Autumn Equinox

A lovely sunny late summer day. Today I took a short trip to Exmouth to walk along the Exe estuary. A fine late summer day and the crowds of visitors have left. The beaches once again free to be enjoyed by the residents. The best time of year. When you can go out for a walk and remind yourself why it is so lovely to live in East Devon. Tomorrow is the first day of autumn.

Northern Rock Debacle

I just cannot believe what I am seeing on the news. The queues at Northern Rock Banks of hundreds of people patiently waiting to get access to their money. The whole tribe of leaders, bankers, experts, politicians wheeled out to tell us all that our money is SAFE in Northern Rock. No problems. Don't panic. The website is running as normal - it 'maybe a bit slow' as so many people are trying to get online to transfer their money out. Does anyone know of anyone who has managed to log on to even look at their balance? You can't even get online to open an account - if you should wish to do so - if you wanted to show your faith in the bank.

I am so sorry for all the staff at Northern Rock. From staff at HQ, to the IT Dept, and all the counter staff. I expect they are getting a lot of flack and aggro from anxious savers. At the same time they will be worried about their own jobs. The standard of staff and paperwork at Northern Rock has been exemplary. Far superior to any other bank I've had dealings with. That's why it is such a sad ending to a fine institution. It's the bosses who are to blame - and the shareholders along with the FSA and Govt.

Now I'm a saver and so is my husband. We can't afford to lose money. But as our accounts are postal and have penalties attached for cashing in early - then there is no easy access to our money however much I would like to panic and take it out. Unless the bank and its obligations are taken over we are likely to lose some of our savings. The FSCS scheme only pays 100% on the first £2k and then drops to 90% for the subsequent amount to a maximum of £33k. This sum was set up with the scheme a few years ago. I don't know whether it will ever be reviewed. Some people have had far more than £35k invested - perhaps they weren't told of the maximum re the FSCScheme as a last resort if a bank fails - perhaps banks should be required to do so in future.

Now - I also have a smallish sum - my ready cash savings in the Silver Saver On-line. There is no way I can access that at the moment. I did try at 3.30 a.m. But I am reluctant to anyway because what would happen if I arranged a BACS transfer and while my money was out there in that mysterious world of the etherbank - that strange place where I get no interest on it - while it has left one bank and takes 3-4 days to arrive at the destination bank - what would happen if the Northen Rock bank suddenly ceased trading? Would I be covered then by the FSCS scheme? Or if the NR Bank sent my money to me as a cheue through the post. My money in a cheque. But before it was paid in and cleared as cash in my current account - would I be then be an unfortuante creditor only or would I still be covered under the FSCS scheme?

Knowing how this Govt. has refused to help out pensioners with collapsed pension schemes and the Equitable Life customers; also the FSA seems very toothless when dealing with this - then are any of these schemes worth the paper they are written on? At our age we can't afford to wait xx years to find out if we will get compensation should a bank collapse and cease trading.

This latest panic on the high street just shows how none of us trust our leaders when they tell us we have nothing to worry about. They have squandered our trust over the last 10 years and are now being hoist by the petards [whatever they are!]. I hope it's painful for them all.

18/09/07 - Well said Libby Purvis : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article2477756.ece

Sitemeter

It's interesting the facts that can be gleaned from Sitemeter. As Henry found out recently when he noticed that someone working for Swiss govt had dropped in to read his blog.

Now the other side of this coin is that other people can 'snoop in' on your sitemeter statistics. Are you aware of this fact? If you want to test it out get a friend to look up your blog on their PC and click on the meter. They should just get the summary page .... If they don't then you need to configure the privacy settings. Don't forget when installing the meter to go to the Manager Page to change the default settings to a more private level. I've found a surprising number of bloggers with sitemeter up and running who don't keep this information private. It may be they don't care ... but I would hate to think that some bloggers may not be aware that this information is out there for any nosey-parker like me.

If you want to keep your statistics and visitor stats private do Remember to go to Manager and then Privacy settings.....

http://www.sitemeter.com/default.asp

Panic Attacks in the North

Panic Attacks appear to be catching. The news is full of people queueing to get their money out of Northern Rock bank. They can't see that to demand their money back now will cause even more mayhem. I heard Angela Knight on the Today programme this morning. Now unlike her last appearance on that programme when she really got up my nose, this morning I thought she sounded calm, caring and reassuring. However, no matter who they haul out to speak on the TV/radio about Northern Rock Bank security I can't help thinking 'well, they would say that wouldn't they'.

