Just when you thought it was all over......

I got another two awards from Ron!

He's a lovely bloke with two very different blogs - I first visited him at Foot Notes - a lovely blog about alternative therapies, packed full of useful information on Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Reiki etc., then recently he started Vent on which he does just that! They are worlds apart and I love them both.

Here's my two new beauties

Be The Blog Award

AND

Another one of these cuties - Best Blogging Buddies Award

And here's what he said about me

'Akelamalu at "Everything and Nothing" just totally blows my mind. She has the most readers of any blogger I've ever know. And what's amazing about this lady, is the fact that she consistently answers each and every comment (individually). She posts every day, and always finds the time to visit everyone else's blog....AND she works a job! Thank you Akelamalu...for being one of my Best Blogging Buddies. You are loved!'

I'm touched, I really am, not being 12 months old yet and still a novice at all this.

So I thank you Ron from the bottom of my heart, I love you too!

Now I get to pass them on, but I really can't choose just a few out of all my blogging buddies. So if you can tell me how old I am, (God knows I've dropped enough hints), that will show you're a good blogging buddy cos you take the trouble to read what I write, you can take both awards for your very own. Anyone who says 21 is automatically entitled to both awards! Queenie you're excluded because you already know how old I am without reading my blog, just take the awards anyway!

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I must apologise if I have neglected any of you recently, what with working every day and hospital visiting every night I just haven’t had as much time as I would like to blog. Once my Dad is out of hospital I will still be strapped for time, having to call to see him most days to see to his needs until he’s fully recovered from his operation. My Dad lives quite near the hospital he’s in, but it is a good 10 miles from where I live so you can understand why I haven’t much time doing a 20 mile round trip every night can’t you?

I do feel bad posting on my blog when I’m not able to visit yours, it seems very selfish expecting you to read what I write but not read yours, so I promise I will catch up as soon as I can.

No escape.........

David's (Authorblog) question this week is

Have you ever answered or made a call on a cellphone while you were in a toilet? (Or even wanted to and thought better of it)

If you want to join in here's what David would like you to do:

Please answer today's question on your own blog, any time until next weekend. Just link to this blog (or to this post) so I can follow the progress of the discussion.And the question is:





I have never made a call from a toilet, but you can guarantee if I go to the bathroom my phone will ring or I’ll get a text message! MWM got fed up of running upstairs with my mobile, so I always take it with me now – I know it’s terrible! It’s not just my mobile though, our landline phone is a cordless one so I can’t even escape calls on that, MWM brings that to me too!
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I know I should really just ignore it but I can’t, it might be important. When you have children, grandchildren and elderly parents a phone call could mean you have to get there fast, so I feel I have to answer the call wherever I am.


I have a friend who regularly goes for a piddle whilst she’s talking to me on the phone – luckily I can’t hear what she’s doing because she doesn’t stop talking!


Until I was 14 we didn’t have a phone – I don’t know how we managed but we did- I think we used pigeons! It’s like any technology I think, you just get into the habit of using it once you’ve got it, and then you can’t do without it!


Are mobile phones a curse or a blessing? The jury’s out on this one I think, I know I’d miss mine if I didn’t have it. They can be very intrusive and I do switch mine off if I am in a restaurant, theatre or the like, but they can be a lifesaver too – Imagine getting locked in a public lavatory with no-one about, you’d be glad to make a call then wouldn’t you?


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UPDATE


Dad's going great guns. He's on crutches now with permission to go where and when he wants! He informed us yesterday that he's been thinking how soon he can dig his garden over!

Get the decorations out.....

I spotted this at Misty's blog and thought as I already have a Christmas Tree up, and I've posted the first Christmas Carols Quiz, I'd join in, and if you have your speakers on you'll know by now that I've got Christmas songs playing - what do you mean you don't like them??



All you have to do is decorate your blog with something Christmassy, click on the button and sign the Mr Linky at Stacey and Maries Deck the Blogs site so they know you're joining in. If you live in the US or Canada you'll be in with a chance of winning some fab prizes too, but wherever you live you can make your blog Christmassy and see others do the same. So, go on, join in the fun!

