I'm totally exhausted as have been away from home facilitating a brand new course. This coincided with me deciding to be extra good and not indulge in any alcohol whatsoever so I could be awake and alert, and all that seems to have happened is that I've not slept well and have ended up at 7 pm at night wanting to go to bed.
This course is the last one for a little while, so that's good as 3 in the space of 4 weeks is enough!
Meanwhile this all coincides with yet another Open University assessment that needs to be in in a couple of weeks, but I've been good with this one and it's already off. These last couple of weeks I knew would be tough and so wanted to be ahead of the game and am pleased to report that I am. I've started on my final piece which is 50% of the course mark, and so has to be in or it's a complete fail and it's that one that seems to be causing me some angst. It's funny really as when I spend anytime in the car I spend the journey mapping the story out, and then promptly forget it all once I get out! I have one more to do before that final one has to be in, but frankly I haven't thought much about it, and as it's only for 20% of the rest of the 50% (all the rest of the assignments apart from the last one), I'm less worried about it, and am off on an Arvon poetry course in a few weeks so am hoping that I'll be able to use something I'll have written there.
So a busy time and hopefully a relaxing and less stressful weekend coming up, which will be good.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Monday, 28 March 2011
Two down - one to go
This afternoon I received a great piece of news... I've been accepted as a restaurant reviewer for the upcoming Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloways Food and Drink Guide 2011!
An email from the secretary of the Borders Writers Forum went round just over a week ago and I emailed the guy involved. He then told me I had a week to write a review and add my personal details and why I think I should be a reviewer. I sent it all off on Saturday and then got my reply today. All very exciting, as it's not that often that two of my favourite pastimes (eating and writing) are combined in a oner... now all it would need would be a restaurant review at an indoor bowls centre and I'd be laughing!
On that note, I've been 'spotted'. One of the guys at the Tweedbank Indoor Bowls club has asked if I'd be interested in joining his team playing in the leagues next season. And of course the answer was a resounding yes.
So now I'm waiting for the third bit of good news!
An email from the secretary of the Borders Writers Forum went round just over a week ago and I emailed the guy involved. He then told me I had a week to write a review and add my personal details and why I think I should be a reviewer. I sent it all off on Saturday and then got my reply today. All very exciting, as it's not that often that two of my favourite pastimes (eating and writing) are combined in a oner... now all it would need would be a restaurant review at an indoor bowls centre and I'd be laughing!
On that note, I've been 'spotted'. One of the guys at the Tweedbank Indoor Bowls club has asked if I'd be interested in joining his team playing in the leagues next season. And of course the answer was a resounding yes.
So now I'm waiting for the third bit of good news!
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Spring things
Today, as the clocks went forward, it felt like Spring had arrived. The weather was good so time was spent in the garden chopping back all the old stalks and dead leaves and hoping that it'll encourage new growth.
Then time to do some housework. Well yes, that's the theory, however in practice I managed to get a wash on and that was it. The rest of the day was spent writing poems and course related activity. Anything in fact so that time was taken up until it felt too late for housework so on to the next planned activity... dying my hair.
The last time I did it I tried John Frieda foaming dye, in what is called Medium Natural Blonde, and it turned out fine. So I bought some more. And now my hair is... well certainly not medium blonde, more quite brown with red bits! Arghh! So in spite of telling myself that I wouldn't drink any wine tonight, I've decided to console myself by having a couple of glasses. So the inside Spring clean will have to wait until tomorrow.
Then time to do some housework. Well yes, that's the theory, however in practice I managed to get a wash on and that was it. The rest of the day was spent writing poems and course related activity. Anything in fact so that time was taken up until it felt too late for housework so on to the next planned activity... dying my hair.
The last time I did it I tried John Frieda foaming dye, in what is called Medium Natural Blonde, and it turned out fine. So I bought some more. And now my hair is... well certainly not medium blonde, more quite brown with red bits! Arghh! So in spite of telling myself that I wouldn't drink any wine tonight, I've decided to console myself by having a couple of glasses. So the inside Spring clean will have to wait until tomorrow.
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Coffee news
I was alerted by my friend N that on yesterday's Gardener's Question Time, Bob Flowerdew talked about how he grew a coffee plant from seed to actually getting a cup of coffee. It was an amusing minute's talk which ended in how he had managed eventually to get enough beans for one cup of the vilest tasting coffee he had ever had. All very well, I thought, but nowhere did he mention how long it took to get that vile cup of coffee. So I'm no further informed.
Apparently the reason he grew coffee was because he'd been told it was impossible. This was something that when I started my venture I wasn't aware of ... maybe if I had been I wouldn't be in the position I am, five years on with four reasonably healthy looking plants and not now, nor ever has been a single sign of a flower or a berry.
I feel that I shouldn't try and inform myself but to keep the whole thing a mystery, as who wants to know what the experts say, if even they can't know what they've let themselves in for when they attempt the perilous gardening experience that is coffee growing.
Apparently the reason he grew coffee was because he'd been told it was impossible. This was something that when I started my venture I wasn't aware of ... maybe if I had been I wouldn't be in the position I am, five years on with four reasonably healthy looking plants and not now, nor ever has been a single sign of a flower or a berry.
