Friday 22 November 2013

Thank you for the Music

I have a clutch of really ancient CDs, but I haven't listened to them for a while, mainly because my player went caput a few months ago. But when my son moved out recently, he bequeathed me a system he had up in his bedroom, so I had the chance to play them again. Eventually I moved it downstairs and set it up in the kitchen.

This week I've been working hard on writing commissions, but I got them all finished before lunch today. So when we got back from walking Jade and shopping, I had no excuse to put off that great pile of ironing I've been adding to for a couple of weeks.

But it was quite enjoyable really. While I pressed away, I was singing and jigging along to this.



Monday 18 November 2013

A Poem

I'm not sure if I've posted this before, but if so, here it is again.

Strolling

Behind the park, the sea was still – like glass –
and quiet – just a ripply murmur where gentle waves met the shore.
Below the wooden pier the posts seemed elongated,
then their reflections shimmered, for the breeze stirred the water
as I strolled by.

To the right, the wooded shores of Arne loomed dark against the sky and sea.
Far ahead the massive ferry liner soared over tiny boats
as it slid slowly and silently into its docking place,
two small spirals of grey smoke climbing from its funnels,
as I strolled on.



The sand was polka-dotted with prints of people, dogs and birds,
yet empty of life until, around the corner, one brave sunbather stretched out.
The line of beach huts closed and shuttered, except for one
which an old man painstakingly painted bright green before the winter,
as I strolled on by.

Friday 15 November 2013

My Working Week

It’s been a funny old week, workwise. This morning I was writing about professional negligence in the construction industry. In between taking Jade to the beach and preparing our favourite chicken meal for the oven this afternoon, I’ve been finding out about the HD CCTV, CMOS sensors and progressive scanning systems that I have to write about next. Earlier in the week I was enjoying the memory of last year’s holiday in the corner of Cornwall where it so happens that a caravan and camping site requires content for a new website and other marketing material.




That’s why I revisited all the holiday pics and posted the jungle pic here on Wednesday. I took that when we visited the Lost Gardens of Heligan, which had been on my bucket list for a while. You can find more about that holiday in my November posts last year, including this one which was the first in a series about that garden visit. 

The pic above was taken at the nearby Megavissey harbour on a misty day.

Monday 11 November 2013

Full-on Weekend

I was in my kitchen during yesterday's 11 am two minutes silence to honour our fallen in the world wars.

In my last post I mentioned that we were having a family weekend. It was a real treat to have both my offspring and one grandie, plus my son's partner at the table for Sunday lunch yesterday before everyone departed. I was exhausted after the mammoth cooking session, but so happy. As hubby said, it's lovely when they come and it's lovely (but bitter sweet) when they go and leave us to some peace and quiet. Anyway I was able to relax and think back over the other weekend highlights: Christmas shopping at Toys 'r Us because ours is close by and my daughter is a childminder with lots of kiddies to buy for; coffee with son and partner in their newly rented flat which still has full boxes of items to find homes for and little space left for them, but is turning into a cosy and comfy little nest; a bracing walk with our two dogs to the top of Hengistbury Head - at one point we had to put Rafi on his lead for fear he would run over the edge of the cliff, he was so excited.



Now it's been back to work with a vengeance. I haven't managed to get the laundry done because I am struggling with the words for a website with a very poor brief and an impossible deadline.

Sadly, I'm also thinking of my virtual friends in the Philippines and wondering how they are faring after the dreadful storm that has devastated the country.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Comments and Google+

Some time ago I joined Google+ when a virtual friend suggested I should so that I could be in  his/her circle (sorry, I can't actually remember who it was now). I didn't do much on it and still don't, although more recently I found it was easy to put my blog posts on there, just by clicking the share button that came up. then blogger recommended letting that happen automatically, and asked if I'd like to use G+ comments on this blog. Why not? I thought, not realising it would mean that noone could comment except through G+.

Then someone wrote a message for me on her blog, saying she wanted to comment but didn't want to join G+, and the penny dropped. Then I read other blog posts referring to what they perceived as Google's bullying tactics. I realised that it was up to me as a blogger to consider and understand the consequences of what I do with my blog. I've now reversed all those changes to my settings, so that I decide what to share, and anyone can comment on my blog. (Please don't see that as a reason to flood me with spam. Blogspot will not let it through.)

Now most of the  recent comments have completely disappeared, both from the blog and G+, and the blog looks very lonely. But I daresay things will get back to normal soon.

You can of course comment on my shared posts in Google+ if you wish. I've also recently discovered  how to easily share on Facebook and Twitter and am fast becoming the social media queen.

Now to completely change the subject.


At present Jade is curled up in her office bed wrapped up in a towel becasue I've given her a shower this afternoon. She wants to be sweet smelling for our weekend visitors. Eryn and Rafi will be here with their mum. Rafi is all grown up now, as you can see from the pic. Compare it to the ones I posted last Christmas.

Friday 1 November 2013

Stourhead on Radio 4

I was listening to BBC Radio 4's Eddie Mair on PM while I was cooking this evening. The programme is usually studio based, but tonight it was broadcast from Stourhead. This is a flagship property of the National Trust which lies only about 5 miles from our previous home, so listening to him talking to the head gardener made me feel quite  emotional. I've ssen all the views they were talking about over and over again in all seasons, but autumn is perhaps when it is at its most dramatic.

I've posted about the Stourhead garden before, but this has given me a lovely excuse to show it off again. The pics I've selected are winter ones becasue you can see more when many of the trees are bare.






Writing Tip



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