My Meme

OK, here's my answers. now let's see yours

1. Tell me about something you still own from your childhood, or something you remember and wish you still had.
I have a blue plastic bath brush which is like the face of an elephant and the trunk is the handle. Also Teddy that my aunt made for me before I was born. First person to say antique gets blocked!

2, Name one piece of music that means something to you and why
I listen to a lot of music, mostly classical but some modern. However, I was brought up watching amateur Gilbert and Sullivan and taken to rehearsals practically in my cot so that is womb music for me.

3. Do you ever read a book a second time? What book/s
Yes, I read books more than once. There is a series of books by C.P.Snow that went under the collective title of "Strangers and Brothers" and there are 11 of them. I have read them all twice or three times and it's like going back to visit old friends. Also things by Evelyn Waugh, Olivia Manning, Anthony Powell, that sort of stuff.

4. If you could pass a law what would it be? No Christmas decorations or cards or anything in the shops until the 1st of Decenber

5. What did you have for dinner? Last night had smoked salmon and pasta with some fried onions and red peppers mixed in

6. Do you have a recurring dream? What is it and what does it tell you about yourself?
I dream my teeth are falling out. I suddenly find my mouth full of broken teeth. That's when I know the stress is getting to me.

7. What's the first record you ever bought? Telstar by The Tornados

8. Town or Country? Depends on the time of year my dear, one must spend the appropriate season in the appropriate place (I wish)

Sunday Stealing - the cheek of the woman

This week's SS was boring and asked for too many personal details that might lead to identity theft so I am being cheeky and luring you all here to do my meme instead

1. Tell me about something you still own from your childhood, or something you remember and wish you still had.

2, Name one piece of music that means something to you and why

3. Do you ever read a book a second time? What book/s

4. If you could pass a law what would it be?

5. What did you have for dinner?

6. Do you have a recurring dream? What is it and what does it tell you about yourself?

7. What's the first record you ever bought?

8. Town or Country?

OK My answers are here

Almost there

I know I should go and start clearing the garden but my chocolate cosmos is still flowering so I'll leave it a bit longer, when I have more time - which is about to be the case!
I have found it a bit difficult to blog these last few weeks as I handed in my notice but couldn't say anything about it for reasons I won't bore you with. Consequently I have been working extra hours to catch up a lot of stuff and write a "manual" for my successor plus mum hasn't been well so I have had extra shopping and cooking to do. Then I fell over in the garage and had almighty backache. BUT, as this blog is always positive, I am delighted to say that a successor has been found and as soon as her ruptured achilles tendon has improved I will be FREE, FREE I TELL YOU, FREE.
For a while anyway. The plan is to take a 6 month break, catch up with housework, do a bit of painting (artistic not house) reading, helping mum and OH with whatever they need help with and getting my little ailments under control. And blogging of course. A nostalgiafest probably so you will need to be a certain age to get some of it. Like laundry marks and little doors marked "off licence" and the milk being delivered twi8ce a day.
Watch this space

Sunday Stealing 22/11

Sunday Stealing: The Party Mummy Meme

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you. - My friend Lee and Monty Don - same year as well, and Rob Dunger just same day but he's older!

2. Where was your first kiss? - Front seat of a car

3. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? If yes, why? - No

4. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? When? - Yes, many times

5. What's the first thing you notice about your preferred sex? - Always had a bit of a thing about bald men

6. What really turns you off? - Bad manners

7. What is your biggest mistake? - Why bother to remember

8. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose? - No

9. Say something totally random about yourself.- It's time I had my breakfast

10. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? - I've answered this before - Jane Wyman

11. Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows? - Yes, I have all the Shaun the Sheep DVDs

12. Are you comfortable with your height?- Yes unless the ceiling is very low

13. What is the most romantic thing someone of the preferred sex has done for you? - My husband proposed in a very romantic way

14. When do you know it's love? You just do

15. What's something that really annoys you? - People who park half off the road and don't think about the people who need to get past on the pavement

Christmas cards

I've always found that looking at colours cheers me up. If I'm low and near a wool shop I will go and look at all the colours and textures and it makes me feel better. I recently came across a lovely book about Iris Folding, which is a technique for making greetings cards and pictures using folded strips of paper, and this gives me an opportunity to play around with colours and textures again. Today I have been making some Christmas cards and forgetting the time and giving myself the backache because I was so absorbed in what I was doing. If you'd like to see a couple of examples click on this Link

What is it about sparrows?

