Girl Friday

The dictionary defines this as "a female office worker,who does different types of work" I'm a sort of Girl Friday in my role as a Hospital Volunteer. I visit the patients, I chat to them, and listen to their stories. I take their books and magazines back to the Day Room and fetch others [but no more People's Friend, dear, I've read all of them] I plug in phone chargers and refill water jugs as requested. Definitely a variety of tasks - and all done on a Friday morning.

Obviously I'm not there today because I'm in London, but I doubt they will notice. For many of them, it is hard to keep track of what day it is! My particular remit is to encourage craft activities, to keep their hands active so they don't lose motor skills, and also engage their brains in projects.

This weekend marks the start of the Dereham Christmas Tree Festival.

I was asked to get patients making tree decorations. Two staff are making "hospital themed" stuff, fashioning little amber shades for plain Christmas lights using old cylindrical plastic pill pots.

Bob prepared me some wooden "baubles" on his laser cutter. 

I took some felt pens to the bedsides along with small plastic chopping boards as a firm work surface. 

Patients enjoyed colouring them in. I look forward to visiting St Nicholas Church when I get back and seeing our Hospital Tree. 

Are you involved in any Tree or Wreath Festivals? 

Unexpected November Knitting Challenge

 A couple of years ago, I sent Steph some money and asked her to get George an Easter Egg on our behalf [no sense in posting a chocolate egg across the country] She got one with its own dinosaur. The egg was eaten and forgotten, but the toy became George's favourite, and named "Teddy Dinosaur"

The day before we left Cornerstones, Steph said George said TD would like a Christmas Outfit got TD, and she wondered if Grandma could make one.

I took red and white wool, needles and a tape measure. On Thursday after school, George helped me measure TDs chest and head. I showed him how to make a tiny pompom by winding woool found a kitchen fork.

He went to bed and I sat up late making a jumper, with Xmas 🎄 tree on the front, and a little pompom hat. Which was good, because he announced he'd like to take it in to Show&Tell on Friday.

His teacher said his S&T went well. And on Saturday we had a 4th birthday party for TD, playing musical statues, eating homemade cupcakes, and generally having a lot of fun. The boys made a birthday banner and a card.

We all slept very well Saturday, being completely exhausted!!

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