Hadrian's Wall

On our trip up north last weekend we made it as far as Hadrian's Wall.

By the time I got to the top, I needed to sit down. The Romans built on hills to make it harder for the Scots. And for future tourists.

This road from Birdoswald runs beside the wall. As you can see, when the Romans wanted to build a wall from A to B, they went in a very straight line. From west to east:

And east to west:

A little further along this stretch we picked up two hikers who were trying to cram the Hadrian's Wall  east to west coast walk into four days. By the time they reached this point they were hitching as one of them had hurt her ankle. We spotted her limping and were able to save them seven miles by dropping them at the campsite they were aiming for.

I had never visited Hadrian's Wall before, which means I get to check off another World Heritage site for my Day Zero Project list (I'm aiming to visit seven, and along with the two in Budapest that gives me three so far).

What's On The Calendar Wednesday: March 30th

 Photo Credit: D Sharon Pruitt (Creative Commons)

Today is ... PENCIL DAY. Or at least, the day on which the pencil with a rubber attached was patented in 1858 (or eraser, if you are in the US). Did you know that 'one pencil has the potential to draw a line 35 miles long, write an average of 45,000 words, absorb 17 sharpenings, delete its own errors and beat out an infinite number of drum solos'. No, me neither. If you are so inclined you can find out lots more about pencils at here, where is even a six lesson unit study. Here are a few facts from Pencils.com about the rubber / eraser on the end of your pencil:

Fact #1:
Pencil manufacturers make erasers, too, which makes sense since we tend to think that it’s a done deal - an eraser is a regular component of the everyday pencil. But that’s not always been the case….

Fact #2:
Pencils with erasers are an American phenomenon. The first patent for attaching an eraser to a pencil was issued in 1858 to Hymen Lipman of Philadelphia. Even to this day, most pencils sold in Europe are eraser-less! [Not true of the UK!]

Fact #3:
An eraser by any other name? Originally, what we now call an eraser was referred to as a "rubber" because the tree resin it was made of "rubbed out" pencil marks. In Great Britain, they still use the original term. But then they also call trucks lorries, elevators lifts and toilets loo!

Fact #4:
An eraser isn’t called eraser by eraser manufacturers, either. Their name for the little erasers on pencil ends: "plugs!"

Fact #5:
More and more of today's erasers are made from something other than rubber! While some of the "pink" erasers you find on pencils are made from synthetic rubber blended with pumice (a grit that enhances its ability to erase), an increasing number of erasers are made from vinyl. Vinyl is a type of durable, flexible plastic.

Derwent Pencils has a nice section on its website about how pencils were traditionally made, and lots of tips and projects for pencil-based artwork. Their pencils are made in Cumbria, where large graphite deposits were first discovered in the sixteenth century.

Meme invented by Pamela at When Good People Get Together.
 

Simple Woman's Daybook: 28th March 2011

Outside my window ... a beautiful sunny spring day, warm enough to go out without a coat.

I am thinking ... about the final assignments for my course. I want to get as much done as possible over the next couple of weeks before the girls finish school for Easter.

From the learning rooms ... nothing particularly noteworthy this week.

I am thankful ... for warmer days and lighter evenings.

From the kitchen ... lots of old bananas need using up, so I'm going to try making banana muffins and banana bread. Not sure who, if anyone (apart from me!) will eat them, but worth a try.

This week's menu plan:
Monday: Chicken stir fry
Tuesday: Mince and sweet potato pie
Wednesday: Chicken in bbq sauce
Thursday: Pasta with red pesto and creme fraiche
Friday: ????
Saturday: Around the world meal with our neighbours. I am supposed to be making the main course and have completely forgotten what country I picked out of the hat?
Sunday: Roast lamb

I am wearing ... jeans, purple sweater and cardigan, hand-knitted bamboo socks.

I am creating ... nearly finished with the body of the mountain view cardigan and just one front of the aran cardigan to go. I am taking a break to knit a pair of cotton socks for my Mum.

I am going ... to stop procrastinating and start decluttering.

