1/2/16
Catch up. Marshaling at Parkrun Sat, got me up and out at least. Took Garcon. Stayed dry for once and v little wind. Amazing. Think fresh air did me good. Some nice people go to "our" parkrun - I particularly like that some people stay near the finish line after they've finished and encourage slower finishers. Darling brave big sister F (who ran despite massive discomfort) then took Garcon out with all his dog cousins down beach for some very well deserved fun. Left park (if only I'd stayed I could have helped avoid "stake-gate", SOMEONE left stakes OUTSIDE the lockup leading to Fakebook recriminations). I'd been a cheapskate and parked on road to avoid £2 - part of my cutbacks to pay yesterday's feckin £25 parking fine - I'd worked late in righteous indignation (some colleagues take the piss). Despite feeling awful decided to go the leaving "do" for an hour, drove down towards venue. Would normally park in Park Tawe which is free for 3 hours and walk the 10 mins to Wind St but felt carp and weather atrocious so parked on the road, I DID pay for a ticket but only had £1 change and incorrectly believed an hour would do it, then the meal was served much later than expected so the hour turned into 1 hour 20, Grr! Rather expensive Glamorgan Sausages and mash!.
So, having slipped in mud on slope back to car and got rather wet and muddy derriere, I decided against going to Marks = further money saving! Indulged in 2 hours of reading Sense and Sensibility before acceding to Y's request to help out with kids at 2 (felt really tired but figured they'd cheer me up a bit). Went down to girls' house, saw Y's lovely brand new yellow peril (car). Lovely, but led me once again to the question of how she can afford it again, but gave myself a stern warning to remember it's none of my business ... until/unless I'm asked to help (again). Started off by having a medical by nurse J and Dr I, then persuaded them to get shoes on and come out. Girls decided to make their own way to park, and although it was freezing and damp and they;d already been to Jersey park with Mama and 3 dogs, I went along. I didnt have much energy but we had some fun. THEN darling F came by in her car on her way to deliver tired happy Garcon back, and saw us and joined in the fun, girls thrilled to see her and bestowed big hugs and kisses (EVEN MS J!) . I had to drag girls out of park as it clouded over and got colder and I needed to pop into market, bribing them with promise of sweets! Miss I thought we'd go to local shop for local sweets and even started walking down towards the shop, but I insisted she get in car to come to town. Not a happy madam! She DOESN'T LIKE THE SWEET SHOP IN TOWN (she didn't even know where we were going!) I told her she could either go home ie without sweets or come with Ms J and I to a fabulous huge sweetie shop in the market. She got in car very upset & grumpy as hell, insistent the sweet shop in town was MUCH SMALLER than our local shop. Really out of sorts - at one point when I had a coughing fit she said "You don't even sound very ill"!!! Very out of character, she is normally very kind and considerate to anyone who is unwell or injured. She was ashamed almost immediately and said sorry in a tiny voice, bless. She did brighten up when she saw the choice of "penny" sweets in our lovely market. As they didn't spend half their allotted £1 on sweets we stopped off at a bakery where I told them they could choose their own cake for our afternoon tea (becoming quite a little ritual). They were both pretty shattered by now and both plumped for the one remaining trifle. Neither was going to give in, but we agreed it was big enough to divide in two. We had a fun afternoon tea - using their tiny toy tea set with much spillage - followed by a cuddle on the sofa watching, of all things "The Lonely Goatherd" and other clips from the Sound of Music (Miss I is learning "my favourite things" so we originally looked that up), which led us on to yodelling videos (of ever younger aspirational little horrors murdering yodelling songs on America;s got talent which unfortunately Miss I found very impressive). Dragged them home - Miss I almost too tired to move by this time, dropped them home and rushed off to pick up baby brother C from train station after his 2 day sociable London trip, bless him.
Early night. bushed.
Sunday. Literally mooched around in dressing gown all day feeling miserable, guilty, fed up with myself. Drizzly day. Didn't even take Garcon out, poor thing, just happy to be with me all day with short bimbles round the garden. At least I didn't spend any money, not even on line :-) Only achievement was finishing Sense and Sensibility. It had been so long since I read the book. I've seen various tv and film versions and recently watched the lovely 1995 film directed by Ang Lee, with (admittedly miscast but wonderful) Emma Thompson and the late lamented Alan Rickman. I love that film but I'd completely forgotten how beautifully intricate the book is. Especially the scene between Willoughby and Elinor whilst Marianne lies ill.
Bed by 10 but totally unable to settle, probably linked to doing bugger all all day? Even resorted to YouTube videos of "sounds to soothe you to sleep".
