The pleasing effect of snow

There is something special about waking up to see snow falling if you don't see it often, which we don't in the South East. I just love it. I love the fact that it muffles sound and can make even a landfill site look beautiful. Yes, it has its critics and there are dangers, but a snowy winter's day is something to behold. 

I took this shot this morning on my way to London. 

Happy Friday 2 - Slippery babies

Today I was in a baby massage session. No photos were allowed, but it was great. Buck-naked babies on mats with mums gently oiling them. They use sunflower oil!! They were all slippery looking and shiny. The background music was the same as for an adult spa session, low, melodious and slow, but, it was things like Brahm's lullaby, Scarborough Fair and other songs that a mum might sing.  A happy way to spend some time. 

Broken hearts and babies

One of the hardest things for me being a mum has been talking to Han - a very upset Han this week, about splitting up with her first real love. She is so far away and so sad, he is sad and it breaks my heart that no-one can do anything to reduce the hurt they both feel. 

I have enjoyed the clinics and visits so far this week and participated in a meeting about a Gypsy Traveller Project which was fascinating. 

The area I am in is so multicultural and it is a real priviledge to be invited into so many homes in my mere student capacity to talk about very personal issues. 

And I confess, all those tiny babies are just gorgeous!!!

Cluck, cluck. 

Dragging my feet

You know that kid that dawdles on the way to school, that runs a stick along the fences and hedges, that get slower as school gets closer? That's me tonight. 
The essay is done, the references are done, spell-check done, grammar check, done. BUT I cannot bring myself to send it because I am still not convinced the Harvard referencing is correct. For some reason references have always bothered me. I think it is because I do not get the Volume, issue, thing and referencing a book is so much easier than referencing a government publication.
So - it is ready and I will send it in TOMORROW after I print out the reference page and pick over it with a fine tooth comb, again. 

Two weeks in Community Health begins tomorrow with a bump to baby clinic....eeek! Not sure how I will be with mums and offspring. 

Joining in with Happy Friday...

Great for starting and not finishing things, here I go again with Planet Penny's Happy Friday. This will not be weekly for me, but thought it might be good to summarise on the odd Friday, good things passed.

For me it has been being able to keep the house a little more clutter free, (Big J helps no end). Small thing to some but it is really important to me. As you all know I crave simplicity and balance and am just so not good at either. 

For every item that has come in of late at least 3 have gone out. I have culled my crochet books down from about 60 to about 6. I am working on ONE THING AT A TIME for now, and making time to walk, breathe, eat less and drink rarely. 

I am doing my best to meet deadlines and today will be an academic one to make the final tweaks to an essay.

My desk area is a tip, it is on the list. Watch this space. 

Have a serene Friday friends. 

Margate

Inspired by the film 'Mr Turner' and the fact there is the Turner Contemporary Gallery there and a BEACH, Big J and I took a drive to Margate.

The Gallery was twixt exhibitions, so not much going on, although nice to poke around the shop. In the summer there is a Grayson Perry exhibition coming, would like to see that. 

We ate in a Caribbean themed place, Mullins Brasserie and the food was brilliant. Butternut and ginger soup! Must try that at home. 

We saw these lovely little sanderlings and some turnstones, (the brown ones) apparently all resting before they head off south. 

A walk along the beach was bitterly cold, runny nose sort of weather. Not much in the way of sea glass, but I did find a lovely piece of sea porcelain in blue and white. 

So good to get out, to walk, chat, read the paper over coffee. A nice day. 

Breasts and bras

Years ago, when our relationship was still new, my stepson told me that 75% of British women don't wear properly fitted bras. Quite a brave subject for a 14 year old! I was proud to say that I am not in that per centage, for I always have a fitting done.  Every time, although the times can be many moons apart and that is why I turn up on the appointed day in a grey, stretchy looking thing that could not hold up a feather let alone a boob.....

Each time I vow I will return more frequently so as not to have to put myself trough the angony of revealing the shrivelled garment to the expert eye of the fitter. 

Hah! Today was fitting day and I had to scrabble through my undies to find the least saggy, least discoloured bra. When the fitter asked me what size it was I panicked because I was sure that the tag had frayed away, but NO, we could just make out the number. Based on that and the fact that the one I had on was cutting into me, she gently suggested a larger size. A size that (a now defunct) Page Three Girl would be happy to have....so up with the times I am!

But is it not the page three bits that are bigger it is those awful fleshy bits that you need to poke back into the bra....But to be honest I didn't give a toss. I was happy to be supported and held and have big wide straps at the back to reduce the gouged flesh look, so happy in fact, I refused to take it off and wore it home...
(I did pay for it and she did take the tag at the back off). If I had been run over by a bus however, the tag at the front of the bra would have let the world know my new size. LOL