It's Monday before New Year so it's usual on this blog to write some kind of a review although it may well start at the end because that sets where it's going.
The year ended with me dealing with a few missteps along the way notably having two versions of the same blog which apart from duplication, extra work when what was posted here wouldn't of worked for its intended audience elsewhere, I also found that it pulled in few people to begin to even justify it.
Part of that also came about because the Age Regression wars on Tumblr if not quite coming to a complete end saw one major group change after a lot of internal politics to having an acceptance of the group I had been aligned with since July 2016 when Age Play vs Age Regression battles split those of us more into regression off and then we had a purist schism whose discourse was worse than most school playgrounds.
Finally most it is over cos we've got over that, deciding really respecting an individuals feelings and limits was the more important thing which meant that I could allow that last group, The Kidhearts to follow my tumblr and as sometimes what may be on here might not work with all, seeing few were following the other version of the blog, there was no need to link this to it at all.
Effectively I allowed that alternative blog to pause indefinitely until such time as it may be repurposed.
The blog has talked about different forms of presentation as sometimes people when regressing go to what they grow up with and so in effect recreate that past down to outfits and uniforms while others may take their inspiration from those actual girls (and boys) of today with a wider range of types of attire.
While I like pinafore dresses, I do fall more down that more modern take on things.
I went to places, exploring more of what was around us, enjoying the countryside getting up to places I'd never managed before with support, enjoying it and spend a lot at time at home being out of doors.
This coming year we may well be doing some more exploring as camp moves to a new venue in the Winter that has many opportunities.
I did buy quite a number of new albums on either cd's or records by artists I liked not least a good number of Super audio cd's that sound even better through my dedicated player, reviewing them too although music with my often has either a resetting or a regressive context, taking me back into that time and space again.
I see things as being more on a continuation of what has always interested me as we move into 2020 but with a greater emphasis on being out and making memories free from the groan up turbulence last year with the state of the Country politically.
Christmas but once a year so getting out of bed not really being asleep for much of the night I am up having smelt the grump's turkey cooking overnight and am opening the presents while my brother is present as he came at 9 o'clock! which also was a bit later than planned.
Like how do get something for breakfast and be sociable?
There is only on batch of main presents this year thanks to a three year delay which comprises of the first four Dire Straits albums remastered and issued on Super Audio cd.
They were not cheap and will be reviewed at some future point but the sheer expense cut into my Christmas allowance my folks allow but as the reviews at other sites were so positive trading my original cds from the 80's for these seemed to make sense.
Back to the future with annuals connected to christmas of the past with the boys, girls and pets that we laughed our heads off reading the Beano and Dandy Comics.
Being straight reprints they take you back to the past you knew which is why as with last year there's no current Beano annual simply because while some of the favourites of the past are still there, the contexts are different and the newer series of cartoon strips don't connect that much with me.
I do have a copy of the Dandy Annual though with new stories about the old favourites like Beryl The Peril and The Numbskills.
I did pick up the Christmas Beano Special which is the christmas themed regular edition which covers the comic as it now is which is enough to enjoy the way the comic has moved.
Let's put it this way, last weeks regular comic for Christmas week was a plastic festooned edition with bits for pranks while in the past the stories would be enough to get you reading what might be happening to Walter and his Softies chums from Dennis and Gnasher and so on.
I got a zip up Maroon sweater from Mom which wasn't expected to be honest as it's been a few years since she'd bought one.
I had some money from relatives that I can use towards some books or Blu ray discs in the future.
Hope everyone's enjoying Christmas and don't give the dog a bone.
Regards Jo.
Well, the final touches have been made with an unexpected item brought and a couple of people visiting with cards and presents apart from any that came via the Royal Mail.
Yesterday afternoon we finally finished A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in Jennie's Storytime stream which was fun to read cos it's all about this time of year and what you might say is the 'right' way to live plus I did remake a tape which will come in handy later on.
I also watched the Dave Allen special on BBC2 and the Songs of Praise Christmas special which had lots and lots of carols being sang by both adults and children.
Carol singing was is even something I just adore and sing along too.
There will be a Christmas special on Xmas day published although posting links might be hap-hazard as it'll be busy here.
*HAPPY CHRISTMAS FOLKS*
Almost there now.
