Good Online Booksellers for Christmas

The other day as I was drinking a coffee and hurriedly knitting up a pair of mittens for a pal for Christmas, I overheard two people at a neighbouring table complaining about Amazon. 

Stretch mark scars

Like many women, I have pale lines - scars left from where my body grew too fast and my skin didn't quite keep up. However, these are not on my tummy from pregnancy. I got my stretch marks during my teenage years. Although I did have a normally healthy diet, from what I can gather I just didn't happen to have the right vitamins at the right moment to keep my skin supple. As Piglet reaches an age where she will start growing, I have been looking into how to help her avoid teenage stretch marks. 

Handy kitchen appliances

On the latest module I'm teaching, we've got to the topic of the sociology of the home. I am quite excited about this area of social science, as I have lots and lots and LOTS of data about The Home.

(This is one of those bits of the module where I have to be careful to stick to the module materials and not include a lot of interesting ideas from other things I've read and experienced. Although those all provide fascinating insights into domestic life, I can end up putting too many of them into my discussion. Then I don't have a clear argument, whereas if I stick to the carefully selected module materials I can write a much simpler clearer account.)

As an early task, students are asked to take a photo of a labour-saving kitchen appliance and upload it to a Group page.

Yayyy! Menopause!

Hormonal warning t-shirts
available from Zazzle.

I have the ultimate secret weapon against Piglet's impending teenage hormonal mood swings. Menopause! Being an older mum, I will be able to out-hormone her.

I had a couple of years to get used to the impending 'Change'. A little while back, I started getting irregular and unusually heavy periods. I sensibly called up the NHS Helpline and went to see my doctor. Medical professionals spoke to me like this: *hushed whisper* "It's your age." ??? "It's the CHANGE!"

Barbie and Ken as Apollo 
and Daphne - available on ebay.

Sheesh, I felt like I was not human any more. As if I was about to metamorphose like some ancient Greek maiden being pursued by randy Gods or evil Fates, turn into a laurel tree or waves on the ocean shore or something. But then I reflected that half of the population goes through this 'Change'. There seem to be a lot of human-looking ladies walking about with elegantly coiffed white hair. I figured it must be survivable.

The Eternal City

I had a wonderful and surprisingly inexpensive holiday in Rome. I promised a couple of people tips and thought I would share them here.

Going to Rome offers exciting learning opportunities for piglets of Piglet's age (11), as they have usually done the invasion of Britain by Romans in history at school, and will give a cursory glance to splendid examples of renaissance art. (Accompanied by exclamations of prudish horror - "ugh! gross" - if these are nude studies, LOL.)

A Moment Between Life and Death

I knew this moment would come and am more surprised it's taken so long than anything else. 

We moved not long ago to a light airy maisonette beside a park. Our sizeable garden is bordered by trees, full of squirrels and birds. As Spring blossomed, the trees grew young leaf and the birds were busy.

We have two cats. I knew one day they would bring back a bird.

The Bluebell Woods

It's about three years since I was shown the Bluebell Woods and every year at this time I think about going there. I didn't pay very close attention to how you got there so it was an adventure! You know, the sort where you go: "Come on! I'm sure it's down this little road," and a rearguard of piglets squeals reluctantly along saying they want to go home, LOL. 

Actually the way to get there is a not very visible footpath on the North-Eastern side, close to the roundabout at the junction of Rhiwbina Hill and Pantmawr Road. The path runs down to a footbridge over a stream. Opposite is a lovely hillside just made for dog walking and picnics. (This is not a wheelchair accessible walk, and best done with children who no longer need a pushchair.)

Piglet on Wheels

Available from Bikes 2U Direct.
 We bought Piglet's first bike online;
subsequent ones from a good local 
family shop (Damian Harris Cycles).

The Big Pedal starts next week! 

Piglet never had a tricycle; she started out on the Disney Princess bike with trainer wheels. It also of course had bangles, beads and other accessories stuck on anywhere there was space. She would cycle it fiercely round and round the park with great pleasure, dressed up as Snow White, while I dozed on a bench wrapped in a winter coat.

Barbie ... Makes a Mistake

There is a lot of swearing in this blogpost, which is a fairly critical review of the story of how Barbie gets into computing, LOL. I laughed so hard reading this poor mum's vitriolic comments on Barbie having to get Steve and Brian to help her when her computer goes wrong, and how she has a pink heart-shaped memory stick which she keeps handily on her necklace, that Piglet came running downstairs ... from tidying up her Barbies! to see what was going on. 

Forest Farm

It was a day like Spring, a perfect day for a cycle ride. I said to my trusty companion: "Let's go out on the bikes." Piglet of course said: "No, no-o-o-o! agh agh no! I had exercise today, I don't wanna go out, wah wah." I was obdurate so we set off in the wash of pale cold sunshine.