31/01/2008 by Aileen.

It’s as wet and windy as a cross little baby this morning.

I wouldn’t like to be a postie today.

I wouldn’t like to cross the Queen Elizabeth Bridge (or any bridge) today.

I wouldn’t like to be homeless today. (The gypsy in me fancies it just ocasionally - usually on hot summer nights)

I wouldn’t like to be cooped up in a classroom with a horde of kids today.

I wouldn’t like to go to the shops today.(But I have to - I forgot to get milk yesterday)

What I am going to do is spend the morning photographing a flower I froze in water for a photo competition. The comp closes tomorrow, so I’m true to form - last minute dash. Need to post it when I get the milk.

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30/01/2008 by Aileen.

The disappointment was last night. I went to a Scripture talk at the church where I attend a Scripture discussion group. At the group we look at the three forthcoming Sunday’s readings for an hour. But as this talk the speaker tried to cover twenty three readings (from beginning of Lent to Easter Triduum) in less than an hour. Middlesbrough diocese gave him this brief, but I think a little selective disobedience would have been in order! I was wondering about personality types. I THINK extroverts like a breadth of things and introverts like less things in depth. Many of the parishioners were saying it was excellent, and Mary, who is an expert in Scripture, was busy taking notes, so maybe I missed the point. I know the speaker started by saying he wanted to link up the readings, but I couldn’t see the link.

Now for the excitement. I had a really complementary e-mail from Andrew at Redemptorist Publications, asking what else I would like to write. Will reply today, but I have several ideas already. Another one this morning.

Off birding now. Fresh air, exercise, companionship, and I might see a few birds!

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28/01/2008 by Aileen.

Saw Sweeney Todd this afters with J. I was entertained ….. but …… how come???? There’s violence, there’s blood, there are dark sets, the music isn’t memorable. But …. there’s Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter and Timothy Small. Also an excellent little boy playing ‘Toby.’ Some fantastic scenes. I especially liked the (first) dance macabre between Sweeney and Mrs Lovatt, where she is holding a rolling pin and he is holding a cleaver. Loved Helena’s singing voice and Alan Rickman’s seductive portrayal of (whatever the judge was called)

Then, Photography Club after a swift cuppa (had hot dog at cinema). Watched a demonstration of how to use Photoshop.

Got my tma back today. 80% so I’m well chuffed. Funnily enough the bit I thought I did best was the one with most comments on how I could have improved on it.

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27/01/2008 by Aileen.

Well, it is deliberate. Day of rest and all that. Helped Helen at Children’s Liturgy this morning. (Didn’t exactly help, but sat in as a chaperone in case Helen molested anyone!) Went for cycle with John before lunch. Had boiled egg as we are having roast beef tonight. Just been planning my week on Outlook. It’ll never happen….

1.The days aren’t long enough

2. I’m not one to stick to a routine.

Norma (birding friend) gave me a lovely book of poets from the Wolds. I read it in bed last night, and it brought back all these memories of my childhood, reading poetry under the bed clothes. I learnt so many off by heart. I’ve loved poetry from an early age. Thanks Norma. For the book and for reviving my memories.

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26/01/2008 by Aileen.

Sent off tma yesterday afternoon. I had a great morning at Creative Writing. Mary wrote a really funny travel piece, starting with describing the sparkling sea and golden sands. It was, in fact, an ironic piece about Bridlington, extolling the caravan sites, the bingo etc. Great fun.

Then Val and I went for lunch in Nutmegs, Hedon, but we had to wait for a table, and one of the staff was a bit rude to Val, saying she was blocking the way. (She was, but there are ways of saying it.) So we went off to Sandhills Garden Centre nearby and each had a chilli jacket. Yum! Yum!

Got home eventually (after buying some Christmas items in the sale) only to be greeted by John saying the computer had been down all day. AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!! I had visions of driving 30 miles or so to my tutor to hand in my tma, which had to be in by midnight! (Although she’s so lovely, I’m sure she would have allowed me to post it) Anyway, my laptop was fine, so after applying John’s ‘corrections’ on the printed copy I sent it off (electronically) post haste. Even though I have decided that I haven’t really answered the first question. The second part was quite good I thought (famous last words) but I may have missed the point in the last bit, as I just regurgitated earlier parts of the essay. Oh well. We’ll see.

