We talked a lot about this today, both the memories themselves and the words associated with photography. Many people apparently remember things in terms of a memory snapshot and then remember the details of an event from that. Me, I tend to remember the overall event and then zoom in onto a specific detail. But I guess that's what makes me different to everyone else.
I wrote a piece tonight about a photograph.
Family Portrait
Take an instant
Pose, zoom in,
Filter out the rest.
Focus on the subjects.
One moment in time
Captured forever.
The happy smiles fill the photo.
Wind on a frame or so,
The baby cries,
The smiles wane,
The parents argue.
Like flashlight batteries running down
The marriage fades
Till all that is left is one
Wrinkled snapshot.
A Polaroid of happier time.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Monday, December 04, 2006
Bathtime Reflections
This week we've looked at how our lives have changed since we were children and how our time usage had altered. I realised that my time went from being mainly time to myself to do what I liked to being mostly for others with little time to me. I wrote a piece, projecting myself forward some ten years or so and looking back to when my children were small. Its incomplete and needs some working on but here's the first draft.
The end?
She reclined into the warm bath, soft scented bubble floating around her. The bathroom had taken on a fantasy atmosphere, lit as it was by candles flickering in the draughts. She closed her tired eyes and exhaled a deep sigh.
Today had been a busy day, helping her children to move out of home for the first time. One had gone to a flat share with a good friend, the other to live near a new job. Why it had to both be on the same day Louise would never know. There had been a big flurry of packing and repacking of boxes as childhood memories had been transported to their new abodes.
Louise settled her shoulders under the warm water and reflected on how things had changed. How life had been when the girls were small and family life was just starting.
Back then there had been precious little time to herself, certainly no time to indulge in the luxury of a candlelit bath. She remembers hurried early morning showers as she rushed to get washed and dressed for work, praying that the children would stay asleep just that bit longer so she could get her make-up done without helping hands. Once she was ready the Nanny would take over and the children would become her responsibility... well apart from the time she'd managed to lock herself out when she went out to empty the bin and the girls had been sitting indoors watching TV... Louise had made it home in record time that afternoon.
It was constantly like that then, a never ending round of work, shopping, running the washing machine, time with the children and sleep. Although sleep was something squeezed into the time remaining after everything else was done.
Then as the girls got older and went to school the after school activities had started and they were all over the place after school.
How she managed Louise never knew, life became a blur of survival, whirling from one crisis to the next, a helter skelter ride you couldn't get off.
Except she had...finally.
The children had left home to start their own treadmills and she was free....to do... what?
The end?
She reclined into the warm bath, soft scented bubble floating around her. The bathroom had taken on a fantasy atmosphere, lit as it was by candles flickering in the draughts. She closed her tired eyes and exhaled a deep sigh.
Today had been a busy day, helping her children to move out of home for the first time. One had gone to a flat share with a good friend, the other to live near a new job. Why it had to both be on the same day Louise would never know. There had been a big flurry of packing and repacking of boxes as childhood memories had been transported to their new abodes.
Louise settled her shoulders under the warm water and reflected on how things had changed. How life had been when the girls were small and family life was just starting.
Back then there had been precious little time to herself, certainly no time to indulge in the luxury of a candlelit bath. She remembers hurried early morning showers as she rushed to get washed and dressed for work, praying that the children would stay asleep just that bit longer so she could get her make-up done without helping hands. Once she was ready the Nanny would take over and the children would become her responsibility... well apart from the time she'd managed to lock herself out when she went out to empty the bin and the girls had been sitting indoors watching TV... Louise had made it home in record time that afternoon.
It was constantly like that then, a never ending round of work, shopping, running the washing machine, time with the children and sleep. Although sleep was something squeezed into the time remaining after everything else was done.
Then as the girls got older and went to school the after school activities had started and they were all over the place after school.
How she managed Louise never knew, life became a blur of survival, whirling from one crisis to the next, a helter skelter ride you couldn't get off.
Except she had...finally.
The children had left home to start their own treadmills and she was free....to do... what?
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Childhood Games
It was interesting in class last night to talk about the games that we remembered from our childhood.
Here we were, a class full of diverse people, diverse ages, cultures and geographical origin. Yet there were many games that we all recalled, although some of the names were very different. Among the chase and tag games, conkers, marbles, french skipping, hopscotch and Mr Wolfe were some more interesting nuggets - Pelvering was the most unusual, from someone who grew up in Somerset.
We then looked at using childhood games as a memory device and using them as a metaphor.
As a child I loved to play chess and was a big supporter of the school chess group. It drew me to use it as a metaphor. I hope you like it.
Pawn
Mary felt like a Pawn, easily lost in the shuffling game of life. Her whole life, she had been moved around, subject to the whim of other people. It started as a child when her father would decide that the current job he was employed at wasn't working and that the solution was to relocate the whole family to a different area and begin a 'new life' with a different job.
How many new lives had she had, Mary wondered? There was the Cornish life where her father had been a fisherman, time as a bricklayer's daughter in Birmingham, then further north to Nottingham where her father had done something else, she couldn't remember what now.
Mary could trace her families progression diagonally up the country, zig, zagging from one dead end opportunity to the next, like the Bishop peddling his empty rhetoric of religion, each meaningless and unsatisfying.
After her father it had been her husband, leaping into her life like a Knight on its charger to rescue her. They'd met, fallen in love and married even before her father had moved to yet another job. They'd leaped away from him to a different life, or so it was promised. But it hadn't worked out that way, her Knight was always having to leap our of the way of imminent danger, usually bought on himself by another crazy get rich quick scheme.
All the while Mary had plodded slowly on, managing to avoid being captured and beaten by circumstances.
When her husband leap at his final tangent (this time to rescue another damsel in distress) she'd stayed the course. Finally Mary realised she'd reached the other side of the board. She was a Queen in her own right. No longer subject to the whims and vagaries of other players in her life, no longer a Pawn pushed around by everyone else, insignificant and easily lost.
Now she was in control of her own life. Gliding majestically along, serene and complete.
Here we were, a class full of diverse people, diverse ages, cultures and geographical origin. Yet there were many games that we all recalled, although some of the names were very different. Among the chase and tag games, conkers, marbles, french skipping, hopscotch and Mr Wolfe were some more interesting nuggets - Pelvering was the most unusual, from someone who grew up in Somerset.
