06/23/2008
And she returns...
...And don't think I didn't hear your groan.
I have finished my 7 days of exams. I have done well in biology and chemistry (I had already written the biology synoptic essay of my own accord for revision - plant reproduction!! :D :D) and I am TERRIFIED about music - but such is the way. Hopefully my more than adequate marks from last year will tide me over. (*crosses fingers*)
I have also been out to dinner, a party and a ball.... Met some really rather interesting and entertaining new people, worked out how to do our song for Cabaret (Wed and Thur this week)... and written the A section of a gig. You shouldn't let me spend hours tuning on a recorder :P gone through every dance form I know from pavanne to sarabande to gig to reel.... :D oh and lots of minuets because they are pretty.
Oh and another song on the train... well beginnings of
Different trains honey, different line
Different trains/ways(?) honey, different mind
You'll go your way
And I'll go mine
You've done you worst
Soon I'll be feeling just fine / now I'm feeling just fine (?)
xXx
13:51 Posted in Fun , Life , Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/09/2008
On a happier crotchet....
Just finished with the Ladies Baber-Shop choir and WE SOUND GOOD! lmao... we actually do. :D I love taking choirs, particularly when we are singing good music. I don't get the chance that often and though I suppose this choir is technically Sutcliff's baby, its great to have been so involved.
In the space of 30 minutes we have gone from utterly fudging something to singing it pretty damn well. It didn't take the much either. Just a little bit of breaking things apart and working on lines in pairs. Saying difficult rhythms before we sang them. Working out how parts linked together and where things were either consonant or dissonant. Things I have learnt from countless choir directors over the last decade and a bit (from their successes and mistkaes). Elementary stuff.
Practise.
The choir just needed a few corners ironing out. Just a few odd notes coorrected and rhythms reheased to precision. Just a little confidense and familiarity. OH and fun! Lots of laughs, lots of jokes... lots of arguments over who was more stunning: The Alto's or Sopranos (The Metzos decided they won hands down anyway). But it is truly wonderful to work with a choir who will be in hysterics and then you count them 4 in and they find their note and start singing! :D Makes such a difference.
But I am good at it. It is one of the few things I'll admit I am good at. And I love it so much.
xXx
PS: Please excuse the appalling pun... it's my blog and I'll write what I like however much it insults the English language.
10:17 Posted in Fun , Life , Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/01/2008
Few words... big thoughts
1. I like the Anglican Communion service.
Wonderful as it is to o things differently, much as I truly love the original and art / meditation / "free" services... there is something reassuring about tradration. It is not something to be relied upon, or taken as absolute. But sometimes you just need the familiarity of words you have said since birth - a little like sometimes you need to read a book you've read 100 times before, or listen to a song you know by heart, or sit on your favourite bench and pass the time of day. Today was one of those days I needed to feel at home... unfortunately I go to a Methodist School... so they messed all the words up anyway. But it was good to have communion again, it's been a while.
2. I miss labwork
The thing is that despite finding classroom science intrinsically dull, I really very much enjoyed lab work. And I was good at it. I still am if today's basic transformation is anything to go by. Although I DETEST the BioRad "School's Protocols" - It takes them 2 sides of A4 to say what I can sum up in 28 words! But I miss the level of concentration and organisation and dexterity that is needed foreven the most basic experiments. I really *must* go back to it sometime.
3. It's strange what makes you forgive people.
Many of you know that my Music teacher and I have not been on the best of terms lately. I have been failing to make his life easy from him and he has been making me cry (or hit things).... Deadlines, panic but mostly pride contributed to both side's rather rigid perspective. Yesterday evening my teacher was taking his dog for a walk. And his dog (who is very old, smelly and completely deaf) decided he had better ideas. Said dog chose to, instead of lagging 4 or 5 metres behind as per normal, run rings around his owner. So I had the delight of seeing my teachers (suit and all) flailing wildly, spinning on the spot, grabing handfuls of air as he struggled (for a good minute) to catch this semi-decrepid canine. It made me laugh.
It also made me remember that everyone has their days when nothing goes right. And that when multiple people have those days (or weeks) simultaneously then the results are not proportional, they are exponential.
It made me forgive him
4. Sun is glorious, but rain is still soothing.
I went to sleep last night with the sound of the rain pouring off the guttering dumming it's own rhythm in my ears. Normally all I hear is the hiss of the heating and the infrequent mumblings of the lives of those around me as they too prepare for the night. The rain is something else. I'm not sure how much of it was the steady rhythm, how much the idea of washing everything that was "yesterday" away and how much of it was the anticipation of tomorrows rich green and lush scents, but the sound calmed me.
Which is impressive as I was quite restless last night.
5. I like, liking going home.
It's been a long time sicne I've wanted to go home. A long time since that has been a destination of choice as opposed to duty (there are obvious exceptions to this, but I am speaking from a general point of view). I really quite love the fact that home is becoming something to look forward to. It is a surreal sensation. ... However difficult things get blood runs thickly in my family - maybe that is where a lot of the problems stem from... I don't know.
I'm just enjoying the change in my perspective, refreshing... and comforting.
xXx
12:14 Posted in Faith , Fun , Life , School , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
04/21/2008
2 Funny Stories and 7 not so unusual things:
1. Only in the movies?
Please note that all circumstances have been changed in this story to save embarrassment… The punch-line is still the same.
A long day at the office – they all are really aren’t they? This particular day had been shorter than most as the final hour or so had involved a “brief” visit to the Technical Advisory Body (TAB in boss-speak). The actual issue – setting up the PR system for a presentation next Thursday – had taken all of 6 minutes and the rest of the time had been spent in genial conversation and mild banter.
“Yes, well… you know how it goes…. She seems to be managing fine, not too embarrassed – well at least she doesn’t blush much when I see her…” Luke Briar’s (known by his surname for some reason that had been long-since forgotten) voice drifted through the haze of Rhi’s coffee and landed softly in the depths of her consciousness.
Curiosity piqued her interjection was more than a little blunt (or to the point as I’m sure she would rather have it described), “Who? What? Why? When?”
Ok, maybe blunt would be the best description. The questions were rebuked harshly with an emphatic insistence that the person in question would not their “situation” to be broadcast across the entire company. This was followed rapidly by a selection of retorts, the most convincing of which seemed to insist that Rhi should be told as well as Sam because she was trustworthy and he wasn’t. At this Sam objected vehemently – notably not to the accusation of his indiscretion.
The time passed and various tactics were used in attempts to obtain the information. Briar’s drink was stolen (and warmed), biscuits were with-held, buttons were pressed that shouldn’t have been, bribes offered, blackmail suggested; rewards and threats heaped one on to the other, and still Briar did not budge. He had the moral high ground and apparently rather liked the view.
The hour passed and 5:30 came, and went again with surprising agility. And still Rhi had not discovered the gossip. It had been an amusing afternoon and in any case it was hardly essential that she know. A few last quips to Briar and she would go home.
“Well I know it was one of the secretaries... I’ll just go ask them.”
“No! Don’t! They’ll know it was me.”
“Yes, but they’ll also know you didn’t tell me… mind you, I doubt that will bother them. So you’d better tell me just to make sure. I know it’s something to do with that visiting Professor from Princeton talking about … oh God even I can’t remember, some sort of client psychology jargon.”
“Psychology of Clients and their response to advertising… It isn’t that great anyway. All that happened was that one of the secretaries refused to let the Professor in because they were female and she’d been told that the visitor was a Professor Terri McMalon. Hardly side-splitting.”
Rhi grinned, “Amusing… no not life-changing, but amusing none-the-less. I’ll see you next week then when I can’t get this stupid presentation to work and start frothing at the mouth?”
“Sure. But don’t make a point of it. I know that Alison is looking for promotion and having that gossip broadcast around would do her no favours at all.”
Rhi looked behind her, wide-eyed and gripping the door for support as her face broke into a grin.