I've been told to rest and get to GP today by (former nurse) Y who noticed when I dropped girls off Saturday evening how knackered I looked! Y and her mum and dad covering the school run. It's 10.30 and all I've done so far is let the dog out, bring coffee back to bed and listen to R3.
Monday, 1 February 2016
Thursday, 28 January 2016
I think the cough and tiredness are easing. I did give in to a dear colleague's insistent recommendation and bought some Broncho Stop on the way home, worked wonders for her and her daugther etc etc etc. Tasted vile vile vile. Had to pinch my nose to get it in my mouth, then had thyme flavoured burps yuk yuk yuk. I am convinced that it's vileness is making me feel better, some deep rooted reaction that overcomes the infection/virus to save me having to take much more of this disgusting (expensive) preparation.
Work nuts, so feckin distracting all day, I have always wanted to be a receptionist but with a pretty full work coach diary, helping mentor and trying to also learn the new strands, I feel overwhelmed (feeling poop dont; help). I did do a good thing today making the most of the control I still have over my own diary to "sneak" out and get v vulnerable client to GP surgery, past the well meaning but obstructive front line staff, to register with the nurse, so hopefully she'll get GP appointment tomorrow and get the help she needs. Manager impressed, nice side issue, client the main concern of course.
Bit upset with darling older sister who for some strange reason abused my tupperware! I;d brought two portions of my lovely (if rather salty) chicken soup in matching tupperwares. Decanted mine into bowl to heat. Ate soup. Washed bowl and tupperware. Went back to desk, passing sister who was on her way to lunch. Much later, found other tupperware still in feckin sink with lid distored through having been heated in micro!!! Reminded myself to keep sense of proportion.
Oh, and the department of perverse decisions really played a blinder, a really dirty trick. As predicuted. After months of a process involving colleagues jumping thru hoop after hoop to get proper promotion as opposed to joking (temporary) promotion, then setting one final initiative test - offering all but one of them posts away from the "lovely ugly city" aka, moving them round like pawns to distant/awkward to get to locatoins - in my view misusing resources, wasting their valuable local knowledge and just generally inconveniencing them. Today, the less daring were rewarded for refusing to move and given posts on promotion in our office whilst in my view mostly better candidates who accepted moves as that was the deal if they wanted these long desired and worked for promotions are transferred (one lady will have to leave her house about 7.15 to get two buses to get to work by 8.30 whereas one of the cowards could drive there in 15 mins), whilst we get more brand new to the department staff to bring up to speed. FFS.
Today's lovely image.
Oh that's right, I can't link to anything cos this bastard laptop doesnt think being able to tab or use the pad to highlight and copy is a reasonble request of a Thurs evening.`
Work nuts, so feckin distracting all day, I have always wanted to be a receptionist but with a pretty full work coach diary, helping mentor and trying to also learn the new strands, I feel overwhelmed (feeling poop dont; help). I did do a good thing today making the most of the control I still have over my own diary to "sneak" out and get v vulnerable client to GP surgery, past the well meaning but obstructive front line staff, to register with the nurse, so hopefully she'll get GP appointment tomorrow and get the help she needs. Manager impressed, nice side issue, client the main concern of course.
Bit upset with darling older sister who for some strange reason abused my tupperware! I;d brought two portions of my lovely (if rather salty) chicken soup in matching tupperwares. Decanted mine into bowl to heat. Ate soup. Washed bowl and tupperware. Went back to desk, passing sister who was on her way to lunch. Much later, found other tupperware still in feckin sink with lid distored through having been heated in micro!!! Reminded myself to keep sense of proportion.
Oh, and the department of perverse decisions really played a blinder, a really dirty trick. As predicuted. After months of a process involving colleagues jumping thru hoop after hoop to get proper promotion as opposed to joking (temporary) promotion, then setting one final initiative test - offering all but one of them posts away from the "lovely ugly city" aka, moving them round like pawns to distant/awkward to get to locatoins - in my view misusing resources, wasting their valuable local knowledge and just generally inconveniencing them. Today, the less daring were rewarded for refusing to move and given posts on promotion in our office whilst in my view mostly better candidates who accepted moves as that was the deal if they wanted these long desired and worked for promotions are transferred (one lady will have to leave her house about 7.15 to get two buses to get to work by 8.30 whereas one of the cowards could drive there in 15 mins), whilst we get more brand new to the department staff to bring up to speed. FFS.
Today's lovely image.
Oh that's right, I can't link to anything cos this bastard laptop doesnt think being able to tab or use the pad to highlight and copy is a reasonble request of a Thurs evening.`
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Another mad work day, did my first new interview type (two booked in but only one made it), and thought it went well, then as the day progressed realised the bits I'd overlooked, oy vey, but as my colleague M would say, nobody died.
