It's Sunday! (copy)

 It's Sunday!  Following on from my "rant" about Ikea last week, I think it is time that we reclaimed Sunday. I don't mean that we should all be in church or even at home resting and doing nothing, unless of course that's what you want to do.  What I mean is that those of us lucky enough not to have to work on Sundays  should reclaim it as a day for ourselves.  A day hopefully, to be spent with our family but ultimately a day when we can indulge ourselves and do what we want when we want.   A chance to do some of the things we have been promising ourselves that we will get round to all week.  I don't mean the housework although I am guilty of that one.

Why should we not have one day a week to do as we please?  The rest of the week is structured enough as it is for most people.   I realise that some people have to work on Sundays but they can still join in by making one of their days off an unofficial Sunday.

So what am I going to do today?  Well when I have finished this I am going to get on with reading some of my book for the reading club as I am a bit behind.  We are reading Joanna Trollopes new book "Second Honeymoon".  Then I shall have a long relaxing bath then I may do some family history research then probably some more blogging.  I am not going to clean or tidy anything!!   I will let you all know at some point if I manage this.   Have a good day.

Martini (copy)

I like a nice Martini, shaken not stirred of course!!  That's why for the time being I have gone with the "Martini" theme offered by 360.  It is at least a bit brighter and more cheery than the autumn leaves.

I also discovered when I made the change to autumn leaves that the font colours I had used on some of my previous posts had suddenly become hard to read.  Simon pointed this out for the Sapphire blog.

Hopefully soon, with the help of some new 360 friends I shall learn how to do something a bit more fancy for myself.

First Scan copy)

This is really so special.   I hope that you are all able to see it ok.   It is the very first scan picture of our first grandchild!!   Apparently according to the scan Sam and Lisa's baby is due on the 28th of april 2007.

I often think that scan pictures just look like little grey blobs!  Now I don't think I'm being biased here but my grandchild definitly is a lot more than a blob.  It definitly has 2 little arms and it's so clever it's waving to us!  You can even see fingers on the original so I hope you can all see them here.

Entry for 04 November 2006 (copy)

Ok, I have been quite busy all day today but it's been one of those days where it doesn't seem as if I have done much if you know what I mean!  What have I done?  Well about an hour an a half sorting out some financial filing, then about 15 minutes on the phone to the bank to cancel a standing order (a long story, maybe for another time!)  Lots of washing and ironing and of course some blogging!  Also managed to sort out the hall cupboard which is a job I have been meaning to do for ages!  I got 3 bags of stuff for the charity shop so felt quite pleased about that!  I also put an Xbox game up for sale on Ebay!

Some of you may know that I am an avid "comper".  Well I won the game in a competition and as I neither play video games or have an Xbox360, I thought I would sell it.  It already has one bid after only one hour.  Will have to let you know how much it goes for.

I have decided that I need to chenge my theme on here again.  It seemed like a good idea to have the orangy brown colour with the leaves but actually it's really quite drab.  I have looked at some other peoples pages and some of them have lovely stuff.  Unfortunately as i don't know how to do that at the moment I will have to stick with what 360 offer.  Look out for the change to something a bit more cheery soon.

Coralie has a blog (copy)

 

Coralie has got with it at long last. Not only has she joined me as a friend but she has got her own blog! The address is uk.360.yahoo.com/coralieglennsansum It is about her life with John and Bailey and other things. Have a look at the entry entitled "parenting is hard" it's really funny, althouh, Coralie tells me it is a serious artcle. 

Magpies (copy)

Are you superstitious?   I'm not generally, it all depends if the superstition is about good luck or bad for me.  In other words if it's bad luck I will probably ignore it and if it's good luck then I adopt the idea that anything is possible!!  Seems good logic.  A bit like positive thinking.

Anyway, driving home this afternoon I saw 2 magpies pecking around in the grass while I was waiting to make a turn.  Obviously I am now due for some joy!!   I shall let everyone know what joyous things happen over the next few weeks.

