The remains of a door and garden lounger into the bin .

Boxes, newspaper and garden refuse into recycling bins.

Magazines  given to a friend.

Flower pots donated to a local charity.

8 Bookcrossing books labelled and ready for release.

Me -  struggles into house of elderly father carrying more shopping than is good for my arms.

Him - Good morning.
           Oh we're wearing stripes today!

Me - Yes I found it in the wardrobe and as it is very hot I thought I'd wear it.

Him -  Well are you wearing it for a bet?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESTHER
                                        xxx                                              




(








(with thanks to Leonie who is so much more organised!)

I spend a great deal of time listening to this station.

I couldn't believe my ears just now.
Whilst listening to an item about a national library strategy and a national library card I heard  the presenter say that " it would be possible for anyone to loan a book in any library in the country".
Strange that - I've always thought of myself as a borrower ( but not the tiny, hide in a cupboard type!).

When I worked I always came out fighting the paperwork when the deadline rushed towards me. I seemed to need that added pressure to focus and inspire some clear thinking. I suppose losing contracts by not completing in the given timescale also helped!

Yesterday I found myself in a similar situation. I had a deadline -  to use 300 units on a family history site by midnight. I had set aside a few days to try to achieve this but all the day to day rubbish/dramas which have to be dealt with got in the way.
I have no computer knowledge whatsoever so a series of rage inducing mishaps with the PC and the printer didn't help. Consequently there was much swearing and little progress in the first part of the day.
I couldn't miss The Apprentice and the BBC2 follow -up, so from 10.30 to midnight I think I discovered more about the family than in the last six months.

Family history is so interesting and frustrating at the same time. I always come back to the mystery surrounding my great,great grandfather who was born in London. I thought I'd found his birth certificate , but can find no other references to his parents. I've spent hours going round and round this part of the family and this week I found another census showing a possible father in my certain ancestors. This man would have been seventeen at the time of his son's birth but the child's parents were married (or claim to be married) at the time of the birth.


There are other mysteries in other parts of the family, some are explained by remarriages and also someone reverting to a maiden name after being widowed. The whole exercise is further complicated by my brain and its inability  to work logically and my extremely short attention span.

After using the units I chatted to a RL friend who had noticed I was online late so today I feel exhausted and feeling that I don't know what I don't know!

Nowadays I have ample time to people watch, I used to do it professionally and I guess old habits die hard.

Yesterday I sat in a bank for about thirty minutes and as I watched the staff and the customers interact I became aware of an underlying aggression which seems to bubble up to the surface very quickly in people of all ages. I am guilty of this myself but like to think that I still have respect for other people (particularly vulnerable people) and their property.

Why is there a real lack of respect in our society?

We drop litter in our town centres, residential areas and the most scenic parts of our country.

Some children and teenagers barge other users off pavements and when reprimanded hurl a torrent of abuse at the complainer.

Some assistants in shops seem unwilling to assist.

Most motorists  assume a  right to park or drive wherever they choose with a complete disregard for others.
Blue badge and parent parking is abused consistently.

I am so stunned when someone holds a door for me these days I thank them profusely.

When a lady gave up her place in a supermarket queue for my cousin she couldn't believe it.


Are we all so busy and so important these days that we consider only ourselves?

Today is Comic Relief Day and we all contribute generously to that and many other causes - is that our quick fix?
Should there be red faces as well as red noses today?