I must admit to being not entirely calm - I've had few palpitations and extra trips to the loo - as NR bank is my chosen institution for the large majority of my savings. They have been the most efficient bank I've dealt. I hope they are able to turn this situation around and calm my beating heart.

Update: 17/9/07 at 4.15 am. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Northern-Rock-Crisis

Panic Attacks

I was reading Flowerpot's posting on panic attacks earlier. It's a strange thing to have to cope with to be sure. I have often wondered whether panic attacks are caused by some kind of hormonal imbalance.

My little sister used to suffer them (so I believe, with hindsight) as a teenager. She could not bear to be in large airless stores and would often rush out after 15 minutes of shopping. I always thought it most strange of her. She grew out of the problem at some point and has not shown any such signs of discomfort after becoming a mother.

I first experienced a panic attack standing in a queue at a supermarket checkout. I thought I was about to faint. My heart started to race, a hot flush overwhelmed me and I felt I couldn't get enough air. I contemplated rushing out for fresh cool air. But part of my sensible pragmatic brain wondered whether this could be a 'panic attack'. I knew that if it was I shouldn't react or the next occasion I would feel the need to take the same action. I stood there and rode the storm. Deep breathing exercises and thinking coolly about how I felt and wondering why? I'm glad I didn't take the strong urge to flee. These attacks occurred frequently in queues. Rarely while I was hauling a supermarket trolley around but always while I had to stand in a queue. I remember once being so distracted by how I was feeling that I almost became a blatant shoplifter. My groceries were on the belt but before the checkout girl could scan the goods I started to collect it together again and pack it away. Oooh - we did Laff. I'm just relieved she didn't call the store detective. I've never fancied the idea of a body search.

Now it was only reading Flower's post that I remembered these attacks. They must have started for me just as I entered the pre-menopause stage. I'm not quite sure that I can think of the last one ... but I'm not aware of any for a 2-3years. Obviously from Flower's observations my natural inclination to take deep slow breaths helped. So next time, if I have them again, I'll try singing. It sounds much more fun.

Early Rising

I was awake very early this morning - 5.30. I'd just had a dream of our cat - Lacey. She was fussing and purring around me as she often did when she thought it was time I should wake and feed her. It was a very comforting dream I thought how fine she appeared even though I knew she was now dead. I suppose this was my brain's way of letting me know I've come to terms with being in a pet free zone. The trouble is that as we have no children our pets over the years were child substitutes. I did invest a great deal of emotional energy into them - especially the 2 cats. Cagney and Lacey were with us for almost 20 years - a lot of love builds in that time.

Name Game MeMe

Teeni who likes to keep us all on our toes tagged me for the Name Game meme.

These are the “official” rules ( cut and pasted)

• Players must list one fact, word, or tidbit that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of your first or middle name.
  
• When you are tagged you need to write your own post containing your first or middle name game facts, word, or tidbit.
  
• At the end of your post choose one person for each letter of your name to tag.
  
• Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them that they have been tagged, and to read your blog.
  
• If I’ve tagged YOU (see below), please join in on the fun!

P represents Pink - my favourite colour for blogs [in fact all shades of red]. I frequently turn pink when I blush. When in a crowd I have a quick, bawdy, sarcastic wit. I make people laugh. Sometimes words will escape before I've thought through the consequences - then I start to blush - especailly when someone comes back with a bawdier rejoinder.

E stands for Escapism - a chance to dream, reminisce and write about whatever comes into my head. I love the chance to take time to just sit and dream while looking at the garden.

N for Name - Penny is my 'pen name' - I still have this horror of imagining all friends and acquaintances in East Devon leaping from behind the trees to confront me for some entry I posted on my blog.

N for Not being brave enough to write under my real name ... but then I'm only trying to protect the innocent - my man, my friends, my family.

Y is for You - all of you out there who read this - this blog of what sometimes only amounts to vague mementos of life, the occasional rage, whinge, irritable whisper of waspish humour. I know I do have some really improtant message to impart - it's just that at the moment I'm so tired I've forgotten what it is....

