Thursday, December 29, 2005
Luxuriating in lather
On Christmas Day I decided to have a bath, nothing unusual about that but I can't remember the last time I had one. This is not because of a preference for ponginess, more a fondness for the speediness of the shower. I could have had my bath at any time during the day given my solitary state but I wanted to plan my perfect soak as I didn't know when the next one would occur.
First of all I whacked the heating up in the bathroom, no point in turning blue as I emerged from my watery indulgence. Next I phoned various rellies, I wanted no chance of any interruption and to doubly make sure of this I timed my bath to coincide with most folk's Christmas dinner. I turned the taps on - this was going to be no ordinary bath, this was going to be an M & S luxury bath, enhanced with a generous dollop or two of Peach Bloom Foam Bath. Ensuring I had towels at the ready, I then lit candles, brought in my cuppa, switched on a tape of carols sung by the Huddersfield Choral Society and stepped into the inviting warm wateriness.
That bath was the best thing that happened to me on Christmas Day. Half an hour up to my chin in warm frothy water was absolute bliss. I had totally forgotten the benefits of prolonged soaking and the lovely relaxed feeling it leaves you with. I might just have to have another one soon.
First of all I whacked the heating up in the bathroom, no point in turning blue as I emerged from my watery indulgence. Next I phoned various rellies, I wanted no chance of any interruption and to doubly make sure of this I timed my bath to coincide with most folk's Christmas dinner. I turned the taps on - this was going to be no ordinary bath, this was going to be an M & S luxury bath, enhanced with a generous dollop or two of Peach Bloom Foam Bath. Ensuring I had towels at the ready, I then lit candles, brought in my cuppa, switched on a tape of carols sung by the Huddersfield Choral Society and stepped into the inviting warm wateriness.
That bath was the best thing that happened to me on Christmas Day. Half an hour up to my chin in warm frothy water was absolute bliss. I had totally forgotten the benefits of prolonged soaking and the lovely relaxed feeling it leaves you with. I might just have to have another one soon.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Snowflakes
I love this no mess, no bits, method of being virtually creative :] Found this site via bluefluff's blog (she got it from Nogbad). Click on: snowflake to make your own.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Festive Greetings
Merry Christmas to all! For the first time ever in my life I'm spending most of Christmas alone. My spouse works for a homeless charity, CRISIS, over the holiday, ferrying their 'guests' and volunteers around London for most of each day. Our daughters are all safe and well and celebrating in Leeds and Broadstairs. My choice of festive bases was going to be Leeds - nice breakfast, pub at lunchtime, daughter cooking dinner, lots of laughs and Quality Street - but life got in the way.
Surprisingly, it's not as deadly as I'd feared. The day has started leisurely, it's bright and almost sunny outside and I've opened a couple of lovely presents. Other than getting dressed, I've no plans or schedules for the day. I can have control of the telly buttons all day and scoff chololate or I can go for a healthy walk proudly showing off my new scarf and gloves. Later on I'll be phoning the rellies to see how their days are going.
A week today, when the daughters descend on us, I'm sure I'll be looking back to the peace and tranquility of today as a contrast to our usual Christmasses, realising that although it wasn't the Christmas I chose, it was pretty good nonetheless.
Surprisingly, it's not as deadly as I'd feared. The day has started leisurely, it's bright and almost sunny outside and I've opened a couple of lovely presents. Other than getting dressed, I've no plans or schedules for the day. I can have control of the telly buttons all day and scoff chololate or I can go for a healthy walk proudly showing off my new scarf and gloves. Later on I'll be phoning the rellies to see how their days are going.
A week today, when the daughters descend on us, I'm sure I'll be looking back to the peace and tranquility of today as a contrast to our usual Christmasses, realising that although it wasn't the Christmas I chose, it was pretty good nonetheless.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Patience is a virtue
Like many a thousand OU students I'm awaiting my exam results from my last course. It is sheer torture going to my Student Home Page for the umpteenth time every day only to find a smug message waiting saying 'Your course result should be available by Friday 16 December 2005.'
