tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10533865637862917222024-03-05T03:36:53.998-08:00this and thatI was ignited into action by a single click one day on Three Beautiful Things. It has started a lovely rainbow effect in my life. By looking for just 3 gems in my day to write down, I found a whole colorful array that were just waiting to be remembered. Thanks Clare!denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.comBlogger310125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-29864070398865726092011-04-15T12:05:00.000-07:002011-04-17T11:52:56.853-07:00Bit of this<div>The digital radio does not like being turned off to save energy. The buggers packed up. Man about the house cannot resuscitate it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Classic FM proves the best reception. It is just what I need. And I never knew it.</div><div><br /></div><div>He does not like non specific back pain and nor do I. However I do like his designer shirt and tie it cheers me up no end.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Times;font-size:medium;"><span class="body" style=" ;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;">There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.</span><br /><span class="bodybold" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henryakis100085.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: normal; ">Henry A. Kissinger</a></span><span><br /><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-68888377947971984482011-04-06T11:57:00.001-07:002011-04-18T01:01:41.646-07:00<div>Bit of this</div><div>She is sat in the sun with a few bits of greenery petals and stones creating miniature works of art. This is indeed a miracle in the middle of a tarmac desert. Bits the man with the weed killer missed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Several girls take their shoes and socks off as they sat and chatted only to be told off. I zipped my lip with difficulty.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember you miss you taught me in nursery says a yr sixer. They want to visit so off we go to mine old memories. He loved dressing up she painting. Do they not paint now then in Ys 6.</div><div>Feels like we steal their childhood before its lived.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeQiei1jsJc&feature=related">thieving magpie</a> a tribute to conformity !!!!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeQiei1jsJc&feature=related</div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-42932274551218062862011-04-04T11:27:00.000-07:002011-04-04T12:09:14.792-07:00Bit of this<div>She is five and we spend the afternoon with her sister planting seeds and treading needles.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily there are 2 needles and 2 canvas squares and 1 obliging birthday girl who shares her booty.</div><div><br /></div><div> I take home a warm fuzzy (as we say at school) and a huge box of veggies that the older brother carries to the car.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>Crossed wires: Mother packing small sons lunch box.</div><div>"Mum I don't want cake".</div><div>"Why not" asks indignant friend.</div><div>"My zip won't do up." She jumps to conclusions. My lord eating issues at 7. Who has been teasing him in the play ground then.</div><div>"No mum, my zip won't do up there is too much food in my lunch box".</div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ak4vjiNzw&feature=related" class="video-list-item-link " style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; zoom: 1; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span class="ux-thumb-wrap contains_addto " style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- position: relative; display: inline-block; float: left; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:12px;color:transparent;"><span dir="ltr" class="yt-uix-button-group addto-container short video-actions" ids="47ak4vjiNzw" feature="thumbnail" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- position: absolute; right: 5px; bottom: 5px; opacity: 0; -webkit-transition-property: opacity; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.2s; -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-out; -webkit-transition-delay: initial; display: block; cursor: pointer; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:12px;color:transparent;"><button type="button" class="start yt-uix-button yt-uix-button-short yt-uix-tooltip" title="" action="yt.www.addtomenu.add" role="button" pressed="false" timer="8805" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0.5em; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, from(rgb(255, 255, 255)), to(rgb(239, 239, 239))); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, sans-serif; height: 23px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-left-radius: 0px 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px 0px; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; width: 24px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><img class="yt-uix-button-icon yt-uix-button-icon-addto" src="http://s.ytimg.com/yt/img/pixel-vfl3z5WfW.gif" alt="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 0px; background-image: url(http://s.ytimg.com/yt/imgbin/www-master-vflzoneYu.