J-Bar Blog - 2010
Thursday 11th March 2010
Thanks to East Lothian Buzz,
there is now a definitive place to look for event listings in East
Lothian. That is, if people post events, and aren't put off by the
'social' aspect. I've spent quite a bit of time on the website
and get irritated by the "I'm so bored/My life is so awful/Some people are stupid"
status updates. There is something inherently rude about using
someone else's bandwith to whinge. And don't get me started on
trolls (in fact, just read this guy's essay, it makes a lot of sense). And then there's the bumper sticker philosphy...my current favourite: "Never trust anyone who doesn't have either a cat or a dog". Hmmmm. That makes no sense. The other one I take issue with is "To have a friend, be a friend" or somesuch twaddle. This clearly appeals to the type of person who always has time to tell you how busy they are on a friend's behalf. A better saying would be "To be a friend, let people be a friend to you now and again" (otherwise, we might start thinking you just enjoy rushing to people's aid and 'saving the day' - and that's really very narcissistic and hardly an equal friendship).
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Walking past Haldanes today I saw a three-tiered chiller cabinet (similar to this one) outside in their yard. It may have been going to be repaired or recycled or something but in my mind's eye I could envision it filled with compost and trailing plants cascading down the sides.
Website of the day: Secret Sales - members' only sales. Currently free membership, but not for long - get in while you still can.
Wednesday 10th March 2010
Whenever my LeCool email arrives, I crave city living. Specifically, I crave Londinium. Things whetting my appetite this week: Rankin's Cheeky exhibition; Thames Tunnel opening and Putney Pop-Up Restaurant.--
I must be one of the few people who actually likes power stations. The only way I would live in one of "the new hooses" would be if it actually looked onto Cockenzie Power Station. I would be deliriously happy to look at Battersea every day... or Sheerness. Some people are like Derek Jarman, and some are more like Derek Acorah.
Tuesday 9th March 2010
Lucy wasn't too
well last night so, after giving her some medicine, we let her lie on
the sofa for a bit. This morning she was still full of cold
and quite subdued. Georgie was in a terrible mood and began shrieking unintelligably at Lucy over breakfast. I tried to calm her down while Emily consoled Lucy who was clearly upset by the outburst.
Through sobs, Georgie complained that Lucy had been allowed to stay up late and she hadn't. "And I'm poorly too" she whined.
So, Lucy and Georgie were both at home today which meant I couldn't go along to a Breakfast Bookswap which was disappointing. One of the perks of being a stay-at-home-mum is that I cross paths with interesting work-from-home/boho/artisan/self-sufficient/freelance folk who have coffee in a proper coffee pot and have elevenses.
They must be feeling better, they're squabbling.
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At today's award for Responsible Citizenship goes to...Emily!
Monday 8th March 2010
Happy International Women's Day! This year's theme is Equal rights, equal opportunites: Progress for all. Who could disagree?I got I am Woman by Helen Reddy and Anchorage by Michelle Shocked played for me on East Coast FM (thanks Jim and Les).
I continued my IWD celebrations in the Pitstop Cafe with Annemarie, Susan and Georgie. I had delicious Pitstop Pate with Redcurrant Jelly on a bed of Salad; followed by Roast Lamb with Mint Mash (nice but lamb was a bit fatty); and a wonderful Mango & Passionfruit Cheesecake.
Sisters, take time out of your busy lives to listen to Dr Mayo Angelou recite her poem "And Still I Rise".
Sunday 7th March 2010
I didn't go on
the planned guerrilla gardening expedition but I still got my fix of
nettle stings and grazes in my own garden. Nigel battled the ivy
to reposition my trompe l'eoil in a more realistic setting. It is
great to be working outside. This evening I watched My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding on More 4. Interesting.
Website of the day: Refugee Buddy - welcome people from other cultures and countries to your community
Saturday 6th March 2010
Spring is finally
here! I spent much of the day in the garden. Nigel built a
platform for Speedy's hutch. I pottered about collecting leaves,
discovering crocuses and picking up litter. All the while I was
doing this, Nigel had fixed a broken bench and set out all my
plant pots on it. He's brilliant.If you ♥ East Lothian, visit http://www.eastlothianbuzz.co.uk/. The more folk use it, the more useful it becomes. Share the ♥
Friday 5th March 2010
It was nice to have Nigel home early for a change. We had nachos
for tea - not my favourite, but popular with everyone else, then a lazy
evening watching television.Website of the day: Vibram Five Fingers - shoes that fit like a glove, literally.
Thursday 4th March 2010
Happy World Book Day. Scottish Book Trust keeps mistweeting Michael Rosen's name - is anyone called Micheal?
The headteacher of Lucy's school phoned today. I'm glad I wasn't aware that she was dressed up as Marge Simpson for WBD when she rang, I might not have been able to keep a straight face.
Website of the day: I hate perfume - scent you won't find in a perfume counter - check out Black March "A fresh clean scent composed of Rain Drops, Leaf Buds, Wet Twigs, Tree Sap, Bark, Mossy Earth and the faintest hint of Spring".
Wednesday 3rd March 2010
I had a good trip to the Borders Scrap Store.
That is to say I bought yet more fabric which I have a) no need
for b) no plans for, and c) none of the skills requisite to
make it into something. But it was beautiful.I was really pleased with my spinach and cheese lasagne. It was a variation of this Annabel Karmel recipe.
It was the Fab's monthly Book Chat meeting in the Goth this evening. It was the first time we have all read a book with a view to discussing it amongst the group. The conversation was uneven and stilted - a far cry from the relaxed book blether of last month.
Website of the day: World Maths Day - if 26 women join a book group and share 19 copies of 2 books (voted for by 10 women) between 14 women, how many ibuprofen do I need to take?
Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Finally, I am shorn and back to my unnatural red. Thanks to 202 Squadron Salon for performing a rescue mission on my hair. Website of the day: Fail Stickers - I can think of several uses for these.
Monday 1st March 2010
Goodbye February, Hello March. Feb may have only had 28 days
but we seemed to pack a lot in. I hope this month will be as
varied. It has certainly started well. The sun is shining
and I can't wait to get some gardening done.I am a creature of simple pleasures. I was ridiculously pleased with my new desktop pencil sharpener from Lidl (at this point Rachel will say "you laughed at me when I bought one"). This evening Nigel made me a roll with cheese, tomato, mayonnaise and black pepper - and it was sublime.
The girls are equally easily pleased. I was in a rush so put the cereals on the table with a carton of milk and the instruction that they help themselves.
"Ooh, it's like being at a youth hostel" they cooed delightedly.
Website of the day: My Green Lighting - I could write a wiki on the different types of bulbs we have in Barker Towers. There is currently a requirement for a G9 40w capsule.