Awful meeting in the afternoon, 2 till 4.40 - 20 of us crammed in over heated room suitable for 14, like a nursery school outing, no shape at all. Did learn a few things about procedures, but mostly how childish and ignorant or needy some of my colleagues are. The newer recruits continue to impress though.
Home on 17.28 train, then did a little good turn, well two actually, en route home, at very little personal inconvenience but a good sign that I am not completely disappearing up my own backside thanks to this terrible ennui.
Still not up to walking Boy. Not interested in food tbh but having made the chicken and veg soup yesterday (and having had nothing again all day apart from the obligatory M & S granola square and several honey and lemons drinks), it went down a treat with some toasted baguette.
Started watching a Sky Arts prog with Peter Capaldi portraying Leonardo da Vinci. Couldnt stick at it thanks to commercial breaks/inability to concentrate for long.
Then .... (drumroll).... washed my hair! (after 17 days, what a pig, combination of the farcical daily fallacy "I won't wash my hair as I'll be going swimming tonight" followed by over a week of feeling increasing ill with the cold/cough and increasingly so depressed I could only just be arsed to shower). Felt better for it tbh! Quel surprise.
Watched the Sport Relief bake off au lit, expecting to despise Sam Cam who was pretty ok, quite self deprecating for someone with her background and married to such an arrogant knob. Jason Manfor likeable as ever, some Eastenders actress very attractive and good at yoga and also self deprecating and David James who I infer is or was a footballer and he was good fun.
Minor hate filled 10 mins on seeing the news item - even including trying to work out how to get a personal message to him - re this lowlife who's idea of appropriate activity is to purposely and with no provocation drive at unsuspecting cyclists ( Dean Goble jailed for driving at cyclists.turns out he was previously in the news for drug dealing), what a total arsewipe. *
Awful meeting in the afternoon, 2 till 4.40 - 20 of us crammed in over heated room suitable for 14, like a nursery school outing, no shape at all. Did learn a few things about procedures, but mostly how childish and ignorant or needy some of my colleagues are. The newer recruits continue to impress though.
Home on 17.28 train, then did a little good turn, well two actually, en route home, at very little personal inconvenience but a good sign that I am not completely disappearing up my own backside thanks to this terrible ennui.
Still not up to walking Boy. Not interested in food tbh but having made the chicken and veg soup yesterday (and having had nothing again all day apart from the obligatory M & S granola square and several honey and lemons drinks), it went down a treat with some toasted baguette.
Started watching a Sky Arts prog with Peter Capaldi portraying Leonardo da Vinci. Couldnt stick at it thanks to commercial breaks/inability to concentrate for long.
Then .... (drumroll).... washed my hair! (after 17 days, what a pig, combination of the farcical daily fallacy "I won't wash my hair as I'll be going swimming tonight" followed by over a week of feeling increasing ill with the cold/cough and increasingly so depressed I could only just be arsed to shower). Felt better for it tbh! Quel surprise.
Watched the Sport Relief bake off au lit, expecting to despise Sam Cam who was pretty ok, quite self deprecating for someone with her background and married to such an arrogant knob. Jason Manfor likeable as ever, some Eastenders actress very attractive and good at yoga and also self deprecating and David James who I infer is or was a footballer and he was good fun.
Minor hate filled 10 mins on seeing the news item - even including trying to work out how to get a personal message to him - re this lowlife who's idea of appropriate activity is to purposely and with no provocation drive at unsuspecting cyclists ( Dean Goble jailed for driving at cyclists.turns out he was previously in the news for drug dealing), what a total arsewipe. *
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
21.44 and I can hardly keep my eyes open, this cough malarkey is dragging me down, NOTE to self take a minute out of your work day tomorrow to ring the GP surgery for an appointment as this cough really isnt going anywhere far on its own! Take a leaf out of the book (comic?) of your nearest colleague who manages to fit in all the medical appointments/phone calls/private banking etc in whilst fitting in a little light WORK around his personal life. I am so naffed off with nearerst colleague, the longer I sit near him the more I notice that he is not just content with doing the bare minimum he also creates work (admittedly mostly for himself but the ripples invariably spread out). Got to move desks soon or there will be conflict.
I prepared a chicken (free range of course) dinner this eve! Having roast the chicken yesterday thought I had better do a little more than just pick at it (off my food today, couldnt face my lunchtime soup nor the company in the tea room so hid in the quiet room with that old dear friend Sense and Sensibility and a mug of lemon and honey with hot water). Forced myself to do better this eve. Jacket pot mash, sweet potato mash, broccoli, carrots, peas, aforementioned chicken and very nice gravy. Resisted adding yorkshires and roasties to the mix. Not needed. Also did more veg for chicken soup.