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; width: 11px; height: 13px; vertical-align: middle; background-position: -182px -74px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; " /><span class="yt-uix-button-content" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:12px;color:transparent;"></span></button><button type="button" class="end yt-uix-button yt-uix-button-short yt-uix-tooltip yt-uix-button-empty" title="" id="shared-addto-menu" action="" role="button" pressed="false" timer="8803" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2px; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 12px; background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, 0% 0%, 0% 100%, from(rgb(255, 255, 255)), to(rgb(239, 239, 239))); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, sans-serif; height: 23px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-left-radius: 0px 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px 0px; white-space: nowrap; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; width: 14px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><img class="yt-uix-button-arrow" src="http://s.ytimg.com/yt/img/pixel-vfl3z5WfW.gif" alt="" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 4px; border-right-width: 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 4px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-size: 0px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; width: 0px; height: 0px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(118, 118, 118); border-right-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-left-color: transparent; vertical-align: middle; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></button><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;">lunch box."</span></span></span></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-27766316259131825102011-03-18T13:15:00.000-07:002011-03-18T14:04:15.089-07:00Bit of this<div>The minutes I make up by the jogging I do with whippet are reclaimed by wonder as I watch 6 young race horses, doing what they are bred for, having fun and cavorting around their nursery field.</div><div><br /></div><div>Did you get them he yells through the school fence. "Your the best teacher ever" he beams.</div><div>He is still beaming when I catch up with him as he ices his biscuits.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was worth risking the wroth of man about the house for being late and queuing for 20 minutes in M&S.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>We will harbor you memory</div><div>We will bind our loss </div><div>In the warm currents of you laughter</div><div>We will search the sky</div><div>For your wild blazing star</div><div><br /></div><div>And your voice will endure singing out to us</div><div>Between the spaces in the wind</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B3l62rjk34&feature=related">Always free Always fee</a></div><div>Andrew</div><div> x</div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-32753817903895745482011-03-08T12:49:00.001-08:002011-03-08T13:42:13.763-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dwfXFfzvoSck87U6GFC7MNM58m2FGQ0zJtpWrv0p_uAimgki_Mk4sTJMcINREAqdcjy_Xd4A0TXIjKhLQ2Cx3slftw35PC7wXwf_7zO93-1MLdnGvLvHvBDijtsbGI1MrI8fA8c75Sk/s1600/IMG_8990.JPG"></a>Bit of this<div>Now does whippet close his eyes in drop off readiness or do his eyes droop when he can't stay awake any longer?</div><div><br /></div><div>I myself close my eyes in hopeful anticipation.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't remember when last I had a good nights kip. I get up and mooch or read, eat biscuits, listen to music, clean, go outside and look at the stars, walk the dog. In the past those wakeful hours were a gift of time. But last night was a bugger with the back and lately the hours of the night hang heavily. I couldn't believe my luck when today brought a gift of the blond and the grandson blowing in. We ate lunch in the park and had fun at the museum. And to think at 4 o'clock this morning I couldn't think how I would engage with the day. I am so glad I managed to get going and went to work. </div><div>Bit of that</div><div>Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dwfXFfzvoSck87U6GFC7MNM58m2FGQ0zJtpWrv0p_uAimgki_Mk4sTJMcINREAqdcjy_Xd4A0TXIjKhLQ2Cx3slftw35PC7wXwf_7zO93-1MLdnGvLvHvBDijtsbGI1MrI8fA8c75Sk/s400/IMG_8990.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581818584647726306" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-21146152758281932011-03-03T12:52:00.000-08:002011-03-03T12:56:33.893-08:00Bit of this<div>Oh my gawd man about the house has implemented a weekly brass cleaning regime. The brass is glowing with shock as am I.<div><br /></div><div>Some of the lads are bouncing. I round them up for a run around. "You mean I only have to go outside for 2 minutes then I can come back in". Half an hour latter he heads for the warm with glowing cheeks and a huge grin.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am considering making a large poster with "bless this mess". And sticking it up at work. </div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/Stories/Features/Signs-of-the-Kind.html">Other people</a> getting creative with posters.</div><div><br /></div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-90019346952541829242011-01-23T04:09:00.000-08:002011-01-24T08:38:29.477-08:00Bit of this<div>He has a red coat and a proud expression, his charges are a credit to him. They have beautiful manners. Achieved he tells me by tying a young hound to an older dog. </div><div><img alt="" src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/radioballads/2006/hunting/gallery/7.jpg" border="0" height="300" width="420" /></div><div>He goes on to tell me of some of their personality traits. We don't want them too tamed he tells me they need to be able to think for them selves. </div><div><br /></div><div>My mind flits to school and all the depressing spoon feeding for correct answers wot goes on. It seems that the powers that be do not value the art thinking for yourself. As they squeeze the children into more and more boxes, with more and more content in without leaving room for them to be. The fact that I came across class drama queen holding a chair aiding the escape artist while he synchronized his door handle with him the picking the child proof lock lower down. Shows how free thinking and creative we try to be in our unit, just think of all the boxes I could tick for that one, without actually illustrating the points. Marvelous team work and excellent problem solving being just 2. (We now have an extra gate). And while I was gratified to note my banging on about health and safety had sunk in with regards care taken that no one wobbled off the chair and broke their necks, I had forgotten to alert them to the dangers of the outside world should they ever want to explore beyond our walls. I say a prayer for these three that they work the system to their advantage and fly as high as I know that they can, when they do leave our walls. Not much hope of that!