09/09/2010 by Aileen.

Oh I was without the internet from Sunday, and most of Saturday, until Tuesday. It doesn’t sound a tragedy, but it was for me. I kept wanting to Google to find out what was going wrong. Virgin were no help. We don’t have their router and after a while fobbed me off and said I should buy their router to get their assistance. Martin was sure the router wasn’t broken, so I kept trying to reset it. Eventually, when I came to a certain option (click yes if ‘fixed IP address’, or cancel if not) I tried clicking cancel. Suddenly - online. Yay.

Back to the weekend. Don and Chris came up with daughter Charley, and they relieved me of my car, which I never use as I prefer John’s. We’re rarely out to different places at the same time, so a second car is unnecessary,

Anyway, They treated us to a slap-up meal at Skidby Mill House Restaurant, and we had a great time.

Birding started yesterday, and we saw lots of unusual waders, including Little Stint

.

 Today is going to be hectic, as I have to print and mount ten photos for our photo exhibition. (At Skidby again by coincidence) It’s already gone one and we haven’t eaten. I went to PC World to top up on printer ink and get some good paper. Then did a big shop at Morrisons.

I am committed to a science experiment with the OU in Second Life, but daren’t log in until my photos are done. They need to be set up tomorrow. I also need to make refreshments for the exhibition opening.

Then, on Saturday, my Children’s Literature course is open online, and we can see the questions we need to answer.

So after kicking my heels all August, things are beginning to happen. Come back August, all is forgiven!

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26/08/2010 by Aileen.

Ooh I’m so excited. I’m expecting two parcels this week. Well one probably won’t come until next week, as it’s not meant to be dispatched til Friday, but I’m ever the optimist. This is the A363 Children’s Literature course from the OU. I managed to get hold of the two workbooks as pdf files, and I’ve ‘done’ Block One. Well, I haven’t done it in depth, but I’ve skimmed through. I can’t do it properly until I know what the TMA (tutor marked assignment) is, when I will read through with more purpose.

The other parcel is an Adobe package. After saying I wouldn’t upgrade from Element 6 as I don’t use many of the features, and wouldn’t want Dreamweaver as I like to do my own coding, I have ordered a bundle with these two in.

As I’m a student it was so much cheaper than it would be otherwise, and I fell! Mea Culpa.

There is a good possibility that the software will arrive this morning, so I daren’t have a shower in case I miss it.

Mind you, our postie is wonderful. So is the woman who delivers parcels. We met the latter three times in a row when we were out cycling last week, and she always has a cheery word. One day, she said she had returned a parcel to the post office as we weren’t in. She said she tried the door, and would have left in inside if it was open! How many places in England would that happen - that the odds are people’s doors are unlocked?

I usually leave ours unlocked if I’m just popping down to the shops,but then sometimes I think it might be just that day that a serial killer goes by and I come home to John’s hacked body, so I lock it.

Mmm. 9am. Where is that postie?

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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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03/08/2010 by Aileen.

Yay. Got the results today. 87% for the ECA, but as my course work was not so good I couldn’t get a distinction. Anyway, a Grade 2 pass is great. On to Honours now.

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02/08/2010 by Aileen.

I really don’t kow why I’m not writing. I’m having such a fab time these days, and I should be recording it. Let’s start at last Saturday. It was the monthly walk I have with OU friends. This time Alex invited us to her house and we had a two hour walk in her neck of the woods. Saw a kingfisher in the first few minutes. There was not much else on the walk, but then we went to Alex’s house, which is something like 17th Century, 18th Century and a 1950s kiitchen! She has a tree house, where we had a fab lunch, and then we played croquet on the lawn. It was another world! Here are a couple of photos.

I didn’t get around to posting photos of our visit to Camp Eden with ‘The Pair.’ They had a great time there, especially in the playground, which was set up as an assault course as far as I could see. John and I sat outside in the sun while they played - well it wasn’t inside, but ‘in’ the playground.

This is not to say they didn’t enjoy the exhibitions. They were fascinated.

