oh well, I'll soon find out whether my method has worked and it's fairly quick to make and apply but the cleaning afterwards is a bit yucky.  

Today's mail includes an overdue reminder for 'Mysterious Disappearances' which Emily borrowed from the library and can't find "anywhere" - oh, the irony.

A bumper crop of photographs have been uploaded for April here.

How I'm feeling today:

No one I think is in my tree,

I mean it must be high or low;

That is you can't, you know, tune in

But it's alright,

That is I think it's not too bad.

John Lennon, from Strawberry Fields Forever

Tuesday 12th May

I jumped on a bus to Musselburgh today and spent a pleasant hour meandering there before popping into the Small World.  I put my name down for a couple of shifts and had a blether with Rosemary.

I popped into the library and had a read of 'House & Gorgeous' or something, then delivered a book to Annemarie where I had a cuppa.  She has given me a draft of her latest book and I can't wait to read it.

My willow obelisk arrived today in an enormous box which Georgie and Lucy have been using as a tunnel, a rocket and a castle.  Unfortunately this adventure required the addition of every item in the dressing up box and the entire contents of the toy bucket.  The back step is now covered with teddies, cushions, dinosaurs and feather boas.

I went to a website with the intention of purchasing something I had seen yesterday for my sister.  It seems they no longer stock the item.  The moral of that story is Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What can be Purchased Today.

Couscous and roasted vegetables for tea.

Monday 11th May

The scent of Lily of the Valley is wafting through the kitchen, a souvenir of this afternoon's visit to Annemarie's house.

It was nice to have Emily's friend Sophie round today.  When it was time to go home, we crossed the road with her.  I was shocked at just how busy the traffic is on the B1361.  Lorries come thundering past and there is only one spot where we had a good view of the road.  I can't see whether the new building works incorporate a crossing but I've been in contact with the Council to find out.  

A result of playing outside most of the day is that we all have sunkissed faces.  All except Georgie that is, whose angelic face is, as usual, covered with dirt.

Inspired by Eat What You Want Day, I made pizza and allowed everyone to choose their own toppings.  Emily is keeping a food diary for a school project.  "Make sure you put that it was 'homemade' pizza" I bleated.

Sunday 10th May

We had considered going to the Slow Food Fair in North Berwick but the weather didn't look too great first thing and there is quite a lot to do around the house.  Emily and Lucy made an effort to tidy their respective beds without any help from Georgie who steadfastly refused to do anything and has been a little trying all day.

When the sun finally came out the girls drew with chalk outside (the big tub from Lidl has been a great buy!) while Nigel cooked port medallions, courgette and chick peas for lunch.

Saturday 9th May

It was quite appropriate that we were in the Fair Trade town of Linlithgow today, World Fair Trade Day.  Despite the lashing rain and the presence of numpties, it was a very nice day.  

First stop was a visit to the Canal Centre.  We had drinks and cakes before going on a short trip along the Town Stretch of the Union Canal onboard the 12 seater Victoria.  In the Vennel we looked around the stalls, guessed the weight of the Sheltland pony and bought delicious fair trade Montezuma's chocolate from Fair Tradewinds.

Alas, there wasn't time to see the Lieutenant Commander "Scotty" Scott exhibition (James Doohan 'was' reputedly born in Linlithgow in the year 2222) but the girls got Communicator toys that say "Beam me up" and a USS Kelvin from Burger King on the way home.

This evening, Nigel and I watched Hallam Foe - he enjoyed it but I didn't really rate it.

Website of the day: The Automatic Inanity Idiom Extruder -  painfully oblique messages from the peeps wot brought you Hun Deflector & Damp-O-Matic 2000™

Friday 8th May

I went to the sorting office to pay £1.08 due on an item of mail which had insufficient postage.  It was a 'large letter' which had been posted with a first class (i.e. 39p) stamp but the Royal Mail's ludicrous pricing system meant, even being sent second class it was 8p short.  The stupid 'large letter' system, combined with the recent price rise causes no end of problems.

---ooOoo---
 
I love Lucy's sense of style, particularly her use of colour.  Everyday she gets herself dressed and manages to look very cool.  Today she is a riot of CMYK.
 
We said goodbye to Julie, Chris and the girls who were making their way back to south Wales via Yorkshire.

My first win of the month is a £20 Dobbies voucher in a Scottish Government Go Greener competition.  I've used it to purchase a sieve, some plant labels, a willow obelisk and a dibber.

Nigel was working late tonight and I was glad to have him home by 9p.m. instead of the forecasted 11 o'clock.

Website of the day:  Philosophy Football - sporting outfitters of intellectual distinction

Thursday 7th May

After a morning of convoluted phone calls, it was a welcome relief to have lunch with Hollie and Hannah who were visiting today with Julie and Chris.  My youngest nieces have grown a lot since I last saw them and are enjoying their holiday in Scotland, despite having chickenpox.

--ooOoo---

I don't watch 'reality TV' and until last week had never heard of the ubiquitous Susan Boyle, but....I do like The Apprentice which, I suppose, is every bit as voyeuristic and pointless.  I'm glad Philip's gone.  I think James or Yasmina will do well (and probably gobby Debra).

HOPE not hate
Celebrating modern Britain

Wednesday 6th May

Previously, when tenants have moved out, the timing hasn't worked out for us to stay in the flat.  This time however, the break in tenancy fell on a Bank Holiday weekend so we seized the opportunity to show the kids 'our London house'.

We arrived in Forest Gate at lunchtime - it was just as bustling as I remembered.  It was a thrill to find our keys worked after six years.

I am far from being a domestic goddess (as anyone who has ever visited me will attest) but even I was shocked at the condition of the place but we just had to roll up our sleeves and get on with it.  After some deep cleaning, the next priority was to acquire the essentials that would allow us to stay there.  Fortunately Green Street and Romford Road had everything we needed and Nigel managed to get beds delivered the same day.

We all enjoyed different aspects of the trips and I loved seeing the children's reactions to all the new sights, sounds, tastes and smells.  For me, the highlights were West Ham Park and its beautiful Iris Garden; meeting up with my mum, Alan and Christopher at Thames Barrier Park; watching a wedding party outside the gurdwara; meeting all three sets of neighbours; spotting the Google car on Katherine Road; shopping for saris; and delicious mango lassi and pistachio kulfi in Vijay's Chawalla.

Friday 1st May

As all good guerrillas know, May 1st is International Guerrilla Sunflower Day. You can read about other people's activities on this Guerrilla Gardening forum thread. We couldn't join the rest of the troop in Edinburgh so carried out a series of missions in our home town of Prestonpans.

This morning, I took Lucy and Georgie to a tiny patch of land off Wilson Avenue to plant sunflower seeds. It is my favourite type of guerrilla gardening site - lots of pedestrian traffic, largely unnoticed... and with the potential to be stunning. Ironically, it backs on to the formal and very well maintained Tower Gardens, notable for its beautiful laburnham archway.
We removed some weeds and broken glass then planted gladioli and the front and sunflower seeds all along the back wall. For a bit of instant colour we transplanted some grape hyacinth taken from our back garden.

After a good water (we took a milk bottle and take an extra, punctured lid to act as sprinkler) we paid a visit to our second site in the Conservation Village - the 'Caged Sunflowers' on Preston Road, (they were planted in a tree cage). We removed some of the choking weeds and were pleased to see the seedlings are coming on fine. A police patrol car gave no more than a passing glance at our 'Little Princess' and 'Barbie' gardening trugs.
Back home we grabbed the seedbombs we had made a couple of days ago (wildflower seeds, sunflower seeds, compost and fuller's earth) and flung them over the parking lot in Preston Court.

When Emily got home from school, she and I planted another three packets of sunflowers along the bit of land I've been weeding on the other side of the fence.

You can see all the Prestonpans sunflower sites plotted on this map (switch to 'Bird's Eye View' for a glimpse of the beautiful gardens).

Thursday 30th April

I picked up a copy of the Edinburgh International Festival brochure in the library - I LOVE the pink toile de Jouy cover by the inimitable Leith Agency.  It features famous Edinburgh landmarks as Greyfriars Bobby and St Giles Cathedral alongside roadworks, vagrants and CCTV.  

I am seriously considering stockpiling loads of brochures and using them as wallpaper.  Am I certifiable?

---ooOoo---

Rosie came round for a quick bite of lunch and brought with her some borage seedlings.  She has a zen-like calmness which is very restful .  I wish I was a little less manic.

---ooOoo---

I made dinner tonight: sausage casserole with leftover leeks, chopped tomato, carrots, rosemary, marjoram and thyme from the garden and liberally sprinkled it with a mixture of seeds and red wine.  Emily crushed some cornflakes for a crunchy topping.  It was very nice.

Wednesday 29th April

It is remarkable how when a day deviates from its usual pattern, things change quite considerably.  

Emily was having tea at a friend's house which meant the tv didn't get switched on which meant I spent more time playing with Lucy and Georgie which meant that Georgie fell asleep which meant it was just 3 of us for leek risotto which meant Lucy was enjoying getting lots of attention which meant I got a chance to escape and do some guerrilla gardening.

I discovered that after one glass of pinot grigio, I am full of enthusiasm to tackle the weeds, but, after two glasses, I have trouble balancing on my garden fork.

Discovery #2 was that marjoram has a very high nectar content - perfect for a bit of guerrilla bee attraction.

Website of the day:  Boyfriend Arm Pillow -  it has its advantages.

Tuesday 28th April

Some lunchtime litterpicking was just what was needed to blow away the cobwebs.  I also did a little weeding in the front garden but left the foxgloves growing between the paving slabs because....well because paving slabs are ugly and the foxgloves are beautiful.  Despite wearing my new gloves, I still got jagged by berberis.  I have so many thorns in my hands I may evolve into a half plant, half woman creature.

Dinner tonight was couscous with roasted courgette, aubergine, garlic, onion and carrot, drizzled in balsamic vinegar.  It wouldn't have won Come Dine With Me but it was really very lovely.

The girls did a good job of tidying their bedrooms with me supervising (in the guise of a robot master).

Website of the day: Stones3 - the place to buy your gabions.  Ooh, I love gabions. (what do you mean you don't know what a gabion is?!) 

Monday 27th April

I'm very tired today.  And a little down, not depressed exactly, just a little short of joie de vivre - and energy.   It's been an exhausting day of dentistry, messy children and blocked loos.
  
On the positive side:
I feel greatly reassured about Lucy starting school following today's meeting with her nursery teacher.  
My free gardening kit from Stour Valley Offers arrived today.
I've got a few things ticked off my 'to do' list.
It's raining for the first time in ages - the garden and the guerrilla sunflowers will appreciate it.

Website of the day:  Friends of Abbey Gardens - transforming a derelict strip of land, close to the Olympic site, into a community harvest garden.

Sunday 26th April

I was quite pleased with my lasagne (tomato, olive & tofu) but the kids weren't keen.
We had a lazy day in the Monkey Loft listening to long forgotten records and playing with the train set.  

I finished reading Something Might Happen.  Initially found the lack of quotation marks a tad confusing (is the person thinking or talking?) but I soon got into it and it was a quick, absorbing read.  It starts off with a murder, but is not a 'whodunnit', rather, it is portrayal of grief and the fragility of relationships.  I didn't think it had the depth to do the subject justice.   There wasn't really enough story and some of the dialogue seemed a little superflous (although I thought parts of it gave a realistic portrayal of small town family life).The ending seemed to have been bolted on - shocking and desperately sad, but an afterthought. I enjoyed it but I thought it was neither one thing or the other and I would have preferred some sleuthing.  

Website of the day: Camcorder Guerillas - Glasgow-based collective of artivists.

Saturday 25th April

We were a bit late for this morning's book group in the Library.  We took a copy of both this month's books: Something Might Happen and Reservation Road.  They both look more promising than last month's offerings.  While we were in the library we picked up a copy of the 3 Harbours Festival programme (which is being officially launched on Tuesday 28th April, 7-9 at The Goth).

After lunch we took the train to Longniddry where the scouts were having a jumble sale in the Community Centre.  It was a proper jumble sale and very, very busy.  I think some of the customers had sharpened their elbows specially.  I gave up trying to get anywhere near the clothes stall which was 3-deep, but managed to get a large wooden carving and a big copper lampshade - both of which are now homed in the garden.

On the way back we noticed more than the average number of trainspotters on the platform and the conductor was kind enough to let us know that a steam train was due to pass through Prestonpans at 1513.  Sure enough when we got off at Prestonpans there were even more spotters waiting.  There was a platform announcement to say when the 'special' train was passing through - Scotrail do seem to look after rail enthusiasts!  We took position near Gardiner's Monument and managed to get a couple of photos of the steam-hauled LNER A1 Class 4-6-2 no 60163 Tornado en route to Waverley from Kings Cross.

---ooOoo---

Nigel and I watched Shrooms - a horror about a group of spaced out young people being pursued in some woods.   I've never tried magic mushrooms and can't see the attraction of hallucinating.  I prefer my 'trips' to be the type involving a Family Railcard.

Frugal tip of the day:  Those lovely people at Millies Cookies have BOGOF vouchers to print off at their website.

Friday 24th April

My Renbow hair colourants (cyclamen and vermillion) arrived today - less than 24 hours since I placed the order.  Not bad considering p&p was included in the £4 price of a bottle of Crazy Color.  Unfortunately, it is going to cost me much more in cleaning products to rid the bathroom of its Texas Chainsaw Massacre look.