I am reading ...  The Tale of Briar Bank by Susan Wittig Albert. Light reading.

I am hoping ... Mum's recovery continues. She is back home and much better in herself, but still finding walking harder than she did before her bout of cellulitis.

I am hearing ... Cherub talking to her Sylvanian Families figures.

Around the house ...  frankly, a mess. Everything is in serious need of cleaning and decluttering. Other people may get the urge to spring clean. Unfortunately, I don't. My policy of ignoring it and hoping it will go away is not working.

One of my favourite things ... wild, bleak moorland. Tevye prefers the dales, I prefer the moors. Something about all that space.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... Tevye's birthday tomorrow (no special plans as we went away for the weekend); usual band, orchestra and archive commitments; around the world meal with our neighbours on Saturday.

A picture thought I am sharing ... I saw this cat while we were away. Don't you love the way he just stayed defiantly on a car roof, staring me out! And the way his fur matches the colour of the stone wall.

 Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

A Wildsmith Lent and Easter

Cherub and books are an unpredictable combination. Being Miss Stubborn and Contrary she wants to choose her own books, not let me choose them for her, and over-enthusiasm on my part is likely to persuade her that she does not want to read that particular book! Also, timing is everything - sometimes she just isn't ready for a book and it has to be put away, then a bit later she will latch on to it. 

This Lent I decided I would like to read Bible stories to her, but she is not in the mood for the Lion First Bible that she liked a couple of years ago (and, darn it, I lost our second copy and was reduced to borrowing it from the library). I was thinking of trying the Lion Storyteller Bible, but before I got round to getting that out she was diverted by Brian Wildsmith's Jesus, drawn in by the gorgeous illustrations and the familiarity of the Nativity story. As a picture book, it is quite substantial, and we are working through it three or four pages at a time, which seems about right to allow a bit of discussion and a close look at the pictures.

Once Cherub takes to a book, she usually likes to work her way through as many books in the series or by the same author as I can find for her, so I think we are heading into a Wildsmith Lent and Easter. I already have The Easter Story, a simpler book than Jesus and like his A Christmas Story told from the perspective of a donkey. To round things out I am planning to add Moses for Passover and Mary for May. I also have Saint Francis, which Angel loved but Cherub hasn't wanted to read yet, and may dig that out if the Wildsmith kick lasts. I'm happy to keep going with it as long as possible, as I love the colour and detail of Wildsmith's illustrations. Perhaps I should also throw in Joseph to go with Moses. 

Merrick

Last night Angel and I went to watch the first performance of Star's Year 8 school play. There is a tradition at her school that Year 8 perform a play or musical before they move up to Upper School for Year 9. Angel's Year 8 play was Oliver!, performed with more enthusiasm than polish. The new headteacher is a drama enthusiast and has moved the bar up several notches. This year's play was Merrick, based on the life of Joseph "John" Merrick, better known as the Elephant Man (remember the film?).

Merrick was quite a challenge for youngsters of that age (12 and 13), but they did a great job. It was performed in the round, with the minor characters and chorus all sitting in a circle around the main floor area and moving in and out as the play required - the crowd had an important role in both conveying and manipulating emotion, being variously threatening to and supportive of Merrick. The boys who took the main roles of Merrick and his doctor Treves were excellent. Merrick's deformity was conveyed simply by acting, without any special makeup. The highlight for me was a monologue given by Treves describing Merrick's condition, while Merrick himself conveyed the reality of his disabilities simply by movement under a single green spotlight. Difficult to describe, but a real emotion grabber, beautifully acted by both boys.

Star is not really a drama person, so I was slightly surprised she wanted to be in the play rather than backstage, even as part of the chorus without a speaking part. I think she has enjoyed the experience - always a bit hard to tell with Star. She has certainly enjoyed several non-uniform days and missing lessons for rehearsals! All the extra rehearsal time definitely paid off, based on last night's performance. And I have to say I am in agreement with the headteacher, who feels that youngsters gain more from the challenge and experience of performing a well-rehearsed play than they miss from a few lost lessons.

