01/08/2011 by Aileen.

Every Monday is like a new beginning, and not only is it a new week, but a new month. Yay. Two years ago yesterday we had our near head-on car crash coming home from a quiz night. (White van men on the wrong side of the road) We’re still here to tell the tale, and both so thankful to be alive. Three years ago John’s system was actually closing down - in hospital the top half of his body was all white, and you could see the red of his blood on the lower half of his body. (Internal abcesses so we didn’t know what was wrong with him or how seriously ill he was until I drove him down to Stoke Mandeville for a routine checkup. If he hadn’t struggled to keep that appointment he could be dead. The local doctor - not the normal one - had said he had a urine infection, and all his symptoms were ‘normal’ for that.) So yes, I’m still here writing, and John’s stillin bed snoring.

I should write more about Olivia, but don’t know what to say really. I will try to take a picture from Skype. Fiona says she is doing everything well, e.g. feeding, burping, etc. But she’s NOCTURNAL. Well, I suppose they all are to start with. And she has a great pair of lungs apparently. When we saw her in hospital she was really sleepy and placid. When Alexander was born he had a bruised face, as he was a forceps delivery, and he cried quite a bit when he was moved. Olivia is so different. But at the same time she is the image of Aleander. Alexander is delighted with his little sister apparenntly, and knew the words ’sister’ and ‘Olivia’ more or less straight away. He keeps kissing her on the forehead, and saying aaah.

I must also put up some of Rachel’s wedding photos. They’re only just off my camera, and still in Raw format, so I need to convert them to jpgs. And delete a lot! I took so many.

Well, new month’s resolutions. They’re not new, I’m afraid, they’re the same old ones I always make. Pray more, better housewifery, eat less, exercise more. I am actually a bit more specific than this, and have started a (another!) blog recording how I am doing. Don’t think I’ll give details here. Last week I decided to drink 6 glasses of water a day, and get my feet up to scratch. I can only manage two glasses of water so far. I use a crystal glass and pop in a slice of lemon, but I still forget to drink it. I’m using up old foot products (should I say old products for feet) to get my heels smooth, and once the three tubes are used up I’ll buy one new one.

Oh and I went through my clothes last week. Just the tops and trousers, but not only those in the bedroom, but also those I store in the guest room. I’ve put the too tight ones and the winter ones away in the guestroom, and discovered clothes I forgot I had. So I’ve decided to take a bit more care of my appearance and wear different clothes, instead of bumming around in jeans and the same few tops.

Well, I’d better go. Monday is housework day, and I hope to sweep the garden paths this afternoon if I have any energy left. And this sounds contradictory, but I’ve decided to wear shorts around the house, as I would like my legs to be more tanned. But when I go out -Victoria Beckham. look out.

Bye all.

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20/06/2011 by Aileen.

Mmm. I’v been getting a bit dizzy on and off for a while now. I think the first time might have been the boat ride a couple of weeks ago. That was sea-sickness. Yes, I’m a wimp, we were just off the coast around Flamborough Head, and the weather was good. Anyway, I reported that I was nauseous after the trip to Martin and Fiona’s. Actually I had another symptom there. John drove for two hours and I drove for the final hour, but all three hours I was wearing cheap Tesco sunglasses, and my eyes were really bloodshot that afternoon and evening. They didn’t look ‘blood’ shot, just pink all over. Anyway, we both had eye tests last week, and the optician said he was ‘very happy’ with my eyes. They have hardly changed over four years. He has just changed the focusing prescription, and made a point of saying my eyes haven’t deteriorated. I’ve ordered some clear and some tinted glasses. John’s eyes were good too, and he just ordered some reading glasses, and is keeping the old long distance ones.

Anyway, back to the dizziness. I got some travel sickness pills from the pharmacist on Saturday, and I’ve been alright since Sunday (yesterday) afternoon, so hopefully that will settle down the dizziness. I think I just got my balance disturbed. It happened last summer or the summer before, and I couldn’t drive for three weeks. I remember it was annoying in some ways, but also quite restful not going anywhere far.