Nachos for tea.  Quick, easy, vaguely wholesome (I mushed the avocados meself).

Didn't enjoy Martin Clunes' version of Reggie Perrin.

Frugal tip of the day:  When searching on Amazon, add &p_6=ATVPDKIKX0DER at the end of url if you want to search only amazon products; Add &pct-off=80- at the end of url to search for items with 80% off; Add &pct-off=40- at the end of url for items discounted by 40%.

Thursday 23rd April

The postie brought a bumper assortment of goodies: my Instructables t-shirt, stickers and badge which I plan to show off ad nauseam; some London walking maps and a packet of Fuller's Earth.  The Fuller's Earth will double as a seedbomb ingredient and a facemask.

It was nice to spend time with Rachel, Peter and their girls, even if it was just a fleeting visit.

Emily introduced me to a new friend and her mum today who have just moved to the area.  It's always nice to meet new people - I think there should be an "Incomer's Survival Guide to the 'Pans" or maybe the equivalent of the US 'Welcome Wagon'.

We celebrated St George's Day with Bangers and mash.

Website of the day: The Toymaker - paper toys you can make yourself.  We loved the printable Anxiety Dream Theater.

Wednesday 22nd April

This may well be my Gerald Ratner post (and, if so, thanks for reading this crap so far) but seriously....this blog is boring.  The most exciting thing I did today was travel on the top deck of the bus to Musselburgh.  Would anyone really be interested in such a mundane detail?  Would they find that nugget so fascinating they had to tell someone else about it?  Would the news of my adventure travel feverishly around the top 'Pans? I wouldn't imagine so but then I'm not so sure....

Other people's priorities are different to mine.  For example, when their first grandchild was born, it took my in-laws a month to come and visit.  I can't imagine anything keeping me away but we are very different people.  The other night, Nigel was on the phone to his mother.  After the call I asked "Everything okay with B&B?" and Nigel told me at great length about some gravel which was being delivered - not to my in-laws house but to a third party (whose garden we haven't even seen).  I mean, really?!!!!?

I was very, very tempted to send a card saying "Congratulations on Your New Gravel!!!"

Website of the day:  The dullest blog in the world - it is boring, I grant you but I've seen, read and heard duller.

Tuesday 21st April

It was lovely to read of fellow guerrilla Thea's efforts in Marchmont.  Guerrilla Gardening is terribly zeitgeisty at the mo', yet the people doing it are neither 'new' nor 'crazed'.

I read somewhere that art in the garden shouldn't be obvious, it should be just out of sight waiting to be discovered.  I'm fortunate to have a nooks and crannies garden so have been experimenting with mirrors, bird baths etc.  Yesterday, Lucy came in from the garden declaring "I'm never going to play in the garden again!" after getting a fright seeing her reflection in a newly placed mirror.  I tried not too laugh and promised to put it somewhere else.  Today, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a big fat (it's a distorting fairground-type mirror, obviously) shears-wielding woman in my fruit bushes.

---ooOoo---

We handed in our nursery treasure trail.  One of the 'treasures' was a "picture of your favourite character".  Georgie wanted to put a picture of Mrs Miller in but was persuaded that Dora the Explorer might be better.

The nursery photo of Lucy and Georgie together is very nice.  Georgie keeps kissing it.

---ooOoo---

My new camera has arrived.  It is a replacement for my old Olympus which suffered some Georgification and the zoom won't, well, zoom.  Digital cameras have dropped in price dramatically.  You can now buy a 10 megapixel camera for the same as my 3 mexapixel cost.  But why would I need 10mp?  It's not like I'm taking photographs for a magazine or owt.  Digital cameras have made 'photographers' of everyone.  Fortunately for this happy snapper, it means I can replace my easy-to-use camera with a near exact model for thirty quid.

Tea tonight was a very nice homemade pizza using half wholemeal, half white flour for the base.   We all chose different toppings.

Website of the day:  39 Forks - art installations and off-the-wall projects.

Monday 20th April

It was hardly surprising that Georgie was tired this morning - she was still awake at ten o'clock last night.  

While the rest of the Barkers were eating cornflakes, Georgie was lying on the floor crying "I just want to go to sleep".  I cuddled her for 15 minutes while she 'powernapped' after which time she was sufficiently revived to get to nursery in time.

After I said my tearful goodbye to the stick insect (only kidding - but I did enjoy looking after him) I went to Lidl where there seemed to be a lot of activity around Mercat House.  Perhaps salvageable architecture is being removed being demolition.  Maybe they were just removing a skip, who knows?  But I've never seen a demolition before and, whether the decision to build affordable houses is popular or not, I would like to see something being blown down or imploded or whatever it is called.  (If anyone knows how to find out about scheduled demolitions please let me know).

After a pleasant stroll along the beach I took the girls to the secret park and  searched in vain for our lost Shane Warne cricket ball in Tower Gardens.

Back home a prize was waiting for me: Oh, the Places You'll Go! (Dr Seuss Green Back Books)which I'm sure Emily will like.  It is the second book I've won this month (the first being a review copy of Madonna of the Almonds).

We celebrated Lima Bean Day with, erm, borlotti beans, pasta and smoked sausage in a tomato sauce.

'Well I didn't know that!' of the day: A marrow is an overgrown courgette 

Sunday 19th April

We each spent an hour on chores and then Nigel took the girls to play for a bit.   As I sat in the garden, soaking up the sunshine, I realised that it was the first time I had been on my own for over a fortnight.  I savoured the moment - just  before they returned, arguing about something or other.

Nigel made a fabby lasagne of olives, tomato and spinach.  What really took it to the next level was the sauce made with semolina.

I finished The Other Hand and was distinctly underwhelmed by it.

Website of the day:  Stick Insect Crazy - where we hope to get our next pet.

Saturday 18th April

We went to the Community Centre this morning for the launch of Tom Ewing's new mural “Gala Days Through Time”.  Tom was there with Jan and we chatted about their plans for Cuthill Park.

There were also a few stalls so Nigel bought a couple of 25p videos: The Beatles - Help!  and the silent classic The General.  I bought a bling bracelet, a crocheted hat, some a dozen blind spot mirrors for £1 and the most delicious tablet I've ever tasted.

We went straight to the station to catch the train to Edinburgh then walked up Cockburn Street to Avalanche.  We really enjoyed listening to Withered Hand who were playing instore as part of Record Shop Day.

We had lunch in Forest where the 'Free Shop' had opened.  I took some placemats, a tattered old annual I will use for crafting and a shiny orb I could envisage in my garden.  We arrived a bit too early to join in the singing workshops and circus games being organised in the hall upstairs.

IWe got to the station just in time to see the steam train 60009 Union of South Africa arriving from York.  Back home we saw another steam locomotive, but this time it was in our sitting room and the driver was Buster Keaton. 

Friday 17th April

The tidiest room in the house is, erm, the garden.  And even that isn't very tidy.  it is pretty though, with pink blossom blowing about and gathering in corners.  

When I'm weeding, I am constantly getting scratched and jagged so have ordered some 'proper' gardening gloves (as opposed to my cheap and cheerful cotton things that are quite cumbersome).  They will also come in handy for litterpicking.

I have given up trying to get the girls to do anything to help so I now work on the basis that, as long as they don't make a mess and leave me to get on with the hausverk, they can play.  I left them colouring in while I loaded the washing machine for the nth time.  Georgie cut her hair and now looks like a waxwing.

---ooOoo---

I finally managed to get round to making some Labour Party Phonebank calls.  I picked Edinburgh North & Leith constituency but mostly got answermachines.  I will, of course persevere.

---ooOoo---

My books pages have been updated (as if readers of this blog didn't have enough excitement in their lives) and the February and March photographs have been uploaded.  

Website of the day:  Sub-Urban - the adventures of two friends who happen to like exporing sewers and storm drains.

Thursday 16th April

We had a poor night's sleep with Georgie waking up several times.  This morning I vaguely remember Nigel leaving for work and Georgie asking if I could switch the television on (she must be feeling better!).  When I went downstairs she was asleep on the sofa.  

We went to the chemist to get more infant paracetamol and ibuprofen.  What a palaver!  The till showed the transaction had gone through but then a second printout showed it had been cancelled.  There was no way of telling whether my debit card had been charged so I had to pay in cash to get my purchases and have to return if it transpires I've been charged twice.

I took the girls to the Pitstop Cafe for doughnuts and we walked home via Pennypit Park planting sunflowers as we went along.  We've got a good technique now: we press the handle of a teaspoon into the ground; push it forward and place the seed in the resultant gap; remove the spoon and use the other end to flatten the earth.  

We saw lots of friends on our way to the The Small World .  They were divided into those who are looking forward to Monday and those who are not.  In other words, those who are parents and those who are teachers.  For my part, I've enjoyed the holidays and all the things we have done - although I will be looking forward to having a little time to myself on Monday.  In the meantime, we've a nursery treasure hunt to complete - now where will I find a white shell, some sand and a blue shell?

Website of the day: Land of Lost Content - A million memories from the 20th Century. Stuff you, your parents and grandparents endured, loved and threw away.

Wednesday 15th April

A day of ears and snouts.

Ears - Georgie's got a sore ear, either as a result of some cousinly tussling, or possibly to do with the glue ear the audiologist noticed last week, or maybe a combination of both.  Whatever the case, when she was screaming in pain and started retching I called NHS 24.  She fell asleep while I was on the phone to the very helpful nurse and she carried on sleeping past dinner time.  When she awoke, she was well enough to eat my rhubarb and pineapple crumble.

Snouts - ridiculing my family in cyberspace has earned me an Instructables t-shirt which I'm going to wear with geeky pride.

Website of the day: Art for Housewives -  A link-heavy sewing/textile/outsider art blog using recycled materials.  .

Tuesday 14th April

Who would win a fight between a crow and two magpies?  I dunno but it was intriguing to watch.  

The girls helped me make flapjack today with goji berries, omega seed mix, sultanas and millet flakes.  I possibly didn't put in enough butter or syrup because it didn't stick together very well but no-one was complaining when I poured melted Easter egg over the top.

I was disappointed that Lidl have finally stopped selling seeds - just as I was about to stock up on sunflowers.

---ooOoo---

Over at the Edinburgh Community Gardening Activists blog, we are looking for suggestions for neglected areas that need a guerrilla garden makeover.  Each entrant gets entered into a draw to win some bee attracting seed mix.

Website of the day:  New Caledonian Woodlands -  bringing environmental improvements to Scotland and offering training and cheap 'Biodiversity Weekends'.

Monday 13th April

Happy Birthday Rachel!

We've been so lucky with the weather over the holiday weekend and today we spent a lovely day in the garden.  We also managed to sort out a lot of things in the garage to make it a much more useable space.

The raspberries are doing well on their new supports and I cut the small amount of the rhubarb that is ready.

All in all, a really pleasant end to the long weekend.

Website of the day: Answer4Earth - it works like free rice and free poverty - every answer you give helps plant a tree

Sunday 12th April

After some tidying up to try and work off some of the girls' chocolate-induced madness, we took the train to Musselburgh and walked to Newhailes.  

On previous visits there, the plant centre hadn't been open but today I took the opportunity to have a look around while Nigel counted the number of windows on the historic property as part of the Easter Egg Trail.  We were rewarded with yet more chocolate which I think will have to find its way into a traybake or, as I've a bag of millet flakes to use up, chocolate flapjack.  

I've finished White Tiger and have started reading Too Close to Home. (This is really just a note to myself as I can't get my books page to update at the moment.)

Inspirational pdf of the day:  How to build your own recycled bottle greenhouse 

Saturday 11th April

We met Laura and Kev at the Drill Hall for brunch accompanied by the smooth vocals of Laid Back Ruby.  I opted for a delicious Easter platter of hot cross buns, cooked meats, hard boiled egg and pashka. It was Laura and Kev's first visit to Out of the Blue and they enjoyed the laid back atmosphere.  It is a rare gem in that it is genuinely child-friendly while maintaining grown-up coolness.  One of the grown-ups had been soaking up the atmosphere to the point that they were dancing barefoot (with baby strapped to front) in their own private world.  

We then continued down to Leith Links where I showed off our guerrilla gardening there and did a bit of litterpicking.  We spent a good while at the well equipped playpark.  All three girls had a great time of the zipwire and Emily especially liked climbing up the enormous rope spiderweb.  It's nice to see a park so busy and well-used.

We paid a visit to ACE where we bought Zapatista coffee, apple, apricot & ginger chutney and mung beans - and pretended not to notice the guy asleep on the sofa.

After saying goodbye to Laura & Kev, we got the train back home, had leek risotto and watched (the campest ever) Doctor Who.

This evening Nigel and I ate rose and pepper chocolate from The Chocolate Tree and watched Little Miss Sunshine - a great road trip movie.

Website of the day: IndyMedia Scotland - grassroots coverage of radical and activist happenings

Friday 10th April

Nigel was off work today and we had a deliciously lazy day.  I read lots of The White Tiger, planted some summer bulbs, sowed some carrot seeds and generally pottered.

Kathleen came round with some Easter eggs and asked Emily, Lucy and Georgie is they knew anything about a gnome that had appeared on her doorstep last week to which the girls yelled "April Fool!".

Thursday 9th April

A bit of mental spring cleaning (you may prefer to come back when the cobwebs have been blown away)...

You have to wonder what it takes for some people to get the message.

