Making Good Use

10.00 pm on a Summer's Evening

I just love this time of year - not for the weather particularly, although a glorious summer's day in England is wonderful - no, I just love the fact that it barely seems to get dark.  The photo below was taken at 10.00 pm yesterday evening, looking north-west-ish.  The sky still holds a glimmer of light and, indeed, when I popped out again at just gone 11.00 pm there was still the faintest suggestion of light even then.  The sky starts lightening again for the dawn just before 4.00 am.  I love, love, love it and it makes the drab, dreary, dark days of mid-winter seem a reasonable price to pay for the long, long summer daylight.

Apparently in the Shetland Islands it never really gets dark at this time of year and they refer to the long hours of daylight as the 'simmer dim'.  P and I did go there once some years ago but as we basically only had one day in Lerwick (we sailed overnight both there and back from Aberdeen) we didn't really get to experience the 'simmer dim'.  Six years ago we spent a week in Reykjavik in early July and there the light was amazing - broad daylight still at 11.30 pm, and light enough to read a book indoors without a light on at 2.30 am - fabulous.

I Suppose it's a Bit Like Riding a Bike

We've got a very hard quarry tile floor in our kitchen, and if you drop anything breakable on it it's 'goodnight Vienna' for that item.  I once dropped a small Pyrex jug on the kitchen floor which exploded with the force of a bomb and I found glass fragments weeks later half-way up the hall.  It really is a totally unforgiving floor (and bl**dy cold to stand on in the winter too).  Anyway, Saturday evening I had my hot-air brush in the kitchen ready to blow-dry my hair (don't ask - the plugs upstairs are rather awkward to access!!)  I only let go of the cord for a moment and the plug fell heavily against the tiled floor.  There was a nasty sound of cracking and when I look a large chunk of the plastic plug had sheered off, exposing the wires inside.  Probably rather foolishly I still plugged the brush in and dried my hair.  I was probably very lucky I didn't electrocute myself!!

On looking at the the plug in the cold light of day I realised that it really wasn't too safe and that I'd have to do something about it.  It did seriously cross my mind to just dump the whole thing and ask for a new one for my birthday but, after giving myself a strict talking to, I decided to buy a new plug and have a go at fitting it.  After all, the worst that could happen would be that the thing would spontaneously combust on being plugged in.

Now I haven't had to fit a plug for many years as these days all new electrical appliances sold in the UK come with plugs already fitted, but I vividly remember the days when that wasn't the case and the first time I'd had to fit a plug by myself - using a carving knife as a screwdriver (very sore fingers for days afterwards!!).  If I could do it in my early twenties, I could certainly do it in my late forties - and these days I do, at least, have screwdrivers. 

P, who hails from Switzerland, has a funny story about when he bought himself a desk lamp in Habitat in Bristol in the early 1990s, and thought all the lamps were faulty as they didn't have plugs already fitted as standard, which they have done for many years in Switzerland!  He was totally amazed that we were supposed to buy a plug and fit it ourselves.  Since then, of course, things have changed.

So I go sailing into our local Woolworths yesterday morning in search of a plug.  Now maybe Woollies do still sell plugs but I couldn't find any and with no member of staff in sight, took myself off to the local electrical shop (I was only being totally lazy in not going there first of all but it is at the bottom end of the High Street and it was obscenely hot yesterday - and that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!), they of course had plugs a-plenty and for the grand sum of 89p I was sorted.  In the afternoon I fetched a goodly selection of screwdrivers from the shed and sat down at the garden table to change the plug.  It took me all of five minutes it was so simple, and I realised that I hadn't forgotten what to do at all - blue wire to the left, brown to the right, screw the back on and Bob's your uncle.  The hot-air brush is now as good as new again.  Why I ever thought of just chucking the whole thing away seems ludicrous to me now, and probably goes to show how we have all been affected adversely by our 'throw-away' culture.

Sold to the Woman with the Wet Feet

After a very cold and grey Saturday, Sunday turned out to be a wonderfully hot and sunny day, ideal Car Boot Sale weather.  I did wonder if the car boot would be cancelled again like it was on Thursday, but took a chance that a few days of reasonably dry-ish weather would have helped to dry the fields out.  Well, it had to a certain extent, but there were still HUGE puddles about and parts of the second field were roped off.  Even the bits where cars were parked and people were walking up and down the rows was a bit like walking or wading through wet spinach.  The grass is really rather long there at the moment and it was still pretty sodden and I, stupidly enough, had worn open-toed sandals!!  At least it kept my feet cool but the bottom of my jeans were so wet and mud-spattered that they had to go straight in the wash when I got home.