“Shit” was all Briar could say, “Shit, Shit, Shit Shit, Shit, Shit,” and Rhi dissolved into fits of hysteria.
She was still giggling as she collected her bag and rummaged for her keys.
It had been a long day, yes, but shorter than many.
2. Could have happened to anyone.
It really could have happened to anyone. It isn’t even as though I consciously did anything wrong… just a slight misjudgement on my part with some less fortunate consequences. It really could have happened to anyone. I suppose the more important thing is that it happened to me.
So I chose and rigged a boat, a 420 to be precise. I always love sailing the 420s, heavy and not the most manoeuvrable of dinghies, but fast (comparatively) and they have space to move around easily in. Then I was given a gift of crew, some poor year nine kid who had sailed once before – last week in light wind and in a pico with a friend.
Having been advised not to laugh on the lee shore of the spit (and head off on a near reach) but move my vessel around to the other side, I duly complied and stuck my new team-mate into the front to keep him out of the way. Everything was ready and I had even explained to him how to put the centreboard down as soon as we were out deep enough. All that needed doing was to launch the boat and jump in ready to grab the tiller and mainsheet and sail off on an easy run – less efficient but ultimately less complicated or scary for inexperienced sailors. Experience has taught me differently.
The second part – gaining control of the boat was easy enough, the sails could be left to do what they pleased, and the rudders/tillers on a 420 I find much easier to manage in a hurry than on the laser series. It was the first part of the plan that caused me a problem.
I think a little history is needed here. I sailed on and off through the summer. I sailed 420s solo. I sailed in light winds. Very few boats sail well in light winds. Very few boats sail particularly well on a run without a spinnaker.
The only mistake I actually made was to misjudge the speed the boat would travel in decent wind. I misjudged by about 30cm, if that. Hardly critical? Well… that 30cm landed me in the water behind my boat when I jumped.
The wind caught the sails and she went like a dream. With my lonely crewmember ashen faced staring blankly at where I should have landed.
Apparently the boat dragged me some 30m across the lagoon before I managed to swim around. I persuaded my crew to lean over my side and let me climb in at the shrouds. (No mean feat I assume you as he was convinced he’d capsize the boat with us both on the same side and kept moving away from me just as I got a hold.) I climbed in, tacked around, and headed out into the lagoon.
Next accident was to gybe just before a gust.
He didn’t want to helm that day.
7. I didn’t wear a Jacket to Assembly – even though I was performing.
6. I lived mostly off toast and butter… four or five pieces in fact to make up for break / lunch /
5. I stole chocolate from Paul – thank you
4. I spend a sizable portion of the day in the music school – oboe, recital notes, talking to Sutcliff and SJ
3. I spent a sizable portion of the day on msn – but I also worked whilst I did that.
2. I had 30 minutes of timetabled lessons – unusually I actually worked for 15 minutes of it; walking to the Kent room and logging on to the incomprehensibly slow school network occupied the other 15 minutes.
1. I ache all over – a side effect of sailing for 2 hours and dancing for 4… but triceps and abs are killing (and that is all over for me!! Before you quibble… Stuart! (or Kit/Stephen/Steve/Paul/Em…) ... ☹ Happy pain though so ☺
xXx
20:32 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , Office Blog , School | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
04/16/2008
And in complete contrast
Ruth is happy now because:
- She passed her timed swims for the second time - 60s (out of 65) to swim 20m to casulty, and tow them back on a torpedo and then 42s (out of 45) to swim 20 meters to a downed casulty, turn them over and tow them another 10m back. It is somewhat amusing that the swimming out there takes me around 15 seconds crawl... the torperdo tow back is slower due to weight and drag... the drowned casulty (arm tow) takes me ages because my side-stroke leg kick is APPALLINGLY weak... seriously! something to work on there methinks - lengths of practising towing... fun for all the family!
- She page-turned for a concert today. Organ lunch time recital. And has realised that... 1. she isn't *that* bad, 2. she could be ok or even good if she practise, 3. there is a tonne!!! of music worth learning, 4. some of it she is capable of learning now, 5. some of it she has!! - Concerts always make Ruty HAPPY! particularly when she can watch people play. *
- The lunch she had with the people afterwards was really good fun. There were some very interesting people who speak: Irish, English, Dutch, German, Chinese... at least! And have travelled lots of places, have many good stories and most importantly a real appreciation of good tea and good music! :D The lunch was also complimentary. :D
- Her oboe is no longer sick. (Although it looks like she will need to spend £120 on a full service, and £160 on altering some keywork and £100 on new reeds for next year and (hopefully) still be able to buy some new music. *
- It was sunny.
- She had tomatoe soup with cheese melted in it for supper. And even though she is very full now, it is the happy, staited and content *full*.
- Black Books never ceases to be funny.
- Heather came to say Hi :D and distracted her from work for a very long time, mostly with poetry. She got an email from a friend today, and had a lovey afternoon chatting with Chris :D and is meeting another friend for drinks tomorrow. And she didn't have to talk to her housemistress AT ALL today.
- She knows enough for her lifeguarding test tomorrow... first aid is so logical and almost, well intuitive is the closest word, and the rest of it is basically common sense. She does wish that she found it easier to remember the meaning of R.I.D.D.O.R - Reporting of Incidents, Diseases, Dangerous Occurances Regulation.... HUH!
- She slept all morning, but found 2 lovely text messages when she woke up thanks to Steve and Stuart.
- She is listening to an amazing singer called Eleanor McEvoy :D
BUT MOSTLY
- Her boyfriend just rang her... and that sort of just added to the generally list of "good-things"
xXx
20:49 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
03/10/2008
Lets start this one again...
If you want to compare look here (12/02/2005) for the original... let's see what has changed.
Seven things to do before I die
Something I am proud of (and remember)
Play Stravinski's Rite of Spring
Travel the Silk Road
Have/build a boat
Be able to go back to Norway
Learn to think first
Dance properly again
Seven things I cannot do
Stay still
Turn off the *i-tunes* in my head
Easilt let go
Ignore the bite of idle curiosity
Dive (well... I am pysically able... I just can't do it)
Keep myself seperate from situations
Juggle (although I can almost contact juggle which is SOOO much cooler :P)
Seven things that attract me to my spouse:
No spouse! so we shall insert a *might* into that statement (or substitue and *a*)
Someone who is just a little bit crazy
Someone who'll let me run just as long as I let them run with me
Someone who understands that the entirety of the Brittish middle-class are there soley for my amusement!
Someone who will still surprise me after 25 years and then 50 and 75
Someone who can dance (Yes Steve I have *finally* openly conceded this point - happy?)
Someone who will keep me accountable
Someone who loves me (not just two or three aspects of my life)
*If I could love a man who would take m for a mere £5000 per annum, I should be very happy. But such a man would have to be insane and you know I could never love a man who was out of his wits* - Still got to love Austen and it is so true!
Seven things I say most often:
"heh"
"darling"
"fair enough"
"why"
"teehee"
"aww"
"evenin'"
Seven books (or series) I love:
Song of Songs
Deerskin
A Month in the Country (Thank you kit)
Momo
Watching the English
Winnie the Pooh
Persuasion or Jane Eyre
Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over if I had the time)
A Long Engagement
The Counterfitters
Lord of War
Moulin Rouge
St Trinnians (Oh sooo TRUE!)
Spirited Away
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Seven people I want to join in, too (no pressure – if you hate this sort of thing just ignore it)
Em
Kit
Steve
Stuart
Kay
Chi
Anyone else who wants to
xXx
20:29 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
03/06/2008
A Post of Happy Things
- I have chosen my first option for University. I will accept the place at Girton, Cambridge. The decision has taken a while - even though I knew what it would be in the end (confusing eh?), but I needed to be sure that I was happy with it and I am. I loved the college the first time I saw it, the course is brilliant and opportunities to play are just silly really. But I have to say what clinched it was having access to The Round, The Reels Society... and all the other opportunities for dance. Oh, and the Library!!!! :P (But that is fa too geeky to write here :P)
- I have filled out the Sidmouth Stewarding Application form for Sidmouth. I will be attending, I will be camping, I will be dancing in the street in my bare bare feet (to coin a phrase) and in the ford, and in the sea, and around the Ham... I will be attending breakfast and cream tea workshops with rigorous regularity and I WILL BE HAVING FUN!