We then looked at using childhood games as a memory device and using them as a metaphor.
As a child I loved to play chess and was a big supporter of the school chess group. It drew me to use it as a metaphor. I hope you like it.
Pawn
Mary felt like a Pawn, easily lost in the shuffling game of life. Her whole life, she had been moved around, subject to the whim of other people. It started as a child when her father would decide that the current job he was employed at wasn't working and that the solution was to relocate the whole family to a different area and begin a 'new life' with a different job.
How many new lives had she had, Mary wondered? There was the Cornish life where her father had been a fisherman, time as a bricklayer's daughter in Birmingham, then further north to Nottingham where her father had done something else, she couldn't remember what now.
Mary could trace her families progression diagonally up the country, zig, zagging from one dead end opportunity to the next, like the Bishop peddling his empty rhetoric of religion, each meaningless and unsatisfying.
After her father it had been her husband, leaping into her life like a Knight on its charger to rescue her. They'd met, fallen in love and married even before her father had moved to yet another job. They'd leaped away from him to a different life, or so it was promised. But it hadn't worked out that way, her Knight was always having to leap our of the way of imminent danger, usually bought on himself by another crazy get rich quick scheme.
All the while Mary had plodded slowly on, managing to avoid being captured and beaten by circumstances.
When her husband leap at his final tangent (this time to rescue another damsel in distress) she'd stayed the course. Finally Mary realised she'd reached the other side of the board. She was a Queen in her own right. No longer subject to the whims and vagaries of other players in her life, no longer a Pawn pushed around by everyone else, insignificant and easily lost.
Now she was in control of her own life. Gliding majestically along, serene and complete.
Monday, November 27, 2006
The Nature of a Memory
We've been doing about life memory writing in my class and its bought up some interesting things. I thought I'd share them with you as I go along.
What is a memory?
It can be a distant glimpse of a faraway time, fleeting like an Autumn leaf blown on the wind. It can be vibrant and vivid, full of minute detail, plunging you back into a time and place forever gone. It can be shared with a loved one, drawing you closer together or tearing you further apart.
Some memories are easily forgotten, time moves on and they became unimportant. Others remain indelibly etched upon your soul, carrying the details of an event to your grave.
What is a memory?
It can be a distant glimpse of a faraway time, fleeting like an Autumn leaf blown on the wind. It can be vibrant and vivid, full of minute detail, plunging you back into a time and place forever gone. It can be shared with a loved one, drawing you closer together or tearing you further apart.
Some memories are easily forgotten, time moves on and they became unimportant. Others remain indelibly etched upon your soul, carrying the details of an event to your grave.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Writers Block Turned Positive.
So for a couple of weeks now I've worried about my lack of writing and how difficult I've found my course.
Last night was mostly sleepless, yet I managed to start a new poem and with a couple of hours work this evening I've managed to complete it. It would be good to hear what you think of it but perhaps the most important thing I've learned over the last couple of weeks is, that it doesn't matter as long as I like it :)
Writers Block
I sit here and listen to those all around,
Whose words captivate, completely profound.
A profusion of prose all written and rounded,
Like nothing before has ever been sounded.
And yet in my corner no words outpour,
Feels like I’ve never done this before.
Some years ago my family I astounded,
The long-standing critics I completely confounded.
I passed my ‘A’ levels with a ‘B’,
Then went on to complete an Honours Degree.
Rich words were tucked under my belt,
Enough to write prose till the arctic melt.
Strange it is then, that I find,
No words at all spring to mind.
Yet when I glance down at the paper,
My mind has been on its own jolly caper.
A complete poem has simply appeared,
No block for me, as I’d long feared.
By Eve Laws
Last night was mostly sleepless, yet I managed to start a new poem and with a couple of hours work this evening I've managed to complete it. It would be good to hear what you think of it but perhaps the most important thing I've learned over the last couple of weeks is, that it doesn't matter as long as I like it :)
Writers Block
I sit here and listen to those all around,
Whose words captivate, completely profound.
A profusion of prose all written and rounded,
Like nothing before has ever been sounded.
And yet in my corner no words outpour,
Feels like I’ve never done this before.
Some years ago my family I astounded,
The long-standing critics I completely confounded.
I passed my ‘A’ levels with a ‘B’,
Then went on to complete an Honours Degree.
Rich words were tucked under my belt,
Enough to write prose till the arctic melt.
Strange it is then, that I find,
No words at all spring to mind.
Yet when I glance down at the paper,
My mind has been on its own jolly caper.
A complete poem has simply appeared,
No block for me, as I’d long feared.
By Eve Laws
Strange things
Interestingly, after my last post I sat here and wrote half a poem! It needs some work still and I'm searching for a word or two, but the outline is there and I like it.
Then later while checking my mails and things I came across this. I don't know if it will work properly but I'll try and copy and paste it to here for you. I thought it was timely and interesting, not to mention very apt for me. Let me know how you fare and whether its apt for you too.
Then later while checking my mails and things I came across this. I don't know if it will work properly but I'll try and copy and paste it to here for you. I thought it was timely and interesting, not to mention very apt for me. Let me know how you fare and whether its apt for you too.
| Your Birthdate: May 29 |
 You have the mind of an artist, even if you haven't developed the talent yet. Expressive and aware, you enjoy finding new ways to share your feelings. You often feel like you don't fit in - especially in traditional environments. You have big dreams. The problem is putting those dreams into action. Your strength: Your vivid imagination Your weakness: Fear of failure Your power color: Coral Your power symbol: Oval Your power month: November |
Backwards rather than forwards
Tonight was week three on my creative writing course and to be honest I'm begining to wonder what I'm doing there. I can't remember a time when I felt less creative. Its not just the writing front, my knitting's not holding my attention, neither are the books I'm reading, the newspapers, tv or the internet.
But the thing that's worrying me most is the writing. I'm sitting in class each week listening to things that other people have written, at the same time as me, on the same topic and I hear lively, polished pieces with a clear voice, wonderful vocabulary and interesting details. In comparison my writing feels dull and lacklusture. I feel like I've completely forgotten how to write.
The much beloved is trying to be understanding and supportive in telling me that as long as I'm happy writing that's the main thing. It doesn't matter if we get published or what everyone else's is like. I'd love to believe him, but this whole year is costing him £500 and I'm a tad worried that at the end of the year I'll have nothing to show for it and nothing even vaguely publishable. Perhaps all this year is going to do is reveal me as a literary wanabe and a fake?