I sat and flicked channels in my lazy mare fashion instead of ironing as planned, watched part of a prog which I would normally run a mile from (metaphorically speaking) - being on ITV and involving as it did, so called "celebs" (a very big/tall sarky quiz programme man - name escapes me), Jennifer Ellison (? a scouser, used to be thin and glam, now a mum and dance teacher but much podgier and unhappy about it), some bloke from TOWIE (never have and never will willingly watch this but have been in the same room as it for about 4 very long minutes whilst visiting my sister in Kent as her youngest - whilst clever and otherwise very discerning - watches every shite programme made), and he seemed personable and pleasant enough. Rory ? comedian/tv/radio person and two other people I'd never heard or seen of - who apparently between them were in the habit of ingesting ridiculous amounts of sugar in their "normal" lives (how do they find these people?) and who therefore volunteered to go work and live on a farm eating healthy unprocessed foods and be deprived of all forms of sugar even including fruit. I was mildly interested for a bit and particularly enjoyed the bits where the slebs had to join in the farm duties (JE and the TOWIE bloke had to rise at 5 to help with milking). I quite loved the bit where JE managed to persuade a day old water buffalo calf who had been wrenched from his mother so her precious milk could be put to better use (cheese of course!) to drink (presumably cheap cow's milk?) as it was touch and go for a while. Whilst it was touching,. I gave myself a talking to, switched the tv off, did my dishes. And now I'm wondering what fate they save the calf for.
I prepared a chicken (free range of course) dinner this eve! Having roast the chicken yesterday thought I had better do a little more than just pick at it (off my food today, couldnt face my lunchtime soup nor the company in the tea room so hid in the quiet room with that old dear friend Sense and Sensibility and a mug of lemon and honey with hot water). Forced myself to do better this eve. Jacket pot mash, sweet potato mash, broccoli, carrots, peas, aforementioned chicken and very nice gravy. Resisted adding yorkshires and roasties to the mix. Not needed. Also did more veg for chicken soup.
I sat and flicked channels in my lazy mare fashion instead of ironing as planned, watched part of a prog which I would normally run a mile from (metaphorically speaking) - being on ITV and involving as it did, so called "celebs" (a very big/tall sarky quiz programme man - name escapes me), Jennifer Ellison (? a scouser, used to be thin and glam, now a mum and dance teacher but much podgier and unhappy about it), some bloke from TOWIE (never have and never will willingly watch this but have been in the same room as it for about 4 very long minutes whilst visiting my sister in Kent as her youngest - whilst clever and otherwise very discerning - watches every shite programme made), and he seemed personable and pleasant enough. Rory ? comedian/tv/radio person and two other people I'd never heard or seen of - who apparently between them were in the habit of ingesting ridiculous amounts of sugar in their "normal" lives (how do they find these people?) and who therefore volunteered to go work and live on a farm eating healthy unprocessed foods and be deprived of all forms of sugar even including fruit. I was mildly interested for a bit and particularly enjoyed the bits where the slebs had to join in the farm duties (JE and the TOWIE bloke had to rise at 5 to help with milking). I quite loved the bit where JE managed to persuade a day old water buffalo calf who had been wrenched from his mother so her precious milk could be put to better use (cheese of course!) to drink (presumably cheap cow's milk?) as it was touch and go for a while. Whilst it was touching,. I gave myself a talking to, switched the tv off, did my dishes. And now I'm wondering what fate they save the calf for.
Monday, 25 January 2016
Today I have managed to get up at a normal time, (having slept better, hardly aware of waking to cough through the night at all), I was admittedly rather slow getting my shit together but got down the hill in time to pick up the girlies who were nearly ready (Heavens be praised) to walk them to school. They were a joy, taking turns to do "Simon says...." all the way (some mornings I have to cajole/bribe/threaten at least one of them to get a move on towards the school, as snails speed past us). The drivers of passing cars might have been slightly distracted by me following orders to walk like penguin, do heads shoulders knees and toes, etc.
Walked Garcon briefly, nipped to Lidl, bought some "bear necessities" (chicken, broccoli, pink iced doughnuts (!), baguette) mainly to get the cashback to pay the very long awaited floor blokes, who were due at 10 to lay boarding in the back room (a project that has been on very slow burn due to lack of money and, more to the point, my lassitude, for 10 months).