- I have almost finished sorting out all the paperwork that has ended up at school.... Not actually done much with it yet, but it is all in neat piles all over my bed - might sleep on the floor today :P
- I passed both timed swims. The air may have tasted of acidic smoke, I may have caughed all night, I may have been cold, I may have had a headache... but I PASSED THE TIMED SWIMS!!! I *Can* do it... and I am happy.
- I played the Albinoni Oboe duet with Chi yesterday - she playec flute :P It was so much fun. There is little better than playing with someone, particularly when that person actually wants to pkay and make music with you and so does communicate and put emotion into her playing. We'll learn it and see if we can get it recorded. :D Was great fun. Need to find some more now. Maybe one that is writted for oboe and flute.
- Got training program for the gym. Got to love Alex. He is so lovely. Anyway, been meaning to for ages - otherwise I just go along and run for far too long and then go home again. So getting a program working mostly on strength and flexibility (sailing and dancing). One hour core muslces, which is my favourite one because, even though it doesn't build up much of a sweat, you really feel like you've done something afterwards. Then another set of weights and funness and then one cardio and endurance set. 'Tis all good fun. :D But it is also very good to know what you are doing to your body when you exercise, how you might damage it and also how you can put it right again.
- It was sunny yesterday. However much I rant about my school,the capus is stunning on occasion (depends a lot on light levels). But at the moment the entrie deerpark is drowned in yellow daffodils or tiny blue flowers that I don't know the name of. Next time it is that lovely I shall go for a walk by the river - I've missed it this winter.
13:42 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , Music | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
01/23/2008
Back from Recluse
And so this latest batch of exams is over. i have probably worked harder for some of these (in particular C3 MATHS) than any in my life. And yet I still doubt there will be much to show for it save my exhaustion, some absolutely stunning bags under my eyes a few more than offended friends and one heck of a lot of piano playing.
So in RunDown (to save me saying more than necessary):
C3 Maths
Went ok, well even, I answered everything, thought I knew how to do most things. Most of the paper was either proove or solve ... and all my answers fitted, so it should be OK. Of course, that belief has let me down before. I hope that all the practise paid out. I did better than last time and will predict A or B
Unit 2 Chemistry
Again, the paper went ok. With the Edexcel Chemistry mark scheme it is more a question of semantic than words and the "correct" semantics vary greatly from year to year. An A in Chemistry is purely luck not skill... and a C is just careless. Was retaking as a matter of pride more than anything else, but still no idea if the answers will be correct according to A Level - pretty certain of the accuracy from a scientific point of view. Predict A or B
Unit 4 Chemistry
Loved this paper for one mark in a 3 mark question. "Show that Aluminium is amphoteric using ionic equations". Well firstly I read the question and noticed the need for ionic equations (you'd be surprised just how many times I failed to do that on practise papers!) and then I spent at leats 10 minutes of the exam trying to work out the equation for the OH- reaction and managed to get it in the last 20seconds from first principles :D. The rest of the paper was straightforward except for Question 2: name the reactive groups.... could identify not name. But really... that one mark makes up for everything (and yes, the first thing I did back in house was to check my answer!). Again with Chemistry we have the discrepancy between answers, knowledge, science and marks...and I was averaging Ds in practise papers before revision, so I will predict an A or B unless I have be especially stupid.
Unit 4 Maths
Now this would be the paper I shouldn't have taken. My deepest thanks to my Father and Bert for teaching me the course, Sue and Mr Wilson for their patients and Deveson, Anna and Lucy for putting up with my panicking. I was still not ready to take the paper. Everyone came out saying that was the hardest thing they've ever done (they said that after C3 maths as well!) and I am actually inclined to disagree... C3 was harder first time around. Questions 1-5 were fine except for potential silly errors. Quesiton 6 I forgot about the exitence of the quadratic formula (AGAIN!!!), Quesiton 7 I couldn't do, Question 8 asked for an answer to 1dp and I got 0.6 (which seems odd), Question 9a I think I got correct at the last minute (and I will get follow through marks) and 9b... who knows. Integration by parts is always touch and go as I get my signs mixed up when I rush! Anyway... I am babelling. If I get everything I answered fully right I got 81%. If I get everything I wrote down right I got closer to 85%. If I only get the things I know are right, right I got 63%. So I predict B or C
Unit 4 Biology
Home run isn't it? Something like that... Wins the prize on the most orinigal order to answer questions (worse than Chemistry 4 for dipping into each one). Also the only paper to have time to spare (C3 did, but I used it to check :P). I didn't bother checking written answers this year. Theory being that if my logic is correct, I will have written it well, and if it is incorrect I am not going to have a sudden flash of inspiration (more likely to change a correct thing than correct an inaccuracy). It is also so tiresome reading through the long answers when you have just spent 10 or 15 minutes writing them. One long question I didn't have a clue and blagged, a couple of one markers that I guessed the right word. Isn't it strange how the exam paper always seems completely different to the practise ones. I was blagging A's in those without much revision at all... I hope the trend continues. I am going to take a risk and predict an A. Actually I really don't know what this mark scheme will be like (Edexcel Biology is usually very good for science vs marks) and there are a couple I am not sure if I picked the right lines so despite saying A I actually thing A or B
Summer Plans? If necessary (i.e. my average isn't an A) retake C4 maths when I should have taken it. If a low B or C in any of the Chemistry or Biology then retake, otherwise live and know Units 5 and 6 (synoptic) BACKWARDS, SIDEWAYS and in the FOURTH DIMENSION! (Apparently both are far more common sense and application as opposed to rote learning which suits me.)
Lent term plans? Read! Read! Read! Study. Set up the PCR stuff that school bought from BioRad. Work out how to use the machine for any experiment they want to do (not just the prepared kits). Music. Music Music. Prepare for next year. Sort of vaguelly go over the AS level biology and chemistry. Actually, I might just alternate weeks of them - ie. 1 week unit 1 biology followed by a week unit 1 chemistry.... that would work.
On more important matters
MAWKIN ARE PLAYING A CEILIDH IN CAMBRIDGE AND I AM GOING..... EAT YOUR HEART OUT FOLKIES!!
(Love you all dearly and can't wait to see everyone again next summer... probably before if things work out well. Can't do IVFDF I don't think... but there's Cheltenham and Chippenham, and I swore I'd get to a gig that wasn't in Cambridge so see you 'll there! :P)
xXx
11:28 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , FOLK , Fun , Life , School | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
12/26/2007
She is alive
1000 visits this month... and I have written nothing. That is rather odd, but thank you all the same. I apologise for being so lax (as it appears that some people find this interesting :P) and I shall make no excuses. C'est la vie and that is all I can say. I am currently trying to photomanipulate a montage style image with the worlds slowest computer outside of Granta... so this post may well be quite long as I attempt to pass the time. (I am very tempted to just print out the photos, cut and stick, scan, merge harsh edges and print again... but that would lose all the image quality so I shall make so... for the moment)
Another Christmas over... and a highly amusing one although I think most of the humour was based upon "had to be there" moments, or family history so I shan't bore you with much of it now. Only to say that conversation covered: my now sadly deceased newborn twins, which of the Pritchard brothers was most likely to be deported, how my aunnts (nearly) won the"Scene it" Friends game, THE CARPET and why Sara really needs to read her book on feminism...