Finally, I’ll mention today. I’ve decided (again) that I’m overweight, and must do something about it. I was 11st. 7 this morning. So I did half an hour Wii-fit this morning, and had an hour’s walk this afternoon. I also dieted (ish) I had my usual muesli with apple for breakfast, then had a ham salad for lunch. This evening was Viewfinders, so just had a beef sandwich for tea. John wasn’t hungry today, otherwise we would have had beef and mashed potatoes for lunch. (On Mondays we have to have our main meal at midday because of Viewfinders.) I enjoyed Viewfinders. We strolled along the River Hull, and ended up in a pub. I will upload the photos tomorrow.

The final final - we are expecting our OU results this week, and some people say they will come early, so I’ve been checking a lot. I’m guessing Wednesday, but that doesn’t stop me checking every 15 minutes!

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14/04/2010 by Aileen.

I’ve got a clean bill of health. Went for my check up today, a bit worried as I had developed a lump in the last three weeks, and saw the top man. He was really nice. Said, ‘Ooh, you’ve got a bean’, and said it was a cyst. I was dressing, when he suddenly said, he’d deal with it straight away, and I had to undress again. Then I saw the needle! I said oh, not an injection, and he said it was the opposite! It’s an aspiration I think. Anyway, he drew off what he called ‘oily gloopy stuff’ and said he would send it away, and I would get a letter in 3 or 4 weeks, saying everything was ok. He implied I should never have had the original lump on the other side removed ten (or so) years ago. I have LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ) and he said lots of people are walking round with that and don’t even know. (So how does he know eh?) But - as I already knew - it shouldn’t be called cancer as it just scares people.

Anyway, he has put the bleeding and lump down to last year’s car accident, and ‘written me off’ (in the nicest possible way of course) He just suggested I take advantage of the 3 year screening programme all women of my age have.

So. I decided to have a lazy day. I’ve got interested in web designing again. My skills reached a certain level and stopped, but I want to take it further. I’m starting a new Open Uni Web Design course in a few weeks, so maybe I;m just getting in to practise for that.

Sent off my TMA for Creative Writing, but am not holding out much hope for a good mark. Only got 68% for my poetry. John said that’s good, but I’m not getting very enthusiastic comments either. I’ve lost enthusiam myself for the course, and lost confidence in my ability, and just like a kid I don’t feel like putting much effort in to the final ECA. (Extended Course Assessment) I know (!) I’ll pass, but there’s no way I’ll get a distinction  so why should I work hard?

On the Swan front, they are definitely nesting next door. I have a few photos of the nest as it progresses, but the photos are a bit boring. I’ll waith until there are eggs before I post any.

I was mowing the front lawn moss yesterday, and discovered a duck sitting on a nest, so couldn’t do all the lawn in case I disturbed her.

Went to WI last night and had an inspiring illustrated talk by someone from the Associated Country Women of the World

http://www.acww.org.uk/

It was so inspiring, and made me think, what have I done with my life? Oh well. It’s a bit late for me to start saving the world now.

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11/04/2010 by Aileen.

Hectic week. Let’s go back a bit.

All the family arrived on Holy Saturday. Everyone except Martin went to Mass on Sunday where there was a noisy family liturgy. Liam and Kieran wouldn’t go in to the Children’s Liturgy, even though I was  doing it. (Or maybe because i was doing it!)

Traditional greasy breakfast afterwards, followed by roast lamb in the evening. Think we chatted and went to the playground (some of us) in between.

As John had to be in Stoke Mandeville hospital at 11am on the Tuesday, the original plan was for him to drive down with Martin in our Ford on the Monday, and for Fiona to stay on another day and take me, Liam Kieran and Alexander down in their Land Rover.Ali and Eric were escaping back to Scotland then. But Fiona wasn’t feeling too well, and not sleeping at nights with little Alexander, so Martin didn’t want her driving us all back. So she went back with Martin and John, and I drove the pair down on the Thursday.

John had his ‘procedure’ on the Wednesday as planned, but was told he wouldn’t be out until towards the end of the week, so we left it till then and drove him home on the Friday.

On Thursday night I had to finish off my Open University assignment which was due in at 12 midday on the Friday. Did it. Load of old rubbish, but I just want to finish this course. I’m not getting good marks and feel very discouraged.

