Update - stupid me  I forgot to go public yesterday 

A very happy 50th birthday to my dear son Adrian Michael

I do get very annoyed by the stupid things that happen here and the litigious society we have become.This week a mother has been awarded compensation for damages because her two year old son was hit by a three year old with a carjack as they sat in a car. Neither mother was present at the time ! Now, who in their right mind would leave two babies ( for that's what they were ) alone in a car and why was the jack in the car ? The case had been heard twice before and not been successful so, we the taxpayers, have paid out for three court cases and now the compensation. I think that both the women involved should be made to pay damages ! Madeline McCann has been missing for more than two years now, she disappeared from a hotel bedroom whilst on holiday in Portugal. Four year old Madeline was left asleep in the room with her 2yr.old brother and sister while her parents went to to join friends for a meal. The parents went back and to to check on the children every 20 minutes or so but Madeline had been taken by some one. Two years on the parents are still using the media to find her - there are more than 11 pages of websites about her ! Now I know that it must be devastating for the parents BUT surely it was their responsibility to stay with such young children - a duty of care that comes with parenting.  OK ! end of rant

Golden Oldies
These days we old folk are worth a fortune
Silver in our hair, gold in our teeth, stones in out kidneys, lead in our feet and gas in our stomachs
Being frivolous I have the attention of two gentlemen every blessed day- Will Power who gets me out of bed and Arthur Ritis just never leaves me alone
The vicar called yesterday. He said " Never mind the frivolity-you really should be thinking of Hell and the hereafter ! " " Vicar " I said " Every day they are on my mind ,no matter where I am in the house, I say " What the Hell am I here after ? "

 
I hope that all ourdoorsmen ( and women ) read this sign VERY carefully

It's good to have a choice isn't it ?
This has been a busy week for me, on Tuesday we gave our " oldies " at the bingo a lunch. It was hotpot followed by apple pie and cream - no ! I didn't slave over a hot stove as we bought it in from a local bakery and it was as good as any home-made would ever be. For those of you who don't know what hotpot is I'll explain this Northern English favourite. It consists of beef, onions and potatoes cooked together and covered with a pastry " lid " - real winter warming food. We served it with red cabbage or beetroot in vinegar.

 

The apple pie was delicious as the apples were not pureed but were whole pieces. The hotpot was served in individual foil cases so it was easy to give out though we had to cut the apple pie into pieces and put the cream in ourselves. All in all it was as easy-peasy change to our usual afternoon. On Tuesday night I had a meeting here to compose the prayers that will be used at the Masses this weekend. The prayers are called the Prayers Of The Faithful ( or bidding prayers ) and reflect the needs of the community so for example one is about this years Remembrance Sunday ( tomorrow ) when the country honour the dead of all the wars since the Great War of 1914-18. In cities, towns and villages in the UK wreaths of poppies will be laid on the war memorials ( cenotaphs ) by the mayors with councillors and various bodies such as the British Legion,the Scouts and ordinary people. On the 11th of the month there will be a minutes silence to commemorate the fallen heroes who died for us. On Wednesday I had another meeting of a group called the Society Of St. Vincent De Paul which is a charitable group that works to help the poorest in our town and also those abroad.
I can't believe that I started this blog on Saturday and haven't yet posted it ! Where has the time gone ? I watched a film about Churchill on Sunday, Monday evening had a VERY long phone call from my DIL Gail and last night a man came to install a new printer for me - so no time for Xanga
Today , the official Remembrance Day there was a special service in St. Paul's cathedral attended by the Queen to honour the last three service men from the Great War 1914-18 who died this year, all of whom were more than 100 years old.

The view from the bedroom where my computer is There is an old Irish song called " the forty shades of green " which I think is appropriate here !

I am now the proud greatgrand mother of Vincent Leo, my third GGC. so I will bore you with photos taken recently

 
Don't I look proud ?

Vincent wondering " Who is is this strange person ?"

Still thinking " She is a stranger but I think I like her "

Time for a cuddle

Vincent had hiccups so needed a pat on the back !

 
Here he is with his mummy Laura. She said it is the first photo of the two of them since he was born three weeks ago. The rest of the family have had their's taken with him but poor Laura has missed out !
I took the first photo earlier today- now the weather has changed dramatically, it is very windy and rainy. I even had to put on the light when I was having my meal and because the hour goes on tomorrow my evening meals will, for the next few months,be eaten with the lights on.
Winter is coming

I can't believe that we are more than half way through October The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous, warm sunny days, almost summery, so it hasn't seemed like autumn really. Today however there is a marked change in the temperature - it is cold ! Time to get out the gloves and scarves and put away the t-shirts and light jackets. In two weeks time the hour goes back ( or is it forward ??? ) and then it will really feel as if winter is nigh.
I had a serious moment of reminiscing on Friday when I came across the Biography channel and there was Shirley Temple. When I was little I wanted to be her, I wanted the curls, the dresses and the ability to dance- in fact I wanted it all ! Does any one else remember her films ? I saw most of them and thought she was younger than me but have now found out that she is four years older - I wonder why she always seemed so childlike ? Actually after seeing the biopic I realise that she had a very strange life, rarely mixing with other children and always being told to " sparkle " by her mother. I remember having a cardboard Shirley Temple doll that you could "dress up" by fixing clothes over the doll with little tabs. I loved that doll ! My other heroines were Dianna Durbin as she wore pretty dresses  and Esther Williams because she could swim so well, an accomplishment I have never achieved. I don't think that these stars would be interesting to the young girls of today do you ?

I might not have had the curls but I had the ribbon
This week I have to go church get the Christmas cards ready as people are asking for them already and as there are going to be postal strikes over the next few weeks panic is setting in about how the overseas post will be affected. Let's hope it will be sorted out well before Christmas ! I have, for a change, actually bought some Christmas presents but I have a problem ! Over the last few years I have sent presents to Xangan friends BUT haven't kept a record of what I sent to whom so I'll have to rack my brain or "think outside the box" and buy more unusual gifts
Dratted computer or stupid operator ? I've spent hours and hours trying to get a photo from my desktop on to my blog but I can't manage to download it. I'm really annoyed with myself but hey ! life is full of little troubles and as long as big ones don't come along I'll survive ( does that remind you of a song ? )
A few " bon mots "
The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority. Ralph. W. Sockman
Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time. Steven Wright
Everyone gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense. Gertrude Stein