I wish I had known about this, but I could not have afforded it - a Victorian vampire slaying kit! The story on the BBC here makes me feel all mischievous.
I have too many stories to write. This may make it into one of them.
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Monday, 25 June 2012
Grumpy again
School - two clear days notice for particular clothing. It isn't too bad, it is just for a particular colour and yes, I can scratch around and get it, but really! Two clear days! I have too much imagination and can think of dozens of reasons why finding top and trousers of particular colours with no logo within two days could be a stretch.
They have known about this for weeks. Is it so hard for them to give us a little more notice?
They have known about this for weeks. Is it so hard for them to give us a little more notice?
Not so grumpy today
It is interesting - I am not so grumpy today. I was sick in the night (tea is beginning to affect me more and more and not in a good way) and the garden looks like a duvet has been sick in it. The local large stand of poplars are shedding their fluffy seeds everywhere, and I feel I have to be careful not to inhale the dratted things. At least with this stormy weather the seeds haven't settled as much as they usually do. Normally it looks like a duvet has been been disembowelled.
However I am actually quite cheerful. After dropping little bear off at school I walked along to Makro, withstood looking at anything else and bought 5 litres of white vinegar, for cleaning purposes. Then without a pause or stop I walked back to the house. Eighteen months ago I couldn't have done this, it would have been physically too much.
I have no idea why I am getting better, but I am. Now all I need to do is channel that a bit positively.
However I am actually quite cheerful. After dropping little bear off at school I walked along to Makro, withstood looking at anything else and bought 5 litres of white vinegar, for cleaning purposes. Then without a pause or stop I walked back to the house. Eighteen months ago I couldn't have done this, it would have been physically too much.
I have no idea why I am getting better, but I am. Now all I need to do is channel that a bit positively.
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Evil cat is not happy
Evil cat cannot be having with this sort of weather at her time of life. Yesterday she was queuing at the door, demanding to go out. The rain was coming down like a solid sheet and I was doubtful but she was insistent, so I opened the door. The poor old cat stuck her head out into the driving rain, reversed hurriedly and gave me a filthy look. Why had I left the shower on outside?
In the afternoon there was a dry patch with only the wind being severe. Evil cat trotted out, her ears blew backwards and she looked extremely grumpy indeed. She tried having a little wander around but for a short haired cat she has quite long fur and it was being blown into all sorts of clumps. She came in, sat in front of the fire and glared at me. She is very clear - it is my fault and she is not happy.
In the afternoon there was a dry patch with only the wind being severe. Evil cat trotted out, her ears blew backwards and she looked extremely grumpy indeed. She tried having a little wander around but for a short haired cat she has quite long fur and it was being blown into all sorts of clumps. She came in, sat in front of the fire and glared at me. She is very clear - it is my fault and she is not happy.
Friday, 22 June 2012
Bad news
Little bear has brought home the class bear. This is not good. Well, actually it is good because he is the 'Star of the Week' and is brilliant. However we have to not under any circumstances lose the class bear - and take a photo of it doing something exotic. Last time we got the class bear it was snowing, so the *%@& bear could be photographed next to a snow man. OH suggests positioning the hostage to fortune on top of a slide this time. I am considering something that is not suitable for a younger audience. I mean, what do you do? Apart from glare in frustration at the teacher who isn't aware of how terrified I am of the class bear being happened to while in our care.
And breathe.
And on top of that, the class photo. The least expensive option is £8. That's on top of £40 for Martial Arts Summer camp, £17 entry to Martial Arts competition and £15 t-shirt acquired in dubious circumstances (not the Martial Arts fault I hasten to add - they are brilliant!). Then there is the out of school club he wants to go on, and the £72 I have just paid out for piano lessons, etc etc etc. I have just booked for us to go for another week in Whitby next year. It is like the money is growing legs and marching out of the door.
The £8 would get you just one photo. If you want more, you have to pay for each one, of course. And then there is the deluxe version, with a calendar on it, for £10. I can hear the sound of doting relatives' purses opening as these things land home.
Now I have to go and extract little bear from darling father's room and force him to practice his piano. He will object, argue and sulk - then really enjoy himself. Sigh.
And breathe.