Now to pass the baton to some bloggers who I feel have a more honest approach to blogging and/or a definite style of blog.

1. Merryw
2. Mopsa
3. Flowerpot
4. Rilly Super
5. Glamourpuss or Glamourpuss the clairvoyant

All I have to do now - is get some tea and then run round to deliver the invites. meanwhile if any of you do happen to drop in please collect and carry forward

Sunday Stroll

Well, we managed to get out a bit earlier this morning. Now that I've no dog to take on walks with me I take my husband instead. The only trouble is he's nowhere near as much fun as a dog. So I walk along watching other people exercise their dogs instead. Seeing these 2 black labs swimming off Sidmouth beach this morning reminded me of how much Velvet used to love a swim. Sometimes she would just leap in and paddle away, on and on, as if she was planning to emigrate to Spain. Once she leapt off an embankment wall into a river; she then couldn't get out again. We had to walk about a mile downriver till we could reach her and haul her back onto dry land. I've bought myself a step counter for the days I go out walking alone. Or I may have to set up a small business as a dog walker . Twenty years ago we had an Irish Setter. He was a bit of a rogue dog. A fine looking dog and most people wanted to fuss him. But he was always on the verge of 'biting'. I could never trust him. We used to have to go out at the first crack of dawn to give him a good run. At a time when hardly any other poeple around. He didn't like people, children, cats or other dogs. He was a real handful. And yet in other asspects he was beautifully trained - if I say so myself - well , he was, I did a good job. It was a heartbreaking decision but at the age of 8 we had to put him down - I wasn't sure I even trusted him not to go for me in the end.

Cruising the Blogosphere

Over the last couple of weeks I've spent some time cruising around the blogosphere. I've seen numerous interesting blogs recently. Some of them I bookmarked for a return visit and a closer examination. Some of them I just drop in on an occasional basis. But today when I popped in to see Blossom Cottage I was much struck by this entry. I enjoyed it and hope you will too.

3BT's today:

1. the warmth of the sunshine while sitting outside with[very late] breakfast and closing my eyes to listen more intently to the sound of the birdsong.
2. the deep clear blue of the sky overhead
3. 3 trees full of apples ripe for the picking

Life Goes On ...

Well there have been a few gloomy, introverted posts recently. I'm blaming it on the lack of sleep and August through to October being full of sad memories. Added to which I experience SAD which has not been helped this summer which has been more dreary than usual. Although I am now revelling in this indian summer I may have to invest in a light box to get me through the winter. I've started to take St John's Wort again which I usually only take during the darkest winter months.

However, I saw this in a newspaper today and thought it was bizarre beyond belief. I feel this is carrying grief beyond what is reasonable. I don't know what your thoughts are.

Now I'm picking up a bottle and am off to visit teeni to see what mad idea she has for another party. What would we do without friends to keep us on the right track? ....

Mothers - How We Miss Them

When I wrote recently about Fear and Grief and Fearing the Worst - it set my mind to wondering about some of our friends. Everyone I know has experienced loss and sadness in their life. (Well, you'll see by the very next sentence that's a bit of a contradiction). I have 2 friends who have suffered nothing. Neither one of them has had to cope with loss, fear, major illness, grief. Even though they are well over 60 years old they still have parents. Their children have grown up happy, confident, secure and found partners; married and are now raising the next generation. Both families have been incredibly blessed.

Good Friends for Good Times. Not people I choose to be around when I feel cocooned and trapped in a glass bubble of grief. They neither of them understand what it is like. I sometimes wonder how hard an experience it will be when they do, eventually have it thrust upon them.

It's the natural order of life to lose parents first. I lost my mother when I was 16. I still miss her. I'm still taken by surprise when I talk to women older than I and discover they still have their mother. I remember an old lady of 80 telling me she was "now an orphan" when her mother had just died. She was not quite as I imagine an orphan - but I know how she felt.

Welcome 2 New Guest Blog Spot

Two bloggers have been leaving me comments recently on my other blog. And as they have no links here previoulsy or on my blogroll I have made them my 'Guests Blog Spot for September'. If you don't know them - do click on the links which can be found at the top on the right and go over for a visit.

Help Support British Pig Farmers

Please read this page and if you agree then do sign their online petition. You'll need to trawl down the page to find the petition as there seems to be acres of white space.

