HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hello and welcome,  I want to wish you all a very Happy Hallow`een.

 

                            

Tonight I have ghostly tale to tell, sit back and prepare to be afraid..................

 THE ELEMENTAL OF LEAP CASTLE

 

Over 400 years ago in what is now known as the "Bloody Chapel" a shocking murder happened.  Leap Castle was at that time a stronghold of the O`Carroll family of Irish Princes, Chieftains of the area.

In 1532, on the death of the O`Carroll Chieftain, a fierce rivallry for the leadership took place within the family.  The bitter fight for power turned brother against brother.  One of the brothers was a priest and was holding Mass for a group of the family in the chapel.  While chanting the holy rites his rival brother burst into the chapel and plunged his sword into his brother the priest.  Fatally wounding him, the priest fell across the altar and died in front of his family. The heinous act of brother killing brother and the blasphemy of a sacred mass cut short by such an evil act sent an echo of misery ringing throughout the castle.

                                                           

Another source of evil was found at Leap Castle that may have compounded and nurtured the spirit of the elemental. A hidden dungeon was found off the "Bloody Chapel"  It was a small room with a drop floor.  Those that were forgotten within this room suffered unimaginable pain and and misery until their eventual death.  Prisoners would be pushed into the room to fall through the floor and land on a spike eight feet below.  If they were not lucky enough to die quickly on the spike, they died slowly of starvation while the aroma of food and sounds of merriment drifted up from the rooms below.  A narrow window would let the prisoners watch who came and went in freedom from the castle.   In c1900,  workmen who were hired to clean out the dungeon came upon a hideous discovery, human skeletons lay piled on top of each other.  It took three full cartloads to remove all the bones, among them was a pocket watch made in the 1840`s.  It is not certain if the dungeon was still in use then

 

                                                                        

Because of its bloody history Leap Castle has always had a reputation for being haunted, a reputation so strong that local people avoided it at night.  It was completely gutted by fire and boarded up and its gates padlocked for over seventy years.  Locals have described seeing the windows at the top light up for a few seconds as if many candles were brought into the room late at night.  The castle laid ruin for many years.

                       

                                                                                             

 

Shortly after Leap`s dungeons macabre discovery, a psychic disturbance may have caused the emergence of the elemental spirit.  In 1659, the ownership of leap passed in marriage from the O`Carroll family to an English family named Darby.  Leap became the family home, with improvements and additions and landscaped gardens.  In the late 19th century, descendants Jonathan and Mildred Darby were looking forward to raising their family there.  The occult was fashionable at the time and Mildred did some innocent dabbling, despite the castle`s history and reputation for being haunted.  Mildred`s dabbling with magic awakened the elemental with ferocious velocity.

In 1909, Mildred Darby wrote an article for a magazine, describing her terrible ordeal.

" I was standing in the gallery, looking down when I felt somebody put a hand on my shoulder.  The thing was about the size of a sheep,thin, gaunt and shadowy......, it`s face was human....to be more accurate, inhuman.  It`s eyes which seemed half decomposed in black cavities stared into mine.  The horrible smell one hundred times intensified came up into my face, giving me a deadly nausea.  It was the smell of a decomposing corpse."

 

"Each night my father fills me with dread,

When he sits on the foot of my bed,

I`d not mind that he speaks

In gibbers and squeaks,

But for seventeen years he`s been dead."

Edward Gorey.

 

 

 

UNDER SEIGE

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the first day of Winter, according to Greenwich Mean Time.  With the light mornings, shorter days and dark evenings right through until Spring. What a depressing thought!

At the moment there are fireworks exploding all around us, Jake refuses to leave the safety of our living room, prefering instead to bury his head under the coffee table.  Apparently on Tuesday it is the Hindu festival of Diwali, and then the fireworks will be much worse.  Our immediate next door neighbours will have a big party and the fireworks will go on into the night, I`m dreading it.

The photo above was taken by Jim while out with Jake this morning.  He also took some more photos of funghi that had sprung up since yesterday.  They look like little villages with their toadstool roofs.

It was nice to get an extra hour in bed last night though I still woke up at the usual time and got up because I just wasn`t tired anymore, so I managed to get my Sunday chore of ironing done early this morning.  To me it`s the worst job of all housework - wise, and to get it all finished for another week is very satisfying indeed.