And on top of that, the class photo. The least expensive option is £8. That's on top of £40 for Martial Arts Summer camp, £17 entry to Martial Arts competition and £15 t-shirt acquired in dubious circumstances (not the Martial Arts fault I hasten to add - they are brilliant!). Then there is the out of school club he wants to go on, and the £72 I have just paid out for piano lessons, etc etc etc. I have just booked for us to go for another week in Whitby next year. It is like the money is growing legs and marching out of the door.
The £8 would get you just one photo. If you want more, you have to pay for each one, of course. And then there is the deluxe version, with a calendar on it, for £10. I can hear the sound of doting relatives' purses opening as these things land home.
Now I have to go and extract little bear from darling father's room and force him to practice his piano. He will object, argue and sulk - then really enjoy himself. Sigh.
You need it by when?!
As I mentioned on the Old Style thread on MSE, little bear brought home a letter on the Tuesday needing a costume for Elmer the Elephant day on Friday. As in, two clear days. So someone working was completely stuffed.
I was very lucky, Nice Mrs Next Door bought some fabric paints and gave them to me, so little bear sat down with a white t-shirt last night and I put lots and lots and lots of newspaper down, and packed newspaper inside the t-shirt and then taped squares with sticky tape. Little bear squeezed the fabric paint onto the fabric and supervised me carefully brushing inside the sticky tape, and now we have a rather nice, colourful t-shirt with multi coloured squares, the layout chosen by little bear. Little bear wants to keep and wear it. The very minor niggle I have is that I didn't iron it to fix the colours before he wore it this morning. Tonight if I iron it I may not only fix the colours but whatever hazard has happened during the course of a normal day in Reception class (paint is the least of it). I will take the risk.
One good thing that has come from this is that little bear really enjoyed himself. So the short sleeved school shirt whose cuffs are a no longer white but a sort of dubious pale beige can be transformed by fabric paints during the loooooong summer holidays. Also pillow cases. Also shoe bags made from pillowcases (I have an excess of pillow cases). Also t-shirts (again).
At least we got a little more notice that little bear would need party clothes for the disco yesterday. Six days, to be precise, From Friday to Thursday. Little bear thought it was great fun, very exciting and the favourite song he heard was apparently, 'Baby, baby, baby, baby, argghhhhh!' but as I don't listen to Radio One I haven't a clue. On Monday little bear is supposed to be playing football in a 'Euro 2012 event' as in, all classes are a country and all have a kick of a ball. Little bear's class is supposed to be Greece. I wonder if I should send him in a t-shirt saying, 'Sponsored by Pay Day Loans'. This is if weather permits. If the weather continues like it is they could end up with an impromptu swimming lesson.
Wondering about getting 'end of year' presents for the staff. Little bear has really flourished. Perhaps some pyjama cases made from pillow cases and decorated with fabric paint....
I was very lucky, Nice Mrs Next Door bought some fabric paints and gave them to me, so little bear sat down with a white t-shirt last night and I put lots and lots and lots of newspaper down, and packed newspaper inside the t-shirt and then taped squares with sticky tape. Little bear squeezed the fabric paint onto the fabric and supervised me carefully brushing inside the sticky tape, and now we have a rather nice, colourful t-shirt with multi coloured squares, the layout chosen by little bear. Little bear wants to keep and wear it. The very minor niggle I have is that I didn't iron it to fix the colours before he wore it this morning. Tonight if I iron it I may not only fix the colours but whatever hazard has happened during the course of a normal day in Reception class (paint is the least of it). I will take the risk.
One good thing that has come from this is that little bear really enjoyed himself. So the short sleeved school shirt whose cuffs are a no longer white but a sort of dubious pale beige can be transformed by fabric paints during the loooooong summer holidays. Also pillow cases. Also shoe bags made from pillowcases (I have an excess of pillow cases). Also t-shirts (again).
At least we got a little more notice that little bear would need party clothes for the disco yesterday. Six days, to be precise, From Friday to Thursday. Little bear thought it was great fun, very exciting and the favourite song he heard was apparently, 'Baby, baby, baby, baby, argghhhhh!' but as I don't listen to Radio One I haven't a clue. On Monday little bear is supposed to be playing football in a 'Euro 2012 event' as in, all classes are a country and all have a kick of a ball. Little bear's class is supposed to be Greece. I wonder if I should send him in a t-shirt saying, 'Sponsored by Pay Day Loans'. This is if weather permits. If the weather continues like it is they could end up with an impromptu swimming lesson.