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24/01/2008 by Aileen.

I finished my 5th tma this evening. All about Rousseau and the general will. How obeying it makes us free. I may have missed the point, because I didn’t mention that R thinks we can be forced to be free - not even in the section that asks us to consider one objection. Oh well. It’s finished. On to the next block.

But first, on to the next course. This is website design. It looks scary. One of the posts is about pinging not being scary. I don’t even know what pinging is, let alone be scared by it. (Oops! I’ve just said the course looks scary. Hope this isn’t going to be the motif for the course - BE AFRAID!)

But even firster, I haven’t done my effort for creative writing tomorrow and it’s 10.15pm I’m suposed to be writing a travel piece. I’ve never been interested in travel writing - no juicy murders or intriguing characters to unravel - and I’m not that interested in travel either. I’ve always wanted to see Venice, and I have now. Sad really. Well maybe Machu Picchu - but I digress.

We can write anything we like obviously, but Stella has suggested several things, including a spoof Halloween Travel Trip to Transylvania. Tomorrow should be good fun. Then Val and I are having lunch together, but I must be careful about what I eat as I only lost one pound at Slimming World again this week.

Oh well. Off I go, looking for inspiration for my travel piece.

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23/01/2008 by Aileen.

After a slow start, this is what I did. Hoovered where I didn’t do on Monday, meditated, had half-hour cycle ride with John (after getting dressed of course) made some lovely homemade oven chips sprinkled with grated cheddar for last few minutes, with cold chicken. I had cabbage, John had his Branston Pickle which he calls mixed veg. It was about 3pm by then, so I did some OU work, meditated again, went to a fun Scripture session, came back to a salmon and cucumber on brown bread sarnie made by J’s fair hands, tweaked my tma a bit more (but mostly fiddled on t’internet, went to bed just after midnight, couldn’t sleep so got up at two to sleep on living room floor. Must have slept a bit, but here I am before 8am writing my blog.

Oh well! Birding today. Yippee!

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22/01/2008 by Aileen.

Sitting here in my dressing gown at 10.15 on a Tuesday morning. Do I really want to do anything today? Saw my first crocus in the garden on Saturday when I went out looking for snowdrops.

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15/01/2008 by Aileen.

I was a bit fed up yesterday.. On Sunday night darling daughter was complaining to me about the Christmas photos I had taken. I was experimenting with a high ISO number and no flash. So they were dark and grainy. Very atmospheric, she agreed, but she had wanted bright happy shots. Luckily Fiona took some so she should be happy now.

Also, some people at the OU are really struggling with several kids, husbands who have left etc.

The weather doesn’t help either. Anyway, today I feel better, but the weather is even worse, so here is a poem I wrote just after we moved to this lovely bungalow backing on to a lake.

The water’s frozen, fringed with shawl of snow

Crisp as an apple. Fragile cobwebs break

Their heavy pearls into the silver lake.

A pale sun paints a watercolour glow.

Ducks delight me, sliding to and fro,

Fighting and biting for the crumbs I shake.

My laughter makes them scatter, and I make

A move. Coffe is calling. Time for me to go.

-

The spring is fresh with feathered fronds of green,

Summer is heaven - seas and skies of blue,

Mellow autumn spreads a golden sheen,

Every season has it’s special hue.

I love the spring, the summer and the fall,

But winter, silver winter, shades them all.

Aileen B Urquhart 29/1/04

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12/01/2008 by Aileen.

Well, Saturdays aren’t really special any more now that I’ve retired. They can be a bit ordinary. Down to the local shops for the Guardian, meat from our lovely butchers, and fruit and veg from the farm shop.

This Saturday there was a Day School in Leeds for the OU. I’m exhausted now. Too tired to describe it but I really enjoyed it. Some help with my TMA on Rousseau, and the painter David, and a thought-provoking lecture on Philosophy and Religion. I would be quite interested in studying this, but will probably concentrate on literature courses. Did I say I have signed up for Web Site Design for February? I think it should help me be more disciplined in my learning about websites.

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