1. In the case of the Creationist cretins (I'm moderating my alliteration), wearing an 'I love Darwin' t-shirt, not being a Christian or saying 'actually, I'm a Satanist' won't be enough.
2. Some people's persistence is out of all proportion to the amount of time/level of involvement in another's life.  A bit like getting Christmas cards from a couple you met on holiday twenty years ago.  I cannot imagine why anyone would continue pursuing someone for years after they have parted.  Do they seriously think that the person is going to suddenly realise that they actually like bitter, obsessive types with no self-respect?
3. And Friends Reunited - where to begin?  The pattern is always the same...I get an email from a former schoolfriend whose face I can't picture or about whom I remember very little.  At the end of each message is "Are you still in touch with N?".  Message to the bi-curious: if N didn't fancy you then, what the hell makes you think she will now?  And don't use me as a postbox.

Website of the day: Thames Barrier Park - on my 'to visit' list.  Check  out the information booklet (pdf)

Wednesday 8th April

East Lothian isn't the easiest county to get around on public transport.  As a non-driver with travel-sick children there are still many parts of it I haven't been to and I dread having to go to Haddington.

This morning I had to wake up the girls at silly o'clock to get to Roodlands Hospital for 9.00 a.m.  Despite a travel sickness tablet and an aromatherapy bracelet, Georgie was sick on the second bus.  She recovered quickly enough and passed her hearing test but I could not face a two bus journey homeward which left me with a choice of walking over 4 miles to Longniddry and getting a train to Prestonpans, or, getting a taxi, which we did.  I've arranged for future assessments to take place in Edinburgh which, ironically, is far easier (and cheaper) for us to get to than our county town.

Website of the day: Spices of India - food, spices, sweets, ingredients and kitchenware free delivery over £30

Tuesday 7th April

The day started with a trip to the sorting office to collect some parcels then to the Pennypit for breakfast in the Pitstop Cafe.  I can recommend sausage on a roll.

We stopped off at the park before going home.  The forecast rain didn't appear which was good because the girls were modelling with air drying clay outside.

Website of the day: Craftzine - more needlepoint than glue gun if you know what I mean but the textile-based crafts are very funky and I always love creative uses for plastic bags.

Monday 6th April

At 10.00 a.m. the queue at the City Art Centre for the Science Festival for just too long.  People who had sensibly pre-booked where being fast-tracked to the front so the queue showed no signs of moving forward.

I decided instead to go to the Museum of Childhood.  It's a shabby little place, and not really a place for children because, with a few exceptions, the exhibits are either behind glass, have 'Do Not Touch' signs or sadly were 'Out of Order', but...the girls had fun.

We then went to Cafe Vivo where we had ice cream (proper stuff  with real vanilla pods) and capuccino then across to have a look at the statue of Robert Fergusson outside Canongate Kirk.  After a lightning dash around the People's Story, we went to the Scottish Storytelling Centre where I enjoyed Ken Shapley's exhibition 'The Half Seen World'.  We went to investigate the beautiful garden we could see from the Centre and stumbled across the Brass Rubbing Centre - a place I've never been before.

The Brass Rubbing Centre is housed in the beautiful Trinity Apse, a wonderful peaceful space.  Or at least it was until we turned up.  We spent a good half hour before going back to the City Art Centre where the queues had subsided.

Initially, I thought I had made an expensive mistake as there didn't seem to be anything suitable for wee people and all the drop-in activies were packed.  However, the staff pointed us in the direction of 'Wee Wonder World' which was perfect.

We didn't celebrate Tartan Day - unless you count looking at the tat in the Royal Mile.

Website of the day: The Chandler Project - tasks and diary on one screen (thanks Chas)

  Sunday 5th April

After a leisurely lunch of dhal, rotis, bhaji, samosa, cucumber and mint raita, we set off to find the Su Doko Lagoons geocache.  

As the name suggests, some puzzle solving is required to find the coordinates of the hiding place of the next set of clues.  After solving the first stage we caught a bus home and will hopefully complete the next part before too long.  I just hope the su doko doesn't get progressively more difficult as I'm finding it quite tricky.

Another puzzle which is still giving me problems is the musicals quiz set by Encore.  I am short of just two answers but have drawn a blank.

---ooOoo---

When we got home I made the girls some hot chocolate and we all had a yummy pear pudding which I made thus:

Pudding: 2 tbsp sugar,  2 tbsp, 1 tbsp mixed spice, 6 cored and sliced over ripe pears - mix and place in greased dish, then add:
Crispy topping (mixture of 1 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar,  1/2 cup flour, tbsp mixed spice, 1/4 cup sunflower oil)
bake in medium oven for 30 minutes.
We had ours with plain yoghurt but crème fraîche would have been better.

Saturday 4th April

Armed with wildflower meadow mix, pva glue and some nibbles, Andrea, Beinta, Thea and I sat making up seed packets.  After a couple of glasses of wine, some of the folding was a little wonky and I suspect I will have have a wildflower meadow growing in the dining room in a couple of months. Still, it was fun and we made over 60 seed packets.

Friday 3rd April

Happy Ram Navami!

Thursday 2nd April

It was nice to have a look round Julie's new extension and her pretty garden this morning.  I was in a bit of a rush so was grateful to her for the lift to Lidl and for dropping forms in to school on my behalf.

I went to the Small World shop to spend the girls' Easter money on peppermint creams, Belgian chocolates, yoghurt raisins and a bar of Divine chocolate - all for a fairly-traded £10.10.   The new Ecover dispensers have arrived for customers to refill their empty bottles of washing up laundry liquid.

It was the last day at nursery before the holidays and the Georgie was exceptionally excited about taking home the stick insect for the holidays.  Mrs Henderson came over and asked if she could have a word.  "We think he may be... D...E...A...D..... as he hasn't moved this morning" she said.  Mrs Wood was more hopeful suggesting  that maybe he was just having a 'big sleep'.  Anyway, we took the lifeless creature home and, as it was so hot, I misted the tank and his leaves with some water.   Lucy insisted on showing me how to hold him, at which point he began twitching and moving his legs.  Ever since he has been running around full of life.

The weather has been glorious so Rosie and I sat in the garden to have our lunch.  While we were chatting a peacock butterfly landed on the table and sat there for a few seconds.  The garden is beginning to come to life.  The daffs are obviously all out now as are some tulips.  The smell of hyacinths wafts through the garden.  It feels like the middle of summer.

I was so pleased to be able to give blood today.  My haemoglobin levels were too low previously but I finally managed to give my 470ml of O Rh+ this evening while the girls ate too many chocolate biscuits under the disapproving nose of a grumpy nurse.

Website of the day:  Egg a Politician - don't let fair trade slip of the G20 agenda.  

Wednesday 1st April

I was at the checkout in Scotmid when I noticed the woman behind me grimace and clutch her stomach.  
"Are you okay?" I asked
"My waters have broke" she whimpered.
If it was an April Fool's joke, it was a very convincing one.

---ooOoo---

I've been feeling a bit hypocritical going round tarting up neglected areas of land when the strip between our fence and the pavement is a complete and utter mess.  Not least because of some particularly nasty thorny things (horticultural term) that are creeping through from our side. So, this afternoon, I tackled it best as I could and filled a bin bag with bottles, cans, trainers, bags of dog poo (why do people bag up their dog's mess and they throw it in a bush?).  It's still got a long way to go. I got some funny looks from passers-by and when I got home I could see why - I had pink hair dye running down my face.  

---ooOoo---

Quite often during the day I receive phone calls from agencies, conference organisers and software sellers wanting to speak to Nigel.  I took such a call today and could barely make out what the caller was saying because of children shouting in the background.  I tried to conceal my irritation because it must be difficult trying to work from home so was somewhat aggrieved when the woman tetchily said she would call back tomorrow.  As I ended the call, Emily came running in saying "Mum, mum, Lucy and Georgie are playing with the phone in the Monkey Loft".  Arrggggh.

Website of the day: Bowel Cancer UK  - A change in your normal bowel habit lasting four weeks or more; bleeding from the bottom and/or blood in your poo; extreme tiredness without obvious cause; pain and/or lump in your belly may indicate bowel cancer.

Tuesday 31st March

The end of the financial year means bugger all to me these days.  

While others were signing off their annual reports or calculating how many leave days they have left, I was singing The Tyrannosaurus Drip Song.  Recognising that most parents don't use the £1 World Book Day token, the nursery has instead bought a copy of this book for each child.

Actually, I did have a couple of vaguely fiscal tasks today including not authorising new carpets for Forest Gate (long story) and attempting to get to the bottom of the Laura wine glass mystery (long and boring story).

Website of the day: Landshare - Linking people who want to grow their own food to space where they can grow it.

Monday 30th March

Even when I haven't lost my voice it is rather tedious having to repeat myself.  I say, repeat myself.  When I have lost my voice, everyone I encounter seems to be either hard of hearing, argumentative or just plain bewildered.

I went to Musselburgh this morning where my star purchase was a mini Sharpie on a lanyard for 49p (try explaining that to the hard of hearing or bewildered).

It was gratifying to hear from Elaine that Gregor liked his birthday present.  I'm not very confident choosing for boys and let Lucy select an item out of the 'birthday box'.  It sounds like they had a great party although I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to have that many guests!

Website of the Day: Pocketmod - free, recyclable personal organiser

Sunday 29th March

I was up and out of the door at 6.00 a.m. (adjusted time) this morning.  My brain (and my feet) insisted it was only 5.00 a.m. and refused to wake up.  When I boarded the bus and asked for my day ticket, I realised I had lost my voice and could only croak.

After meeting up with Andrea, we set about transforming a neglected 8' x 2' strip of land beside Leith Athletic F.C.  There were lots of dandelions which we made short work of as the soil is really quite loose.  After clearing the site of leaves, rubbish and weeds we sowed some bee-attracting flower seeds along the back wall. The daffodils that were planted on a previous mission are beginning to surface and we supplemented these with dahlia pompon, liatris spicata and some mixed oriental lilies.

It will be a good few months before we see the results but the site is already looking better.  After breakfast in the Leith Walk Cafe we made our way to Cambridge Street to meet Erland and Hélène to see if we could help progress matters with an unloved plot in Cambridge Street.  

Andrea and I went our separate ways: she to her allotment and me on a 26 bus.  It had been a very productive morning and we were lucky with the weather.  

I made two observations on the bus:
1 - There is now a Prestonpans Map machine next to the totem pole.
2 - My DaySaver ticket was marked 'Peru'.  Whatever does that mean?

I got home just in time to croak goodbye to Lucy and Georgie who were off to Gregor's birthday party.  I started to tell Emily all about my morning but fell asleep as she massaged my feet.

Saturday 28th March

After last night's temper tantrum, Emily completely trashed her bedroom.  This morning she seems to have forgotten that we are not best pleased with her.  

---ooOoo---

This morning we all trooped down to the Town Hall where the Star of the East Flute Band were having a jumble sale.  Despite us being there at early doors, there wasn't very much there. I couldn't even find anything of interest on the 'five books for £1' stall.  Disappointed, we walked along to Prestongrange Church Hall where the Boys' Brigade were having a coffee morning.  The kids all had juice, biscuits and sandwiches while Nigel and I enjoyed some delicious coffee.  We won a nice bottle of sauvignon blanc on the tombola.  

We popped into the Library where we spent a pleasant half hour chatting to Laura who is hoping start a Book Group in Prestonpans (10.15, the last Saturday of the month in the Library if you are interested).  It was refreshing to have a conversation that went beyond weather and children and didn't include the sentence "You must have too much time on your hands".   I didn't want to read the Marion Keyes book on offer but took a copy of The Other Hand which I plan to read when I've finished Dark Times in the City.

In case there is any doubt as to just how much 'free' time I have on my hands...i spent 17 minutes tracking downs photographs of pigs snouts which I laminated and stuck to the bottom of various drinking vessels.  My unsuspecting family were transformed into pigs.  

We switched off the lights for an hour to celebrate Earth Day.

Friday 27th March

The British Gas engineer replaced the ball valve in the cold water tank.

Unfortunately I completely forgot about today's talent show at the school but at least a) it was well attended and b) Emily wasn't performing.
 
We had a long wait in the biting wind for a bus to speech therapy today.  Fortunately we made it in enough time to have fish and chips in the canteen.  Georgie is making great progress at blending her sounds e.g. s+p to say spider/spoon instead of 'pider'/'poon'.

---ooOoo---

I think Nigel should write a book about his commuter friends.  I love hearing about the boozy couple, the Ernst & Young employee whose laptop doesn't boot up until Falkirk et al.

---ooOoo---

Thanks to Johnston for proffering the following collective nouns for tits:  banditry, dissimulation and a volery (specifically for long-tailed tits).  

Website of the day:  Purdies -  pure, Scottish, handcrafted soap.

Thursday 26th March

A day of to'ing and fro'ing.

I had time to kill between Small World and nursery visits to had a coffee with Bernice, Aileen and Sandra.  

Sandra dropped by later with some cardboard boxes which were picked up by a Freecycler to be filled with football strips and sent to Brazil.

Late afternoon the overflow pipe from underneath the guttering (i.e. from the the cold water tank in the loft) began to cascade.  Fortunately, the British Gas Homecare agreement covers this so I decided not to worry about it and enjoyed having a waterfall.