</div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTqivGLAZXM&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=MLGxdCwVVULXdXDK7WPzf_JT8RlrsmJ84k">Joyce Grenfell</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 21px; "><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; ">We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. ~Stacia Tauscher</span><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;color:#454545;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-43133104558573742602011-01-17T10:21:00.000-08:002011-01-17T11:13:05.790-08:00Bit of this<div>Man about the house more is getting sluggish and I need diversion from the grueling, a bike ride is in order. As we puff around the sun peeks out and the mileometer registers 222 miles. It has taken me from September to get this far but I have done it!</div><div><div><br /></div><div>What a difference a throb makes. The last stretch is peddled as fast as the legs can turn. As I rush home for a fix of this.<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; font-family:sans-serif;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Tens.jpg" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(6, 69, 173); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; "><img alt="File:Tens.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Tens.jpg/800px-Tens.jpg" width="800" height="600" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: middle; background-image: url(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Checker-16x16.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-repeat: repeat repeat; " /></a></span>However I am not optimistic. It has been over used, and cannot be turned up any higher.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hey presto within minutes I can breath and feel human again. The head clears the body straightens only to be bent over an hour latter a tiding the garden. I have a glorious couple of hours and fill the bin with surplus flower pots. I have the energy to make a mental note to track down a way to recycle them. It has been weeks and weeks since I had any sort of spring in my step. </div></div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOv2cUv4gcU&feature=related">One way to use flower pots.</a></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-22989370369272726562010-12-27T01:41:00.000-08:002010-12-27T02:35:53.635-08:00Bit of this<div>I have had an infusion of the boy the baby and the blond. It has put fizz in my blood and a spring in my step.</div><div><br /></div><div>The delight of batting the ball with another female over lunch rather than 2 monosyllabic males allows me to take gasps of pure oxygen and clears my head, the cherry on the cake is the colorful boot slip dabs finished off with fake fur. (whippet has yet to discover these and claim them as fair game).</div><div><br /></div><div>I smile as I hear the blackbird clucking as he realizes man about the house is on the move. Between us we are training him to the call of hunger. He feeds he birds before himself.</div><div>Bit of this</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zbtAxQdZcU">We hold him with more reverence here about.</a></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-56871242734947303762010-11-29T12:51:00.000-08:002010-12-08T12:08:21.865-08:00Bit of this<div>Mrs T has resurrected her Bridget Riley winter coat. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" id="table2" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><tbody><tr><td><img height="1" alt="" src="http://www.karinsanders.com/pixel.gif" width="1" border="0" /></td><td valign="top"><img height="388" alt="Bridget Riley: Descending, 1965" src="http://www.karinsanders.com/Bridget_Riley_Descending_1965_Emulsion_on_Hardboard_36x36.jpg" width="400" border="0" /></td><td><img height="1" alt="" src="http://www.karinsanders.com/pixel.gif" width="21" border="0" /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Long and lean and wearing a long winter coat and a long expression as he peers into the undergrowth. "there has been a strawberry blond kitten hanging around I have just brought it a plate of cat food". It seems I am not the only one feeding the felines then.</div><div><br /></div><div>I open the door to see her sat on the birthday-chair amid the chaos of our cupboard. Furiously writing her child observations up. The lengths some people will go to for a bit of P and Q. </div><div>Bit of that </div><div>Optical illusion</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:medium;"><div align="center" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; "><h1 style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">Optical Illusions</h1></div><div align="center" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; "><h2 style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">If you stare at the following picture long enough,<br />you should see a giraffe...</h2><br /><img src="http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/images/illusions/optgir.gif" width="140" height="113" alt="" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><div align="center" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">Gotcha! But the rest of these optical illusions are on the level.