Simple Woman's Daybook: 22nd March 2011

Outside my window ... a little grey, but forecast to be a nice spring day. I actually managed to go out without a coat yesterday. So glad it is finally spring!

I am thinking ... about plans for the Easter holidays. Star is spending a long weekend in Devon with a friend. There is likely to be a zoo trip for Cherub and Little Friend N, and Angel and I are planning a mother-daughter shopping trip while Star is away.

From the learning rooms ... Angel has lots of PE this week, preparing for practical GCSE assessments over the next couple of weeks. She came home with aching legs yesterday after three hours of rounders. One of Cherub's topics this week is bird's eye views - their theme this half-term is "In the Air".

I am thankful ... Mum is well on the mend after last week's medical dramas. The antibiotics have done their job and her foot both looks and feels much better.

From the kitchen ... chicken in some shape or form tonight, I think.

I am wearing ... black and white pyjamas.

I am creating ... still working on the aran cardigan and mountain view cardigan. I have a few other project plans building up.

I am going ... away for the weekend with Tevye. Can't wait!

I am reading ...  South Riding by Winifred Holtby, which has gripped me even more than the TV series. I would have finished it before now if life hadn't intervened and curtailed my reading time. Winifred Holtby was a extremely gifted writer. So tragic that this was her last book - she died while still only in her 30s, and South Riding was published posthumously. I'll write a proper review once I finish.

I am hoping ... I can manage to get some studying done today despite having Cherub home sick with a cold.

I am hearing ... Tevye and Cherub discussing breakfast. I really should be getting up!

Around the house ...  Cherub has moved in with Star so that Grandma can have her room. They are the best combination as Angel and Cherub are light sleepers and Star a deep sleeper who is less likely to be disturbed by Cherub. Having said that, if Cherub wakes, Star has been climbing into bed with her to settle her. We keep finding them curled up together.

One of my favourite things ... seeing the beautiful relationship between Cherub and her big sisters.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... trying to get a couple of assignments for my course finished before we go away on Friday; going to watch Star's Year 8 play (Merrick) tonight; doctor's appointment for Mum tomorrow morning (after which we are hoping she will get the all clear to go home); band practice tomorrow evening; archive on Thursday; weekend AWAY!!!!

A picture thought I am sharing ... Happy Thing Number 6 - sharing books with Cherub

 Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

Five Minute Friday: On Waiting

I don't have much blogging time but feel the urge to write something, so I thought I'd try this Five Minute Friday meme from Gypsy Mama. The rules are:

This is the place where once a week we take the chance to
just write, and not worry if it’s just right or not.
For five minutes flat.
Here’s how the game works: you simply stop, drop and write. Set your words free. Don’t edit them, don’t fret over them, don’t try to make them perfect.

This week's prompt is ON WAITING. Here goes ...

Strange. When I think of it I realise I am good at waiting for events, but bad at waiting for things. Clearly I am more materialistic than I like to think. If I want something, I want it now! On the other hand, I don't fall into the trap of wishing my days away to get to some special time quicker. I am not one of those who count down the days to a holiday (that would be vacation if you speak American English) or other special event on the calendar. I am definitely someone who lives in the present. I like to imagine the future, but I don't waste time waiting for it.

Yikes! Five minutes is not long. I am almost out of time! Trying to think of times that I have been conscious of waiting. Pregnancy is the obvious one. And there, I do get impatient, just because I want it to be over. I am not one of those people who blooms in pregnancy, to say the least. so not only do I want to meet the baby, but I can't wait to feel well again.

Whew! Out of time!

Beware the Ides of March!

If you wonder where I have been, the back end of last week was busy, and this week has been crazy! I spent more than half of Monday night in Accident and Emergency with my Mum and her red swollen foot - by the time she admitted to my brother and I that she had a problem, she had reached the point of not being able to walk, so we had to call an ambulance for her. Of course, it had to be a crazy busy night in A and E, so we ended up with a four hour wait, followed by an hour and a half of seeing doctors, blood tests and decision making. She was diagnosed with cellulitis and kept in overnight to give antibiotics a chance to kick in. My brother and I got home at 4am.