Sunday 28th February 2010
Holi Hai! A combination of rain, missing paint powder, and
the absence of Nigel meant that we had a very scaled-down Holi this
year. I watered down some crimson tempura and let the girls
splash each other before squirting some undiluted paint at them all.
I avoided getting painted bombed because I was using my mobile to take photographs and I couldn't risk getting it wet (good excuse eh?). East Lothian Buzz is back after a wee bit of downtime and while I was browsing a friend sent me an instant message:
ABB: Was it fun yesterday?
Me: Bloody awful! Too much talk of willies and crude humour.
ABB: Your photos were good.
Me: ????
ABB: ... of the Small World Shop.
We had been talking about two separate events.....CRINGE!!!!!
Website of the day (for Alan): Sedge Warbler - incredibly detailed East Lothian birding blog by Stephen Welch/Sedge Warbler.
Saturday 27th February 2010
After a dreadful night's sleep I awoke early to get the Small World ready
for our open morning. I needn't have fretted though as Rosemary had
left detailed instructions and boxes had been tidied away. My Fabulous friends didn't let me down and turned up in force for the Small World's Big Brew.
I was very keen that we didn't subject our guests to the 'Room 4
experience' where the temperature never rises above -4. As a
result, more people milled around the shop floor looking at the stock,
chatting, and drinking tea with Room Minus 4 being set up with table
and chairs in case of any visiting polar bears or masochists.
After spending most Saturdays on my own in the shop, it was
really nice to work with Sandra, Patricia and Frances. Later on this evening I caught the train to Edinburgh with Anne and Brenda and met up with Denise and two of her pals at Ti Amo. It was very busy with women of a certain age, presumably all going where we were: across the road to the Festival Theatre to see Hormonal Housewives.
What can I say about Hormonal Housewives? I've only myself to blame and should have gone with my instinct. I didn't enjoy the show for the same reasons I don't like chic-fic novels or hen parties - It comprised mostly unfunny jokes about willies, chocolate and diets. And when did we stop laughing at the overprivileged and start mocking people who work at Aldi?
There was a cringe-inducing sketch about new age "Getting to know your inner goddess" type workshops led by a kaftan-wearing treehugger clutching a giant fabric labia ("they can be made in your own image"). "There's an event for the Fabs" quipped Brenda. She might have been joking but I think a rebirthing workshop would be better than gags about about men and remote controls. And, I have a kaftan...
Website of the day: Make Do and Mend - a stylish blog of a Nottingham woman who likes cakes, charity shops, cycling and a whole host of other things.
Friday 26th February 2010
I went to a Purple Pinkies Assembly at Lucy's school this morning
- in exchange for a donation, I got my littlest finger stamped purple.
It is an initiative by Rotary International to eradicate polio and Douglas Farquhar from Longniddry & District Rotary was there to give some information about the campaign. We sang Kum Ba Yah; Stand Up Clap Hands and Happy Birthday - it was a really nice way to start the day.
I went for a cappucinno and a cake in the Pennypit and then popped into the Small World Shop where we were pressed into service with the pricing gun. Georgie was quite happy to play on the 'countilator' while Jane, Margaret and I began stocking the shelves with craft items from Traidcraft's spring catalogue. I'm glad we are stocking the new range of cruelty free/Vegan Society approved hand and body care products which includes a lovely lip balm trio (orange, grapefruit & mint).
We missed the campfire event in the library but were glad to get home because it has been such a dreich day. I hope it is better weather for the open morning tomorrow.
Website of the day: Take your top off - thetotallyworkfriendlyandnotquiteasexcitingasitsounds website about not putting your lids in the recycling crate.
Thursday 25th February 2010
We get loads of blue tits in the garden so I ordered a beautiful bird box from Jacobi Jayne which was half price as part of National Nest Box Week. It arrived today and I'm very pleased with it.I tuned in to East Coast FM just in time to hear Annemarie being interviewed about her new book so I abandoned my plans to go to vegetable shopping, put the kettle on and became a couch potato instead. ECFM have a live studiocam which is quite entertaining. I would be a nervous wreck on a live broadcast but Annemarie came over very well and I told her so when we had a long blether on the phone afterwards.
Website of the day: ShipAIS -live vessel movements around the UK. Ever wanted to know what that blue tanker is doing in the Forth, here's the place to find out.
Wednesday 24th February 2010
Admittedly the 'Bastardstones' incident didn't do Joe Gordon
any harm but, generally speaking, if you are not as marketable as him,
it unwise to slag off one's paymasters (or boast of having pulled a
sickie on a publicly-viewable site). And, if you work in the public or third sector, it's probably best not to say anything.It is astounding how many people choose Twitter for their 'Gerald Ratner' moment - slagging off the very thing they are being paid by the public purse to promote. I don't give a stuff what Mr Craptner says, he answers to his shareholders, but when public funds are involved, I tend to get a little cross.
Website of the day: Sam Fox - official site of a strong woman.
Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Having got up at midnight and gotten dressed in her schoolclothes,
Lucy was a little sleepy this morning. However, we still managed
to get to school and nursery on time.It's good to be back in some sort of routine.
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I know Debbie has been reading about the East Lothian Book Club for Fabulous Women and thinking about joining. I hope she does. If you don't know what the Fabs are all about (where have you been?) then briefly:our aims are to put community-minded women in touch with one other, to discuss books and try new activities. Additionally, we seek to support local businesses; serve and improve our community; assist disadvantaged communities; and support members in achieving their personal goals. It is a requirement that members attend 6 out of 12 of the monthly meetings and they are committed to the aims.
Website of the day: PivotX - powerful, flexible, open source blog content management software
Monday 22nd February 2010
When we were little my sister and I invented a drink: Chocky Chokey (or
possibly Chokey Chocky). It was a glass of milk with several
teaspoons of cocoa powder sat on top (not stirred, not even shaken).
Inevitably as we attempted to drink the milk we would cough and
splutter on the cocoa. We were sophisticated young ladies
obviously.Despite having agreed we would not partake any chocolate on a weekday, my enabler husband presented me with a bar of Green and Black's milk chocolate. Apparently it contains "more cocoa mass than regular bars". I could tell. It was just like having a Chocky Chokey.
Website of the day: Flocklocal - a staggeringly simple idea - casual volunteering opportunities - just turn up and help out!
Sunday 21st February 2010
Speedy has returned outside. He is not happy with this
development and if it were possible for guinea pigs to deliver dirty
looks then he is giving me the evils every time I pass his hutch.It was a lovely bright morning. I'm desperate to get in the garden and start proper gardening (as opposed to tidying up litter and picking up leaves) but it is still sooo cold.
Website of the day: Siwok Crafts - handcrafted wooden gifts which help to preserve the indian culture in Northern Argentina.