Here's the rhyme as a reminder for anyone who has forgotten it or never heard it.

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
Never to be told.

Simons truck (copy)

Simon has a new Toy.  A truck.  I am going to make no further comment except to say that it is the most revolting shade of peppermint green imaginable!!  No doubt he may feel obliged to comment on that one!

Also, no doubt, it will feature in his new Blog at some point.

My Blasts (copy)

As I said before in an earlier posting, I think having a list of all my various Blasts is a good idea.  After all, I obviously like them so seems a good idea to keep them on record and I can update it  whenever my Blast changes.  So here goes.

Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth in action; actions form habits; habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny. The time you have now is the only time.  You will never have more time than now. There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. Epictetus  The only way to have a friend is to be one." Never go to bed mad. Say up and fight!

The new religion (copy)

Once upon a time Sunday was a day of rest and worship.  It was a tradition going right the way back to biblical times.  Most of us know that famous quote from Genesis: “And on the seventh day he rested”. *   In olden days some of us did nothing but rest. The majority though, chose to worship.  They dressed in their “Sunday best” and went to their local church and so we are led to believe, they found sustenance for their souls and came away invigorated and restored.

Nowadays, all of that has changed.  Sunday is no longer a day of rest although it is still a day of worship for many.  What have changed though are our ideals.  We now choose to worship at a different kind of Temple. 

The new religion involves worship at the new Temples called “Hyper markets”.  The most venerated of which is Ikea.  You can of course worship here on any day of the week more or less 24/7.  As per tradition though, Sunday is the day when the largest “congregations” tend to visit.  (Many still often dressed in their Sunday finery)

Don’t believe me?  Try driving past an Ikea car park about 11am on Sunday morning.  No church was ever so packed, not since Moses wrote the book of Genesis while leading Israel through the Wilderness.

Now some of you out there are probably Ikea worshipers yourselves and I don’t want to offend anyone but I think you may have been brainwashed in some way!

Why else would you choose to spend half your Sunday in one of these places?  I have listened to many stories from friends; you know the ones that start with “what did you do at the weekend?”………………………”well, we had a great time, we went to Ikea!”  As far as I know the nearest Ikea to us is in Nottingham a distance of 60 odd miles and about an hour and a half’s drive, making a round trip of some 3 hours.  Why would you do that? I spent ages wondering if I was really missing out; after all people were driving miles and miles just to visit this place.

Well some time back we had been away for the weekend and came back through Nottingham.  Suddenly I noticed the ubiquitous road signs…………IKEA.  Never having been there before and worried that I was missing something, I managed to pursued a very reluctant Simon that we should at least pop in, just so we could say “been there done that”.

And so we went.  What a revelation!  (No pun intended!)  After about a half mile walk from the car park we arrived at the hallowed doors.  What a scrum, people almost fighting to get in (Christmas wasn’t far away so lots of worshipers!)   We spent about an hour inside, most of which was spent in trying to find the fastest way out.  

Blessed relief, we were finally out in the fresh air, we had escaped, and we were free.

My conclusion after our visit??  IT’S A SHOP!  A very large shop admittedly, but still just a shop.  As far as I was able to see it doesn’t actually sell anything different to stuff that we can buy here in Peterborough.  It’s not particularly cheap and some of it is frankly, tacky.

So am I still missing the point?  Can somebody explain this new religion to me?  Did I somehow miss the messiah’s grotto while I was there?  No, I think, I am missing the Ikea gene from my genetic make up.  The new religion is not for me.

In conclusion, I shan’t be going again anytime soon.

NB.  No we didn’t buy a thing.

Bring back the good old days when Sunday was a real day of rest and worship.

02 November 2006 (copy)

Thursday 2^nd November 2006.  Here in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire it is a bright autumn day but very cold.  At least it feels very cold to me but then I am a chilly mortal.  I don’t thrive in the cold.  I think actually that I should have been a hedgehog and then I could hibernate until spring!