Very pleasant flooring guys arrived promptly at 10 (making up for not turning up at all for the booked 2pm slot on a Monday before Xmas - finally ringing me at 5.50 to say they were in Llandeilo but would be with me in 15 mins (Llandeilo is about a 45 min drive away), When I had the cheek to ask why they were so late, they seemed to think "everyone is expecting their carpet before Xmas" was a reason. Now bearing in mind, I hadnt asked for this and didnt need mine fitted before Xmas, but had been sort of pushed into it by the carpet shop guy (who presumably didnt want to delay payment any longer now the carpet I ordered in early Nov was now in stock), but having been booked in I sort of felt it reasonable that they would come, even if a tad late. Anyway, I refused their kind offer of breaking the speed of sound to get to me that evening, not least because I had been hanging around in the house most of the afternoon with two increasingly tired infants who I was keen to drive home. (I also felt quite relieved that I could delay coughing up the £156 for carpet plus £60 for fitting the boards till after Christmas - Just as well, as I then had to find £130 at short notice to replace a short area of fence that finally gave in and turned into large splinters in the gales a few days later :-(
They did a lovely job. and finished in time for me to pick Ms J from nursery at 11.30. She was obviously very very tired, but wouldnt give in. We played quietly, dominoes, reading etc. At one point she said "No, I dont want to rest... but I want to put my head on this cushion and my feet up ... there ... move, Garcon!....and can I have a blanket please?" She didnt actually fall asleep. After a little rest she wanted a cwtch, and chatted away, on a wide variety of topics, starting nearly all her sentences with "sometimes", including the following gem "Sometimes, actually, some naughty men go too near fireworks (inspired by a glimpse of a you tube video on my FB page earlier) and get "hurtened" - which I think should be a word if it isnt already!
Minor rant. After being asked to come back soon as poss after morning's errands, the children's Mama did her frequent trick, dragging it out till time to pick up Miss I at 3.15, after which she came to pick up Ms J who by this time was beyond tired, and had been asking plaintively for her elusive Mama for about an hour off an on. Bless.
So ... things that make me feel happy about being alive today .... punctual pleasant polite competent tradespeople, a chance to spend time with Ms J and get further insight into her developing world view /coining new words, staying awake all day - so far! (8.20 pm).
And last but not least those amazing women The Coxless Crew finally reaching their destination in Cairns after rowing the Pacific for 9 months in a tiny boat http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35398753
Walked Garcon briefly, nipped to Lidl, bought some "bear necessities" (chicken, broccoli, pink iced doughnuts (!), baguette) mainly to get the cashback to pay the very long awaited floor blokes, who were due at 10 to lay boarding in the back room (a project that has been on very slow burn due to lack of money and, more to the point, my lassitude, for 10 months).
Very pleasant flooring guys arrived promptly at 10 (making up for not turning up at all for the booked 2pm slot on a Monday before Xmas - finally ringing me at 5.50 to say they were in Llandeilo but would be with me in 15 mins (Llandeilo is about a 45 min drive away), When I had the cheek to ask why they were so late, they seemed to think "everyone is expecting their carpet before Xmas" was a reason. Now bearing in mind, I hadnt asked for this and didnt need mine fitted before Xmas, but had been sort of pushed into it by the carpet shop guy (who presumably didnt want to delay payment any longer now the carpet I ordered in early Nov was now in stock), but having been booked in I sort of felt it reasonable that they would come, even if a tad late. Anyway, I refused their kind offer of breaking the speed of sound to get to me that evening, not least because I had been hanging around in the house most of the afternoon with two increasingly tired infants who I was keen to drive home. (I also felt quite relieved that I could delay coughing up the £156 for carpet plus £60 for fitting the boards till after Christmas - Just as well, as I then had to find £130 at short notice to replace a short area of fence that finally gave in and turned into large splinters in the gales a few days later :-(
They did a lovely job. and finished in time for me to pick Ms J from nursery at 11.30. She was obviously very very tired, but wouldnt give in. We played quietly, dominoes, reading etc. At one point she said "No, I dont want to rest... but I want to put my head on this cushion and my feet up ... there ... move, Garcon!....and can I have a blanket please?" She didnt actually fall asleep. After a little rest she wanted a cwtch, and chatted away, on a wide variety of topics, starting nearly all her sentences with "sometimes", including the following gem "Sometimes, actually, some naughty men go too near fireworks (inspired by a glimpse of a you tube video on my FB page earlier) and get "hurtened" - which I think should be a word if it isnt already!
Minor rant. After being asked to come back soon as poss after morning's errands, the children's Mama did her frequent trick, dragging it out till time to pick up Miss I at 3.15, after which she came to pick up Ms J who by this time was beyond tired, and had been asking plaintively for her elusive Mama for about an hour off an on. Bless.
So ... things that make me feel happy about being alive today .... punctual pleasant polite competent tradespeople, a chance to spend time with Ms J and get further insight into her developing world view /coining new words, staying awake all day - so far! (8.20 pm).
