Saturday Smile!

 Dear Tech Support,

 Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend to Husband and noticed a distinct 

 slowdown in overall system performance, particularly in the Flower and  Jewellery

 applications, both of which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend.

 In addition, Husband uninstalled many other valuable programmes, such as 

 Romance and Personal Attention and then installed undesirable programs 

 such as Cricket, Football, Golf and Continuous TV. Conversation only runs 

 intermittently and House Cleaning simply crashes the system. I've tried 

 running Nagging to fix these problems, but to no avail.

 What can I do?

 Please advise me.

 Desperate

.........................................................................................................

 Dear Desperate,

 First, please bear in mind that Boyfriend is an Entertainment Package, 

 while Husband is an Operating System.

 You could enter the command: 'http: I Thought You Loved Me.html' and try 

 to download Tears. If this doesn't do the trick you might like to install 

 the latest Guilt update. If this works as designed, Husband should then automatically 

 run the applications Jewellery and Flowers, but remember, over-use of the 

 above application can cause Husband to default to Grumpy Silence, Garden Shed or the  Golf Club. 

Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-in-Law (which runs a virus in the 

 background that will eventually take control of all your system 

 resources). Also, do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend program. These are unsupported 

 applications and will crash Husband.

 In summary, Husband is a great system, but it does have limited memory and 

does not learn new applications quickly. It also tends to work better if you only

run one task at a time. You might like to consider buying additional 

software to improve its memory and performance. We recommend Compliments, 

Good Food pandering to his ego.

Good Luck,

Tech Support

The Most Precious of Things ...

Hallo  everyone. Lovely to be here with you all again. 

It's that time when someone not a million miles from here has a birthday coming up once again, which made me think about time. 

As the years go by, we surely realize just how precious that commodity is. Time to enjoy our families, our friends and loved ones.  Time to enjoy the beauty of the world all around us. Time to enjoy all those simple things that can brighten our days, and mean so much. 

I so believe this is true, about giving someone your time.  Actually taking the time to listen to what people have to say as well.

y

Talking about time made me think about clocks, which made me think of one of one of my favourite poems by W.H.Auden. I hope you will enjoy it too.

Stop All The Clocks. 

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. 

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. 

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message, He Is Dead. 

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. 

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

(How special to have someone love you with a depth of feeling like that)

I first came across that poem whilst watching the film Four Weddings And A Funeral, and I have loved it ever since. 

See you again soon little Bloggies. Take care. 

All images today courtesy of Pinterest

Wordless Wednesday (Where Did The Years Go!)

This And That For A Sunny Friday ....

Well, who would have thought it? I have just realized, by pure chance, that this will be my 600th blog post.  I just can't believe that really.  It seems like only yesterday  that Eleanor was my guest blogger for my 500th post.

As I wasn't aware that this milestone was coming up, I'm afraid I haven't got anyone special to join me today.  Although, to be honest, I do!  I have all my dear bloggy friends, who have been such an encouragement and support to me over these past few years.

I am an Aries lady.  We are very well known for starting something off, but we very rarely finish, and just want to be up and on to more exciting things.  So, in actual fact.  I am feeling rather pleased with myself that I have stuck at my blog  and not given up.  That certainly is mostly down to the lovely comments that you always leave me.  Here are some lovely tulips for you all to share :)

I

I thought I would also share some early signs of Spring with you, for we have surely waited long enough.  These photos were taken in the garden yesterday.  This time last week, the garden was still looking quite sad, but just look what a spell of warm, sunny weather has done.  It's as if all the little plants are now vying with each other to put on the best show.  I'm sure that they are pleased to feel the warmth of the sun as well.  I look after Ruby on Thursdays, and we actually spent all day outside.  It was wonderful. She absolutely loves it out in the caravan.  I am so pleased that I bought it (completely on a whim!).  It just makes me feel happy, as soon as I step inside it.

Here's Miss Ruby, in the greenhouse, pretending that she is in her fairy castle.  I tell you, she has such a good imagination!

I don't know whether or not you have heard of Hot Cross Buns in your little corner of the world, but I just love them, especially served warm with Devon Clotted Cream.  (Yum!).  They used to be for sale only at Easter time, but  in recent years, you can virtually buy them all year round.  Anyway, I was in the supermarket this morning, and look what I found !

Double chocolate Hot Cross Buns!  I ask you - is nothing sacred?!  I did hover over them for a few minutes , but, in the end, I decided to resist.  No one loves chocolate more than I do, but this just didn't seem quite right somehow :(

So then little bloggies, the weekend is almost upon us once again.  Whatever you're doing, I hope that you will manage to have some fun and relaxation.  Me? If this glorious weather holds up, you will find me working in the garden.  Pop in for a cup of tea - I would love to see you!