Saturday 20th February 2010
It was heartening to see a hyacinth on the counter of the Small World
today - further evidence that everyone is singing from the same hymn
sheet and trying to make the shop look nicer. Having the filter
coffee machine on playing music also added the general ambience.
I was glad Nicky and her daughter popped in, as did Frances and
her husband and, later, Rosemary. Nicky is currently is
organising lots of exciting FrugalCool events.I met up with the rest of the family in the library and we went for a bite to eat in Aroma. I must remember for next time to intercept Michael before he gives the girls bubble gum lollipops.
This evening enjoyed hanging out with Nigel, a thimbleful of Baileys and a small amount of chocolate.
Date for your Diary: Saturday 27th February 10-12: The Big Brew @ The Small World, 9A Orchard Crescent, Prestonpans. Free fair trade refreshments, launch of new Traidcraft catalogue and half price clothes. Did we mention the free refreshments?
Friday 19th February 2010
A quiet night in with the girls, some crisps, chocolate and television while Nigel was on the razz.I'm not really enjoying Poppy Shakespeare but I'll perservere with it.
Website of the day: Mischief Maker's Manual -pranks, stunts, and practical jokes (for young people I'm guessing)
Thursday 18th February 2010
Our kitchen cupboards resemble those of Mother Hubbard so I went
to Lidl and stocked up on some basics. On the way back Lucy,
Georgie and I had crisps by the sea. Lucy bombarded me with
questions ("Does everyone have to get married?" "How are lamposts
made?"). We came back home and got stuck into the various craft
kits Lucy got for her birthday. When Emily and Nigel returned from Glasgow, I had just enough time to eat sausage casserole and red wine, fig and honey cake with ice cream before going to Lynne's house for a sewing bee.
Yes, you heard that right - ye olde-fashioned sewing bee to create bunting for the 3 Harbours Arts Festival. Lynne, Isla, Caroline, Yvonne, Sally, Ros and I cut out triangles, sewed them together on the sewing machines and ironed them. We did this whilst watching Eastenders, discussing books and swapping party plan stories. Lynne wouldn't let us leave until we'd eaten a magnificent feast (which included decorated cupcakes). It was a really lovely evening in the company of interesting women and with tales of leopard skin nightwear. I didn't get home until after 11 and I was the first to leave!
Website of the day: Mr & Mrs House - lovely things for lovely people (that means me!)
Wednesday 17th February 2010
Highlights: It was great to see Rachel, Peter, Lauren and
Martha today. The girls love playing with their cousins and of
course I love seeing my nieces (and sister and brother-in-law).Lowlights: I made a complete mess of dinner this evening. So much so, it was inedible.
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Today is World Community Arts Day, the day which communities worldwide are asked to undertake an arts project in a way which promotes "caring and sharing". Susan and I celebrated by leaving some "bookcrossed" books on the bookshelf in the bar of the Goth and having a glass of wine - it's good to support the arts.
Website of the day: Rethink - National mental health membership charity, works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life
Tuesday 16th February 2010
We had toyed with the idea of going to see the Fantastic Mr Fox at
the Brunton today but the decision was taken out of our hands as it has
been rescheduled for a date in March. Instead we went to Gorgie City Farm
which was really nice. The lambs are very sweet, the pigs quite
ugly and the turkeys full of attitude. The Old Macdonald geocache
eluded us but we didn't put much effort into finding it. We had a look round the Gorgie and Dalry charity shops and picked up quite a few bargains. Star purchases included Ecco sandals, a pair of Fat Face trousers, and a Pimms jug. Shelter continues to be my favourite charity shop (and was where I purchased a juicer, very similar to this one, for £2.50)
Back home, Nigel made pancakes and a fabby dhal to go in them. I love Shrove Tuesday (but I'm not giving anything up for Lent).
Monday 15th February 2010
We are all tired after our adventures so had a quiet day today.
We went for lunch at the Pitstop Cafe (delicious cannelloni),
caught up on the weekend papers and did a bit of grocery shopping.
Sunday 14th February 2010
Our Newcastle trip went something like this:Saturday
After buying a new Family Railcard we loaded up with BOGOF Millie's Cookies and used our Bite card to get 20% off a coffee at the Pasty Shop and our WH Smith gift vouchers to buy magazines before climbing aboard the Frugal Express to Newcastle.
It's funny, I've never lived in Newcastle but the moment I arrive, I feel like I've come home.
First stop was Travelling Man comic shop which was having a special Manga event. We looked around the Grainger Street charity shops before having lunch at Jayz II in Grainger's Market (masses of chips, fish and mushy peas). All the familiar sights were there: the M&S stall, Robinsons bookshop with the corny Mills and Boons covers, the Cheap Tabs shop..
.
Next we went to the Laing Gallery where we took part in a family ARTventures workshop - a collaborative work of art which saw us decorating individual giant jigsaw pieces. After this bit of creative bonding we had a look round the Beatles to Bowieexhibition which included previously unseen images of the Beatles and a rather podgy looking Cliff Richard. Despite having a contemporary entrance, the Laing Gallery is a beautiful Baroque building - I loved the lunettes depicting historic Newcastle. We had a quick look in the City Library - a spectacular place which doesn't resemble any library I've ever been in.
We took the Metro to Jesmond intending to go straight to our hostel but saw a sign for the Biscuit Factory and went there first. Oh, where to start with the gorgeous place?!!! 35000 square feet of contemporary artworks for sale over two floors in a Victorian building. I was in my element. My favourites were the intricate paper works by Jennifer Collier (little dresses made from maps, and paper stilettoes) and the collages of Maria Rivans. The Byker Vista Cafe was pleasant.
When we arrived at the hostelI was surprised that it was so old-fashioned (it was refurbished last year). Still, the staff were friendly, the facilites were everything we needed and, of course, in common with all YHA hostels, all tea and coffee was fair trade. Another good thing about youth hostels is that it instils a sense of responsibility in kids as they have to make and strip their own beds and clear up after themselves. The Newcastle hostel doesn't offer evening meals but had a fully stocked kitchen so we bought our tea from Rehills - possibly the poshest corner shop in the world.
Sunday - kung hei fat choi!
After a lovely cooked breakfast, we said goodbye to the YHA staff and strolled along to Armstrong Bridge where local artisans were selling their wares. I had hoped to take the girls to Pets Corner in Jesmond Dene but it is closed for refurbishment.
We came back via All Saints Cemetery and then went across the road to look round the Jesmond Old Cemetery. The Metro wasn't running in the morning so we strolled down to Haymarket only to discover we were too early for the Great North Museum so, we sat outside the Hancock and ate cookies.
In Stowell Street, the Chinese New Year celebrations were getting underway. We bought paper dragons, drums and fortune cookies and queued for food. It had been the main purpose of our visit but the Year of the Tiger festivities turned out to be too busy so we headed across to the Life centre for cuppa.