But the thing that's worrying me most is the writing. I'm sitting in class each week listening to things that other people have written, at the same time as me, on the same topic and I hear lively, polished pieces with a clear voice, wonderful vocabulary and interesting details. In comparison my writing feels dull and lacklusture. I feel like I've completely forgotten how to write.
The much beloved is trying to be understanding and supportive in telling me that as long as I'm happy writing that's the main thing. It doesn't matter if we get published or what everyone else's is like. I'd love to believe him, but this whole year is costing him £500 and I'm a tad worried that at the end of the year I'll have nothing to show for it and nothing even vaguely publishable. Perhaps all this year is going to do is reveal me as a literary wanabe and a fake?
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Yet more shopping...
with the other daughter today. Thankfully it wasn't as huge a trip as yesterday, we managed it all in one shop, but it was enough that I'm shattered again.
To cap it all the much beloved is ill again. He had a bit of an infection on his toe, and being diabetic , went to the doctors as he's supposed to do and got some antibiotics. The only down side is that he is allergic to penicillin and it only leaves two broad spectrum antibiotics he can have.... one of which upsets his stomach really badly.
Guess which one the doctor gave him? Yep, you've got it, the one he reacts badly to. Of course if he had been able to remember the name of it when the doctor was prescribing all this may have been avoided. (not that he's got a bad memory or something!!)
So the poor thing is laying on the sofa feeling sorry for himself and generally doing the 'ill man' bit... hopefully he'll be feeling better tomorrow and I'll have some more energy.
To cap it all the much beloved is ill again. He had a bit of an infection on his toe, and being diabetic , went to the doctors as he's supposed to do and got some antibiotics. The only down side is that he is allergic to penicillin and it only leaves two broad spectrum antibiotics he can have.... one of which upsets his stomach really badly.
Guess which one the doctor gave him? Yep, you've got it, the one he reacts badly to. Of course if he had been able to remember the name of it when the doctor was prescribing all this may have been avoided. (not that he's got a bad memory or something!!)
So the poor thing is laying on the sofa feeling sorry for himself and generally doing the 'ill man' bit... hopefully he'll be feeling better tomorrow and I'll have some more energy.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Shop...
Till they drop they say. And today I think it could be said that we did.
Katherine is only two weeks off ten (which I'm sure I've said before) and her childlike innocence is starting to go and she's growing up
With the growth mentally and to some extent physically, she needed to change her dress and image. Now while I didn't want her to look like some kind of teenage tart, I felt that it was time for her to stop looking a bit like Dora the Explorer.
Luckily for all concerned a young student friend of mine (Miv) is visiting this weekend, so the three of us headed for Matalan, leaving Christine with Robin.
I usually dread these shopping trips as its a fine line to walk and hard to get clothes to fit etc. This time, lead by Miv, we went for a different approach. Everything Katherine liked the look of, we put in the trolley and we headed to the changing rooms. We were in and out like jack rabbits while Katherine tried things on and discarded some awful things.
Eventually we were left with two oufits that looked just right on her and for the first time a pair of JEANS!!!! If you only knew how many pairs we' ve tried on in the past and failed to get any to fit her!!
All in all, I enjoyed the trip and having a 3rd, neutral party was a great idea. Katherine is thrilled with her clothes, I'm happy with how she looks and even Robin liked them too.
As for me, my back aches, my ankles are puffy, I ache and I'm shattered but its a small price to pay for a happy shopping trip. :)
Katherine is only two weeks off ten (which I'm sure I've said before) and her childlike innocence is starting to go and she's growing up
With the growth mentally and to some extent physically, she needed to change her dress and image. Now while I didn't want her to look like some kind of teenage tart, I felt that it was time for her to stop looking a bit like Dora the Explorer.
Luckily for all concerned a young student friend of mine (Miv) is visiting this weekend, so the three of us headed for Matalan, leaving Christine with Robin.
I usually dread these shopping trips as its a fine line to walk and hard to get clothes to fit etc. This time, lead by Miv, we went for a different approach. Everything Katherine liked the look of, we put in the trolley and we headed to the changing rooms. We were in and out like jack rabbits while Katherine tried things on and discarded some awful things.
Eventually we were left with two oufits that looked just right on her and for the first time a pair of JEANS!!!! If you only knew how many pairs we' ve tried on in the past and failed to get any to fit her!!
All in all, I enjoyed the trip and having a 3rd, neutral party was a great idea. Katherine is thrilled with her clothes, I'm happy with how she looks and even Robin liked them too.
As for me, my back aches, my ankles are puffy, I ache and I'm shattered but its a small price to pay for a happy shopping trip. :)
Friday, October 06, 2006
Wet washing
why is it that when you don't have a tumble dryer and you need clothes and you put a load of washing on the line to dry, it rains?
I try hard to be an optomist, aparently it takes less energy, but I have to say that since I've moved to Hull I feel the weather has taken against me.
I put the aforsaid load on the line on Wednesday so that the children may have clean underwear. I'm indoors doing some housework and I look up and its tipping it down, absolutely raining lions and wolves never mind cats and dogs. So I recon I'll leave it there on the grounds it may well dry up and be ok. It was in good company, both neighbours also had washing on their lines and it too was wet.
Yesterday morning the weather was dry so I left the washing thinking it may dry, again, before I had chance to get to it, down comes the rain.
Finally today I gave in and bought the washing in, re-washed it and and spun it then hung it on the radiators.... so you can guess what's on the top of my wish list this month????
I try hard to be an optomist, aparently it takes less energy, but I have to say that since I've moved to Hull I feel the weather has taken against me.
I put the aforsaid load on the line on Wednesday so that the children may have clean underwear. I'm indoors doing some housework and I look up and its tipping it down, absolutely raining lions and wolves never mind cats and dogs. So I recon I'll leave it there on the grounds it may well dry up and be ok. It was in good company, both neighbours also had washing on their lines and it too was wet.
Yesterday morning the weather was dry so I left the washing thinking it may dry, again, before I had chance to get to it, down comes the rain.
Finally today I gave in and bought the washing in, re-washed it and and spun it then hung it on the radiators.... so you can guess what's on the top of my wish list this month????
