We watched Rock the Children, Gary Barlow's charity concert from the Royal Albert Hall last night and all I could think, is we've come to this. We're watching a Pudsey Bear effort with that Horrible Fat Man from Radio One (with another fatty from Up North) presenting. And with people like Annie Lennox and Paul McCartney and Leona Lewis on.
But...there was a lovely collaboration between Lily Allen and Take That; and Snow Patrol and Cheryl Cole. I enjoyed seeing some of the other bands live, big noses and all and really enjoyed a 'proper concert' feel.
It just went to show how much we're missing live music on TV these days; even Top of the Pops has now gone. Although at times, especially with the presenting skills of that Reggie it was unbearable at least it offered music that was not all Simon Callow and X factor approved.
Bring back TOTP please BBC - but with new presenters; and NOT ones from Radio One.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Monday, 16 November 2009
It's like a school but in a forest...
I'm off to join a forest school this morning, not quite the circus but certainly a bit of a novelty factor. Not the least in that part of the principles of the school is that school goes on whatever the weather. And we have a rainy storm here - which may or may not get worse. Plus, on a cheery note I've volunteered for the next ten weeks - basically through the worst weather of the year. And unlike the children who will all have lovely waterproofs I've only got a cheapie Millets version.
I am, actually very excited to be spending some mornings in the forest, well, actually some trees behind the Old Town so the children can walk to their school/wood. I adore the woods, and making things in them, and imagining them (sometimes better than actually being in them). I blame Enid Blyton and the Enchanted Wood/Magic Wishing Tree and of course my parents for bringing me up in the country right next door to some lovely woods. Sadly there was a Bad Man who lurked in our village woods but as far as I remember only for a couple of years before he went on to scare other little children with his willy in the next village.
As I'm writing this the weather is clearing, and the coffee is kicking in. Yay, for Bev the forest helper!
I am, actually very excited to be spending some mornings in the forest, well, actually some trees behind the Old Town so the children can walk to their school/wood. I adore the woods, and making things in them, and imagining them (sometimes better than actually being in them). I blame Enid Blyton and the Enchanted Wood/Magic Wishing Tree and of course my parents for bringing me up in the country right next door to some lovely woods. Sadly there was a Bad Man who lurked in our village woods but as far as I remember only for a couple of years before he went on to scare other little children with his willy in the next village.
As I'm writing this the weather is clearing, and the coffee is kicking in. Yay, for Bev the forest helper!
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Yes, they are chestnuts...
Now as some of you will have figured out I am afraid of spiders. Really afraid; I do believe they are True Evil and will get me in a bad way one day. They're just waiting for their chance.
So to mitigate any chances they might have I decided to get some horse chestnuts and place them in a barrier around the house. A friend gave me some, and the others I spotted over by Alexander Park in Hastings. When I picked them up I was amazed to find that there were three to five nuts in each casing. So amazed I kept some casings intact and intended to talk to someone about my findings. Of course I'd heard on Countryfile that our natural chestnut trees had some serious diseases and presume it was all connected.
Now, of course I can imagine you've realised my error...but I did place the chestnuts in a ring of protection around my house and yes, no spiders at all (well bar one tiny one) since I did that. So of course last week, I had a friend who is known for her no nonsense attitude over last week and she spied a bag of chestnuts I'd bought from a supermarket in my fruit bowl and asked why I hadn't just headed over to the park and picked some up for free. Cue much hilarity and a shocker of a realisation that I hadn't actually discovered an interesting new variety of horse chestnuts in the park.
So today, I decided to cook the supermarket bag of chestnuts; in the oven; then warm them up over the evening on the wood burner. They were great, although of course not as fab as ones bought on the street from 'proper' sellers with grubby blackened fingers. But...I've done it again.
I realised whilst eating one that I'd burnt a bit of it and had a hard bit in my mouth. Which I just swallowed. To be sharply followed by the realisation that I'd also eaten a bit of my back tooth, with the yummy chestnut of course. The filling broke on my tooth, and the edge of my tooth had disappeared.
I'm very embarrassed to go back to the dentist and confess my error, and to pay again for treatment. My poor dentist knows me now, and will, for sure want an explanation.
So to mitigate any chances they might have I decided to get some horse chestnuts and place them in a barrier around the house. A friend gave me some, and the others I spotted over by Alexander Park in Hastings. When I picked them up I was amazed to find that there were three to five nuts in each casing. So amazed I kept some casings intact and intended to talk to someone about my findings. Of course I'd heard on Countryfile that our natural chestnut trees had some serious diseases and presume it was all connected.
Now, of course I can imagine you've realised my error...but I did place the chestnuts in a ring of protection around my house and yes, no spiders at all (well bar one tiny one) since I did that. So of course last week, I had a friend who is known for her no nonsense attitude over last week and she spied a bag of chestnuts I'd bought from a supermarket in my fruit bowl and asked why I hadn't just headed over to the park and picked some up for free. Cue much hilarity and a shocker of a realisation that I hadn't actually discovered an interesting new variety of horse chestnuts in the park.