Man's Best Friend

I am trying to re-dress the balance re dogs. I do seem to have a rather cat heavy blog here. I have just been to visit some of my pen pals and I see that Clever Dick claims not to be a dog fancier. But as he only appears to have come across waltzing or tap dancing dogs then it's not surprising. I would have thought he'd enjoy the slavish devotion from a dog. After all they do say a dog is a man's best friend.

I thought I'd trawl the net and look for a site to add to my blog roll to balance the Cool Cat's Blog: George online. Then I found this Give a Dog a Home Blog. I'm wondering whether we could take on another house pet. I believe the perfect home includes, an Aga , a pantry, a cat and dog. I don't have an Aga or a pantry, but ....... I started to trawl through the site looking at all the dogs that need a home. And then I found this beautiful lady - Sky - and I'm in love. I'll go to sleep on it .... I want to let my heart rule my head but ..... tomorrow I may revel in a clean and tidy house and decide to let my head rule my heart.

I'll just have to ask myself do I want a perfectly clean and tidy house or do I want a home?

Afternoon Tea

Our Afternoon Tea today includes a few dainty savouries, sandwiches, strawberry flan with Devon clotted cream, fruit cake and an almond cherry cake. We are entertaining local friends. For two of them it is their 41st wedding anniversary tomorrow and we are making a bit of a celebratory tea. Any excuse for a bit of jollification. While I am dressed up in my smarter clothes I'll pop over to the virtual party on Teeni's Vaguetarian blog site. Then, once I've cleared away the dishes, tidied up and kicked off my shoes, I hope to be back here. So with luck, no traffic hold ups on the cyber highway and some spare energy - maybe I will see you again later.

Flowers Speak Louder Than Words

A small bunch of flowers (an intimate close up of a pelargonium) for all my friends who drop in to see whether I've posted an entry or not. I'm sorry, I'm still suffering from disturbed nights due to the full moon and am too tired to think. I actually fell asleep at 6.30 this morning and didn't rise till 9.30 so my whole day has been out of sync. It's been very quiet on the blogging front as so many seem to have gone to ground so too speak. It's a great shame that I am unable to muster some mind blowing phenomenal blog entry to capture all the refugees from such places as 'Strife in the North'. If only I could get my act together I could have readers by the thousands. As it is I think I'll soon be wending my weary way to bed. Goodnight All and I Love You"

The Niceties of Life

I had a lovely message left for me from teeni at the beginning of August. It's taking me a while to sort out a few new bloggers to whom I would like to pass on this award. Most people have either already received the award or are away - well - they've not posted any entries for a couple of weeks. So I'll postpone nominations until September,

Dog Days

Fearing the Worst

My post on Fear and Grief the other day set me to thinking about how and why I often 'waste' time - worrying over the 'what if' scenarios. I am always prepared for the worst to happen. This can be an annoying and a stressful waste of time. But I have been told that I am good in an emergency. People like having me around as they feel I am a calming influence. I keep a cool calm head when all about me are in a panic. I don't panic. I'm decisive. I quickly gather the facts and decide what line of action to take. Because I've been there - in my imagination. Thought the worst. Worked out how best to deal with it. I have had practise. Even if I feel the fear too I don't show it. Deadpan Annie, that's me.

I remember once when MyMan was late home from work. A 200 mile drive. Our young 12 year old niece was visiting. She and I had a film video on. Something she found really absorbing. But I found it scary. So I avoided watching some of the time. I averted my gaze from time to time. Looked out the window every now and then. Saw a police car pull up outside. A Policeman and a Policewoman. This was in the days when WPC's were sent out to pass on the bad news or to help mothers and/or children in distress, domestic cases. I was sure they had come to tell me BAD news. Sure that MyMan had been involved in an accident. I left the room to put the kettle on and get the tea things out of the cupboard. I knew they would want me to have a cuppa for the shock. I didn't like to think of them having to forage for everything for themselves in a strange kitchen. I am thoughtful of others feelings.

I'd made the pot of tea and still no knock at the door. I started to plan how to care for niece. How to get to the hospital if MyMan was in fact a survivor. I also started to make long terms plans if I was now a widow. Well, by long term, I mean the funeral and what to wear. Still no knock at the door so I had a peek through the window again. Saw then they were inspecting a newly built house just down the road. They did in fact buy it. Mr and Mrs PC moved in to become neighbours a few months later.