Sunday Snaps ....

Alison, Elijah and Ruby on Plymouth Hoe

Gosh, how long has it been since I did a Sunday Snaps post? Quite a while, so I thought I would surprise you today. 

 I hope you enjoy the photos and, once again,  I have to apologize to my Facebook friends, who will have seen these before. 

Yay! Able to get out in the garden again, although we had to wear our wellies, because it is still pretty wet under foot.

Lovely to be in the caravan again, and I'm pleased to say that it survived all the storms and torrential rain.

Galleries Layfayette is a wonderful place for some retail therapy.

The Mayoral Offices in Maison lafitte where the family live, just on the outskirts of Paris

Day out with the munchkins during their half term break

Lunch with daughter and son in law for his birthday

Emma and Alfred

Notre Dame

Daughter No 1 and Granddaughter No 1!

Love how this man looks after me! 

Three Generations.

Well dear bloggy friends, it's always lovely to be here with you, and I'm sure we will see each other again soon.  Take care until then.  Meanwhile ...

It's Our Day Ladies! ....

Today, the 8th March, is International Womens' Day.  I like to remember this date on my Blog every year, and I do this in honour of all the women over many, many years who have fought courageously for women to be considered equal to men.  It saddens me today, to look around and, although, yes, things have altered beyond recognition in many ways, there still seems that there is a lot yet to be done.

Each year, the United Nations declares a theme for this important day, although some groups select their own individual theme, more relevant to what is going on in their particular area. The theme this year is "Inspiring Change."  If you are interested, please go along to their official website, where you will gain more information.

 Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world, ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events, through to local women's craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion parades and much more.

The new millennium  witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy.

With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women carrying out impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to their male counterparts and they are still not present in equal numbers in business or politics, or representated globally enough in health and education. Violence is also much more apparent in women than it is men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives, and I do think that this is very important.  

I would like to thank all those women, from the Suffragettes onwards, who fought so hard to gain women's rights and to make the world a much better place for the women of today, although, unfortunately, there are still parts of the world (Afghanistan and the Middle East for example) where there is still a long way to go for women to be treated with the respect they deserve.

This post is also in honour of all the wonderful women out there who, like me, write a Blog.  These women really are the very best.  When I first joined the blogging community, I had no idea just how wonderful an experience it was going to be.  I feel that it has enriched my life, with 'talking' to these women from all parts of the world.  Women who are caring, generous, funny, supportive when we need a helping hand, and only too happy to celebrate in our good times as well.

Thank you each and every one!!

Bonjour My Little Peeps!

Bonjour. Ca va bien? Of course, I could write this whole post in French, but I don't want you to think that I'm showing off!

I thought my photo today is probably how a lot of you think of Paris.

In a quieter moment, I was reading the English version of The Good Housekeeping Magazine, which, for my overseas Followers, is a lot more exciting than it sounds!

Anyway, it contained an article by Mireille Guiliano, who wrote the best selling book, French Women Don't Get Fat. 

Apparently, French women don't hanker after youth, but, instead, they embrace the different stages of life. (Having said that, I certainly don't hanker after youth either! I think most of us women (not forgetting my male Followers) of 'a certain age', are far too intelligent for that. )

I did rather like the quote by Coco Chanel though - "no one is young after 40, but one can be irresistible at any age."  So that is what I shall aim for (not to mention "awesome" as well, of course!!! I so love that word that I was introduced to by my American friends!)

I always find it amazing how people can make so much money out of writing these sort of books, when most of it is just plain common sense. 

For example, being "bien dans sa peau" (comfortable in one's own skin). Perhaps I'm one of the lucky ones, but I certainly feel comfortable in mine. Okay, it's a bit saggy in places, a bit wrinkly in others, and there's a bit more of it than there used to be, but, hey, I'm here and at almost 67, there's a lot of my friends that didn't make it, so I am grateful for each and every day that I am given, dear friends. 

As we have said before, quite often, it really is the simple and little things that can bring the most happiness. 

A smile from someone as we walk along the street, a hug from a small child, a walk along the beach, the gift of friendship (which seems to get more important to me, the older I become), finding a parking space etc etc. All blessings, which help to brighten the day. 

Talking of friendships, I'm sure we have all been disappointed by certain people in our lives, but how wonderful it is when everything clicks into place, and you know that that person would always be there for you, no matter what, as you would be for them. Something, indeed, to be treasured and nurtured. 

I hope you have enjoyed my little Post today and I hope to see you all again soon. 

 

And finally ....