So today, I decided to cook the supermarket bag of chestnuts; in the oven; then warm them up over the evening on the wood burner. They were great, although of course not as fab as ones bought on the street from 'proper' sellers with grubby blackened fingers. But...I've done it again.
I realised whilst eating one that I'd burnt a bit of it and had a hard bit in my mouth. Which I just swallowed. To be sharply followed by the realisation that I'd also eaten a bit of my back tooth, with the yummy chestnut of course. The filling broke on my tooth, and the edge of my tooth had disappeared.
I'm very embarrassed to go back to the dentist and confess my error, and to pay again for treatment. My poor dentist knows me now, and will, for sure want an explanation.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Friday, 6 November 2009
It's the Great Electricity Challenge of Hastings
I'm taking part in this...http://www.zapcarbon.com/ as part of 'Users of the Bridge' team. We're hoping to beat the council, and the environmental network, oh and sea space (whoever they are?). Very exciting, and frankly anything I can do to save money - oh and of course the environment is a bonus. One of our main problems is probably ourselves though - the usuals; leaving things on standby ('specially the telly which despite being quite new really does not have an off button and the plug is hidden at the back of a cupboard), and of course leaving lights on.
So let's see if we can get better...and Zap Carbon (what does that actually mean anyway?).
So let's see if we can get better...and Zap Carbon (what does that actually mean anyway?).
Miaow, Miaow let me in
I now have the definitive answer. Cat flaps do all use exactly the same magnetic key. Therefore if those, as yet, not so clever clogs cats all realised every one with a magnet key collar could access, and thus burgle each others houses.
We know because Seren, the cat lost her magnet key and after a month or so of sellotape holding the cat flap open and feeding all the neighbourhood cats who sneaked in we found an old one. And it really works - totally different manufacturer and design and everything. So much for new technology, mind you it does beat leaving a window open and having random cats enter your house to wee in your toaster.
We know because Seren, the cat lost her magnet key and after a month or so of sellotape holding the cat flap open and feeding all the neighbourhood cats who sneaked in we found an old one. And it really works - totally different manufacturer and design and everything. So much for new technology, mind you it does beat leaving a window open and having random cats enter your house to wee in your toaster.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Flat White with semi skimmed please...
Now, in my world there are three kinds of milk;
Whole milk, for children, and for men who may sample it with a biccy and cuppa. Never to be put in an instant coffee as a 'skin' may form, and never to be put in a real coffee as it will make me feel sick.
Semi-skimmed, for everyone else, good 'normal', healthy*, and to use in coffee, drinking, for cereal etc. etc.
Skimmed milk, for everyone who is watching calories, and can handle the skinny version. Although I do prefer the taste of skimmed milk in tea, I think it is too weak for a real coffee, I do acknowledge that others like it.
Oh - and of course soya, for vegans, and health reasons.
But Costa Coffee in Hastings, oh yes I am naming and shaming them only have full fat or skinny (skimmed) milk here. And it has ruined by coffee drinking experience many a time.
Luckily, the Bridge Community Cafe (mostly) has semi-skimmed milk, lovely bullet has semi, eat@ has semi and so on. Shame on you Costa. Even Starbucks offers a variety of milks.
I'd love to know what the other local independents serve, of course I must try them...I do find asking if a cafe has semi skimmed, then walking out, or ordering a bottled water or something quite excruciating though.
Oh, the things I worry about. But still - let's start a campaign. Bring back the semi. It's healthier and nicer than the full fat. And in any town without decent health food cafe's we need all the help we can get.
*If milk is actually healthy, particularly the non-organic variety which someone once told me is a third pus and antibiotics, although safe to drink.
Whole milk, for children, and for men who may sample it with a biccy and cuppa. Never to be put in an instant coffee as a 'skin' may form, and never to be put in a real coffee as it will make me feel sick.
Semi-skimmed, for everyone else, good 'normal', healthy*, and to use in coffee, drinking, for cereal etc. etc.
Skimmed milk, for everyone who is watching calories, and can handle the skinny version. Although I do prefer the taste of skimmed milk in tea, I think it is too weak for a real coffee, I do acknowledge that others like it.
Oh - and of course soya, for vegans, and health reasons.
But Costa Coffee in Hastings, oh yes I am naming and shaming them only have full fat or skinny (skimmed) milk here. And it has ruined by coffee drinking experience many a time.
Luckily, the Bridge Community Cafe (mostly) has semi-skimmed milk, lovely bullet has semi, eat@ has semi and so on. Shame on you Costa. Even Starbucks offers a variety of milks.
I'd love to know what the other local independents serve, of course I must try them...I do find asking if a cafe has semi skimmed, then walking out, or ordering a bottled water or something quite excruciating though.