On Tuesday she was mobile again - albeit slowly - and was able to come home in the evening. We now have her staying with us for a few days while she recovers. The doctor visited yesterday, and feels the foot is doing OK, but is concerned she may have a blood clot in her leg, necessitating a trip to the surgery for a blood-thinning injection and another trip back to the hospital today for a scan. So, all in all, a crazy few days.

Of course, I should have guessed something like this would happen. Tuesday was Angel's birthday, and this is the third time in eight years that a family member has ended up in hospital on her birthday. Angel was born on the Ides of March. Clearly this was not a good thing and she should have waited for St.Patrick's Day when she was due. I have a lot of sympathy for poor old Julius Caesar.

Normal blogging will resume when I get out of chaos mode.

What's On The Calendar Wednesday

I liked this simple meme idea from Pamela at When Good People Get Together. The idea is to post about something that is on the calendar for the day. It can be your own, or any other calendar. Today is an easy one for me ...

The first day of Lent, which gets its name from the Christian tradition of marking the forehead with ashes as a sign of repentence. The ashes are made by burning the palms used for Palm Sunday of the previous year.

My plans for Lent this year are simple:

• No chocolate
• No complaining (HT: Karen Edmisten), or more realistically, less complaining
• 40 bags in 40 days

I want to find some good spiritual reading, but so far have no bright ideas.

TV Treats

I have been enjoying two TV treats over the past few weeks. First, a golden oldie ... Upstairs Downstairs. The original series, not the recent short sequel. I found series 1, 2, 4 and 5 on iTunes for the paltry sum of £2.99 each and downloaded the lot on impulse. Series 3 isn't there, so I am going to have to spring for the DVD for that (which will cost more than the other four series put together, but so worth it!). Tevye and I have been watching together, and are hooked. We both remembered the series from its original showing back in the seventies, and have watched the odd repeat out of sequence over the years, but starting over at the beginning has been a revelation. We knew it was good, but had forgotten just how engrossing. No wonder people rushed home to watch in the days before VCRs. It really is costume drama at its best, even forty years after it was first shown. There is absolutely no doubt it has stood the test of time. Seventeen episodes down, fifty one to go. Joy!

Then over the past three weeks I have been watching a new series that had me hooked from the first few minutes ... South Riding, based on the 1930s novel by Winifred Holtby. I have never read any of her work, though I was familiar with Winifred herself from her close friend Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth, a heart-rending account of the author's experiences during the First World War that I first discovered as a teenager thanks to another superb TV drama - may have to buy that next. I digress. South Riding. It wasn't what I expected (though I don't know what I did expect), but it blew me away. So many layers - romance, politics, friendship, injustice, grief, humour, Yorkshire grit - and not at all the ending I expected. And now I have to read the book. Have to. And so, it seems, do a lot of others, judging by the reservation queue at the library. I couldn't wait. No Kindle edition yet (due the end of March), but ... ta-da ... iBooks came up trumps. As soon as this post is posted, I intend to get stuck in.

Simple Woman's Daybook: 7th March 2011

Outside my window ... a bright, sunny day, but still chilly. It is nice to see the sun, but I am longing for warmthm thinking ... about Lent (which is starting so late it feels as though it should be nearly Easter!).

From the learning rooms ... Cherub is helping(!) Star with her current homework project on rocks and fossils - at least, she has lent Star her Magic School Bus Inside the Earth book, and is contributing enthusiasm!

I am thankful ... for a restful few days. I am fighting a bug and low on energy.From the kitchen ... baked potatoes and chilli tonight. Pancakes for Pancake Day tomorrow.  I haven't looked at my menu plan for the rest of the week yet.

I am wearing ... jeans, pink v-neck jumper, purple and silver flower earrings, stripy socks.