These toadstools are rather odd-looking don`t you think.  I was just wondering how Jim got this shot, maybe he was lying down on the grass!

This photo happened by accident, just as Jim pressed the shutter button Jake decided to investigate the toadstools.  Jim thought I`d like the result and he was right.  Sometimes impromptu photos are the best.

Kerry and Slava paid us a visit this afternoon.  They stopped for a cuppa and Jim and I played with a very smiley Roman.  Of course Little Man dozed off on his Grandad`s lap, he seems to be making a habit of it.

I`m using my new keyboard and it`s brilliant. I`m not making any silly mistakes with typing, and that saves me so much time as I don`t have to make nearly as many corrections as before.  The keys are much quieter too, a bonus for Jim who is always saying he can hear my `tap tap` from downstairs with the TV on!  We didn`t have to install any software either as it`s the same make as the old one. The only difference is the new mouse is very sensitive, I`m chasing it all over the place.  Again, it`s the same type and make as the old one but it`s just going to take a bit of getting used to.

Well I hope you`ve all had a nice weekend. I`m going to get this finished up before I go downstairs to watch a TV prog for an hour.  Bye for now and please take care.

 

 

LETTER FROM THE TOOTH FAIRY

Dear......................................:

Thank you for leaving one (1) tooth under your pillow last night.

While we make every attempt to leave a monetary reward in the case of lost or stolen childrens teeth, we were unable to process your request for the following reason (s) indictated below:

(  ) The tooth could not be found.

(  ) It was not a human tooth.

(  )  We do not think pieces of chicken bone are very funny.

(  )  The tooth has recently been redeemed for cash.

(  )  The tooth did not originally belong to you.

(  )  The tooth fairy does not process fingernails.

(  )  You were overheard to state that you did not believe in the tooth fairy.

(  )  You are age 12 or over at the time your request was recieved.

(  )  The tooth is still in your mouth.

(  )  The tooth was guarded by a vicious tooth fairy-eating dog at the time of visit.

(  )  No night-light was on at the time of our visit.

(  )  The snacks provided for the tooth fairy were not satisfactory or missing.

(  )  We discovered evidence of unsafe tooth extraction as follows :

[  ] string.

[  ] pliers.

[  ] gunpowder.

[  ] hammer marks.

[  ] chisel.

[  ] part of skull attached to tooth.

[  ] other.

 

Thank you for your request, and we look forward to serving you in the future.

sincerely, the Tooth Fairy.

 

SHATTERED!

 

 

Hello everyone,

I`ve been Christmas shopping again today.  This time with Jim who wanted to get a few presents.....including some for yours truly.  We ended up in Uxbridge early this morning and must have gone into every shop in both shopping centres.  I`m sure I`ve lost about an inch in height with all the walking!  Of course, despite us both saying we wouldn`t buy anything else for Roman, we bought him some more little shirts, hat and mittens from Next and BHS.  We have ordered each other not to buy him anything else at all.......I won`t be betting any good money on that happening....lol!

We`ve now bought for everyone, not bad seeing as how it`s not even November yet.  I just have to wrap them and put them in the santa carrier bags until Christmas Day, by which time we will have forgotten what we`d bought and will get a nice surprise.  I`ve bought my new keyboard, Jim is going to install it tomorrow, it`s another logitech and it was a very reasonable price at PC World.  Now I won`t have any excuse for my typing errors.  At the moment I`m getting by with stick-on letters on the keys, though we only had the letters A-H !

We have more fireworks going off and it`s not even dark, as it`s a Saturday I think there will be lot`s more tonight. Jim says he won`t be taking Jake out tonight in case he gets frightened again, he`s had an early morning run and a walk when we got home so he`ll probably sleep all evening.

Kerry rang me early this morning to say that Roman`s face is covered in tiny spots.  It seems most likely that the Emulsifying ointment recommended by the Health Visitor for his dry skin has caused a reaction.  Kerry has stopped using it and is taking him to see her doctor.  Luckily the rash isn`t itchy but he does have dry patches on his arms, the HA said it was only dry skin but it looks like excema to me. 

I must go now and get the dinner on.  I hope you all have a lovely restful day, relaxing with you feet up!  Bye for now.....