I was up early today as I had to be in school for first lesson to invigilate yet more year 7 CATS tests. (cognitive ability tests if you haven’t seen my previous posting) Anyway, I didn’t get off to a great start.  I had to drive myself as Simon decided to go in his new truck.  The traffic was dreadful but I still arrived with loads of time to spare.  I wouldn’t have gone so early but I thought I was going in with Simon. 

Anyway, I sat around in the technology staff room listening to stories of IKEA  (more later)  for half an hour then it was time to start…………………….hang on…………where are the children?   There are no children!  Go to exams office to see what is going on, only to discover that they have made a mistake with the timetable and the tests are going to be lesson 4 instead!   Absolutely great! 

I will be charging them for 2 sessions for wasting my time.  I do not like being messed around!  I drove home in the traffic feeling really stressed and in about 20 minutes, I need to drive back again for lesson 4.  Hopefully, in the middle of the day there won’t be so much traffic and hopefully, I might actually have some kids to work with!   Such is life.

Clap if you're happy (copy)

I found this lovely little dog on the internet and I had to use him because he is so sweet.   Did you know that as well as Border Collies, Dalmatians are amongst the few dogs that actually smile?    It's really true, our 3 are very smiley.

01 November 2006 (copy)

 Well it's a new month again.  November 2006.  The months and years just fly by so quickly.  In honour of the new month I have changed the look of my pages.  They are now sporting a lovely new orange/brown autumn theme.  Hope you like it.  I have also changed my blast for yet another quote.  I quite like changing that around.  Maybe I will change it once a week from now on.  Perhaps, I will do a blog entry as well,  which I can update with each new quote.  Then I will have  record of the quotes and stuff that I've used.  It could be a useful reference in the future.

Hopefully this month some more of you might join me as friends.  I love messing around on here and recording my thoughts and any random stuff that comes into my head.  BUT .............. I only have 6 friends!!!!  Hurry up and join me.

Homage to my hips (copy)

 This is great poem by Lucille Clifton.

These hips are big hips,

They need space to move around in,

They don't fit into little pretty places.

These hips are free hips,

They don't like to be held back.

These hips have never been enslaved,

They go where they want to go,

They do what they want to do.

These hips are mighty hips,

These hips are magic hips,

I have known them to put a spell on a man and spin him like a top!

 

Tuesday (copy)

Well, it's Tuesday now and when I got up this morning I felt exactly like the Banana!  I wanted to just snuggle myself back down in bed for a bit longer.  I really don't like these early starts but I am in school for first lesson this morning.  In fact this will be my first Blog entry done on a computer that isn't my own.  I am using Simons while I wait for the beginning of school.

I suppose it's that time of year now isnt it .  Cold and dark when you get up and cold and dark when you go to bed.  I hate winter.   Roll on spring and summer.

Halloween (copy)

Ok, it's 13 minutes past midnight so it is officially Halloween.  31st October 2006.  All Hallows eve.

Halloween is a much bigger event in the USA and Canada.  Some years ago we stayed in Ontario, Canada with Simons brother Nick and his family.  We were there over the British half term week, which took in Halloween.   We had a really fun time.  A visit to a Pumpkin farm where we saw the biggest pumpkins ever.  We selected about half a dozen to  buy and make our own lanterns from.
The following afternoon the kids were let loose to make lanterns.  Supposedly supervised by Simon and Nick.  There was much weilding of very large knives by very small children!!  However at the end of the afternoon we had several very credible lanterns and no injured children, so it all worked out.  We also had a very large guy.
Halloween was celebrated the next day with a party and games.   It was great fun. The Canadians as well as the Americans really get into it.  The thing that really struck me was that there were hardly any houses that didn't have some kind of decorations outside or on their house.  We saw the same thing some years later on a visit to Boston, New England.  Virtually every house was decorated.
I think us English, just aren't into it in the same way.  Anyway, have a good day and don't get to scared or worried by all the spirits flying a round!