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Is this the end of the age of innocence
Yesterday my eldest daughter (a couple of weeks off being 10) lost a tooth. Its the first tooth she's had out for some time and the first since we moved house.
As usual we left it out for her tooth fairy to collect and I dully crept in before I went to bed to change the tooth for a pound.
This morning I waited for the usual excitement of ooooh the tooth fairy's been... instead I got a very confused child coming in to me saying I don't know what to think?
She'd heard me creap in (those wretched floorboards) and the sound of the pound going down on her bedside table.
At a loss to know what to do I asked a couple of questions like, what would happen if there wasn't a tooth fairy but she ignored that so I spun a story about the fairy being busy and asking me to help her out last night. She bought it and came up with the idea that she was probably on her way to a party or something.
So it would seem that the end of her innocence with these things is nearly here, I guess the next thing to go will be Father Christmas.... and there was I hoping for another couple of years to go before that one came out.
Oh well....
As usual we left it out for her tooth fairy to collect and I dully crept in before I went to bed to change the tooth for a pound.
This morning I waited for the usual excitement of ooooh the tooth fairy's been... instead I got a very confused child coming in to me saying I don't know what to think?
She'd heard me creap in (those wretched floorboards) and the sound of the pound going down on her bedside table.
At a loss to know what to do I asked a couple of questions like, what would happen if there wasn't a tooth fairy but she ignored that so I spun a story about the fairy being busy and asking me to help her out last night. She bought it and came up with the idea that she was probably on her way to a party or something.
So it would seem that the end of her innocence with these things is nearly here, I guess the next thing to go will be Father Christmas.... and there was I hoping for another couple of years to go before that one came out.
Oh well....
Monday, October 02, 2006
Homework
Strange that I'm again subject to homework after a break of 13 years, although its no easier now than it was then.
We've been told to describe something or someone without using any adjectives or adverbs and lets just say its not as easy as it would seem. I've been wracking my brains for ages and nothing spring to mind. All of my ideas tend to vere off towards lots of description. Perhaps I'm not cut out for this?
Oh well, I've got till 7pm tonight to get it done, so I'd best get on with it. I'd be interested to see if anyone else can come up with something and how they get on with it.
More tomorrow.
We've been told to describe something or someone without using any adjectives or adverbs and lets just say its not as easy as it would seem. I've been wracking my brains for ages and nothing spring to mind. All of my ideas tend to vere off towards lots of description. Perhaps I'm not cut out for this?
Oh well, I've got till 7pm tonight to get it done, so I'd best get on with it. I'd be interested to see if anyone else can come up with something and how they get on with it.
More tomorrow.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Carrot cake and company
Well, this morning the girls and I again made a foree to the church on the corner of our road. Luckily today was a far better experience than last week, the girls were, if not perfectly behaved, much better. We managed to make it through the first 30 minutes of the service without too many problems and then they went out to the sunday school along with the other children and I was able to concentrate by myself.
We got home from church to a houseful of people. A bit of a surprise to me, I'd only been expecting one visitor, but the much beloved's cousin and his wife were there too. I walked through the door and there they all were, and had tea been made or cake served.... no. Although there were muttered excuses as to why not and claims that they had been offered.
I must be getting a bit of a reputation for my cooking as a quiet voice pipes up in the corner.... Eve... can I have a piece of carrot cake please?
I'd tried a new recipe for the topping so I was a bit anxious, but thankfully it seemed to go down well with everyone. So a nice surprise rather than anything and its lovely to have a house that I'm happy to have people come and visit in.
I'm discovering a whole new side of me, sociable and happy to entertain... and I like it.
We got home from church to a houseful of people. A bit of a surprise to me, I'd only been expecting one visitor, but the much beloved's cousin and his wife were there too. I walked through the door and there they all were, and had tea been made or cake served.... no. Although there were muttered excuses as to why not and claims that they had been offered.
I must be getting a bit of a reputation for my cooking as a quiet voice pipes up in the corner.... Eve... can I have a piece of carrot cake please?
I'd tried a new recipe for the topping so I was a bit anxious, but thankfully it seemed to go down well with everyone. So a nice surprise rather than anything and its lovely to have a house that I'm happy to have people come and visit in.
I'm discovering a whole new side of me, sociable and happy to entertain... and I like it.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Nigel Havers in Rebecca
We went to see this tonight at the theatre in Hull. Its been a long while since either of us had been to the theatre for a serious play. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy the whole experience.
Just going is a theatre production in its own right, getting the children sorted with a babysitter (at least I can be sure this one won't run off with the husband - she's his cousin's daughter) not to mention getting dressed up and make up applied.
I love the feeling of anticipation as the lights dim and the curtain rises....
All in all it was a good production, although I did feel that some of the acting by the young girl was a bit wooden at times as was Nigel's. I think this was more in an attempt to portray a feeling of depth of character and a hint at darker undercurrents that are in the book but hard to translate to stage.
I'd been looking forward to seeing the play as I didn't think I'd seen the film or read the book before and I like to see plays like that. Unfortunately we hadn't got half way through the first half when not only did I realise I'd seen and read it before, I could remember the plot twists and turns.
Still, it didn't detract from a thoroughly enjoyable performance and a lovely night out as a couple. Thinking about it I think it may actually be the first time that we've been out like this without the girls. Lets hope that it is the first of many.
I'm off to bed now as I'm shattered, but a happy, satisfied shattered.
Night all :)
Just going is a theatre production in its own right, getting the children sorted with a babysitter (at least I can be sure this one won't run off with the husband - she's his cousin's daughter) not to mention getting dressed up and make up applied.
I love the feeling of anticipation as the lights dim and the curtain rises....
All in all it was a good production, although I did feel that some of the acting by the young girl was a bit wooden at times as was Nigel's. I think this was more in an attempt to portray a feeling of depth of character and a hint at darker undercurrents that are in the book but hard to translate to stage.
I'd been looking forward to seeing the play as I didn't think I'd seen the film or read the book before and I like to see plays like that. Unfortunately we hadn't got half way through the first half when not only did I realise I'd seen and read it before, I could remember the plot twists and turns.
Still, it didn't detract from a thoroughly enjoyable performance and a lovely night out as a couple. Thinking about it I think it may actually be the first time that we've been out like this without the girls. Lets hope that it is the first of many.