Why can't it vary as the days go by? Why can't it be a little more sympathetic to the agonies we're going through? Something like 'We know how tough it is waiting around like this but it's not going to make those results appear any quicker. We suggest getting on with Christmas preparations.' Or today it could have read 'For weeks now we've been telling you the result date so why are you wasting time coming in here every two minutes - we're not going to change our minds.' The one message I would not want to read is 'Here is your result: 100%' which was replaced two seconds later by 'Only joking'! That would give a good few of us a heart attack.
My life has come to a standstill, almost, at one of the busiest times of the year. I can't bear to be away from my computer for too long or on the phone 'just in case'. The daft thing is that, after these last few intense days of hoping and praying for a result, when it does appear it will be such a let down. Maybe then I'll be able to write my Christmas cards.
Why can't it vary as the days go by? Why can't it be a little more sympathetic to the agonies we're going through? Something like 'We know how tough it is waiting around like this but it's not going to make those results appear any quicker. We suggest getting on with Christmas preparations.' Or today it could have read 'For weeks now we've been telling you the result date so why are you wasting time coming in here every two minutes - we're not going to change our minds.' The one message I would not want to read is 'Here is your result: 100%' which was replaced two seconds later by 'Only joking'! That would give a good few of us a heart attack.
My life has come to a standstill, almost, at one of the busiest times of the year. I can't bear to be away from my computer for too long or on the phone 'just in case'. The daft thing is that, after these last few intense days of hoping and praying for a result, when it does appear it will be such a let down. Maybe then I'll be able to write my Christmas cards.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Monday, December 05, 2005
Friends
Over the last two weeks or so I've met up with quite a few friends and had a lovely time catching up with and swapping news. Meeting up with some OU pals (ex-A103ers) has been a highlight as we hadn't done that for quite a while. Sadly two of the bunch were ill and couldn't make it but we bravely carried on without them. We've called two of our get togethers 'Sleepovers' but not much sleeping gets done. 'Talkovers' would be a much more appropriate name.
A very old schoolfriend phoned up to check if I was still around and we ended reminiscing about our schooldays and what has happened since. Last Thursday I met with a couple of friends who haven't been able to get out and about as much as they used to and one of them presented me with her book. She managed to write it despite battling with breast cancer and having an operation on her shoulder. She's one pretty amazing woman.
Yesterday we had lunch with friends that we'd lost contact with. They are parents of my eldest daughter's friend and had moved back to Ireland the last time we heard. A chance meeting in Sainsbury's put us back in touch again. I discovered that one of the friends had done her degree through the OU about ten years ago and she was delighted to hear I was doing one now. On leaving, I was duly dispatched home with a bagfull of books to 'help me through my next course'.
It suddenly occurred to me this morning that I've always taken my friends for granted and assumed they'll always be around even when I'm ignoring them to do my courses. I think I can feel a New Year Resolution coming on - I must appreciate my friends and keep in contact from now on.
Friends are brilliant!
A very old schoolfriend phoned up to check if I was still around and we ended reminiscing about our schooldays and what has happened since. Last Thursday I met with a couple of friends who haven't been able to get out and about as much as they used to and one of them presented me with her book. She managed to write it despite battling with breast cancer and having an operation on her shoulder. She's one pretty amazing woman.
Yesterday we had lunch with friends that we'd lost contact with. They are parents of my eldest daughter's friend and had moved back to Ireland the last time we heard. A chance meeting in Sainsbury's put us back in touch again. I discovered that one of the friends had done her degree through the OU about ten years ago and she was delighted to hear I was doing one now. On leaving, I was duly dispatched home with a bagfull of books to 'help me through my next course'.
It suddenly occurred to me this morning that I've always taken my friends for granted and assumed they'll always be around even when I'm ignoring them to do my courses. I think I can feel a New Year Resolution coming on - I must appreciate my friends and keep in contact from now on.
Friends are brilliant!
