Worrying about feet and why Jenny Lawson’s books are so good

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What is it with older men on trains? They always seem to fall asleep. I travelled home by train all week this week and on Tuesday and Wednesday, I sat across from older men. Both times they’ve been fast asleep. Obviously my conversation is not as scintillating as I thought! Not that I’m bothered. I usually spend train journeys with my nose in a book or talking to friends who happened to have been getting the train too. Anyway, I digress. Now I had the dilemma – do I wake them in case they go past their stop or leave them where they are? I opted for the latter. The reasons for this are: 1) usually people wake up before their stop anyway; 2) it was early enough that they could have gotten another train if they overshot their stop, it wasn’t like it was the last train; 3) I was being a bit lazy…I was so tired I couldn’t be bothered talking to anyone and waking them up would have meant I’d have to talk to them. I know – so antisocial!!

This is not what our trains look like, but as I like steam trains, I decided to put it in.

This is not what our trains look like, but as I like steam trains, I decided to put it in.

 

Once again this blog is late. I usually write and publish it on a Thursday or Friday (today is Saturday), but I’ve been so busy that I couldn’t do it. I simply did not have the energy to think of anything even remotely interesting to write. So I left it today. So where have I been? On Thursday, I went out with mum. She bought me loads of lovely things for my birthday and we had a cream tea in Marks & Spencer’s café in Braehead. I love scones with clotted cream and jam, so it was fab. Friday I met up with friends in the morning and we had a visitor in the afternoon. This morning I took my boy to his swimming lesson and the girl to her singing lesson.

This afternoon I flaked out on my bed and watched White Christmas on the telly. I love that film.

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The only thing that I ever worry about regarding this lovely old film is the fact that the little girls are up on point. Surely they are far too young to be on their blocks?? Everything I see them I have this faint feeling that they probably grew up to be ladies with very damaged feet. I mean look at this…

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I also think the same about the little girls from the Lullaby League in The Wizard of Oz.

Maybe I should just enjoy both films and stop worrying about the feet of the cast.

Right, so how’s your world been this week? Just letting you know I am not going to mention all the bad stuff that’s been happening in the world lately. I think there’s been enough of that on telly, so am just concentrating on what makes me happy.

  1. Reading – no surprise there! Have just finished Jenny Lawson’s (aka The Bloggess) current book Furiously Happy. It’s very funny and a little sad in places as she talks about the mental health problems she experiences. Would recommend it. Her first book Let’s Pretend This Never Happened was excellent. It’s about her crazy upbringing. Of the two, I preferred it, but it doesn’t have the excellent cover of Furiously Happy. Look…

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The raccoon is a real stuffed raccoon called Rory. Jenny is a collector of weird and wonderful taxidermy. I love Rory. I want one. She very kindly put an image of Rory on her website for her fans to print Rory and taken him with us wherever we go, but my printer would only ever print his left hand. Sigh. I had plans to take pictures of him annoying colleagues at work, in George Square and on the train. Now I will never have the pleasure. I think the expression on his face is hilarious. I can never feel down looking at him. Added to that is the fact the publishers have very helpfully put glittery bits on the cover and you have one perfect book cover!

2) Crafting – I haven’t felt like doing much knitting or sewing this year. Think I’ve simply been too tired. However, I am going to make my kids something for Christmas. I do this every year. Normally I make stuff for other members of the family too, but I just couldn’t face it. Anyhoo, I will show you my makes once they are done.

3) Cooking and baking – again I’ve not enjoyed doing any kind of cooking this year. It’s become a major chore. I think I probably just need a wee break. Roll on Christmas. Hopefully I’ll get my cooking mojo back then.

4) Watching old movies on the telly – I watched the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street (a young Natalie Wood played Susan) on Wednesday and White Christmas today. So big tick for that one!

