Moments...

Confessions ...

2007-04-27T09:31:00.000+01:00

Thursday - 26th April, 2007 - location - in the land of here between...

Birds ... How do they do it?

I was taking my usual stroll to the school yesterday morning when in front of me is a beautiful brown blackbird ... don't they have such gorgeous eyes?

Anyway, this one wasn't 'bothered', it was merrily sauntering along with three worms already in its beak and squiggling and there it was, pecking around for more!

Now, I remember as a young girl how worms would be poking through a hole in the ground, and you'd try and grab them and pull them out ... would they budge no way, usually they got back down that hole before you could say ... oh I don't know, anything!!! Was I alone in this sport? Come on worm grabbers 'fess up - here's a chance for you to rid the guilt :twisted:

Anyway, I wonder how they do it? Keep the three in their beaks from squiggling back down another hole whilst digging out more?

Clever wee things eh?

Joanna Newsom...

2007-01-16T11:16:00.000Z

Sunday 14th January, 2007 - Glasgow, Candleriggs, City Halls

I first heard of Joanna Newsom a few years ago, when I got a copy of Word Magazine and the free cd had 'Sprout and the Bean' on it. Later I found the BBC had a link to this video, which has appeared to move to dragcity:

http://www.dragcity.com/bands/newsom.html

But good old BBC give us a new link to some of her latest material, or rather a track from Ys, her latest album released 30 October, 2007. 'The monkey and the bear'...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A16606541

So, to the concert ... yes, it was a concert with Northern Sinfonia Orchestra backing. Joanna Newsom, petite, appears in angelic white dress and long flowing hair shining. On her left is a guy in black suit, sits at the drums and wait for it, he has no shoes on! On her right a man in a green suit... I should know their names but hey I'm hopeless at remembering detail. Anyway, behind her sits the orchestra, as she, framed by her beautiful harp sits centre stage. They open with Emily ...

At the end of this piece she announces (first day of tour too) that this is the first time she's played with an orchestra. It was truly astounding, the depth of the tones of the orchestra, the rhythm, the story and precision ... only criticism was that the mike did not allow her usual clarity of vocals so if you were unfamiliar with the words, you missed out a little. Joanna also says, 'we're playing Ys, if you hadn't noticed...' lovely humour, humble but great talent.

When I first got this album I thought about how much really went into it, the imagination, not predictable weak lyrics or tune. And the length of the tracks. I'd tell you but hubby has run off with my cd! I wanted to listen to it again today and yesterday but it's in the car. It was he who bought me the tickets as a Christmas present. Until the concert he was not swayed one way or the other.

Her performance changed his opinion... giving her credit along the lines of reminds him of Joni Mitchell, not so much for voice or even music but the skill of writing.

The second song, which I've included a link to above, is probably one of my favourites and (we were right up the back of the City Halls, in the balcony) someone else's I gather during the interval kept humming it!

We had a little moment during one of the songs when the microphone did a little reverb, you know that noise that goes right through your ears, but in stereo?! It could well be forgiven though, I really felt privileged sitting there in the first place.

When they got to the end of the album, and you all know what a mammoth task that is without a break, full on playing and singing, no sign of any prompt for words (how does she do it?) I think we all thought that was it. Sinfonia Orchestra were leaving, and Joanna says, '20 mins.'.. we didn't all catch it but heard the murmuring around the hall with the lights raised. I was thinking, wow! How can you ask for more?

After the break she came back with the two guys ... I wish I knew their names! Haven't seen a review yet. First she alone sang a Scottish ballad, 'Ca' the Yowes'... she apologized if she got the words wrong before starting and said, "you can all throw fruit or something..." She needn't have said sorry, I know I'm English, but have heard various versions of this ballad, and hers was really lovely. The guys joined her onstage and played tracks from Milk Eyed Mender, Sadie... and another couple, don't know the names but they were more upbeat... from a live tour, brilliant, had a kind of dance/folkish feel to it (out of my realm here).

Guess by now you've figured I like her? Personally, I think she has a fantastic future ahead of her, so much talent and explorative technique waiting to unfold.

She must have been absolutely exhausted by the end of the concert as she walks towards the back door head on one of the guys shoulders both an arm around her back. The lights went up, we knew we'd had more than we could have asked for but, hey, no one was leaving. The crowd there were vociferous, with piercing whistles and claps and stomping of feet. We must have sat quite a while but she did come back out... and said, she had felt a little shaky about playing with an orchestra, and, 'thank you for coming here and clapping ...'

I actually feel quite tearful writing this, and I haven't felt that way at a concert/gig/festival before.

Well done Joanna... you put everything into it, thanks, may the rest of your tour be as enlightening to others who get the chance to see you.

Hey, two in one day?

2007-01-11T10:21:00.000Z

Wednesday evening 10/01/07 - Location Ooooo - Fountainpark, Edinburgh

(Have I just spoiled my synchronisation, boy that's going to bother me, this should have been posted before the one about my blog ... I might have to change things around a bit ... heh heh.)

Okay, it's really, really nice to get back to Orange's great deal 2-1 on Orange Wednesday's. It's been a while.