</div><p style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">What are "illusions"? Illusions trick us into perceiving something differently than it actually exists, so what we see does not correspond to physical reality. Hence, the word <em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">illusion</em> comes from the Latin verb <em style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">illudere</em> meaning, "to mock." In addition, some illusions show us one thing in a picture, while someone else sees something entirely different in the same picture.<br /><br />Research scientists must be sure that the results of their work are not "illusory" in nature. They need to accurately report what "is", rather than their general "impression" of "what is". So many times a scientist will repeat an experiment many times, or in different laboratories, to ensure that their results were valid. Science is only "good science" when anyone can repeat the experiment and get the same results.</p><div align="center" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; "><hr />If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink dot,<br />the dots will remain only one color, pink.<br /><img src="http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/images/illusions/pinkdots.gif" width="467" height="467" alt="" border="0" /><br />However if you stare at the black " +" in the center, the moving dots turns to green.</div><p style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">Now, concentrate on the black " + " in the center of the picture. After a short period, all the pink dots will slowly disappear, and you will only see only a single green dot rotating.</p><p style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; ">It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot, and the pink ones really don't disappear. This should be proof enough, we don't always see what we think we see.</p><hr /><h3 style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; "><br /></h3><div><br /></div></span></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-56581851239126888432010-11-22T11:36:00.000-08:002010-11-22T13:22:40.699-08:00Bit of this<div>I have put things in boxes, class lists to be precise. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now this is an achievement, for one so computer illiterate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rex's waifs and strays are becoming very brave or very hungry they are woofing tea before I have nipped back inside. Common sense tells me to stop. Basic mathematics cautions. Mummy puss has 4 kittens, how many by next summer? I wonder. I do hope man about the house manages to keep his job for their sake! </div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO9J5H9Nm4c">Well what else is it used for then.</a></div><div><i>plus a waif</i></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu_IAhpjYJhBJ6ImEqFkQQQAons1Wugpt58hzaGmuXcpPVV5Mw15-bEtPvwFV2UR9630QFRTF4ekEjK5f65PotqNgjTHf6GNKzldWvAt_WrB32ucETjGWNTkfcobThkcnTjS4RFxKXG0/s400/IMG_9667.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542469641284461554" style="border-width: initial; border-color: initial; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /><div><i><br /></i></div><div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-17709754033204865462010-11-20T12:27:00.000-08:002010-11-20T12:52:45.907-08:00<div>Bit of this</div><div>Not a silver lining but a white one. Not one to mope man about the house has picked up a paint brush until fate decides what comes next. (I didn't like to point out the house resembles NHS waiting room). Job lots cannot be turned down.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank the lord he learnt to read. He has powered is way though several library books.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we have rediscovered the Simpsons. Who wants to immerse themselves in teatime gloom news, when Hommers take on life is so much more entertaining.</div><div>Bit of this</div><div>When I read the first line I just had to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-Me-Out-Loud-Whisper/dp/0330446215">Read me out loud.</a> Worth every penny.</div><div><i>"Are you sure there are no people"</i></div><div><i>sobbed the poltergeist in fright, </i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><i>from The Lightmare </i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></i><i><b>Thank goodness I too paid enough attention at school to learn to read. </b></i></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-53739132380429741472010-11-08T11:36:00.000-08:002010-11-08T12:20:17.637-08:00Bit of this<div>"What's your greatest achievement then",</div><div>I mumble from underneath the bedclothes as he is waving goodbye.</div><div><br /></div><div>Never a navel gazing sort of geezer, I come up with my own answer when he arrives home just before ten.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I have just been suspended". That's a pretty big sort of achievement don't you think !!!!!!!!!!!!!</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>To do is to be - Rousseau.</div><div><br /></div><div>To be is to do - Sartre.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dobedobedo - Sinatra. </div><div>Sinatra hits the spot.</div><div>HEY HO</div><div>It must have some sort of silver lining. </div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-82818274379939410432010-10-13T12:19:00.000-07:002010-10-21T12:26:41.357-07:00Bit of this<div>Straight off the school bus nose straight into his library book. He nearly walks straight into me.</div><div><br /></div><div>She is 95, her grand mother made her mother a lace veil for her wedding, embroidering name and date. The veil has been used ever since for marriages and christenings even if the younger members would rather a more trendy arrangement. After use it goes to The Royal College Of Needle work to be cleaned and carefully packed ready for the next outing.