Today, housework. I have just read one of the posts on the Flylady site and can’t get over how sexist it is. This woman is advocating one of the Flylady products (it’s a very thinly disguised advertisement) and saying how she lives in a three storey house and has to keep carrying her husband’s and children’s stuff from floor to floor as they keep leaving things in the wrong place. WHAT!!!! Stooopid doormat.

Just finished a really good autobiography. Will write about it tomorrow as now I have to start putting John’s things away. Not.

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18/04/2011 by Aileen.

Not sure about that, but I’m having a change today. No Monday housework. I need to finish reading Mortal Engines and get on with my TMA. I’ve lots of notes under the headings of the three books I’ve chosen, but I need to cut and paste them into a beautifully crafted essay. By the way, here is the title of the TMA

 Rachel Falconer states that ‘it is important that the books and films [young people] read and watch should address the reality of their lives’ (Reader 1, p. 375). Is this view borne out by contemporary writing for children? Discuss with particular reference to three of the Set Books in Block 6.

So. No housework today. Finish the book this moring. Write this afternoon. (Might have to skip Viewfinders) Finish it tomorrow. That leaves Wednesday for putting in all the bl**dy referencing, which takes me a day, believe me. Then, into cyberspace on Thursday, which is the day it’s due in. I’ve never left it so late.

But then, the Easter Triduum from Thursday evening to Sunday morning and off to Scotland on Sunday for a few days for a family get-together.

Bye.

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14/03/2011 by Aileen.

Woke up full of the joys of spring, overshadowed of course by the catastrophe in Japan. Now another explosion. Surely nuclear power is dangerous. And costly. I know I’m a bear of little brain, but why can’t we harness wave power? The sea is always there. Yes, I know we need to be careful about where we position things, but this seems to be a resource we just haven’t made the most of. And I think windfarms look beautiful, so there!

Anyway, I have a new way of getting organised. A way I used in the 70s come to think of it. It’s just writing a list on a sheet of paper, and highlighting the item when it’s done. I tried this last week, but made the mistake of writing things down that would happen anyway, like driving Fr Neville to hospital. But I found I did all the other things, except for one, and that’s because I am waiting for information on it. So this week - great plans. A lot of them are church based, but that’s just coincidence. Next week it could be other stuff, maybe gardening, or sorting out stuff in my office. Here’s this week’s list

• Link all Chrn’s Liturgy people by email group
• Design and print application forms for First Holy Communion
• Design and prepare instructions for correct way to iron altar linen
• Fine tune and print off Stations of the Cross
• Prepare chrn’s liturgy
• Prepare FHC session 3
• Do Creative Writing homework
• Sweep garden paths

Right, some of this I would do anyway in the course of the week, but seeing it written down will hopefully stop me from leaving it until the last minute.

Another thing to do. My TMA is due in on Thursday. I’ve done the work and made lots of notes, but have never left it so late. It looks a straightforward one, so hopefully it will just flow. Marks so far - 80%   90%   95%   90% Can’t believe it. I just love this course and my tutor.

Anyway, today. It’s sunny, and a female blackbird is outside finishing off the seed I put out for the ducks yesterday. Our three cats were looking longingly from behind the French windows. Housework this morning, Hopefully I’ll sweep the paths as it’s such a lovely day. TMA this afternoon, then Viewfinders this evening. We’re doing portraits by candlelight.

Family news - Fiona had her twenty week scan last Tuesday, on her birthday. The baby is in the top percentile for size, and they couldn’t see if it was a girl or a boy, but as nothing showed they are guessing a girl. So a buxom Irish lass then. Can’t wait. Fiona is still being sick, and all three of them have had horrible viral throat and chest infections.

All of us are descending (ascending) on Ali and family for Easter. Or Easter Sunday to Easter Wednesday as Liam and Kieran are otherwise engaged before this, and Ali and Eric are out on Holy Saturday. Should be a good break. I’m bringing up the boys’ Christmas presents from Kevin and Mag!