 

 

Skryne Castle

 

In around 1740, a dreadful events occured at Skryne Castle, home of the Palmerston family in the Republic of Ireland. At that time the house was occupied by Sir Bromley Casway and his ward, Lilith Palmerston, a young girl of outstanding beauty but a shy, retiring nature.  Not far from the castle lived another country landowner, a widower named Phelim Sellers.  There were stories that his wife had died as a result of his ill-treatment.  He was a hard drinking, foul-mouthed character who would on occasion come to the castle to play cards with Sir Bromley, but whilst there made no secret of his attraction to Lileth.  On one occasion in the grounds , he made an approach to her but was rejected, and only the intervention of one of the gardeners prevented him from attacking her.

Lileth wanted to leave Skryne for Dublin where her guardian had a townhouse, so she could escape from Sellers and Sir Bromley gave his approval.  But on the eve of their departure, Sellers broke into the castle and into Lileth`s room where he murdered her by forcing foxglove fronds into her throat.  He then fled but didn`t get far.  He was tried and hanged for his heinous crime.

Visitors and residents of Skryne have heard screams in the night from no obvious source; and some have seen the figure of a woman in white, clutching her throat while running from the house.

 

COFFEE SHOP BLUES

                                  

 

 

 

Hello everyone,

Welcome to a busy, busy Friday.  The day started early for me yet again, getting up at 6.45 and leaving the house just after 9.  It was pouring with rain, just the weather Kerry and I needed for a mornings shopping!  The shops were very busy because of the school holidays but I just had to get a new book, I finished `The Magic Hour` by Charlotte Bingham last night , not the best read I`ve ever had but certainly one of the easiest to read, ok if you like light reading with an uncomplicated plot with a bit of romance. I bought `The Copper Beech` by Maeve Binchy which will have more substance to it I think, and I look foward to starting  it later this evening.

I digress, while out we did a little shopping and lots of walking so we went to Costa`s for a coffee.  The coffee shop is situated in Ottakar`s book store, s great way to get people to come in and look around.  We sat on some comfy chairs and Kerry gave Roman his bottle, later she took him to be changed and I sat there looking at a book I liked the look of.  At that moment a family group consisting of mum, grandma and three young children tried to push past me to a small table nearby.  Seeing that there wasn`t a table big enough for them all I said that Kerry and I would be leaving soon and then they could sit at our table.  Without a word they all sat down and made them themselves comfortable, taking Kerry`s chair also. I told them Kerry would be back soon but they just ignored me, apart from thr grandmother who smiled weakly at me and shrugged.  I didn`t return the smile and just sat there waiting for Kerry`s return.  The `daughter` of the family returned with refreshments for her family and didn`t look happy as there wasn`t another chair for her to sit on, she sighed....and I ignored her.  I was not at all happy, I had said we were leaving soon and I hadn`t invited them to sit down, comandeer our table and pinch our chairs!  Then Kerry returned also not looking happy and said sarcastically  that it was a good job she didn`t want to finish her coffee.  The family totally ignored her comment and as I got up from my chair it was pulled away almost from underneath me.  Now I WAS cross! I just turned to them and told them how rude they were but I was met with blank expressions all round.  Some people! 

Is anybody else having problems with journal alerts. Mine are not exactly problems but when someone comments on my journal, I get as many as 3 alerts for the same comment.  This has been happening for weeks now and I`m wondering if I`m the only one this happening to.

I forget to tell you yesterday that Roman had his vaccinations but was a bit grouchy for a few hours afterwards, but it didn`t stop him from sleeping through the night for 12 hours, much to Kerry`s delight. At the clinic Kerry spoke to the Health Visitor who spoke to Kerry as if she were ten years old and made her feel like a useless mother. I told her not too worry as obviously, things have not changed since she was a baby as I remember all to well. I do feel that they should be there to OFFER advice not give orders.

This morning Jake was still a little nervy after the fireworks incident last night.  I notice from the comments I recieved that many of you feel the same as I do. Our poor pets have to suffer because of these `celebrations` that begin weeks earlier and end weeks later.  It was suggested that there should be public firework displays only and I totally agree with that.

Well for now dear friends I must go and read some journals.  I hope you all have a nice and restful weekend.  Take care.

 

          

A  German `tourist`, supposedly on a golfing holiday, turned up at customs with his golf bag.  While making small talk about golf, the customs officer realised that the tourist didn`t know what a "handicap" was. The customs officer asks the tourist to demonstrate his swing, which he did - backwards!  A substantial amount of drugs were found in the golf bag.