</div><div><br /></div><div>"They are beautiful" he says dropping 6 fushia heads into my hand. "They smell beautiful". We examine their color and fragility and lay them in a line. He beams from a tear stained face for the first time that day. I breath a sigh of relief that he showed his treasures to me not Mrs A, who takes a dim view of such exploration and sees it as vandalism.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>Of all the things you wear your expression is the most important.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;color:#2A2A2A;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-78531401365899767282010-10-05T12:53:00.000-07:002010-10-05T14:32:54.617-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-5k619jgFSfdFUYvjIzrPh9afRY3iYVemWe0TvTERMXG_c66J8yPPtOq1ihxaolN87rWLMSth9pPAKwg5cVYG69cq3d8LOEjIS2IFF9_CiLiauZhs66OBYUvEeSq28OLiQKMDMKCmiM/s1600/IMG_2657.JPG"></a><div>Bit of this</div><div>Trickle. Not a word I come across much. It has a musical ring in the saying of it.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div class="dicTl" face="Georgia" size="20px" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; "><br /></span></div><div class="dicTl" face="Georgia" size="20px" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; ">Being spaced out worked to my advantage. The inability to set cooker timer correctly gave me an unexpected hour of gardening.</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Whippet put himself to bed with a guilty look, as I walked in. He had been in the bin. Mind you the fact black cat was munching a dead bird added to his unease. Wise decision to scar-per.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>Not quite as good as a book but the next<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O16AGSgrm8&feature=related"> best thing</a>.</div><div>Sometimes I have a go at my own bit of expressionism via the camera.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-5k619jgFSfdFUYvjIzrPh9afRY3iYVemWe0TvTERMXG_c66J8yPPtOq1ihxaolN87rWLMSth9pPAKwg5cVYG69cq3d8LOEjIS2IFF9_CiLiauZhs66OBYUvEeSq28OLiQKMDMKCmiM/s400/IMG_2657.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524669749753583986" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-31643101623888057542010-10-01T13:15:00.000-07:002010-10-01T14:10:47.369-07:00Bit of this<div>What a well brought up car driver. He stopped in the middle of a busy round about at rush hour to make way for a police car. Our chap in blue is so shocked he does not budge. The everso courteous beckons encouragingly. Policeman's mate who is right behind is so gob smacked that he fails to take immediate advantage all the car driver can offer is to doff his cap as he continues around the round about. This has me tittering in astonishment for the rest of the journey. <div><br /></div><div>"Do you wear a nappy?" he asks "I do".</div><div><br /></div><div>We can't believe our luck. The smoke alarm remains silent in spite of a smoke filled kitchen. Whoops five minutes latter everyone is nicely lined up on the playground and I am legging it up to explain and apologize. The lady in the office fails to forgive as we have caught her out. She has no nicely laminated registers for us to tick. This provides much mirth in our unit as almost daily she rings berating the inefficient delivery through cyber space of our register. That never happened in the good old days, pen and paper was much simpler and in the event of fire alarms jumping to attention we had a copy of our own.</div></div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS2jGbUP0jw&feature=related">Cartoon stars and Z cars</a></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-21766759922838034632010-09-09T12:24:00.000-07:002010-09-11T12:37:28.592-07:00Bit of this<div>Bless her heart. Displaying devotion to duty she comes in clutching a list of Hungarian words. The little lad eyes her warily, but mum says "very good". As long as we get the word toilet sorted all will be well.</div><div><br /></div><div>The NQT is chuffed and so she should be. One of our 4 year olds requested a camera and some envelops and went into the garden. Then asked his mum to print out the 4 pictures he had taken. He placed 1 photo in each envelope and strategically placed them. Hey presto one treasure hunt for his mother each envelop held a clue to the next clue and then to treasure. He had recreated the fun and games on the last day of term.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is trundling his luggage and clutching a large mug of tea to the car. We exchange a bleary eyed good morning.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKHQ36NOxzk">Max</a></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-15308247057715220312010-08-20T12:17:00.000-07:002010-08-20T12:46:23.569-07:00Bit of this<div>Warm air blowing in through the windows makes the curtains dance, ruffles my hair and makes me wonder why I don't fling the window wide more often.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whippet and black cat have been de fleaed , but they seemed to have jumped ship and landed on me. I find the large tin with a yellow lid and take action.</div><div><br /></div><div>She rings me up and tries to prod me into entering the village produce show. Oh dear I have missed the entry date. I feel absolved.</div><div>Bit of that </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">A Committee is a group of people who individually</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">can do nothing, but as a group decide that nothing can be done.</span></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-25187901955772188942010-08-18T02:31:00.000-07:002010-08-18T09:13:19.996-07:00Bit of this<div>Yesterday I decided an outing might fan any spark of lingering enthusiasm for life. I didn't give myself time to sink in a tired and despondent heap after walking whippet. I grueled my way around Leamington feeling detached. I kept seeing opportunities but couldn't find the energy to step over the sodding shoulder and engage.