After a bit of break, not having been too good I've been getting on with writing Christmas cards here and sorting out presents although arrangements are bit less straightforward than usual this year.
Pretty much last purchases before Christmas were a couple of special editions of favourite albums of mine.
1974's On The Border was the first album by the Eagles to had been issued in Quadraphonic surround sound on both Q8 tape and CD-4 discrete quad lp which contained the songs James Dean and Already Gone.
The album showed a move toward hard rock rather the the country rock of the first two albums and was remixed for Quad which even if you don't own a suitable cartridge and CD-4 demodulator to extract the four channel sound.
I also picked up shorty afterward the CD-4 version of the follow up, 1975's One of These Nights which apart from the title track includes the songs Lyin' Eyes and Take It to The Limit.
1976's Hotel California was mixed for Quadraphonic but by this point it had been decided to ditch the format.
1973's The Captain and Me by the Doobie Bros is a longstanding favourite of mine from borrowed tapes to the MSFL super audio cd I currently have, meandering seamlessly through R&B, country and hard rock.
This was mixed and issued on Q8 and CD-4 discrete quad also in 1974 so it has different mixes that emphasize more of the left and right channels, being mixed more for effect.
Both discs were used to demonstrate the CD-4 system and featured in a magazine article I read as young child in Popular HiFi to explain what it was like and probably persuade folks to buy new systems although you could convert your existing one with the CD-4 Demodulator, a second amplifier and matching speakers.
Playing these versions has been fun this week.
In what will be the second post before Christmas Week, apart from nom'ing the advent calendar day by day counting down to the Twenty-fifth my mind has been looking back a little around what this time of year used to be like.
One thing I did include was apart from the usual Saturday shopping stuff like fresh fruit and veg from the market stores as we bought food loose together with visiting the butcher and fishmonger, we tended to get things specifically for Christmas in.
Travelling with things featuring decoration on the back seat next to you as for much of that era, we didn't "clunk, click, every trip" and use seatbelts was common place as was having a Christmas tree situated between you and a sibling.
If we were good we might be taken to select the toys we wanted for Christmas having seen the catalogues at the local toy shop and department stores like Woolworth's with that years specials.
Another thing is what happened yesterday when I saw Santa Claus going around thanks to the local Round Table, collecting for the needy and also you saw him in stores which kind of made me wonder how come he gets everywhere?
Usually they inquire as to how you been - did any of us say we've been bad? - what you were looking forward to before you got a present.
You also may get cards for the school christmas post which you'd write up.
After last weeks post we'll start the countdown toward Christmas as I work the blogging schedule as I'm usually pretty busy but i think it should be two full posts and something on or around Christmas Day.
At the start of last week, our Christmas tree came which in this age of elf and safety had to planted and wired by people with certificates not sophisticats lest somebody either climb up it or try stealing the bulbs whilst turned on.
The Parish Council pays for the tree which is as well as we do want something like this at Christmas and keeps the lights that have to put on it.
I think every town and estate should have one.
On Friday the good folk here had a Carol Service under the tree enjoying themselves and going to a chapel for refreshments afterwards
Normally people such as the Round Table have a mobile santa visiting waving at everyone as we wave back with the Scouts providing the trailer - yes I love this bit of Christmas - while blasting out christmas tunes and collecting for the needy.
Meanwhile as we're into Advent, the Advent calendar is up and most nom'able, a day at a time as we count down Xmas having consumed the Rabbit yesterday!
Past life for me included memories of Ladybird items, not just the books but the actual range of clothing that was stocked by the likes of Woolworths.
To some extent at least what you might associated within the context of regressed life might include those items that were worn at that time and not necessarily today and some girls today are less 'dressy' than they were in the past.
School uniform has seen some changes over the years with some schools banning skirts on grounds of Gender Neutrality which is supported in Liberal Democrat policy in the election, the move away from games skirts to skorts and in some schools boys wearing shorts and yet in others being banned under gender neutrality rules while some insist on girls wearing shorts under dresses while doing cartwheels.
While I haven't yet seen soccer (Association Football) played in skorts who knows with current trends.
I think the point is for some the way in which they present is routed very much in their past, that specific era and for others it may take in somethings from the present and as for me I mix and match with what I feel comfortable in.