Today has been less amusing... another set of pressies opened... a rather cute chick flick and now this. Cycling over to waterbeach later which will be lovely as the weather is gorgeous.Slightly chilly, but clear skies and Early March sunshine... the tulips will come up soon.... except for the fact that it is DECEMBER! .... ah
I have just realised that the birds didn't migrate/hibernate/die this year. Usually the strangest thing about winter is the silence outside my window... and not being woken at 5am by the starlings squabbing over bread lest over from last nights tea. And absolutely nothing to watch out the window of boring lessons. But at the moment I can see: 2 magpies, 2 blackbirds (male), 1 blackbird (female), a sparrow, 2 pigeons (doesn't really count) and a few others in the distance. The thrush has gone, and the finches... but otherwise everyone is here. That is slightly worrying.
And now I really really really want to go walking. Love cities up to a point, but I'd swap them for moors and mountains any day. Who wants to go to Northumbria in Febuary half term?? To let anyone who doesn't alreayd know, know... I have accepted the placement in Almaty and will spend all of next year reading, dancing, playing, teaching, walking and hopefully skiing. :D Watching this space for more excited jabbering.
But for now I actually want to finish these pictures before 3! so I shall vanish.
xXx
14:15 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
08/17/2007
These boots were infact made for dancing ...
The first thing I must say, is that much as I enjoy travelling by train (freedom to move and stretch etc...) the pleasure is more than somewhat marred by two somewhat unnerved family members, one of whome is highly aggitated. It was after such a journey that I arrive in Sidmouth and have to carry a rather heavy backpack up the hill to the campsite telling my younger sister fairae stories until she is scared and asks me to stop. (Yes, maybe my patience had worn a little thin, but it was only a standard seelie/unseelie adapted folk tale!). Pitching camp in the dark heralds two rather arduous days of not doing much until the festival kicks in properly. And here comes the real news...
First on the list is the Anchor Garden's Celidh. And the first dance is a variation of a Circassian Circle and here I met Peter-Paul and Manon (although I don't think my failure to spin out correctly after year without dancing impressed them :P). I also renewed friendship with Bob and Steve (Towersey folkies) and generally found my feet (both left ones on occasion). A note for anyone attending next year, bring outdoor dancable shoes... gravel is painful in bare feet and I will pay anyone large sums of money if they manage to dance the willow tree sucessfully in flipflops!!
Chadwicks. and Jen arrive making the total in our camp 11 and the total number of people at the first concert 13 (Fiona and Joy)... Fiona proved a highly useful addition to the party, for along with all her natural charms and the delight of her company, her disabled status allowed us some truly spectacular seats for both Show of Hands and the Spooky Men's Chorale. If you have not heard either of these groups, do so. They have the remarkable capability of making me wish I were male simply so I could be part of
- the gritty and powerful sound of Show of Hands - female voices can do a lot, but that variety of sound and gravel is beyond even th strongest female singer
- t testosterone drenched genial bufoonary - (I hope I quote correctly) - of The Spooky Men, who had me laughing so much I couldn't speak later on!
The week went on and more people turned up... old partners and a few new partners formed a nice group of "people I can bump into and say hello to..." Ran into Peter-Paul and Manon again at an LNE... was not recognised much to my amusement and apparently his embarassment... until Emma turned up and introduced me properly {yes w*are*sisters). Also met Brendan (dragged up to dance with me by one of the Hammersmith Morris Men who I had been chatting to but had hurt his leg). And of course there is Tom, who never ceased to make me laugh, and whome I first saw at the lunchtime Mawkin concert although I doubt he will remember that. (I have a strange memory sometimes).
In general my days consisted of dancing a collection of English, Contra and Ceilidh (no scottish :( )... and anyone with any idea how I ended up in the display sets for Enlish dancing, please enlighten me! :S It was very scary being surround by lots of disparaging hawks who seemed certain I was incompetant... When they realised I wasn't they tended to assume I was professional which was a little entertaining. The week started well with my presence being noted at both the 9:30 workshops and the 1am Late Night Extras and I never wanted for partners. I believe my record to be 5 dance partners lined up which was very confusing when I had to remember who I'd agreed to dance with next.
The breakfast workshop was started midweek at Steve's tent... and put an end to all early morning activity for me - replacing exercise with good conversation, bacon, tomatoes and very fine coffee. I have to confess I became a regular, and intend to remain one.
Time passes, and feet become steadily sorer... Tom leaves us for the petie world of work (poor man) and a delightful afternoon is spent shopping for drinks and a black tie for Steve to wear to the BlackTie Ceilidh - there is always one, and in this case I feel my sister beat him with her rather interesting combination:
- halter-neck black dress
- black bow tie
- fancy shoes
- black and white stripy socks
- blue cumberbund
The French dance was a source of great amusement as I struggled (and in the end managed to a degree) to learn French dancing off the hoof so to speak. Apologies to Edward, Peter-Paul and Jen for all the times I stood on your feet. :( I promise I will practise before the next dance! I will have to add here that I have a new love for French dance... it is beautiful. :D Especially when we end up dancing around the Ham concert marquee to Le Bébert Orchestra. :D
And if anyone can dance and wants to come as a partner to the next dance in Norwich I would be more than enternally grateful!
I can think of little to note for the rest of the week except for exciting cream tea workshops, envigorating swims, enjoyable dinners (with amusing waitress service) and enthralling conversations as well as copious quantities of dance. Morris Men with Fire... scary and very pretty :D My sister made friends with the Spooky Man... stole his hat and in return he stole my Bacon bap :(. Most parties went on till 4 or 5 am so there wasn't really a dull moment for the entire week. And thanks to Justin and Joe for their continuous supply of lemonade and good conversation - Renaissance music, science and computers, good food, good drink....
And needless to say I managed to sleep in the car on the way home.
Although I did end up in London the next day to meet up once again with Peter-Paul, Manon and Edward... the wisdom of this can be discussed seperately and at a later date.
Here endeth the Sidmouth post. And leaves me just to say, "It was a great holiday, thanks to you all and I hope you all feel the same, I shall see some of you at IVFDF, the rest of you next summer and hopefully, some of you before then... Take care, look after your feet and remember, it isn't a Celidh until someone has shouted "NO! THE OTHER LEFT!" "
Love to you all
xXx
21:20 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , FOLK , Fun , News | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
08/13/2007
back from... well wherever it was I went :S
Well I have decided that I now have enough time on my hands to write here... and If I don't (which is quite probably), I intend to do so anyway!
I will leave you anticipating a long, verbose, articulate, intrinsically amusing and equally informative Sidmouth post.... :P until I feel up to writing one and for the moment simpy say that I have just been away on a very good holiday :D.
Other than that I now have 2 weeks to fill... with
- Norfolk
- Sailing
- Kayaking
- Organ
- Oboe
- Physics
- Cooking
- Gardening
- WOW
- ....
Plus a few other things... At the moment I have done very little of that list, so best get going.
Were we the last band of Heros?
Or simply partners in crime?
Never thought I'd feel this way
At closing time.
xXx
09:47 Posted in Fun , News | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/09/2007
Of Music and Madness
I have been thinking....
I have decided I should probably cease this activity.
I have decided this isn't going to happen so whats's the point worrying.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am happy. This is significant progress on my part and consequentally I would like all the people around me to be happy for me (I am selfish like that). This whim of mine is being rather confounded by the fact that serveral of my friends have decided that I can not *possibly* be happy after the events of the past few weeks and there for I must be bi-polar instead (a.k.a. Manic Depression). Whilst I would like to thank them for their concern... This is not reassuring.
Rewards going out for people wh can suggest suitable methods of dealing with my music teacher... The fact that all my energies are currently being directed into being angry at him has no bearing whatsoever on my generally calmer and more relaxed state of mind. *innocence* Actually, I have to say I do not hate him. I merely find him and his more than necessarily childish demenour intensly irritating. This has the rather unusual result that despite holding decent and entertaining conversation with him, I still leave each lesson wanting either to kill something or to curl up and cry...