So, last night we finally managed it, we went to see

"A Prairie Home Companion" Garrison Keillor/directed by Robert Altman

Here's a link you can read, but don't let it make your mind up about it - review of the film content:
http://tinyurl.com/y7bqhm
Another is the Observer's Film of the Week (What does Peter Bradshaw know eh? Guardian review one star! He's obviously too young to appreciate real art).

http://tinyurl.com/y7bqhm
For many years, from when we were first married in the early 80's we listened to Garrison Keillor's stories (not his radio singing show) and read his books, Lake Wobegon etc, (see his biography here http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0445087/bio
We've also seen him live at the Edinburgh Festival where he spoke of his Songs about Cats.

Such a tall man in real life and a wonderful soft voice.

I've never heard him sing though and I guess as with all things you move on and forget how much you used to love listening to the radio.

Anyhow, this film was great! The cast tremendous with Meryl Streep (my favourite from Sophie's Choice and the The Hours) Kevin Kline as Guy Noir - (I've just seen GK has a book about this character and I am tempted to buy to catch up on time!) , a man of few words but great translation of acting; Tommy Lee Jones, very small part but carries it well, Lily Tomlin... my, they can sing and all.

Great humour, a story to tell and all in all, a homely evening ... not everyone's cup of tea but my admiration goes out to the man GK, his voice too is fantastic!

Robert Altman, an all time hero on the production side and sadly no longer with us. Was this his last film? And was GK's angel an omen. Lovely film to end with.

If you manage to see the film and enjoy it and want to read more Garrison Keillor, here's a link to Amazon...Garrison Keillor

Belated Happy New Year

2007-01-11T10:08:00.000Z

... So, at last I have another moment to share...

I have taken the plunge and bought a new domain - cjsphp.com. Yes, just before Christmas I was pondering on how little time I dedicate to learning something new. I always seem keen, buy the books, hoard the library's stock and look wistfully at my desk thinking, I can you know!

I also notice how little time I spend putting words into action. So I have decided to start a new blog and share my incredible journey into learning PHP ... you will see first hand the *distasters, the complete failures and ... hang on! You won't see will you, it won't work!

Anyhow, that is my intention, to share my baby footsteps into my giant strides. Judging by this blog and my other it is all you expected ... you should see another post by the summer holidays then.

Well, at least I bought the domain and I registered some hosting space too. It would be a waste not to use it.

That's another story too. Last week I was looking for a random quote to change my sig with on the .net forum, it was getting a bit stale. So I googled random quote and got "CJ's Random Quote script"! I couldn't believe this, so I ventured further forward onto their website and found a forum too, looks good. The scripts look good so go see for yourself.

Even better, I found out CJ Web Design also have CJ Hosting ... heh heh ... how very random is that? So, here my wee domain is going to sit, bought by fate ... perfect CJ Hosting Hosts CJ.

Cool eh?

*Edit ... I'm going to keep this spelling/transposition as it is, it sounds rather apt to me ;)

What more can I say?

2006-12-25T00:11:00.001Z

Have a lovely, warm, happy, healthy and fun Christmas...

The Toof, the whole Toof, and nothing but the Toof!

2006-09-19T20:14:00.000+01:00

Tuesday - 19/09/06 - location - kitchen

Today whilst eating her rice crispies, little one suddenly says "mummy is that a rice crispie or a tooth?"

Looks at spoon, takes object off of spoon, "that's a tooth!"

she - "because I didn't feel it."

Usually when these things happen there is a little blood and it puts you off your breakfast, but today nothing... so I asked her to open up! Yep, a gap!

Told hubby and he said, "how do you know it was her tooth?" :-)

Bleugggghhhh! The thought of it being hidden in the rice crispy packet. And it would have to be a desperate mother working in a crispy factory to drop teeth into the packets wouldn't it... double bleuggggghhhh!

Much apologies to anyone eating their breakfast and reading this ... which you shouldn't be a) because it is the evening and b) because you probably just spat it all over your nice monitor! ;-)

The Bug Buster!!!

2006-09-16T13:38:00.000+01:00

Sunday 16.09.06 - location - dining room with a screwdriver ...

Yes, last week saw the event of an in-law residential booking. Along with grandma came ... a bug buster for my 18 year old daughter - so that she might never fear the mighty spider ever, ever again!

Papa put it together, and ... da da! It didn't work. At least the motor didn't turn. We didn't have any spiders to test it on. We-ll that's a slight fabrication, we did have one monstrous one up on little 8 yr old daughter's bedroom wall above her bed, and so we shouted out "get the bug buster" and then we discovered that it didn't work. Much to the spider's amusement. Hubby tried to reach said monster and put it in a pot to take outside but it jumped ... so he had to pretend he got it and take it outside, but I saw it go behind a poster on the wall so, big brave me, took the blue tac off the edge of the poster and braved the capture in me bare hands (I hate spiders brrrr.) So I'm following him down the stairs with my hands clasped tight holding the real spider as he goes out with the pot ... :-)

Anyway, the week went on with papa taking the bug buster apart ... and saying, if you push the fan a little it gives it a start and it catches. All very well but when it's all together again you can't get at the fan can you, it's inside the casing under the tube...

So, today *cough* I attempt to do what I am known to do ... that is 'fix impossible things without knowing a thing about them'. I have a screwdriver you know... (I invested in a set of pc pliers at the weekend to help 18yr take her new earrings out her ears ... but that is the makings of another story. Heh heh.) and I get to work at taking the star screws out with a wee ordinary screwdriver. I get the fan out of the casing and the switch (rubber) out the hole, I look at all the solderings, they are attached, but wonder if the copper actually meets the connection. But that's not a job for me to tackle until I buy a soldering iron! Anyway, I come to the conclusion there is not much more I can do is there and after about 3 or 4 attempts manage to get the fan back in its casing and screw it back together again. Sigh.