We found ourselves with a bit of spare time so decided to track down the Meet Under the Clock geocache. It was the most ingeniously concealed cache ever!
People associate the city with shopping but it has so much more to offer. Newcastle has some very cool places, buildings, people and events (including the Maker Faire, 13-14 March). I was sorry to have missed the Vintage Fair taking place at Northumbria Student Union, but very pleased to learn that there will be one in Edinburgh on 20th March (Edinburgh Uni SU, 11-4). We are already planning our next visit.
Website of the day: The Woolly West - knitters have been recreating demolished areas of west Newcastle in wool.
Friday 12th February 2010
Happy Mahashivratri!The majority of the evening was spent searching fruitlessly for our Friends and Family Railcard for tomorrow's trip.
It seems the less some committee members, councillors and MPs do, the more self-congratulatory they become. I have read annual reports which have included "Key Achievements: compiling this annual report". Seriously.
Thursday 11th February 2010
Today's meetup at the Pennypit was packed with Vitamin Fabulous.
Des parked the the Borders Scrap Store van in the car park and
Anne, Denise and I had a good old rummage. I bought some lovely
fabric with a teal and gold geometric design, some PVA glue, some paint
and...and ornamental bird cage. That makes two in five days!
I'm thinking of using it either as a planter (possibly for
strawberries or some other trailing thing) or bird bath.
Alternatively, I could just stuff it full of fatballs and hang it
in a tree.There are always lots of plastic conical spools available and I'm sure they would be great in flower arranging but I hadn't found a use for them - until now. I've used a small orange spool to modify a table lamp. Sitting over the bulb, it casts beautiful patterns.
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Emily is having a hard time at school. The girls she aspires to be friends with are quite nasty and their modus operandi is bullying by exclusion. I've suggested she befriends some other children but she claims they are all 'silly'. Seeing them walking home today, screaming at the top of the voices, trying to push each other in front of traffic etc, I can see what she means. Children are childish. I just cant' get her to see that high spirited children make better playmates than precocious bullies.
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Even though I say it myself, my vegetable broth was fab.
Wednesday
10th February 2010
Georgie received her Scottish
Book Trust's Explorer Backpack from nursery. It
included On
the Way Home
by Jill
Murphy, Animal ABC: [a Scots Alphabet]
and a White Board Set.I received some Sacla classic basil pesto and Italian tomato & olive stir-through sauce in the post to review for BzzAgent.
Website of the day: Robin Hood Tax - not taxing, not complicated, just brilliant.
Tuesday
9th February 2010
Often, my day doesn't go to plan. Which is unfortunate
because I
am one of life's planners. A list-maker. A
schedule-keeper.Over a cappuccino in the Brunton Theatre cafe I was listening to Faith telling me about her forthcoming trip to Ghana when my phone bleeped. It was a message from Emily's school saying the school had to close as the heating was broken.
According to Practically Edible, today is Bagel and Lox day. Unfortunately, Scotmid doesn't follow the same schedule as I do so we instead had black beluga lentils, sausage, bacon and butterbeans. Delish.
Website of the day: Suma Wholefood Coop - specialists in vegetarian, organic and fair trade foods (thanks Faith).
Monday
8th February 2010
There are two women that I always see together. One is tall
and
walks with clenched fists, staring straight ahead as though
she is
about to start a fight. The other is considerably
shorter
and wider. As the tall one takes great strides, the dumpy
one's
head is turned upward in Tall's direction and is almost running to keep
up. Tall-and-Small are quite an amusing sight
and always
remind me of something I can't quite put my finger on.This evening I was reading Gods in Alabama which, from the first paragraph contains several unfamiliar words (kudzu, a highly invasive vine). At one point the narrator describes lengthening her stride until her companion was dogtrotting to catch up.
I immediately thought of Tall-and-Small.
--
This evening we had Nigel Barker's version of Nigel Slater's pasta, sardines & breadcrumbs. It was truly magnificent and even the kids ate every morsel. I'd like to try it again substituting Ryvita for breadcrumbs and with the addition of dill for a Scandinanvian/gravalax type of thing.
Website of the day: Spices of India - Indian food, spices, sweets, ingredients, recipes, kitchenware and tableware
Sunday
7th February 2010
At the Freecycle Shop today my star finds included a Magimix ice cream
maker, scraps (the paper scrapbooking kind), an
ornamental birdcage, a raincoat in a backpack and Femme
Fatale: Grrrl Power CDs.It was lovely to see so Julie, Anne B, Susan, Denise, Jane, Anne G, Jan, Nicky, Carmel, Annemarie et al, although it was a little too busy to make any introductions.
I'd like to hold another free shop in the day centre but next time I'd like to offer refreshments and perhaps have some helpers to organise specific zones and help match up donations with people's specific wants. A fun and successful first attempt even if I say so myself.
Of course, like all my best ideas, I nicked it from someone else! The Forest Cafe have been running a weekly (Sunday) Free Shop for yonks.
Date for your diary: Femstruation Week, 13-20 February - organised by those bloody Edinburgh AnarchoFeminists.
Saturday
6th February 2010
Happy Birthday Lucy!We celebrated Lucy's sixth birthday with a trip to Deep Sea World. We all really enjoyed it and Lucy particularly liked seeing the star fish.
North Queensferry is a nice town with some interesting monuments like the old harbour light tower and the traveller's well and lovely old buildings. We had lunch at the Albert Hotel (apparently a haunt of Iain Banks). It was fair-enough fare but not exactly a gastronomic triumph.
Friday
5th February 2010
What a lovely surprise I had when I went into the Small World
this morning. All the shelves have been rearranged and there
is a
table laden with trinkets and jewellery just inviting you to
investigate further. There are no awkward passageways to
negotiate and there is even a clothes rail. Wow!
It's
brilliant to see the volunteers so charged with enthusiam and energy!Website of the day: Hotpot - Fife Contemporary Art & Craft's exhibition of works by Ruth Archibald-Swaans, Gayle Chong Kwan, Alex Frost, Alex Wilde, Rebecca Wilson exploring the emotional relationship between food and people.
Thursday
4th February 2010
First thing this morning I had a meeting in the Small World
shop. It was very constructive. Instead of talking
about
things that "should be done" we actually talked about "how" they could
be done and, better still, got a date in the diary to make the changes
happen!After a really quite negative few days, today was really positive. For the first time in ages, I actually felt like a worthwhile human being and that I was making a difference. (Ironic really as my head was very thick after last night).
Meadowmill bakery must be making strawberry tarts this morning. A cloying fruity smell is wafting down the road.