I returned to the film and enjoyed the pot of tea. Wondering when my travelling husband was going to get home for supper. At least nowadays mobile phones help us to keep in contact with reasons for late arrivals.

Time for a Laugh

It's coming up to the full moon again - so I'm having problems sleeping. I trawl blogs. And find this which I thought most amusing - " Friday Funny" do click and read - it's very short.

Long Tanned Limbs

As our summer has been such a wash out there is not an iota of me that has that sun kissed healthy tan look. I don't sunbathe but do try for 20-30 minutes a day to ensure I'm getting my quota of sun to make the vital vitamin D. I don't want rickets at my age.
I usually have a kind of slight brown [freckly] pink colour rather than an all over golden glow. But to have to bare my milk bottle white legs was, I thought, far too embarrassing to contemplate. So I bought one of those moisturisers that give the skin a faintly golden tan. I have very dry skin so need to moisturise daily. Therefore the application would fit conveniently into my almost non-existent beauty regime. I chose the fair to medium colour. I knew I wouldn't fool anyone if I suddenly turned conker brown overnight. I was hoping for a long tanned limb look. What I have ended up with are vertical stripes. I'm hoping the illusion will make my legs look slimmer.
I may try again next week with a different product. as this one sounds fool proof.

Only Mad Dogs...

As that old song by Noel Coward goes 'Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen Go Out in the Mid Day Sun'. That's why as this is the hottest day we've had for a while I have 'retired' indoors for an hour or two. Here';s something I prepared earlier this mroning..

I couldn't wait to share my first [and probably last attempt] at poetry.

Rose Tinted Specs And Reality.

Bright blue sky

Balmy breezes brush my skin

I admire the scene

Of long shadows

And sparkling dewy diamonds

On the early morning grass.

Peace and contentment

I fill my senses.

Shatteringly calmness

Is broken.

Utter silence and stillness

Motionless birds

Become petrified statues

When overheard the harsh cry

Of circling buzzards

An Apple A Day .......

They say "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Part of a nursery rhyme or an early English old wives tale. It is traditionally a remedy for constipation. A way to ensure the required intake of various anti oxidants and vitamins and fibre.

Another daily task that would be good for us, is to take time to count our blessings or to think of 3 Beautiful Things. The 3BT rule. I wrote a posting recently on this theme after I had found Clare's original site called 3BeautifulThings.

Today:

1. the smell of freshly mown grass and damp earth as I worked in the garden
2. the warmth of the sun and the sound of birdsong as I sat enjoying the peace of the garden
3. picking rosy red Discovery apples, their scent evoking childhood memories. A better crop than I was expecting as the apple trees have been rather neglected this last year or two.

Guest Blog Spot

Well the Vital Statistics prize winning blogger, Vichchoobhai, has been on the top of my side bar for nearly a month now. I rather like the idea of keeping that site reserved for random 'Guests'. To be refreshed and renewed on a monthly cycle. A kind of Bed and Breakfast Blogroll. I just have to decide now how to pick such guests for the slot. I will try by seeking previously unknown [to me] bloggers who leave a comment. And then make a choice from these new sites each month. So if you are a blogging reader but don't usually leave a comment please do so. I wouldn't be looking for a reciprocal link. It's just as a means to widen the circle of interesting blogs. Meanwhile, as I have enjoyed reading Vich's blog I have 'promoted' him to a permanent link on my blogroll. I like his sense of humour.

Fear and Grief

From where does the fear of loss come? What comes first? The fear or the feeling of loss which then sets up the fear? When do we first experience the concept of grief and loss? I can remember as a quite young child (about 6yrs) contemplating the grief I would leave behind if I died. I wept for my poor sad parents.as I imagined them coping without me. I obviously started 'thinking' at an early age. In the event it was my mother's death when I was just turned 16 yrs old that was my first experience of loss and bereavement. But maybe when I was about 3 yrs old I had picked up the awareness of grief from my mother after the death of my maternal gt grandmother.