And last but not least those amazing women The Coxless Crew finally reaching their destination in Cairns after rowing the Pacific for 9 months in a tiny boat http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35398753
Saturday, 23 January 2016
23/01/2015
Mooching about feeling meh, mostly in bed, till my munchkins turned up 1.30 ish I think, resplendent in their new waterproof outfits and wellies - bright very girly pink with unfortunately clashing pale turqoise "frozen the movie" wellies for the ridiculously girly girl 5 yo Miss Isobel and boyo blue with Avenger wellies for our 3 yo tomboy/trainee trans gender 3 yo Ms Josie. Bless.
Miss I immediately demonstrating her concern, attentive and caring as every, helping me sip my (cold) lemon and honey, fetching my dressing gown etc whilst her little sister lost interest - possibly having established she couldn't bounce on the big bed as I was still in it!
Spent hour or two (not easy as tetchy due to ill health) with them whilst their papa ran errands (including buying me the most ridiculously huge bananas ever grown?).
We played (they played whilst I supervised tbh) "donimoes", "sums" (using aforementioned donimoes), "school" (Miss I imperious as ever in the role of Miss Katie, our teacher, whilst 3 yo nailed the role of badly behaved clingy toddler Charlie, a newcomer to the school "who has come here today to learn all about our way of doing things before going back to his own place to do things his own way" (!), and I listlessly interpreted the role of Lilly - a very good girl in Miss Katie's reception class.
We finally broke out the Disney CD and storybook set one of Miss I's Xmas gifts, listening and reading together the Alice in Wonderland attentively, then 101 Dalmatians semi attentively (at least on the part of Ms J) and descending into anarchy during Dumbo.
I then offered Jungle Book DVD plus microwaved popcorn as I was flagging, but they instead did one of their shows, dancing first to R3, then demanding more dancy music, so I begrudgingly put R2 on! they did some energetic dance moves, including their by now famous "1 girl with 4 arms" surprise (ad infinitum, one never tires apparently), the skeletons from the panto, and then some very inappropriate (in their old aunty's book), arse wiggling which they know is my least favourite bit but ....
We broke out the building blocks. These never take their interest for more than 10 mins these days, before they usually turn to constructing, variously, trophies, prizes and surprises for each other which led us seamlessly to .....the improvised singing contest. Miss I composed the usual very coherent little number, including several pretty good rhymes (heart/start featured a lot today) and remembered repeated little refrains.sung earnestly with her very heartfelt changing facial expressions as ever. Then Ms J took over. How I kept anything like a straight face, whilst she RAPPED rhythmically, not always coherently but pretty steadily and with complete confidence including hand movements etc for a good 3 mins or so, is a miracle. She finally noticed the teeniest crack of me smiling and of course immediately stopped with her frequent refrain of "it isn't funny don't laugh at me" and no amount of me reassuring her that I was smiling at the lovely"trophy prize surprise" her sister was constructing for her would do. Oy vey. Hmm, spell check doesnt like the word prize!
When their Papa retuned with the shop, he then very kindly dragged Garcon round for walk, unfortunately in quite heavy rain, so brief. Ms J was incensed to be left behind again, so I distracted her with a new game catchily entitled "using the torch to make amazing prismic light patterns on the hall ceiling through the new light fitting". Peace and contentment reigned. Till the minor squabbles over the torch sharing. Then Papa returned providing equilibrium AND another torch.
No rant today. Would love to post the pic my brother took of the girls in their new waterproof ensembles but till I learn how to make proper use of this recently acquired and hated laptop it will have to wait (my snot filled sinuses and general thick headedness make even simple tasks hard, I couldnt even work the zip on Miss I's all in one today!)
Things that make me happy - well obviously my darling brother and his children are right on top of my list, but this link to the BBC TV programme on the Brecon Beacons with the lovely down to earth and eminently likeable Iolo Williams is amazing, featuring my heroes of the Brecon Mountain rescue half way in and even a glimpse of our Dom (partner to my eldest niece) on exercise.
iolos-brecon-beacons-3-summer
Mooching about feeling meh, mostly in bed, till my munchkins turned up 1.30 ish I think, resplendent in their new waterproof outfits and wellies - bright very girly pink with unfortunately clashing pale turqoise "frozen the movie" wellies for the ridiculously girly girl 5 yo Miss Isobel and boyo blue with Avenger wellies for our 3 yo tomboy/trainee trans gender 3 yo Ms Josie. Bless.
Miss I immediately demonstrating her concern, attentive and caring as every, helping me sip my (cold) lemon and honey, fetching my dressing gown etc whilst her little sister lost interest - possibly having established she couldn't bounce on the big bed as I was still in it!
Spent hour or two (not easy as tetchy due to ill health) with them whilst their papa ran errands (including buying me the most ridiculously huge bananas ever grown?).