Oh, the things I worry about. But still - let's start a campaign. Bring back the semi. It's healthier and nicer than the full fat. And in any town without decent health food cafe's we need all the help we can get.
*If milk is actually healthy, particularly the non-organic variety which someone once told me is a third pus and antibiotics, although safe to drink.
There are lights and lanes...
On reflection I was most interested in the amazing lines of work traffic going in to the 2012 site. There is actually a motorway toll type system with loads of little cabins, and lanes and lights. It's fascinating to see - and somehow makes the complex task of the whole building works make sense. (One hopes).
East London is a changing...
On the drive back yesterday from East London I was at first awed by the gorgeous sunset over, as usual the Asda car park in Leyton. Oooh, the glamour, but it really was lovely. Then I glanced left and was amazed at the changes to the Hackney Marsh/Leyton Mills/Stratford landscape.
It is all becoming new and modern and shiny, the Olympic stadium can be seen very clearly, plus I think some of the accommodation and well, all sorts of structures. Three years ago the land there really was quite derelict - there used to be a big road junction, with some travellers camped underneath, a cycling track that was shut and covered in glass, a road with some industrial units on it that led to Hackney from Stratford. Cunningly this road also had lots of warren like used car parts shops, well I hesitate to use the word shop, sort of caves with men who knew exactly where all the bits were - if they just climbed over mountains of metal. Oh yes, there was also a big yard full of old fridges. The fridges never reduced in number as far as I could tell, but just sat about leaching evils out.
Perhaps that is unfair - there were also some allotments, people who ran the local business' were apparently not paid enough to sell up, and I guess there must have been some kind of community down there as I think there was a cafe. We also used to live very close to the site, so were never terribly keen on the area. I have to say I'd rather the Mayor of London had greened over the polluting A12 rather then built over any allotments. The air quality in Leyton, particularly down the High Road used to be so bad sometimes I'd worry I should not take my baby out in the buggy to the library as he was right in the traffic.
Anyway - the Olympic area looks great, and I understand it is now on time or ahead plus running to budget, or at least to the new budget. The challenge will be to make sure the whole area benefits; that walls are not put up around the site to stop locals getting in (as in Canary Wharf which only has one little path from the traditional poorer areas). And that somehow the money gets out to the local area, as well as letting people in.
An intriguing problem - one which I have to say I don't have enormous faith in Seb Coe (Conservative and I think, according to my mum once spat on the ground), and Boris Johnson (so obviously Conservative, albeit with a big bit of Posh and sometimes a smaller c) sorting out. But good luck guys, don't forget we're all watching you though - and it is not to see how many medals we get).
It is all becoming new and modern and shiny, the Olympic stadium can be seen very clearly, plus I think some of the accommodation and well, all sorts of structures. Three years ago the land there really was quite derelict - there used to be a big road junction, with some travellers camped underneath, a cycling track that was shut and covered in glass, a road with some industrial units on it that led to Hackney from Stratford. Cunningly this road also had lots of warren like used car parts shops, well I hesitate to use the word shop, sort of caves with men who knew exactly where all the bits were - if they just climbed over mountains of metal. Oh yes, there was also a big yard full of old fridges. The fridges never reduced in number as far as I could tell, but just sat about leaching evils out.
Perhaps that is unfair - there were also some allotments, people who ran the local business' were apparently not paid enough to sell up, and I guess there must have been some kind of community down there as I think there was a cafe. We also used to live very close to the site, so were never terribly keen on the area. I have to say I'd rather the Mayor of London had greened over the polluting A12 rather then built over any allotments. The air quality in Leyton, particularly down the High Road used to be so bad sometimes I'd worry I should not take my baby out in the buggy to the library as he was right in the traffic.
Anyway - the Olympic area looks great, and I understand it is now on time or ahead plus running to budget, or at least to the new budget. The challenge will be to make sure the whole area benefits; that walls are not put up around the site to stop locals getting in (as in Canary Wharf which only has one little path from the traditional poorer areas). And that somehow the money gets out to the local area, as well as letting people in.
An intriguing problem - one which I have to say I don't have enormous faith in Seb Coe (Conservative and I think, according to my mum once spat on the ground), and Boris Johnson (so obviously Conservative, albeit with a big bit of Posh and sometimes a smaller c) sorting out. But good luck guys, don't forget we're all watching you though - and it is not to see how many medals we get).
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
A beautiful day
We said goodbye to a friend today, who had time to plan, and think about the funeral. It was lovely, humanist, perfect and all about him. A true celebration of his life.
And as always with these things it was wonderful to see the old community, the friends, the groups of family, and old friends. I was fortunate in being part of a wonderful Leytonstone community again today for a little while.
And as always with these things it was wonderful to see the old community, the friends, the groups of family, and old friends. I was fortunate in being part of a wonderful Leytonstone community again today for a little while.
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