I'm off to bed now as I'm shattered, but a happy, satisfied shattered.
Night all :)
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Writers block & clarinet torture.
oh dear, I've sat here for a good ten minutes now trying to think of something to write and nothing....but nothing is springing to mind. I tried to think about what happened yesterday but my mind was quick to draw a veil over the events of yesterday, mainly due to the children's foul behaviour.
Katherine has started learning the clarinet at school and is immensly enthusiastic about it. I'm not so sure if she's playing cause I play the same instrument or because its something she really wants to do.
She came running out of school yesterday, across the playground to where I was standing, proudly clutching a school instrument. My heart was in my mouth as I had visions of her tripping at the last minute, the case crashing to the ground and the clarinet tumbling out onto the hard playground and the end of her playing days over before they began. Fortunately (or unfortunately for my ears) it didn't happen and the instrument made it home without any mishap.
At the moment we are learning the note E.... not much you can do with one note, but they are trying. Still the first lesson also included how to put the clarinet together, clean it and take it appart again so it wasn't a complete waste!
I'm sensing the need to take out shares in a reed company given the amount of reeds I can see us going through. Hopefully the squeeks and odd noises will even out over the next few weeks and we will have more of a musical nature than the current torture value of fingernails accross the blackboard.
More tomorrow......
Katherine has started learning the clarinet at school and is immensly enthusiastic about it. I'm not so sure if she's playing cause I play the same instrument or because its something she really wants to do.
She came running out of school yesterday, across the playground to where I was standing, proudly clutching a school instrument. My heart was in my mouth as I had visions of her tripping at the last minute, the case crashing to the ground and the clarinet tumbling out onto the hard playground and the end of her playing days over before they began. Fortunately (or unfortunately for my ears) it didn't happen and the instrument made it home without any mishap.
At the moment we are learning the note E.... not much you can do with one note, but they are trying. Still the first lesson also included how to put the clarinet together, clean it and take it appart again so it wasn't a complete waste!
I'm sensing the need to take out shares in a reed company given the amount of reeds I can see us going through. Hopefully the squeeks and odd noises will even out over the next few weeks and we will have more of a musical nature than the current torture value of fingernails accross the blackboard.
More tomorrow......
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Whirlwind Time again
Well... so much has been happening that I've hardly had time to think never mind sitting down and writing.
I got married at the end of May, a truely wonderful day that I will remember for the rest of my life. Then before I had time to get used to being married, we moved home. We've gone from an absolute hovel to a lovely three bedroomed semi in a nice area and near to great schools. The children have their own rooms and we have enough space that we can invite people to stay or visit for tea and not be ashamed of where we live.
I've started a part time degree course in Creative Writing which I think is going to be a lot tougher than I thought it might. I went to the first session on Monday evening and I really had to use my brain, which is something that has be dormant for a while. But I enjoyed it and can't wait for the course to unfold. I feel like I'm at the begining of an amazing journey of discovery... mind you I do wonder if I can actually write as well as I'd like to think I can.
Part of the course is a log of my progress which I have to do daily, so you can be sure that you will be hearing much more from me on here.
As for today, I'm sitting with my knee up as its really sore and watching extreme makeover home edition... before the real work starts again and I go and get the girls from school.
Watch this space....
I got married at the end of May, a truely wonderful day that I will remember for the rest of my life. Then before I had time to get used to being married, we moved home. We've gone from an absolute hovel to a lovely three bedroomed semi in a nice area and near to great schools. The children have their own rooms and we have enough space that we can invite people to stay or visit for tea and not be ashamed of where we live.
I've started a part time degree course in Creative Writing which I think is going to be a lot tougher than I thought it might. I went to the first session on Monday evening and I really had to use my brain, which is something that has be dormant for a while. But I enjoyed it and can't wait for the course to unfold. I feel like I'm at the begining of an amazing journey of discovery... mind you I do wonder if I can actually write as well as I'd like to think I can.
Part of the course is a log of my progress which I have to do daily, so you can be sure that you will be hearing much more from me on here.
As for today, I'm sitting with my knee up as its really sore and watching extreme makeover home edition... before the real work starts again and I go and get the girls from school.
Watch this space....
Friday, May 05, 2006
Wedding Reading
I thought I'd share with you all the reading we've found for our wedding. Its a civil ceremony so it couldn't be religious at all but we found a lovely Apache Song which had been translated and seemed to say it all really.
Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be a shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness for you;
now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies,
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
to enter into your days together.
And may your days be good
and long on the earth.
Apache Song
Translator unknown.
22 days to go and counting!
Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be a shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness for you;
now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies,
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
to enter into your days together.
And may your days be good
and long on the earth.
Apache Song
Translator unknown.
22 days to go and counting!
Monday, May 01, 2006
27 days and counting
Well, May is finally here, a month that seemed as though it would never arrive. Which means that I'm now down to less than a month to the wedding. Which is good as I'm very excited and looking forward to it immensely... But panic is attempting to break the door down and take up residence.
I keep attempting to reassure myself that I've got it all in hand, but just as I sort one thing out, something else crops up that I need to do or organise. On a positive front the girls and I have dresses, the hubby to be has a suit, shirt and tie (although he could do with a new one), the wedding and reception venues are booked, mother in law to be has the cake in hand, the invites are out, shoes, handbags and hair accessories all bought and finally on Friday the flowers organised with the florist. I've sorted out bridal favours and place cards too.
So all in all, pretty much we could get married tomorrow and really its just the odds and ends to do. In fact, having listed it all down here I feel much better.... All we need now is for the Much Beloved to get a new job as his old contract finished on the 21st April and there's nothing happening on that front at the moment. (well, there is but its all waiting to hear about interviews or waiting for them to come round).... That and get his house sold so we can move once he's got a new job.
Oh well.... Onwards and upwards as they say.
I keep attempting to reassure myself that I've got it all in hand, but just as I sort one thing out, something else crops up that I need to do or organise. On a positive front the girls and I have dresses, the hubby to be has a suit, shirt and tie (although he could do with a new one), the wedding and reception venues are booked, mother in law to be has the cake in hand, the invites are out, shoes, handbags and hair accessories all bought and finally on Friday the flowers organised with the florist. I've sorted out bridal favours and place cards too.