Dragon fruit (copy)

Have you heard of dragon fruit?  The first time I saw them was in the Tescos magazine in an article on exotic fruits.  They looked interesting and I thought I would try one.  Alas it was not to be.  After many visits to my local Tesco, to no avail, I was finally told that although they had been in stock for a short while they were no longer selling them due to lack of demand! 

I happened one evening to mention them to my friend Ed and he knew all about them as he had seen them on his travels in Thailand.  Anyway, he managed the other day to buy some on Peterborough market at just 45p each.  (Apparently in Tesco they were £2.99!)

I can now report after trying one that they don't taste as fancy as they look!  To serve you simple cut them in half and then eat the flesh with a spoon in the manner of eating a kiwi fruit.

They have pale grey flesh with many tiny edible black seeds and are very juicy.   Different varieties have pink or even purple flesh.   I thought they tasted like melon which I am not keen on.

Anyway, as is my way I have researched them on the internet.  I like to know about "stuff"".

They are apparently a Cactus fruit known as "pitahaya".   Some varieties have yellow skin rather than the pink.  They are said to be rich in Vitamin C and water soluble fibre. Dragon fruit are distinct from prickly pears which are from Opuntia (ficus-indica).  It is possible to seperate the tiny seeds and grow your own cactus.  Might try that!

There is also a lovely Chinese legend about how they got their name.  For anyone interested the following web site is great: Dragon Fruit  Also worth a look is : Andys Blog

It's Monday (copy)

Well it's Monday again! That dreaded day of the week. It always seems such a long time until Friday doesn't it! Here in Peterborough it is quite a chilly day and rain is due later. Probably about the time that I will be leaving to go to school, so I shall arrive looking like a drowned rat.

For anyone who doesn't know; I am a senior invigilator at Walton Community School (Simons School). Due to changes in the exam system and new rules laid down by the teaching unions all schools now have to use outside exam invigilators who have had special training. Teachers no longer invigilate. The use of outside invigilation is for all public exams and National tests. In practice, at Walton they seem to call us in to invigilate absolutely everything. I think this maybe because we are a cheaper option and teachers can be "freed up".

 It is getting to the stage though where I wonder how long it will be before they feel the need to have an invigilator in the class room before the teacher can do a simple quizz. Like a lot of things it is sometimes taken too far.

 Anyway, it's a good job for me as I am obviously not in all the time. 2 months of solid work virtually full time in May and June but the rest of the year tends to be odd days and odd lessons. Today I am just going in for last lesson to invigilate the year 7 CATS tests. These tests are done online so once you have all the little darlings logged on it's a total doddle!

For anyone who is wondering.....CATS tests are Cognitive Ability Tests

Coralie (copy)

CORALIE 

My friend Ali, who is the founder member of our reading group.... "The Purple Wearers Book Club", recently asked us all to describe who we are.  This is because some of us have never met and only know each other through our club.   The following is Coralies entry:

Who am I???

Ali, I think it's a great idea to introduce ourselves, so here goes.....
I live in Peterborough, UK, about 10 minutes from mum and about 2 from the pub!  I live with my partner John, who does something in the entertainment industry, and our beautiful 10 month old baby, Bailey.  (PS, Bailey is small and fluffy, with a black patch over his eye and long ears - but he is our baby!  Rabbits count ok!!)

I obviously know my mum, have done for the last 24 years in fact. Have also met Ali a few years back.  And a big hello to everyone else, who I dont know - but I'm pleased to meet you all across the cyber web!  Favourite author has to be Nicolas Evans,  favourite film is the Lion King.  Makes me feel like a kid again.  (If any of you come to the UK, you absolutely must go to the West End to see the Lion King on stage.  Fantastic!  Favourite music needs more consideration as I have very eclectic tastes,  anything that I can sing loudy and tunelessly is a fave! Poor John!