I saw my first butterfly of the year yesterday and a couple of bumble bees.  Today a group of blue tits flitted between the trees.  What is the collective noun for tits?  A know about a murder of crows, a murmering of starlings and a bellowing of bullfinches.

---ooOoo---

I received lots of goodies from Nakd today.  They are for a guerrilla gardening event in May.  I think I'll have to put them on a very high shelf until then.

Website of the day: Iffyton - funky t-shirt store, and they are giving away The Boy Racer from Friday 27/03/09 at 6pm (pay p&p).

Wednesday 25th March

Just wondering...:
why people use Facebook when they could be having a real conversation with real friends over a real drink (and develop some much-needed social skills at the same time)?
what 'real nappy lactivists' will use to feel superior to lesser mortals when their kids grow up?
if other parents realise what a huge achievement it is for the nursery to be graded 'excellent' -  the highest possible grade - following an (unannounced) inspection by the Care Commission?
if listening to Radio 4 in the morning could be my 'thing'?

Website of the day: Nowtopian - blog of horizontal communications, organic communities and public space

Tuesday 24th March

I've been meaning to arrange a special uplift of the assortment of metal gazeo legs for ages.  It occured to me today that I should actually keep them to make supports for my raspberries.  The moral of this story is: Never throw anything away.

Monday 23rd March

It was a very windy night and this morning I noticed the little sunflower seedling I have been nurturing was gone, it's plant pot overturned.  The weather has turned distinctly wintery but, luckily for me, Christine had very thoughtfully waited to give me a lift up the road. She drove me to Strawberry Corner where I picked up some bulbs, foxglove seeds and fat balls.

In today's mail was a review copy of Dark Times in the City and a Baileys milk frother.  I also picked up two parcels from the delivery office, one of which was a free sample of Viper which I gave to Christine (she needs an energy drink more than me as she's always helping other people!).

Website of the day: Better Homes and Gardens - ignore the naff adverts and twee crafts, there's a wealth of home info.

Sunday 22nd March

I had a very lovely Mothering Sunday breakfast in bed: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs prepared by Nigel.  The girls had gathered flowers, leaves and herbs from the garden and make three little posies for me.

I had an extended lie in and read the Observer.  I thought Barbara Ellen made a lot of sense.  We don't need tragedies 'spiced up'.

Carmel and I escaped to Luca's for cappucino while Andrew and Nigel unpacked stuff from the garage ready for the move to Andrew's new studio.  They stayed for lunch of celeriac mash and veggie sausages and we had Carmel's delicious plum and apple cake for pud.  

Website of the day: Sprout People -  the wildest selection of sprouts and sprouting supplies - heaps of advice too

Saturday 21st March

Nigel was my only customer in the Small World shop today.  He was very happy because he had just been to a Musical Youth/Encore coffee morning in the Town Hall and bought techy books, homebaking and had several tombola wins.

In the afternoon, Emily came back from a trip to China China with Esme and showed off her pound shop purchases.

I set up a blog for the Small World shop  drank a glass of tombola rosé.   I can blame my sister Rachel for introducing me to Google Street View and wasting a couple of hours stalking folk.  Our sister Laura actually appears on it, blethering on her mobile at a bus stop!

Oh, and Georgie can now hop.

All in all, a relaxing sort of day.

Website of the day: Butterfly Conservation - take part in the Peacock survey (Scotland)

Friday 20th March

As nurse Cindy predicted, Georgie has come out in a rash - a result of her booster jabs last week.  She has been getting very overwrought at times.  Lucy is not well either so I decided we could skip speech therapy in favour of ice cream.  I'm feeling a tad under the weather myself today.  

Emily's school were celebrating Red Nose Day today as the majority of P7's were away last week (a lame excuse in my view but ho hum).  Emily went to school in pyjamas.  Had we gone to hospital after all, she might have been mistaken for a patient.

Website of the day: World Storytelling Day - a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling.  This year's theme is 'neighbours' - ooh, the stories I could tell about some of my neighbours over the years...

Thursday 19th March

I went to Lidl first thing, ostensibly to buy groceries but ended up being seduced by lavender (6 plugs for £3.90) and what is probably the world's largest outdoor brush.  I walked back up the road with Mo so didn't feel as daft as I might otherwise have done.  

It has been a warm day today - far too good to waste on domestic drudgery.   I spent most of the day in the garden and felt so much better for it.  I weeded, tidied and planted, accompanied all the time by birdsong.  In fact, it has been one of the best days I've had in a long time (I must try to recall this when I have darker days).

We planted some sunflower seeds in Rope Walk.  Unfortunately, after planting hers, Lucy stood up and bashed her head on the metal handrail.  Ouch.

This evening we all went to the launch of Breaker.  There was a good turnout and a celebratory vibe flowed through the library.

Website of the day: Make Art Not Trash - does what it says on the recycled Coke can.  An impressive load of links.

Wednesday 18th March

Nursery telephoned to say that Lucy had fallen against the side pit and had a bruise.  I collected her early after first paying a visit to Fords to buy some cheering fudge doughnuts.  She has a whopper of a bruise along her cheekbone.  Hopefully the arnica I rubbed in will do the trick.

I had a houseful when the British Gas engineer came round today.  By coincidence, Lauren and Martha were visiting the last time I had my annual service - people will think I'm either a childminder or have loads of kids.   Rachel had been buying up the entire garden department of Morrisons and brought me a gorgeous twisted willow and some seeds.  

My nieces has been unwell the day before they arrived but soon perked up and played outside in the sunshine.

While Peter was here I asked if he could remove the remnants of a broken bulb from my lightfitting with his long-nosed pliers.  

"It just shattered" I explained.  
"A sign of paranormal activity" concludes my sister.
"Cheap bulbs" says my brother-in-law.

The engineer then asked Peter if he could set up a smoke bomb while he went outside to look at the chimney.

"Busman's holiday" he muttered.

---ooOoo---

My XBox 360 Arcade has arrived.  It is identical to this one.  Anyone want it for £90 ono?

Website of the day: Margaux Lange - "unique, handcrafted jewellery" or decapitated Barbies - what's not to love?

Tuesday 17th March

In yesterday's mail was some promotional guff from from DFS, the furniture company who seems to be permanently having a half-price sale.  The sales bumf included ten '£40 notes' - i.e. money-off vouchers designed to look like banknotes.  I gave them to Lucy and Georgie and we played shops.  

Today, I spotted the same vouchers being sold on ebay.  At the time of writing the lot had attracted 9 bids and the price was £5.50.  There are some very enterprising people out there.  

The term 'stay at home mum' hasn't really applied to me today - I've been a 'stay outside in the sunshine as long as possible and avoid going home' type of mum today.  

The roof is being put on the flats opposite which means I will no longer be able to see Fa'side Castle.

Website of the day:  Weird Gardens - Warning:  contains scenes of creativity.  Not suitable for folk that like a nice ordered life.

Monday 16th March

In the four hours between opening my eyes and having lunch:

I collected two parcels from the delivery office
I went to Lidl and bought half price cucumbers.
I saw a very cute newborn baby boy
planted a potentilla
and...
...another storey had been added to the building opposite!

I kid you not.  When I opened my curtains this morning I could make out several hi-vis vests on the scaffolding (I didn't have my specs on) - now there are walls and a first floor.

---ooOoo---

I've had a clearout of my wardrobe.  Several stripey jumpers will now be going to a charity shop because I now associate them with Granny "Me Too" Murray.  Ditto, one grey and black stripe jumper because it makes me think of Karen Matthews.

Website of the day: Maker Faire - I'm absolutely kicking myself that I missed the first UK Faire in Newcastle

Sunday 15th March

Georgie was very excited about going to the swimming pool today.  It is very rare that we are all go together and, as Emily had a swimming lesson this morning, we decided to all go to the pool.  We planted some more sunflower seeds on the way home.

This afternoon Nigel was like a dynamo going round fixing broken things, sweeping up leaves, doing the washing.  He even drew a design on the 'feature wall' in the hall freehand and painted it a very zesty orange.  I don't know where he has been getting his energy from but I could do with some myself.  I've been addled most of the day.  I keep walking into rooms thinking "What did I come in here for?".  And I've been uncharacteristically clumsy  - I tripped in the garden and scraped my hands and leg.  

I've been having a lot of 'senior moments' recently.  Last week I completely forget the name of one of the nursery teachers.

Website of the day: Pangaea Interactive Game - for Rachel

Saturday 14th March

We had hot cross buns at a coffee morning this morning.  There wasn't a lot of bric a brac (although the girls were delighted with their respective pendant, brooch and bracelet) and, after trying our luck at the tombola and buying some homebaking, we made our way to the library.

There is a self-serve machine at the library which I hadn't used before and was pleased to find how idiot-proof it is. Well,  not quite, Nigel 'checked out'  Scarlett Johansson's 'Anywhere I Lay My Head' CD only to discover when we got home that the the CD was missing from the container (because it is kept behind the counter).  Ah well, he can just look at the cover.

We hadn't been home long when Rosemary came round to kindly drop off my raffle prize - a set of 18 Ravenshead glasses. However, the wonderfully retro tumblers weren't the first prize of the day - I was one of 10,000 people who won a Rimmel Lasting Finish Mineral Powder Foundation.  

I had just enough time to slap some on before heading out to Portobello Town Hall where I met up with Lucy and Andrea to tidy up the Sir Harry Lauder Memorial Garden.  Lucy pointed out a beautiful Corkscrew Hazel (Corylus avellana) which was specially chosen as a nod to Sir Harry's own crooked walking stick.

One of the security men came out and gave us some primula that were left over from the window box planting.  We planted these in the memorial garden, picked up some litter and did some weeding.

Behind the Town Hall is a very overgrown patch of land which could be just the project the Edinburgh Community Gardening Activists are looking for. We decided to go for a coffee at nearby Kitcheners and formulate a plan of action (okay, we just blethered really!).

I got home just in time for dinner - a cauliflower and lentil pie (avec chips) in celebration of Pi Day.

Website of the day: Sstickers - I predicted way back in June last year that wall art was going to be huge.  This is one of the better collections.

Friday 13th March

Emily has a cough and Georgie is feeling sorry for herself.  Lucy has been happily using her Doodle Book.

I made cauliflower cheese with supercrispy bacon for tea and we watched Comic Relief.

The house is unfeasibly untidy.  When am I going to have a chance to restore (dis)order?

Website of the day: Omniglot - languages and writing systems of the world.

Thursday 12th March

This morning I have the post Holi washing to do.  There is a heap of Jackson Pollockesque clothing on the kitchen floor.

It was "Wear Something Funny for Money" day for the morning kids in the nursery.  Lucy wanted to be a clown so I made up her face with clown eyes, nose, cheeks, outsize mouth etc and she wore bright stripey clothes and braces with a red curly wig.  Georgie wanted to go as a nurse, with a clown's nose.  Fair enough.  Just as we were ready to leave the house, Lucy declared she didn't want to go to nursery.  I asked her if she would like me take off her face paint and she agreed.  

It was quite a spectacle in nursery with all the different costumes and pyjammed kids and teachers.  Lucy began to regret her change of heart and was quite clingy.

After nursery Lucy and Georgie were delighted to have Tracy Trickster (or Sarah as we normally call her) walk home with us.  We safely passed the wolves' house, swam across the river of many crocodiles and crept past the witches tower.  We got back with enough time to plant some seeds that Blue Peter had sent us to attract bees.

Georgie got a 'brave lion' certificate after getting her MMR Booster jabs today.  Poor thing.  At least there will be no more shots until the girls reach 13 or we have an exotic holiday - whichever comes first!

It was Georgie's Parent's Night at Nursery and the reports were very good.  Her chosen treat?  To "go to nursery"!!

Wednesday 11th March

Holi Hai!

With handfuls of paint powder and water pistols we celebrated the beginning of spring.  We made quite a spectacular mess.  Despite stripping off in the kitchen and showering off thoroughly, there are residues of powder paint everywhere.  Emily's hair now has pink tinges and Georgie's scalp is green.  

---ooOoo---

It was great to hear the East Lothian Council has won a Clean Britain award - the only Scottish council to do so.

---ooOoo---

I could rant and rant about the cruelty of hunting with dogs or the arrogance of those who sign a declaration of intention to flout the law but.... I thought it would be more effective to ask my MP to support the Motion to amend the Hunting Act 2004 to include a reckless behavour clause.

Tuesday 10th March

I'm not sure why there's been a sudden spike of visitors to Barker-Family.info but welcome (Stumbleuponers, please give us a thumbsup!).  

The search terms (listed below) used to bring people here are interesting.  Presumably lots of our visitors leave without the info they were looking for so, where possible, I've linked each search term to (possibly) more useful sites.

• barker family
• barker family leeds
• urbexing
• doxdirect started
• east lothian business directory loyalty card 2009
• family barker
• image for kid holding on to dad and climbing the apple tree
• jessica pope ginger
• jodie sugden Leicester
• john hillaby's funeral
• john rattray golfer
• nigel barker blog
• nigel barker's camera
• origami flapping bird
• scotmid carriage collection
• the words to lament for a lost dinner ticket
• urbexing old houses
• what was the song playing in the background on coronation stree
• when i right click on something to delete it it use to send it  (erm...have you tried switching it on and off?)
• why does pepper spread when u have it in water and put sopa on

It was a gloriously sunny afternoon so I cut back the ivy and curry plant  while Lucy, Georgie and Sarah ran around the garden. 