We last visited the topic of the Rolling Stones on cd on August 20th, 2018 with the first post in this series being from November 21st 2016 which followed getting the Rolling Stones in Mono box set in October of that year.
It is then kind of apt to be revisiting the topic some four years on with a couple of recent addiitions to the collection.
Apart from the differences between the UK and US original albums for much of the 1960's it is also the case the compilations issued during and that era too are also different which was very annoying when having been brought up with those in the cd era they are all replaced by US editions.
On October 30 Universal Japan decided to reissue Big Hits better know to some of us by the bracketed title "High Tide and Green Grass" which was originally issued in late 1966 in the UK with 14 tracks which included a high proportion of single only tracks.
They also issued Thru The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol:2) which came out originally in 1969 just three months before the essential Let It Bleed album of that year.
There was less difference between this album in its UK form compared to the US with the UK version gaining You Better Move On, a EP only song and the US version gaining Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? which because the US version of High Tide and Green Grass had been issued in April, it had missed off unlike the UK version.
Both were issued in mono and stereo forms at the time with the mono version going out of print by 1970 thus by the time I bought these on record they were stereo only (and some fake stereo too!).
Earlier in the year for Record Store Day both titles had been reissued on vinyl after 30 odd years and it's the version for that which used for these cd issues on Shm plastic which is said to be more reflective and less likely to have errors than conventional polycarbonate cds.
Although on High Tide and Green Grass they have reprinted the original "OBI" sash the Japanese lp had, it is not strictly accurate as this cd like the reissued record is all mono not stereo but does contain the gatefold sleeve being a mini lp and the much loved insert with prime mid sixties pictures of various members of the band and notes.
Thru The Past Darkly reproduces the original octangular lp jacket which later made square shape and both cds have the DECCA record company logo.
The last time they were out in Japan on cd was the early 1990's from so-so sources and never issued in Europe or North America so I was delighted that they've emerged in good sounding versions.
They can join the collection for practical reasons such as the length and the whole revisiting the past side.
Last weekend I was away for a few days with friends for our annual Halloween get together which for a couple of us had a complication as a power line failure near London had put trains and drivers in the wrong spot.
For me things started the day earlier when I set out by bus and train to meet with Auntie Andi as we were stopping over with a n other where we had chops, kidney and vegetables for tea followed by a spooky decorated Donut.
There were plenty of decorations around the house and garden, spotting them did prove to be quite useful for Saturday as after listening to some music and chatting, I slept by the fire.
Saturday morning was a bit busy as Miss Green and Samantha R went out for walk and to pick up the order for pies and other things from the excellent local butcher but got drenched as it was raining hard. Anyway I didn't feel like changing out my pleated green skirt for something more waterproof.
I opted to stay indoors as we tried to work out when (and If) there was going to be a lull for the treasure hunt as well as the bonfire.
Gradually people started to arrive so the four soon grew catching up with events since the last time we'd meet and it was time for Miss Green and Andi to cook the beef burgers and onions as we were starting to feel a bit hungry.
We had three new people who soon fitted in well.
The treasure hunt based on the 1971 movie of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory was able to done outside as we roamed the garden hunting for clues of which I did manage to find one before it was craft time.
To save on carriage I arranged to have a pumpkin bought for me and so we went outside to carve the pumpkins with knives and spoons to remove the gunk from the middle ready to add the tea light later on.
That's mine with the rotten teeth!
We returned indoors for the decorating the ginger bread persons with icing and a children's tv theme centred music quiz which was enjoyed.
If the details or hazy on that it's cos I was out of spoons at the time and also needed to rest me paws as they were swollen from carving.
Slotted between the savories and the desert portions of the buffet tea provided by various persons Miss Green and auntie Andi lit the bonfire.
This was followed by the fireworks and at least this time the rocket sticks stayed where they should as we ooh and Ar'd to the colourful explosions and we waved sparklers around.
After the deserts, we listened to some music including children's tv themes from the past until it was time for bed.
Sunday morning I woke up at half-seven which late for me but earlier than most so after getting changed and having a wash so discretely I stepped around one person who remains unaware I passed them I rounded up stray glasses and washed them up.
