Shattered!

Cleared out my attic-come-study and must have thrown a whole tree away. The recycle bags are so full and heavy I can't lift them. I am not sure what I am going to do with all these empty folders, but I suppose it won't be long before I'm filing more stuff away in them.

I'm still left with a lot of full files and folders - Ridiculous! I've got a computer, so why do I have to keep producing and accumulating all this blumming paper? I bet it all ends up as toilet roll.

Smart Fish

This is to prove that I am not crazy and that my goldfish really does know who I am. :-)
You often hear it said that goldfish only have 3 second memories but I knew it was a load of rubbish.

Scientific studies done on the matter of memory have shown that goldfish have strong associative learning abilities, as well as social learning skills. In addition, their strong visual acuity allows them to distinguish between different humans. Over time, goldfish should learn to associate their owners and other humans with food, often "begging" for food whenever their owners approach.

Strange Light

I temporarily lost my eyesight, yesterday. Twice in one day.

I was sitting in the armchair reading some papers when suddenly, and without warning, my sight went. It was replaced with nothing but the brightest light. I couldn't see anything but this light. I got up to make sure I was still alive. Nothing changed and I began to think that it was permanent. It occurred to me, though, that if it was permanent and I was now blind then surely I should be in darkness. I then got very frightened and wondered if something dreadful was about to happen. I crawled over to the other side of the room and managed to grab the phone, with the intention of ringing 999, but as I was struggling with it I got a small amount of peripheral vision back, so I used the speed dial to get through to my doctor. No delay caused by the receptionist - I was through in seconds. The doctor kept me talking for a while and convinced me that it was a migraine attack. He insisted that I got round there but said that if my sight hadn't fully returned within 10 minutes I was to call him back. I think it was about 20 minutes before I could see properly.

I went to the surgery and picked up a precription but the same thing happened to me again around tea time.

I am fine today but worried that this could happen to me whilst driving. Migraine usually produces flashing lights and you can stop what you are doing as soon as you feel them coming on. I haven't had the headache.

Things that go 'squish' in the night

Last night, I crept downstairs for a glass of water. I didn't put the main light on because my goldfish lives in the kitchen and I didn't want to disturb it. That may sound rather eccentric but this is a 14 inch fish with a huge personality. If it gets nervous or angry, it spits stones at the glass. Sometimes, it leaps out of the water and does 'dolphin' tricks.

As I walked toward the sink, I felt my foot sinking into something squishy. I could almost hear a squelching sound and thought that my toes must be stuck in butter or something. I soon realised that it couldn't be butter because part of it was moving and it was moving between my toes. I tried to scream but nothing would come out. I froze solid and tried to disown my foot but the stickiness wouldn't go away. The substance seemed to be setting and my toes were becoming glued together. Very muscle in my body became rigid but I knew that I had to pluck up the courage to switch the light on. I hopped over to the light switch with my foot as far away from my body as possible. I hit the switch and discovered that I had stood on a big fat green slug and that parts of it were sticking out between each of my toes. I wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't flow. My face must have looked so sad. I might have run wildly round the room shaking my foot but I didn't want to spread the bits of slug and slime all over the place. I really didn't know what to do with myself. I certainly wasn't going to wash my foot in the sink. Eventually, I filled up a bowl and took myself (and the slug) out into the garden. I am glad it wasn't cold last night - I had very few clothes on.

I went through a lot of emotions and once I had rid myself of the slug I felt very angry. The anger turned to guilt because I had killed the slug. But, you know, that slug had no business to be in my kitchen!

The goldfish was, by now, firing its gravel at the glass. All housebound fish have tanks but mine thinks its got a Sherman Tank.

I went back to bed but left the offending foot sticking out over the side. I still don't want anything to do with my right foot.

I need a pair of slippers.

Never mind the parks..........

....if grass is going to become difficult to sustain what will the cows eat?


BBC report.

Schools 'fail autistic children'

BBC report - Shocking!

This isn't news! Schools and the Education Authorities, in this country, have been failing these children for years.

It isn't always easy to recognise a child as autistic because most of them have normal or above average intelligence, but once they have been officially diagnosed there is no excuse for failing to meet their needs. The authorities in their efforts to save money have used 'inclusion' as an excuse, but forcing children to stay in settings they cannot cope with is nothing less than abuse. Teacher training will not make any difference. Many of these children need a different setting. It is unruly or noisy children they cannot cope with - not the teacher.

My child is considered to be on the autistic spectrum. Luckily, he is now in a suitable school and receiving a good education. What am I talking about? It has nothing to do with luck! The fight took years out of our lives and I am still bloody annoyed!

I so love this.....

Play ( If it doesn't play, right-click to download the mp3)


Thanks to Dakota.