Website of the day: I Have - hands up if you can help these charities out. Current requests include an Answermachine with fax, a balance beam, a digital camera
Wednesday
3rd February 2010
I had the morning from hell. After eventually getting all
children despatched in not quite clean, almost matching socks and
unironed trousers we returned to the house no fewer than three times
to retrieve forgotten schoolbags, wash dirty faces etc. When
a
day starts off this badly it's fair to assume it's going to get worse.This afternoon while I bathed Lucy and Georgie, I went down downstairs to answer the door. I had barely signed for a parcel when Lucy shouted "Mum, there is blood in the bath". I raced upstairs to discover Georgie had cut her legs with my razor.
Reasons to be cheerful #1: I saw a sneak preview of the cover of Annemarie's latest book Ushig. It features a very scary looking horse.
Reasons to be cheerful #2: My outfits have arrived from Rupali (Sarvika in Chiku; Ashara in Aqua and Anju in Black with Blue).
Reasons to be cheerful #3: The first 2010 meeting of the East Lothian Book Club for Fabulous Women was a success (I think. It's hard to remember. Four large glasses of wine = erm, mostly blank bits really).
The books we are reading this month are Gods in Alabama and Poppy Shakespeare. I'm going to have to stop reading The Satanic Verses which I'm only half way though. I don't like stopping and starting books but Salman Rushdie isn't exactly a quick read.
We also got copies of "Carry a Poem", the One Book - One Edinburgh publication which was nice.
Website of the day: Belkiz Feedaway - a portable highchair made from recycled cardboard
Tuesday
2nd February 2010
It's really frustrating to find a good campaign (for instance, The Big
Draw, Chatterbox
Challenge, Fairtrade
Fortnight etc)
and search "Find
Events Near You" only to discover that there are none.
Which is why I end up organising something.
Which I why my house is a mess.
Which got me thinking...isn't there an East Lothian Council wage slave being paid to do this sort of thing?
Website of the day: Cloud Attack - a fun game from the Met Office for wee folk
Monday 1st
February 2010
If I devoted every waking minute
to domestic
drudgery, I am certain that four out of five people in the household
would be quite happy...I bought some fingerless gloves and a hat from Carousel in the High Street.
Website of the day: Boom Boom Cards - Intentional Acts of Kindness. Be an Agent of Altruism and get your deck of 26 cards featuring acts of guerrilla goodness.
Sunday
31st January 2010
All my good work with Emily was undone this morning and the
bickering and squabbling as started anew.I used to hate coming back from the Small World to find everyone had fallen out and it was up to me to restore order and harmony. I'm giving up working in the shop, but I suspect that nothing will change, apart from the fact that I will have no 'me' time. The current situation is becoming injurious to my mental health.
It wasn't all doom and gloom though, Laura and Kev came round for lunch bringing with them lovely cheesecake.
Website of the day: DoGood - I can't praise this highly enough! Replaces generic adverts with non-profit ones (I'm discovering all sorts of fabby and interesting sites). It turns your everyday web browsing into charitable donations. What's not too love?!
Saturday
30th January 2010
Emily and I spent the day together and it has been really
nice. It began with my shift in The Small World where I was
very glad of an extra pair of hands when I discovered there were two
orders to be made up. From there we popped into the library to say goodbye to Nigel, Lucy and Georgie. I bumped into Anne (sporting a fabby new crop) who was picking up copies of Poppy Shakespeare
and Gods
in Alabama
for our
next meetup. We got a train to Edinburgh, feasted on Burger King, bought Millies Cookies, went to Emily's favourite sweet shop and then on to the Mound Precinct.
We met up with Jane and Ilka at the RSA and looked around 'Solutions', an exhibition of contemporary Scottish watercolours. Emily wasn't impressed with Eileen Lawrence's Nature Red ("anyone could do that!"). She was more enthused by Adrian Wiszniewski's brightly coloured works featuring doe-eyed children in a stylised landscape. Eddie Summerton's The Empty Nests looked familiar, I'd seen them at last summer's Heavy Metal Mouth exhibition.
We then moved on to the Turner watercolours. Being the last day of the annual display, it was mobbed. On our way to the gift shop, Ilka, Jane and I discussed our favourites. We all particularly liked the paintings depicting Venice and discovered we had all been to the City on Water. It was definately time for a blether so we had coffee in Hendersons and got to know Ilka a bit better. (in common with my other German friends, she is lovely and uber-efficient). After saying Auf Wiedershen to our newest Fab, Jane, Emily and I went to Paperchase. Predictably, Emily thought this was the best place she had ever been to.
Emily was so happy she practically skipped back to the station with Millies Cookies, a Whimsical Wonderball, and a whole heap of gorgeous stationery. Our mum and daughter day had been really nice and this evening she talked to me, really talked. And I really listened.
--
It is the biggest full moon of the year tonight - the Wolf Moon.
Website of the day: Mailchimp - free email marketing. Store up to 500 subscribers. Send up to 3,000 emails a month for FREE (thanks Nicky).
Friday
29th January 2010
I'm feeling a bit better than I have felt all week.
Unfortunately, it is Lucy's turn to get the sniffles and she
is
off school today.I spent far too long on Google Street view after discovering that Prestonpans is now included. Interesting sights including a man looking through a rubbish bin on Preston Road, our lovely neighbours tending their garden, the In-Bloomers hard at work at Cockenzie Memorial Garden and, my favourite, a lady waiting for a bus, oblivious to Percy the Gnome sitting atop the Northfield bus shelter.
Wow!, my sister has updated her blog. Whatever next. Hen's teeth?
Website of the day: RNLI SOS - clever events idea generator - Sell Our Stuff/Share Our Soup/Screen Old Shows etc etc
Thursday
28th January 2010
The same parents who were yesterday exclaiming that
"someone
else" must re re-infecting their little darlings with head lice (yeah,
and your kid's poop smells of roses no doubt) were whingeing again
today. The subject for debate was immigrants who, as every Daily Mail
reader will tell you, get given everything for free and blah blah
blah...I left them to their Rivers of Bloodfest while I waited for Lucy who came bounding towards me with a big smile on her face.
I gave her the little mermaid that I made this morning and had added her face to it. She clasped it going up the road and was very silent. When we got home she was quite tearful. "Mum, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I don't like it's face". I assured her it was fine and promised to find another photograph that she liked better (I didn't say "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but it's your face").
---
Prestonpans said goodbye to one of its eminent citizens today. He was greatly respected and will be sorely missed.
The element of 'service' is needed in communities. People should take less and give more. Anything less is a disservice to your town.
If you don't live in the place you love, then love the place you live. Embrace it. Be part of it. Serve it.
Wednesday
27th January 2010
I've got a cold. So has Lucy. It was
very tempting to
keep her off school but as I had a meetup, I
packed her off to school with the promise that her teacher would phone
me if she go worse. I picked up some Otravine from Boots that
cleared my head a bit and waited at the Scrap Store. And
waited.
