At rest edition

It's a week after the birthday, a cooler weekend as I type this out sat waiting for a few things to arrive before venturing out to the park after just dealing with the washing.

First off, I'd like to thank everyone at FA, GT and EBS for their birthday wishes and friends elsewhere for theirs including my BFF's Moonpig unicorn card which was very much appreciated.

Arrangements for Easter and Summer are underway with discussions being finalized and talk around next year too with all that may bring.

Unfortunately I hadn't been too good with a really bad bout of migraine that's still hanging over the left side of my brain, affecting things like remembering day to day details even the other day looking for switch on a kettle near the base forgetting ours is like many a cordless one.

Thus to a large extent I've be mainly resting this week, somewhat dazed, just keeping things tidy and sorting through anything arriving although one immediate family member hasn't realized that there was a birthday hence no card and the other despite calling round never knocked and even wished me a happy birthday in person!

Families,eh?

Return trip around the Sun

 

Things are obviously a little different this year with everything around Mom's death and upcoming funeral very much overshadowing all else most visibly in lack of space in window for cards with cards for her taking the whole window and some up.

It's one thing to not let yourself be defined by disability, but being a disabled person very much is part of my identity so  thought this card was so apt, not least for doing disability sports at school.

To an extent then really little has been planned with time taken up with everything around that other event but I did get this, the recent Gorillaz album on compact disc, one of those card cover ones so I may need to put the disc in a inner sleeve to prevent it getting marked.

I did get some new soft underwear, don't do really fancy colourful designs this year and some money from my brothers, other relatives and The Grump that I can buy some books or music with at some future point.

A Saturday in June

It's a bright bit of a morning as get on with writing up this weeks blog when I have a bit less time to devote to it.

A fair chunk of that is really down to it being an Aunt's Birthday, well actually it was Thursday but they were away during that time so this occasion is going to be very much a party laid on in their honour.

That's down to it being their eightieth birthday which is significant and as they needed a lot of support with Covid as they got in the early days of the pandemic, it's a miracle we are here and of course many people couldn't have such a party in twenty twenty and twenty twenty-o ne.

It's going to be a sandwiches, salad and cake affair at cousins so we'll be going on foot as it's not far and at least the weather while windy, is warm and sunny which helps.

Just have to remember to leave space for my evening meal when we get back.

Around the sun 2022 style

 

Okay so I've had a birthday although a few things remain messed up after these last two year like ones family and any kind of going out is likely to be later on in the week as work continues on refitting one place we like to go.

There was a Tumblr card and message from my BFF.

Anyway given how this thing is with me it was entirely fitting that one neighbour bought me a bar of chocolate cos I really don't have any inclination toward anything specifically adult or interests even.

One thing I did get which goes back a few years for inspiration was a very special four cd and dvd set of the classic Elton John album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road that came out in 2014 which probably contains the highest amount per album of his best ever work including beyond the title track to take in Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting, Bennie and the Jets and Candle In The Wind.

I was a bit strapped for cash in that period so I bought a two cd "deluxe edition" that had the whole album plus on a second disc some remakes of the songs by today's artists such as The Band Perry and a selection from a live recording made at the Hammersmith Odeon in December of 1973 that was broadcast on the radio.

Really it was this set I wanted which give you alternative mixes and non album tracks used on the singles, the whole concert in its two halves and a dvd with surround sound mixes couples with a 100 page book.

I was very fortunate to have it bought for me from a store that still had a copy in.

 Similarly my original Blu Ray of this anime tended to make some funny noises while it played due to some fault in how the film was written onto the disc so the blu ray player can play it so I got a much recent copy that also includes the dvd which didn't have this issue included.

While somethings do alter a paper based mini encyclopedia can help not just when it comes to avoiding going down rabbit holes searching for the very thing you do want, help with spending less time looking at the screen but help in recalling "facts" that given how when I'm ill I lose track of with the impact on my memory without the issues that screens have.

While something things change many do not and this will help.

There was some stocking filler things such as underwear and new socks and a new navy blue skirt too plus some money to cover things from Amazon and of CatBay tm.