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today for half an hour the pain was managable and I to my utter suppriise I felt 10 years younger. I found a bit of me that I had thought had disappeared for ever. This filled me with hope and carried me through the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>She has a musical voice and tells us her mother was a professional singer. She is using her own creative talents to run courses in the wonderfully light and airy studio where the sheep peer in and the view magical. The mate and I think self hypnosis might be fun. And I also fancy learning to use the peg loom that was lurking in a corner.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div><a href="http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos.html">The monkey business illusion</a> a test of perception. </div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-69317185218735408272010-08-17T11:03:00.000-07:002010-08-17T14:03:19.693-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpCz7tHcY447_AzOLZ36xtfeYYY5eqBs_jB65hIX7bu3_83iJ2oz4PD1vVtxoiRljdGwcaHbWdq2nTkG7syyz2hcwFVvMzrQOBS2m8hULjWrYsalcghwjX3u9PSpwXHMAWpypsqQv4As/s1600/_DSC0245_1.JPG"></a>Bit of this<div>The Ipod has just died, as luck would have it one of my Library books is Ipods for Dummies. The trouble shooting instructions may as well be in Chinese but man about the house translates them perfectly and is rewarded with a tiny apple. </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't cry now, says the mother to the blond dot in pink. She trails after her 2 brothers sniffing and rubbing her eyes pathetically. Sensing they are all immune to emotional blackmail she shakes her blond head and stamps her foot furiously.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I feel alarmingly close to the ground. The first time I experienced this was my college days tripping around Birmingham. At the time I put it down to being enclosed by tall buildings and feeling like a tiny ant. The move to a city was a culture shock to say the least. Every so often the sensation returns, to day I wonder if I have shrunk with age. </div><div>Bit of that</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpCz7tHcY447_AzOLZ36xtfeYYY5eqBs_jB65hIX7bu3_83iJ2oz4PD1vVtxoiRljdGwcaHbWdq2nTkG7syyz2hcwFVvMzrQOBS2m8hULjWrYsalcghwjX3u9PSpwXHMAWpypsqQv4As/s400/_DSC0245_1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506482128281858770" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 400px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span><div><br /></div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-6903271173854500722010-08-14T12:40:00.000-07:002010-08-14T13:01:48.194-07:00Bit of this<div>"It was thrilling to receive your card" she says. I have never ever thrilled anyone before.</div><div><br /></div><div>My mother is thrilled with the roses my sister has taken around for her. "They smell divine".</div><div><br /></div><div>I am thrilled to see an old orange brolly and an old friend. Bring Whippet to play and come for coffee. She is 94 used to make hats and now wants to learn to sculpt. What an inspiration.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div>She tells me about a creation she once made her daughter to wear at Ascot, on spotting the very same hat in the crowd and making a bee line for her daughter only to find out her daughter had flogged it. </div><div>No body wears them better</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Her Royal Highness </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ascot 2010</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> </i></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div id="abw" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 15px; text-decoration: inherit; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-width: 3px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(255, 51, 0); max-width: 930px; min-width: 741px; position: relative; text-align: left; width: 930px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><div id="abm" class="clear" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; zoom: 1; position: relative; "><div id="abc" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: -336px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; position: relative; width: 930px; "><div id="sspre" class="nodesc" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-right: 351px; margin-bottom: -0.75em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 1.5em; padding-right: 18px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 18px; text-decoration: inherit; zoom: 1; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245); border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(217, 217, 217); background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "><div id="ssimg" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; clear: both; "><q style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; display: block; text-align: center; "><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/gouk/1/0/s/i/-/-/102100438.jpg" target="_blank" title="View Full-Size" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); "><img class="photo" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/gouk/1/7/s/i/-/-/102100438.jpg" alt="" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(213, 208, 191); border-right-color: rgb(213, 208, 191); border-bottom-color: rgb(213, 208, 191); border-left-color: rgb(213, 208, 191); padding-top: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></a></q></div></div></div></div></div></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-17021859111040071212010-08-13T12:55:00.000-07:002010-08-13T13:02:31.878-07:00Bit of this<div>Duke the great dane from the pub rushes over and leaps on whippets best friend, an ever-so noble workman leaps from his van and hauls him off.