Then I have a really mean thought, and a rather clever one. What if?... So, I try it. I take the new battery out of the new cardboard container and swap it with the new battery which supposedly came with the new bug buster ... I plug in the connectors and I press the button!!! Hey presto! One bug buster on the mend. I did suggest it the other day but people think I'm mad you know, and I always wonder why???!!! If you've been reading my blog you will confer with me that I am the most level headed person you've ever met wouldn't you? I said, wouldn't you.

So, now ... we only have to find a spider!!!! Trouble is we don't tend to get spiders in our house, only Grandma's down south where there are more spiders than trees lurking in every corner and as big as hedgehogs with bright red eyes... okay I exaggerate a little.

Oh, the spider I caught ... well if you can imagine a full stop, if you double it and put a few legs on it, that would be mine ... yes, I am brave! ;-)

Did I take a permanent Holiday?

2006-09-16T13:29:00.000+01:00

Sunday, 16.09.06 - location - in my head!

Sorry folks... I guess I needed a wee break and then found it had been so long even I had to look up my login details.

But... I'm back now so 'will try harder' to keep you up to date with 'things'.

Kings of Convenience

2006-07-12T13:19:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 12th July - on my pc!

Sorry I haven't updated for a while, been a bit busy entertaining a lovely friend from Germany who stayed with us for ten days, updating accounts and a little general stuff.

Anyway, thought I'd call in to tell you how much I am inspired by this album ...

The Kings of Convenience - Quiet is the New Loud ... I have found I play it almost everyday and sometimes more than once! Every single track is beautiful, the harmonies close and accoustic sound warm and welcoming. I just want to close my eyes and melt.

I found them purely by listening to last.fm following artists who sound like Sufjan Stevens who by the way has a new album out too.

I am an affilliate for Amazon but so far have earned nil points! :-) I have paste this link for you to follow so that you can listen to a sample of their music to see what I am rambling on about ... they also have it on 101cd.com with samples too.

I hope you too will grow to like them and be desperate like me to go buy the album... I'd like to get the alternative version too

This version was released around the same time believe it or not and features Royskopp.

HodgeHegs!!!

2006-06-30T11:12:00.000+01:00

Saturday - 24th June, 2006 - location - in me garden!!!!

Okay, now I know I said I wish I had my camera ... :-) I reckon it was a spy hedgehog, and followed me.

We have a walled garden so the only way in is up the garden path, where we are all lead from time to time aren't we?

Not just one ... enter Mr Hedgehog I think because he was doing all the grunting ...

Kinda cute eh? But he's not alone ... in fact he was the timid one - in the next picture you will see what I think was the female hog ... she ran off under the leylandii hedge while he pretended to hide in the brick wall - like children they seem to think if you cover your eyes and stay very still, you disappear!

Yes, I saw them out the kitchen window and quickly tiptoed out with camera in hand and children. We didn't get too close and couldn't think what food was safe to give like you say Stormfx ... somewhere in the back of my mind I'd heard that either milk or water was wrong and didn't want to chance things. I heard they were partial to cat food, but don't have a cat.

So, when I'd taken my paparazzi snaps, I retreated back and watched from a distance ... Mrs Hog came out the far end of the hedge, turned back round trundled all the way back along the hedge and out through the gap she'd originally gone in, back to the pretend hiding hog ... he then started to grunt again and they both went back under the hedge ...

Ahhhh ... thanks for the visit ...

On the way back

2006-06-21T11:25:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 21st June, 2006 - not so far away from the scouts hut - across the busy traffic lights/road where I saw the crazy red eyed frog!

So I'm meandering back and over the road to the path which leads to the Scouts hut ... and what do I see but a small hedgehog trundling through the grass about to cross the path right in front of me. I've not really seen one quite this close before. He seems unaware of me so I walk lightly past so he will not turn back or get scared. I stop a little distant in front of him and get to watch him still oblivious to me but sensing something around ... he kind of crouches his wee legs as he goes over the paved tarmac like he knows something is there and he's trying to hide, in a hurry - like sneaking underneath something. I wait till he is well over the path and then move one foot, he doesn't stop but turns his head towards me and twitches his nose in the air, all the time concentrating on his route to the longer grass.

It was a lovely morning and seeing things like this really bring a fresh start to the day. Hope you have a nice one too.

Pity I didn't have my camera!

Before Breakfast

2006-06-21T11:16:00.000+01:00

Wednesday, 21st June, 2006 - after the scouts hut!

Conversation:

"Is that a fern?"
"Yes that's right"
"Will it grow into a tree?"
"No, it's just bracken, a small plant."
"You can get fern trees can't you?"
"Um... (thinking) yes ..."
"What do they look like?"
"They are like Christmas trees"
"Do they have coconuts on them?"
"No, you are thinking of palm trees, fir trees are spelt f.i.r, fern is spelt f.e.r.n"

Moments later... points
"Is that a fir tree?"
"No that's a gorsh bush, it's not a tree it's a kind of shrub"
"What's a shrub?"
"It's a small tree ... it doesn't grow very high, those are all shrubs in the border there."
"Shrub's a funny word"
"Yes, it's a bit like scrub ..."

Now we get silly :-) Me:
"Difficult to say isn't it Shrub? Scrub, scrub a shrub ..."
"Like a tongue twister ... let's make one up"

... later ... me (roll eyes) "shrub a dub dub ... no, that's not right, it's scrub a dub dub, otherwise it's shrub a dub dub, a tree in a tub" Both giggle - image of tree having bath!

