Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to everyone ..........

Baby in a cage

Really love this recent photo of Ella. She has got so active recently and certainly knows her own mind. If the gate is left open , she is there so quickly and the other day had a real tantrum when she couldn't be in the kitchen with her dad. She is going to be a right handful as she grows up!
This photo is so typical of her. She spends a large proportion of her time standing and always has some toy or another in her hand. Today she discovered all the switches etc on the sky box and tv.

As you might guess from all this I absolutely adore her and love spending time with her.

For the fallen

For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

More

Both £3.99 each at the Book People. And don't forget free delivery before midnight Friday - code SLEIGHDELS

Kirstie Allsopp - Craft

The Book People are selling Kirstie Allsopp Craft for £6.99 and free delivery until midnight Friday if you use the following code SLEIGHDELS

CRB madness

Would you believe it?- even though have a recent CRB, I can't volunteer in a school until I have another one done but I could do supply/permanent teaching work with my current CRB - doesn't make sense.

I only stopped full time teaching in the summer and after picking up my grandsons from school yesterday, realised how much I missed being in a school. I spoke to the head who said he'd love to have me in the school. So today I found my CRB certificate and phoned through only to be told by admin that another CRB check needs to be done. The school was severely critised by Ofsted for not having many parent/carer volunteers but I'm not surprised. I know children's safety is important but are we taking things too far?

Oysterband - a disappointment

Just back from Bury St Edmunds and for the first time ever I wish we'd saved our money and stayed at home. It was billed as Oysterband with June Tabor but feel it should have been the other way round. June dominated the majority of the set and at times even John's mike was muted so that he could hardly be heard. There were only 4 'Oysterband' tracks if you include 'Turn out the lights' that June also sang on. I'm afraid I am never going to particularly like June Tabor - I can't even hear all the words she sings so when she talks about the importance of words in songs , it all rather misses the point!

I would really love to go to a 'real' Oysterband gig at this venue though. The acoustics in the apex really suited John's voice and the sound the band make.

So what set are they going to do at the Big Session? - if its this one I believe there will be a lot of very disappointed people.

On the bright side I'm looking forward to Oxjam tomorrow with the Bounty Hounds and Hedgepig