I suppose that is the effect of someone poking fun at the aspects of your self, skill or life that you are most insecure about... It *is* (unfortunately) funny... but just too much for the current time. *sign* c'est la vie.
On a brighter note... I have an excellent set for my Grade 8 singing which is approaching all too quickly. I have my first lesson with Anne Page tonight. :D And I have done some biology revision (AT LAST).
Random comments....
"You look nice in that... My God your boobs look good" ("only you ____ only you")
"You look happy... what's wrong... are you in love?" ("no out of it")
Right, now too long for a post...
I'd like to write a gallant rhyme
A set of lines, in standard time
But as it's getting close to five
I'll spare you all till another time.
xXx
15:30 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Funny , Life , School | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
03/25/2007
Photoblog of Nottingham - I'm not procrastinating! :P
So here is our Day to Nottigham to stay with John:
Walked around Campus and enjoyed the (cold) scenery with ice-creams later on.... !
And another set of 3 :P (John was highly insistent he did do *some* work
And Heather was fascinated by the Pavement Research Building
Sometimes we were Happy
And apparently sometimes sad :S
But mostly just weird!
10:40 Posted in Fun , Kestrels | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
03/24/2007
More smiles
Breaking a trend here aren't I...? Well that is the aim. And meh to all the people who say I can't
Wonderful day at Nottingham University today - it is a lovely Campus and really good for science :P Which is nice after everyone going on about Oxbridge for so long, strange to think how many second thoughts I am having about that now. Oh well.
Anyways! We went to see John (kestrles) friend... talked sailing, boats, Uni, faith, Bond, cooking, food.... everything. Was great to see Emma smile agai. :D :D Also, both car journeys went well with a healther spattering of David Bowie in the Labyrinth Soundtrack - excellent film and equally good music. Oh and Chicago.
I've no done as much washing as I am able to without doing the ironing first - which is a depressing prospect. :S Oh well... in all my copious free time.
Actually, on a serious note I need to stop filling my time with social events so I can get some work done. Seeing Phil tomorrow for a few hours along with Church and going into school to do music (Mr D and Hall so worried as to give me access to the music school over the holidays - isn't that reassuring!) and cleaning and church then Bert's gig in the evning... Monday, I will try to get over to Lizzie's and do some biology, Tuesday I am shopping with Mum, Wednesday I am doing music in school and then meeting Basil for coffee/he's over for dinner I believe... Sometime I am meeting up with ____ to rant about life and so we can both tell each other that
"you are not alone... just one baby step at a time ... take care ... Oh ____ ... it's ok"
And then argue back invariably with "BUT....!"
Lol. so typical.
Oh yes and packing for Kestrels. Still not amazingly excited about that, maybe because many of the people I trust are on A still (leaders etc) and also with the whole feeling so far from God. Though my sisters are both helping with that. Heather has started reading revelation and is asking so many questions - so I am referring her to C.S.Lewis, The Last Battle which explains a lot more than I ever could even if it hadn't been over a year since I'd read the book.
Oh and thinking of reading - reading the book I brought Emma for her Birthday - Dating Jane Austen Style... which is rather amusing and also quite sensible - maybe we should all go back and live in the early 19th Centuary ? (Discuss)
xXx
22:19 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Kestrels , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
03/22/2007
Happy
Makes a change....
Tonight I:
- Watched my little sister take responsability for her actions and (for once) decide to do something she didn't want to do, over something she did - she's no idea how proud I am of her.
- Watched my other less little sister play one AWESOME xylophone piece (and I heard her practising) and part of one of the best percussion ensembles I have heard in a long time.
- Worked out a "project" for next term... more later maybe, not keen on saying until it gets off the ground
- Saw Basil and Katie and Sophie and Jenny AGAIN :D and laughed... and joked... and talked old times (DT with Basil :P). You forget how much you miss people... and just how good some friends are. Just have to hold onto people like that because they don't come around often... teehee
- Arranged to meet up with various people next week.
- And my boyfriend said he'd be there to meet me afterwards even though I wasn't sure I'd be back. :D :D :D :D Actually made my day, however sad that is... and the fact that he didn't turn up is almost irelevent.
- And most importantly went to a concert that finally reminded me why I chose to do music A level, what I love so much about the subject, what is so amazing about it if PEOPLE ONLY PUT A LITTLE BIT OF LIFE INTO IT. The program was excellent, high quality all round with one exception, and particular mention due to the Madriguys (4 part BarberShop) Madrigals as ever, Junior choir and the Percussion Group.
Came back grinning ... and singing ...
Goonight
xXx
22:51 Posted in Fun , Life , Music , News | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
07/07/2006
I DECLARE WAR!!
I am now going to commit the Number 1 stupidity and declare war on 2 fronts simulataneously!
- ALL thunderbugs, or any such insects must from no on avoid entering: my mouth, my eyes (behing sunglasses), my nose, my ears or down my top and they will desist from using me as a free ride to Sawston, Chesterton, CherryHinton or any otherplace. the only insects who have permission to do this are moths and butterflys because they are pretty but I have a feeling that i cycle too fast for them - wind turbulance.
- I will personally STRANGLE the next male jerk of any species, race, age or creed who decides it is a good idea to whistle, shout uninteligable garbage or honk their horn at me whilst I go past!
Actually amusing comment from that: I was talking with a friend and her very "*young*" 10 year old sister from a reasonabky conservative household say "They do it because they think your pretty, men like pretty girls!"..... what do you say? "yeeeeees.... I dont think that was quite the reason". her sister was sitting behind her and cracking up - it wasnt fair. Particularly as the case I had been talking about was a sweaty 50 year old builder with a too small vest top that hasnt been washed for a few weeks and a beer belly 3 times the size of his head! !!
Actually I dont have a clue why they decided to do it - I was cycling past wearing jeans and a strap top that isnt low cut! argh! what am I meant to do.... reminded of the the line "girls in slacks desguise their gender" for any of you sailing friends REMEBER THE YELLOW WATERPROOFS! But there is no way I am going to wear any more clothing in this heat, I'll pass out!
On other notes:
Charlie played Misty at the gig on Wednesday - REALLY well though not quite as touching as when Lynette sang it with her husband accompanying on his 40th birthday which was so lovely! Gorgeous song and I have just discovered I have the piano part for it so been playing it (somewhat inaccuratly due to arm!) far too much accoridng to everyone else (except Dad who just sits and listens and then points out he needs to go and if I want to know the way to stop now and come have a look at the map!)
Actually the entire evening was very good. :D and ended up giving numberous piggy backs and swinging young children around in large circles. :D was very fun but I hope their Mum didn't get annoyed at them because of it. :S that would be very sad - not that i think it would actually change anything.
There is something (however irritating they can be) about spending time with young children. Its nothing to do with their actual circumstances being particulrly happier - unfortunately this isn't true at all :S - its their amazing ability to live in the moment. I babysat last night, well part of last night, and apparently Edmund was up since six going "Can i go into Ruth now can I go into Ruth now!" then almost bang on the dot of 7 loud thud as Mahoney gets out of bed and knock on door and 2 highly excited kids jumping on me. I was already awake and it was so funny, great way to start the day. I can also admit that it wouldnt have been as enjoyable if I were in a bad mood/had a headache/6th day running! so please no "just you waits" from various parents!
went to pamper evening last night as well which was very fun, spent long time talking to one of Jane's friends about Medicine and Cambridge etc. Also quizzed Hannah about her engagement (She wouldnt say ANYTHING!) and spent a long time eating all the fruit from the fondue - too hot for anything else I am living off fruit atm! Then sat and stared at the (unfortunately not that cute) guys working out and solved life's problems. Girly evenings are great :P we need another sleepover and SOON! (with chocoalte and a good film we havnt seen before!)