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5) Looking on Pinterest.  Here’s my pages if any of you are interested in looking at all the fab stuff I like. I love Pinterest. My hubby doesn’t get it. I can’t describe why I like it so much. It’s like compiling your own online scrapbook of some of the most fantastic images and ideas ever!

6) Meeting up with friends…you know who you all are! Thanks for the birthday wishes, cards and pressies by the way. My birthday isn’t til next week, but have already been given some lovely things.

7) Reading some more – am now in that weird place where I have to decide what I am reading next. I kind of like this time because the possibilities of what will happen next is endless…will it be a murder mystery, a biography, non fiction, comedy, a classic?? Hmmmm. The toss up is currently between a Dorothy L Sayers novel or something by Jon Kabat-Zinn (probably Full Catastrophe Living – was talking to a friend about this, she’s into Mindful Meditation too. I haven’t read it yet, but she swears by it, she thinks it’s amazing).

8) Hiding from the kids so I can get some well earned peace and quiet!

Right, in Glasgow speak…ahm aff! Til next time!

Dawn xxx

Rain…sigh!

Autumn eWell the lovely autumn weather has disappeared today as the rain (with heart-lifting spells of bright sunshine) hits the west coast hard. It was literally teeming down about five minutes ago. Winter is coming right enough!

So how’s things with you? Hope you are well. My week has be super busy at work and super busy at home. Today I’m taking it easier. I should be doing my housework right now, but I’ve got Grand Designs on the box (recorded last night) and I’m here talking to you and I’m just about to get another wee cup of tea. Life’s good.

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Am a tad achy after swimming just over half a mile this morning in our local pool. I felt great after doing it, but am now starting to feel a little stiff around the legs. Think I should maybe have stretched a little afterwards. Am now in training for next year’s mini triathlon and Great Scottish Swim (haven’t yet signed up for this but I will).

This weekend I will be taking it easy. It’s the September weekend so I’ve got Monday off…yippee! That’s three long lies! Last weekend, me and the kids were up early to meet my mum at Braehead shopping centre in Renfrew. My parents always buys the winter coats for the grandweans as part of their Christmas (that’s on top of the pressies and/or money they also give them…they are so generous!). I hate shopping, but it wasn’t quite so painful when my mum treated us to tea and cake before we started and then we treated her to lunch a couple of hours later. The kids both got really nice winter coats from H&M. The girl is now so tall she needed a small adult’s coat, which she thinks is just fantastic. She looks great in the coat and just loves posing in it. It’s navy blue with a fur hood. The boy got a lovely charcoal grey jacket (no fur on the hood, but lovely none-the-less). He looks great in it too, really suits the colour.

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Have just taken possession of Jenny Lawson’s (aka The Bloggess) new book, Furiously Happy. I have her first book Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, which was so funny I had tears streaming down my face and I snorted so much I eventually couldn’t breathe. Her blog is good too. I’ll let you know how I get on with it, although have just started a biog of E Nesbit and am about to start Jayne Williams’ The Slow Fat Triathlete having just finished (yesterday) Meredith Atwood’s Triathlon for Every Woman (which was excellent and very funny). Yes there is a bit of a theme going on here: not only the triathlete bit, but both ladies are larger athletes which is good because I am not a teeny wee stick of a wummin myself.

 

slow fat triathlete

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Apart from relaxing, I am also planning to search out a pair of waterproof overtrousers that I bought about two weeks ago and have now lost. I hope I didn’t accidentally post it back to Amazon with the other pair of the exact same trousers that I accidentally bought (in other words I ordered two pairs instead of one and sent one back…at least I hope it was one pair and not two!). Am such a ditz. Wonder where that other pair are? Sigh. I hate it when I misplace something. What’ll happen is I won’t find them, so I’ll order a replacement pair and on the very day the replacement arrives I will find the original pair I was looking for in the first place.

Right am off now. Last night’s recording of Castle calls and you know how much I love Castle! Hubby thinks it’s mince, but I like it…it’s not scary, it’s funny and it’s fun. Til next time.

Dawn xxx