</div><div><br /></div><div>The was not a drop of blood anywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remember I have a box of Hero chocks and leave them on his van, specially for the hero of the hour.</div><div>Bit of that</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; "><table class="infobox" cellspacing="5" style="font-size: 11px; color: black; background-color: rgb(238, 247, 255); border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-right-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); margin-top: 0.5em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding-top: 0.2em; padding-right: 0.2em; padding-bottom: 0.2em; padding-left: 0.2em; clear: right; text-align: left; line-height: 1.5em; width: 24em; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><tbody><tr class=""><td colspan="2" class="" style="vertical-align: top; text-align: center; "><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Superman.jpg" class="image" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(6, 69, 173); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><img alt="Superman.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/72/Superman.jpg/250px-Superman.jpg" width="250" height="385" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; vertical-align: middle; " /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-54515107322219846292010-08-12T07:06:00.000-07:002010-08-13T12:39:53.417-07:00Bit of this<div>I feel slightly alarmed to be left in charge of this small grandson of ours.</div><div><br /></div><div>He is the perfect child, all smiles, and baby talk. We walk across the park to visit a friend. </div><div><br /></div><div>She opens the door, I am amazed by her transformation, her WD40 injections have given her a respite from disabling rheumatoid arthritis. So much so she has is starting a new job at the young homeless project. We drink tea in the garden to celebrate.</div><div><a href="http://menopausalmusing.blogspot.com/search/label/Rudimentary%20Animation">Bit of that</a></div><div>Keep scrolling down the page. There is a beautiful animation about feeling better. This blog is so creative.</div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-51682477254492790722010-08-09T12:15:00.000-07:002010-08-12T13:10:56.828-07:00Bit of this<div>Varying activity thats the thing. Dog walking, chatting, bits of house work, taking to the sofa with a video about the I O W Women's Institute. Very entraining.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then the meter man appears half way through said video. I fail to accomplish the required position to read the meter so he is invited in to do the job.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to justify my sluttish behavior in the middle of the day and find that he has been sent from heaven, he gives me the number of someone who works magic using cranial massage.</div><div>Bit of this</div><div>One foot after the other, but perhaps not as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5yNwVI-gJg&feature=related">fancy as this.</a></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1053386563786291722.post-65706695168850426282010-08-07T11:03:00.000-07:002010-08-09T12:15:06.316-07:00Bit of this<div>From the dark recess of the cubord a dusty bike carrier appears.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bikes and carrier are slung on the back of the car.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are acorns and oak trees, joggers, walkers, bikers, onesis, twosis and groups all enjoying the outdoors. But it is the unexpected call of the lapwing which provides the perfect moment for me. That and the fact I manage to peddle all the way around the reservoir with only the aid of a cool ice lolly. </div><div>Bit of that</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; ">Until 20 years ago the lapwing was one of the most widespread as well as one of the most colourful of British birds, with its iridescent green back, black and white underparts and long wispy crest. It is a spectacular flyer, tumbling up and down in great vertical swoops to drive off predators such as crows or gulls, or merely in display.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; "><p class="font-null" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">But the past two decades have seen a catastrophic crash in numbers: according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds its British population declined by 52 per cent between 1970 and 1998.</p><p class="font-null" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">In Wales the decline was 73 per cent between 1987 and 1998, and Devon, where once thousands of lapwings bred, "a pair on every farm", now has only 100 pairs across the whole county.</p><p class="font-null" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">As well as mountains and marshes, farmland is a major habitat, and, as with the skylark, changes in farming practice are believed to be a main cause of their decline. They have been hit in particular by the dwindling of mixed farming - arable and livestock combined.</p><p class="font-null" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Lapwings flourish where both are found together, as the birds like to nest on bare fields of young crops, where they can see predators coming, then take their chicks almost as soon as they are born into pastures, where insect food is more plentiful. But British agriculture is increasingly polarising, with crops grown in the east and livestock raised in the West. This and other changes, such as intensified field drainage, mean that in many places lapwings have disappeared altogether.</p></span></div>denhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377821243416680646noreply@blogger.com0