Around the sun edition 2021 style

Well its another around the sun day that we're marking on this blog today although like most things this year it isn't like it normally is with visitors coming in and going out with family to mark it

I had a number of cards,book tokens money from relatives for when the Zombie Madness is all over with and a few presents.

This years main present from mommy isn't new as such but an upgrade on something I've liked since I first had it some nine years ago where now it gets the original record covers restored and the original box set illustration.

André Previn was a very accessible and cool conductor to which these recordings remain my favourite all time set of the whole of Tchaikovsky's ballet scores. 

I do like records and this compilation by the Jazz Funk group Level 42 is a well put together summary that uses the original singles versions which is handy.

Around the Sun edition 2020 style

The second busy week which means as soon as all that stuff is over with I am making of point of being little and switching straight to littlespace as past experience has shown if I don't things soon get pretty bad.

 It's been going round the sun time not that I ever change being an eternal little girl albeit one with interests that do link to some sophisticated interests in places

I had some discs by the Country singer Charley Pride  last year and these are a few more 'regular' cds that recently came out I had a few days ago taking in hits, a Xmas album and a few rugulars

 Country music was something I was brought up on and they'll live with the not cool at the time to say you like section of my cd collection.

Classical music has long been a staple of mine from Junior years onward really and recently John  Wilson, the conductor brought back to life the London Sinfonia and these two discs are the first fruits of that enterprise.

 Released late January this year these two recordings have already been critically acclaimed.

 They were birthday presents.

 You can't beat socks for birthday's as they're so practical having pretty bows on them and I had a book token too apart from some money.

I went for lunch with my folks to a local gastropub having fish and chips followed by apple pie and cream which was in the process of being refurbished which was scrumptious.

While birthday this year was a little different, I did actually enjoy having time after all of that in evenings to play with my presents and enjoy being little.

365 days around the Sun 2019 style

*Something* happened last week that has a tendency to occur once a year I believe.

 In many birthday cards and best wishes offered at various sites, this card from my BFF who knows who she is arrived by out of space pigs which is very much little.

 One tv show I  loved was Blue Peter and this originally published a few years ago is less a potted history of the show by  its producer and film editor from 1975 through 2011 although it does give you a breakdown of presenters, notable program items, years expeditions and appeals talks about the challenges in filming and making the show and working with presenters, guests and yes the numerous pets who were for a long time on the production set.

One thing I also love us music, especially classical music and this acclaimed recording came out but a month ago on Super Audio cd, playable on regular stereo cd on what looks to be a great new symphony cycle by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra of music  by Schubert. My main set is from the 1960's with the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra conducted by the late Karl Bohm,

Bartock was/is even one the most important composers of the last century and the legendary 1971 Columbia/CBS recording of the Concerto for orchestra was reissued in its stereo and quadraphonic mixes last year by Dutton Vocalion coupled with the account of the complete Miraculous Mandarin that was issued shortly afterwards on SQ Quad record and Q8 Quadraphonic tape.

There's no one like Andrew, Andrew Davis that is  having seen him conduct and a week ago this brand new recording of Berlioz's L'Enfante du Christ was issued as a double Super audio cd that will join my collection of Berlioz's works on sacd.
Birthdays do have an element of the past in the present for me and so it was fitting a collection of stories that connected a certain Paddington Bear with a tv show I loved was bound to feature.

 The stories were written by Michael Bond for the year annuals of Blue Peter published 1966 through 1972 so tend to be about 14 pages long per story that makes the easy to dip into although a little familiarity with the show and presenting team at the time helps.
Actually I did at one point have a copy as I had other things connected to the tv series  so it's nice to get another hard back copy.

This is an illustration from it and it's in lovely condition, with no felt tip pen scrawling and the like in its original 1973 form.
Thanks for your cards, birthday wishes at various sites and so on and paws crossed for the next trip!