I am creating ... back to the aran cardigan and mountain view cardigan. Cherub's cardigan and hat are done, apart from sewing in the ends.

I am going ... nowhere out of the ordinary this week.

I am reading ...  French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano.I am hoping ... the dishwasher gets fixed at the second attempt. It was mended on Tuesday, then packed up again on Friday.

I am hearing ... Cherub talking to her Sylvanian families.

Around the house ...  sliced up paper, scissors and sellotape. Cherub has been creating (I think she was making one of the foot measuring things they use in shoe shops).

One of my favourite things ... Evernote. How did I ever manage without Evernote?

A few plans for the rest of the week ... I should be going to Star's parent-teacher evening tomorrow, but forgot to get her to make appointments for me. As I don't have any concerns and can probably predict exactly what her teachers would say, I think I'm just going to be a bad parent and let it slide. I'm playing in my orchestra concert on Saturday, so intense rehearsals on Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon.

A picture thought I am sharing ... Happy Thing Number 5 - Whittards hot chocolate

 Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

3 Quick Takes: 4th March 2011

I am under par this week - struggling through a combination of a bruised back and a mild stomach bug - and can't summon up seven thoughts. Three will have to do.

1. My link of the week ... the high church of Chiatura in Georgia. Eek! Eek, eek, EEK! As someone who is not keen on heights, I feel dizzy just looking at the picture. (HT: The Hermeneutic of Continuity).

2. I have been looking at archives of electronic records this week. Did you know that the internet is archived? Type in a URL and the Wayback Machine will show you what the site looked like at various points in the past.  For the UK, selected web sites are saved at the UK Web Archive maintained by the British Library. You can search by title, or explore a number of special collections.

3. As I put Cherub to bed the other night she was contemplating ordinal numbers. She told me her birthday is third (after Angel and Tevye), then counted "first, second, third, fourth, fifth ... [pause to consider] ... but I don't know where 'last' comes!" Tricky concept that. First relates to a number, so why not last?

London Aquarium

A few pictures from our trip to the London Aquarium on Monday. Cherub and Little Friend N had a great time, especially so because they had each other to share the fun with:

I didn't take the camera, so experimented with taking pictures on my new-to-me phone. It doesn't handle movement at all because of the long shutter delay, but works well enough as a back up for those days when I either forget my camera or don't want to have to carry it.

 

The highlight for the littles were the rays, particularly the large ones that swam over us in the walk through tunnel - couldn't get a picture of them, or the big turtles, as they were on the move. 

 

This fish was ugly in a beautiful sort of way ... or beautiful in an ugly way? 

I liked the effect of this starfish climbing up the glass.

 

The lighting effects in the jelly fish tank had them changing colour. I managed to get a nice picture of them in the pink phase.

Simple Woman's Daybook: 28th February 2011

Outside my window ... four degrees (40F), wet and miserable. I'll be glad to see the back of February.

I am thinking ... how nice it would be to be able to go to sleep when I want and wake up when I want, without any night time interruptions. Even for a week!

From the learning rooms ... just about managed to keep up with my studying over half term. Angel and Star went back to school today, Cherub goes back tomorrow.

I am thankful ... that we normally have a dishwasher. And that the non-functioning dishwasher is still under warranty.

From the kitchen ... something instant from the freezer tonight as I will be out all day. On the menu for this week - mince and sweet potato pie, chicken pie, beef casserole, not sure what else!

I am wearing ... dark grey cord trousers, red roll neck jumper over black long sleeved t-shirt, stripy socks

I am creating ... my aran cardigan and mountain view cardigan are on pause while I knit a little cardigan for Cherub using some fluffy red yarn with glittery bits that was given to my Mum. When that is done, I'm going to make her a matching hat.

I am going ... to the London Aquarium today, with Cherub, Little Friend N and his mum

I am reading ... The Secret Diary of a New Mum (age 43 1/4) by Ceri Rosen on Kindle and French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano on paper.