Our lovely Rachel (Niall’s daughter - see main website) is getting married in July. We met Ian at Alexander’s christening, and he’s super. It’s funny, at the christening Rachel wasn’t drinking, and some of us were wondering if she was pregnant. All sorts of questions about who’s driving etc. did not elicit any information from her, but the following week she had her first scan and told us all she was pregnant. She now has a little boy, brother for Kieya who is about 12. They sent us a most organised and thoughtful package with the wedding invitation in.

• Beautiful homemade invitation
• Details of two nearby hotels
• Card for us to fill in with dietary requirements
• An RSVP card for us to fill in
• Maps to the church and reception venue
• Stamped addressed envelope
• Little poem saying they had everything so pressie could be Thomas Cook vouchers for a family holiday

Rachel takes after her mother, Sue, who is really artistic.

Well I’ve spent far too long on the computer, but at least I haven’t been idly surfing.

Weyhay! There are three greylag geese on the pond. Hope they nest on our land.

Bye all. Be good.

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04/11/2010 by Aileen.

Regular readers of this column will realise that I spend Mondays tidying, cleaning, and generally working hard. Not this Monday. I wasn’t lazy. Perish the thought. I emptied and sorted two kitchen cupboards. Picked up a repeat prescription. I must have done more, but what exactly escapes me at the moment.

But I didn’t do any hooving and dustering.

Today the place looks decidedly neglected, so out came the hoover this morning. Notice I’m not doing it yet - I’m having a delicious coffee. But my intentions are firm and honourable.

Other plans. Might do a big shop today, so I can load the car up with cardboard for recycling tomorrow. (I go past a recycling place on my way to Hedon for Creative Writing, and I do so like to synchronise car journeys) ((if you know what I mean))

I might have missed the best of the autumn leaves. It’s been so windy, and many leaves have gone. I did intend to go up to Thorpe Perrow, but might give it a miss this year. I can conentrate on close-ups nearer to home. Norma suggested the arboretum at Castle Howard, but it’s some distance still, and after last night’s wind it might not be worth it. Also, the light isn’t very good at the moment.

Oh, and the house needs doing, doesn’t it?

Before I go - we had a great morning at Potteric Carr yeserday. (Couldn’t stay longer as the rear window was being fitted in the afternoon. Anyway, the weather changed)

Here are some photos.

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18/10/2010 by Aileen.

Yes, much better today.

Still 11st  9, so haven’t put on any weight.Showered, answered mail and forums, ready to go for the day.

Plans. John has three clients so that will keep him busy. I was a bit out of sorts with him over the weekend, as he got up so late each day, and just sat by his computer, then watched telly. I thought he had wasted his weekend. Bit of projection on my part methinks!

I’m about to run through the house (not literally) then might power wash the patio as the ducks have been doing their business (literally)

Sandy and Joy are  popping in this afternoon (on way down from Scotland) to collect clothes they forgot last weekend. Gardeners will be here too, hopefully.

This evening, I have Viewfinders, and we are to discuss our new Clikpic website. More important, Jane is going to show us her pictures from Canada. We were going to have a Photoshop tutorial, but I doubt there will be time.

Bye all. Computer going off now until after lunch.

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28/09/2010 by Aileen.

Recovering from a long weekend.

Thursday was my birthday. Went into Hull with John and bought grey jeans, grey stretchy trousers, black top, purple top and purple jacket. Lunch at Starbucks.

ALi and family arrived in the evening, and we chatted.

Friday. Chatted, did food shopping and cooked.Ali did a lovely lasagne. Played charades after.

Saturday. Martin and family arrived. Chatted. Ate. Drank. Ali did my birthday meal. Salmon en croute. More charades, which is great fun with the kids.

Sunday. Mass. Fiona came with Alexander, who is now sitting up quite well and has four teeth. He looks so like Martin. we were toying with the idea of going somewhere, but just chilled. The beef I bought didn’t look big enough for us all, so I got a frozen (well it was fresh last week) chicken from the freezer and we had a variation of surf’n'turf.

Monday. Visitors all left and I had four sets of double sheets to wash. Only did ours as I was knackered. Washing is easy, but with the visitors’ sheets I like to iron, which is a pain. AGM at Viewfinders in the evening. Quick and efficient.