Going around the sun 2018 style

As you *may* of managed to work out it was my birthday last week but it just missed the publishing schedule which is why it is I'm writing about it today.
I had a number of cards from family and friends even if some were a bit late arriving with the recent extreme weather effecting when individuals could get out to mail them and also the UK wide delivery network.

 Tatty Teddy is such a cool creation, indeed I have a number Tatty Teddie stuffies and one person I know, my BFF sent me this lovely card through the mail.
I went out for midday lunch with family to celebrate to a local public house that does home made cooking with big chunky carrots and home prepared roast potatoes so I opted for a Turkey roast with cranberry sauce. Apple sauce never did that much for me to be honest.
I followed that up with home made Apple Pie and vanilla ice cream which was really scrumptious having lots of flavour and texture. I don't like mushy apple flavoured filling in fruit pies.
I had birthday wishes from the site that's the home of 'George' and the Famous Five and other Enid Blyton favourites and some forums including GT, the IK chat room and the classical music thread of a music site who put up with my regressive side pretty well.
That ties into having by way of presents four classical music discs one of which will be featured in a review next week, some money and a W H Smiths voucher I used toward this book when I went into town on Thursday. 

It was one that I kind expected to get but didn't at Christmas so didn't buy myself and there's new book in this historical series coming out next month.

Another 12 months around the sun

Say everybody, isn't just possible that someone has completed an twelve month arc and might still be twelve today? Stranger things have happened around these parts I can assure you!

Hmm, no better a way for this birthday girl to mark hers with something featuring her all time favourite girl bring forth a cake.
I went out to lunch with Mom and my older brother locally.

Given how old I am, I do get music as presents and this special  two cd version  of an album I liked whose original copy suffered from so-called cd rot making it unplayable is something I'll treasure with its bonus tracks.

This came out last year having a couple of hard to find albums in it and two I only had on download with card replica sleeves so is much appreciated both from Mom.

 Coming soon is this, a new colouring book as I've completed my Frozen one now and some Milk Tray chocolates from my Aunt.

I got three new books in the Nancy and St Brides series  by Dorita Fairlie Bruce to add to my collection which will be read, a W H Smiths voucher from a member of the extended family that can be used to buy a book with and reviewed plus money from my brother.

Around the snow edition!

The number of times a period of fifty-two weeks elapses in my life is considerable but in truth I'm never really older is in feeling simply because I am incapable of getting older that way and in lots of ways in real life more than perhaps for some through age-play, I remain forever young.

This return trip saw me have a good number cards from family and relatives although because here in the UK because they had Mothering Sunday on the same day that meant not just more going on it meant both Mom and I being at a joint meal.
There's a down to earth local public house here within a few minutes walk that often has people we know in so we went for a joint meal where I opted for Vegetable soup, a Turkey Roast  and Chocolate Fudge Pudding with ice cream which was delicious.
I had a couple of books by my favourite living authoress

A modern retelling of What Katy Did that I kinda missed out on reading for some reason or other

The latest part in the Hetty Feather historical adventure series that came out late last year in big book aka Hard Back form.
They arrived by courier less than half an hour before I was due to go out!!!
I had some money from my folks a brother and an aunt which can diverted to something appropriately little and some Amazon vouchers from my older brother that I'll need to look at how to get them to my account as techno stuff just loses me at times.

I had also like a good number of Middles and Littles  the Disney animated full length emotion movie Inside/Out on dvd and a few cds although I tend to get them through across the year whereas when I was younger they tended to be more things I had at birthdays and Christmas's
I'll conclude by thanking my friends on various sites for their birthday wishes.

Circling yet again around the sun edition

Recently it was my birthday although I never feel older because for medical reason's I've never and can't really grow up as in being an adult although I can be mature and learn some new things so inevitable birthdays for me are little.
This year was no exception except for the arrival of a couple of soft bodied dolls.
 
 Although they're not as 'classy'  as some dolls, the little loves ones are pretty good value  and my version of 'Lucy' which is 14 inches in height  was the one on the left with the big pink bow coning with a nice dress and leggings.
A nice touch is that the eyes shut when she's on her back sleeping.