So all in all, pretty much we could get married tomorrow and really its just the odds and ends to do. In fact, having listed it all down here I feel much better.... All we need now is for the Much Beloved to get a new job as his old contract finished on the 21st April and there's nothing happening on that front at the moment. (well, there is but its all waiting to hear about interviews or waiting for them to come round).... That and get his house sold so we can move once he's got a new job.
Oh well.... Onwards and upwards as they say.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Habitat's and Ikea's
Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into things.... take yesterday for example. I went to pick the children up as usual to be greeted with excited children asking if I could come on a habitat walk with them today. Now we've got a meeting with the child and adolescent people today which will mean that I need to pick them up from school slightly early.
So I go into the class to check with the teacher what time the ramble will be back to school and come out finding myself roped in to help out on this walk, as well as my partner who is home at the moment. (well, if I'm going to have to suffer so is he)
I've spent all morning wondering how to get out of it without any success, so it looks like I'll be walking this afternoon with the children, getting out of breath and wishing I was somewhere else.
Mind you, I did have to smile, the children said that they'd been doing about habitat's at school and my partner asked when they were doing about Ikea's.... after much explaining the children got the joke, but I thought it was funny.... not so much though when you've had to explain it down to the minute detail!
So I go into the class to check with the teacher what time the ramble will be back to school and come out finding myself roped in to help out on this walk, as well as my partner who is home at the moment. (well, if I'm going to have to suffer so is he)
I've spent all morning wondering how to get out of it without any success, so it looks like I'll be walking this afternoon with the children, getting out of breath and wishing I was somewhere else.
Mind you, I did have to smile, the children said that they'd been doing about habitat's at school and my partner asked when they were doing about Ikea's.... after much explaining the children got the joke, but I thought it was funny.... not so much though when you've had to explain it down to the minute detail!
Sunday, April 23, 2006
A worrying time and good news
I'm an awful blogger, I'm supposed to write regularly and keep you all up to date with what's going on in my life. But the reality is that life all too often gets in the way with the result that I finally get time to sit down and blog, then realise I've missed huge important chunks.
This is yet another case in point... I sat down to write a post entitled 34 days and counting, and then realised that I hadn't told you all what I'd be counting down to or why. SO...
About two months ago, at the beginning of Feb, I had a phone call from my 'much beloved' which went a bit like this...
"hi Hun, I don't mean to worry you but....umm.... I'm in hospital"
"what do you mean in hospital, are you all right, what happened???"
...there then followed a few minutes of utter panic as I'm told that he'd had a ride to the local hospital at Welwyn Garden City in an ambulance, as he'd been having some pains in his chest, generally feeling awful and they thought it might have been his heart.
Well, I was all for heading off there and then to see what the problem was, but of course Bradford to Welwyn is rather a long way and there were the children to consider. I spoke to the hospital myself and they were very kind and informative (especially as we aren't married and so technically I'm not his next of kin). They put my mind at rest that he wasn't about to die on me but they were keeping an eye on him.
I spoke to him later on and he was completely out of it, they'd put him on oxygen as his blood oxygen levels were low and the effect was rather like being high on something. But in his spaced out state he did say that it would be a good idea to pop down to the registry office and get a piece of paper, all official like, in case anything like this were to happen again.
Well, I did wait till the following day when he was "sober" (for want of a better description) and checked if he'd really meant it. I'd gone down south by train to pick him and the car up, then drive him home, so we had a good long time in the car together to really talk. We decided that we did just want to get married. For me suddenly, the church and the trappings weren't any where near as important as actually being married to him. For him I think it was a case of, just in case anything awful does happen he wanted to be sure I was legally married to him so I had rights.
So the following day we rang the local registry office in Bradford and made an appointment to go and "give notice". After a bit of worry about locations of vital documents on his part (strangely for me I was organised for once) we headed to see the registrar. What an odd experience. We were interview separately and asked all sorts of odd questions before being seen together and being able to sort out date and time and things.
On reflection I suppose we weren't treated any different to any one else and in line with the recommendations on making sure it was a genuine marriage and not one of convenience.
We've booked to get married two days before my birthday at the end of May, at 11am.... there have been times since then that I have really wondered what I was thinking of setting such an early time to get married, I mean, my hair dressing appointment for the day is at 8am!!!! I mean 8am on my wedding day..... I must be bonkers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still things are going fairly well on the organising front. We finally managed to find a good, non curry based restaurant that will accommodate up to 30 people for a nice meal. Personally we'd have had it somewhere like Anam's or Mumtaz but there are too many people on both sides of the family that don't eat curry for it to be a realistic possibility, mores the pity. The only downside of it is that the restaurant turned out to be rather further out of Bradford than I remembered it being. (It was after all just before Christmas that I went there and I'm hopeless with the area and distances) However, the food there is lovely and I'm sure it will be worth the drive for everyone and if not tough its my day and for once I intend having what I want.
With the reception sorted, everything else seemed fairly easy-ish. My mum initially was going to make the girls dresses but a 20% off sale in Debenhams and a lack of time coupled with cost effectiveness meant that we bought them. One lovely pink mid calf length dress and one in white. Mum's knitting shrugs of white and pink to go with the dresses, just in case its a bit cold.
I bought my own dress in the sale on the same cost effectiveness grounds, I've just got a jacket to make to go with it. The girls and I have co-ordinating pink or white handbags that look like they are made from fabric roses and are gorgeous. I've got my shoes, the girls have hairbands which will suit both of them, I bought the bags for the favours and we're having sugar free favours for all the diabetics among the guests (including the bride/groom and all three mothers/stepmother-ish) and I collect my contact lenses tomorrow.
I've just got to sort out flowers for me to carry and what I'm going to do with my hair. The latter by next Tuesday as I've got a practice appointment booked for then with the hairdresser that's doing my hair.
The flowers are proving to be a bit more tricky. I've been trying to do this in a minimalist way, given that its a registry office wedding and my second one. But it is his first (and hopefully only wedding). I bought a book on wedding flowers, thinking of making my bouquet from artificial flowers so I could keep it. I was thinking something small, the sort of thing that a bridesmaid would usually wear or a wrist corsage or something. He looked at the book, turned his nose up at all the things I had in mind and decided that he liked the traditional cascade arrangement......
Oh well, given that he's given me the money for it I can't complain, so its off to the florist for me this week as there is no way I can achieve the sort of thing he has in mind by myself.... Watch this space as they say.