The new member didn't show up. I had a good look round though, and got some nice red fabric for valentines's day crafting and some mermaid templates. I met Nicky there and had a coffee with her in the Brunton. I felt guilty for not finishing my scone. Perhaps there should be a fine for uncleared plates (although having read Freakonomics I suspect that would encourage more waste).
I tuned into East Coast FM today (you can also listen to it from the East Lothian Buzz site) and Tina LePage played a song for Georgie who was thrilled to hear her name.
Website of the day: Low Impact Living (Courses in Scotland) - from 'How to keep pigs' to "make your own soap' - all at Gorgie City Farm. I love the 'How to be make Wood Burner from a Gas Bottle'
Tuesday
26th January 2010
Random stuff in my head (not necessarily on my head):I think I could set up a headlice debugging clinic. Seriously. People are quite reluctant/don't know how to properly check their kids heads.
What is with the trend for 'pimp my'? The connotations are so ugly and negative (and already sounding hackneyed).
Where have I posted event listings for the 'Free Shop'? The time has changed to a more family-friendly 2-4 (still on 7th Feb).
How many more keys have to be lost from this laptop before I give up? (It is missing the g, h, x, c, v, b, n and a space bar)
Is there a polite way to say "Shit, or get off the pot"?
Does moaning ever achieve anything?
Website of the day: Go Fourth - the campaign for a Labour fourth term
Monday
25th January 2010
To A Louse. (On seeing one on a lady's bonnet at church)
Ha! Where are you going, you crawling wonder?
Your impudence protects you sorely,
I can not say but you swagger rarely
Over gauze and lace,
Though faith! I fear you dine but sparingly
On such a place
You ugly, creeping, blasted wonder,
Detested, shunned by saint and sinner,
How dare you set your foot upon her -
Such fine a lady!
Go somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body
Off! in some beggar's temples squat:
There you may creep, and sprawl, and scramble,
With other kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Where horn nor bone never dare unsettle
Your thick plantations
Now hold you there! you are out of sight,
Below the falderals, snug and tight;
No, faith you yet! you will not be right,
Until you have got on it ---
The very topmost, towering height
Of misses bonnet.
My sooth! right bold you set your nose out,
As plump and gray as any gooseberry:
O for some rank, mercurial resin,
Or deadly, red powder,
I would give you such a hearty dose of it,
Would dress your breech!
I would not have been surprised to spy
You on an old wife's flannel cap:
Or maybe some small ragged boy,
On his undervest;
But Miss's fine balloon bonnet! fye!
How dare you do it.
O Jenny do not toss your head,
And set your beauties all abroad!
You little know what cursed speed
The blastie's making!
Those winks and finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takiing!
O would some Power the gift to give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion:
What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
And even devotion!
Happy Burns Day!
Sunday
24th January 2010
I am no cook. My signature dish is a crisp
sandwich. Notwithstanding, even I can make a
pancake. In Scotmid today I saw a packet of pancake mix and I
thought to myself "even I
can make a pancake". For people who find the packet mix a little taxing, there was also the option to buy a bottle containing pancake mixture, all ready to pour.
Then I went to the chiller cabinet where they had pre-made pancakes all ready to go in a microwave. Are people really so lazy and inept?
Website of the day: Punks Not Dad - middle-aged anarchists
Saturday
23rd January 2010
I used my time in the Small World to have a declutter, do
some general tidying and sprucing up. By the end of my shift
I
could actually imagine the shop with a coffee machine, some samples of
biscuits and a pot plant or two.Back home the mood was oppressive, the house was a tip and everyone had fallen out. I was tempted to walk straight back out the door and jump on a 26. Instead, I had a very firm talk with everyone about the need to work together as a team and order was restored over lunch.
Nigel went to the Goth this evening for Johnston's 50th birthday bash and I had a quiet night in.
Website of the day: Wallpapered dumpsters - that's tarted up skips to thee and me.
Friday
22nd January 2010
A couple of the Fabs have lots in common with each other
but
haven't met yet and the social engineer in me can't wait to introduce
them because I know they will get on really well. Or will
they?
Whenever someone tells me I will "really get on with XYZ" I
usually don't! Often
when someone says that XYZ is "really funny" I meet them and discover
that their 'humour' is really quite crude. Same
goes for books. I can't remember the
last time I enjoyed a book that someone said I would love.Putting like-minded socially-aware folk in touch with one another is the Book Club's raison d'être. However, I think the word 'Fabulous' is not doing us any favours and conjures up the Absolutely Fabulous indulgent pampered lifestyle. I've changed the 'About Us' info to stress that we have more in common with Joanna Lumley, the human rights and animal activist, than Patsy, her AbFab character.
Having received a deliberately misleading letter and a phone call about a meeting in the Labour Club this evening, Nigel went there. Only to discover that the intention was to disrupt rather than convene a meeting. Nigel wasn't impressed. Neither am I. .
Date for your diary: World Pillowfight Day - Saturday 3rd April - Edinburgh's pillowfight takes place at Mound Precinct, outside the Galleries. Bring a pillow.
Thursday
21st January 2010
Good grief, it's must be a slow news week. Our
local paper reported "Tranent
confectioner to stock Creamola Foam" and "Communion token fetched
£19.99 on ebay".I ventured into The Filling Station for the first time. There is normally a huge queue whenever I go past and I've heard great things about it. I bought a slice of mandarin cheesecake and a jam and cream-filled fruit scone. Both were quite nice (I shared with Georgie, I'm no a gannet) but were ridiculously over-packaged in polystyrene containers, came with a plastic fork and handed over in a polythene bag.
Lucy and Georgie can get a bit excited when we call into the Small World and are always bursting to tell whoever is on duty about their day at school. The volunteers are always so patient and kind with them. Today it was Dave and Sandra who were on duty and they gave them some chocolate peanuts.
Emily came home with the proof of her school photo today - beautiful as always.
This evening, once the kids were asleep, I churned out handmade posters for a Free Shop as we listened to Nigel's Spotify playlist. Are we the coolest couple ever? I know so.
Website of the day: Withered Hand - You heard it hear first: this band are going to be massive.
Wednesday
20th January 2010
I don't like talking on the telephone and tend not to instigate
telecons if I can avoid it. This morning I received a phone
call
from Ros Parkyn about the Three
Harbours Arts Festival.
It was so much more productive than emails going
back and
forth and, while we were talking, we were both coming up with new
ideas. Ordinary people will at this point be saying "well, doh!" but
I'm out of the habit of using the phone to discuss stuff.If I'm a little quiet or reticent at drawing attention to myself, Georgie certainly makes up for it. As we were walking along the High Street, she noticed council workers in a cherry picker taking down the Christmas decorations. She shouted at the top of her voice "Evil Builders!"