Wondering about getting 'end of year' presents for the staff. Little bear has really flourished. Perhaps some pyjama cases made from pillow cases and decorated with fabric paint....
Operation Clutterbust is back!
Goodness, I didn't realise it was so long since I had posted! And perhaps it is just as well as for the last few days I have been like a rottweiler with toothache. And not in a good way. I have not been fit for company.
However, being in a temper (no idea why, btw, but it has been foul) has worked wonders on my work rate. On Wednesday I got rid of a shopping trolley full of clothes to one of those shops that buy second hand clothes. I was so nervous they would pick on every microscopic mark and loose thread. Actually it got tipped on a heap and I got £3.15 for 6.3 kilos. I am glad for that money. Not only is it nice to have money coming in instead of money going out, it was a sort of enablement for me to get rid of things that I couldn't put in the bin. I also posted out a box of clothes to where I hope they will be useful. This cost me money and I do not begrudge a single, solitary penny. Not only do I think it a worthwhile thing, but also it enabled me to get rid!
It is now Friday lunchtime, the shopping trolley is full again and I have nearly filled two more small boxes. It makes less than a dent than you would think, as I have mainly cleared a large mound on a table, but there is still a shedload of stuff that has slipped down the back and sides of furniture, and a lot of stuff that I want to keep but need a home for. However I am aiming to have this house rid of excess clothing by the end of the month.
I am not very firm on this. There are bound to be bits, bobs, odds and ends left over. They can go to the shop as and when. Or a charity shop, or the neighbours' young grandson, or for rags. The important point is that there should be no big piles of clothes that need to be sorted out 'when I get round to it'. I am getting round to it now!
And I am insisting OH gets rid of any clothes that he is unlikely to wear. Apart from meaning that there then may be places to put my clothes, it helps the room breath and sort of lightens the house. I also think that if there are less clothes then it is easier to keep on top of things, as you know where things are and there aren't enough things to overwhelm you. If you only have half a dozen shirts, then you can't put off doing ironing until there are none left ironed and then suddenly find yourself faced with ironing thirty shirts.
Poor OH - I hope he doesn't feel picked on. However I have made him promise that he gets rid of all that he doesn't want. He can keep anything he likes without having to justify anything. After all, he is the one who wears the things.
However, being in a temper (no idea why, btw, but it has been foul) has worked wonders on my work rate. On Wednesday I got rid of a shopping trolley full of clothes to one of those shops that buy second hand clothes. I was so nervous they would pick on every microscopic mark and loose thread. Actually it got tipped on a heap and I got £3.15 for 6.3 kilos. I am glad for that money. Not only is it nice to have money coming in instead of money going out, it was a sort of enablement for me to get rid of things that I couldn't put in the bin. I also posted out a box of clothes to where I hope they will be useful. This cost me money and I do not begrudge a single, solitary penny. Not only do I think it a worthwhile thing, but also it enabled me to get rid!
It is now Friday lunchtime, the shopping trolley is full again and I have nearly filled two more small boxes. It makes less than a dent than you would think, as I have mainly cleared a large mound on a table, but there is still a shedload of stuff that has slipped down the back and sides of furniture, and a lot of stuff that I want to keep but need a home for. However I am aiming to have this house rid of excess clothing by the end of the month.
I am not very firm on this. There are bound to be bits, bobs, odds and ends left over. They can go to the shop as and when. Or a charity shop, or the neighbours' young grandson, or for rags. The important point is that there should be no big piles of clothes that need to be sorted out 'when I get round to it'. I am getting round to it now!
And I am insisting OH gets rid of any clothes that he is unlikely to wear. Apart from meaning that there then may be places to put my clothes, it helps the room breath and sort of lightens the house. I also think that if there are less clothes then it is easier to keep on top of things, as you know where things are and there aren't enough things to overwhelm you. If you only have half a dozen shirts, then you can't put off doing ironing until there are none left ironed and then suddenly find yourself faced with ironing thirty shirts.
Poor OH - I hope he doesn't feel picked on. However I have made him promise that he gets rid of all that he doesn't want. He can keep anything he likes without having to justify anything. After all, he is the one who wears the things.
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