Musings

Well, have learnt more about the design of blogs and how to move material around, I suppose that fulfils my aim of acquiring more knowledge and skills.

So, a productive day in that all the ironing is done and all marmalade has been made for this year. The last two batches were slightly different, the third one of about 15 jars I have called L O L - Lime, Orange and Lemon and the fourth and final batch of about 14 jars is Oranges and Lemons as there are more lemons than one would usually use. These last ones need lids on the jars, both sets require labels, the design of which are in the hands of Ian, although we subscribe to the KISS principle in labelling our produce (keep it simple stupid!)

The other day (one of Ian's favourite expressions, always suitably vague as to which day is meant) I praised Freecycle and am reminded when we put waxed circles on top of the marmalade that the circles were another Freecycle gai. Not sure whether it was two or three packs of 200 circles but we have certainly used a number of them, always puzzling why some one would give these useful discs away.

However, we have advertised items for others benefit - including our furniture nearly a year ago, TVs have gone to be viewed elsewhere, many years ago I gave a huge tin of buttons for some one to use for craft work, copies of Vogue went to a fledgling jewellery designer.

Oversleeping means we are eating our breakfast long after the Breakfast TV has finished so I have succumbed to such programmes as Wanted Down Under and the property shows. Not that I have any intention of emigrating or moving house but certain aspects of these shows puzzle me. Firstly, why is the beach such an attraction? I know one can sit on the beach, sunbathe, read, play volleyball or beach cricket but most of these activities can be done elsewhere in considerable more comfort? Why is the beach so important to emigrants when viewing properties down under? Another puzzling aspect, is none of the people in the shows ever carry a bag, or if they do they are never shown with a bag or a jacket. No mobiles. Why? Surely a lady carrying her handbag, maybe a guy with a rucksack looks more natural if they are out for the day, or looking at the work opportunities? If I am out without a bag, say to collect our newspaper it would be because I'm wearing clothes with pockets to take my puffer, handkerchief, the voucher, keys, any way will be out of the house for just a few moments.  

The family would say this is one of my problems, everything has to be realistic. Apparently I am hopeless to take to the films, I say things like "that would never happen", or "that is the wrong train colour for the West Country", "no one wore clothes like that then" etc. Nothing new about this, when I was a child my father bought me one of the early copies of the Enid Blyton magazine. I remember it was a February issue, there was an illustration of a girl wearing a short sleeved jumper, for me that was impossible in the winter. Well in a house where the only heating was the Ideal grey boiler in the kitchen and a coal fire at one end of a long narrow room it was always going to be cold in 1950s winters so the integrity of that magazine was damned!

I said nothing changes, in my 1962 diary for 25th January I noted "Did crossword. Hard." Same today, we couldn't complete the quick crossword in the paper, we have decided we must look at the completed cryptic crossword on the iPad to see the mind set of the compiler.

Now must go and check the bread dough, it is taking a long while to prove so I fear a late night and thus a sleep in and late breakfast again.

Book bonanza

Happiness is finding books that I had thought had gone from my life for ever.

Background is that we are trying to have a clear out, yesterday an unwanted vacuum was Freecycled and Ian decided to clear more from garage so bought in crates of books. Now I thought these books were kids university ones and was delighted to find that many were ours, there were old Pelicans, black covered Penguins covering classical Greek literature and history for example. These have replaced Martha's Harry Potter collection on our shelves in the hall as can be seen here.

This bookcase that was found in the garage when we moved into this house, it was used for storing paint pots, now it is in the dining room and has our fiction collection, like Barbara Pym, Howard Spring and now Nevil Shute and Ian's Asimov collection that have come from the garage. Some of the fiction is light reading stuff that will go once read. So short of time, what with blogging, knitting, cooking/baking, meeting friends, Local studies voluntary work so how did we work and run around after two children.

Must get on, want to sort out more books, haven't attempted the DT quick crossword yet, am meeting friend for lunch in Kew Gardens and to look at the photography exhibition there and then there is the knitting. Didn't do any yesterday but climbed Mount Ironmore instead.

Byeee, Madeleine