 

USELESS FACTS

All cats have 32 muscles in each ear.

Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

400 people are killed by hippo`s each year.

From the time you are conceived to the time you die, your ears and nose do not stop growing.

Your eyes drain tears into your nose.

Every northern state in the US has a Springfield.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.

 

 

THURSDAY TAILS

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the remains of a beautiful warm, sunny day.  It was over 70 degrees today, very warm considering it is nearly November.

This morning was shopping in Tesco so I was up and out early this morning.  I managed to get all the shopping  done in an hour, though I`m considering getting roller skates to get around this huge store....!  On the way out I went into Krispy Kreme`s and bought two glazed cinnamon doughnuts, one each for me and Kerry.  This is our treat for the week and we have a different flavour each time.  I could eat them every day but the thought of how much weight I`d gain makes me stop at just the one!

Once home, I packed the weekly shop away and took Jake for a short walk then went to visit Kerry.  She told me that Slava`s interview went well and they will let him know.  He had to take a test where he had to translate some English into Russian and some Russian into English, luckily he passed that with flying colours.  He really wants this job so fingers crossed again please.

Kerry and I spent a very pleasant hour walking Jake before coming home so that Jim could see Roman.  I took some lovely photos of them both.

They look as though they are talking to each other in this one.  I wonder what they could be saying?

What a cutie he is in this one!

Roman was watching an old war film on TV and I could not get him to look at me!

This evening Jim took Jake out for his evening stroll and had just got around thr corner when some idiot set off a huge firework.  Jim told me Jake jumped in the air with fright and turned tail for home, just after that there was another explosion, then another.  Jake was shaking like a leaf by the time they got home and when Jim had taken his collar and lead off, he ran into the living room and curled up next to the settee.  Jim was livid and nearly went over to the men who where responsible and complained but he knew they wouldn`t have taken any notice.  I suppose we`ll be hearing firework exploding for several weeks at least.  Thankfully Jake is fine because he is still young and once safely indoors the noise doesn`t bother him, but they leave many other animals terrified.  I know many pet owners who dread this time of year.  Once upon a time there were fireworks just for one day, November 5th, Guy Fawkes Night, now it seems to go on forever. 

Well that`s me finished for today.  I still have all my journal alerts to read so I`d better get on with them now!  I hope you all enjoy the rest of today, take care my friends.

 

 

QUOTES

`I did not became a vegetarian for the sake of my health.  I did it for thr sake of the chickens.`

Isaac Bashevis Singer.

`At fifty, everyone has the face he deserves.`

George Orwell.

` To his dog, every man is Napoleon, hence the constant popularity of dogs.`

Aldous Huxley.

` There are only two things a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and his mother`s age.`

Benjamin Spock.

 

LOOKING BACK

              

 

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another Wednesday.  Here we are in the middle of the week already, where does the time go.  I read a little while ago that life is like a toilet roll, the nearer you get to the end the faster it goes...lol!   Today I was up early again and walking  Jake and I throughly enjoyed it too.  Firstly I btiefly met a friend of Kerry`s, R, while he was out running.  He is a professional athletics trainer and amateur athlete.  Though just a few years older than Kerry he is now considered to be a veteran in his field, but to see him fly past on his fast lap he doesn`t look like one to me, I feel tired just watching him!  Then I met a fellow dog-walker and we stopped and had a long chat, her dog and Jake were both fed-up with waiting around so they both laid down and had a rest. By the time I reached home I`d been out for an hour and a half and decided to hang my washing out.  I`m just hoping that it will dry a little as quite a bit of it isn`t suitable to go in the dryer and I don`t want damp washing hanging up in the house.

I wanted to share this photo with you.  It is my late Father and Kerry at 18 months.   They absolutely adored each other as you can see in this picture.  Even when Kerry was that young Dad would always say that she would go far in life.  How I wish he had lived to see that she did just that with her singing that took her around the world several times over.  He would have been so proud of her.  I will try to find a clearer picture of them but this one captures a special moment I think.  I can now see that Roman resembles Kerry in looks a great deal, though others says he looks like his Dad but he is forever changing and he his getting more and more like his Mum, some have even said he is like Jim but I can`t see that myself!