We drove kids up to Penrith on Saturday, where their mum and dad picked them up. Back home. Opened the wine. Need to sort the house now.

On the Wednesday I took the kids to their beloved Honeysuckle Farm where they jumped on hay bales for hours and hours. Saw a few animals too.

Before we picked John up from hospital Martin treated us all to a slap up meal in a pub just outside Stoke Mandeville. I forget the name, but it’s the one John and I escaped to 18 months ago, when John was in hospital for all those weeks.

The kids were so good.. They were a bit quarrelsome on Saturday morning before they left, so were obviously feeling very much at home! Best behaviour before, which is always a bit unnerving as they’re two healthy little boys.

On the nature front - the swan who lost his mate has found a new one, and they are nesting at the bottom of next door’s garden. I have a clear view, so will be posting photos as things develop.

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27/03/2010 by Aileen.

I planned a really productive Saturday, as you can see from the screen shot of my desktop….

However, the post has just been, and my new OU material has arrived. It’s ‘Design and the Web’ and promises to be a really enjoyable non-technical course. I just HAVE to look at the DVD now although the course doesn’t start until May.

Other news…

Dentist last Tuesday. Teeth were fine beforehand, but I’ve had a mild on and off toothache ever since. I went back to the dentist on Thursday, as I don’t want it flaring up over Easter, but the dentist couldn’t find anything wrong. Oh well. It does seem to be settling down.

Other health news. I discovered a lump! Me and my poor boobs. I went to the doctor, and she said it’s only small, and doesn’t seem anything serious, and as I have a checkup in Castle Hill in April I can leave it til then. If she makes a new appointment it might muddle up who sees me etc.

Good meal on Friday to ‘celebrate’ the end of term for Creative Writing. Nice to see old friends who have left the course owing to ill health.lots of travelling, and/or increased costs.

Looking forward to next week when all the family will be here, please God. First time we will number NINE, but I won’t have to cater forAlexander the Great.

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18/03/2010 by Aileen.

That’s the cats. Sugar and Spice have been ‘done’ with not too much hassle. Ellis is going today and, famous last words, she will be easy to catch. We’re a bit worried about her, as she is so thin under her fur, and she gets sick quite a lot, although perversely enough, she hasn’t lately. She’s fourteen.

Anyway, it’s a morning of gardening for me, vets in the afternoon, and then I’m doing a CRB form for someone who wants to do Chidlren’s Liturgy.

I’ve finished my OU TMA. 4 poems and a commentary. It’s not due in until Friday, so I am quite free today. Oh, I have to write a fantasy story for the writing group tomorrow.

My I Belong book is being revamped by Redemptorist Publications. New illustations. I hope they don’t change the text too much. I gave up all rights to it, so haven’t much say. I’ve asked if I can write an adult book to run alongside it, but I’ve suggested this before and told no, as I’m not ‘famous.’

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11/02/2010 by Aileen.

They finally named him. I think they were getting worried that MJ would stick. So the little mite is Alexander. It’s a lovely name. There are lots of Alexanders in John’s family tree, going right back to about 1760, which is an Alexander.

Ali and Eric are coming on Saturday for a few days. It’ll be lovely seeing the boys again. Kieran wanted a baseball bat for his birthday this week. He is so exuberant I only wanted to buy him the glove and ball, but I suppose that was a bit silly of me. Anyway, he got the set and loves it apparently.

Liam has been chosen to play in a good football team. Don’t do football, so don’t know the details, but I’ve always known he is very good.

Martin and Fiona say they (the three of them!) will come for a few days too. It’s not definite, but it would be lovely if they did. It would give Ali and Eric a chance to see Alexander. It would have been a long journey for the two lads to travel from Renfrew to Oxford and back again in a few days.

On the OU front, I submitted a TMA today thinking it was due tomorrow, but it’s not due until next week! Oh well, now I am ahead of myself. I haven’t done tomorrow’s assignment for my writing group, though, so will stop now and see what it is.

Oh, John’s fine. He can’t get over seeing such a small baby. He’s never seen one so young. (Alexander was under 2 hours when we saw him)

Night all, and thanks be to God for everything.

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