You try saying scrub a shrub over and over ;-)

Oh dear! Another Blonde Moment!

2006-06-19T18:24:00.000+01:00

Saturday, 17th June, 2006 - stuck on a train bound for nowhere

Okay, Orange decide it's about time to give me a market survey of their services on the Saturday ... well actually they tried on Friday night but I was in the car on my way about to be dropped off so I said could they phone me back after 10am on Saturday ... when they phone after 11am I'm on a train :-) I agreed to the survey although I had no idea how long it would take ... (given also that the train was delayed whilst we were on it and a 30 min journey took 2 hours) and she tried rather valiantly to keep going with the poor signal (which cut out completely in one station). Why am I posting this? Because one of the questions was rather impertinent and very funny! :-)

She said "How would you describe your marital status?" (shocked expression) I immediately said "good!" and shiftly look around me in case anyone else heard the question and answer (roll of eyes) She said, "no, I mean, how as in what!? :-) :-) :-)

Posted in case any random person comes across my blog who is not from .net ... and because I was clearing my text messages from my phone and only just remembered.

A spur of the Moment Link!

2006-06-18T19:45:00.000+01:00

Sunday, 18th June, 2006 - 19.46

Way to go cute overload http://www.cuteoverload.com/

Grins from ear to ear! Literally ...

Just in case the image changes really soon the article is called Bunroo 17th June.

Perfection of Smeagle-Furby

2006-06-18T13:07:00.000+01:00

Sunday, 18th June, 2006 - after a nice filling full English Breakfast!

First of all can I say Happy Father's Day to all you lovely dad's. Hope you are all enjoying your special day and of course feet up for the footie.

Right, I've noticed that the Smeagle-Furby has some little rounding of corners ... so here to help you is the final installment I hope ... and you wish! I've discovered that once you get the purring right it is not quite enough ... having got another rather eager student to try it out. Indeed, you need to be able to add in the 'h' spit/gargle sound as in Loch not Lock. So, get that gargle now going and say 'hcarrrrrrrrrdbbbrrrrrrrhhoard' ... that should sort it! :-)

Last night we went out to a fantastic evening ... middle daughter and friends won 3rd place in a Playwrights competition last year with our twin town Sarasota FL. USA ... 6,000 applicant schools from all over the world entered and ours won 1st and 3rd places ... five of the winning plays and one exceptional entry for next year's competition from Dunfermline High schools were dramatised for us. Excellent writing skills these young people have. Very strong, powerful emotions were evoked ... and tears ... not so much of proud parents, but the content - stripped of the niceties of our conventional, appeasing world.

On the way out and back though ... we counted 26 bunnies!! They definitely are invading.

Yes! You too can be a Smeagle-Furby!

2006-06-16T09:59:00.000+01:00

Friday, 16th June, 2006 - near that scouts hut again!

I have great news for you, I have discovered how to make the perfect impersonation of smeagle and a furby with very little effort ... ever rolled your 'r's? Well, that is the first step ... if you can brrrrrm with your lips you are on your way but it is paramount that you move onto stage two with the tongue.

Got it? Are you sitting there right now going rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr? Good!!! Now, stage three, look around you and find an object. Any old object doesn't matter what it is. You've seen a phone, right, oh dear ... well that might be a bit hard. Start with something simple like Rrrradio, rrrrrrrrruler, highlighterrrrrrr, dictionary... right, now concentrating on the dictionary, I want you to roll the n..., and shape your mouth into an oval. :-)

Yes, I'm mad, but so are you, because you're going to give it a try aren't you! ;-)

Right now onto harder stuff ... try saying 'eat your dinner', making rolling sounds in each word - there are no rules, you just go with what feels best or comfortable ... are you starting to sound like Smeagle? I hope so. If you're at work, don't look around you right now, you will find a whole bunch of people swivelling in their seats, eyes a gowk ... yes you look a right plonker, sitting there saying 'eat your dinner' in a funny voice to your computer monitor don't you :-).

Okay, now to put some emotion into it ... say 'cardboard' got it, 'cardboard'. If you are doing this right you will notice it really is quite a sensuous word. You can practice it with your lover later, sit in front of each other, gaze into each others eyes and say 'cardboard' you looooooove the cardboard.

So I've started you off with the new smeagle-furby lingo, and who knows maybe one day we'll meet up and be staring on top of the pops with our latest hit, just like Crazy Frog.

Now I want you to do some work ... in the comments write back the words which you have found most effective in this new language. I'm warning you, no sweary words, smeagle-furby is very clean. Most swear words don't have an rrrrrrrrrr sound in them and are short and curt. It just won't work, except for one little b word which also sounds quite sensuous, but that's an old fashioned word and won't make you look at all cool.

How did this idea come up I hear you ask? Well next door are having their kitchen extended, (they'll be so glad I told you won't they? :-) ) and the digger started up just before 8am ... so me and my 8 year old went down the road to school, barely out of the house and we were making digger noises with our lips ... (sounded a bit like cars and alien space machines) and then we had a competition to see who could keep their digger going longest on the count of three and then at the scouts hut ... it all started to take shape!

England for teh win! 2-0 but what a struggle eh? Seeya!

Addendum: On further practice this afternoon I discovered it's not just in the rolling of the 'r's you have to purrrrr like a kitten, so if you can purr you then just add words! :-)

I'm turning more than a little bunny!