Also had an interesting conversation with katie last night in which I learnt a couple of things I did want to know and an extraordianry number which I really would rather not know. They are going to make a number of things very awkward indeed :S Strange for me to "rather not know!" something, completely out of character, but I *was* doing a good job of ignoring this until last night. Thank you very much Katie :P (Your obsessed :P) - on a serious note, probably better to know than not know.
Isn't it strange how we replace the dead with the living. Mourning with a collection of vivid colours, a poor reminder to what was lostl; a temporary substitution before they too fade.
Flowers by the railway line, I dont know the person, surprised they've lasted this long.
The cold room has broken, it is now hotter than the corridoor! They are trying to fix it but by now most of the proteins are degrading and it stinks! being full of everyones agar plates and many billion bacteria! lol...... rather irritating. Other than that things seem to be going well :D Cant believe its half way through :S
thats all folks
xXx
09:27 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Funny , Life , Science , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
06/29/2006
Of cabbages and kings
Thanks to ed :D
a) pick up a book which is the closest to you at the moment
b) open page 123
c) find the third sentence
d) post it in your Live Journal (plus the instructions)
e) don't choose the book, just pick up the one closest to you
"here once again we begin to approach the issue of calling, since dreaming dreams is another aspect of the search for God's call to you"
Work:
- I have done 2 sucessful PCRs! and one of the unsucessful was sequenced wrongly :D
- I can remember what I'm meant to be doing - up to about 10 things exactly :D
- My basic hand skills have dramatically improved with the absense of coffee and presence of sleep
- I almost understand what I'm doing :D.....
- HAVING SOOOO MUCH FUN!!
Ball.... here are the official pictures :D (scroll down to Sawston Leaver's Ball) Im in organge and we came on the bus...... I shall create an albumn of our other pictures and include ones nicked from school when I get them. but and awesome night... all 15 hours of it!
I Hate my hormones!!! oh yeah I'm sure they can be decidedly useful in some specific circumstances!! but atm mine are being stupid. They are trying to persuade me to act against both my heart and mind... and its very disconcerting. Prizes for the person who can think of the best punishment for them!
She is calm
She just keeps moving
She knows it won’t last
But for now she is
Happy
For the first time in so long
She hopes
She dares
To smile
For her
Not for the others
Because she is happy
She is safe
Alone
In the night
She should cycle like this more often
ok, at work early tomorrow so I can get to wind band at 11!! after doing my ligations and transforming them! need to leave about 10.20/10.30.... get in at 8.30..... hmmmm :S i sense some time difficulties! anyhooo....
nightynight
xXx
21:45 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , Poetry , Science | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
04/11/2006
Home and Easter Week
J'ai plus de travail. Ce n'est pas juste! C'est le vacances et je dois faire de travail touts les jours, non! toutes les heures... Mais je ne faire pa ca! (Whoops!) Je suis trop fatigue et je ne veux pas faire ca! Je ne sais pas pourqui je suis ecrire en francais.
Well that was weird. Just as weird as being home. And I really do need to do some work now.... but it's too late. :S I'm not sleeping again. Which is disturbing for two reasons:
1. I REALLY need to sleep... I need the energy for motivation to get my work and music done... and not to collapse under various other majorly irritating pressures....
2. I just got back from something so amazing.... and I want to live off the good that has done me... and instead I am returning to a state of insomnia.... :S
Ahhh well.... soon I shall have caffeine again and all will be well - PLEASE dont take me serioiusly
ButButButButButButButButButButButButButButBut.....
I got the pattern for my dress today :D:D here and Mum brought me back some gorgeous wool - for lack of better term - fro, scotland... John Lewis is selling now :P 0883 is the colour! Mail me if you are here on Sunday Anne and I'll bring some... otherwise... whenever
I havn't actually got that much work to do:
- Revision: meh.... yeah I do need to and will do some! but it can wait for a week
- French: exam in 2 weeks which i can get low A* if I adlib.... but I should really do some sort of prep.... easy and basic though so not a problem
- Music: I have 2 exams coming up - and some AMAZING songs for singing (SunriseSunset from Fiddler on the Roof!).... plus I'm playing a service in 2 weeks... plus I had a lot of stamina to build up for oboe :S... fun!
- Dress.... 2 months to make 1 ball dress..... At least I can make a start now :P
Oooh... yeah... anyone read Eclesiastes.... it is VERY weird... I read it through in an evening... now going back and trying to work it out without much luck... Unless I take it at face value in which case the message is "life is pointless... nothing has any value... therefore live to enjoy and nothing more...." which seems contradictory in its own right :S The ramblings of wise people seldom make sense to anyone but themselves :P But I shall keep trying... and if I get to depressed I can flick back to the end of proverbs.... :P
Not quite sure what I'm doing for the rest of the week... but I need to attempt to get some sleep or tomorrow will end up being even worse than today... I might not even manage to get up! If I pack a bag now it might be more of an incentive to go out and get some work *done*! I might try that... I am getting so sick of being indoors again :( particularly with the nice weather coming back.... so I can go out all day :D:D
ok... bibi for good for now :P
xXx
21:49 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Faith , Fun , Life , News | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
01/18/2006
For Funn!!!
Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life:
1. Teacher
2. Assistant research scientist
3. Cleaner
4. Organist
Four Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:
1. Chicago
2. Amelie
3. Princess Mononoke
4. House of Flying Daggers
heh i just realised most of those are foreign!! lol. They are all BRILLIANT THOUGH
Four Places You Have Lived:
1. Byron Square
2. Here
3. Thats it folks!
4. Still no more!
Four TV Shows you Love To Watch:
1. Scrubs / Friends
2. 9/10 Cat
3. Have I got news for you
4. The one where 4 players play the commanders of a make-up CG historic battle to see if they can do any better!!!
I use TV as light relief!
Four Places You Have Been On Vacation:
1. Norway (Norway :P)
2. Paris (France:P)
3. Inverness (Scotland :P)
4. NORFOLK BROADS !!!!!!!!!!!!! THOSE WERE THE DAY'S MY FRIENDS
4 Websites You Visit Daily: (frequently!! :P)
1. yahoo.com - ALWAYS
2. Steelsings - mostly the discussion forums
3. Anne/John/Emma blog whenever anything new is up
4. LiveJournal accounts of various friends when I can fine the link/remember my password!
Four Of Your Favorite Foods:
1. Mango!!!
2. Pinapple!!
3. Tuna Mayonaise! + sweetcorn!!
4. does fruit smoothie count? :P
Four Places You Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. Sailing
2. Cells.... anywhere with St. A's
3. Norway
4. Somewhere else
Four Bloggers You Are Tagging: (if you hate this, don’t do it!)
1. YOU
2. AND YOU
3. AND YOU YES YOU
4. and anyone who actually wants to do it... please leave a url for you're blog... or e-mail me the answers so i can see :P
well that's wasted enough time... and I can play 2/4 hymns for sunday (week), conduct the anthem, play the Eucharist and the volentary.... so just got 1 x psalm and 2 x hymns! yey.... i can play the hardest one too :D
xXx
18:57 Posted in Fun | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
01/15/2006
...
heya all... quite a few people are reading this blog... unless you are some sad person looking 227 times in 2 weeks!! which is really very sad!!! Please could you identify yourselves if you actually know me... or not if you like... It's good to know who is watching me.
lol
ok... DT. DT. DT. All 5 bars are tuned!!!! one is still a little sharp ( :'( ) but I turned the second harmonic too and they all work... Everything fits together in theory, and I've started putting it together properly. I now have a list of thigns I need to do in school tomorrow. If anyone has any bike valve rubber - about 2 1/2 foot - it would make my life a lot easier if you could loan it to me so I don't actually have to run into town on monday... and I can actually sort the bars....