Today. House is quite tidy. No plans. Maybe study as the course officially starts on Saturday. Tutorial in Sheffield which seems a bit crazy as other York people go to Leeds, but the tutor seems keen. Looking forward to it.

Bye all. Might put some photos of the weekend up soon, but we didn’t do the group one we planned as the weather was so poor.

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28/08/2010 by Aileen.

Everything arrived the other day, just as I was hoping. In fact, it wasn’t deep joy, as it was overload. I’ve spent all summer kicking my heels, and suddenly I have too much to take in at once. OU stuff, Dreamweaver, Lightroom CS5, plus all the paraphernalia that’s bundled with the Adobe package. Still, I’m a happy bunny.

We went into Hull on Friday, and that’s another thing I haven’t done all summer - gone anywhere busy. The traffic seemed so loud I thought all the exhaust pipes were broken. I got nostalgic about my childhood. I would go up Oxford Street, Regent Street, and tramp the whole length, going in to all (well not all) the shops. In Hull I was looking for a particular camera shop that had moved, and it was so quick to find. Hull is tiny. However, it is also lovely. I know all the jokes about ‘to Hull and back’ but it is clean, and the people are friendly. The only drawbacks are that the shops are tiny too, and there is no Pret a Manger.

Anyway, it’s Saturday morning and I’m raring to go. Bye bye, computer, I’m popping down to the shops, topping up the housework cutting the grass, cycling, getting ahead with my study, etc. etc. etc.

I said GOODBYE you temptress.

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24/08/2010 by Aileen.

Think Tuesdays might be my favourite day of the week (In August anyway) I do all my housework on a Monday, and if I actually finish it I am free all day Tuesday. I finished yesterday, there’s no OU studying to do at the moment, I have already submitted the two Look sheets that were due in today, so I’m free.

Can’t do nothing all day, so I’ll clean the windows this morning. Can’t really garden as it’s lashing outside, so then I’ll finish Little Women (pre-reading for my Literature course) and then spend the afternoon brushing up on my website making skills.

Oh I could make some plum jam. The plums are just coming into their own. They’re delicious.

Talking about delicious, I’m doing a curry with Sunday’s leftover chicken. It almost seems a waste, as it was a succulent chicken from a nearby farm. I cooked it with lemon on Sunday, and we had it with chips on Monday. The taste was so delicate. A curry will hide all that. Oh well. Curry is good.

And another thing……….

It’s my birthday in a few weeks, and Martin and Fiona (with Alexander of course) said they would come for the weekend. I really didn’t think Ali and co would come, as we have just had a holiday with them, and it;s awkward for them because of their shift work and the boy’s school. However, it’s a back holiday weekend in Scotland, so they can come. Yippee.  It’s so nice to feel loved.

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05/03/2010 by Aileen.

Whatever I do I always feel slightly guilty. Must be my Catholic upbringing. (Sorry, nuns)

Yesterday I meditated, cycled,  washed curtains. The house was clean and tidy. But I spent a lot of time on the computer and I think the balance was wrong. Right, I need to sort out new computer, and delete a lot of the rubbish I brought in to it from thebackup. I also decided to sortmy photos. Some had lost their tags for some reason. Anyway, I focus on what I didn’t do. Didn’t ‘help’ anyone, didn’t do any gardening. Well the list could go on and on obviously. I didn’t climb Everest, for instance.

Cycling was good yesterday. John came too. It was a lovely spring day.

Today I’ve deleted and tagged photos. (Not the same ones obviously) I’m down to 10,226 now.  I have some that go back to 2001 (before that was film camera) and they are all organsised. I’m working backwards and forwards, and I’ve got back to December 2009. There’re a hell of a lot in between.

Looking forward to staying with M,F and A this weekend. Well, Sunday to Tuesday.  I’m having my hair cut in a minute, ready for some glamourous granny photos with Alexander. I’m never in photos, but I intend to remedy that now.

No Creative Writingthis morning, as poor Stella is ill. That’s why I’m writing on here. Windows cleaned and net curtains back up, but still wondering what am I doing with my life!

Well, it’s not that bad. I’m really happy. But should I be doing more? Like pressing on with my kid’s book. Or gardening. Oh hell.

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