We played (they played whilst I supervised tbh) "donimoes", "sums" (using aforementioned donimoes), "school" (Miss I imperious as ever in the role of Miss Katie, our teacher, whilst 3 yo nailed the role of badly behaved clingy toddler Charlie, a newcomer to the school "who has come here today to learn all about our way of doing things before going back to his own place to do things his own way" (!), and I listlessly interpreted the role of Lilly - a very good girl in Miss Katie's reception class.
We finally broke out the Disney CD and storybook set one of Miss I's Xmas gifts, listening and reading together the Alice in Wonderland attentively, then 101 Dalmatians semi attentively (at least on the part of Ms J) and descending into anarchy during Dumbo.
I then offered Jungle Book DVD plus microwaved popcorn as I was flagging, but they instead did one of their shows, dancing first to R3, then demanding more dancy music, so I begrudgingly put R2 on! they did some energetic dance moves, including their by now famous "1 girl with 4 arms" surprise (ad infinitum, one never tires apparently), the skeletons from the panto, and then some very inappropriate (in their old aunty's book), arse wiggling which they know is my least favourite bit but ....
We broke out the building blocks. These never take their interest for more than 10 mins these days, before they usually turn to constructing, variously, trophies, prizes and surprises for each other which led us seamlessly to .....the improvised singing contest. Miss I composed the usual very coherent little number, including several pretty good rhymes (heart/start featured a lot today) and remembered repeated little refrains.sung earnestly with her very heartfelt changing facial expressions as ever. Then Ms J took over. How I kept anything like a straight face, whilst she RAPPED rhythmically, not always coherently but pretty steadily and with complete confidence including hand movements etc for a good 3 mins or so, is a miracle. She finally noticed the teeniest crack of me smiling and of course immediately stopped with her frequent refrain of "it isn't funny don't laugh at me" and no amount of me reassuring her that I was smiling at the lovely"trophy prize surprise" her sister was constructing for her would do. Oy vey. Hmm, spell check doesnt like the word prize!
When their Papa retuned with the shop, he then very kindly dragged Garcon round for walk, unfortunately in quite heavy rain, so brief. Ms J was incensed to be left behind again, so I distracted her with a new game catchily entitled "using the torch to make amazing prismic light patterns on the hall ceiling through the new light fitting". Peace and contentment reigned. Till the minor squabbles over the torch sharing. Then Papa returned providing equilibrium AND another torch.
No rant today. Would love to post the pic my brother took of the girls in their new waterproof ensembles but till I learn how to make proper use of this recently acquired and hated laptop it will have to wait (my snot filled sinuses and general thick headedness make even simple tasks hard, I couldnt even work the zip on Miss I's all in one today!)
Things that make me happy - well obviously my darling brother and his children are right on top of my list, but this link to the BBC TV programme on the Brecon Beacons with the lovely down to earth and eminently likeable Iolo Williams is amazing, featuring my heroes of the Brecon Mountain rescue half way in and even a glimpse of our Dom (partner to my eldest niece) on exercise.
iolos-brecon-beacons-3-summer
Friday, 22 January 2016
22.57 22/01/2016
Decided to start a blog...... Why?
a) To see if I can remember how to write, indeed, how to do anything constructive.
b) To make a regular (if not frequent) record of some of the things that make me feel better about being alive
c)To offload/rant and therefore (hopefully)cope better with things not included in b)
As I write this I am ensconced in my "pit", by which I mean my dishevelled bed in my very untidy bedroom (one of 3 in my unremarkable semi in a pleasant semi rural late 60's small estate). I should correct that. My house is actually remarkable because it is now the only one in my street that looks like the abode of a poverty stricken hermit who doesn't (appear to) give a damn about the views of the neighbours or keeping up with the (dozens of) Joneses.
Garcon, my faithful, forgiving companion terrier, is curled up resignedly on the bed, having had to make do - once again - without a walk today. My current excuse/reason is that I have been fighting the ravages of a heavy cold and cough and took to my bed almost immediately on arrival home from work (have had this cough for some months now but in the last few days, and in true Goons fashion it's turned from a "nice" cough to a real "nasty" cough).
