| Monday 7th January 2008 |
[Jan. 7th, 2008|09:15 pm] |
today has been my birthday. it's been a really nice, peaceful content sort of day; then as I was about to eat my evening meal the following was announced which just about was the cherry on the cake:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7174463.stm
and thus dear friends, we see the flaw in the death penalty. This man should be dead, if the pro capital punishment bunch had their way. Now he is about to resume a sadly interrupted life. |
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| Sunday 7th January 2007 |
[Jan. 6th, 2008|08:39 pm] |
been working and sleeping, and then David went back to uni so Jane and I gutted the place yesterday. I think we're down to three unsorted boxes now. Looking hopeful.
Yesterday we went out to check the local sales, and walked straight round the corner into the high street, taped off with police tapes.Turns out one of the oldest houses/shops in the High Street was on the verge of collapse, and the demolition chaps were checking it out. Couldn't have been too imminently on verge of collapse, as when we tried to stagger home some time later hauling a newly purchased trunk between us, they let us through! The tapoes are still up today, but nothing seems to have falen down or been demolished yet.It's sad cos the shops are in use, the houses above are occupied, and my guestimate is that they date fom the late 1700's. The weather forecast for the next few days is gale force winds. Fingers crossed (and for our roof/chimney as well!) |
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| New Year's Day |
[Jan. 1st, 2008|10:27 pm] |
quiet day, at home, tackled unpacking and sorting some more boxes. The big news in Scotland at the moment concerns the tragic death of footballer Phil O'Donnell, who died during a match on Saturday. Generally acknowledged as one of the humblest and nicest of footballers, he leaves a wife and four young children.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1933361.0.Eerie_hush_as_tragedy_became_clear.php
His wife spoke today and she is, understandably, devastated. The post mortem showed he died of heart failure.
Events like that should make me realise unpacking and offspring's refusal to store clothing (clean and dirty) anywhere other than the bedroom floor, or their remove dirty plates and cutlery to the kitchen, (even if washing up is too onerous a task!),are so unimportant.Yet I still find myself on edge when these everyday niggles arise. And then I feel guilty. Priorities are strange things. |
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| Hogmanay! |
[Dec. 31st, 2007|08:53 pm] |
it's new year's eve..or Hogmanay in Scotland. They take their Hogmanay very seriously, do Scots.So seriously that both New Year's Day and 2nd January are public holidays here...time to recover.
I was working today...am home tonight with ailing eldest. Have got invites to party, but am not leaving him alone (once a mum, always....) so instead I've spent some time chatting by phone with the lady I consider to be my second mum (and the closest thing I have to one in the absence of my own), indulged in some pondering about the past year,and goal setting for 2008. This past year (especially the past three months) has been so hectic, I can do with soem peace and quiet for a while. Highlight of the last year? Possibly meeting and being hugged by Alan Cumming.Or catching up with dear friends I hadn't seen for years. Main goal for next year? Possibly be a nicer and more charitable person. I'd like to travel some more too, and get some more family history organised. And have fun!!!!
Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful, healthy and content 2008.
Hugs! |
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| weekend is here! |
[Dec. 29th, 2007|09:23 pm] |
didn't blog last night cos I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open. A string of 6am starts put paid to me! Did lots of housework today but was rewarded by what appears to be Richard Armitage night on the BBC...a double final ep of Robin Hood and then the final Vicar of Dibley. What more could a founder member of the Armitage Army ask for?!!!!
In case you are as yet unconvinced, here's one of my fav clips from the BBC's North and South, the series where it all began!