I went for a walk this afternoon as I had been slaving over a hot computer all morning and had a really sore back. It was a bit windy to go through the woods so I went along the cycle track that follows the line of the original farm track and went and saw my second favourite tree and said hello (Cue song "I talked to the trees - and then they took me away")
In the hedges there is often a flock of sparrows. Now where I used to live we had huge flocks of sparrows, maybe 30 or more, but here we never get any in the garden and I miss them. So I stopped and watched the sparrows in the hedge. I stood very still and after a while they came and watched me and it made me feel very happy. So what is it about sparrows that is so cheerful?

Monday Mayhem Have you/Would you

Decided to start doing another meme, like I need stuff to do in my copious free time (irony)


HAVE YOU or WOULD YOU...
Go Skinny Dipping?
Can't swim, but I did go topless in Portugal about 25 years ago!

Woken up somewhere that you have no idea how you got there?
No

Eaten a rabbit?
Yes, often, I really like rabbit stew

Have a meet-up with another blogger?
No but I met up with a fellow tweeter and it's now a regular occurrence

Stolen a candy bar?
No

Roasted a pig?
Not personally but I have been present at pig roasts

Bounced a check
No

Gone for a balloon ride?
No, would love to but not sure my dodgy back would cope with the landing

Write a really cool Monday Mayhem ?
I'm working on it

Sunday Stealing 15/11

Sunday Stealing: The Over the Top Meme

Part One - Describe:

Your hair? - Short, brown, some grey

Your mother? - 85 on Tuesday and the best mum a girl could have. She's intelligent, very caring and has a deep Christian faith

Your father? - He passed away 35 years ago, an extremely good amateur actor, a drama teacher so spent a lot of time with him in school holidays

Your favorite food? - My very easy home made chicken curry, let me know if you want the recipe

Your dream last night? - Don't remember

Your favorite drink? - Fresh Orange juice

Your dream/goal? - I'll have to get back to you on that one

The room are you in? - My study

Your hobby? - Making cards and bead jewellery and crocheting and a bit of drawing and a few weekly challenges which are Like This

Your fear? - Being ill so that I can't look after mum and hubby

Your TV? - Prefer factual programmes like Natural History and Science but also like SF

Your Pets? - None

Friends? - Only a few but they are good ones

Your life? - Easy most of the time

Your mood? - Ask me in the New Year

If you're missing someone? - Not really although I'm sorry my dad isn't still here

Your best friend? - Don't rate my friends, several would be joint top of the list

Part Two - The Where's?

Where do you want to be in 6 years? - I'll wait and see

Where were you last night? - Here

Where did you grow up? - Brentwood and Billericay, Essex UK

One place that I go to over and over? - Sutton Hoo

Your favorite place to eat out? - Almost never eat out

Wish list items? - To be better organised and tidier

Last time you laughed? - About 10 minutes ago

Last time you cried? - About 10 days ago

Part Three - The What's?