Waiting can be so irritating sometimes.... meh.... so can complaining so I'll shut up :P
Still not done any work for service in 3 weeks now! ugh, and I wont get much done this week either.... in fact I'm pretty screwed! ..... ..... i can't actually think of a solution. Cancelled lesson this week for DT. Need to cancel Greek too. UGH SOME TEACHERS ARE SO IRRITATING. on the other hand... nothing will stop me going to Activity World on Friday!!!!! !!!! which will be great.
I am overpunctuating slightly today... not sure why... I'm tired not hyper and I feel sick... meh... nothing new there. Well apologies anyway.
playing "my song is love unknown" on that sunday too so yey. Love that song... only i thought it was mostly lent/Easter - thats when we tend to use it. Tom chose it so yeah... anyway I like it and I can play it so I'm not complaining. And we got out of "of the Father's heart begotten" so more YEY. On the other hand "Forth in the peace of Christ we go" is very nice but not so yey due to the feindish bass part which I will muck up!.... lol...
anyway.. need to get cleaned up
xXx
17:50 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , School | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
01/09/2006
lol
lol....
You know the science homework i mentioned????? Well apparently now if you type into google
"MRSA+peppered moth+Darwin" you get my blog second on the list
so
to all you lovely clever people who found this... lol.
xXx
18:20 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , School | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
01/05/2006
Knitting
From Anne Thankyou
What new knitting techniques did you learn this year?
How to knit, how to pearl, what each stich actually did in a piece of knitting - the effects of combining them. How to cast on/off and sort loose ends (ish). How to choose needles/tension. How to use circular needles.... basically how to knit.
Which completed project from the last 12 months are you most proud of ?
The big scarf I made for Theo (no pic sorry - yet) out of the Colignette. - Luuuvely - got a pattern for something new with that now.... which i might edit a little because it is fairly shapeless atm.
What was your biggest knitting disaster of the last year?
... not sure there was a particlar disaster... a lot of faliures, but I sorted them out.
Who or what has been the biggest influence on your knitting in 2005 ?
Anne, Yvonne, learning to knit in the first place kinda helped
What knit craze grabbed you this year ?
.... knitting.... I made scraves... I need some new wool before I can do much more - warmer weather stuff, but judging by the weather atm... lol. Yvonne has this luuuvely wool which is almost thread. - 2 threads with woven parts inbetween - looks a little liek DNA :P. I'll get a picture of it sometime, but it is wonderful!! She is making a serious of shawl wraps with it.
Finally, some New Years resolutions:
In 2006 I will knit – A hat, a curley whirley scarf and the thing from the pattern... and something for summer
I will learn to – do another stitch/combintation of stitches....
To become a better knitter I will –do more knitting!
I do not tag anyone - no one to tag :'( but if you feel like doing this then please do and post a comment to tell me so I can have a look.
xXx
23:16 Posted in Fun | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
12/21/2005
Early One Morning.... just as the clouds were too grey to even see the sky and the dawn was long past!!
I slept in.... lol.... firdt time in months! Feels nice to have had more thn 6/7 hours sleep (about 11 I think - not happened since before summer!) Unfortunately Heather has a friend over in 15 minutes which I wasn't aware of. So I need to get up quickly (even if Mum unsists it doesn't matter.... ugh IT DOES MATTER). But Heather is in atm so I can't.
Today the cooking starts. Dad has found the brandy so Christmas cake first.... then I think I'll start the cases for the chocolates and do some macaroons... Must make some pressies too. Funny though. The first year I did cooking Mum was all sad that she was too ill to help and kept going on about hopw it wouldn't be the same the next year. She was right, she was well - I still did the cooking :P :D. This year she is persting me about what I'm going to do when and worriying I wont get it done. I HAVE 4 DAYS! And if she's that worried why doesn't she do some? Ah well if it makes her feel happy....
Might be going to Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe again - BRILLIANT BTW!!! - with church friends... yeyness. But I hope it's not in the eve - page turning for Bidwells Carol Service! lol.
Going now.... 8 mintes - easy
xXx
10:23 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
12/20/2005
News and Randomness
SCHOOL IS OUT
2 weeks of busy-ness and work and cooking and cleaning and family -- notcie lack of comment
I have just made the writing on my screen smaller.... but I dont know how I did it, and I dont know how to make it better again either - some random keycode. ugh. *finds glasses*
Have in the last week finished two scarves... one for Theo (Secret Santa but she doesn't read this) out of the Colinette. It was about 1.2 meters long and used 200m or wool :P lol. but worked really well even if I was still knitting it through Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday - not the singing part though! Incidentally we sounded GOOD it was quite funny watching the faces of certain people of the opinion that the choir has gone to the pits sicne they left. *evil cackle* There were loads of men too - 3 tenors and 3 basses and Tom, and then 5 altos and 4 sopranos. Twas very good.
Unfortunately no pic of Theo's scarf (not that she actually there in the end) because I had to wrap it and get to church quickly. But I have also finished knitting the mohair scarf. Which is amazingly stretchy!!! I am still debating whether or not to add some silver/sequins to it.... comments would be appriciated.
Ball on Saturday Night!!!!!!! WAS ACE! So good. Except for Jim's fake tan which was a little disturbing. But everyone enjoyed it. I went with St A's but there were school people there, which was mildly amusing! (maybe down-right hilareous) But I got away with basically ignoring them. I also bumped into one of my primary school teachers who was helping Sarah with the food. :D Got home at about 1am and then slept on the sofa because my bed was too messy. I had made a white top to go with the skirt I wanted to wear because I couldn't find the right one in the shops. -- Well Dad sewed it in the end because he sews faster than me and I can clean faster than him - so both jobs got done better and faster and all was good. I did the design/cutting (marked with help) and then finsihd off and added ties - which I ADORE and was still sewing on a hour before the dance.
Here are the pretty ties!!!! :D:D
Here is the top :P
No more church for 3 weeks. :'( I will miss. A lot.
Got more pressies. Sweets for cousines and Chloe.... a book for Ceri and Sara (The curious Incident of Tony Blair and the WMD in Iraq". Don't know what to do for various other relations.... including Em, Heath, Dad - where is all the time I had!!!! ???
mended Bird which was broken.... but I need to sand and polish away.... didn't glue very well but I cant exactly undo it.
DT resumes next year!!!
Got to go deliver now - picture will be added this evening when I can find the lead to the camera!
xXx
15:30 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , St. A's | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
10/27/2005
Work and Fun stuff
I FINALLY HAVE TIME TO WRITE.....
Well not ages... but enough.... taking the morning off.
GEOGRAPHY - should bear a neon flashing warning sign !!!!!!!!! BUT I now only have one section left to do - and that includes all the horrid horrid page numbering and figuring! (53 Figures i think - and I've listed them all!) Just the evaluation to do now............. it's not that bad - it just requires thought and I'm really not in the mood for thinking Geography at the moment. At least I seem to have included all the stuff I need for the grades on instinct so far.... but I need a break and don't to risk it.
Stats still to do - will do this evening when had time to talk to Dad for a few minutes - or tomorrow morning.
Drama: done - use a song with the amazing line "after tea we'll murder a tree" heh - good song!
DT - getting wood!!!!!! That means I can start making tomorrow.... still need to find some wood for the bars (ACK - why is all resonant wood on the eco-friendly list??) But I'll be able to make most of the box and some of the mechanism... which is good. .... I really need to find someone to give it too - I dont want it - so if anyone wants a foot square, chinese themed wooden musical box I'd be HAPPY to oblige any time after next May (Final submission)
I realised something the other day - - - It's 8 weeks till Christmas - and no I am not counting down the weeks - far from it, Christmas will be ummm.... interesting to say the least this year. But I do need to start arranging pressies because if I want to go away over the summer I need to have the money and spend as little as possible on Pressies :P woh I'm cheap.....
Idea's: please don't try to guess what I'm getting you...
Knitted scarf... 3 Knit 3 pearl x number of knit (however many I can be bothered to do!) 3 pearl and 3 knit on each row.... + vv for other side.... Not sure on colours - either a rainbow medley or a grey/pink/purple thing.... Might just do ribbing at each end if its the grey/pink/purple.... - I quite like the idea of multicoloured tassels - thats only coz i like playing with them.