This afternoon I`m going with Kerry to the baby clinic where Roman will be weighed and have his second round of vaccinations.  Last time he was really good and had no after effects, so hopefully it will be the same this time. So, I`m finishing this entry now as I have to eat before getting ready to go out. I hope you all have a lovely day and please take care.

 

    

 

JUST TRIVIA

 

HIPPOPOTOMONSTROESQUIPPEDALIOPHOBIA

is the fear of long words.

 

CLINOPHOBIA

is the fear of beds.

 

UNATRACTIPHOBIA

is the fear of ugly people.

 

ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA

is a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.

 

PAEDOPHOBIA

is the fear of children.

 

PHOBATRIVIAPHOBIA

is the fear of trivia about phobias.

 

A census in 1920 revealed that fewer than one Eskimo in forty-six has ever seen an igloo.

In Taiwan a third of all funeral processions feature a stripper.

Tibetans rub themselves down with rancid yak fat to keep themselves warm.

Indian Totem poles represent family trees the same way the English Heraldic crests do.

 

WALKING IN THE RAIN

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my journal on this very wet and blustery day.  An appropriate word as I am want to introduce you to Roman`s new toys, including Winnie the Pooh of `blustery day` fame.  This Winnie is lovely and soft, stands a foot tall and plays the tambourine whilst asking for some honey....what else!  He is joined by a smaller version of himself in Christmas attire, Bob the Builder with his working pneumatic drill, a toy rain stick, a shape sorter, a small lorry , an activity centre in the shape of a train engine complete with farm animal noises and an activity tree house with all sorts of lights and sounds going on that is completely unused by M & M`s children.  I`m sure Roman will have as much fun with them as Jim and I have been having...lol!

Yesterday was such a busy day for me, in the morning I was rushing around trying to get ready as I`d overslept again and I was going out in the afternoon with Kerry to visit my SIL.  When I finally got ready I grabbed a sandwich and was out of the house. We has a really hectic afternoon there too, Jim`s other sister was there as were three of my SIL`s grandchildren, then her hubby and a friend of his, the phone didn`t stop ringing all afternoon and the doorbell didn`t stop either.  Roman was quite miserable and didn`t stop crying for most of the afternoon, nothing or nobody could settle him until we were back in the car where he fell into a deep sleep, leaving poor Kerry with a headache.  Then we were stuck in a traffic tailback with the rain pouring down around us.  Our journey should have taken 20 minutes but ended up being over an hour.  Poor Jake was practically doing somersaults around the house when I got home, so pleased was he to see me, he must have thought he`d been abandoned!

This morning I was supposed to look after Roman while Kerry went to her exercise class, but she wasn`t feeling too well this morning and didn`t go.  So as I was up and dressed early I took Jake for a long walk, taking advantage of the drier weather thar was not going to last long.  I really enjoyed the walk too, the air felt great and though and I just put a fleece jacket over my T-shirt and decided that this was going to be and very brisk walk.  So, shoulders back I marched off with Jake trotting quickly by my side.  He loves to walk quickly and so do I, it really get`s my blood circulating and I end up feeling very good about life in general.  Something to do with endorphins I think they are called!  We walked about a two mile in fifty minutes, taking in Church lane,  and St. Mary`s church.  I love to walk past there and pause a moment, though I`m not really religious I feel drawn to it and it has a deep spritual feel.  I remember as if it was yesterday when a schoolfriend died at only ten years old.  She is buried in the pretty little churchyard acre.

When I got home I decided to do my posting early this morning, unusual for me but I have the time so why not?!  I really thought Slava had his interview yesterday but it isn`t until Thursday morning.  I hope he does get the job and if he does I`ll tell you all about it, I know he has a very good chance, so fingers crossed please!

I have to get a new mouse and keyboard as all the letters have worn off of mine and though I know where most of the letters are I still keep hitting some of the wrong ones and some words look like I`m typing in a foreign language.  I`m going shopping with Jim on Saturday so I`ll get one then, this one just has to go.

Well that`s enough about me today, I have a short ghost story for you and a few bits of trivia.  Have a good day all of you and take care.

 

 

 

   

 

Cullen House is close to the fishing village of Cullen in Banffshire, Scotland. The house and all the lands have been in the family of the Earl of Seafield for over 200 years.  The ghost that haunts Cullen House is thought to be that of james Ogilvie, the 3rd Earl.  James was known to suffer from a severe form of mental illness and was often had severe, uncontollable fits where he became a danger to himself and to others.  When these fits were imminent, his staff, who recognised the signs, would try to secure him and keep him from harm.