2006-06-08T14:07:00.000+01:00

Thursday, 8th June, 2006 - somewhere near the Scouts Hut!

A follow up ... you know when you're definitely 'a little different' when you see a nice group of wee bunnies (7) sitting in the grass hopping and sunny themselves and you turn the corner to see one solitary bunny hopping in the shade ...

I wanted to shout out to it and say, 'hey, (point) over there, your friends are all around the corner, if you're quick you'll catch them, go on." And yes, I felt a little excited at being able to tell bunny this good news. Then it dawned on me, I couldn't :-(

So, of course when I got over my disappointment ... and rounded the corner and saw another wee bunny ... I just smiled ... and waved! ;-)

Mikeynma pointed out a fabulous mosaic fun place on the net so I went in and made a wee room ... go see if you can spot Ped! :-)

http://www.thebroth.com/the_cerebral_mix - have fun and keep it nice for all the other little bunnies who might just stumble upon my web.

EDIT: Slight problem with the above link at the moment, the site seemed to have a server error yesterday and lost data therefore I'm having to re-register again ... Ped's masterpiece is gone! :-( But have patience it really is a great wee site and you can still play on the main mosaic if not mine.

EDIT: Sunday ... problem fixed and ped is back!

Where Do Seagulls Live?

2006-05-26T10:46:00.000+01:00

Friday, 26th May, 2006 - Meanderings from thoughts of Wednesday morning.

Okay, I know I've asked about the Peacocks ... but this is a question concerning the whole of Britain. I've had the privilege to live in Penzance in my early teens and see and hear the hundreds of seagulls gliding across the sea. They sit on railings don't they ... and steal your chips?

Well, nearly everywhere I've lived there have been seagulls, except Hampshire for some reason ... probably too inland. :-)

So, the other day when I saw a rather sorry looking seagull muttering to itself (as they do when they're not laughing) on top of a chimney pot, I thought, where do you live Mr Seagull? Not that I know what sex it was ... see here's the problem, have you ever seen a seagull in a tree? I haven't. I now have this picture of these giant birds trying to perch in the top of a silver birch only to be catapulted hundreds of feet into the air as the tree bends down to the ground.

Have you ever seen a baby seagull? They all look the same size don't they, I've never heard anyone say,' ahhh, would you look at that cute baby seagull?' What do they look like when they're little?

So here comes me theory. They can't possibly nest like all the other birds, magpies and crows etc, they just pop up in the sky, 'pop' 'ow, look, there's another one!'

What do you think?

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

2006-05-26T10:02:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 24th May, 2006 - Cameo, Edinburgh

I had a rather spooky moment there when I opened up the dashboard - I could have sworn my photo blinked!

I love the Cameo cinema in Edinburgh, especially when you get into the big screen rooms. But we didn't - we were in the flight cabins! :-)

The Devil and Daniel Johnston has been on my want to see list for a few weeks now because I had watched the trailers. I didn't know who Daniel Johnston was, and the trailers looked intriguing and possibly harrowing.

This film is actually very beautifully captured. The small video clips put in of Daniel as a child mimicking his mother are funny and clever. One thing that struck me though throughout the documentary was that was Daniel really ill? His creativeness seemed to disturb his fundamentalist parents to the point that they sent him away to do something more 'real' and 'of substance' with his life, but music and art to me appeared to be what his very essence was/is, his practicality of home studio environment. His art is not over the top either, it is very pop art/comic book structured. There, as his mother says, is a lot of happiness (and suffering) in his cartoon animations. The characters all seem to have lighting up eyes and a smile on their faces. As does Daniel himself.

There is no doubt that he was/is ill, and I think a lot of the traumatic stuff has deliberately been left out and some is obviously still there, but his creativeness is undoubtable. What I am saying when above I ask was Daniel really ill is because the documentary makes you wonder about his sanity being okay, possibly because a lot of those people who were interviewed came across as very 'strange' while he is pictured as an almost shy looking, curly haired, butter wouldn't melt in mouth young teenager/man being harrassed by his rather moralising parents.

He seemed to become a phenomena where others wouldn't. Working in McDonald's, people phoning up just to speak to him. He had been given the most menial of tasks to do too. Kurt Cobain wearing a tee-shirt with cute looking beheaded frog type thing, gave him probably even more fame ... story being at this time he was in a mental institution and probably hadn't heard of Nirvana.

Spoiler here (Don't get me wrong he has done some very serious stuff such as beat a man with an iron pole, scare an eighty year old woman enough to jump out of her second floor window and nose dive an aeroplane throwing the keys out the window ...) End spoiler.

I was really touched by this documentary ... and left dumbstruck at one, the knowledge of not knowing who he was beforehand and yet he seemed so in touch with real emotions and a real art for portraying it in the words of a song ... He performed live with a guitar he hadn't learnt how to play properly and they say at one point he was winning top awards beating all the folk artists who did know how to play :-) There is so much humour and warmth in the way people interviewed describe him. And fear too. You see the picture of a large middle-aged? man with two frail elderly parents behind him, looking after their son, coping with his manic depression - they speak of him getting up at a different time of the day which allows them almost half the day to themselves and how they welcome that, and you can see in their eyes the true impact of these words.

He doesn't really sing in tune either so how come he is such an enigma ... people like Tom Waits have covered him - mind you Tom Waits is an art in himself with his concoctions of sound.