And I think thats it.  Oh yeah and I am a midwife for my sins.  Depending on how busy the delivery suite is and who I am delivering, I either love it or loath it.  Mostly it is a wonderful job.
Thats it again. Hope it helps,  Mums blog may tell you a little more about me, althought the
last time I looked  at it, it did seem to be favouring other members of the Glenn-Sansum clan and not me!!!
Ha ha
Cory

   The cow is specially for Coralie because she loves them so much!  Ha ha!    Mum

Gardening (copy)

Has anybody else noticed that gardening seems to be something that you only "grow" into as you get older??  When you are small the garden is somewhere to play and build dens.  Once you reach your teenage years gardens cease to exist.  It stays that way until you have your own children, when once again it becomes a play ground.  Then some more years, where it is, "garden? What??  Garden?"

Then suddenly you hit your "mid" years and it becomes "lets do something about the garden"!

You may have gathered by now that we have (sort of) rediscovered our garden this year.  In the spring we built 2 deck areas.  Great for putting your sunbed on!  That is of course, on the rare occasion in Britain that the sun decides to shine!  We were going to pave much of the rest to make it easier to manage with the dogs.  However that didn't happen due to lack of funds.  We have ear marked that for next spring.  We did plant lots and lots of pretty flowers and things, some of which are still putting on a show now due to the mild autumn.  We also got an old butler sink from Simons school which we planted up with rockery type plants.

Today, we have paid another visit to the garden centre and got lots of bulbs.  We have Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus and Hyacinths which we have planted out this afternoon.  So hopefully if the dogs or squirrels don't dig them up we should have a nice show in the spring.

I have concluded that the fact I derived pleasure from this is a sign, that I am in fact now in my "Mid" years!!   

Sapphire (copy)

Sadly, we have to announce that Veritys cat, Sapphire passed away last week.  She was very old and had been enjoying her last months living with Sam and Lisa and a new little kitten brother called Freddy.

She went to live with Sam and Lisa, because when Verity went to Southampton it wasn't much fun here for her any more.  At least with Sam & Lisa, she only had to put up with Freddy and not 3 great big spotty dogs. 

She will be sadly missed.  R.I.P Sapphire.

Simons blog (copy)

Yes, he has finally got there!  Simon has joined me and Saskia in Blogging!  Have a look at his new web pages at:  uk.360.yahoo.com/simon8077

In his own words it's mostly about cars and Boy stuff but with some family and other bits thrown in for good measure.

Sunday (copy)

Yep, It's Sunday again!  Time to get out of bed now.  You have had an extra hour after all.  It's a lovely day here in Peterborough, sunny and bright but I'm guessing quite cold.  At least there is no rain.  This time of year is a pain for people with dogs as it takes nearly as long to clean them up and dry them as it does to walk them.  That is if you have 3 of them!  Anyway, it's wakey wakey time now, so GET UP and do something!

Final entry for 28 October 2006 (copy)

 

Well, I think I have done enough entries for one day.  Hopefully both Josh and Coralie will be happy with the new stuff!  There is lots of new sparkly, twinkly stuff and a slide show!  Doggies will be so pleased when they see it.  All I need to do now is to find out how I can get some music going.  If anyone knows how to do that then please let me know.   Have a good sundya tomorrow. 

Tuesday thirteen

Today’s Tuesday Thirteen is thirteen things beginning with the letter " M ", that have some relevance or meaning for me. As usual they are in no particular order!

1. Mum. My Mum is one of the most important people in my world. Sadly, as you all know she is now in the very late stages of Alzheimer's. Watching her deterioration has been just about the worst thing I have had in my life. It is SO sad. Heart breaking.

2. Madeira. Where we holidayed this summer. I done a gazillion blogs about it so I shan't add anything else here.

3. Martini. This was my drink of choice for years. The only thing that I ever drunk. I find it too sweet now and have progressed to red wine. By Martini, I don't mean the concoction that our American friend make with gin. I mean the branded Martini (Vermouth) which we generally serve mixed with lemonade.