Who wouldn't look back?!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nquzGb3UiY |
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| back to the grindstone... |
[Dec. 27th, 2007|08:26 pm] |
back to work today. so tired, which doesn't make sense, as I hardly did anything over the holiday other than cook and washup...and cook, and wash up...I was quite worn out last night though, we discovered shifting floor tiles in the bathroom which we are assuming is a consequence of the flood. The surveyor said to inform the insurance company if/when that happened, so when I can summon up the energy to start the ball rolling, I shall. it's the thought of the upheaval and tile/shower/floorboard lifting and replacing which will follow, that is putting me off!
all inconsequential though, in the light of the news from Pakistan today. Sad times. |
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| Another Christmas bites the dust.... |
[Dec. 25th, 2007|11:09 pm] |
well, that's it for another year. Each year I wonder if it will be our last as a family as the offspring get older and become more independent. Today went well....they seemed to like their pressies, and I also put money in each of their accounts to spend in the sales. We had a nice dinner, watched Finding nemo, then Shrek 2, then the Dr Who Christmas special. Totally lazy. I hammered David on one of his gifts to me: the TopGear interactive dvd game, But then he had hammered me in one of my gifts to him- the Top Gear remote control car football game. Good fun.
When I was at home, every year we would time our meal so we would be finished in time to watch The Queen at 3pm. Usually I do this too, but due to only having a single oven now instead of the double I am used to, I got my timings wrong and missed HM this year. As a child, my parents and also grandparents would watch The Queen, then turn the tv off and toast her..then raise a glass to the second toast of the day, 'Absent friends'. The latter toast used to upset me, but as a generation which had lost many friends and family in the war, my parents took it very seriously. Now I think it is a good tradition, but is a thought I leave to ponder until this time of day, on my own, at the close of the day. So here's to absent friends...to those no longer close, to those still close emotionally but far away physically, to those friends and family whose spell in mortality has ended and who have blazed a trail elsewhere. For the influence all my absent friends have had on my life, I thank you. |
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| Christmas Eve |
[Dec. 24th, 2007|08:53 pm] |
was awake at 5.45, got the Alaskan out for his taxi at 6.15am (Last heard of, he was on his flight) Was shopping in local supermarket at 7.30 and on bus to work less than an hour later. Arrived at work to find IT issues, doctor problems, and all sorts. Finished work at 2pm, went shopping, got home at 5pm, and promptly fell asleep on the sofa.
Anyway in an hour I will go wrap pressies, and then head for my bed. Merry Christmas!!! |
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| Sunday... |
[Dec. 23rd, 2007|11:03 pm] |
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we have an Alaskan staying the night. One of my son's uni friends, en route home for Christmas. He flies out very early tomorrow morning and we are 10 mins from the airport, so David offered him a roof/floor for the night. This was before David had seen his new home, so the poor Alaskan guy is sleeping on cushions on the floor and has to be up at 6am, and picked up at 6.15am. Tomorrow will be a long day. I love meeting people from different countries and cultures though. It's so interesting.Today I indulged in a great British Christmas tradition and watched The Great Escape. then I had to explain to our guest why it is a British Christmas tradition to annually watch a war film where the escaping British POW's get shot by the Gestapo. Not very Christmassy.However a friend texted me as it started 'Christmas starts here!'. so true :-) |
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| Saturdays |
[Dec. 22nd, 2007|01:46 pm] |
the past few Saturdays have been manic, with ill offspring, then moving and associated disasters. Today being the final Saturday before Christmas has not been much better, but complicated by the fact I woke up with a sore throat, cough, potentially runny nose....and I still have to work Monday. yuck. Also it's the Ward Christmas party tonight....anyhow I went out several times, ran all sorts of errands, and watched fascinated in one supermarket from a distance when I saw a previous stake president chatting for ages with a fed up looking shop assistant, and then a little while longer I watched a current stake presy counselor insisting a lady take his place in the long queue and helping her with her shopping. It was good to see those men acting like that, unaware they were being observed.
I write this inbetween chores, putting my feet up temporarily before I tackle housework. So on Saturdays I surf the net a little and read the online broadsheets I don't have time to read during the week. Here's my favourite article from today- from Top Gear's James May, motoring correpsondent and classical musician. It made me laugh so much. I'll never be able to manage 'The Holly and the Ivy' with a straight face again...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml;jsessionid=ZXNPFWB0BQQZ5QFIQMGSFFWAVCBQWIV0?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/motoring/2007/12/22/mrmay122.xml |
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