January Round Up

Here we are again then ... the end of another month. I didn't particularly enjoy January 2009 - perhaps the expectations I had of it were too high? It seems that so many people I know have had a tough month: It's been grey and cold and just generally miserable. I'm hoping February shapes up a whole lot better.

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We have had some snow this month - not a huge amount, but enough to make a few snowballs, which is what matters to the kids. Not enough for a snowman though (No.2 and I still fondly remember our last snowman - whom he named 'Ted'). Georgie cat decided she wanted to go out and investigate this latest sprinkling:

She took approximately 10 steps before her expression changed; it clearly read 'b*gger this for a lark'. She turned round, came back in, and didn't venture out again until the white stuff had all gone. The weather forecasters are saying we're due plenty more snow this coming week - so fingers crossed there is enough for a snowman.

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A funny thing happened at the start of the month. I was driving through town, and stopped at a pedestrian crossing. Over to my right I noticed a man with a camera on his shoulder, and 2 people in front of him. 'Oh look!' I thought 'there's a man with a camera on his shoulder - I wonder what he's doing?' Anyway, the lights changed from red to flashing amber, so I drove on my way.

However, watching the local news that evening I was aghast to see a snippet about an act of vandalism in the town ... and a video report of little interviews with local people about the damage. In one shot, there were a couple talking and in the background .... oh God, a woman in a Toyota, stopped at the pedestrian crossing. She was looking straight at the camera, the gormless look on her face reading 'Oh look! There's a man with a camera on his shoulder - I wonder what he's doing?'

It was me! On the telly! *Note to self: Please learn to drive/live with much less gormless look on face - it looks utterly ridiculous'.

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Last month I recorded my sadness at the death of Oliver Postgate. This month, I was terribly sad to hear of the death of another TV legend from my childhood: Tony Hart. Is anyone other than me old enough to remember 'Vision On'? A programme for deaf children, which heavily featured art. I'm sure it's not just arty-farty types like me who remember him fondly, or other programmes such as 'Take Hart', and 'Hartbeat'. He was in there at the start of 'SMart' too wasn't he? A modern kids programme that I still enjoy watching. The man had an amazing talent, and the programmes in which he featured were always ... classy.

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I cannot begin to describe how shocked and upset I felt when I learned this month of the death of Govinder Nazran, an artist whose work I have long admired (I have a few of his prints hanging throughout our home). It is awful that a man with so much talent died so young (he was 44, when he died on 30th December 2008. I have read conflicting reports on the cause of his death, from his having an accident, to his suffering a seizure). I am incredibly sad to know that there will be no more of his wonderful paintings or sculptures.

'The Wise' by Govinder

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I now need to thank Tawny for this Sisterhood Award, which is supposed to be passed on to 10 fellow blogging sisters who have attitude. Well I think all the women in my sidebar have 'attitude', so ladies - if you're there, consider yourself awarded. Speaking of my sidebar, I must update it - I've discovered more fabulous blogs, so will soon be adding those to the appropriate section. Thank you Tawny - x - I really appreciate it.

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More thanks are due to Helen at The Beading Lady who gave me these pretty 'Kreativ' awards. Thank you so much Helen - x. I'm supposed to pass them on to fellow 'kreativ' types, but honestly, how can I choose from the eleventy billion kreativ bloggers I read, admire, and by whom I am constantly inspired. I always knew there were clever, talented, artistic people 'out there' but seriously, the crafty bloggers I've discovered since I started blogging are so on my wavelength - it's an absolute joy to know I'm not the only one who enjoys piddling about with bits of fabric, yarn, beads, thread and buttons. I can't pass these awards on to one or two people, sorry Helen, but I just can't - I hereby pass them on to every crafty blog on which I've commented. I can't tell you all how glad I am to have discovered your blogs - keep up the fantastic work.

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I had another one of those chats with No.2 recently:

Him: "Mum ... can I ask you something?"

Me: "Yes, of course sweetie"

Him: "I want to know if something is true or not"

Me: "OK ... ask away, but can I just ask who told you about it in the first place?"

Him: "A" (One of his closest friends) ... "He said his mum told him"

Me: "Right ... what is it?"

Him: "Is it true that people can still fart once they're dead?"

Me: :-O

I laughed. Then I said I had absolutely no idea. But I'm so pleased that these sorts of conversations happen in other people's houses as well as ours. Here is a prime example of precisely how useful the internet can be. I googled the matter, and found a whole page of 'Fart Facts' (if you, dear reader, are the proud owner of a small boy, I'm sure he'll find that link both fascinating and highly amusing). According to that page, A's mum is absolutely right! Well - you live and learn, eh?

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And on that somewhat gaseous note, I shall love and leave you until next time - although after that last paragraph I have an urge to give the blog a quick squirt of Oust before I go.

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