Also Mary at Mary's Writing Nook is giving anyone who wants it this lovely button for their blog.

If you want one pop over to Mary's blog and email her for the html code.

I'm off to look for some more Christmassy things to put on my blog - I love bling and glitz.

Don't forget you have until Friday to email me your answers to the quiz if you want to join in.

Hip, Hop.........

You will know by now that my Dad had his hip replacement operation on Wednesday. He's doing really well and actually walked the length of the ward yesterday (using a frame)! The physiotherapists are really pleased with how hard he's working to get mobile. Dad said the pain isn't too bad, certainly not as bad as before the operation so that's good. He's very optimistic which is great.

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I was thinking recently "I've not been given any awards for a while, nobody loves me" when low and behold

Misty Dawn at 'My Dogs Keep Me Sane' has given me TWO!

Are they cute or what??? Thank you Misty, I'm honoured.

There doesn't seem to be any rules about passing them on so if you visit me please take one/both for yourself as I think of you all as friends.

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Don't forget if you want to join in the fun of the Christmas Carols Quiz you have until Friday to email your answers to me. Scroll down for the post.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction #2 No Choice

No choice

He put the pickaxe and spade in the trunk.

He knew just the place, it was dense, nobody would notice disturbed earth there.

Dark came, he trudged deep into the forest and started digging.

It was hard work but he’d no choice.

The kids wanted a Christmas tree and he couldn’t afford to buy one!

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If you want to have a go at the Christmas Carols Quiz you have until Friday next week to email me the answers.

Christmas Carol Quiz part 1.........

Just to get you in the mood for Christmas

Remember the Nursery Rhyme quizzes? Well this is a bit like those only the initials represent the first line of Christmas Carols and Songs.

Here's an example:

O.I.R.D.C. - Once In Royal David's City - get the idea?

Email (through my profile) your answers to me by Friday and on Saturday I'll post the answers and the winner(s).

All those who get any right can claim this snazzy Christmas badge for their blog.

1. O.L.T.O.B.

2. S.N.H.N.


3. W.S.W.T.F.B.N.


4. A.I.A.M.


5. G.K.W.L.O.


6. J.B.J.B.J.A.T.W.


7. R.T.R.N.R.


8. T.H.A.T.I.


9. O.T.F.D.O.C.


10. D.T.H.W.B.O.H.

G.L. (That's Good Luck)

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QUICK UPDATE

My Dad finally got his hip replacement yesterday and is doing well.

Snail Mail......

David's (Authorblog) question this week is:

When did you last write or receive a real snail-mail letter (you know, in an addressed envelope)?

If you want to join in here's what David would like you to do:
Please answer today's question on your own blog, any time until next weekend. Just link to this blog (or to this post) so I can follow the progress of the discussion.

You know I can’t remember! Does a mailshot from the local farm where we buy our meat, we had one of those just last week in a proper written envelope?


I used to write letters all the time but once we got email, and all our family and friends were online too, it just became so much easier, quicker and cheaper to email. I used to love writing letters, I always used a fountain pen too and I could write pages and pages of nothing (ask Queenie).


When we were young MWM and I used to write love letters to each other every few days, I don’t remember when or why we stopped, so romantic. I kept all the letters and I presume he kept mine – I must ask him!


I even used to enjoy writing Christmas cards and envelopes – now I just write inside the card and have a database to print out labels to stick on the envelopes. I do sometimes put a hand-written note inside Christmas cards to people I haven’t been in contact with via email though, and some of our friends do the same. I still send birthday cards; I sometimes send e-cards if I don't have an address and they are quite nice but you can’t stand them up on the mantelpiece can you?


It’s a shame really that email has taken over, because there’s nothing quite like a letter dropping through the letterbox instead of the usual takeaway menus, charity envelopes, Damart catalogues, insurance offers, double glazing leaflets and the rest of the junk mail.


I may make an effort and start writing again, perhaps I’ll just start with a love letter, to MWM of course, then progress to writing to friends – watch out Queenie you could be getting a letter.