This is yet another case in point... I sat down to write a post entitled 34 days and counting, and then realised that I hadn't told you all what I'd be counting down to or why. SO...
About two months ago, at the beginning of Feb, I had a phone call from my 'much beloved' which went a bit like this...
"hi Hun, I don't mean to worry you but....umm.... I'm in hospital"
"what do you mean in hospital, are you all right, what happened???"
...there then followed a few minutes of utter panic as I'm told that he'd had a ride to the local hospital at Welwyn Garden City in an ambulance, as he'd been having some pains in his chest, generally feeling awful and they thought it might have been his heart.
Well, I was all for heading off there and then to see what the problem was, but of course Bradford to Welwyn is rather a long way and there were the children to consider. I spoke to the hospital myself and they were very kind and informative (especially as we aren't married and so technically I'm not his next of kin). They put my mind at rest that he wasn't about to die on me but they were keeping an eye on him.
I spoke to him later on and he was completely out of it, they'd put him on oxygen as his blood oxygen levels were low and the effect was rather like being high on something. But in his spaced out state he did say that it would be a good idea to pop down to the registry office and get a piece of paper, all official like, in case anything like this were to happen again.
Well, I did wait till the following day when he was "sober" (for want of a better description) and checked if he'd really meant it. I'd gone down south by train to pick him and the car up, then drive him home, so we had a good long time in the car together to really talk. We decided that we did just want to get married. For me suddenly, the church and the trappings weren't any where near as important as actually being married to him. For him I think it was a case of, just in case anything awful does happen he wanted to be sure I was legally married to him so I had rights.
So the following day we rang the local registry office in Bradford and made an appointment to go and "give notice". After a bit of worry about locations of vital documents on his part (strangely for me I was organised for once) we headed to see the registrar. What an odd experience. We were interview separately and asked all sorts of odd questions before being seen together and being able to sort out date and time and things.
On reflection I suppose we weren't treated any different to any one else and in line with the recommendations on making sure it was a genuine marriage and not one of convenience.
We've booked to get married two days before my birthday at the end of May, at 11am.... there have been times since then that I have really wondered what I was thinking of setting such an early time to get married, I mean, my hair dressing appointment for the day is at 8am!!!! I mean 8am on my wedding day..... I must be bonkers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still things are going fairly well on the organising front. We finally managed to find a good, non curry based restaurant that will accommodate up to 30 people for a nice meal. Personally we'd have had it somewhere like Anam's or Mumtaz but there are too many people on both sides of the family that don't eat curry for it to be a realistic possibility, mores the pity. The only downside of it is that the restaurant turned out to be rather further out of Bradford than I remembered it being. (It was after all just before Christmas that I went there and I'm hopeless with the area and distances) However, the food there is lovely and I'm sure it will be worth the drive for everyone and if not tough its my day and for once I intend having what I want.
With the reception sorted, everything else seemed fairly easy-ish. My mum initially was going to make the girls dresses but a 20% off sale in Debenhams and a lack of time coupled with cost effectiveness meant that we bought them. One lovely pink mid calf length dress and one in white. Mum's knitting shrugs of white and pink to go with the dresses, just in case its a bit cold.
I bought my own dress in the sale on the same cost effectiveness grounds, I've just got a jacket to make to go with it. The girls and I have co-ordinating pink or white handbags that look like they are made from fabric roses and are gorgeous. I've got my shoes, the girls have hairbands which will suit both of them, I bought the bags for the favours and we're having sugar free favours for all the diabetics among the guests (including the bride/groom and all three mothers/stepmother-ish) and I collect my contact lenses tomorrow.
I've just got to sort out flowers for me to carry and what I'm going to do with my hair. The latter by next Tuesday as I've got a practice appointment booked for then with the hairdresser that's doing my hair.
The flowers are proving to be a bit more tricky. I've been trying to do this in a minimalist way, given that its a registry office wedding and my second one. But it is his first (and hopefully only wedding). I bought a book on wedding flowers, thinking of making my bouquet from artificial flowers so I could keep it. I was thinking something small, the sort of thing that a bridesmaid would usually wear or a wrist corsage or something. He looked at the book, turned his nose up at all the things I had in mind and decided that he liked the traditional cascade arrangement......
Oh well, given that he's given me the money for it I can't complain, so its off to the florist for me this week as there is no way I can achieve the sort of thing he has in mind by myself.... Watch this space as they say.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Friends to tea
I find myself strangely redundant this evening.
My youngest has gone to tea with a friend - I'm expecting to pick her up in about an hour and I'm sure she will be completely hyper! In fact I'd put money on it! She's going, with said friend and her family, to McDonald's.... Not a big thing I'm sure most of you would think, but she's not been for over a year. We banned it and other similar establishments last January after watching the film "Supersize me" It took three months before the whining and pleading stopped and I'm pleased to say that since then every thing has ticked along nicely. Until this evening when she asked really nicely if she could go to McDonald's with her friends family. Knowing how difficult it might make for the other mum if I said no, I said yes. Oh well, time will tell what she's like and how long the pleading will go on for.
Anyway, I digress.... My youngest being absent isn't the whole reason I'm feeling unrequired. My oldest has a friend round to tea tonight - one in, one out seemed to be a good idea at the time. She's playing nicely with her friend (who doesn't speak too much English as she's not been here from Turkey for long) and all is happy and well.
So I've made tea, its in the oven and the house it clean and tidy (well I did spend all day doing it) and now I've nothing to do. There haven't been the constant calls of Mummy or any requirement for my presence. I think it may be the quiet that I'm finding unsettling, the lack of sibling arguing and bickering that usually goes on.
I guess the children are growing up - Katherine will be 10 next birthday and Christine will be 8. They still seem very young, but suddenly I can see a day when they will be in their late teens and out with their friends with a life of their own.... I guess its the way of the world and these things happen, I mean its not as though I've not been looking forward to a time when they are independent, but somehow its suddenly closer than its ever seemed.
