Bonfire Night

I've never been much of a fan of Bonfire Night. Following closely on the heels of Hallowe'en, which I can also live without, the weather is usually damp and misty and it's  another reminder of the rapid approach of winter. So, yesterday, when the first fireworks went off at three-thirty, yes that's half past three in the afternoon, I was definitely not impressed.
So, the evening continues:
Intermittent bursts of fireworks throughout the early and late evening, up to about 10.30, in spite of outbursts of heavy rain.
Trying to conduct a counselling session while this is going on.
Keith and I between us trying to pacify Paddy as he flung himself at the window, barking furiously whenever he heard the fireworks.
But what I really don't understand is how, in this era of Nanny State and all-pervasive Health and Safety, often taken to ridiculous lengths, people are free to go into shops and buy explosives to set off in their gardens!

A Mother's Story: Paul's Birthday

A Mother's Story: Paul's Birthday

Shopping again

Today I did some shopping - clothes for Keith, so nothing exciting then. I waited in the inevitable queue to pay.
"Would you like these things in a bag?" the assistant enquired.
"Yes, please," I answered. Well, the pile of things I had bought certainly weren't going to fit in my handbag.
"They're a penny," was the swift reply. "Is that all-right?"
Well, it had to be, didn't it, I thought as I nodded. As she set off on a trawl round the shop for a suitably sized bag, I became aware of the lady next to me who was buying three boxes of chocolate liqueurs.
"I'm sorry," said the young boy who was serving her, "I will have to find someone to authorise this sale. I'm under eighteen so I can't sell these to you."
And off he went on a journey round the shop to find an assistant of suitably mature years.
When I got home, I was relating the tale to Keith.
"Can you believe it?" I said, "Chocolate liqueurs, for heaven's sake! How many hundredweight of those do you think you would have to eat to get drunk?"
"I don't know," he said thoughtfully, "but I'd be willing to find out........... in the interests of science, of course," he added hastily, seeing my expression.

Oh, and on the way home, one of the neighbours was putting a tombstone out by the front door - as you do...

Goodwill?

I did the shopping in Asda today. I have defected to Asda from Sainsbury's because they offer to pack your bags, which Sainsbury's now do not, and they are certainly a bit cheaper. On the way out, I stopped at their petrol station to fill up but as I was pulling out, an idiot woman in a four by four came charging round the bend as if she were taking part in Formula 1. We both stopped and she very ungraciously allowed me through, and, as we were in adjacent lanes at the roundabout, started shouting and bawling at me through her open window. Unfortunately for her, my window was not open so I was unable to benefit from her undoubted words of wisdom, but the thought occurred to me that this is only the beginning. For the next several weeks, tempers will get shorter, patience will disappear and people all over the country will growl and snarl at each other as they put themselves under increasing degrees of stress on the run-up to Christmas.
You remember Christmas, season of good will to all?
Where's the nearest desert island?

Hairdressers

I went to the hairdresser's this afternoon for a 'cut and blow'. (Male readers - it's not as painful as it sounds!). I am not all that enamoured of visits to the hairdressers; if I could take my head off and do my hair myself, I would, although I suppose it is quite nice to have someone else doing the washing and blow-drying for a change.
This time, there were two new people to attend to my needs.
The shampoo girl was determined to do serious damage to my neck as I leaned backwards over the sink. By the time she had finished, I felt as if I had done five rounds with Mike Tyson and that my neck would never belong to me again.
The lady who cut my hair was new to me too.
She asked me three times if I have a fringe.
Then she excused herself to go and take some paracetamol as she had a headache.
I could deal with all that, but when she started telling me that her optician had declined to give her varifocals this time and she had difficulty seeing properly without them, I began to get rather more concerned...
However, she did a surprisingly good job and I escaped from the place looking better than I had before.
Which, after all, was the object of the exercise.

Something nice

Yesterday an A4 envelope came through the letterbox. No, not a bill but a certificate of accreditation from the BACP. Yes, I am now an accredited member. All the form-filling was not in vain. Yessss!!

Autumn Days

We're actually having some dry, sunny weather over here in the wilds of north Wales this week. I took my cup of tea out in the garden this afternoon and made the most of the sun for a few minutes. There is a particular quality to the light and warmth of an autumn day which distinguishes it from spring. There's a freshness in the air and a hint of colder, crisper days to come, but although I am not one  who welcomes winter, a dry, sunny autumn day gives me as much pleasure as a day in spring or early summer. It awakens memories of schooldays, a new academic year, the smell and feel of a new school satchel, sharp new pencils, the first page of a brand new exercise book, memories which were usually short-lived as I recall, but let's not spoil the moment.
Even when I was teaching, there was something of the same anticipation of a brand new year, new class and hopefully, less targets, paperwork and government interference. Oh dear, that element of cynicism will creep in, try as I might.
So for today, I relish the moment. No more do I live my life around the acedemic year. Hey! I've even managed to remain in ignorance of the dates of the half-term holiday. These mid-afternoon moments before the sun disappears behind the next trail of cloud, are mine to appreciate, to daydream in and to savour.