Something that you aren't? - Unhappy

Last thing you did? -Gave my hubby a hug

What are you wearing?- Nightie and dressing gown, only just got up

Something you're not wearing? - Work it out from last question

Your favorite store? - It has to be H.G.Crisp in Saxmundham

Sunday Stealing 8/11

26. What color is your watch?
- Which watch?

27. What do you think of when you hear “Australia”?
- It's a very long way away.

28. Would you strip for money?
-Nobody would pay me

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
- No drive through where I live and don't like fast food

30. What is your favorite number?
- 42

31. Who’s the last person you talked to on the phone?
- My mother

32. Any plans today?
- Church, walk, pottering about

33. In how many states have you lived?
- None unless being in a state of perpetual confusion counts

34. Biggest annoyance right now?
- Meme's that assume everybody lives in the U.S.

35. Last song listened to?
- Bete Noir by Bryan Ferry

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
-SEY

37. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
- You are joking aren't you?

38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
-Anything that will accommodate my bunions

39. Are you jealous of anyone?
-No

40. Is anyone jealous of you?
- Shouldn't think so


41. Do you love anyone?
- Yes

42. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes, and grandchildren and great grandchildren

43. What do you usually do during the day?
- Depends which day. Work Tuesday and Wednesday, housework Monday, Friday, visit mum Thursday

44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
-Absolutely not

45. Do you use the word hello daily?
- Yes

46. What color is your car?
- Blue

47. What size wedding ring do you wear?
- Don't know, had it too long to remember

48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
- No, I am concentrating on this meme

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
- No, don't even know where it is

50. How did you get your worst scar?
- Chicken pox

Those anti spammer words

I find myself getting more and more fascinated by those random words you have to type in a box before you can post links to your blog on Facebook or comment on some people's blogs. This morning I got "O'Hara Harps" and in my mind's eye saw this funny little back street shop with a leprachaun sitting in the back room surrounded by bits of string and wood and strange tools and a Pratchettesque harp made of sapient pearwood like the luggage (I know, you have to read Discworld novels, it's too complicated to explain) telling him why he's doing things wrong. I have a feeling Alan Coren wrote a piece all about the books that went under titles that were really volumes in an encyclopedia. I will have to see if I can find it. In the meantime let's see what we get when I post the link up to this!
P.S. It was "sneak featherbedding" Is that a mattress that lulls you into a false sense of security?

Sunday Stealing - 01/11

Tried to take the Sunday Stealing a bit more seriously this week!

1. What is the color of your toothbrush?
- White with a bit of blue

2. Name one person who made you smile today.
- @Farctum on Twitter

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
- It is 8 am and I'm doing this meme

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
- Sleeping

5. What is your favorite candy bar?
- Toffee Crisp

6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
- No but I've walked past a few

7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
- Good Morning

8. What is your favorite ice cream? How to choose?
- Choosing if you go to the Ice cream Parlour at Aldeburgh is very difficult. If I was there now I think I would have coffee flavour, or maybe Banoffee

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Coffee

10. Do you like your wallet?
No, the zip just broke

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Puffed oats with some dried cranberries and soya milk

12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
No

13. The last sporting event you watched?
Watched a bit of Formula one a couple of weeks ago

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
- Didn't know you could get different flavours

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
A very old and dear friend whose father has just died

16. Ever go camping?
No, NO!

17. Do you take vitamins daily?
-Yes

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
-Yes, nearly every week although very occasionally I might miss

19. Do you have a tan?
-Bit of a gardeners tan on my forearms

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
-Not sure

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
- Never drink soda

22. What did your last text message say?
- It was private so not sharing that

23. What are you doing tomorrow?
- Laundry in the morning, and shopping. House group in the afternoon. Getting ready for work on Tuesday and having a look at the Monday Mayhem meme

24. Favorite color?
- Do you know the variety of Penstemon called "Sour Grapes" ? It's a sort of delicate electric mauve/blue

25. Look to your left; what do you see?
- A big pine tree and rain

More photos (or I Like Trees)

This should really follow on from the previous post.