I got the usual pile of books which had looked very promising for re-sale at the car boot, but which on checking them out on Amazon turned out to be complete duds - why someone would want to sell an 850 page psychology tome for 25p is beyond me, but there you go - there's nought stranger than folk!! 

I also got a Power Rangers dressing up kit for DN for £1, he's VERY into dressing up at the moment and I don't think he's got a Power Rangers kit so that was a good find.  I also got myself a nice T-shirt top for 20p.  I hadn't noticed the small bleach mark on the front when I bought it but at that price I'm not going to complain, and the top does fit rather well and is a very pleasing shape.

But, oddly enough, there were loads and loads of really good bargains on toiletries yesterday.  I do like nice toiletries - Body Shop, Lush, and Molton Brown being among my favourites - although I usually make do with Aldi shower gel and Boots own shampoo.  I got the selection in the photo for the grand total of £2, (and that included a make-up bag, a bath lily, a large bottle of bath milk and a bottle of body moisturiser, all of which have gone to the local charity shop as I don't use them). For my own use I got a large bottle of Molton Brown shower wash (slightly used but I'm not worried about that) which has the most fabulous scent, a small bottle of Epherem Shampoo, a large and a travel size bottle of Body Shop White Musk shower wash (my favourite of the Body Shop scents), and a bottle of Boots shower wash.  That lot will help me to keep smelling sweet for a little while yet!!

You Win Some ....

Thursday morning dawned fairly bright and sunny in south-east Essex so I decided to take myself off to the Thursday Car Boot Sale.  Although the bus fare to get there is £3.20 (bus journey all of 7 - 8 minutes!!), it has often proved quite a good investment.  Not yesterday!!  The car boot was cancelled - there was a note on the gate explaining why but I couldn't see what it said from the bus window, I suspect the reason was water-logged ground.  Now that was a bit of a b*gger although not a totally wasted journey as I did need to get some shopping in the mega Sainsbury's which is just across the other side of the roundabout from the car boot site.  Having spent a somewhat shocking £32.00 there (my shopping trolley was only half full at best), I made my way home.  One positive from yesterday's almost totally wasted bus fare was that I didn't have to wait any time at all for the buses - either there or back, something which is practically unheard of.

This morning I wondered whether to take myself off the Basildon for a quick tour of the charity shops and a visit to the town-centre church's 'Bargain Box Sale'.  I'm afraid that after yesterday's debacle I thought better of it.  I didn't really want to waste yet another £3.20 bus fare (yes, despite the fact that the journey is at least twice as long it is still the same fare - go figure!!) as the last time I went there I came home with a dozen or so books for re-sale all of which proved to be totally useless.  So I decided to stay at home and get the grass cut before the next forecast rain arrived (it still hasn't so maybe that was another rubbish weather forecast).  The grass was incredibly wet even though it hasn't rained for the last couple of days and it was quite a task to get the mower through it.  When I'd finished I had to turn the mower over and start scraping off all the compacted grass and mud which had got stuck on the underside.  I will say the grass is looking much better for it's short-back-and-sides and it was time well spent.

After putting the mower back in the shed I had to nip down to the Post Office to post a few parcels.  The Post Office was very pleasantly quiet and it took me no time at all to be served.  As I had a bit of time in hand I called into the local charity shop and picked up three books for re-sale.  All three of them proved to be really good - an almost unheard of achievement these days - and it really made my day (I know, easily pleased).

New Blogger on the Block

A fellow Essex person - Heather - has just started a blog.  If you've got time, do pop over and have a look at http://catzscorner.blogspot.com (sorry the link thingy on the 'new and improved' Typepad completely eludes me.)  I've also added her blog to my links on the left.

Nice One, Jackie

I don't know if it's just our family, but certain phrases seem to stick with us ('Got it wrong again, Dad' - vintage Dick Emery.  'Snob goblets' (used to describe anything useless but adored by the upper classes) - vintage The Good Life).  Anyway, P and I were great Brookside fans at one time and the phrase 'Nice one, Jackie' (as used frequently by Jimmy Corkhill to his long-suffering wife, Jackie) has definitely stuck.  We use it quite often to describe anything good happening, or one of us having a good idea.  Today has definitely been a 'Nice one, Jackie.'

First up I sold another of my book bags on e-bay.  I always feel very proud of myself if someone is prepared to part with their hard-earned cash to buy something I've made. 

Secondly, my first monthly draw of my new premium bonds has produced a £50 win - I know it won't change my life but I'm nevertheless pleased.  And, who knows, next month I might win the million!!