Over these last 5 yearsI have had several losses. One after another. Each loss reminds me of previous losses. Until my whole body feels as if it is one huge receptacle of sadness. The last two were our much loved cats. The first Cagney, almost 2 years ago, followed by his 'wife' Lacey just a year ago. We had them both as 8 week old kittens from separate litters. They were almost 20 years old when they died. Our dog also; we still grieve, many years later. Our pets were our 'children'. Now I am an empty nester.

What set me thinking down this path is the latest posting from the Wife in the North. Wifey isn't the only "fright filled soul". My fears now - are over suffering any more losses of my nearest and dearest. My widowed sister who, if I've not heard from her for 12 hours, I become convinced is lying dead at the foot of the stairs. Nephews and nieces living in the City (prone to possible terroists attacks) or travelling on a gap year (terroism, natural acts of God and plane crashes) or partaking in adrenaline sports activity. All fill me with dread and anxiety.

Astrology

One of the comments left on my last post asked me what my 'Rising Sign' was - I had no idea what Merri meant. So I had to seek the information. I now know that I'm Pisces: Moon sign in Capricorn: Rising sign is either Aries or Taurus (born 8 a.m ' ish ) I think from the description I gleaned of bodily appearance and nature I'm inclined to believe my rising sign is Taurus. It doesn't sound as athletic as Aries which is "A strong muscular body, often accompanied by an athletic build with square shoulders, is characteristic of Aries Rising. Your face is clear-cut & forceful, & you could have a longish head, wide at the top but with high forehead & pronounced cheekbones. Your eyes are direct &piercing." This is definitely not me;

But Taurus on the other hand is so like .. "You're level - headed, with your feet firmly on the ground - so much so that not even an earth tremor could disturb your composure. A whiff from the kitchen is more likely to attract your interests, (Ha!) as you are essentially a sensuous creature. Your languid limbs speak of your need to take life easy. Your love of comfort is second only to your love of money & the pleasures it can provide. You enjoy savoring a moment & dislike being rushed. You could be quite routine- oriented. Others may see you as leisurely, introverted & affectionate, but you could come across as being lazy, greedy & dogmatic. You are all determined & stable, someone who has patience to accomplish what you set out to do. Your best trait is your steadfastness; your worst is your stubbornness. (Oh dear - it's so true - alas)

A solid, stocky body, often with a sturdy neck, is characteristic of Taurus Rising. Your head is usually round, but your squarish jaw line tends towards fleshiness (I think this refers to my double chin). Alternatively, Taurus Rising can also have a chiseled, delicate appearance. Your kind eyes appears almost cowlike in their tranquility. Your thick hair is soft & often curly. (very true - it's even curlier in this wet weather) You may have a small nose that turns up at the end. The skin of your face is soft & creamy; a dimple may emphasize your sensual nature. " (Yep, there is a dimple)

I then checked out the free chart facility at Astrolabe . where it appears quite certain my rising sign is Aries. It is here that I found the free print out is quite amazingly accurate - a warts and all interpretation. I did identify with a great deal of my good and bad characteritics. It will be interesting to see what My Man makes of the 4 page print out. I'm off to have a look at his chart now!

Copyright

I've been looking for a photo that I could use for my profile for several weeks now. I looked at an old school pictures. Fuzzy photos of me as a child on the beach or at Christmas. I even considered using a picture of my cat. I also searched high and low on the web for an image of a female version of The Thinker. But I just didn't feel happy with any of them representing me on the blog circuit. So I explored my star sign. Pisces. Dolphins, Trout and Koi. I saw gold and silver fish as jewellery. Many artists representations. Nothing suited UNTIL I found the image below. It is now posted on my profile page.
I'm not au fait with copyright over images that an artist has uploaded to a website so I've emailed the artist and requested permission to use it as such. I don't know what I'll use if she's not happy with the idea. So fingers crossed. I think it is the most beautiful expression of Pisces [with our complicated dual personality] in a watery environment that I've ever seen.

Compulsive Reading

It's compulsive reading each day. To turn on and log in to Sitemeter. To check whether anyone has read your latest postings. What a thrill goes through you when you see that someone from Australasia checked into your blog and spent 70 minutes with you. 70 minutes! One hour, ten minutes. Great - I must have struck a chord with someone. Then the thought comes. That maybe, just maybe, they had to go off to visit the bathroom, answer the phone and/or get tea for the family and didn't log out! Thank goodness for the kindly souls who take time to leave a comment. At least then you know that someone read it.