Anyway, if you get the chance to see this film/documentary do ... it will leave you feeling you've been given a little insight into something special. And I've no doubt after this release a lot more people will have heard of him and put him up there among the greats, this ordinary looking bloke with the rather amateurish playing skills and raw voice who can put it all together into something not to be forgotten.

I've just been searching around and found these two website links which you can follow if you wish - see what you think. ;-)

http://www.hihowareyou.com/

Which says it is the official Daniel Johnston website and

this one http://www.rejectedunknown.com/

which also claims to be the official Daniel Johnston fan site.

And here's a link to more about the film: http://www.sonyclassics.com/devilanddaniel/

Enjoy!

Who introduced the Peacocks to Dunfermline?

2006-05-17T13:25:00.000+01:00

17th May, 2006 - (Wednesday)

Now I'm not talking about the shop! Yes, there is a Peacocks in Dunfermline which sells clothes but that's not the one.

I'm in the middle of revamping my website to a much prettier design, in code that will validate on every page. It has been fun doing this. At the moment I'm working on my business directory. I've been putting photos I've taken on each introductory page ie the A-Z part. As you know every picture tells a story and so, I've been seaching Google and laterly Yahoo, finding wee links to place hidden under the name tag for each photo.

So, I've got to the Peacock. He's a mighty fine bird, meandering in front of Dunfermline Palace ruins. I've been doing a lot of research and Andrew Carnegie, born into a poor weaver's family turned famous Philantropist - bought the Carnegie Park, previously Pittencrieff Estate and gave it to the people in Dunfermline. He did this because as a small boy he had not been permitted to play in the grounds where the peacocks and swans roamed. He then declared that one day every year, the children from the local primary schools (schools closed) would get to come down to the park and play organised games - our now Children's gala. These days the gala is held on a Saturday - I guess this allows all the family to join in, and people to travel from further afield to join the festivities.

Trouble is, it doesn't tell me when the peacocks arrived? I've become enthralled by the thrill of the chase and I just have to know now. As I romantically imagine them (royal birds) roaming the palace with the ladies in their courtly dresses ...

I was told Andrew Carnegie brought the grey squirrels to Scotland, so I'll have to check that one out too. We still have some reds - but further away at places like Rumbling Bridge.

If you find out/happen to know how the Peacocks got here, please let me know.

Very Bunny?

2006-05-17T10:43:00.000+01:00

16th May - (Tuesday) in a local park and everywhere!

Anyone who knows me, knows I love rabbits, but curious things are happening around where I live. Yesterday walking to town with my little one (on a mission to find more secret ingredients for secret beer stew) we saw not one but 14 wild rabbits. Three groups of three, one group of four, and then one on its own. Of course we had smiles like Totoro as we looked out greedily for more.

But this morning on the way to school, in another location we saw 10 more! All together, bold as brass munching in the sunshine. Often they scurry away, but not these ones. They were still there when I came back again 20 minutes later - well when I say they were still there, what I meant was 8 of them were still there, but here's the thing ... they had grown! They were much bigger bunnies.

We also have a really mad roundabout here, where traffic is on the constant and fast. That roundabout is called bunny island. You often see all the little ones sitting nibbling the grass round about suppertime.

Is this the invasion of the bunnie snatchers? I think I shall make sure I carry a trusty carrot around with me for protection when I go back later.

Optician...

2006-05-12T12:23:00.000+01:00

12th May, 2006 - 10.30am - ( Friday)

I went on to optician this morning as felt bad after a training session last night trying to make out the smartboard at a distance, and also the squinting I am doing at present with the computer.

I felt like I was a naughty girl when I finally saw the nice 'lady' optician, she was a little un-empathetic. She said you have to understand there is a limit as to what we can do for you, and I still said, yeah, but when I wore my glasses I felt like I could see better but not to my best and that's why I came in here in the first place, first test since 1998.

She seemed insistent and almost cross with me and said 'you have to understand, it is important you understand that you will not get as good a vision with contact lenses as you do with your glasses ... because the eyes work singularly with contact lens and together with glasses ...' ahhhhh no, I really didn't understand that, that's never really been explained to me, I'll never get as good a vision with lens as I could with glasses that definitely was not explained to me, I had retorted too, '...but I didn't ask for this treatment it was offered to me'.

She also explained that had I come to the opticians at age 30 and tried contact lens I wouldn't be having this problem now because my eyes would have adapted to the change. Apparently it's a big thing for the brain to change to lens, let alone two different prescriptions, so this is as good as it gets. I have to compromise on distance to get the reading and visa versa with lens. They do have Vari-focal lens but she said these are even harder to adapt to. Sigh. She told me I can't go around comparing my vision with my earlier glasses or with other people's vision. So naughty me, must learn I still have a long way to go before my eyes have either accepted or dismissed my new way of looking - mono vision! It's okay that I squint at the computer, that's my compromise ... and she also prescribed some drops to help stop protein build up and dryness in my eyes ... Perhaps the dryness is caused by me squinting? She said I need to train myself to blink everytime I click the mouse, that will help stop them drying out.

Before you start to worry ... don't, apparently this only starts to happen to you when you get in your forties... first sign of getting old I guess :-) first mid life crisis.

Oh, by the way, I've just discovered a deliberate mistake (she says) in my earlier blogs which has only just occurred to me to be so ... see if you can guess what it is? Or were you just being polite?

How many (almost) blondes does it take to open a tin of corned beef?