Andi and Miss Green cooked Bacon butties (Bacon between two slices of bread) which helped keep me ticking over until after a few people left the remainder of us went out for a meal at a local public house by a canal of which most of us walked by the canal too.
I was on catisfactory turkey roast and still orange with ice which was delicious and everyone agreed the food was marvellous.
Slowly the group left and Daisy, Suzy and I were taken to the nearby rail station by Andi to make our ways back so as I was a bit early I went via Stone for a change getting in time for a meal at home.
Thanks to everyone who came, bought food, helped out and contributed to a great weekend.
"Excuse me a while I just finish off working on this image I took a while back"
That's the thing, really I haven't been around this weekend to write up today's entry because actually I do live this life and go away doing littles things so I wasn't back much before it was time for a evening meal, unload my case and have a soak in the bath.
After that it's time for a drink and bed cos I'm shattered.
So really this was written earlier in the week ready to be published today between editing some of my pictures on the computer after a brisk walk in the cool but sunny autumn air.
Next week it *should* be what I was doing this weekend but until then, bye for now.
It may hard to believe but with the current weather I have been out a little this week where at long last The Fall is actually happening having been quite mild from September into this month and so it's only been in about the last week anything much had happened where I know elsewhere in the UK it has been much cooler.
It's a time of year I associate with both Bonfires which we used to have with elaborate displays and communal catering and also Remembrance Day parades which I attended going up and down tree lined country roads.
I've also been spending my time playing with my Pink Panther stuffy actually I have a few of them some more jelly like on the inside others not as the current political situation doesn't do anything good for me I'm afraid.
I also had to change the clocks around too as we went off Daylight saving yesterday.
Next weeks blog may be delayed as I'll be away at the weekend and probably too shattered to post anything.
Bye for now.
While recovering here I did nip outdoors and noticed apart from ground frost something else was starting to put in an appearance
Yes breaking down things was Fungi near hedgerows and trees when I went out to fetch the newspaper and a few things for Sunday's breakfast passing as I do our bits of meadow that break up the nondescript ribbon development along the main road, keeping some sense of human scale.
It has been pretty mild up here so there hasn't been much of indication of The Fall as in gorgeous coloured leaves on and off the deciduous trees although it won't be long I suspect before they put in an appearance.
m
Although the weather has been lousy for most of the week I do get out rather than living life behind a screen, interacting with people and that means at the very least I get to go to the general store and newsagent quite a bit.
I had been looking for a while at comics and magazines aimed for children are both displayed and also the kinds of content because in the time I've been on this planet things have changed, something prompted a little by last weeks post.
This kind of display should be familiar to most Britishers, usually a few levels high with the children's magazines toward the bottom in a dedicated sub section, titles battle it out for supremacy especially as when here one or more is stack just above the other, limiting exposure of the cover.
One of the first things you'll notice is the cover mounted usually plastic gifts and because of the whole comic or magazine is then covered in plastic.
The first thing to say is those mounts make the display harder fit in the racks and this makes it harder to be seen by children who contrary to popular opinion aren't super tall.
The other is the return rates for most as they're sold on "sale or return" is quite high no less than 35% and often higher then them means the plastic gifts need to be recycled or otherwise disposed of as ultimately at children's homes they also do so it isn't really helping the environment.
Often publishers have a different idea of the age range they are catering for and for example when I scanned through Nat Geographic Kids this Saturday, there wasn't anything that would really appeal to a child of nine or older - the last years of Junior School to thirteen plus as while animals featured it was more quiz and simple fact centred as if they expected that age group to pay for and read the 'adult' National Geographic magazine.
As with some other magazines around say Soccer there wasn't a lot that might stretch a child's reading ability and vocabulary in the that in the past adventure comics would promoting understanding of ideas and rules.
It just seems to me there doesn't appear to anything that filled the void left by the celebratory and Tv centred Look In of the nineteen-seventies and eighties where intelligent well written pieces around topics can be found mixed in with fun for those over eight but not wanting an adult publication.
I'm still a bit rough as it were but actually were at about the nine hundreth post on this blog which goes back rather a long time looking at past childhoods, age regression, being an adult little girl and all the things that go in this crazy life.
Everything starts from somewhere and that somewhere included little rituals like reading comics such as the Beano every Wednesday and in a sea of changes that has seen many comics go and changed reading habits that's still a constant.