I need to know though - how much is postage these days and have the postal strikes finished?

But to answer to the question – a long time ago

Christmas Memories......

You know it's only 36 days to Christmas don't you?

Christmas was always a magical time when I was a child, in fact it still is for me!

When I was a child Christmas would start at the beginning of December when Dad would put up the Christmas tree and the decorations, Mum always said it was too early but Dad loves Christmas and would have left the tree and the decorations up all year if Mum had let him. When I think back our tree was the gaudiest tree you've ever seen - colour co-ordination was unheard of - if it sparkled it went on the tree!

The cupboards would be overflowing with extra food - tins of ham, biscuits, chocolate etc., which Mum had bought over the past few weeks, one item at a time, to ease the cost of Christmas. Then we had to be taken for our new clothes and shoes. We always had new clothes at Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, we probably had new clothes at other times too but clothes for these occasions were always a bit fancier.

I think Mum and Dad probably bought our Christmas presents through the year saving coppers here and there until they had enough, once again to ease the cost. I remember one summer, whilst playing in my parent's bedroom I noticed a box on top of the wardrobe. Being a nosey child I dragged a chair over and managed to climb on the tallboy so I could reach the box and take a peak. Inside was a beautiful bride doll - the one I'd noticed in the shop the Christmas before - it was my Christmas present. That was when I realised that Father Christmas didn't exist. I was wise enough not to let Mum and Dad know I'd found my present, but I was disappointed on Christmas Day as I knew what was in my parcel! That episode did teach me a lesson though as far as present's are concerned, I have been happy to wait until the correct day to open my presents since then so it's still a surprise.

Christmas Day was always spent at home stuffing ourselves with all the lovely Christmas food and playing with our new toys. On Boxing Day we always went to my Aunts house where all the family gathered to enjoy a delicious buffet, on which there was always a magnificent sherry trifle topped with hundreds and thousands and tiny silver edible balls! Some years later Aunty showed me how to make the trifle and now all my family look forward to the one I make every Christmas Day - though mine is a lot more aloholic than Aunty's. Aunty also used to make the most delicious Christmas Cake too with a cake frill round the outside and Father Christmas in his sleigh, reindeers and a snowman on the top nestling in the peaks of icing. The day always ended up with party games and a 'sing-song' with all the family joining in.

Invariably we went to the Pantomime early in the new year. Pantomime was magical - the beautiful dress Cinderella wore to the ball and her glass slippers were my idea of heaven. I loved the way the Fairy Godmother soared across the stage and how the pumpkin turned into a golden coach. It was so much fun shouting 'it's behind you' , 'oh yes it is' and 'oh no it's not' to Buttons and the Ugly Sisters. Yes Cinderella was my favourite Pantomime without a doubt.

Now at our house, when it gets to two weeks before Christmas the tree and decorations come out, much to Victor Meldrew's MWM's dismay, if it was left to him there wouldn't be any decorations, but I insist. I love seeing the grandchildren's faces when they walk in seeing the tree lights twinkling and their excitement as they search the tree for chocolates. As a child I hated when Christmas was over because the tree had to come down along with the decorations and the house looked dull and uninteresting. Even now I hate taking down my Christmas tree and always feel the house needs a lick of paint in the new year to brighten it up.

I know it's only November, but guess what, I'm getting excited!

Another year.......

older and wiser am I today, and it's my Dad's 83rd Birthday on the 20th so

to me and you Dad

Friday 55 Flash Fiction #1 The Last Kiss

This is my first attempt at 55 Flash Fiction - I hope you like it, let me know what you think.

The last kiss.

Kiss me she said, just one last time.
He kissed her tenderly.

I’m too young to die.
You will remember to bring me flowers every week won’t you?

And you won’t forget me ever?

Don’t be silly darling, he said,
The tooth will be out before you know it and then you can come home!

Arrgh No Internet.............

David's (Authorblog) question this week is

How would you cope if you had no way to use the Internet for a week?