I am hoping ... the nasty bruise on my back goes away soon. I had a disagreement with a table while playing Blind Man's Buffles with Cherub on Saturday. I caught her next the sofa, went to sit down, but had misjudged my position and crashed into a coffee table instead.

I am hearing ... Cherub playing games on the computer.

Around the house ... mud on the carpet (unavoidable in this weather). Also boots and shoes seem to be breeding. If they keep multiplying at this rate we won't be able to get in or out of the front door.

One of my favourite things ... spring. Please come soon!

A few plans for the rest of the week ... London today; an orthodontist's appointment for Angel tomorrow - Tevye is taking her as I need to get an assignment done; school technology competition for Angel on Friday (she has been chosen as part of her school team). I think that is all for the week, though have a feeling I may have forgotten something!

 

A picture thought I am sharing ... I am going to start posting pictures of Happy Things for my Day Zero project here.

 

Happy Thing Number 4 - a butterfly Star made from a craft kit and hung from the ceiling in Cherub's room. 

 Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

7 Quick Takes: 25th Feburary 2011

1. I have been feeling so sad all week for the people of Christchurch, New Zealand, as they deal with the terrible effects of this week's earthquake. It's hard to say why this touched me so much, as I don't have any friends or relatives in New Zealand. Maybe because NZ always seems such a gentle country, and a truly beautiful one (think of all that amazing scenery in the Lord of the Rings movies). It is certainly somewhere I would love to visit one day. For a positive story of good coming out of tragedy, go and read Linds' post on the Student Volunteer Army. Eighteen thousand young people out on the streets of Christchurch doing whatever is needed, mobilised through Facebook and other social media. Wonderful.

2. This week's archive find was a list of "Remembrances" scribbled on the back of a survey of trees in a manor park, dated 1599. Mostly a shopping list for his lady, this Elizabethan gentlemen had to remember a kirtle for his wife, a screen, his wife's gloves, a new silver seal, a "rebatta" for his wife (I have no idea what this is, but I'm pretty sure that was the word), and pins of three different sorts. I love stumbling across this sort of day-to-day trivia.

3. I also stumbled across Old Money, an iPhone app issued in conjunction with The National Archives which gives conversions of old money into modern currency and vice versa. Input the amount (pounds, shillings and pence) and the year and it will tell you todays value. Quite fun, and it only costs 59 pence - worth it to satisfy my curiosity about the real value of Mr Darcy's £10,000 a year. It caught my attention as the historian who contributed to the app was a fellow student of mine.

4. Another computer application I have completely fallen in love with is Evernote. I started using it to keep various notes, to-do lists and articles for my archive course together, but now I'm using it for everything I want to keep track of - recipes, knitting patterns, STUFF! I can then access all my stuff (and add more) from any computer (Mac or PC), my iPad and my phone. Sheer brilliance. I saw someone describe it as their second brain early this week. I know what they mean. A second brain is very important when your first brain no longer remembers simple facts like where I saw that comment!

5. It is half term. Domestic chaos reached its peak on Wednesday. A-next-door got her shower stuck on when everyone else in her family was out. I couldn't turn it off either, but fortunately I knew a man who could (their other neighbour, a member of our international dining company). Then Star saw fit to encourage Cherub to practice for a non-existent egg and spoon race. With a real, uncooked egg. In the sitting room. The carpeted sitting room. How Cherub managed not to drop it I have no idea, particularly given the number of times she subsequently dropped the potato she practiced with after I removed the egg. Star is still alive. I'm not quite certain she would have been had Cherub dropped the egg. Does the girl have no common sense at all?

6. Cherubism of the week ... Angel explained Blind Man's Buff to Cherub, who got very excited by the idea. A few minutes later she was told me "I'm desperate to play Chinese Buffles!" Apparently she confused it somewhat with Chinese Whispers. As the week progressed, she got closer to the right name. It is now known as Blind Man's Buffles.

7. The highlight of my day today was watching Cherub's face as she discovered that Rice Krispies really do go snap, crackle and pop.