I feel that I shouldn't try and inform myself but to keep the whole thing a mystery, as who wants to know what the experts say, if even they can't know what they've let themselves in for when they attempt the perilous gardening experience that is coffee growing.
Friday, 25 March 2011
What day is this?
The last 3 days have taken their toll. I have been working 14 hours days teaching a course and, although the feedback was brilliant, I'm now officially very tired indeed. So much so that this morning I woke up convinced it was Saturday and sent a slew of emails wishing people a good weekend.
I now feel that I'm living in the Twilight Zone and have concocted my own days of the week so that I can live happily with the fact that my weekend seems to have already started... yeh!
My only problem then is that if today is actually my Saturday then do I put my clocks forward tonight instead of tomorrow? Best not eh? Maybe tonight I'll convert back to World Time and enjoy the fact that I will have had two Saturdays whereas all you lot will only have had one!
At this point you may wonder about my sanity, but don't worry I'm sure after a rejuvinating couple of days all will return to normal... only to be possibly repeated next week when the work pattern is repeated only this next course doesn't finish til Friday so god knows what day I'll be on by then.
I now feel that I'm living in the Twilight Zone and have concocted my own days of the week so that I can live happily with the fact that my weekend seems to have already started... yeh!
My only problem then is that if today is actually my Saturday then do I put my clocks forward tonight instead of tomorrow? Best not eh? Maybe tonight I'll convert back to World Time and enjoy the fact that I will have had two Saturdays whereas all you lot will only have had one!
At this point you may wonder about my sanity, but don't worry I'm sure after a rejuvinating couple of days all will return to normal... only to be possibly repeated next week when the work pattern is repeated only this next course doesn't finish til Friday so god knows what day I'll be on by then.
Monday, 21 March 2011
The proof
I don't know why it's taken me so long to get the photos off my phone and onto my computer, but it has. But I thought I'd share this delightful photo of my Beloved with his new bike - replete with prayer flags for good luck. It was snowing on the day of his birthday, so he decided to ride it round the living room. It's a Ridley, which I'm sure all you bike officianados out there will know all about. Apparently it's already shaved 12 minutes off his 13 mile route and he's very, very pleased with that.
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Sporting achievements
Yesterday was a women's two bowl pairs competition at Tweedbank Indoor Bowls Centre. My first ever indoor bowls competition and I was paired with last year's president. We had to play a round robin of 3 games, and then whoever won from my draw had to play the winners from the second draw. To cut a long story short, my partner and I won our 3 games and were in the final. Sadly that's where the success ended as we lost to this year's President and her partner.
So what did I get for my stellar performance? lt was £4! Not a lot to shout about, but an almost win is an almost win and money is money and I'm not complaining.
The only thing that wasn't working for me was throwing the jack. I played 48 ends and won a fair few, but could I throw the jack? No! Not for love nor money. Every time I threw it it went off at an angle or into the ditch, apart from 2 ends and I sincerely don't know how I did that. I've now, apparently, become a talking point at the club as no-one (and that includes me) knows how come I can't throw a jack and yet pretty much every time I could get my bowls near to the one my opponent threw. The mystery will have to stay unsolved. And frankly, as my partner said, who cares as long as I was getting my bowls to the right place.
Meanwhile, my Beloved was doing The Mighty Deerstalker. It's one of those mad events that starts at 5.30 pm and goes on well into the night (depending how good you are) and takes you through bogs, and all kinds of obstacles. Last night was a Supermoon, the biggest full moon in 18 years and so the sky should have lit up good and proper for all those poor buggers to run around for a jolly night in the freezing cold. However, this is the Scottish Borders and sadly the beautiful moon was hidden behind cloud, but I am reliably informed that because of the cloud it made the whole thing a bit warmer. And best of all my Beloved had a great time and did the event in 1 hour 43 mins. Not bad for an old timer!
So what did I get for my stellar performance? lt was £4! Not a lot to shout about, but an almost win is an almost win and money is money and I'm not complaining.
The only thing that wasn't working for me was throwing the jack. I played 48 ends and won a fair few, but could I throw the jack? No! Not for love nor money. Every time I threw it it went off at an angle or into the ditch, apart from 2 ends and I sincerely don't know how I did that. I've now, apparently, become a talking point at the club as no-one (and that includes me) knows how come I can't throw a jack and yet pretty much every time I could get my bowls near to the one my opponent threw. The mystery will have to stay unsolved. And frankly, as my partner said, who cares as long as I was getting my bowls to the right place.
Meanwhile, my Beloved was doing The Mighty Deerstalker. It's one of those mad events that starts at 5.30 pm and goes on well into the night (depending how good you are) and takes you through bogs, and all kinds of obstacles. Last night was a Supermoon, the biggest full moon in 18 years and so the sky should have lit up good and proper for all those poor buggers to run around for a jolly night in the freezing cold. However, this is the Scottish Borders and sadly the beautiful moon was hidden behind cloud, but I am reliably informed that because of the cloud it made the whole thing a bit warmer. And best of all my Beloved had a great time and did the event in 1 hour 43 mins. Not bad for an old timer!
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