Another knitted scarf.... compeltely different, some really evil wool but very pretty (all stringy with furry bits but a luuuvely red/purple) which i will either knit and then embroider with gold thread/sequins or a friend made a jumper that was stretchy only because of the stitch.... so I may ask her to teach me that stitch.... but I think the knitting will work - - - - - - - MUST be wide needles though.
A padded cloth embroidered picture frame - if we are getting all the beads out of store I may as well use them!!!! - probably purples/blues
A denim skirt (KNEW my old jeans were still useful!!) very short denim bit - roughly 5/6 inches - and then flary bright patchwork material with a ribbon edging... will end up being knee length - could be interesting to measure though... and I reckon I'll leave it till Birthday.
Bracelet - half made already but nylon broke so doing it double thickness and melting the join!! - I will beat the NYLON THREAD! Also could get bead loom out again.....
Modelling - I quite like the idea of using dried flowed (will have to buy did not hink early enough :'( ) twigs and leaves to create a modle - magical/house/fairies.... not sure would be fun and another excuse to use the hot glue gun
Make candles - maybe wait till I can buy in the rest of the stuff
Write "How To...." Always fun :P
Carving..... small animals/figures/objects..... not difficult - effective - look really good if I use nice polish - could actually do most with files....
Ah well.... need to go and unpack the car now (Dad's been unpacking the store)- see what delights I can rescure to aid my weird ideas - I do actually have time for most of them..... so we shall see...........
LOOKINGFORAWRDTOTIMEOFEXAMSANDNOWORK!!!!!!!!!! CAN NOT WAIT (Will have to work for entrance exams soon... ack MUST PRACTISE)
Anyway must dash
xXx
11:14 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , School | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
10/20/2005
Work and other - Shringham Update
WORK STATUS PENDING....
Stats: EXTENTION - never been s happy for an exra hour in my life - now I have a chance to pass it!
Music: Drum line, dynamics and other markings to be done tomorrow in lunch... (no more work now).Performance went well... one muff up, but considering the amount of practise I had done... results after half term :'(
Drama: performance went OK... one memeber not quite usual (said with trepidation) self but the less said the better... We redid it, missed out 2 pages of a 5 page script first time through!!!! eeek but went Ok second time - not amazing but it was stage acting to an unresponsive camera... Essay on performance to be done over half term - basically copy other and change details... can anyone think of a stimulus for an environmental satire named "the tree" ??? And also self assesment to fill out after half term! - Hate those things
French: written and she is marking it... collect tomorrow and copy up over half term... easy as always
Geography: !Ton! still to do but its easy now... just time consuming (analysis) doing over halfterm, haven't had any time in the last 2 weeks at all..... ugh WHY EVERYTHING NOW!
DT: handed in. A* but no comment or clue what to do to make better...... which is silly, because I *know* I've only scraped an A* and to be quite honest I'm not happy with that as its so easy to get 100% in written cw! - - provided the criteria are written in a way which is comprehensible to any other than those who wrote it. Am now in a position to make DT over half term and try to work out how to improve it.... which could be harder! (Note to self: MUST BUY WOOD)
Science: Just chem hw... bio copy up and revision and physics revision/learning!
Greek: an exercise working on participles.... very confusing I don't get grammer at all and my vocab is horrible after the holidays!!
THATS MY HOLIDAY WORK!
On a lighter note... I have no MEP, PE or English work to do - none ever in first two and none books in in second.
Technically I also have revision.... but if I can get top marks in almost all subjects with NO revision, I don't think its that much of a chore.... I'll read through vocab/books a few days before. Its sooo unfair.... all my exams bar 3 are on the first 2 days! - solid exams! but hey... its a break from all the work.
One good thing about all this work... I will not have to deal with boardom during the holidays... and I will always have an excuse to disappear so my precense will not be needed 24/7 - hopefully. For once I am actually looking forward to a holiday - tis weird! I'm so tired. Will have to see how it pans out though. Can always escape to friend or town...
GOOD STUFF
Sheringham: AMAZING.... Challenging in many ways but not thrat I would care to go into at the present... focusing on passion for Christ and how to live our entire lives as worship - slightly clichee maybe but completely new... if you see what I mean. Highlights include:
- Bible/prayer on the beach each morning - choice...
- Leading worship.... split into groups to do prayer, testimony, word, music (guess where I was)
- Hunt the leader - leaders and 6th formers dress up and we have to run around sheringham trying to find them! - costumes included: and old woman, a very convincing middleaged red hair (andy!), a blue devil, a weirdo! (jim fishing on an unturned bin in Hannahs coat! - which got soaked) etc....
- Caberet - hilareous, best act must have been year 10 massive! (improved jamming with matching hats saying "I'd rather be playing bowls!" - You had to see it) and Andrew Brook's amazing presentation fo the entire thing - really really good, keeping up constant chat with the audience
- Dorm - some very good conversations and times together... and we slept too!!
- Excellent speaker - Tim - who treated even "old" stories in a new way which reached out to everyone and seemed completely new........... brilliant re-telling of Christ's "purpose" using candles....but difficult to explaint. Just really meant something.
- Barnabus Buddies - best idea ever. Everyone is paired up (randomly) with someone else and has to give notes/gifts/etc over the weekend to make them feel appriciated - like secret santa - and at th end we find out who had who.... Really nice idea
- Seeing Esther become more confident in herself - year 7 and youngest there... very shy but absolutely lovely girl. Great to see her making her own additions to conversations/prayers/jokes
- ALL THE GREAT TIMES WITH EXCELLENT FRIENDS AND MANY MANY LAUGHS AND STILL CENTRED ON GOD
Oh yeah.... and the memory verse was set to the Dr Who Theme Tune: (not in this order)
"Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervour serving the Lord. O be joyful in hope, paitient in afliction and faithful in prayer."
Romans Chapter 12 vs 11 and 12
Lol. very silly... funny... stupid.... but you remember it!
AAAAAANNNDD
REUNION - On Saturday.... Can't wait... Sailing people.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
too excited to continue!
xXx
21:00 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Kestrels , Life , School , St. A's | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
10/17/2005
A brieg interlude...
ummm.... well despite saying that this would be up by this morning I decided to go to bed (if either Dave or Danie are reading this feel HAPPY and PLEASED) and get some sleep.... so ummm 8 hours (roughly) which I am rather pleased about....
And now I have work to do.... and I am already late because of Drama.... MUST finish music today (yet another of my world famous impossible targets!) but to take a break (and eat kuskus!) I am writing a bried update for today first highlighting some memorable moments.
... Nasty scare this morning which inexplicable blood rash (dark marks under skin) being a sympton of meningitus (ACK) and I have had several of the other symptons over the last few weeks... but when i had woken up a little realised that it was just blood blisters from playing too many clapping games for far far too long throughout Sunday.... so yey.
Trampilining was good but I irritated the rest of my group because I could already do all the jumps they learnt today and keep bpdy straight and toes pointed etc (sitting jump wasnt as good so they were happy about that)
Hills Road lady came in to talk about science... not so interesting but useful stuff to know.... but the universities do not ask for A level biology to study it at Uni - whatever she says! I still think I prefer The Leys... but still got open evenings to go to for Hills before I decide. Entrance exams in November... I need to start learning pieces! lol
SHERINGHAM WAS AWESOME UTTERLY AMAZING AND THE BEST THING SINCE KESTRELS (which still beats it for the sailing) ALSO CHALLENGING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING AND UTTERLY HILAREOUS!
I shall update on that later!
xXx
Dad if you read this... please will you help me with my stats tonight - just to talk it through because I shjould rpobs do some work on it now.
16:08 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Fun , Life , School , St. A's | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
10/12/2005
Punting