On one occasion however, they were unsuccessful.  The `Mad Earl`, as him was known, had a particularly violent attack and in the course of which there was a struggle between him and a close friend, the friend was killed.  When the Earl recovered from the attack, he realised what he had done and was inconsolable and took his own life.  His despairing ghost is said to wander the site to this day.

 

JUST TRIVIA

In Athens, Greece, a drivers licence taken be taken away if the driver is deemed either `poorly dressed` or `unbathed`.

On the island of New Jersey it`s against the law for a man to knit during the fishing season.

It is against the law to hunt whale in Oklahoma.

According to a British law passed in 1945, attempting to commit suicide was a capital offence.  Offenders could be hanged for trying.

It is illegal to sell an ET doll in France.  They have law forbidding the sale of dolls that do not have human faces.

 

  Thank you to my friend Sara for this tag.

 

PS:  Voting starts today in the VIVI awards.  Good luck to all nominees and may the best Journallers win!

SANDRA`S SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

Hello everyone,

Welcome to a quiet Sunday.  I woke this morning to a beautiful day, though a little cool the sun was up, a perfect autumn day.  Jim is working a day shift today and I woke at 6am when he left the house.  I fully intended to get up then but I drifted off again and didn`t wake until just before 9, I must have been more tired than I thought.  Being Sunday I always do the ironing in the morning....Hah!  not today I decided, it can wait until tomorrow, a change is as good as a rest!  I took Jake for a long walk instead, collecting some leaves as I walked around the streets.  I must have looked rather silly with them all the sticking out of my pockets.  I would have taken photos but it`s not possible when I`m out on my own as I`m not sure how he would behave if I stopped to take a photo, well I do and that`s the point, if he were to see a bird he would charge off after it and goodness knows what would happen!  I`ll wait until I`m out with Kerry and she can hold his lead.  While I was out I walked past out local parish hall and I heard the choir there singing gospel music.  It was lovely and I could have stood there and listened for ages but I think perhaps the people who live in the houses opposite mey have wondered what I was doing there.

I took this after we came home from our walk.  Jake was a bit worried because there were some men outside working on the road.  He sees it as his job to warn me of approaching strangers....trouble was that they were right outside the house and Jake was not amused. The workmen are supposed to be repairing the road ourside but all they are really doing is filling in ruts and holes, and still they have missed lots of them.  I`m sure it would be easier and far better to tarmac the whole road, but I suppose that is too easy an option.  If they just fill the holes, they will crack and break up and it will keep them in work filling them in again!

I din`t know what time Kerry and Slava will be home but Slava has a job interview tomorrow morning to I hope it won`t be too late.  It took them over five hours to get to Scarborough but it was a long drive and they had to stop several times to rest and to feed Roman.  I recieved a text message last night and Kerry said he was fast asleep so I take it they managed to put the cot up without a problem, I`ll ask her tomorrow.

Did anyone watch Strictly Come Dancing last night?  I love that program as I think ballroom dancing is wonderful and I especially love to watch the male dancers.  And why not I ask....lol!  I wish I could dance like that, in fact I wish I could dance full stop.  I had lessons as a child and I was worse than hopeless, they do say practise makes perfect but I`m afraid I`m a hopeless case!

Danny called me this morning and he sounded really cheerful, so we had a lovely chat and a bit of a giggle about abbatoirs and pigs.....trust me, so would you if you`d heard the whole conversation.  Well it seems everything is good in my world, at least for today.  I even found a website about a carrot museum...yes, carrot!  I even have some carrot trivia for you.  Don`t worry I`ll only post the good ones!

That`s it from me, enjoy the rest of Sunday, relax and put your feet up.  Bye Bye!

 

 

BLONDE ON BLONDES

A blonde is terribly overweight, so her doctor puts her on a diet.  " I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this proceedure for two weeks.  The next time I see you, you`ll have lost five pounds."

When the blonde returned, she shocked the doctor by losing 20 pounds. "Why, that`s amazing!" the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?"

The blonde nodded, "I`ll tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead the third day."

" From hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor.

" No, from all that skipping."

 

CARROT TRIVIA

There is a carrot pie flavour jellybean.