Most of us could relate to the world of the Bash Street Kids even if mirroring real life over the decades that's changed too and I adored Minnie The Minx.
Today reading for kids goes into such things like this magazine for junior fans of Jacqueline Wilson's popular mainly girlcentric stories as well as National Geographic for Kids and with some regret children's celebratory magazines which just seem very frothy and sugary, lacking substance.
To me this life is about doing, following things living a more regressed child-like life so sometimes there's things about activities, being away from adult things we may need to engage with.
This can include nature as in exploring your surroundings, taking an interest in different species and varieties of animals and habitats as well as man made things such as historic events and buildings.
The act of doing these things adds to our store of experiences that builds up our character and makes memories that can be backed up photographs and writing which is the measure of this regressed alg life rather than a preoccupation with dress.
Dress is great, dress is something I do like in the context taking in uniform but it isn't the life, that's what happens when you're in it.
Britishers might remember (and they're probably on YouTube apart from dvd) the Mr Benn cartoons where he changed his outfit and had an adventure. Well the thing that was interesting was that adventure, that by casting off those clothes he cast away what held him back from being that person having the adventure.
What holds us back often is us.
Regression for me is therapeutic doing that which is enjoyable, comforting and operating within my own limitations rather than feeling pressured to go beyond, into things I can cannot see or find too frustrating to attempt to keep up with.
That's really what blog is about so while you might see a book or a music review the enjoyment of it is a part of that life being the context it happens in.
Things will be a bit different this week for a variety of reasons one being actually I'm not well being on hot drinks, throat pastels and the like as I have a bit of soar throat and cold.
The other is while all this is going on my Broadband is being upgrade to "Superfast Fibre" by my provider for free which should give me a speed of on average 67mbps which is just over two-thirds as fast as my current speed.
Part of that is done electronically, throwing a switch to send my internet via the service but to fully use it I need to change my modem and router combination for a new all in one faster hub which even if I'd been well would of been taxing so I'm kind of dependent on someone doing it when it suits them.
That means I may not around this weekend gone to write this blog and other things like Storytime at FA so I'll have to occupy myself with comic and music until I'm back up ready to change the Wifi name and password across laptop and chromebook.
Yesterday was rather wet so I didn't get around to taking any pictures which was my intention and indeed I was lucky to spot a moment where I could slot in a walk in the drizzle but while doing so I did see a few things that came to me.
I've always had a fascination with snails and I saw rather a lot of them not just in gardens as you would expect but actually on the curb and pavement where they had paused so I had to be careful not to accidentally break the shells which is easy to do.
While aesthetically I don't like slugs I do find them fascinating to watch making their moves taking in their food stuffs on a well lubricated trail.
Also Orson, the literary cat was hanging about wanting food and shelter having been out overnight looking a little bedraggled from the wind and rain that woke me about 5 am on Sunday morning.
We had quite a lot of thunder and lightning too which isn't my idea of fun.
There is little denying we are moving toward Fall, where there nutkins start to gather up nuts and acorns to store and the birds in my garden start eating the berries like there's no tomorrow round the back and near to where I often walk.
With the present political mess going on I find getting out and away from it all helps.
Something I did pick up recently was this three cd set of albums by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes who were one of the leading Philly Soul bands of the 1970's as it had a couple of albums I lacked plus some alternate mixes.
Lead vocalist Teddy Pendergast, left the group in 1975 and his career was one I followed having all his solo albums so this set nicely completes a set of his recordings for me.
Today actually marks the tenth anniversary of issuing of "The Beatles Remastered" and specifically the day in which I had my "The Beatles in Mono" box set, quite possibly the most expensive musical purchase I made (so far!)
Given it's being written on this blog and not the one the original piece was written, put simply in general the cds issued in 1987/8 were widely criticized for being poor sounding being rushed and for not having the sort of presentation fitting for the most important musical act of the twentieth century.
Specifically the catalogue of albums as issued then ignored the fact that mono versions both sounded different having radically different mixes and were more overseen by the Beatles themselves being more complete whereas the the stereo versions were rushed and done by studio engineers alone.
The clamour for those versions had lead to a short lived mono reissue series in 1981 but by 1987 when the first cds were issued all that was ignored.
