Being Consistent

I've always felt that it is important to be consistent when working with children. It is not fair to them if you are frequently changing the rules, or acting one way one day,and differently the next. We have tried to keep to the boys' regular routine in Manchester

Cuddles.and stories in the morning and at bedtime, teeth-cleaning, please&thankyous, etc etc. And they have responded well and been a delight to look after.Now we are in London with Rosie and Jess, and doing our best there. 

But I wish to have a rant about child safety equipment. Why do they apparently make no attempt whatsoever to be consistent?

Why do the manufacturers of buggies, carseats, and stair gates choose such a diverse range of mechanisms?

I just get used to unfolding the double buggy, when I have to operate the single one in Manchester, which is quite different from the one in London....

Then there are the car seats, front facing,rear facing, isofix, not isofix...

And stair gates that must be clicked or squeezed or lifted [possibly one handed as you are carrying a baby]

And we persevere, because we take our role as grandparents very seriously.

As Bob was reminded in IKEA on Monday, with great power comes great responsibility. 

We are gradually getting to grips with it all, as we stay in our daughters' homes - including learning to use a piece of kitchen equipment which many busy young Mums find indispensible nowadays...

It's challenging, abd tiring looking after children [more so as we get older] but it is truly a privilege to spend time with them.

Steph and Gaz are home safely now, after a brilliant 40th birthday celebration holiday. 

Hanging On The Telephone...

 My phone rings, and "Becky"* is calling. The conversation goes thus

A    Hello Becky
B    Hello is that Angie?
A    Err, yes  

[nobody calls me Angie]
B     Angela from Church?
[now I'm suspicious, the Becky I know doesn't go to church...]
A     Yes, um, who are you exactly?
B    I'm Becky from church
A    Which Church?

B    St Philips

[Where on earth is St Philips?]  

A    I'm Angela from Foulsham Baptist Chapel

B    Where's that then?

A    Norfolk

B    Are you sure?

[of course I'm sure]

A    Positive. 

What was your name again?

B    Becky Snowflake

 [Ahh, I remember...]

A    Ah! right, that Becky - you used to come to Alison's choir at our Church in Dorset

B    Yes I did, in Ferndown

A    My husband was minister, but we retired 3½ years ago

B    Oh, was he a very tall guy called Bobby? 

[nobody calls him Bobby]

A     That's right. I'm his very short wife

B    You're not the Angela I thought you were

[there's no answer to that, is there?]

A    Well never mind. I have to go. I'm rather busy. 

God bless you. Goodbye!

B     Good bye then 

[she hangs up]

What a crazy conversation 

[*names changed to protect the confused.I've deleted this Becky from my contacts]

PS thank you for kind words about Julian's appearance on Countdown. We are so proud of him 

Double Meanings, Getting Out Of Control

It was Rosie who started this train of thought. There are so many ordinary everyday words which can be interpreted in two ways.  

Like saucer is a piece of china or a UFO

And mouse can be a small animal or part of your IT equipment

I'm sure you can think of lots of other examples. 

Then I came across two very odd, totally unconnected pairs of things which share names. And involve the word control

I can tell Alexa to switch on the bedroom light if my hands are carrying a large laundry basket.

The Bosch company has a system for your whole house, called Light Control with a neat little box managing all your domestic  illumination. 

But if you are in Marks and Spencer, they have a range of "shapewear lingerie" also called Light Control. Like these Light Control Lace Cycling Shorts [no, I don't have a pair!] 

But bizarre though this term with two very different interpretations is, this next one made me laugh out loud in the discount store... 

I mean, I saw this kitchen item, and thought of the tank engine's friend

I bet you thought of him too! 

If you're into wordplay, and watch Countdown, our Julian should be on today's edition

I

My Prayer For This Month

This weekend up in Manchester caring for the boys, then midweek, down to London to look after the girls. This prayer is very apposite. [And Lord, please look after both sets of parents as they travel abroad, and bring them home safely]

Everybody Needs Good Neighbours...

 Today is the United Nations Day Of Tolerance [first celebrated in 1996]

I'm not aware of ever being involved in events marking this day, neither in schools or in churches

But it seems a very good idea... 

After all, the Good Book reminds us we have a duty to love our neighbours, doesn't it? However different they are from us. 

And we have a duty to be good role models for those who look up to us

The Future's Bright, The Future's Orange

 That slogan is thirty years old. Do you remember it...

I've harvested the last of my lovely orange carrots from the raised bed. They have been delicious. I also took out the remaining chard  and salad leaves and made a big batch green soup to portion and freeze. Warm lunches for cold days... 

The Bone Cancer Research Trust sent me a thank you card, and bright orange tee shirt. I continue to knit at least 30 minutes a day, often more. And there are lots of satsumas and easy peelers in the shops, a favourite snack. And those orange autumn leaves are everywhere...

The Future's Bright 

Close Parking

The first thirteen properties in the close have dropped kerbs, a drive with space for at least one car to park off-road AND a garage. We are fortunate to be on the corner [round the bend !] and so we have plenty of space. The remaining ten have no vehicular access, but at the end of the Close there is access to their 10 garages - two rows of five. Built in 1973 they are rather small, and 80‰ of them do not contain cars The turning area at the end of the Close will take half a dozen cars parked perpendicular to the pavement, and residents often double park. It is mayhem at weekends, and when the bin lorries, tankers full of heating oil, grocery deliveries, ambulances or hearses arrive they often struggle to get out again. And such vehicles come most days. 

From my kitchen window I see all the cars parked in front of Cornerstones. I did a double take one day this week

They were actually touching! These belong to the members of the same family. 

Two days later, another family member added his car. Three in a row, bumper to bumper. 

Their mobile catering van takes up 1½ spaces at the end of the Close. When these bungalows were built nobody envisaged ordinary families having more than one small car. 

Fortunately I'm not too bothered by all this. Other residents write regularly to complain to the Parish Council. 

When neighbours ask why I'm not complaining about the cars outside my home, I politely explain that I do not own that space. And if I were living in a Victorian property in Manchester or London the parking situation [and 24 hour passing traffic] would be infinitely worse. 

I am grateful for my home, and my car. Romans 12 verse 18 has wise advice for those seeking to be good neighbours 

Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.