It`s a myth that Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny was allergic to carrots, he just didn`t like them.

The Anglo-Saxons included carrots as an ingredient in a medicinal drink against the devil and insanity.

 

QUOTES

~  You`re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on. ~

Dean Martin

~  In order to keep a true perpective of one`s importance, everyone should have a dog who will worship him and a cat that will ignore him. ~

Dereke Bruce

 

VIVI AWARDS ~THANK YOU EVERYONE!

       

 

Hello everyone,

Well I`ve been nominated for Duchess of Blog and I am so happy.  How lovely to get a nomination, I feel really privileged.  Thankyou, thankyou and thankyou again.  I`m up against the very best journals in this category, three of which are among my regular journals and it`s obvious why they were chosen.  I want to congratulate Jeannette, Jeannette`s Jottings,  Sara, SarasDays and Sylvia, JotttingsfromtheSticks.  The very best of luck to you all!

I found this leaf lying by the front door this morning and Jim asked me to scan it and see how it looked.  With a bit of editing this is the result, though I say so myself I think it looks rather nice!

Slava came over last night to get the travel cot for their journey to Scarborough. It was so funny watching him trying to fold it up and he didn`t believe it would fit in the holdall sized bag it came in.  I had to show him how it was done and I just hope he remembers how to put it up again.  I explained several times so I`m sure he`ll manage it.  This morning Kerry rang me to ask for the baby alarm to take with them, I took a deep breath and explained that I told Slava it was in the carry bag with the cot....men!  I`ve asked Kerry to give me a call when they get there as it`s a long journal up there and I worry.....I know I shouldn`t as Kerry has been driving the length and breadth of the country since the age of seventeen but the roads are more dangerous now I think.

Thismorning Jim brought home another batch of toys, given us by our friends M&M.  There children have outgrown them and they are in beautiful condition, some of them completely unused.  Tomorrow I will take a photograph and post it  here.  Jim and I have decided to keep them here for when Roman comes over here so he has some toys to play with, plus they have even less space with the last lot of roys they were given, that`s without any Chistmas pressies.  Before long there won`t be room in the flat for Kerry and Slava, just Roman and his clothes and toys...lol!

Today we had lunch at the garden centre cafe (where else!) then came home and planted the narcissis bulbs that have been waiting for weeks, pulled uip a few weeds, chopped a few dead bits of of the plants and I think the garden will have to take care of itself from now on. All it needs now is maybe cutting the grass one more time, unless of course the weather stays as warm as it has been lately.

Well once again thank you very much for nominating me, I can`t say enough what it means to me.  Have a lovely day, enjoy your weekend and please take care.

 

 

OOOPS!

Microsoft are considering changing the `Press any key` comment. Too many people are contacting them asking which is `any` key.

The Government Tourist Board of South Vietnam ran this ad in the Malayan press in 1966: `Come to Vietnam for your next vacation. Something different`.

In 1976, Mt Bill Hancock of Hanley, Staffordshire, complained to his local council that buses were driving past queues of up to 30 people.  Councillor Arthur Cholerton then made transport history by stating that if buses stopped to pick up passengers it would disrupt the time-table!

 

QUOTES

" In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but theyproduced Michelangelo, Leonardoda Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had 500 years of democracy and peace and what did they produce?   The cuckoo clock."

Orson Welles.

"I choose a block of marble and chop off what I don`t need."  Rodin (1840-1917), when asked how he managed to make his remarkable statues.

" The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and instead of his tongue."

Anonymous.

THE MOUSE AND THE MOUNTAIN!

My PC is ailing!

 

Hello everyone,

Do you ever get a song going round and round in your head and can not get rid of it however hard you try?  And if you do, why is it that the song is always one you don`t like?  Well, it`s been happenning to me all day, I keep on singing "Climb Every Mountain" from "The Sound of Music".  The thing is I can`t stand the song and I`m certain I haven`t heard it lately nor have I any desire to climb a mountain in the near future, so why?  Whatever the reason, it`s driving me crazy and I want it to stop NOW! 

This morning I decided to get some major housework done while I was in the right frame of mind.  I pottered around with the polish and duster wiping dust from everything in my path including the mouse pad which looked a little tatty....BIG mistake.  Later on when I sat down at the computer I couldn`t control the mouse, it was slipping and sliding all over the place while I tried to wrestle it under control.  I`m still trying several hours later.  That`ll teach me!