4. Majorca. This is one of our favourite places and of course where Saskia lived for a year. We love it there and could see ourselves maybe retiring there one day. Everything about it is great and its only 2 hours away.

5. Me. Well this is an obvious one isn't it!

6. Milk. I love drinking milk and have always drunk loads of it. It has to be cows and it has to be full fat. I don't see the point of the skimmed stuff!

7. Massachusetts. We visited Massachusetts in October 1999. We were celebrating 20 years of marriage. We had a wonderful time and the autumn leaves were superb.

8. Men. Another obvious one .... I like men!!!!

9. Music. I don't play music as often as I should but I do really enjoy listening to all kinds of music. I don't play any instruments myself though and I can't really sing either!! Actually, I can still play the recorder, not sure if that counts!

10. Mash. As in mashed potatoes!!!! They have to be mashed with plenty of milk and butter though!

11. Money, The root of all evil, as the saying goes; but necessary.

12. Micky and Minnie my favourite mice. I love all things Disney.

Well, that's it and once again, I can't actually get up to thirteen. So it's the Tuesday twelve today!! 

Entry for 02 October 2007

Well that's 2 down and 2 to go! Today did not go as well as yesterday. We had a livelier lot of children today, but the problems weren't actually really caused by the children. Unfortunately, we have a new member of staff who is some what over zealous!

Although we start with all children as we mean to go on, we do make some allowances for the year sevens. They are only 11 years old and just beginning in a new school. They have a lot to learn. For many of them, they will have come from primary schools of around 200-300 children. They are going to find it very different to be at the very bottom of the ladder in a school that has approaching 2000 children. You need to cut them a certain amount of slack. These are the first tests of this kind that they will have ever done. Hopefully this person will have been spoken to by tomorrow.

Anyway..... I am home now and have had some lunch, got some washing on and done some ironing. I need to hoover soon, but I am just having a coffee before Coralie pops in with her washing.

I mentioned yesterday that October is Breast Cancer awareness month. I was reading my friend Ali's blog today and I learnt something new. For the last few years, in fact since 2000, The Estée Lauder Companies have launched an annual "Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative", in which historic landmarks are illuminated in pink lights on October 1st to focus worldwide attention on breast cancer.

More than 200 prominent landmarks in more than 40 countries around the world have participated, including The Empire State Building in USA, Kensington Palace in London, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Sky Tower in Auckland.

SKY CITY Auckland's Sky Tower was New Zealand's inaugural monument and each year is the first in the world to be lit pink, at the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

 

The London Eye

Elizabeth Hurley is to light this year’s UK Landmark on 11th October. She says “We should tell every woman we know - whether our mother, grandmother, sister, daughter or girlfriend - that it is very important to check breasts and that they need to go to their doctors for a mammogram every year, if they are over the age of 40. Don’t leave it for an extra year, because if your get a mammogram every year, at the very latest your cancer is only 364 days old".

I can't actually seem to find out where this years UK land mark is, but I will let you know in due course. Whilst searching around this afternoon for information, I did come across a web site that claims some of the cosmetics Companies are selling special limited edition Think Pink items, which contain chemicals that might actually increase your risk of developing the disease. It makes interesting reading. The message is "Think before you Pink"

Right, it has taken me ages to do this as Coralie has been round and we have been sitting chatting. Simon has just phoned to say that he will be home soon, so I need to go and get dinner under way as he is going to his barn tonight and we need to eat early.

Entry for 01 October 2007

Well, I have survived my first day in school! One down and 3 more to go, this week! I am not in on Thursday. I have to say that the 2 classes of year 7 children that I had today were very good. Especially taking into account that it took 45 minutes to get them all logged on to the Test Wise website!!

The system had supposedly been checked, but what actually happened was that a pop up blocker was blocking Test Wise from loading. We started over again and told them to all go to the Windows link and to click on "temporarily allow pop ups". All seemed to be well until they got to the log-in page and poof! Pop up blocker kicked in again! We had to start everyone over again from the beginning, this time clicking on "always allow pop ups"!! Hallelujah .... 3rd time lucky.