Emily's class is moving classroom so she has been bringing artwork home.  My favourite is an orange and red plaster face which has pride of place by the fireplace.

Nigel made a wonderful noodles, peanut and cabbage dinner.

Website of the day: Scanwiches - pictures of sandwiches, bagels, rolls etc.

Monday 9th March

I went on an impromptu trip to B&Q with Christine and Michael this morning.  I got some paint, plants and their famous orange buckets and then Christine treated me to a McDonald's brunch.

I wish I hadn't bought Hobnobs (on a twofer at Scotmid) - I can't stop eating them.

The firefighters must have been paying a visit to St Gabriel's today as I kept hearing intermittent 'nee-naws'.

Happy Commonwealth Day!

Website of the day: Generation Green - earn 'leaves' for your local school

Sunday 8th March

International Women's Day was mainly spent listening to The Damned and trying to persuade my children to do some chores.  

I did some guerrilla planting of sunflower seeds on the way back from Redburn Road. 

Saturday 7th March

I never relish the prospect of going to Glasgow - too many unpleasant associations - but I wanted to see the revamped Kelvingrove.   We were just carrying our coffees to our table when we saw him - the scheming, manipulative bully.  Gray O'Brien, the actor who plays Coronation Street's psychotic Tony Gordon was also getting some culture.

There was so much to see but my favourites were Creatures of the Past; Ancient Egypt and the Art Discovery Centre where we took part in a still life workshop.  Lucy and Georgie loved the Mini Museum and its collection of giant shoes.  And of course, we all loved the Life exhibition.  

Across the road in the Museum of Transport, I was impressed by the quick and efficient service in the cafe and loved all the trains and trams.  

Blokes kept checking out Nigel while we were charity shopping in Partick.  I blame his pink trainers.

Friday 6th March

My Happy Puzzle Company 'Lucky Dip' contained: Cranium mega marbles; Cranium super jacks; Add & Subtract magnetic poetry; Learnplay magnetic home & travel play set; Usborne Puzzle Journeys book; and Ravensburger Matching Madness. I think it was certainly £25 well spent (p&p was free) but I'm not convinced it represents a saving of £35+.

---ooOoo---

Georgie did well at putting together rhyming words at speech therapy today. That might be something to do with hearing  "Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie" since she was born!

The nice canteen lady gave us apples today so I ate my first apple of the year (I'm aiming for 5 this year).

Website of the day: Passive Aggressive Notes - painfully polite and hostile writings from shared places around the world

Thursday 5th March

My good fortune continues.  I got a phone call this morning informing me I have won a runner's up prize of chocolate in East Lothian Council's Fair Trade Fortnight quiz.  The postie brought me another prize: a Winter Health Kit containing Strepsils, vapour rub, digital thermometer, Vicks inhaler, pack of tissues, Echinacea tablets and vitamin C tablets.

It occured to me recently while browsing the Man Booker Prize site that I haven't read any of the nominated books from 2008.  So, as today is World Book Day,  I went to the Library to reserve The White Tiger.  While I was there I got a pin number for my card so I can request books and renew them online.

Emily missed out on her bedtime story tonight after she opted to play her Gameboy rather than brush her teeth.  She tantrummed for the next half a hour.  I feel very angry and, if I had a big book on parenting, I might be tempted to whack her with it.

Feelgood song of the day: Sun Street, Katrina & the Waves

Wednesday 4th March

We got to Edenhall bang on time but, rather irritatingly, the speech therapists seemed to running late so we had a bit of a wait.  

I'm not the most patient of people so not knowing how long I'll be kept waiting kills me.  It wasn't the lateness per se that bugged me but the fact there was no explanation or apology for it. Hey, I'm just the parent of a child with disorded speech.  I've probably nothing else to do with my time, right?!

I've come across this attitude before.  Usually, from the same people who suggest I "try reading" to my child which drives me insane -  not because I think I'm a brilliant parent (I'm not!) but because of the perverse assumption that if I'm seeking 'professional' help I must be a crap one.  

Haggis and sweet potato for tea.

Website of the day: Scottish Indian Arts Forum - group dedicated to the promotion of music, dance, drama, literature, film and festivals of India.

Tuesday 3rd March

Six random things:

I've enjoyed having Nigel at home for the past couple of days.  We are a good team.  He prepared the leeks and I made the cheese sauce for tonight's tea.

I planted some sunflower seeds today.  I think I know where I'm going to plant the rest (but I'm not going to spoil the surprise).

I told Lucy that Speedy the guinea pig had been speaking to me.  "I thought only hedgehogs could talk" said Lucy doubtfully.

A potentially awkward situation has been resolved maturely and diplomatically (aided by alcohol and the absence of men).

It is 'House Day' - the anniversary of our house move.  To celebrate, I did a full 10 seconds of dusting and pulled a few weeds.

I got an email to say I've won a Xbox 360 in a Tango competition (the soft drink, not the dance).

Website of the day: Barfi Box - freshly made luxury Indian sweets

Sunday 1st March

I was taking Lucy to a nursery pal's birthday party and, as we were a bit early, I took the opportunity to replace the log in the Totem Pole geocache.

Lucy has been looking forward to the party all week but was a little shy when we got there.  I've never been to the Bowling Club before and thought it was a lovely venue for a kid's party.  Having a face painter there for the quieter kids plus a crazy balloon modeller was a stroke of genius.  I left her enjoying herself while I popped on a bus to Porty to the guerilla gardening meetup.

It was really nice to meet up with Thea, Andrea, Beinta and Tom in Lucy's flat.  We had a chat and some of Lucy's lovely fridge cake before braving the rain to have a look at the community garden on the promenade. The focal point of the garden,  on the site of the old lido, is the three ornate pillars.  (The pillars form part of a 2-stage geocache which I had earlier tried in vain to locate).  There are ornamental grasses reminiscent of 70s swingers, and some clumps of lavender but not a lot else.  Fortunately, the area is remarkably free of litter.

Another site of interest is The Sir Harry Lauder Memorial Garden by the Town Hall.  I'm not sure who would benefit from a revamp of this neglected patch though as it appears to be closed to the public.

I said goodbye to my fellow gardeners and headed back along the Promenade towards Joppa where I was surprised to see a familiar face.  I was even more surprised when the driver of the 26 was none other than David a.k.a. Mr Christine.

Website of the day: Gardening by the sea - a database of salt-tolerant plants.

Saturday  28th February

In the Small World shop today, I used a hoover, a pricing gun - and a calculator.   Mental arithmetic was never my strong point but I find I'm using a calculator more and more these days.  

It was a pleasant day and I had hoped that more people might have stopped by.  Perhaps we need to set up a table outside on sunny days!  

I made several purchases including a very pretty mermaid card and some chocolate covered ginger which I haven't had before.  And some chocolate.  And some cookies. And yoghurt covered raisins -  I like to do my bit to support Fair Trade Fortnight ;-)  (I know I could have bought the healthy plaintain chips or paradise fruit mix but the chocolate is just so scrumptious).

Different
Individuals
Valuing
Each other
Regardless of
Skin,
Intellect,
Talents or
Years

Friday  27th February

Thanks to a combination of a kindly bus driver and Emily's great running speed, we made it to Georgie's speech therapy session in time with just enough time for a bowl of chips.

In the canteen Emily asked me "What's a norrywolter?"
"I've never heard of it.  Where did you hear it?"
"Up there on the noticeboard"
Sure enough there was a notice: "Found.  Camera Memory Card.  May belong to a Norrie Walter"

---ooOoo---

I enjoyed tonight's Coronation Street.  Becky Granger described Steve McDonald's previous fiancee's thus: Little Miss Moneybags, Fiona Scissorhands, The Gobby One and Glossybonce.

Website of the day: DoxDirect - get your PDFs printed and delivered.

Thursday 26th February

Georgie is the latest Barkerette to be struck with the bleuurgh bug.  Lucy has been so kind, putting a blanket over her and giving her a little drawing that said "I Love You".  

As we are entering birthday party season I've begun stocking up on suitable presents.  I've always been impressed by The Happy Puzzle Company so decided to place a 'Lucky Dip' order with them. I've always liked the idea of lucky dips but I'm not sure I'd risk £4.99 on a 'Bag o Crap' from Big Pockets.

Plug of the day: Launch of Annemarie Allan's latest book 'Breaker', Prestonpans Library, Thursday 19th March, 7-9.  Children Most Welcome.

Wednesday 25th February

I went to Lidl this morning where I bumped into Julie who gave me a lift back with my groceries (which included a pack of three gooseberry bushes for a bargainous £2.49).  I haven't seen Julie for an age so it was nice to catch up over a coffee.    

We were back at Edenhall for speech therapy this afternoon and decided to walk back along Ravensheugh Road as it was so pleasant.  We continued along a cycle path that brought us out at at the place the vehicles from the ash lagoons get washed.  This was quite exciting for Georgie.  We had just reached the entrance to Prestongrange Industrial Museum when the heavens opened.  The downpour lasted less than a minute and the sun came out revealing a beautiful rainbow.  

Website of the day:  Stuart Semple - website of the YBA who has just released happy clouds outside the Tate Modern.

Tuesday 24th February

Lucy is better today - well enough in fact to have pancakes.  The girls opted for traditional sugar and lemon on theirs.  I had leftover dhal from yesterday's Maha Shivaratri feast.

"Fat Tuesday" is living up to it's name.  I could not believe the numbers displayed on the bathroom scales.  I signed up with SparkPeople with the target of losing 32lbs by 6th October.  I'm not sure whether this is the right program(me) for me but I need to do something.

Nigel didn't eat with us as he was at Parents' Night - Emily got a great report and her choice of treat is mezze at Aroma followed by chocolate cake.

Website of the day: Tesco Value Greetings Cards - for these difficult financial times, a free printable Mother's Day card - now with added sincerity.

Monday 23rd February

Lucy had a good day at nursery.  Unfortunately, it didn't last.  We were in Scotmid when she announced she was going to be sick.  Like all eco-warriers, I always have a bag with me.  Unfortunately for Nigel, it was his Chumbawumba 'Recycle or Die' bag she chucked up in ("I get knocked down, I puke up again").  We had to abandon our shopping and make a hasty retreat.  

Outside she wailed "I told you I wanted to go straight home!".  
I reply "I'm sorry sweetheart, I didn't hear you.  When did you say that?"
"After I pooped my pants".

Emily's rude joke of the day:  Why did the baker have brown hands?  Because he kneaded a poo.

Sunday 22nd February

We caught the train to Wallyford and went in search of the 'More East Lothian Elephants!' geocache.  It was a nice, quick find and we returned home via Tramps Tunnel.  

In the tunnel, someone has set up a bed/seating area from pallets and there is even a generator and tools.

It's a shame there is so much litter on the road alongside the Royal Musselburgh.  I thought the area around the Welcome to Prestonpans sign was particularly bad (and would certainly benefit from some guerrilla gardening).

Back home Nigel prepared a delicious lunch of mushroom and yellow split peas and I made the rotis.

Website of the day: Wallpaper from the 70s -  retro styled wallcoverings

Saturday 21st February

I went to The Small World shop to pick up some stock for an exhibition in the Library for Fair Trade Fortnight.   I followed Erica's suggestion of putting the more eye-catching items, trinket boxes, sequinned purses, glittery jewellery etc, in the display cabinet containing the printed material.  

While I was in the library, Nigel came in with the girls.  He explained that they had got themselves dressed.  It showed.  All three were wearing the most bizarre mixture of clothing; their hair hadn't been brushed and Lucy was wearing clearly odd socks.  

Leaving the library, I  met Carmel who helped me back to The Small World with the cumbersome trolley (which is more of a hindrance than a help).  The peacock bangle from the new catalogue which I've been coveting isn't in  stock yet so instead I bought a cheerful bracelet before saying goodbye to Bernice.

I then bumped into Wattie Anderson who brought me up to speed on some of the goings on with the Community Council. It is regrettable that the Community Council doesn't appear to have the support of the coalition administration.

Emily and I were reunited with the other Barkers in Aroma where I shared a wonderful mezze with Nigel.  After trudging back up the hill with the Lidl shopping, we settled down to watch Penny Serenade.

Friday 20th February

It was Georgie's first speech therapy session today.  She was very relaxed about attending the group session.  Hardly surprising when we've been so often with Lucy. In fact, we are such regulars that when we went to the canteen today, the girls were given some birthday cake by one of the catering ladies.

---ooOoo---

Why is that when the kids break something it is always something irreplacable, beautiful and mine - never the fugly orange dogs Nigel insisted on buying in Sam Burns?  The latest casualties of exuberant dancing include Holmegaard glasværk and a Pyper's Wynd dish.

Website of the day: Miller McCowan - shop for Highland Toffee, Pan Drops, Wham bars etc online - use 'FURTHER10%' code to get 10% off already discounted prices.

Thursday 19th February

Wine and wineglasses -  great customer service and rubbish customer service.  What am I on about?  

I'm very impressed by Virginwines.  We've accumulated quite a 'cellar' so, rather than continue to pay into our 'wine bank' each month I asked if I could suspend the account for a few months.  The answer? "No problem at all.  How long far?  Right, that's it all sorted".  Now that is the kind of customer service I would like to see a bit more often.  

In contrast, Scotts of Stow have messed me around from start to finish over an order of wine glasses which was delayed, then 'discontinued', then turned up today...broken.