The computer has been playing up lately, with screen freezes and crashes, at one point my mouse started to squeak....yes really.....just before it crashed again. How was that possible, a squeaking mouse...lol?  . I`ll just have to wait and see what happens though I`m sure it`s not a virus with all the protection we have.

Kerry dragged me out shopping this morning, much against my will as I wasn`t in the mood.  When we parked the car at the top of the multi-storey carpark, we saw a film crew in the middle of shooting.  Then we realised it was a "Bollywood film" with it`s all Indian cast surrounding a very flashy sports car.  Kerry said that perhaps if we sashayed past Banghra style they might just pay us as extras but we decided against it and went to the shops leaving behind our chance of fame and fortune...lol! I didn`t buy anything myself today, I just left it all to Kerry who has started her Christmas shopping too.  I just carried her bags around for her once the tray beneath Roman`s pram was full.

When we got home we took Jake for a shorter walk this time as the sky was very threatening.  It didn`t rain luckily as I doubt our umbrellas would have stood up to the wind that was blowing.  Afterwards Kerry went home as she is off to Yorkshire for the weekend in the morning and she had to get ready, leaving me to spend some time online reading journals.  I seem to have more journals than ever now....where do they all come from?  But I try to read them all every day...honest, I just don`t always leave comments. 

That`s all from me for today.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, have a lovely day and do take care.

 

 

HUMOUR

 

To be intoxicated is to feel sophisticated but not be able to say it.

The older you get, you better you realise you were.

I doubt, therefore I might be.

If you`re too open minded, your brains will fall out.

Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes.  That way, if they do get angry, they`ll be a mile away --- and barefoot.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

If you look like your passport photo, you probably need the trip.

 

 

 

THE MOUSE AND THE MOUNTAIN!

My PC is ailing!

 

Hello everyone,

Do you ever get a song going round and round in your head and can not get rid of it however hard you try?  And if you do, why is it that the song is always one you don`t like?  Well, it`s been happenning to me all day, I keep on singing "Climb Every Mountain" from "The Sound of Music".  The thing is I can`t stand the song and I`m certain I haven`t heard it lately nor have I any desire to climb a mountain in the near future, so why?  Whatever the reason, it`s driving me crazy and I want it to stop NOW! 

This morning I decided to get some major housework done while I was in the right frame of mind.  I pottered around with the polish and duster wiping dust from everything in my path including the mouse pad which looked a little tatty....BIG mistake.  Later on when I sat down at the computer I couldn`t control the mouse, it was slipping and sliding all over the place while I tried to wrestle it under control.  I`m still trying several hours later.  That`ll teach me!

The computer has been playing up lately, with screen freezes and crashes, at one point my mouse started to squeak....yes really.....just before it crashed again. How was that possible, a squeaking mouse...lol?  . I`ll just have to wait and see what happens though I`m sure it`s not a virus with all the protection we have.

Kerry dragged me out shopping this morning, much against my will as I wasn`t in the mood.  When we parked the car at the top of the multi-storey carpark, we saw a film crew in the middle of shooting.  Then we realised it was a "Bollywood film" with it`s all Indian cast surrounding a very flashy sports car.  Kerry said that perhaps if we sashayed past Banghra style they might just pay us as extras but we decided against it and went to the shops leaving behind our chance of fame and fortune...lol! I didn`t buy anything myself today, I just left it all to Kerry who has started her Christmas shopping too.  I just carried her bags around for her once the tray beneath Roman`s pram was full.

When we got home we took Jake for a shorter walk this time as the sky was very threatening.  It didn`t rain luckily as I doubt our umbrellas would have stood up to the wind that was blowing.  Afterwards Kerry went home as she is off to Yorkshire for the weekend in the morning and she had to get ready, leaving me to spend some time online reading journals.  I seem to have more journals than ever now....where do they all come from?  But I try to read them all every day...honest, I just don`t always leave comments. 

That`s all from me for today.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, have a lovely day and do take care.

 

 

HUMOUR

 

To be intoxicated is to feel sophisticated but not be able to say it.

The older you get, you better you realise you were.

I doubt, therefore I might be.

If you`re too open minded, your brains will fall out.

Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes.  That way, if they do get angry, they`ll be a mile away --- and barefoot.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

If you look like your passport photo, you probably need the trip.