Read more quick takes at Conversion Diary

Yarn Along: 23rd February

I have been meaning for a while to join Ginny's Yarn Along, which has been popping up at various blogs I read. These are the instructions:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

Reading and knitting? What's not to like! For my first yarn along, my mountain view cardigan in beige cotton, and The Secret Diary of a New Mum (age 43 3/4) by Ceri Rosen on my iPad. For some reason I don't understand the cover picture is not showing up, and has been replaced with a stock title / cover page. Odd. The cardigan is making surprisingly good progress for over 300 stitches of 4 ply (fingering), and I have just passed the ribbing at the waist.

Simple Woman's Daybook: 21st February 2011

Outside my window ... it has been a thoroughly miserable cold, wet, muddy  February day. 

I am thinking ... it is time to get back into gear with blogging. I enjoyed posting more regularly, but I haven't managed to work out good blogging times since I started my course. 

From the learning rooms ... half term. Lots of reading practice of Cherub - her choice. She likes us to pick words in story books for her to read. Very good for her reading skills, but not so good for keeping the flow of the story! 

I am thankful ... for the safe arrival of Melanie's new little Anthony. 

From the kitchen ... baked potatoes and chilli tonight. Warming food for a cold and nasty day. 

I am wearing ... dark grey cord trousers, black long sleeved t-shirt, black and white striped socks, earrings. 

I am creating ... my aran cardigan and mountain view cardigan. The first sleeve of the aran is nearly finished, and I am half-way up the body of the mountain view. Lots of reading, lots of knitting! 

I am going ... to buy Angel's old phone from her. She bought a new one (at least, a new-to-her one from ebay) as she decided she hated relying on a touchscreen keyboard. I have been testing out the old one for a few days and as an Apple fan yearning for an iPhone, I'm surprised how much I like it. Saves her having to sell it to repay me for doing the ebay purchase for her. 

I am reading ... The Secret Diary of a New Mum (age 43 1/4) by Ceri Rosen. Light, entertaining reading for someone who was a third time mum aged 45 3/4. 

I am hoping ... this is the last fling of the cold season. Angel had one last week, which she has passed on to Cherub and I. 

I am hearing ... the news on TV.

Around the house ... laundry drying (hard to believe today that I was able to hang laundry outside a couple of times last week); tidy(ish) girls' bedrooms as the two older ones tackled their messy disaster zones today. 

One of my favourite things ... Cadbury's caramel bunnies. It is the chocolate egg and bunny season again. Any liturgical qualms disappear after one bite of bunny. (Ooh! That sounds bad!) 

A few plans for the rest of the week ... dental appointments for everyone tomorrow morning, and an optician's appointment for Angel in the afternoon. Half-term socialising for Angel and Star. No other real plans for half-term entertainment, which is probably just as well given Cherub's and my colds. An international meal with our neighbours on Saturday - we are responsible for dessert. 

A picture thought I am sharing ... skipping this as I am out of time and don't have any ideas for a photo to share. 

Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

Simple Woman's Daybook: 14th February 2011

Outside my window ... it has been raining overnight (again), but looks quite nice this morning. We have been getting alternating rain and bright spells for the last week. Warmer than it has been though, with temperatures hitting double digits (low 50s farenheit).

I am thinking ... oh, I hate this prompt! It is 7.25am. Of course I am not thinking. Typing, but not thinking.

From the learning rooms ... last week before half term. Angel has an entire day of PE today - practical mocks for her GCSE exam - which she is not looking forward to. 

 

I am thankful ... for a husband who takes on more than his fair share of getting up in night with Cherub. She still isn't a great sleeper.

From the kitchen ... planning to cook heart biscuits (cookies) with Cherub this afternoon in honour of Valentine's day.

I am wearing ... pink pyjamas.

I am creating ... my aran cardigan (first front finished, and now working on a sleeve) and started this mountain view cardigan as I have some 4 ply cotton to use and wanted something mindless (lots of stocking stitch) to knit while I read. I am pretty good at knitting and reading, but the aran cardigan just has too many cables. My brother's socks are done.

