Mudski - Menacing

Another muddy walk today, but it had a tinge of 'there's a spooky house on the hill' . The dogs got very aggressive and stressed in the woods about a semi structure that has been there every time we have walked there before. After that I had a funny feeling I was being watched.


I felt isolated on the tunnel.

The trees seemed oppressive.

I was so worried about going back through the wood that I went a different way home, through lots of mud and for once, I was happy to see man made objects around.

I feel like my perfect woodland walk has been tarred by something odd that I don't understand. Was there something there or have I just scared myself?

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School Gate Fashion Police

I arrived at the school gates 20 minutes early, a complete failure in my afternoon plan. It was intensely cold, like eat at your skin cold. I was, luckily, wearing my dog walking coat which had in the pocket my dog walking hat (safe for the woods only!).

What the hell! It's too cold to care, on went the hat. As more parents started to arrive I know I looked a complete freak but I was warm. And then my saving grace arrived....

...she was orange, I mean spray tan gone bad orange AND wearing purple tights AND wearing denim hot pants, 6 inch heels and a blouson jacket. And bless her, she stood next to me....

...well, freaks of a feather flock together!!!

Daughter wandered out of school and looked at me "MUUUUUUUUUUUM, you're so embarrassing"

"yes, but look at that" I whispered

She put head in her hands, shook it sadly and sloped off in despair!!!!

Note to Self : must get some normal mummy school gate attire and not stand in the freak show corner!!!!!!!!!

Which is a lovely excuse to bring out my favourite freaky photo!!

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I could have an axe in my head....

Sunday night :
"I'm not at work tomorrow dear, I am going to the hairdressers for a colour"
"I'd best remember to notice this time then" (it took him 4 days to notice a new hair-do last time)


Monday Morning:
"You are late getting up, are you working from home today?"
"Noooooo, I'm going to the hairdressers"
"Yes, yes, note to self..must notice..hahahaha" (yes, very amusing dear)


Monday evening:
"The snow was very bad Kettering way today"
"Was it, how do you know?
"The hairdresser told me" (and still not a bloody word about my hair)


Now, I don't for one minute believe he is being awkward....he genuinely isn't even registering. Problem is this morning he woke up next to a brunette, tomorrow morning he will wake up next to a blonde - wonder if he will notice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so if he woke up next to Lady Gaga he would notice, but a girl (and hubby!) can dream can't she !!!

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Passchendaele

Last Night I watched Passchendaele. The strength, tenacity and nobleness of the Canadians shines throughout. The British showed as underhand, pompous and unfeeling. The death and destruction was vivid and raw.



I found the film hard to watch and was pacing in and out of the room, poking my head around the door saying "is he dead yet?" I must have driven my husband to distraction but he was ever understanding and calm.

Last Night I dreamt my husband married a Canadian. I watched it all unfurl before my eyes helpless to stop it. She was vibrant but humble, beautiful but natural. She would do everything with him that he wants to do, she would not hold him back.

Last Night I lost pride in my country and it broke my heart. The Americans shined in bravery at Omaha. The Canadians Passchendale. The Australians Gallipoli.

All day I have struggled to find that pride again but tonight I remembered the Little Ships of Dunkirk.

It also brought me to Harry Patch, if you haven't heard of him this is worth a read.

And back to the wedding? Well I have treasured my man today, so he benefited marvellously.

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Dogski

Most of the muddy puddles were solid ice today.

Just for once, I wasn't walking alone.

We had fun trying to walk over the puddles and breaking the ice.

Everywhere was so bright and the melting snow sparkled like jewels in the bushes.

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It was HUGE!

The Biggest Snowflakes EVER!

I have never seen snowflakes so big. Daughter was in the next village, riding. In the time it took me to go get her, we had 2 inches and cars were getting stuck on the hills.

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My Friends the Stones

My Secret Post Club parcel arrived today .

A wonderful treasure chest of surprises from Michelloui.

What I learnt today:




Surprises are lovely

Models in photos are considerably more photogenic than my family.

Chocolate Bunnies do not live long (even in Lent).

When you read the words 'Breathe d-e-e-p-l-y. Now. Stop and breathe' you really do just that (see).

Stones have a life and an energy all of their own and every stone has a tale to tell.


I do love stones. Whenever I am in a place I feel happy and secure I will find a stone, plain and small and put it in my pocket. I find these stones later in old coat pockets or in a pot of bits and bobs. I can never remember where there were from (because they are all plain) but they make me feel happy because I know I was happy when I picked it up.


If you would like to be part of the Secret Post Club (you could send stones!!) then click on the parcel tag.

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Smiles across the Miles

I've had a dose of tonsillitis for the past week, bad enough to keep me off work and I've been feeling rather sorry for myself.

And then a parcel arrived that cheered me up beyond measure. I bought some cards for Creatively Fighting Cancer and they are really really nice, hand made and ooozing graceful quality which as Patrick Nice would say 'Was Nice'. (So go bag yourself some!)

But it goes one better - I got beads, not just any beads ...these beads. Beads from Mardi Gras Alabama.