Right, think I've proved - to myself - a little of a)
Here's a little something under heading b)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-35384908
(am new to this, remember!).
c) Having literally dragged myself up off my sick bed this morning at 6.20, given myself a pep talk - something along the lines of "Of course you feel crap first thing, but I am sure you will feel better after your caffeine fix and some more honey and lemon and a nice Marks and Spencer Granola Square - which you left in your locker at work you forgetful eejit and if you don't eat it today you will have to THROW IT AWAY - and you will be fine once you're in work, and if you don't start feeling better of course you can then go home early and Tall T (team leader) and your colleagues will love you and praise you and no one will have to rearrange or try to cover your appointments and clients will think you are a heroine as you cough and splutter through your meetings and you will also have the additional (sick) pleasure of proving to someone - who for now shall remain nameless - what a normal work ethic is like", (all this in the two mins it took me to find my mobile and turn off that annoying feckin cockerel alarm sound!), it was particularly irksome today, juggling the demands of thinking straight enough to do the work properly through a fug of snot/coughing-retching fits (and a big shout out to manufacturersof "Tena ladies" and their ilk) whilst covering shortfalls and deficiencies (in resources, yes but, more annoyingly, in professionalism and common sense - cf client CJ with whom I had spent quite some time on the phone in the morning, setting up a crucial meeting with a colleague on the second floor, but who on arrival was instead misdirected by a well meaning but dim colleague to the wrong floor, (2 people named X - a very common girl's name - in an office of 60 people, well I never!), where she patiently languished unattended for half hour before we realised the error by which time the colleague expecting her had gone for her lunch break and it was all too late FFS!. THEN to discover one team colleague had left lunchtime having felt unwell - now, as a warm human being, I have every sympathy for someone feeling unwell and needing to go home early (!) but as the aforementioned person hasn't - by all accounts* -worked a full day on a Friday in living memory (possibly an exaggeration) not everyone was sympathetic. ..
And ...... breathe!
Well it's working for me, so far :-)
*a frequent refrain of an amazingly active nonogenarian relly with very firmly held views, rarely based on the facts, usually a byword for something she choses to believe or has made up.
Decided to start a blog...... Why?
a) To see if I can remember how to write, indeed, how to do anything constructive.
b) To make a regular (if not frequent) record of some of the things that make me feel better about being alive
c)To offload/rant and therefore (hopefully)cope better with things not included in b)
As I write this I am ensconced in my "pit", by which I mean my dishevelled bed in my very untidy bedroom (one of 3 in my unremarkable semi in a pleasant semi rural late 60's small estate). I should correct that. My house is actually remarkable because it is now the only one in my street that looks like the abode of a poverty stricken hermit who doesn't (appear to) give a damn about the views of the neighbours or keeping up with the (dozens of) Joneses.
Garcon, my faithful, forgiving companion terrier, is curled up resignedly on the bed, having had to make do - once again - without a walk today. My current excuse/reason is that I have been fighting the ravages of a heavy cold and cough and took to my bed almost immediately on arrival home from work (have had this cough for some months now but in the last few days, and in true Goons fashion it's turned from a "nice" cough to a real "nasty" cough).
Right, think I've proved - to myself - a little of a)
Here's a little something under heading b)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-35384908
(am new to this, remember!).
c) Having literally dragged myself up off my sick bed this morning at 6.20, given myself a pep talk - something along the lines of "Of course you feel crap first thing, but I am sure you will feel better after your caffeine fix and some more honey and lemon and a nice Marks and Spencer Granola Square - which you left in your locker at work you forgetful eejit and if you don't eat it today you will have to THROW IT AWAY - and you will be fine once you're in work, and if you don't start feeling better of course you can then go home early and Tall T (team leader) and your colleagues will love you and praise you and no one will have to rearrange or try to cover your appointments and clients will think you are a heroine as you cough and splutter through your meetings and you will also have the additional (sick) pleasure of proving to someone - who for now shall remain nameless - what a normal work ethic is like", (all this in the two mins it took me to find my mobile and turn off that annoying feckin cockerel alarm sound!), it was particularly irksome today, juggling the demands of thinking straight enough to do the work properly through a fug of snot/coughing-retching fits (and a big shout out to manufacturersof "Tena ladies" and their ilk) whilst covering shortfalls and deficiencies (in resources, yes but, more annoyingly, in professionalism and common sense - cf client CJ with whom I had spent quite some time on the phone in the morning, setting up a crucial meeting with a colleague on the second floor, but who on arrival was instead misdirected by a well meaning but dim colleague to the wrong floor, (2 people named X - a very common girl's name - in an office of 60 people, well I never!), where she patiently languished unattended for half hour before we realised the error by which time the colleague expecting her had gone for her lunch break and it was all too late FFS!. THEN to discover one team colleague had left lunchtime having felt unwell - now, as a warm human being, I have every sympathy for someone feeling unwell and needing to go home early (!) but as the aforementioned person hasn't - by all accounts* -worked a full day on a Friday in living memory (possibly an exaggeration) not everyone was sympathetic. ..
And ...... breathe!
Well it's working for me, so far :-)
*a frequent refrain of an amazingly active nonogenarian relly with very firmly held views, rarely based on the facts, usually a byword for something she choses to believe or has made up.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)