Oh well, its probably just as well that I have plenty to keep me occupied instead, what with the knitting, sewing, pattern making and dress making as well as church commitments, its not like I sit about all day! :)
My youngest has gone to tea with a friend - I'm expecting to pick her up in about an hour and I'm sure she will be completely hyper! In fact I'd put money on it! She's going, with said friend and her family, to McDonald's.... Not a big thing I'm sure most of you would think, but she's not been for over a year. We banned it and other similar establishments last January after watching the film "Supersize me" It took three months before the whining and pleading stopped and I'm pleased to say that since then every thing has ticked along nicely. Until this evening when she asked really nicely if she could go to McDonald's with her friends family. Knowing how difficult it might make for the other mum if I said no, I said yes. Oh well, time will tell what she's like and how long the pleading will go on for.
Anyway, I digress.... My youngest being absent isn't the whole reason I'm feeling unrequired. My oldest has a friend round to tea tonight - one in, one out seemed to be a good idea at the time. She's playing nicely with her friend (who doesn't speak too much English as she's not been here from Turkey for long) and all is happy and well.
So I've made tea, its in the oven and the house it clean and tidy (well I did spend all day doing it) and now I've nothing to do. There haven't been the constant calls of Mummy or any requirement for my presence. I think it may be the quiet that I'm finding unsettling, the lack of sibling arguing and bickering that usually goes on.
I guess the children are growing up - Katherine will be 10 next birthday and Christine will be 8. They still seem very young, but suddenly I can see a day when they will be in their late teens and out with their friends with a life of their own.... I guess its the way of the world and these things happen, I mean its not as though I've not been looking forward to a time when they are independent, but somehow its suddenly closer than its ever seemed.
Oh well, its probably just as well that I have plenty to keep me occupied instead, what with the knitting, sewing, pattern making and dress making as well as church commitments, its not like I sit about all day! :)
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Perspectives and adult education
I had an email about my blog the other day, one of the only email's I've ever had. In fact I could be brutally honest and admit its the first time that someone other than someone I know has actually looked at my blog. Which prompted me to look at my blog again.
Now the more observant of you will notice that a year (well more or less) has gone by since I last wrote. I was surprised to see how long it had been, but then again much has happened in the last year.
Just to catch up, last August I enthusiastically signed up for a couple of adult education classes in an effort to do something I would enjoy just because I would enjoy it, not for the children, not for the partner or for anyone else or cause I should do so, but just cause I liked the idea of it.
Now in the past when I've thought about doing such things there has been a set pattern...1) I look at the course directory and get all excited 2) I think about what course I would like to do 3) I try and work out how I can afford it 4) I decide I'm not worth spending the money on 5) I procrastinate about filling in the form ..... and before you know it, the course has started and I'm not signed up and I don't do it.
Usually too I opt for something academic, "proper studying" needing pen and paper and text books and essays to write and the like. This time I decided to let rip with my creative side and actually signed up for two courses 1) Asian dressmaking (well actually in the prospectus it was just dressmaking, but the principles are the same so I stayed) 2) Fashion design and Make.
It was this second course that I was more uncertain about. I'm not a fashion junkie, I don't fit most of it. I never wanted to be a fashion designer as a child. I can never find what I want to wear in the colour and style I want in shops, so tend not to bother with the whole trendy scene. But I love the course. We've got past the design stage and onto the pattern making and I've found a whole new thing that I love doing and to cap it off too, it would seem that I'm good at it too.
At the same time as all this I've got back into my knitting and have done several bits and pieces, even tackling "complicated" aran cable patterns. I've been a governor at school for nearly 18 months now, I've been the treasurer of the out of school kids club for a year and I sing in the church choir too.
Stepping back for a moment I can see what a huge change has happened to me. Yes, I still live in the grotty house that I hate, yes, I'm still overweight and yes the much beloved still works away from home. But I finally feel like I've grown as a person. I might not have reached the desired end, but at least I now feel like I'm on the path there and its not leading down a dead end all the time.
Is this all due to adult education? perhaps not, but I do feel that its been an important part of my improved self image. Its given me the confidence to go out and meet like minded people and learn something new.
So where does this link into the beginning of the post? It doesn't I suppose, only I wanted to say thank-you to the lady who read my blog and mailed me about it. Its been good to come back here, read how I was and look at where I am now.... and you never know, I may try harder this year to keep more up to date with my blog :)
Now the more observant of you will notice that a year (well more or less) has gone by since I last wrote. I was surprised to see how long it had been, but then again much has happened in the last year.
Just to catch up, last August I enthusiastically signed up for a couple of adult education classes in an effort to do something I would enjoy just because I would enjoy it, not for the children, not for the partner or for anyone else or cause I should do so, but just cause I liked the idea of it.
Now in the past when I've thought about doing such things there has been a set pattern...1) I look at the course directory and get all excited 2) I think about what course I would like to do 3) I try and work out how I can afford it 4) I decide I'm not worth spending the money on 5) I procrastinate about filling in the form ..... and before you know it, the course has started and I'm not signed up and I don't do it.
Usually too I opt for something academic, "proper studying" needing pen and paper and text books and essays to write and the like. This time I decided to let rip with my creative side and actually signed up for two courses 1) Asian dressmaking (well actually in the prospectus it was just dressmaking, but the principles are the same so I stayed) 2) Fashion design and Make.
It was this second course that I was more uncertain about. I'm not a fashion junkie, I don't fit most of it. I never wanted to be a fashion designer as a child. I can never find what I want to wear in the colour and style I want in shops, so tend not to bother with the whole trendy scene. But I love the course. We've got past the design stage and onto the pattern making and I've found a whole new thing that I love doing and to cap it off too, it would seem that I'm good at it too.
At the same time as all this I've got back into my knitting and have done several bits and pieces, even tackling "complicated" aran cable patterns. I've been a governor at school for nearly 18 months now, I've been the treasurer of the out of school kids club for a year and I sing in the church choir too.
Stepping back for a moment I can see what a huge change has happened to me. Yes, I still live in the grotty house that I hate, yes, I'm still overweight and yes the much beloved still works away from home. But I finally feel like I've grown as a person. I might not have reached the desired end, but at least I now feel like I'm on the path there and its not leading down a dead end all the time.
Is this all due to adult education? perhaps not, but I do feel that its been an important part of my improved self image. Its given me the confidence to go out and meet like minded people and learn something new.
So where does this link into the beginning of the post? It doesn't I suppose, only I wanted to say thank-you to the lady who read my blog and mailed me about it. Its been good to come back here, read how I was and look at where I am now.... and you never know, I may try harder this year to keep more up to date with my blog :)
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