Also, thanks to Pal for introducing me to Tabblo

It's a good day out here in blogland. Don't stop blogging.

Fancy a spot of decorating?

Be inspired!

Photos taken inside various buildings in St Petersburg.

pic 1 | pic 2 | pic 3 | pic 4 | pic 5 | pic 6 |

My Ikea catalogue came last week. I'm looking for a nice straight-backed chair. :-)

The Grand Theatre

I am so glad I didn't spend £60+ to see Swan Lake, in Russia. The Russian State Ballet of Siberia is coming to us. If I want to see Swan Lake or The Nutcracker, and I am not sure that I do, I could get the best seats for £24. 50. I get 3 quid off for being a Friend of the Grand. I don't suppose I could sell any of you some raffle tickets - £5 per book. It is all in a good cause. Some years ago they tried to turn our theatre into a bloody bingo hall. No! Never mind - I'll have to buy them all myself - I hate selling raffle tickets.

I've just received the brochure for 2006 -2007 and see that the Rocky Horror Show is on in January. Must book for that. I don't do the full dressing up thing but I like to go once every few years. The atmosphere is great!

Sings and waves arms - "Let's do the Time Warp again!"

Tolstoy's Wife - Um, suppose that's another to book.

Need to find some little children so that I can get to see "Danny the Champion of the World" - Roald Dahl.

Puppetry of the Penis. The Ancient Australian Art of Genital Origami. - Good grief! I'm sure I am supposed to be elsewhere on the night of the 24th September. I was going to give this programme to my son so that he could choose from it.

Ireland 2006

My son in the Atlantic



A sheep close to the Atlantic

Instructions

... like rules, are for the guidance of the wise and the obedience of ?

I had caught a number 26 service bus back to the port. The bus drew up alongside our ship and I got off. There were a number of other cruise passengers on this bus (14 in total) and I called to them to get off. They implored me to get back on. This wasn't the stop as described in the verbal instructions.

"But this is our ship! We are right by the side of it. "

"Perhaps the buses go round the other side", said one.

"But if it goes round the other side there will be a big stretch of water between us."

I started to walk off but suddenly felt a strong sense of responsibility toward these people. I was one of them and time was moving on. I couldn't let them ride away and miss the boat. I got back on the bus with the hope of convincing them to get off at the next stop and walk back. Three stops later they agreed to get off the bus and rush back or find a fleet of taxis. One of them asked the driver if he was going to take us back but he couldn't. It was a service bus and his route took him and his bus back into town.

After getting off the bus I legged it back with strange thoughts running through my mind. Perhaps I could throw myself in the water and hold up the ship. :-) A few minutes before sailing the captain made a call for 4 people. This went down to two and I can only hope that they got on the ship before it sailed off.

No-one mentioned this little episode and there was a definite silence around it. Eventually, I could no longer contain myself and, at dinner, I asked 5 of them what they thought had gone wrong that day. I got four answers.

• Perhaps there were 2 number 26 buses with slightly different routes and stops


• The instructions were wrong and we should complain.


• The ship was docked in the wrong place.


• The driver should have told us to get off.

I said nothing but I do have some answers of my own. That is the last time I will behave in this way. I will go down with a ship but I am not riding off on a bus. I found it very stressful.

sea&sky2 | sea&sky3 | sea&sky4 | sea&sky5 | sea&sky1

Happy Birthday

... to me and god help me to get through this job interview in one piece. I haven't got a god but I sometimes invent one for my own purposes. I hate the thought of job interviews but I willl do my best and then let it go.

Post

Just opened my mail and discovered that I have almost enough work for next year. Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeew! That was close. I won't have to explain anything to my bank manager now - Especially the bit about cruising around the Baltic. :-)

Can't guarantee work these days. Not with the government's penny pinching, forever changing the goal post, target driven, certificate issuing madness. I have also discovered that I have an interview for another post - the one I applied for. I am quite pleased about being short listed because it at least proves that the application and CV were up to scratch. Not keen on the interview though, especially as it is the day after tomorrow and I have a presentation to prepare. Sigh. I can't ask them to postpone the interview. They have already held it back awaiting my return. Looks like I am going to be busy tomorrow - Sore throat or no sore throat.

I am not expecting to get this job and until I have found out more about it (especially its targets) I am not 100% sure I want it.

I was going to tell you about my thoughts and reaction to St Petersberg but it will have to wait.

Back in the UK

Waiting to get off the boat and decided to pop into Browser Corner to use up my Internet package. This was described as a high value package - 16 pence per minute. It was quicker and cheaper to use my mobile phone.

I've been poorly the last two days and spent yesterday almost confined to my cabin. Cold, headache, sore throat. Not looking forwarded to the coach journey home but I am looking forward to seeing my son. He returns from Ireland today.