---ooOoo---

Lucy has been a little withdrawn at nursery.  I think she may be missing her pal or perhaps just taking time to get back in a routine after being away.  Whatever the case, the nursery staff are aware of her reticence and I have every confidence that their plan will do the trick.

She was certainly much happier after we had a wee chat and we sang some songs for the Chatterbox Challenge.    This year's theme is weather so we sang Incey Wincey spider,  I hear thunder! and The sun has got his hat on.

Website of the day: Urban Adventure - superior urbex blog - the photos and reports are a welcome relief from the usual bluster

Wednesday 18th February

Daytime television shows summed up:

Family decides to move to Australia.  Realises that property is more expensive and wages are lower.  Decide not to stay in Blighty.
Person buys house at auction.  Annoying presenter scornful of lurid interior decor.  Buyer paints everything beige.  Property increases in value.

---ooOoo---

I use PDFonline a fair bit so was pleased to see that their premium service is free during the beta stage.  I am now able to convert larger Word documents and add a watermark to the resultant pdf.

I've finished reading No Time For Goodbye.  I haven't read Linwood Barclay before but I really enjoyed this.

Tuesday 17th February

On the journey down to nursery, one of Emily's friends came over and thanked me for her birthday present - a charming and increasingly rare display of manners.

Lucy drew a great picture of me at nursery, complete with red hair, black boots and bright clothing.  She showed it off to Sandra, Rosemary and Bernice in The Small World shop where I went to pick up the new Traidcraft catalogue.  The shop has some new stock in and was looking really nice.

I spent some time chatting to Effie whom we bumped into on the way back up the hill to have an al fresco lunch - it's been so warm today.

Later we called in to the Library to speak to Erica about the forthcoming Fair Trade Fortnight exhibition.  I also picked up the 2009 East Lothian Business Directory and Loyalty Card.  Annemarie was there so we walked back up the hill together eating popcorn.  According to Annemarie, if you don't like popcorn you must be an alien.   It takes forever to get anywhere in Prestonpans as you always bump into someone you haven't seen for ages - in this case, Heather, who is just back from her holidays and looking very slimline.   She may have declined the popcorn because of her fitness regime, but I can't help wondering....Hmmmm.  

I was glad to see Rachel, Peter, Lauren and Martha.  I was grateful that they didn't act out shock/horror at the sight of the carbuncle.  It is quite irritating to have people visit us only to go on and on and on about the blot on our landscape.  While some are genuinely sympathetic, others can barely contain their glee.

Rachel bought me a pink camellia, a pieris and a choisya to help with my plan to grow lots of climbers along the new fence, as well as a garden lantern and some new socks!  I'm lucky to have such a thoughtful sister.

Monday 16th February

We are in the unusual position of not having any menu plans for the week ahead.  Today is Lithuania's National Day so I looked up some traditional recipes.   I reassured Emily that, even if I could source a pig's snout and tail locally, I was definately not going to cook hodgepodge.

We went to Lidl where, amongst other things, I bought a cherry tree and a pear tree.  We had brunch at Aroma on the way back and then saw Fay and Allan in West Loan who kindly gave us a lift back up the hill.  

When I dug a hole for the pear tree the spade clunked against something solid.  I couldn't get any deeper that a few inches so had to reposition the tree - but what is under my soil?

Website of the day: Monument - official website of the Monument to the Great Fire of London - re-opened today after a lengthy period of refurb.

Sunday 15th February

Emily had a party this afternoon so, me, Laura, who was visiting us for the day, and Emily walked along to the swimming pool.

Laura and I talked about the books we had read recently and she went away with some I thought she might enjoy in exchange for The Five People You Meet in Heaven and No Time For Goodbye which I'm looking forward to reading.

Website of the day: Bouf - unique home accessories from the world's leading designers - at sensible prices

Saturday 14th February

I spent some time in the garden this morning.  Trying to fight my way through the honeysuckle was like wrestling with several lion cubs.

It might be Valentine's Day but there is not much love in the air chez Barker.  The only thing in the air is the various missiles daughter #1 has been throwing in temper.  I always feel terribly guilty complaining about my children as there are so many people with far, far worse to worry about. But....it has been a very stressful few days as #1's behaviour has been appalling.

Nigel took daughter #2 swimming while I payed hama beads with daughter #3 so at least they had some fun today.

I coloured my hair 'fire' today but it looks more pink than red.

Website of the day:  Anna Magnowska - artist cum waitress who sketches her customers.

Friday 13th February

I've updated the Stuff we Make page to include Light Switch Covers.  

I baked some more pineapple and cheese bread today.  Yesterday I used wensleydale which barely registered but today I used a mixture of cheddar and cheshire which seemed to work well.  We ate it this evening with black pudding and bacon.

My housework avoidance plan continues unabated.

Website of the day: Dr Rant -  the chunterings of NHS clinicians.  I share Dr Rant's view of Kelvin MacKenzie.

Thursday 12th February

A recipient of Emily’s new school photo lost it within five minutes of being given it.  A clumsy choice of words thereafter added insult to injury.  Today, as so often happens, I am copping for Emily's anger/hurt.

Even if I could devote 100% of my energy to the exhausting task of undoing the damage, I have two other children who also need attention.  I've tried to make today fun, and to a degree, I've succeeded.

We had to stock up on provisions and rather than trudge to Lidl, we went to Scotmid.  On the way home, I suggested the girls start rolling a snowball to make a snowman when we got home.  Snowman= Great idea.  Starting it in Redburn Road = Rubbish idea.

We carried the boulder across Preston Road and after a few minutes of gobbling up snow on the triangular patch it became too big too move.  We had to abandon the headless snowman on the other side of our fence.

---ooOoo---

I've been enjoying catching up with the adventures of the Bonnars in Chicago.  

---ooOoo---

We celebrated Darwin's 200th birthday with a Galapagos Casserole (dodo, blue-footed booby & green turtle).  Ok, so we really had sausage casserole (sausages, chopped tomatoes, butter beans, french beans, potato and carrots with topping of oats).

---ooOoo---

I thought Salma Yaquoob was very good on Question Time this evening.  At least two panellists might as well not bothered turning up.  

Website of the day: British Humanist Association - if you're a human, you might like to take a look...

Wednesday 11th February

It has been a day of bumping into people.  We saw Anna on the way to the post office then bumped into Fay, Erica and Nicola in the High Street.  On the bus to Edenhall I saw Jan H who told me about the latest news on the upgrading of Cuthill Park.

After a bowl of chips in the canteen (It is National Chip Week) we sat in the Speech Therapy waiting room and waited.  And waited.  It transpired that there was no group session today but, as we weren't at last week's session, we didn't know.

I took the girls to the park for a bit and then bought them a magazine in Pinkie Mains Farm Shop before catching a bus back to the 'Pans. Between bus fares and treats it was a dear trip. 

For some reason, the bus driver needed to brake sharply and all the people about to get off at the totem pole went flying.    All in all, I was glad to get back home today.

Tuesday 10th February

Nigel and I are looking at ways to screen out the houses opposite.  We can't agree on whether to install a totem pole or net curtains.  Actually it's more straightforward than than: Nigel wants conifers.  I don't.  

I'd prefer something in a pot - ornamental grasses (Japanese Blood Grass - too small? Blue Bamboo - too unruly?), ferns or possibly a passion flower vine.    Alternatively we could add a raised area, put in an aviary or coloured plexiglass - all of which will be costly.  My head is buzzing.

I've started reading Waiting which I think will be a quick read.

Website of the day: Recycle This - creative ideas for recycling just about anything you can think of.

Monday 9th February

We awoke to a winter wonderland and Emily and Lucy were delighted to finally be able to build a snowman.  Georgie preferred parking herself in front of the television and watching CBeebies.  After this they spent some time making 'charms'.  Apparently every mobile phone, bag, and pair of jeans must be adorned with beads, baubles and dangly things.

In today's post was four Hipp spoons, guides to Leeds and York and a Rosenborg calendar.

I think Nigel and I may be bidding against each other on ebay for a Peter Bagge CD.

I've now finished Life Of Pi. I'm not sure what I'm going to read next.

Music now playing: The KKK Took My Baby Away - The Ramones

Sunday 8th February

A day of catching up on chores and emails.

Almost every email I deleted was about valentine's day. A 'gift guide' from the Buchanan Galleries had put their products in categories: 'New Love'; 'Dating' & 'Married'.  Hrrummph!  

Actually, they should have a 'Grumpy Auld Wifie' category because that's what I'm turning in to.  

When we were waiting for the train yesterday three trainspotters were talking about the recent snow.  One remarked that it didn't matter if people in Tranent were snowed in as most of them didn't have work to go to.  What an outrageous assumption.  I didn't assume that just because they were noting down engine numbers on a Saturday morning they were sad losers, living with their mothers who wouldn't be needing a valentine's gift guide this year or any year.

On the journey home, there was a group of five women in their 40s.  For 14 minutes, one woman held forth about X-Factor and Cheryl Cole's fitness to be a judge.

Did they really have nothing else to talk about?  Their afternoon in the Capital?, their purchases, their lunch? (I assumed they were on their way back from an afternoon in Edinburgh - they may have been on their way to a rioutous night out in Drem for all I know.)  

Website of the day: Treasure Trails - buy a £5 treasure trail or murdery mystery for your chosen area, solve it and enter the prize draw.

Saturday 7th February

We had a lovely day at Edinburgh Zoo today.

There have been many changes since I last visited, most notably the creation of the Living Links Research Centre which houses the cutest capuchin and squirrel monkeys. This wasn't the only magnificent erection I saw at the zoo - those Indian Rhino's are big boys...

There haven't been any elephants at the zoo for several years and now, there are no longer any giraffes (and the camels are shortly to leave for the Highland Wildlife Park).   We didn't manage to see the polar bear or zebra.  It was very cold today so perhaps some animals were staying in their houses.    

There were several funny-looking creatures, e.g. the capybara, as well as very cute ones (e.g.  koalas and lemurs).  We saw lots of big cats including a lion with a roar that could be heard from far away.  We all love the primates.  I particularly liked the various birds, including a raven which seemed to be in communication with it's non-caged crow cousins.
  
My favourite part was visiting Rainbow Landings and feeding the rainbow lorikeet. These very tame birds landed on our heads, arms, hands and fed from a small plastic cup.  Forget swimming with dolphins, this was a very special experience.

Unfortunately,  the 4-star visitor attraction is let down by its 1-star cafe.  I've come to expect overpriced food in touristy places but the quality of the food was dire.  Despite being cooked to order, The kids menu wasn't any better, and having two of a party of five wait for their food is never ideal.  

With hindsight, we should have taken a picnic - that's what all the folks without children were doing.  Actually, there were a suprising number of young couples - the zoo must be the place to go on a date.

Website of the day: Shackup - how I love Wayne & Gerardine's curvaceous butts. 

Friday 6th February

Happy 5th Birthday Lucy!

Just like last year, Lucy didn't want to be the focus of any attention today and didn't want us to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.  

She was, however, delighted with her cards and gifts, which included, ponies, clothes, ponies, purse and handbag, ponies, books, hama beads, ponies, ponies and more ponies.  

In particular she was very pleased with her London Eye snowglobe.  We all had fun with the singing glo tube and space blanket - bargain purchases from The Novelty Warehouse (which specialise in tactile, interactive and stimulating multi-sensory resources) and stretchy frogs which stick to the ceiling and fall on your head when you least expect it.

When we had Lucy's birthday tea, she asked "Was I really born on this day?".  "Yes" I  replied "The doctor cut a line along my tummy and reached in and pulled you out".

"That must have been very exciting!" 

Website of the day: Urban Remade -  boots made using vintage seating upholstery from London tube and buses.

Thursday 5th February

French doors and windows have gone in on the carbuncle opposite and, even though there is no roof yet - let alone occupants, it already feels like an intrusion.

The postie brought several parcels, including the most beautiful birthday cake I have ever seen.  Lucy was thrilled with Grandma Edith's cake which features a pony, complete with bridle, fences and carrots.

Nursery phoned to ask after the girls.  Although they are greatly improved, I did the right thing in keeping them off today because both Lucy and Georgie have slept most of the day and have been a bit emotional.

I've updated the Stuff we Make page to include the bunting that I've made for Lucy's birthday. I've also uploaded to Instructables.

---ooOoo---

Welcome to the 30s club Laura - it's a shame you're joining just as my membership is about to lapse ;-)

Website of the day: 2dayatschool - a genius idea.  Kids tell their pet dinosaur about their day at school (because lets face it, they never tell their parents).

Wednesday 4th February

Lucy appeared to be much better today.  She thoughtfully made me a tissue dispenser, made from paper and sellotape and stuffed with loo roll!

Georgie continues to cough like a poorly seal and Emily, well, she continues to try my patience.

The Mittwoch Madness started when I asked her if she had any homework to do.  It went downhill from there.  She screeched, stamped and threw her jotters and pencils around the room like a two-year old having a temper tantrum.    She marched upstairs and there was a lot of noise.  I guessed she was probably trashing her room but, in its current state, how would i every know?

Website of the day: Team Patchwork's Moonwalk fundraising page -  support the parenting group as they Walk the Walk to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Tuesday 3rd February

It's been a rotten couple of a days as both Lucy, Georgie and myself have been unwell.  Nigel and Emily have so far avoided the nasty bug.  I'm grateful to Christine for braving the snow to bring round some Calpol late last night.