wooooo hoooooo

That's my attempt to make a noise like a ghost, didn't really work did it. Anyway, we went to Sutton Hoo again this afternoon and I took 63 photos and had a jolly good walk. OH borrowed the buggy for the bit of the walk that it can manage and then after tea and cake he went in the exhibition hall and I went for a walk down a couple of the less beaten tracks. This photo kind of sums up one aspect of the place but I got some lovely tree pictures too which I will share in due course. The trees are not really turning that well this year but some have a bit and maybe in a week or so they will look better. Hubby reckons it will be too cold for him to go soon. I had a top up practice in his car too, just getting my brain round driving the automatic from time to time means I don't worry about the possibility of having to drive it in an emergency. It's a lot bigger than my car too. So all in all it's been a great weekend

Sunday Stealing 25/10

Sunday Stealing: The Halloween Meme

You may find a theme beginning to emerge in this, move over (for a little while) Bryan

1. What is your favorite written work of horror fiction?
- The Haunter of the Dark by H.P.Lovecraft and Dracula by Bram Stoker

2. What is your favorite work of science fiction/fantasy?
- Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

3. Who is your favorite monster?
- Dracula

4. What is your favorite Horror movie?
Frank Langella's version of Dracula

5. What horror movie gives you the most chills?
- Frank Langella's version of Dracula

6. What character from any horror film would you most like to play?
Anyone who gets bitten by Frank Langella

7. Freddy or Jason?
- Frank

8. What is your favorite Halloween treat?
Watching Frank Langella's version of Dracula

9. Ghosts or goblins?
Vampires

10. Friendly-faced jack-o'-lantern or scary one?
Friendly but with pointy teeth

11. What is your scariest encounter with the paranormal?
Saw a UFO once

13. Would you rather be a zombie, alien, or psycho?
No thanks

14. Favorite Halloween costume?
Big black cloak with red silk lining

15. Best thing about Halloween?
When It's over

16. Person in your family who most likes Halloween (not counting yourself)?
Guess it would be my cousin as it's her birthday

17. Are you superstitious?
NO

18. Share an unusual Halloween story.
Haven't got one

19. What did you do for Halloween as a kid?
Wasn't celebrated (if that's the word) when I was a kid but my cousin did have a couple of parties with pumpkin lamps

20. What's the best Halloween party that you've attended?
See above

Lovely day, lovely day...

I have you know, I've had a lovely day. Woke up when I was ready to - always a good start. Hubby already up and porridged, he was feeling well which always cheers me up. Usual chat with mum at 8 then off for a walk through the woods to get hubby's paper and some chicken from our terrific butcher. Saw two people that I knew. Off to Ipswich to get shirt for hubby, things from the craft shop to make Christmas cards and then to Arlingtons to meet easternsparkle for lunch. She is my friend I met on the internet about 50 years ago. Time always flys when we meet and the next step is now in the planning, which is the meeting of the husbands! Got waylaid in BHS on the way back to the bus stop.
Had a little rest then cooked huge pan of chicken and tarragon stew, froze some for us, some smaller portions for mum and the juice with pearly barley and lentils for soup. And had a glass or two. Now considering my artistic endeavours for my other blog.
Ain't life grand!

Oh Dr Beeching......

For reasons that are not very positive and therefore have no place here, I haven't been very inspired this week and so even skipped Sunday Stealing and my two arty challenges. But last night I was reminded of a happy time when I watched a terrific little jewel of a programme called Railway Walks. In it the presenter, a very healthy young woman called Julia, walks along stretches of disused railway lines, mostly ones that were closed down by Dr Beeching in the early 1960s when the railways were "rationalised" and the seed was sown for the chaos and utter horror of driving on our now far too busy and congested roads. As my mum never learnt to drive we used to travel on trains a lot and whn I started work I used to travel around by train a lot too for my job (but that's another story) What I was particularly reminded of though was that my grandfather bought a house that had been a crossing keeper's house and I remember walking along the old line and the lovely scenery and the fascinating assortment of small skeletons left by the numerous animals that had met their demise under the wheels of a train years previously. I'm not sure how much of this will resonate with my non-English readers. The places where the line crossed the road were, back in the day, controlled by a man who lived in a house by the side of the line and had to physically go out and close the gates across the road when a train was coming, no automation. And as a child it was the most exciting thing to come along and find the road barred and know that a train was going to hurtle across, even though you might have to wait 10 minutes for it to do so. I find myself back on the bench seat of a old Rover, the smell of leather upholstery and the gleam of the Bakelite knobs. Aha, that's provided me with the idea for a picture to put at the top of this... I'll have to tell you about all the wonderful old cars we had another day.
And the song?
"Oh, Dr Beeching, what shall I do
I wanted to go to Birmingham and they've taken me off to Crewe
Send me back to London
As quickly as you can
Oh Dr Beeching what a silly girl I am."

