I don't want to do this!

I have to go up into the attic to sort out some stuff - that's usually OK, but this morning I have heard a mouse rustling around up there, so I am having a fit of the 'don't want to's'.

So I decided to take a noisy drill up there, my mobile phone - on a just in case basis, and be very quick.

I hate this sort of situation!!

Webcams

Never mind plastic surgery, I am playing with a webcam so I want a total remake... A new face, a neck that is a reasonable length and an under-the-eye-bag-ectomy!! They are so cruel LOL!

Curiosity named the beetle.

On my last trip in Africa I found a glorious beetle - very gold and I was curious about it. I have finally managed to find out what it is - a tortoise beetle or Fool's gold beetle. Have a look at this if you are curious! A very kind man from the zoology Dept in Rhodes University identified it for me.

www.museums.org.za/bio/insects/beetles/
chrysomelidae/aspidomorpha_tecta.htm

Another soldier's tale.

Tami has been telling us all about her son's graduation at Parris Island and it has been very interesting to see the videos.

My brother joined the army at the tender age of 16 and had an interesting first week: he received a telegram telling him 'Mother and daughter are doing well.' What the powers that be didn't know was this was the birth of his younger sister. I gather he received much ragging about this. The very same baby caused some interesting reactions in my life too. When she was just a few months old, my parents sold the farm we lived on in South Wales and we moved to the Cotswolds. Whilst the sale of all the stock went through I was sent to my aunt together with Harriet. It made it all easier for mum and dad to deal with the sale.

My aunt was a 'pillar of the community' and at the time ran a clinic for young mums. (Are you beginning to guess what happened?) Of course I went along with Harriet in arms and just acted as normal. Apparently, the village thought I was her mother (at 14!) and we had come to live with my aunt to get away from the disgrace. I was so innocent I only found out about this quite recently.

A young baby caused a lot of merriment in the family that year - and she still is!

Plastic Bags

Has anyone else noticed how much faster we have been using the bags since Christmas? The speed is terrifying!

Those Christmas decorations are delicious!!

Before Christmas I went shopping with a friend and in amongst the things she bought were some beautiful large, red and heavy baubles which she arranged on a plate with candles and holly. They looked wonderful.

There were no more baubles to buy so I bought half a dozen pomegranates and am eating those for breakfasts at the moment. Next time I celebrate Christmas at home I am going to try to decorate the tree with other edible decorations in additions to the chocolates that I always hang now. Which reminds me, there is a bag of milk chocolate coins lurking somewhere in the house....

My working past.

In answer to Tami's question about my computer knowledge I will try to explain.

In about 1999, the government decided that all teachers should be trained in the use of computers. Many of them had managed to avoid the use of these demonic machines, but this was to 'be changed'. We could choose whether to learn from disks, online or from face to face trainers and had a demonstration at our school from a gentleman who worked for a development section of a university. He was carting around all sorts of laptops, projectors etc (large toys that I like) and jokingly I asked him if there were any jobs going. Suffice to say, 6 weeks later I started to work for Anglia Ruskin University. Bit of a rush, but a giddy new life was in store.

My job was to train teachers how to use computers and some educational programs, it was usually very interesting. However, some people hated the fact that finally they had to face the computer and certainly let me know!! When the funding ended I went back into teaching the short people as opposed to the tall ones, but all along I have worked with computers and spent many hours sorting them out. Funnily enough, at the end of the BETT show we had to pack up, so I just got on with it. The owner of the firm was impressed that things fitted and asked how I knew what went where. Many hours of unpacking and packing up the beast for years had been a good experience. Strange how they assume that primary schools had technicians, we never had help until the last two years of my teaching. Not the best way to run computer suites! Things are better now, but the beginning of computerisation in most primary schools was very hit and miss. Those who were curious learnt things, others did not!

So my experiences were often caused by curiosity, they have led me to some strange places and situations but it was good fun!

Work? Moi?

Phew - it is official, I have survived four days of real work!! And it was fun too, being asked to demonstrate the use of a whiteboard to people and then to talk to them? Bliss! Even my legs managed to support me through 8 hours of standing each day, then several hours of eating and partying. Life can be so difficult....!

The only down side was the journey home, the show finished at 4, we packed up and transported endless boxes of computer gubbins cross London, then travelled courtesy of Virgin on an obtuse route to Birmingham from where I drove home, arriving at 11 pm.

The gin I poured was a treble sized one - I had been hallucinating for several hours.

Tidy people don't have..

the exciting discoveries that I have.

That little saying lived on my desk at work for some time. It was quite funny because I admit I am untidy, but others would put things for me on my desk without saying a word - we had pigeon holes but those were frequently ignored, then they would moan because I had not seen the note.

For my next trip I need to take my driving licence, as usual it was missing! So this afternoon I had a little thought - try the bike basket because I might have fetched the licence on my bike. Hah! Success!! Just think you tidy people, that simple joy of finding the licence is not something you ever experience, you know where it is and that's that.

I like excitements in life!

Oooooh, I've done it now!

Well, the courage has been plucked up, the deed is done. I have booked my trip to New Zealand - eeek and I am going all on my own! The knowledge that I can get lost at the gold medal level made me choose an English speaking country as my destination. Its a long way away though...

So in preparation I have booked the family stop off before Heathrow with my sister, and a rest when I get back! Now I need to get the tent out, wash the underside and the tent pegs, find the pot of useful tools that I took to Africa and look out for any other goodies that might be of use on the trip. Eat the food from the freezer so that it can be turned off whilst I am away, then sort out the garage. (Hmm, I think that sounds familiar on the list front!!)

Next week I am working for three days in London which should be fun. I get to demonstrate how to use the program on the interactive whiteboard - a really wonderful 'toy'! Meanwhile I have to revise my fractions and decimal - LOL!!

Happy New Year Resolutions everyone!

It is the time for making a list of intentions for the new year and this is the time when I really miss DLG. We would do this together, then she would sort out my attempts, making the final list far more meaningful and exciting. So, this is going to be the solo list which will probably be very uninspiring!

Practical matters:
sort out the garage and the attic
keep the garden under control
continue to sort out my clothes
organise the new front door (not an easy thing - the house is listed so there are lots of forms to fill in.)
paint the windows at the garden side of the house (little gothic frames - and absolute beast to do and one frame is in the wrong way round, so Ted is going to sort it out... that will be terrifying!)
make things

almost impossible list:
lose weight - that means continuing the exercise, as I managed to lose pounds when doing a daily bike ride, but decorating etc got in the way)
sort out my eyesight - either get new glasses or start wearing my lenses again
continue to work on learning either Spanish or Italian

Pretty boring, but last year's resolution to paint the house was achieved, so I feel that some things are ticked on the success side.

Then there is the rest of life!! I am planning the next trip at the moment, so there will be lots to do for that. I shall be meeting up with a college friend in Oz, and an African and a Luxembourgish friend in New Zealand.

What have I done so far? Well I bought a bottle of NZ wine to drink in the new year last night - there's preparation and there's preparation!! Now where is the tent, rucksack, sleeping bag .....