DustBunnyHostage wouldn't have had any idea that this would alter the course of my day and that I would be swinging around the house singing Sweet Home Alabama instead of shuffling around saying 'I hate work"

So is there a point coming ?...yes....the immeasurable joy you can give without knowing it. When you smile at the person in the street, you might have been the first of the day. When you hold the door open for someone you might make them feel good.


We now enter the season of Lent, it isn't just about self denial, it is also about giving time or love to others, helping them and sharing the love of Jesus.

It is amazing what a massive difference a small kind act can make.

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Who Am I?

This verse from a Hymn struck a chord in me today:

Will you love the 'you' you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound
in you, and you in me?

And it brought me back to here:


Dust Bunny Hostage shared this some time ago, it is very powerful and stayed with me, I would like to share it with you too.

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How it Sparkled!

If you thought this was going to be a Valentine gift post - how wrong you were!

I treated myself to an oven clean. For the first time ever, I didn't don the rubber gloves for a day and I had a lovely man come and do the dirty work.

Both ovens bling like new.

My word, I feel like a lucky lucky lady today.

Who needs diamonds!!!!!

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Marriage Deception

An Arabic country's ambassador to Dubai has had his marriage contract annulled after discovering the bride was cross-eyed and had facial hair.

Hmmmm....I wonder if this would work the other way around....imagine (dream sequence music commences):

Bride has had her marriage contract annulled after discovering the groom was a lazy, do nothing that refused to help out at home. The decision by the court was sealed after the groom's 'vital' statistics were declared as considerably below the average 7 inches.....

Nope, guess not....

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Mudski - Noise

The mud on my walk continues to get worse, it is becoming rather slithery and precarious in places

Walking dogs is very sociable. When I walked on my own, I got nods or a good afternoon. Now I have borrowed dogs about my person, people stop and talk. A lovely lady stopped for a chat about dogs and weather. Sadly I had to ask her to walk ahead and I would follow behind because I am still not confident enough in the dog's social skills. But I can see this social side growing.

When I was snow walking I noticed how quiet it was. But in quite thick fog, I was amazed at how sound carried. Shouts and whistles from football games that must have been miles away drifted across the fields. Rustles, birds calling, water running - every sound was magnified.

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Parents Evening

I was really disappointed by the teacher (and myself) at my daughters parent's evening today.

From the moment we sat down, she wanted to only talk about her current SAT score. I refuse to be drawn into a SAT conversation and always show disinterest in the score given.

At H’s current stage of her educational progress I understand that she is doing ok, she is regularly above average but has room for higher achievement if she chose to work harder. This I can determine from how she manages her homework and the report she came home with.

What I am not able to determine as a parent is how she stands in personal development, whether she interacts with others well, whether she fits normally into appropriate peer groups, where her favourite interests at school lie and what areas that she enjoys most and I can encourage her in. This sort of information is very hard for me to piece together from what little she shares with me and yet these keys development areas will be the basis for the person she will become.

This is the information I would like to talk to her teacher about, not whether she can shift from a 'B' to an 'A' with enough drilling.

The school’s SAT factory reminds me of Dr Seuss’s Sneetch machine!

I would love to be able to share with her teacher how much I appreciate her dedication and the energy she gives to my child. The enjoyment she has at school and her growing confidence comes from the teachers' hard efforts but in the 3 minutes allocated to me, I seem only to be able to argue about the futility of SATs.

A most unsatisfactory night for all the wrong reasons.

(and for the teachers listening: I popped back up with a bottle of wine and a note expressing my regrets at my annoyance and my appreciation - of course she was still up to her eyeballs in parents so I left it with the caretaker. Hope she gets it!!)

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The Man with the Bag

The photo meme I recently gate crashed, set me thinking about photos with the most significance to me - iconic photos.

It might be Vietnam Napalm Phan Thị Kim Phúc,

Or

The Vulture on the Sudan

Both of these photos speak volumes to me, my emotions become so strong it hurts to look at them, they leave me in tears.

But the picture that comes to me over and over is Tiananmen Square:

Who was this man? What was in the bag? What was his story that day? Where did this incredible amount of bravery and resolve come from? Is he still alive? And what happened to the tank driver who disobeyed his orders and did not drive over him?

All of these questions spin around, but for me this is the greatest picture of hope and it inspires me to stand up for what I believe to be right and true...

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5 Top Tips to Chip Away at Your Marital Bliss

Make no effort in the kitchen. If you happen to try cooking once in a while make sure you say "What do you want me to do?" to put all of the thought and responsibility back onto the other person.

Because you have no idea what is going on in the kitchen, when you go to the shops say "What do we need?" Make no effort to work out what would be good to get.

Never make a directed compliment, always be general. Never say "your hair is shiny today, it looks lovely." Simply save the "You look good" for just before an excursion, such as a meal out, because that is the appropriate thing to say in those situations.

In order not to over do the above, ensure any meals out or visits to the theatre are kept to the bare minimum and never instigate the event or get around to booking anything if asked.



Remember to sigh and roll your eyes whenever your partner tries to explain how they feel. Make sure they always feel like they are to blame and you are able to rise above it all.

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