But wait - a closer examination of the statistics on the site and you see that during Australasia's 70 minute visit, Aussie blogger looked at 16 pages. 16 pages. That many? I didn't know I'd written so much.

Roll That Ass

"Remember", he said, "All you have to do is blow. And Roll your Arse. Can you do that?"

"I think so. - But I'm not sure why I have to roll my arse?"

"No" he said - "Roll your RRRRs - while you're blowing"

Ah!

I'd just bought a wooden pipe from a street trader at the Sidmouth Folk Festival. A pipe, or whistle, that imitated a blackbird singing. He'd made it look so easy. It sounded very realistic. A deep breath. A long blow and pull the end of the bird flute in and out. But apparently I had to be sure and roll my RRRRs at the same time. I never did get the hang of it. However much I rolled my arse.

Colour Prejudice

Yep - I have to admit it. Hands up. Fair cop. I am colour prejudiced. I can't help it. I try to be politically correct and all that. I KNOW it's the person rather than the colour but....

I have often read the Swearing Mother's blog. I like what she says. I enjoy many postings when I do drop in. But I am so sorry. I just cannot stand certain shades of green. My eyes are always first and foremost drawn to the peachy/pink/red/mauve side of the colour spectrum. Even at the opticians when he asks me which is the clearer; the circle on the red or the green background? I have real trouble deciding. I so love the red. We get there - eventually.

I love the various greens of nature. And have many evergreen shrubs in the garden. In fact I've several plants grown just for their green flowers. So why this difficulty with pages on books, colours of cars, clothes, interiors.? Thinking about, it I'm OK with colours up to the blue range. But Yellow also is not really my 'thing'. Apart from daffodils in spring. I'm slowly removing all the yellow flowering shrubs from our garden. Orange is OK.

I'm sure that somewhere there will be a test to find your personality via colour choice. Yes there is and having completed it - guess what colour personality I am? Well I never would have guessed. Try it out for yourself. Updated NB 15th August - If you compete the questionnaire you don't have to complete the form at the end - let it compute your answers then if you look carefully you will eventiually see at the top of the page a yellow box to click to "View Results".

Spots Before the Eyes

It's been another bright sunny day. While enjoying the warmth I took a leisurely browse around the local garden centre. I was trying to decide whether to buy another garden bench. Reduced by £30. I like a bargain. I was trying to decide whether to spend £120 in order to save £30. While I was trying to justify this saving I started to see a dark spot in my vision. At first I thought it was from the sun - dazzle. It would disappear then re-appear. It was most annoying. Then I realised I was probably starting a visual migraine. That decided it. I would save my money and drive home while I still had some sight left. Then lie down in a darkened room to recover. The drive home was uneventful. But I still had the on/off spot in my vision. It wasn't till I took off my sunglasses that I saw I had a money spider hanging over the frame. I thought money spiders were supposed to be harbinger of increased fortune. I suppose it was as in a way I was £120 richer than I thought I'd be on my retun home.

Women Drivers

I've just been reading blog posting on Scale and Proportion - where AMKT mentioned spatial awareness and the male v female driver competition " the rare occasions they are better at something than we are ............. ..... women having no spatial awareness." I take issue with this. I don't think men are better drivers than women. I would challenge a male any day. They may be more aggressive, more impatient and like to drive faster. They often overtake despite my driving up to the speed limit. But we all end up at the traffic lights or the next roundabout together. And I with my slower more consistent, considerate pace cruise up to the junction just as the gap in the traffic is clear and am able to sail on majestically while the male road hog is still busy engaging the right gear to shoot across the junction very FAST.




I can and do park perfectly - right in the middle of the white lines in car parks - facing forward ready to leave. Able to drive off immediately the engine has fired. When reversing I have to use both wing mirrors only as I have a stiff inflexible neck/back so am unable to twist around in that macho male way with my arm gripping the passenger seat head restraint while reversing. In fact I have been congratulated on my precision at parking. Sometimes by a male driver - so they can't all be boorish road hogs I admit. When driving down roads with cars parked on either side other drivers sit and wait for me to manoeuvre around them - so obviously they don't trust their spacial awareness. 9 times out of 10 they are male drivers sitting there hugging the left kerb as tightly as possible with a space large enoughto be able to drive a bus through.