My Auntie Joan

This is a positive story, in accordance with the ethos of this blog, although it may seem sad to start with. My mum's sister died this morning. Her daughter rang me at about 8:00 to let me know and we have spoken again this evening. Auntie Joan had a stroke about 10 years ago which took away her speech and paralysed her down one side but she remained cheerful and positive. Later she had to go to a home when it became too difficult for her husband to look after her, even with carers coming in three times a day and in the last few weeks she had deteriorated a lot and gone into hospital. But she had a strong faith, as do many of her family. I am glad she is over her pain and I am glad that I and her husband and my mum and many others can be so sure that she is in a better place and that we will all be together again one day. I do really believe that.
Anyway, we have been thinking today about her and about some fun memories and I'd like to share a couple.
I used to go and stay for a week in the summer holidays when I was a lot younger and one year I totally disgraced myself. After I had come home Joan phoned my mum. She had tried to get her younger daughter to put on her new pyjamas and she had said "I don't want those bl**dy things on" She was about 5 or 6. Joan, horrified, asked why she had said it. "Well, Janet says it"
We used to go and visit quite often in the day time, mum and me. We would get off the train and then walk along a long road which got a bit much for my little legs. I can feel myself now, holding my mummy's hand, somewhere about my shoulder level and the feeling of rejection when she said I was too heavy for her to carry! But I loved visiting, There was the tree we used to climb in the track at the back of their house, the hedgehog we found in the garden, my cousin going over the fence into the school gounds next door and nearly getting caught and the night my Uncle put fat in the little boiler that made the hot water tank boil so that steam came out of the taps. I shall have to write all this down for my cousin, as I don't know if she remembers it all. I did tell her something today that she didn't know, which my mum told me and that was that her mum threw a whole rice pudding at her dad not long after they were married, dish and all. She was really happy I told her about that and is sharing it with her sister and their children.
Rest in Peace Auntie Joan

Monday Miscellany

Today has been a days of several parts. In accordance with tradition, Monday is washing day in this household, although it is so easy when you have a machine to do it that it hardly seems a chore. No boiler to be lit and brought up to temperature, no yellow soap to rub on the collars and cuffs, no soda to redden your already chapped hands, no steam filled kiitchen, no mangle to trap the baby's fingers and no sheets to heave in and out of the bath tub. Aren't I lucky - I hope you are too.
In the afternoon I go to Bible Study at the Vicarage. I go for my lovely walk through the woods to get there (and back again) and today was dry and sunny.
Now I have to bring my brain to bear on an award wot I have been awarded. My friend easternsparkle sent me this award and now I have to get my head round the rules of acceptance which are:-
1. Thank the person who gave this to you ....Thanks Sparkle

2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog - Done!

3. Link the person who nominated you Easternsparkle


4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know
OK, I'll go for the things that the people reading this probably wouldn't know
1. My mum was convinced I was going to be a boy and I was going to be called Mark
2. My big round vaccination mark is on the sole of my right foot
3. I knew a murderer
4. I went to the same school as the actress Joan Sims (but not at the same time!)
5. My mother's cousin invented OMO
6. I have had a conversation with Cliff Richard
7. I have never seen "The Sound of Music"

5. Nominate 7 bloggers for the award, post links to their blogs and leave a comment to tell them that they have been nominated

Now I have a problem here because I am not a very busy blogger and so almost all the blogs I know seem to have already had the award from someone else so you'll have to make do with this one for the time being and then I'll add some more when I find them.