The world doesn't stop because we're poorly and my phone continues to ring all day long.  At one point I was tempted to take the phone off the hook.  It was a good job I didn't, as the school phoned to say Emily was ill.  I dressed Lucy and Georgie in outdoors clothes and trudged to the school where a very happy Emily was waiting for us.   The Bad Mother in me was tempted to say "could you not have lasted another hour/you better had be bloody poorly".  Fortunately Good Mother was on duty and I instead bought cheer-up cakes for all of us.

I've started to read The Life of Pi but it's a bit much for my poor fevered brain to take in.  I've only read four other Booker winners (The Inheritance of Loss, Vernon God Little, Disgrace & Midnight's Children).

---ooOoo---

I was sorry to learn that Kaleidoscope Supplies are closing down at the end of the month. I bought lots of perspex display stands and paper bags from them.

November, December and January photos have been published.

Wisdom of the day: People will forget what you did, forget what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

Saturday 31st January 

My original plan had been to take a 26 bus to Portobello and pick up a free copy of The Lost World which is being given away in City of Edinburgh libraries as part of this year's One City, One book.  That was the plan but I felt so groggy and nauseous that I stayed at home.

Heather took Emily swimming and Nigel took Lucy and Georgie to the library while I felt sorry for myself.  After lunch I fought off torpor to take the train to Edinburgh where we went to see Bob Dylan's 'Drawn Blank' exhibition in the City Art Centre.   The drawings and paintings, all created between 1989 and 1992, give a sense of the loneliness of a life on the road.  Many had a voyeuristic quality, often looking down from a balcony, along a corridor or through a doorway.  The girls enjoyed - they were the only children there.  I was tempted by several items in the gallery shop but resisted all but a pack of postcards from the exhibition.

The City Art Centre were giving away old exhibition catalogues which I always find interesting.  Emily took a copy of "Immortal Pharaoh" - a 195 colour hardback catalogue of The Tomb of Thutmose III exhibition.  I  took a catalogue about Japanese ceramics which,  with a bit of origami, will be reincarnated as envelopes.

Back home we had nachos for tea and later Nigel and I watched The Life Aquatic which was watchable but not as good as I'd hoped.

Website of the day: Sniggle -  An encyclopaedia of subculture and activism.

Friday 30th January 

I received an email to say I've won a calendar from English Provender, the company behind the 'Very Lazy' range.  My first win of 2009.  I had thought January might be a prize-free zone.

I recently received a subscription notice for a local interest magazine.  I have been swithering whether or not to renew.  The publication has drifted away from its historical slant of late and the articles have been lacking in substance.  I decided to look online an the current issue.  Hmmm, an article on 'social enterprise'. Yes, social enterprise is very important. Yes, Roots and Fruits is an excellent initiative.  Yes, quango rhymes with mango.   Do I want to pay to read an advertorial for East Lothian Council (which has a website devoted to this very subject)?  No.

Website of the day: Bombarock - uses beautiful fabrics to create bespoke furniture.  Check out their online accessories shop - I love their skull aprons.

  Thursday 29th January 

It was nice to catch up with Christine over a cuppa before going to Lidl to stock up on seeds and laminating pouches.

I told Rosie about the bargain 23p seeds and, after a quick bite of lunch, she too stocked up.

I've joined Twitter so now you can follow my unbelievably exciting life even more closely on our home page.

We started watching The Wire last night.  I'm not hooked in the way I was with The Sopranos but I'll stick with it.

Twenty years ago I answered an ad in Loot looking for a flatmate.  I am, of course, biased but I think it is still better than its counterparts: Gumtree, Tapthat, Vivastreet, adoos, freeukclassifieds, ad-mart, , ukfreeads, friday-ad & tao01.

Website of the day: Stopped Clocks - a blog of stopped clocks.  

Wednesday 28th January 

After nursery, we walked a fair old bit of the way to Edenhall for Lucy's speech therapy.  I really enjoyed my chicken tikka and rice in the hospital canteen.    While there, I bumped into midwife Leslie.   As she glanced at my expanding tummy, I assured her I wasn't on my way to the antenatal clinic, and my bulge was the result of Christmas excesses.

In the Speech Therapy Department, Georgie really wanted to join in but I managed to distract her with a 'bag of lovely things'' (or a Busy Bag as we used to call them).  The clear pencil case stuffed with Christmas cracker novelties, broken jewellery and laminated stamps kept her amused for the duration of the session.

 Lucy seemed to have enjoyed her new group and was very pleased to be given 'homework'.

We had just got back home when Peter returned.  He very kindly fitted one of a pair of light fittings that have been gathering dust since he brought them with him on his last visit.   It is very dramatic, made from mirror discs which hang from a long spiral frame - a charity shop find from my mum.

I've finished Midnight's Children.  Wow.

Website of the day: Faces in Places - a blog of 'faces' found in everyday objects

Tuesday 27th January 

At the nursery there is now a parents' tearoom.  It was very nice to have a cup of English breakfast tea after saying goodbye to the Lucy and Georgie.  

Peter dropped in today.  I'm glad he was able to stay for a bit longer and have dinner with us.  My brother-in-law tends to get used as a messenger service, ferrying various things between my sister and I.  This trip he brought with him some of Lauren and Martha's delicious baptimism cake.  He will take away with him some Fortean Times.

---ooOoo---

Emily's homework task was to either draw a cake, make a model of a cake, or bake a cake.  Unsurprisingly, she opted to bake a cake.  She found the recipe herself using google, worked out the timings, and made it all by herself, only calling me when it needed to go in the oven.  

Website of the day: Scene 360 Illusion - eclectic showcase of arty stuff and cool design.

Monday 26th January 

Gung héi fáat chōi!

We celebrated the Year of the Ox simply but pleasantly with prawn crackers, spring rolls, chicken hoisin money bags, prawn toast and noodles with egg strips. Bought from Lidl, our fortune cookies contained bi-lingual messages: "Lass die Vergangenheit sein - jetzt ist die Zeit fureinen Neuanfang" ("The past belongs to the past, now the time is right for a new beginning.")

I think there must have been a mix-up though as I'm sure "No-one can resist your charm" ("Ihrem Charme kann kaum jemand widerstehen") was meant for me.

Website of the day: Fastfingerskeyboard - a non-QWERTY keyboard for one-fingered typists.  Did you know the top line on conventional keyboards contains all the letters of TYPEWRITER?

Sunday 25th January 

We do things a little differently, so, instead of having a Burns' Night, we had a Sam Burns Day.  We set off from our house this morning accompanied by a few friends, picking some more up along the way and made our way to Burns yard where we met up with the rest of the group.

When we all got back to the house we watched The Flee Market (which is set in Burns' yard) and had some haggis, neeps and tatties.  The best way to quickly serve haggis to 22 tired and hungry walkers was to bring the microwave out of storage.

We watched the film again with my mum's fruitcake, Carmel's Islay Loaf and some shortbread.  The kids all played well together and enjoyed the activity sheets I printed off from Burns Heritage Park.  

A very pleasant day which I hope our guests enjoyed as much as we did.

---ooOoo---

Thinking of Lauren and Martha on their special day.

Website of the day: Kiva - loans that transform lives.

Saturday 24th January 

One the way to The Small World shop I spotted a man waiting at a postbox.  I thought it was a strange place to loiter and, in the few seconds it took me to cross the road, he had disappeared.

When I reached where he had been standing I realised that his 'trainer' was a Ford's the Bakers paper bag; his right 'leg' was in fact a garden post and his 'head' was nothing more than foliage.  Perspective is everything.

In the shop it was 13°C.  So flipping cold that I kept on my coat (which is designed to withstand Kathmandu temperatures) and I was still freezing.  Alas, there wasn't a single customer all day.

Website of the day: Earthcam - where tbe world watches the world.

  Friday 23rd January 

I'm glad the missing Cleethorpes schoolgirl has been found safe. 

There is a lot in the press about online safety, which is of course important.  However, I fear we are in danger of forgetting that children are at greater risk from the people they know and trust, than from a stranger.  A sad but accurate fact that people don't like being reminded of.  Since becoming a mother, I have no fear of putting my head above the parapet and saying unpopular things - or indeed putting the bell on the cat.  

Website of the day:  TV Ark - the online television museum

Thursday 22nd January 

This exchange reminded me of Mr Mann from Little Britain:

Lucy announced that she would like a snow globe for her birthday.
"That's nice" I say, "I'm sure I can find one for you".
"A snow globe, with a monkey inside" she added.
"Erm, okay, I'll see what I can do"
"...with a hat on.  A RED hat".

Warning:  there now follows a very dull insight into my life.

I had to buy a cucumber for Speedy so called into Scotmid only to discover they didn't have any.  I didn't fare any better in Fair Price, so, as time was marching on, I decided to go to Somerfield - a place I last ventured in exactly four months ago and was unimpressed by the rude staff.
I took my cucumber to the checkout only to be charged £1.30.  The 65p sign apparently relates to half a cucumber.

People might look down their nose at Lidl but I have to say their range, prices and customer service is consistently good -  and a cucumber is a cucumber, surely?

---ooOoo---

The photographic proof of Emily's school photo came home today.   She looks very beautiful.
 
Website of the day: East Lothian Council - finally, a re-vamped website.

Wednesday 21st January 

I didn't sleep well last night.  An alarm clock kept going off at 30 minute intervals.  Once I'd disabled the alarm and returned to bed for the umpteenth time, I had to get up again because Lucy had a bad dream.  After settling her down and falling into a deep sleep I was awoken with the sound of Nigel saying "awwphrum awah aaaah" or something.  I'd had enough.  It was 4 a.m. and I felt very awake so I went downstairs and started washing dishes.  Around half an hour later the timer on the oven started to ping.  Nerves shot to hell, I made myself a cup of tea and went back to bed.

Needless to say, I was exceptionally exhausted when it was time to get up and get the kids dressed, fed and to school.  My original plan had been to take Lucy and Georgie to nursery then go straight to the hairdressers.  As I was running late I decided to go straight there leaving Nigel to do the nursery run.

My two hours in 202 were very pleasant.  I got to drink a cup of coffee while it was still hot, and sat under the lamps reading Midnight's Children.   I left the salon met Nigel on his way home from the shops.

"Well?" I said "What do you think?" (I've had another short crop dyed a very vibrant copper)
"Do you like it?" he  replies.
(Attention dimwits: do not answer any question in this way)

We trudge up the hill and, as I open the front door, I am greeted by a mountain of shoes.  Every shoe, slipper and wellie that every Barker has ever owned appears to be lying in the hallway.  Nigel explains that he couldn't find Georgie's other shoe which was why the girls were over an hour late for nursery.  I resist saying anything that could be construed as criticism (e.g. "Why didn't you just put her in wellies?"). 

Amid the chaos, I find a beautiful houseplant in a yellow pot (thank you Elaine!).  

"Oh, Elaine came round with a plant for you" Nigel says, leaving me to wonder what my kind visitor must have thought of the mess.

---ooOoo---

We lunched at Edenhall hospital canteen (mince and tatties - boiled for me, mashed for Nigel and chips for Lucy and Georgie) before going to Georgie's assessment with the speech therapist.

To avoid any Georgie-bleurghiness on the bus, we walk a good proportion of the journey.  On the way back home, Nigel got all tired and low-blood sugary and stopped to buy some chocolate.   I mentioned how tired I was after my awful night's sleep prompting Nigel to tell me about his dream of being pursued by a giant rabbit (which explains the "awwphrum awah aaaah" noise he kept making).  Lucy's dream involved lobsters and crabs nipping at her feet while she jumped on the trampoline.

I think I may sprinkle their respective pillows with lavender tomorrow evening.

Website of the day: Ugly Sofas - some of these are actually okay but I would say that considering my sofa is actually featured here...

Tuesday 20th January 

High emotion and tears - no, I'm not talking about the inauguration of America's 44th present.

The girls were very upset when I told them about Moby.  I reassured them that Speedy was still alive and seemed well.  "What about Fastie?" asked Lucy.  "Fastie is Speedy.  That's just what you call him" I explained.  We buried him in the garden and sprinkled frozen rose petals.

---ooOoo---

The challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. - no, I'm not talking about the remaking of America.

The SNP's proposed cuts to the education budget will really test the mettle of Parent Councillors.

Website of the day: Wordle - create beautiful word clouds from your text.  I LOVE it!!!

Monday 19th January 

The girls were delighted to see snow today.  Unfortunately there wasn't enough to build a snowman or even have a decent snowball fight so I let the girls throw rose petals at each other instead (my roses have finally bit the dust but the freesias are still going strong and smell wonderful).
 
'Blue Monday', the saddest day of the year (based on sprurious factors such as weather, debt and motivation), barely registered.  Until, that is, I went to look in on the guinea pigs and found Moby dead.

Website of the Day - Tales of the Road - a funky, upbeat government road safety website which replaces the Hedgehogs (who have gone into hibernation).

Sunday 18th January 

I had just finished hanging paper snakes from Lucy and Georgie's bedroom ceiling when I read the news that Tony Hart had died.  The key to the success of the Vision On programme was that it used items readily to hand.   It's a pain to find a kids' art project that looks good only to discover it requires sheets of perspex, concrete, chicken wire, a kiln and/or soldering iron.  

I liked the slow pace of Vision On and the music that accompanied The Gallery.  I never figured out that the programme was primarily aimed at deaf kids.