2006-05-10T11:45:00.000+01:00

9th May, 2006 - (Tuesday) location - kitchen, subject:

So, here's the scenario, it was lunchtime, and we have discovered that processed tinned corned beef, (yum!) along with grated Cathedral Cheddar makes a lovely toastie sandwich.

I get the tin from the cupboard, witnessed by my lovely 18yr old daughter and I go to put the key the right way up and turn it. Hang on? Where's the key? Who's stolen it! Rotters. Grr.

My daughter maintains that I am 'very good at finding a way to fix things I know completely nothing about', hence the blonde reference ... so I am not the sort to be easily dettered.

Enter one key found in drawer with a loop hole, a nice Yale type - it won't fix round the sticky out bit, okay, try some tweezers ... yes, they almost get a grip, but uh-oh - they bend :-(

Right, ah! Yes, why didn't I think of that in the first place ... can opener!!! "but doesn't the tin have to be round?" ... looks out corner of eye at person who said that, pretends not to hear ... (really wish I'd videod this) I will not be beaten ... the can opener is succeeding, it's turning, it's cutting ... what? One side doesn't grip the can and skips over the surface. I'm starving ...

But have you noticed those cans are soft and bendy? After several minutes of squishing, I have defeated the can, and another day is won. Phew!

Location, Not Telling!

2006-05-05T10:47:00.000+01:00

6th May, 2006 - (Friday)

Yes, I've had one of those weird dreams again! This time, although I had just won a really cool, expensive jewellery gold/diamond orb/bone like thing, someone said, "swap you for a imac laptop...", "done I cries" Oh was I so excited, I could see the shape in their hands and I so wanted a laptop. They hand it over and disappear. I can hear in the background the moans and sighs thinking I'm so silly I haven't even seen it, (and as it was like a quiz show I had the chance of doubling it and winning bigger and better prizes - to opt out now was to leave the contest) but I so want that laptop. I unzip the flightbag to find not one but two minature yellow plastic typewriters in the shape of 'Herbie' the flying car!!! Boy was I so outdone! I was demanding "not so fast" but they wouldn't listen (because they had disappeared hadn't they... Why is life so cruel? Then I woke up.

Hello, everybody! Yes the crazy woman is back for a wee while just to acknowledge my .net friends who may have been daft enough to click on the link. Thanks for popping by - and I'll sort the edit-me's soon. I don't want you finding out too much about me now do I?

It's a lovely day here today, full of sunshine ... as Friday's should be. Hope your day's got a smile in it too.

Recycling!

2006-05-02T18:09:00.000+01:00

3rd May, 2006 - (Tuesday)

Okay we survived, and it was seriously tasty. But you didn't come here to read about the casserole did you now, you wanted to know all about the rubbish.

Well it's a rant. Our council put us on a project with a blue wheelie bin. We've had it while, and it was for paper and cardboard first of all, then it allowed you to put in plastic bags, and then... plastic bottles and recyclable plastics pet 1 and hdpe 2? And tins!

Well, this month the council has expanded the project to the whole area and guess what? We're back to putting just cardboard and paper in the blue bin!

Now they've got us hooked and deligently washing all our rubbish we've nowhere to turn to. So, we separate our bits and bobs, see there's so many recycle symbols on all that packaging... and we take it to the local tip. Hubby found a queue outside so he decided to come back later, with me. We have all our plastic bottles with us but the two small containers they have are stuffed full. The attendant when asked about the dilemma says, "just throw it in the household rubbish" ie don't bother recycling. We weren't about to do this but did have some stuff you can't recycle to put into the household waste skips. Beside them sit two huge containers, and I mean room size nearly, for get this, recycling your tyres ... and in the tyre buckets ... sit six, solitary tyres.

Why? Why do they do this too you?

The Oven! 18.00pm

2006-04-30T19:33:00.000+01:00

1st May, 2006 - (Sunday)

I think I've just made the most random casserole ever. Yes, I am a culinary devil, as in I can't cook but would like to think with a bit of imagination, I might one day succeed.

It started with soup making ... I confess I followed a recipe for Carrot and Coriander and it was yummy and ever so easy to eat, I mean make! From there I went from strength to strength and started my evil plan of potted madness. I tasted Courgette and Mint at Howie's in Edinburgh and thought ahhhhh, promptly went to Tesco's and bought 3 Courgettes, 2 big potatoes, fresh mint and two vegetable stock cubes (as if!) Anyway, it is simply magic and I make it whenever I get the inclination.

So, the casserole ... this week I started thinking I am so unorganised with meals, I freeze when I look at the freezer/fridge and haven't a clue. Seriously, it's as close to panic attack as you can get, without the panic. Just total emptiness of ideas.

We do eat a lot of predisposed meals, in their nice shiny packs ... which really annoys me with the recycling but I'll leave that story until Tuesday. I wanted to make a difference, cook real good home fresh stuff and make it at the weekend so that it can be served in a hurry on Monday night. Life is such a hurry these days, and everybody on different timescales trying to get somewhere or other.

I bought some chicken thighs and veggies and well, stirred up my brew tonight without a recipe! Uh oh. I rapid fried the thighs in garlic and lemon ... but then the plot changed and after fast frying the carrots, onion, fresh tomatoes (because there were no tins in the never empty cupboard) tomatoe puree ... I chopped some basil and added that.