Elspeth may have a 'young pretender' for the throne!
That's 'Jessica' a 18 inch Gotz soft bodied creation which being that size it's easy to get new dolly clothes for such summer outfits and school uniforms to dress her in. Her box was a bit damaged but she's fine so I was able to get her at a discount as after all I have dolls to handle and play with rather than that sad boxed collectors stuff that sits on shelves gathering dust.
I had some money, a few cds and finally got the outstanding Christmas present from me brother!

K-on series 2

As the more seasoned readers of this blog know, I like animes rather a lot although of necessity I'm selective as to which I collect in series form because of the sheer expense.

and the second volume

I first started following this series a few years back at least in part because it tickets all the right boxes for me as we have a school setting, a group of school girls in Uniform, who go on to form a Pop music group to keep the light music after school club going and it's funny reminding me of the school clubs I took part in, writing up the plot outlines at the time (see August 27th, 2011 edition).
This series is a year update on the first seeing the members progressing toward graduation, potentially putting the groups composition at risk and  also wanting to recruit new members to pass on the legacy.The emotions would be familiar to anyone so it's easy to related to and the storyline is easy to follow.
Each set comprises of two discs in a pack which is UK distributor Manga entertainments format of choice.

Around the sun edition

A few days back I went around the sun again, no not melting from the heat, but metaphorically speaking and it's that which is the subject of this weeks post.

Yes really, as hard as it may seem to some I never really get any older because I've never really stopped feeling 12 with the same birthday wishes whatever it may say on my birth certificate and as for feeling old, well I've had aches and pains in childhood so to me even that don't age me either. I still feel animated when I wake up on the day!!!
So therefore my birthday not surprisingly is very much a childs one and is marked as such.

Okay everyone who was at Camp  - and you know who you are - can run for cover as Cuddles the Tatty Teddy is here in all it's super huggableness.
Also here and I did mention it to Alice I think, is the 1960 Disney movie version of Pollyanna with Hayley Mills and coming soon will be The Parent Trap and That Darn Cat! in the same series on Region 2 dvd.
Mommy brought me a Monsterz talking plushie - she might be finally getting 'it' now - as well as taking me out to dinner where I insisted upon wearing my pink and blue striped girlie sweater and blouse. I had roast Turkey with trimmings followed by Sticky Pudding with Ice cream and a glass of orange juice.
My M.I.A. brother showed up the day before with a card and the other one came too which was kind of handy as together with other relatives they did give me some money which will come in rather handy.
Arriving soon will be some soul cds which I'll write about separately as they needed to be ordered online and they missed today's mail.

Round the sun again edition

Hello everyone.
Last week i had a birthday but the funny thing about birthdays and me is I never really get any older and I'd like to thank everyone at GT for their super birthday wishes.

 

Mommy bought me these really super flowers as I love flowers a lot.

I had quite a few birthday cards too like this one from mommy plus a 'Gothic' Hello Kitty card from a friend too

I had a few presents of one one I liked was these delicious milk chocolates by Thorntons who make some of the nicest chocolates in England, a book voucher and some money although I don't know what I'm going to buy with it yet.

Because I had been poorly before hand, I hadn't gotten around to arranging much by way of presents myself but had ordered up this 6 cd box set of the first Van Halen albums that come in replica sleeves whose quality is better than normally get for a set like this.
The cds have retro lp style Warner Bros labels
I also got a couple of Temptations albums to complete my collection and a talking Heads compilation.

Out with the old

I first started buying DVD's about 2002 but It was only those titles that went straight to first time DVD release plus a few classic TV and Music releases I bought leaving a legacy of titles I had to use my trusty S-VHS recorder for.
At long long last I have been replacing a good many of my VHS tapes of movies with DVD versions since updating my DVD player a short while back.

I replaced recently the following:
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Wiz
Flash Gordon
ET
Staying Alive
Two Of A Kind
Streets Of Fire
Top Gun
Labyrinth
Cocktail
Days Of Thunder

The improvement over the tapes is hard to describe but they are sharper with better colour rendition