This time around it was decided to issue all those mono albums as a set and the remastered stereo versions either in a set or individually.
That tied in well with another idea well executed which was each album would be packaged as a miniature lp with outer plus inner sleeves that matched the original lp issues and in the case of the white album the posters too.
As you can see from the photograph above they all fit snugly in one box with a booklet explaining their history.
That whole package sold itself to me as only thing I really wanted outside of the new stereo cds of Abbey Road, Let It Be and the Past Masters set that rounded up stray singles and tracks otherwise not to be found within the original studio lps.
This set is something that is treasured as an object of art, played often for the music contained with it and easily was the best couple of hundred pounds I ever spent.
This week has been a bit busy with getting some basic ideas for an upcoming event sorted out, finishing off some redone MiniDiscs and out doing various things for folks so I did a bit a check through my stuff.
I mean how many of us know our sock draws intimately when I noticed a few of mine were rather bobbled and even had worn bits around the heels and that so I needed to replace several pairs.
No, this isn't featuring a record review although there's a Mars Bar going if you get one hidden somewhere here but these are new long socks in grey featuring bows cos I'm a Neko!
Bows also happen to be very pretty too as well as super smol and are vailable from regular children's and schoolwear suppliers cos I'm small really.
I also have a new coat too which is as well given we can have rain or snow from late Fall through Winter.
The good news is the all the old socks get turned into textile fibres that can be use to make new things.
As you read this it will be the August bank holiday which tends to mark the return of school over here and as it happens also is being marked by family fun days this weekend in churches and public houses where I live.
Not unsurprisingly in the local newspapers and some national media too we are seeing the various promotions for such things around uniforms, where in the UK the majority of schools have one, stationery and equipment.
This is a good example of the sort of advertising we have, here for the Matalan discount store with photogenic models and needless to say the cardigans, socks setc are all available from the store too.
Being taken out to the local uniform shop in the last ten day or so of August is a ritual many of us remember well, being told we'll 'grow into' our clothes as you feel a bit like a scarecrow with everything being a bit big and baggy on you.
This lovely Panda Plush pencil case is a good example of the variety a regular stationery store such as W H Smiths over here stocks and yes things like Football one exist for boys too
A decent geometry set helps for math and science and this is an example from W H Smith although you'd need to add a compass a 2hb pencil and rubber to it plus some decent colouring pencils and ballpoint/fountain pen with ink.
Personally I'm with fountain pens as a good broad nib often improves the flow of the least good handwriting which even if this an age when digital often prevails, still is worth cultivating.
Yes, it's the fantastic 1970's again where equipment had wood effect surrounds and we had four speakers as in this lovely Sanyo unit that has a built in Q8 Quadraphonic and stereo tape player, a FM/AM radio, an aux input and a "matrix decoder" to get four channels out of records using that system.
Into that era some of us had odd ball likes compared with our peers and one of mine was a liking for Country music which takes me to two cds that merged recently by an artist of this era I liked, Charlie Rich who having experimented with blues settled on country.
This one contains a all time favourite recording of mine "The Most Beautiful Girl" which its rich arrangements from 1973's Behind Closed Doors and his 1975 album Every Time You Touch Me.
The Silver Fox is a autobiographical medley of hits by him setting out his recording career while Very Special Love Songs is a selection he loved and chose to record with his backing group, the Nashville Edition both from 1974.
The common denominator is all four albums apart from being favourites were originally Quadraphonic records and tapes, the very tapes you'd play in that Sanyo unit with four matching speakers in the corner of your room
Because of the Super Audio cd format, all of those Quad versions are made available again in higher quality than we had originally on these re-issues apart from the stereo versions on the regular cd (plus the super audio cd layer)
As I write this, it's really been something of a damp squid of a weekend with very heavy rain, power issues in parts of the country and no good for being out of doors which as I said the other week is really more my thing.
Instead I've been otherwise engaged with more mundane things such as sorting out bookmarks on the Chromebook because my bookmarks go back at around 2006/7 being imported from machine to machine regardless of browser over that period.
Sometimes it can be good for finding a old post about something I recall particularly if it has some otherwise hard to find information in it.
On the other hand you may draw a blank because either the site no longer exists like Google + or it's a persons blog on a site that has been removed or they shut down such as on Tumblr and so serves no real purpose.