Ha ha! I need to know how long to cook in the oven my concoction, when I stumbled upon a sherry and chicken casserole recipe ... Hmmmm? Okay, unopened bottle of sherry, (I won't tell you how long we've had it!) one glass mixed with tomatoe puree as they said ... adds to pot, with 1 pint vegetable stock (cubes) ... a little fresh peppercorn and salt, not too much. Stick in oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Okay, it smells alright, doesn't it? After said time I had a teaspoon of the liquid and it was a little bitter, so I added a small level teaspoon of sugar ... that I think that might do the trick.

I won't know until Monday night so if we're all still alive and kicking on Tuesday I'll tell you about the rubbish. If not, you'll know what did it heh heh ;-)

Edinburgh, Cineworld - C.R.A.Z.Y

2006-04-28T11:12:00.000+01:00

26th April - (Wednesday)

So, it's my Orange Wednesday ... anybody else seen this film yet?

It's very touching and follows the story of a young boy who is different - here's a link to an excellent website review http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/crazy.html

Rather then tell you more about the story ... I want to just tell you how warm this film is, if you have seen Amelie, you will have wondered at the quirky moments, the timing and the way you catch your breath. There is so much in this film, a journey of anybody's life, especially if you've struggled with convention, religion and purpose. The imagery is beautiful. The music well placed too.

You will find yourself laughing, smiling, empathetising and it will also place a tear in your eye.

My Neighbour Totoro - at home, huddled round the telly!

2006-04-28T10:48:00.000+01:00

24th April, 2006 - (Monday)

Today I finally managed to buy a copy of an anime film recommended to me nearly two years ago now by a friend on a forum I live in.

My Neighbour Totoro - I had seen all the lovely fluffy toys for absolutely ages but the dvd seemed out of reach (pricewise) Saw it in Glasgow at the weekend but still thought it was a bit too much. Anyway, today I found it in town and almost raced home to my little one, and two lovely, not so little ones, big grin on my face!

We had our tea and settled in front of the telly, the room with filled with bright eyes, and ahhhh's. Ghibli has this wonderful talent of capturing every special emotion there is around:

... of a young girl - heavily plodding along the path, determination set upon her face as she follows the wispy like timid wee white bunny type creature, as it checks it's feet and tries to disappear out of reach.

... the shyness of a young boy with the new girl in town, who runs to hide, pretends he doesn't care for girls, cannot speak, but becomes her friend in her hour of need.

Totoro himself ... the huge towering bunny like creature with a grin that will melt your heart ... he stands nervous below an umbrella offered up by the older sister Satsuki, (who is really a little nervous of believing in such a large creature) at the bus stop as a single drip off a tree hits it and makes a noise, suddenly he has a thought, and his eyes get bigger and his wide grin so big you think his face is going to explode with joy and he takes a leap into the air and the whole tree, earth shakes to allow a valley of raindrops fall...

The Japanese language - so sharp and beautiful - please don't turn off the subtitles to hear the English version!

I could sit and watch this film, over and over ... it captures so many emotions and hopes. ...

What touches me most about this film is how it conveys that there are times in our lives when we need to escape ... the two young girls are worried about their mother who is sick in hospital and each week drags by, each week they hope she will be home soon, ... Totoro is their hope, their refuge, where they feel safe and know things will be alright eventually, no matter what.

Location - Borders, Glasgow around 8ish

2006-04-28T10:14:00.000+01:00

22nd April, 2006 - (Saturday)

So, I've finally found a few moments to myself after a busy day shopping with my lovely girls. My reward is a look in Borders, the place I'd like to be locked in at night - books, films, food, coffee, comfy chairs - ahhhh bliss.

So, we're together at the beginning looking at the stationery, I'm about to take my leave for a few minutes in the computer section (it's so big!) and the store is playing a tune ... it starts off with a kind of western whistle, with dischords, beautiful. I've heard it before but I don't know what it is? I ask my oldest who says why don't you ask? It's off an advert or it might be Massive Attack? I'm not brave enough so I go off on my book hunt. Then I hear another tune I've heard before, a soft woman's voice, and I like it. I really want to know what this is now, and it distracts me from my book hunt, so after a couple of tracks I wonder down to the music deparment ... only to find they are playing something different! So back I go the stationery section where the music has now changed to Blondie. I pluck up all my courage and ask the man behind the information counter ... "excuse me, can you tell me what you've just been playing, I know it's a stupid question but ..." he goes under the counter and comes back up and says, "it's Vashti Bunyan". "Who?" I says, never having heard of her, let alone pronounce her name. He kindly shows me the cd and tells me it's in the music department if I want to buy it... No more need to prompting, "I tell him I really like it, and zoom off" texting the girls I am now in the music dept - should they want me.

I got it home, and well it doesn't have the whistle song, I wish I knew what that was? Perhaps you can tell me. Hubby is away for only the second weekend ever ... so I put this on the stereo next to the bed, switch off the light and listen in the darkness. It is so beautiful. This is how it makes me feel:

... like lying in the grass of a wide open hill or field, on a warm summer's day, sun on your back and your hair, warm, gentle breeze, the smell of fresh grass and flowers, outstretched hands and feeling the space between your fingers...

Yes, the first track is from an advert - the t-mobile flex advert. I love the music but I hate the advert ... I say to my eldest, (we are talking about it as we walk down the town the next day) it encourages young people to think if you jump out a window from high up you will be okay - and you won't be. She says, 'mum - you'd have to be on lsd to think that', 'I still think it's wrong' I say, we grin as she thinks of me starting up a society for the protection of lsd users...

This is the first of many moments, I'd like to share with you.