This evening we celebrated Vasant Panchami. As is traditional we honoured Saraswati by eating yellow food (yellow split peal dhal and turmeric coloured rice) and wearing yellow clothes.
Website of the day: Flipping Heck - learning to be productive, one step at a time.
Tuesday
19th January 2010
As I marched the girls round to the playground another mum
muttered something about barging past (I hadn't). I stopped
and
turned on my heels and challenged her. She looked startled and responded aggressively "Don't you start on me, I've already had enough this morning....[tails off unintelligibly]". I stand my ground and wait.
She muttered something and looked around before nodding her head in the direction of another mum and said "I was talking about her". An exchange took place about manners. I agreed with her that children need to learn a few lessons before adding in an even tone "We women should be supporting each other and setting the example, not squabbling with each other". She wandered off in the other direction clearly suspecting I was some sort of crazy person. Our paths crossed again later than morning and we introduced ourselves properly, all smiles, no hard feelings. Some days I amaze even myself.
---
One of the Fab Wifies is going to Ghana at the end of Febrary. The region she will visit is one of the poorest and education is a high priority. If you are able to drop off some school supplies (e.g. pens, pencils, paints, school bags, math sets and calculators etc) chez J-Bar please get in touch one way or t'other.
---
I'm sure I saw Olive from On the Buses in Lidl this morning.
Website of the day: Cloth Kits - fun clothing kits for you to cut and sew at home
Monday
18th January 2010
We were so late for school this morning that I was running in the
gate as the other parents were coming out. Elaine passed me a bag of
clothes for Lucy which was very kind of her. It was also a
funny coincidence as my next stop was to meet up with Nicky
Orr of
Frugal Cool
to blether about, amongst other things, her plan to organise a clothes
swish for kids. There's nothing quite like a cappuccino and a plan for world domination (or at least a Sustainable East Lothian) to kick Blue Monday into touch. After saying goodbye to Nicky I looked around the fundraising shop in the Hollies Day Centre and some of the charity shops. I bought two new, boxed presents for 49p and £1.29.
Thanks to FUSShop for sending me two back issues of Rugged so quickly. I'm not really a skateboard punkrocker but I do like this stuff.
Quote of the day: "Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sunday
17th January 2010
We met Jane and Chris at the train station for our walk up to Fa'side.
It was an official 'Meetup' of East Lothian Book Club
for Fabulous Women (and their fabulous families).
It was nice. Jane's lemon drizzle cake was
divine.
Saturday
16th January 2010
I took Georgie to the Small
World shop with me. As I unlocked the doors and
opened the blinds she said "I
don't think we are allowed to be here when the ladies aren't in".
I explained that today we
were the ladies.
She looked doubtful until I let her run riot with the pricing
gun. It was quite boring for her though, especially as there
were
no customers. We bumped into Erica who gave us a lift home. She was rewarded for her kindness by Georgie being sick in the car.
Friday
15th January 2010
I got quite a shock to discover we had a lot more stick
insects nymphs
that I previously thought. I counted around 25.
There might be more,
it's difficult to count them! Equally surprising is the amount of traffic to the site - we've had over 15000 visitors since November 2007.
Hello! Mirëdita, Ahalan,Parev, Zdravei, Nei, Dobrư den, Goddag, Goede dag, Hallo, Saluton, Hei, Bonjour, Guten Tag, Gia'sou, Aloha, Shalom, Namaste, Jó napot, Góđan daginn, Aksunai, Kon-nichiwa, Dzien' dobry , Olá ,Bună ziua, Zdravstvuyte, Hej, Sa-wat-dee, Merhaba, Vitayu, Xin chàom, Hylo, Sawubona! I'm not sure what brought you to our humble corner of t'Internet, but welcome and I hope you enjoy your stay.
---
I like words with more than one meaning. These are my favourites: withdrawn ("there are calls for troops to be withdrawn"); outstanding ("your report is outstanding"); appealing ("I am appealing to you").
Thursday
14th January 2010
A strange day. I'm full of despondency and can't quite get
out of it. First, I found myself in the strange position of being a table away from a Meetup member yet not actually meeting up.
Secondly, I visited Fay and Allan which was pleasant enough but the moment Georgie finished her bottle of blackcurrant juice she went bonkers. I mean, seriously hyper to the point where she was behaving like a drunk. It was really quite distressing.
Finally, Nigel was late home again so our Pongal celebrations were delayed - but our feast was nice. I used the celery I bought from Roots and Fruits this morning to make this raita.
The third day of Pongal is Maatu Pongal when the cows have a day off and are pampered. Seriously. They are cleaned, and fed specially prepared food and they are adorned with garlands.
I have Twitter to thank for that info. It is also to thank for bringing my mood down further: someone's vitriolic outpourings in which they refer to young children as "little cows". They should perhaps make it clear this is their own personal Twidiotic view and not that of the children's organisation which they represent (and which receives public money).
It has been a strange day. I wish I was in Tamil Nadu.
Website of the day: Barker Family Show Cattle - udderly ridiculous and just for my own a-moo-sement. I'm really milking it now.
Wednesday
13th January 2010
I went to Borders Scrap Store and picked up a variety of bits
and
bobs including some pieces of lambswool. I don't have any
definate plans for any of it other than I want to make my sister
'something' for her birthday. I hadn't really paid much attention to the former Fisherrow School before. It has a pair of interesting domes or cupolas or minaret (architectural terms aren't my strong point) . It's amazing how many gorgeous features you spot when you look up.
I popped into Oxfam and spoke to Frances. The shop obviously hasn't yet set up a Haiti aid box yet but donations can be made to Oxfam online or by phone (0300 200 1999) or to the British Red Cross (also by phone 0845 053 5353).
Many years ago, a grumpy Polishman used to repair my shoes. A visit to his 'shop', in reality a garden shed in Restalrig, always cost me more than I planned because he would invariably sell me a pair of boots or shoes. Similarly, an equally grumpy (but substantially larger) Polish seamstress used to alter my vintage Balmain frocks and other jumble sale shop finds and persuade me to buy some bric-a-brac. I don't know if this entrepreneurial spirit (or grumpiness) is a well-known Polish trait but I do miss these talented craftspeople. Last year I broke the buckle on my shoe (on a daring mission of the guerrilla type) and took them into Timpson today to have them repaired. The staff were polite enough, the price reasonable, but sadly no-one tried to sell me a one-legged doll or a pair of cuban heels.
Lesson of the day: Look up! You see more.
Tuesday
12th January 2010
The
snow has
thawed revealing lots of litter. I'm an activist, not a moanivist
so I got out my litterpicker.---
I
detest horrible 'mini-adult' clothes for children and "sexy" slogans on
girls' underwear etc so was pleased to hear of Mumsnet's Let
Girls be Girls campaign. One of it supporters
is Kids
Should Be Kids (who currently have a whopping 20% off all
stock - put the word "offer" in the redeem box).