I am going ... to school for a taster lunch with Cherub tomorrow. She starts staying for lunch after half term.

I am reading ... still The King's Speech, plus lots of archive stuff. Same as last week, but making progress on both.

I am hoping ... that I will be better organised this week. I completely forgot to take Cherub to ballet last Wednesday.

I am hearing ... Charlie and Lola.

Around the house ... full laundry baskets. I took my eye off the ball last week, and the laundry has exploded. Where does it all come from? Who wears all this stuff?

One of my favourite things ... four year olds. The cutest, funniest age of them all.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... school lunch with Cherub tomorrow; usual orchestra and band practices and archive work. I'm enjoying this spell with less on the calendar.

A picture thought I am sharing ... a poet for Valentine's Day. The grave of William Wordsworth, taken in Grasmere churchyard last February.

Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

The Religious Climate

A few days ago Jenn at Conversion Diary asked "what is the religious climate in your country?". I found the answers fascinating, and noticed that within the UK in particular there was quite a lot of variation in the answers, ranging from quite positive to very negative. Here are mine for this little corner of Bedfordshire.

Where do you live? (Or, if you’re not currently living there, what part of the world is it that you’re familiar with?)

England, about 40 miles north west of London.  

What is church attendance like in your area? Are there many churches? Do they seem to have active memberships?

In our town (population 35,000) there are two Church of England churches, one Catholic, two Methodist (one very small with aging congregation), two Baptist (again, one very small), one Salvation Army and a Quaker meeting house. There are also a Christian Fellowship and a New Life Community Church that meet in local schools. Most active are the Catholic, Church of England, larger Baptist and New Life churches. I'd guess church attendance is about 5%, but a larger number attend occasionally, and the role of the churches in the local community is greater than the numbers attending would suggest. 

At a typical social event, how appropriate would it be if a person were to explicitly acknowledge in casual conversation that he or she is a believing Christian? For example, if someone at a party made a passing comment like, “We’ve been praying about that” or “I was reading the Bible the other day, and…”, would that seem normal or odd?

Mentioning attending Church is fine. Talking about praying or reading the Bible would be very odd.   

What belief system do the politicians in your area claim to practice? For example,  here in Texas almost all politicians at least claim to have some kind of belief in God, regardless of what they may think in private — to openly admit to being an atheist would be political suicide in most parts of the state. Is this the case in your area?

Of the leaders of the three main political parties one attends the Church of England, one is an atheist (I think) with a Catholic wife and children, and the third is an atheist Jew. Our local member of Parliament is actively Christian.  

How many families do you know who have more than two children? If a family with four children moved to your area, would their family size seem unusual? What about a family with six children?

Many families with three - two or three is the norm. Four is less common but not at all unusual. More than four is unusually large. One of the other mothers commented in the school playground last week that more families seem to be having third and fourth children, whereas a few years ago most stopped at two.  

What seems to be the dominant belief system of the people in your area?

Vague agnosticism. Most people are not religious, but very few are anti-religious. It is a very mono-cultural area, so of those that do practice a religion, almost all are Christian. 

Do you notice any trends? Do people seem to be becoming more or less religious?

I'd say Christianity is pretty much holding its own. Numbers attending church may have declined a bit in the 18 years I have lived here, but not dramatically. The churches I know best seem to have a good cross-section of ages, including younger people and families with children.

Termites

Playing Categories in the car today, Cherub asked Grandma to think of "a fruit that begins with T ... something that the big girls like". After a failed guess of tangerines, Grandma gave up. The answer, it transpired, was "termites". Termites? Are my daughters anteaters? Grandma and I cracked up laughing, and even Cherub got the joke after we explained what termites were, and that what she actually meant was pomegranates (!).

At dinner I passed the story on to Angel and Star, accompanied by more laughter from Cherub and myself. It turned out the joke was on us. Angel and Star looked rather sheepish ... then admitted that when they were younger they used to eat ants!!!! Eek!

In case you are wondering, they squashed them first. And insects are high in protein.

Then again, better not to think about it.