If you want to join in here's what David would like you to do:
Please answer today's question on your own blog, any time until next weekend. Just link to this blog (or to this post) so I can follow the progress of the discussion.





Now if this was at work it would be a problem because a lot of my work is done via the internet. However, the problem would soon be fixed as we have a large, efficient IT department who would probably have the internet connection working fairly soon.

If I was without internet connection at home for a week I would probably cry!

Having thought about it -

• I could probably fill my time quite productively by taking up exercise. I have a Pilates machine gathering dust, I could go swimming and there are some lovely walks round where I live, though I don’t like walking in the rain or snow.


• We have an office full of books at home and MWM brings 3 or 4 books home from the library every week, so I could catch up on my reading – I love a good book
  
• All my cupboards and wardrobes are in need of clearing out, then there’s the loft – we have enough stuff to start a shop, perhaps I could sell it on Ebay once the Internet was up and running again.
  
• Our dining room needs decorating but we haven’t got round to it, so that would be a good project, I could rope MWM into that too.
  
• I could help MWM tidy the garden. It looks quite forlorn at this time of year and there are a ton of leaves to be collected.


• I could do some baking. I used to bake every Friday evening when the boys were at home, but it doesn’t seem worth it now because I don’t eat cake and biscuits as I seem to be on a permanent diet and MWM doesn’t eat them either, because if I’m on a diet then so is he!


• I could spring clean the house but MWM does such a good job of the cleaning since he retired that there’s nothing left for me to do.
  
• I could write letters to friends but they’d much rather get an email.


• I could go shopping – I’m really good at shopping!

However, whilst all these things are very productive, I would rather stick pins in my eyeballs than do any of them, with the exception of shopping, so I would probably spend my time composing posts ready to copy onto my blog once the internet was connected again.

I think I'm addicted!!!

To Jab or Not to Jab.....

What do you think about the immunisation of children against childhood diseases?


It has been in the news recently that the Government are toying with the idea of immunising children and/or the elderly against Chickenpox.


My two boys had all their jabs and had the vaccine for Chickenpox been available they would have had that too, after hearing my Dad’s account of how ill I was as a child with Chickenpox. Apparently I was near death and it was only the excellent nursing provided by my Grandmother (KIT) that saved me.


The reason behind wanting to immunise the elderly is because of the risk of Shingles, the adult form of Chickenpox, which can be even more dangerous than Chickenpox in children apparently. I know a few people who have suffered with Shingles and they vouched for how very painful it was and how ill they were, luckily they didn’t suffer any after effects.


Neither of my boys contracted Chickenpox, thankfully, but the elder did contract Measles just before he was due to be immunised. It was the most frightening experience of my life. He was so ill I really though we were going to lose him and, as it turned out, he lost the hearing in his right ear through the disease. Of course immunisation against Measles has been around for quite some time so this particular disease is not as common as it once was.


I know there has been lots of controversy about the MMR vaccine and its possible link to Autism, obviously there are parents who are convinced that the link is there, but I have not had experience of this so cannot come down on that side of the argument. However, from what I have read, the instances of a possible link to Autism are by far outweighed by the numbers of children having the vaccine that are not adversely affected, but are protected from three very serious illnesses. Obviously if you have a child who you think has developed Autism because of having had the MMR vaccine then you would give a different argument but had my two boys had doubts about having their children immunised I would have tried to persuade them to go with the vaccine.


Immunisation, in my opinion, is the best medical intervention and invention next to Penicillin, it had almost eradicated childhood diseases and made such a difference to mortality rates. Unfortunately there has been a decline in the number of parents having their children immunised and we are seeing a rise again of these very dangerous childhood diseases. I am of the opinion Prevention is better than Cure.


What’s your opinion?

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Mimi Queen of Memes awarded me this little beauty

I'm truly honoured to receive an award from the Blogblast for Peace Queen herself.

I think I am supposed to pass it on but as there doesn't seem to be any rules about how many people to pass it on to, I want everyone who reads my drivel blog to take it for their sidebar because I consider you all my friends. xx