As I said I have stiff neck and back. This probably from the number of accidents I have endured at the hands of male drivers. Each time I've been blame free. Honestly. Twice by lorry drivers. Three times I've been hit from behind. The most recent (18 months ago) while I was stationary waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic before I could turn right off the road. The conditions were wet and slippery. The driver told me "I'm a professional driver" and "have you seen the condition of the roads today?" - well yes I have - but I stopped in time and although I had to sit there waiting for a gap before I could move for several minutes on a clear stretch of road, he assumed he could stop in time but he couldn't and didn't. So his spatial awareness was well and truly up the creek. Along with his judgement on a suitable speed according to the conditions of the wet, greasy road. I wished I'd reported him for driving without due care and attention. A witness wanted to call the police. But although shaken I felt OK at the time so didn't think it necessary. I just hope he learnt his lesson. I still have stiff neck and shoulders from the whiplash after this latest event. My car was off the road for 3 months. I had to screw up my courage to do the journey in April. I crawl along behind lorries for mile after mile as I now longer trust them behind me.

Before that accident I'd been shunted from the rear twice on separate occasions. At roundabouts. Neither man could stop in time. I didn't hit the fool in front [MALE] who suddenly stopped - so why couldn't they behind me?! They were obviously driving far too close to me for either their ability to react or their car's brakes to cope. I'm thinking of getting a 4x4 with BIG wheels and bull bars in future.


Male drivers often take up the point that the car manufacturer's miles per gallon or miles per litre - do not reflect real driving conditions. I expect the figures are taken after a female test driver has put the car through it's paces. So I take the figures as gospel.

The other day we had to stop suddenly at a mini roundabout. Full of paranoia and guilt I looked in my rear view mirror. I'm not sure who tooted who - or why. The young man in front assumed it was me and shot across the white painted island.He started to wave his fist at me out his window. There was no way I could respond. He carried on gesticulating wildly. At one point practically hanging out of the driver's window as he went around the next roundabout giving me lovely two fingered gestures that had nothing to do with Victory. It made me giggle which enraged him even more. When we came to a parting of our way I blew him a kiss. I don't think he appreciated it. If he carries on like that he'll have aheart attack before he's 30.

Inspirational Blogger Award

Belatedly as I was presented with this award several days ago I would like to pass on the award for Inspirational Blogger to the following five celebrated Bloggers.

1. 3Beautiful Things - for reminding us that however hectic life is we should remember to count our blessings
2. Poetess - for bright pictures and poetry on a lively site
3. Jenny's Corner - for sharing her life - with books - with us
4. Tine's Blog - beautiful photos - interesting
5. Cal's blog - for blogging for so long

I Think Therefore .. ...

Merry Weather of the Merry Daze has very kindly nominated me for a Thoughtful Blogger Award. It is very kind of her. I am proud to accept it.

I would like to nominate the following 5 as being welcoming and thoughtful hosts when you visit their blog.

1. Mopsa of Ramblings was the first blogger to welcome me into the community via the comments section - in the days when I was very much a newbie, floundering around and still trying to figure out how blogging, and chatting worked.


2. Flowerpot Days - for always taking time out of a busy schedule to be welcoming


3. 'Clever Dick' - Richard Madeley for despite being famous is down to earth and very earthy. He has an amazing wealth of knowledge which he graciously passes on to all and sundry - high and low. He tries to connect very much with his audience. Is very touchy feely. And is not embarrassed to be in touch with his feminine side.


4. Rachel from North London - who during an incredibly trying time and also busy time with her book launch[Out of the Tunnel] still took the time out to acknowledge all messages left on her blog.


5. Vichchoobhai for sharing his experiences as a carer ...
   

I hope you will all accept your award and then nominate 5 fellow bloggers in your turn.

Bloggers Wakes Week

There have been so many missing members of my blogosphere that I've had to go out and seek some new friends. I get the feeling that August is the bloggers version of Wakes Week. But for those of us bloggers who already live in a holiday area by the seaside - there is no rest. I hope you are all having a lovely time. Especially for those in grim the north. Wish you were here.

Virtual Pet

How about this for a well trained dog. And when you have tried out all the usual doggy commands such as speak, stand, fetch, play dead and any others you can think of. You can ask it for a kiss but only right at the end.