7 Quick Takes Friday

I love this idea from Jennifer at Conversion Diary of posting seven quick takes ... snippets and half-thoughts that don't quite merit a fully formed post of their own. Check out Jennifer's quick takes for today and links to other contributors here. And if you also have half-formed thoughts and half-baked posts lurking at the back of your mind, add your own.

-- 1 --

I have been watching various BBC programmes on World War I broadcast for the ninetieth anniversary of Armistice Day. While I knew about the Spanish Flu epidemic after the war, I had no idea it started in an army camp and was rife among the soldiers on both sides. Many soldiers died right at the end of the war. Imagine how it must have felt to know your son or husband had survived the war and was due to return home imminently, only to hear a few days later that he had died of flu. Beyond poignant. Also, did you know that the Spanish Flu was a bird flu virus? H1N1, rather than the H5N1 bird flu that has been in the news over the last year or two.

-- 2 --

Moving swiftly on to something more cheerful ...I ordered new Crocs for Little Cherub for next summer as I wanted to take advantage of a 40% off sale. I was intrigued to see that this pair were made in Bosnia, unlike the last pair (and both mine) which came from China. If any UK readers are Crocs fans and want a discounted pair, I can recommend Sweetfeet Shoes - good selection, good service and good prices.

-- 3 --

I have been placing some online orders and have realised that I am a thematic Christmas present buyer. Which is another way of saying that once I have a good idea I'm inclined to run with it and buy variations of the same gift for more than one person. This year is, apparently, the year of the clock, the radio, and the toasty warm bed. And yes, there is a clock-radio in there for good measure. I'm not quite in the same league as my dad, who was a one stop Christmas shopper. At least he varied the shop he visited from year to year, though the book shop and Marks and Spencer tended to feature quite regularly.

-- 4 --

I have declared war on our gas usage (natural gas for heating / hot water) since the gas company insisted we need to increase our monthly payments by 50%. It is probably poetic justice that I can't get the central heating to work this afternoon.

-- 5 --

Lesson learned yesterday. Do not give a sticker to a toddler who is about to go to bed. You will have to hunt for the sticker before you can get the toddler upstairs. You will then be summoned to search for the missing sticker two minutes after you put the toddler down to sleep. The sticker will turn up in her bed only after you have mollified her with an alternative sticker. Two minutes later both stickers will have disappeared again. At that point, you need an older sister to calm her down by giving her a stuffed penguin to cuddle.

-- 6 --

Why, when Star has known for over a week that today would be a non-uniform day at school, was it still a major crisis this morning to decide what to wear?

-- 7 --

I'm sleepy. Little Cherub has had a run of waking early (6.00am or soon after). This morning she woke at five. She went back to sleep. I didn't. Why am I blogging when I should be taking a nap?