Of course there were still a few problems with children who couldn't log-in, but it was always because they hadn't typed their password properly. Some children actually logged on to the wrong test, despite my continual reminders of which one we were doing, IE: the first one on the page! Doesn't matter how many times you stress stuff like that, or the fact that they have all information on a white board at the front showing them what each screen looks like .... you still get some that will do something totally different.

The resulting conversations are always interesting! Me: "Why are you doing test number 3?" Child: "Erm, I don't know". Me: "Did you hear me say to do the first test on the page, number 1?" Child: "Yes, Miss". Me: "So why did you click on the 3rd one down then?" Child: "Ermm. not sure miss, I thought it was that one". Me: " Did you not notice, that you have a completely different screen to the one shown on the board at the front of the room?" Child: "Yes miss". Me: "But you didn't realise that you were doing the wrong one?" Child: "No Miss!" It goes on and on!!

Anyway, although we ended up running late, I did manage to survive!! I had intended to do my food shopping on the way home, but I was in need of a coffee in my own peaceful surroundings! I did the food shopping this afternoon. Since then I have done a bit of washing and some ironing. I have to keep on top of it this week or I will get snowed under.

Today is the first of October which means that it is Breast Cancer Care month and the start of the Think Pink campaign. This is a charity close to my heart as my Mum had breast cancer some years back. I always buy the little pin to put on my jacket and I recently brought a Think Pink umbrella. Half of the cost goes to the charity. There are some very nice Think Pink things around this year so I may buy something else.

You will see that I am wearing a pink ribbon on my sweat shirt and that I have also changed my back ground to a Think Pink one. So it's bye, bye, to my little scarecrow! Right, I am off to see to the dinner now.

Michaelmas

I meant to get this entry done yesterday, but I didn't have time in the end. Yesterday, the 29th of September was Michaelmas day. Now hands up who knew that? I had heard of Michaelmas but didn't know much about it until recently when I got a new magazine (Country kitchen) and read all about it.

The 29th of September is the feast day of St Michael the Archangel and is the real start of autumn. In the old days it was one of the most important days in the calender. Apparently according to my research, it is still the date on which the Lord Mayor of London is elected. However although he is elected on Michaelmas, he doesn't officially take up his post until the Silent Ceremony in the Great Hall, Guildhall on the 11th of November! Bizarre!!

Michaelmas was a quarter day, which back in the good old days was a day for settling debt, paying rents and renewing contracts . The harvest had to be completed by Michaelmas. This meant many farm hands were out of work, so traditionally Michaelmas was also a time for "hiring" fairs.

St Michael's day was a day of feasting, often on roast goose. The tradition of serving goose goes back to Queen Elizabeth 1st, who was dining on roast goose on Michaelmas day when she received the news of England's victory over the Spanish Armada. She decreed that from then on the event was to be commemorated each year by the serving of roast goose!

After the harvest the geese were let out to fatten themselves up eating the left over grains in the fields. By Michaelmas they were nice and plump. Goose fairs were popular events held around the country. The geese were walked there and then sold. The most famous being Nottingham's goose fair which is still held today, but I don't think you see any geese there! It is today more of a fun fair.

Goose is said to be the tastiest of all domesticated fowl. The layer of fat melts into the skin making it very succulent. I have never actually tasted goose myself, so I guess it is something that I should try. I had hoped to do my own Michaelmas dinner but time was not on my side and now it has passed. Maybe a late Michaelmas dinner is in order?

Eating goose on Michaelmas day was said to protect you against financial hardship in the coming year. A common saying from the olden days was: "If you eat goose on Michaelmas day, you will never want for money all year"! I hope that I haven't jinxed my families finances by not serving it!!!

85 days

This is for Wendy and Willy in particular! Only 85 days to go. Don't worry, I won't let you forget!!