Illustrations vert pistache

Sunday Stealing 11/10

The Magical Mystery Tour Meme
Welcome back to Sunday Stealing. Today they ripped this meme off a blogger and blog called Magical Mystery Tour. He's from the UK where they spell words strangely.

Sunday Stealing: The Magical Mystery Tour Meme

Can I just comment that we spell "words" the same way you do. Colour, catalogue, favour and many others however.......

1. Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet?
-No, because it would mean gravity was going wrong and we would all soon follow

2. How do you flush the toilet in public?
- I don't understand this question. The flush flushes the way it flushes

3. Do you wear your seatbelt in the car?
- Yes, why are meme-ers obsessed with this

4. Do you have a crush on someone?
- Bryan Ferry

5. Name one thing you worry about running out of.
- Far too well organised to run out of stuff

6. What famous person do you (or other people) think you resemble?
- Years ago someone said I looked like Jane Wyman - these days it's more like Bill Wyman

7. What is your favourite pizza topping?
- Not really a fan of pizza - I make scone bases sometimes and just put lots of onions mushrooms and cheese on it

8. Do you crack your knuckles?
- Used to

9. What song do you hate the most?
- No, not going there, don't want to even think about what it might be because I have anticipated the next question!

10. Did just mentioning that song make it get stuck in your head?
- See above

11. What are your super powers?
- I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you

12. Peppermint or spearmint?
- Spearmint

13. Where are your car keys?
- In my handbag

14. Last song you listened to?
- I've got a Leonard Cohen CD on at the moment, he's just finished 1000 Kisses Deep

15. What's your most annoying habit?
- Not putting things away when I've finished with them

16. Where did you last go on vacation?
- Years since I went away on a proper holiday. Last time was Portugal in about 1985

17. What is your best physical feature?
- Depends on who's looking

18. What CD is closest to you right now?
- See 14

19. What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator?
- Orange Juice (ours), Soya Milk (mine), Stewed Apple (his)

20. What superstition do you believe/practice?
- I am not superstitious

21. What colour are your bed sheets?
-Mauve

22. Would you rather be a fish or a bird?
- Bird, I can't swim but have always wished I could fly

23. Last thing you broke?
- Can't remember

24. What are you having to eat tonight?
- Not sure, depends on how hungry Hubby is

25. What colour shirt are you wearing?
- Not wearing a shirt, pink jumper

26. If you could be doing anything else today, what would you rather be doing?
- As it is Sunday I would love to go to a church service in Canterbury Cathedral

27. Do security cameras make you nervous?
- No, quite pleased to see them

28. If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
- I have already started it and it's called "Church Halls I have stood about in"

29. Last time you went to a cemetery?
-1992

30. Last concert you went to?
-It would have been something at Snape Maltings but a long time ago

31. Favourite musician(s)/bands you've seen in concert?
- Can't think of anything

32. Next concert you're planning to attend?
- Don't go anymore, can't sit for that long

33. Do you talk to yourself?
- Isn't that what I'm doing now?

34. Have you ever adopted or purchased a pet?
- Not since I was a child

35. Have you ever been present when an animal is being born?
- Yes, seen puppies and pigs being born

Fiddling about on Friday

Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day so I am trying to take my mind off it by getting on with my weekend challenges in good time. In fact, both of them are Friday Challenges but one posts the theme a lot earlier than the other one so I've done one here it is and then I have made a birthday card for a friend and maybe now I will go and help hubby eat some of the buns I baked yesterday. The sun is shining so I really ought to go for a walk too, before it starts to rain.