Thirdly, I found a wonderful game for DN in the charity shop, Dino Buzz.  It's one of those games where you have to get a metal hook around a metal shape without one touching the other and causing a 'buzzing' sound.  I remember there was something like this as a game at the local Flower Show which we attended every year when I was little.  I could never do it, try as I might (I think there may have been a cash prize if you could do it which made me all the more determined), and judging by my attempts with the Dino Buzz I don't think I've improved over the years!!  I daresay DN will be very good at it.

Oh, and finally the sun is shining - hurrah.

I'd love to hear any phrases / catchphrases that have stuck in your family

Disneyland Paris - Le Deuxieme Poste

Thursday in Disneyland was a bit showery and overcast (a welcome respite from the unexpectedly hot sunshine of the day before - next time I'll be taking sunscreen with me!!)  My sister and I managed to persuade DN to ride on the little train which takes you all round the outskirts of the park.  It was a real steam train and called at dinky little stations in each of the four different 'lands'.  We did a whole circuit plus one more stop as we wanted to get off at Frontierland!!  We all had a great time there as there was something for all of us.  A shooting gallery for DN and a lovely sedate cruise around a large lake on a Mississippi Paddle Steamer for my sister and me.  The wildlife on the lake was amazing - not just ducks and ducklings who were incredibly tame, but herons as well.  That was something I hadn't expected to find at Disneyland - wonderful floral displays, beautiful garden areas and wildlife.

After lunch there were two trips around the haunted mansion ride (DN was very taken with the ghosts), and then on to Fantasyland where we had to go and visit the Dragon again and then we went on a few of the lovely rides they've got there - the spinning tea cups of the Mad Hatters Tea Party and the Dumbo carousel.  Afterwards we found a fantastic Ice Cream Parlour where there was every flavour you could imagine and DN ate a vanilla ice cream cone that was almost as big as him!!

Friday was much warmer again and we spent most of the day revisiting DN's favourite rides - including the, for me, stomach-churning Star Tours ride. DN loved it and really believed he'd been on a trip through outer space.  There was a trip on one of my favourite rides - It's A Small World.  I'd been on the same ride in Disneyworld in California many many years ago and it was just as pretty and magical as I remembered it. Although it was a bit 'girly' even DN seemed to enjoy it.  Then it was back to the ice cream parlour where DN yet again managed to eat a huge cone of ice cream.

The three days there went by in the blinking of an eye.  We all had a lovely time and I suspect there may be a return visit next summer.  I'll leave you with a photo of a souvenir I brought back, a huge cereal bowl featuring my all-time favourite Disney cartoon characters - Chip'n'Dale the Chipmunks.  Apparently they're known as Tic & Tac in France.

Disneyland Paris - Le Premier Poste

Disneyland Paris, we had a great time - what a fabulous fantasyland for children of all ages.

We travelled there via a direct Eurostar from St Pancras to Disneyland, 2 and a half hours on a very comfortable train.  I was a little edgy about going through the Channel Tunnel as I'm not good in confined spaces but it was fine.  Having a train full of small children asking 'are we there yet?' definitely took the edge off any nervousness.

Straight to the hotel from the station - a 10 minute shuttle bus ride from Disneyland.  The hotel was excellent too.  Quiet, set in rolling fields, and wonderfully geared up for excited small children and their parents.

The first evening we only had time for a quick look around Disneyland (it shuts at 7.00 pm) and a go on the 'Buzz Lightyear Laser Quest' ride.  That was brilliant - nothing scary or stomach-churning - just a nice gentle ride with a 'laser gun', shooting at various moving targets and seeing who could get the highest score.  As DN's score was 10 times mine I think we can definitely say he was the winner.

After a wonderfully good night's sleep we were all ready to set off bright and early to see what our first day would bring.  We spent most of the day in 'Discoveryland' which is full of space rides and car rides - DN's dream come true.  My sister and I did manage to get him into the Disney castle in 'Fantasyland' but he wasn't interested in anything there except the 'Dragon's Lair', and for the first time ever to my knowledge DN was actually a bit scared in there.  It was very dark and very atmospheric, and the animatronic dragon was extremely convincing.  DN soon recovered his composure though and we visited 'Le Taniere du Dragon' on numerous other occasions during our three days there.

Here's a photo of DN driving his Mummy round the bend (on one or two occasions both literally and figuratively - he was VERY excited by it all.)

Meeting Mickey

We're all back home safe and sound after a very exciting few days in Disneyland Paris.  We were lucky enough to get really close to good ol' Mickey Mouse when he joined us at our table for a photo opportunity.  Back tomorrow with more tales from fantasyland.