The great thing about Google Accounts is being synchronized it doesn't matter on what you view on, all things like bookmarks and password changes are all saved across the board so I thought it was a good use of time this weekend.
One thing you can do is still life photography of either objects like coins, models or like this, flowers.
I also listened to a few recordings I hadn't played in a while while I wait for some new old titles to slowly come in being ordered from various separate suppliers.
Last week I was away at a 'littles camp' a place where you can let your little/inner child out with others and caregivers/ significant others which was in East Anglia, UK and today's post is about that.
I set out about Twenty to Eleven in a taxi to catch my train from the best rail station in the Northwest Midlands to travel to a large town in the Black Country meet with Miss Green who kindly agreed to drive both us to the venue.
Travelling was mainly uneventful outside of a broken down vehicle causing delays on the motorway from Wednesbury, Staffs to Castle Bromwich , Birmingham and heavy rain that reduced visibility plus ongoing roadworks around Cambridge and Huntingdon on the A14.
We arrived just on Four in the afternoon, with assistance, moved bags plus things for camp such as food, games equipment and so on.
The society of Little Girl engineers solved how to make the Lego Disney Princesses Castle in eighteen hours that involved making over 14 sections including various Disney characters on the castle drawbridge and then dropping in each completed section which was a room in the style of a Disney Princess.
We also completed one jigsaw but had to terminate another as it was way too hard for the time we had remaining.
The Games Morning:
Mrs Green on Monday put on a 'Sports Day', a kind of homage to the kind of school sports days many of us can recall from being around 8 through 12 when while winners got prizes, it was really rather more about the taking part than how things got by high school with the 'jocks' an all.
Archery, relay race, score a netball goal, the 'egg and spoon' race, sack race one I certainly did hobbling about at the time and even a sponge the staff competition for good measure.
One felt sorry for a well soaked Mr.Pool
Arts and Crafts
This time a 'formal' session wasn't laid on but various materials such as things to paint, paper, kits etc were set out for anyone who wished to do some either indoors or as the weather was pleasant outdoors.
This is what I painted after going for a walk on Tuesday morning, a Cheshire Cat in the manner of Garfield.
For me arts and crafts are enjoyable even with my co-ordination and damaged paws, providing the kind of relaxed, more child-like headspace I need.
Walks: A few of us did venture out for a spot of rambling though fields and woodland nearby toward lakes, meeting cyclists, people walking dogs and families with children.
I am a more outdoor, exploring, identifying and self challenging sort of a person who really doesn't like being cooped up indoors and not given to changing outfits much give the difficulties dressing itself presents frequently.
I set breakfast up for those who wished to across the time apart from helping out within my (limited) means.
Alice put on a Space Themed treasure hunt on Monday afternoon with clues to find which was fun.
Lunchtime catering was mainly salads with cheese, eggs and meats apart from Monday where Jacket baked potatoes with optional fillings were available put together by Daisy, Suzy, Jillian and a few others whose names escape me.
Evening meals were mainly cooked by members of our group with Karla and Caroline doing a great outdoor Barbecue on the Sunday with sausages, pork, chicken, beef burgers and kebabs complete with onions and baps and Jennifer did pies, mashed potatoes, creamed parsnips and mixed veg on Tuesday.
On Monday evening having got details of what everyone wanted and telephoned them in, we had fish and chips apart from the odd person who preferred either sausages or a whole chicken which Samantha and a.n.other collected from a shop a few miles away.
On arrival most people had an ordered 'Indian' - various curried dishes - apart from Jennifer and I who had pork and vegetables coupled with cake with strawberries.
On Sunday Mr Pool, suitably dried put on a disco with lighting for everyone and on Monday, the resident Nekomini laid on her "all purr-puss" music quiz after tea that everyone enjoyed complete with prizes.
Apart from one furson and two people who needed to leave earlier we all left on Wednesday morning before 11 am and apart from a few roadworks that involved one minor detour was largely uneventful we arrived at the train station so I could catch my train home which after a short taxi ride got me in for just after 3 pm to unpack and unwind.
I'd like to than everyone that did something tidy up, help with food and drinks, put on events, handle the booking and so on for a super time.