Encouraged by Christine, I am keeping a note of low-tech, no chicken-wire required projects.  Of course all 9 of you loyal blog readers (hello Panners, Belters, Weegies, relatives, guerillas & Johnston) will be the first to hear about it when its ready.

Websites of the day: (I've misplaced my bookmarks, so now's a good a time as any to add a few regularly used ones)
#1 - Instructables - biggest and best user-created  how-to and DIY community.
#2 - Activity Village - Coloring pages, crafts, puzzles, sudoku, games, jigsaws, holiday and educational activities to enjoy with your child.
#3 - Etsy -  the place to buy and sell handmade items (or just steal their ideas - be inspired).

Saturday 17th January 

We have a new fence.
We had liver risotto for tea.
Watched the very disturbing Funny Games (2007 version).
Wishing we had a trip to London planned.
Wondering where my Firefox bookmarks have gone.

Website of the day: Green Street -  the Green Street of beautiful salwar kameez, cheap cafes and sparkly shoes, not football hooliganism.

Friday 16th January 

I knew that there was a chance, that after Christmas, Emily's bedroom would become messy again with her new toys and gizmos.  After keeping it reasonably tidy for a few months I was anxious to have order restored before the job became too overwhelming for her.  So, with the promise/bribe of being allowed to go the disco tonight, she spent an hour yesterday, with my help, sorting the mess out.  

Unfortunately, despite several tellings, at 10.00 p.m. last night she was still awake, getting in and out of her bed, calling through to her sisters and generally being silly - so I told her she couldn't go to the disco.

This morning, unsurprisingly, she was very tired and had to rush to avoid being late for school.  She clearly assumed I would have a change of heart and, when she realised I was sticking to my guns, there were floods of tears, followed by shouting and temper. 

This afternoon, as a compromise, I helped her paint a wall in her bedroom which she enjoyed.  After the decorating took place (she's not daft) she started ranting and raving again.  I still didn't let her go to the disco.  Am I a completely rubbish parent?  How else could I have handled it?  At least I stayed calm.

---ooOoo---

Thanks mum for the Anthon Berg marzipan chocolates.  Read the flavours and try not to drool: Cherry in Rum,  Grape in Muscat Wine & Raspberry in Orange Liqueur.  I let the kids share one chocolate between them and was rewarded with "Daddy!  Mum gave us booze!".  Erm, now I do sound like a completely rubbish parent.

Website of the day: Styrofoam - I saw the builders put loads of the stuff we call polystyrene in a skip.  I'll use this site for arty ideas when it inevitably blows into my garden.

Thursday 15th January 

It was great to see Rosie for lunch today.  Now she's back working in the area I will hopefully see her a bit more often.   She understands better than most my distress over the garden.

Nigel took a day's holiday which has been nice for me but hardly relaxing for him.  He hadn't realised quite how oppressive the scaffolding opposite is.  Or how noisy the building work is.  Or how we have no privacy in the back of the house or garden.  (I might have to put a sign saying "Caution: Danger of Splinters - Do Not Stick Nose Through Here").

As you will know if you have a spelk in your neb, Nigel cooked black-eyed peas and rice for tea. I LOVE soul food.  

Website of the day: DIY Planner - productivity and passion - ok, it's templates for your Filofax and FlyLady stuff.

Wednesday 14th January 

I'm feeling a little more relaxed about stuff today.  We have decided to take a cash settlement and organise the repairs ourselves.

I will be happy when we have our privacy back.  I'm not exactly agoraphobic, but I'm getting kitchenaphobic.  Despite my reluctance to venture into the Mid Road Diner, I am on cooking duty tonight.  

Last night we had a warming plate of stovies (it was St Hilary's Day - reputedly the coldest day of the year but was in fact remarkably mild).  This evening we had a harvest feast to mark Makar Sankranti/Pongal.  We are not celebrating Pastrami Day this year - I'm fat enough.  My new boots arrived today.  It's going to take some squeezing to get my Jaime Hernandez style calves to fit into them.

Website of the day:  Approved Food -  what's not to love about a website with such a reassuring name - and the food is only 'best before' not 'use by' (!!)

Tuesday 13th January 

Because of the gaping hole in the fence, I'm having to get used to locking up the Monkey Loft as I flit to and fro with washing.  And my plans to celebrate World Naked Gardening Day have been scuppered.

I refuse to change our habit of having lunch in the kitchen with the back door open though.  Now when joggers, dog walkers and random passers-by ogle my toasted sandwich they can also see beautiful roses and freesias.  They were a present from my sister Rachel and very much appreciated.

Also in the mail was the film The Flee Market which I've borrowed from The Scottish Screen Archive. Included on the tape are: Build Me Straight; Queen for a Day; Haste to the Wedding and A Bird in the Hand.

Lucy, Georgie and I watched The Flee Market twice this afternoon then all five of us watched it again this evening.  We recognised a few faces, including that of Emily's former classroom assistant.

The surveyor came round today and had a look at the fence, brickwork and tree.  I'm not sure what happens with the other things.  It all just rumbles on.

Website of the day: 1911 Census - available to search from today.  

Monday 12th January 

I don’t think it will be possible to adequately convey my frustration today.

It should be straightforward shouldn’t it? Someone other than the victim  (i.e. me) should be sorting this mess out.  Someone should come round to assess the damage and organise repairs.

When I got through to my insurers they wouldn’t speak to me because Nigel is the named policy holder. Nigel phoned them to give his permission for them to discuss the replacement of the fence with me. 

The uprooted trees, shrubs and plants are not covered under my policy.  If I want to claim for all the other things that were smashed to smithereens I would have to do that under my House Contents (and presumably another excess would apply).  As it is, we're going to be stung for a £175 excess – regardless of whose insurance company foots the bill. 

What is the point of insurance?

Website of the day: UK Grid Reference Finder - because I like it.

Sunday 11th January 

There was an almighty bang as a car crashed through our garden fence this morning.  Fortunately the driver wasn't hurt but badly shaken.

Everything in the car's path was destroyed and even the garden path has been shunted out of alignment.  Of course, it could have been much worse.

Website of the day: Gravatar - globally recognised avatars

Saturday 10th January 

It was nice to get back in the Small World Shop today.  In the absence of a flood of customers, Bernice and I used the time to sort through some old posters and display materials.

---ooOoo---

We've been experimenting with the new toasted sandwich maker which has been fun (ham and egg was particularly good) but this leaves me conflicted:  I now have to buy sliced bread to put in it as I can't cut my homemade loaves thin enough.  Or maybe I need to buy a bread slicing machine.

---ooOoo---

This evening Nigel and I watched Career Girls which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Website of the day: Namelessletter - leaving personalised bookmarks inside books.

Friday 9th January 

In the few years I've lived here, about a dozen people have knocked at the door offering to "cut yer tree doon missus".   When a tree surgeon doing work for a neighbour suggested how the laburnham could be saved I was very happy.  He came round today to seal the crack down the middle and performed a branchectomy.  The tree is now recovering and is allowed two visitors at a time.  

---ooOoo---

I am very impressed by Priceless shoes.  I bought items in their sale and had to add a couple of packs of socks to take the order over £30 to qualify for free p&p.  The order arrived less an out-of-stock pair of shoes, which reduced order to £25.50 - for four pairs of shoes, a pair of slippers and six pairs of socks - and I haven't been charged p&p!

---ooOoo---

Those lovely people at Pushchair Walks sent us a family pack of Buffs which arrived today.  I'm hooked.  They are like a (much, much) funkier version of snoods (remember those?). They are amazingly versatile and can be worn in a variety of ways.  The girls absolutely love them and Lucy has taken to wearing hers pirate-style.  Made of microfibre, they are thin enough to be worn bandana style in the summer yet warm enough for winter hikes - and small enough to fit in your pocket for impromptu games of blind man's buff.  I can't think of any minus points other than, it takes a certain level of coolness to carry them off (not applicable to me, obviously, but I can see than lesser mortals might look like they are wearing a snood).  At around £12, they are not cheap but their versality and machine washability certainly justifies the price for any outdoorsy or sporty person.  Photos of me 'in the buff' will appear here shortly...

Website of the day:  Feet Fairies -  foldable, light weight, waterproof shoes to keep in your pocket to wear after a night out (remember those?)

Thursday 8th January 

It is Elvis's birthday today so we of course had cheeseburgers for tea. 

Website of the day:  Burger King offers - download up to £35 worth of vouchers.

Wednesday 7th January 

Owing to an administrative error, (the error being Nigel thought 'we weren't buying presents for each other this year') I have, today, taken delivery of my Christmas present.  

The rain chain is cast iron and very beautiful. For the time being, I think I will suspend it from a tree or attach it to my (water) butt.  When the instructions begin "remove the existing guttering...." it's probably not a job I'm go to undertake myself. .

---ooOoo---

For lunch I made a cream cheese, ham and cucumber sandwich, made with sweet potato bread. Delish.

Website of the day: Regiftable - for those "really you shouldn't have" pressies.  Worth visiting for their customisable printable gift certificates (e.g. ironing, babysitting, dog-walking, rude things etc.)

Tuesday 6th January 

Breakfast: toasted homemade bread with strawberry and champagne conserve and coffee.
At Christine's: banoffi pie and coffee.
At Mo's: 2  x coffee (resisted shortbread)
Lunch: ham and cheese toasted sandwich
Snack: toast with chocolate spread
Dinner:fishcakes, sweet potato and mung beans, followed by Christmas cake icecream.
Evening munchies: Tea, Coffee, Diet Coke (resisted chocolate, biscuits, crips and peanuts)

Website of the day: Pay it Forward Foundation - a friend did me a good turn today so, rather than paying back the favour, I paid it forward. 

Monday 5th January 

I've been incredibly chilled out today.  Even the numptiest of people couldn't upset my equilibrium.  I think it must be the lavender wrist angel I'm wearing.

It was a to and fro' sort of day.   After the nursery drop-off, I walked briskly (my new plan to get fit) to Lidl to pick up this week's groceries.  I resisted all temptation including the greatly reduced Santa chocolate although I did buy a large world map and and European map - both of which are now housed in the downstairs loo.

I had time for a quick coffee back home before going to the primary school where I had another with Mrs McKinnon.  The school is revamping the handbook and wants parents' input.  I didn't have too much to say really which is just a well as I only had a few minutes before collecting Lucy and Georgie from nursery. I took them to the library and they ran straight to the children's section.  Georgie came running back shouting delightedly "Ammree's here!".  Annemarie was indeed there, having a fag break (not in the kid's section but outside).  We had a quick blether about her current work.  It's terrific how her writing career has taken off.

I picked up a nice booklet "A Journey Through East Lothian's Past: Archaeology along the A1" which appears to be an extract of The Lands of Ancient Lothian: Interpreting the Archaeology of the A1.

We called in on our neighbours who gave the girls a fabulous IQ Builders Mouse Master Computer.  I was really surprised at how many letters Georgie knows.  We've had fun playing with that and the coconut shy this afternoon. Oh, and tents.  Lucy can make anything into a tent - ponies, newspapers, maps.

Emily brought home her Dr Who lunchbox which she had left in school over the Christmas break.  The blackened banana was a sorry sight but the smoked sausage was beyond words.  It actually looked like a Dr Who monster.  Eighteen days worth of decay has permeated the lunchbox and it's "wipe clean only" label has sealed its fate.  Exterminate!

Website of the day: Gallery Rammar - pretty cards, prints, calendars and paintings - I like St Mary's Lighthouse

Sunday 4th January 

Before drifting off to sleep, I often imagine I'm running.   I even have my route along the John Muir Way all worked out.  In my dream I'm running along at breakneck speed.  

On the spur of the moment I decided to run round the block this morning.  I am so unfit.  I had scarcely reached the back of the house (from where I could see Nigel and the girls waving to me) before I felt like my lungs were on fire.  I think it will be quite some time before I attain the level of fitness I have in my dreams.   

Website of the day: National Braille Week - today is the 200th birthday of Louis Braille.  You can send a message coded in braille to a (sighted) friend.

Saturday 3rd January 

Happy Vasant Panchami!  We celebrated the birthday of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, with yellow (turmeric enhanced) food and yellow clothes.

If Laura and Kev thought it a little strange that Nigel answered the door in my yellow and black striped crop top they were too polite to mention it.

Nigel, Laura and Kev managed to get locked in Sam Burns Yard today.  Fortunately they lived to tell the tale and bring home Keeping Up Appearances: A Novel, The 13 Clocks & The Wonderful O (Puffin Books) and The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking.

Website of the day: I got no work done today because... - the blog of illustrator Graeme Neil Reid (thanks for the calendar Graeme).

Friday 2nd January 

It was too cold to play outside so we played games and helped Lucy's make her hot air balloon mobile.

This evening we watched  BBC2's  Around the World in 80 Faiths which was interesting but Pete Owen Jones is a tad irritating..

Website of the day: Vijay for Victory -  a superior technology, entertainment and lifestyle blog.

Thursday 1st January 2009

Happy New Year!

We stayed up late, drank tea and laughed a lot.  How very rock and roll.

Today, as is traditional, we walked  up to Birsley Brae.  It was wonderfully bright as we sat and had hot chocolate and fruitcake.

We found a discarded note which read:

Only a complete imbecile drives 6ft behind the vehicle in front. It is the most frequent cause of accidents.  Aggressive, foolish and the fool behind always pays.

Website of the day:Pushchair Walks - an interesting database of wheel-friendly walks.  (The above message was written on the reverse of one of their postcards).

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