Monday
11th January 2010
Ihad to reactivate my Facebook account in order to look at a
friend's holiday photos. I won't be reactivating. Not because
of
the photos, which were beautiful, but because of the
nastiness.
There is so much negativity and bitchiness and, the enemy of
the
emotionally intelligent:shallowness.Coincidentally, a friend called this evening who was upset as a result of some cyber bullying.
I can't help wondering where people get their sense of superiority. By being mean to a soft target?
Website of the day: Kick a Kitten - Bullies everywhere will love this - bonus points if you make the kitten cry.
Sunday
10th January
It's great that we are having a flurry of women joining the book club
but I'm wondering whether we need to restrict membership. I
can
see it reaching a point where it becomes quite unwieldy when it comes
to having discussions.The club on which ours is based has a private membership - prospective members have to be approved by the organiser. I'd rather not do that! Having said that, I read some folk's Tweets and I think "please don't join us". We currently have a brilliant membership. It's a real sisterhood of positive-thinking, clever, supportive, amazing women who are trying to be better people (as opposed to considering themselves better than other people). It would be a shame if that were to change.
---
Our 2009 photos have been published here. And Nigel has updated his blog here.
Film of the Week: The Yes Men - changing the world one culturejam at a time.
Saturday
9th January
We had a nice morning with Annemarie and Jim, drinking tea and
putting the world to rights while the girls played with Esme and Max. In the afternoon I took Georgie along to the Community Centre where her nursery chum was having a birthday party. She was in her element galloping around chasing balloons, jumping on the bouncy castle and getting her face painted.
This evening we had a delivery from Natural Spice - a rare treat. It was absolutely wonderful.
Friday
8th January
School reopened today. Emily's friend called on her even
earlier
than usual - clearly looking forward to getting back to
classes.
It was exactly what they needed and the girls each came home
exhilarated.On the walk to school we heard yet another flock of geese overhead. We stood and watched the magnificent spectacle. Later this evening we were looking skywards again but this time at the International Space Station which came up at the horizon from the south-southwest looking like a very bright star.
Website of the day: E20 - will I watch this online-only Eastender spin-off?
Thursday
7th January
I'm beginning to suffer
from cabin fever.The trains are disrupted again so Nigel is at home, which is nice.
The girls are still off school which is, erm, challenging.
Nigel did the vacuuming but managed to detach the filter and blow clouds and clouds of dust which settled on every single surface...which was really rather annoying.
---
One of my favourite things is listening to Radio 4 while pottering around the house. I really enjoyed the reading of "Smell my fleece" by Anna Towers, read by Claire Foy (Little Dorrit). I am on the slippery slope that leads to the Archers.
We finished off the final Christmas pudding today. We also had sardines and polenta, to which I added Gwen McGraw's wonderful tomato & chilli sauce. The kid's smothered theirs with pesto - bleurggh.
Wednesday
6th January
Points failures along the line mean poor Nigel was stuck on a
train which wasn't going anywhere fast. He did eventually get
into work and this evening arrived home late and very cold.It was disappointing to have to cancel the first 2010 meeting of Fab Wifies but unavoidable. The venue wasn't able to open because their staff were struggling to get in.
People on foot are managing to trudge around but folk used to driving everywhere are completely stymied.
Website of the day: TES Direct - this will come in handy if I need to start homeschooling...
Tuesday
5th January
The teachers returned to school today but we heard that
school wouldn't re re-opening for pupils tomorrow as scheduled because
of the severe weather.Lucy has found her little Buddha charm and, for the time being at any rate, baby Jesus, has been relegated. All I need now is for to Georgie to stop singing "Two thousand years ago in Bethlee heaven".
For tea we had Nigel's delicious tomato and lentil soup with my homemade herby bread rolls. Proper winter warming stuff.
Website of the day: Shepherd House Garden - the beautiful Inveresk gardens of Sir Charles and Lady Fraser.
Monday
4th January
Nigel went back to work. Nigel's work hadn't gone back.
Nigel returned home.
How we larfed.
Sunday
3rd January
I'm thinning out my non-fiction. It is an impossible task.
Whenever I pick up something that I think I couldn't possibly
have any reason to keep, I start reading it and decide it warrants
further consideration. And reading. And then I keep
it.Example: 'Passenger List of the Mayflower 1620'.
5.25 p.m. "There is absolutely no reason for keeping this."
5.26 p.m. "Oh look at this entry 'Dorothy Bradford, Wisbech. Drowned at Cape Cod by falling of Mayflower". "Ahhh, 'Oceanus - born during voyage"
[continues like this for several minutes]
5.30 p.m. "OK, this one stays".
Saturday
2nd January
I'm growing a little tired of Twitter. It seems to be
largely full of self-publicists, sycophants, moaning minnies and the
downright tweird. I can't understand why someone boasts of having 'got up at 6.00 a.m. and washed all the windows'. I never get the same sense of achievement from housework as i do from, well...almost anything. (Hence I have an untidy house and lots of unfinished projects).
Website of the day: Evil Twin Booking Agency - entertainment for people who think and act
Friday 1st
January 2010
We sent off for Birsley Brae armed with hot chocolate, coffee, cheese
sandwiches, Brenda's fruitcake and homemade cookies made with bits of
chopped up selection box chocolate (Fudge works best, Crunchie just
goes gooey).Emily, very thoughtfully, suggested taking a bird food chain to hang on the trees for our feathered friends. The woodland looked a little more unkempt than last year - the broken gate hasn't been repaired and there has been further damage to the perimeter fence. I'm not sure who manages it but I'd be happy to help with a bit of maintenance.
There was the usual post-Christmas flytipping of packaging and redundant items. My mantra is 'Be the change you want to see in the world' so, as we couldn't physically remove all the bags of rubbish, I reported it at landscapeandcountryside@eastlothian.gov.uk.
--
Nigel has several ties, none of them particularly nice. Several of them fell out of the fugly tree and hit all the branches on the way down. We decided (ok, it was me) to have an ugly tie contest. There were seven contestants and we each scored them out of 10. The worst fashion disaster scored a measly 12 out of a possible 50. I now have to find alternative uses for ugly ties. I saw a great Instructable where someone had made a skirt out of them but that seems too much like hard work. I was thinking more along the lines of a stuffed toy or brooch then I looked at a google images and found hundreds of seriously cool things made from old ties (yes, this is how I fill my time). Take a look, there are some very creative and talented people in the world.
--
Dr Who, what can I say? It exceeded my expectations but to be fair they were low. When the new Doctor appeared at the end, Lucy shouted crossly "I don't like him!". I think I said something similar when David Tennant replaced the rather delightful Christopher Eccleston.